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The first class is of o superior gods, for the people paid to them a higher degree of worship; because they imagined that these gods were more eminently employed in the government of this world. These were called also P select, because they had always had the title of celestial gods, and were famous and eminent above others, of extraordinary authority and renown. Twelve of these were styled a consentes; because, in affairs of great importance, Jupiter admitted them into his council. The images of these were fixed in the Forum at Rome; six of them were males, and six females; commonly, without other additions, called the Twelve gods; and whose names Ennius comprises in a

r distich.

These twelve gods were believed to preside over the twelve months; to each of them was allotted a month; January to Juno, February to Neptune, March to Minerva, April to Venus, May to Apollo, June to Mercury, July to Jupiter, August to Ceres, September to Vulcan, October to Mars, November to Diana, December to Vesta. S They likewise presided over the twelve celestial signs. And if to these twelve Dii Consentes you add the eight following, Janus, Saturnus, Genius, Sol, Pluto, Bacchus, Tellus, and Luna, you will have twenty, that is, all the select gads.

The second class contains the gods of lower rank and dignity, who were styled Di Minorum Gentium ; because they shine with a less degree of glory, and have been placed among the gods, as Cicero says, by their own merits. Whence they are called also " Adscriptitii

• Dii Majorum Gentium.

P Selecti. q Consentes. quasi consentientes. Senec. 1. 2. Quæst. Nat. Lucian. dial. de Deorum, concil. Plaut. in Epidico.

Juno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars,
Mercurius, Neptunus, Jupiter, Vulcanus, Apollo.
Dempster paralip. ad c. 3.

In posteriore hoc versu alii legunt Jovis non Jupiter; et me lius meo judicio; olim enim Jovis in nominativo dicebatur; elisâ, metri gratiâ, ultimâ litera. Rosin. Antiq. 1. 2. s Manili1 Astron. 1. 2. t De Nat. Deor. 2. u Var. apud August.

Minus cularii," Putatii, and * Indigetes: because now they wanted nothing; or because, being translated from this earth into heaven, they conversed with the gods; or being fixed, as it were, to certain places, committed peculiarly to their care, they dwelt in them, to perform the duty entrusted to them. Thus Æneas was made a god, by his mother Venus, in the manner described by Ovidz

The gods of the third and lower class are sometimes called a Minuti, Vesci, and Miscellanei, but more usually d Semones, whose merits werenot sufficient to gain them a place among the celestial gods; yet their virtues were such, that the people thought them superior to mortal men. They were called Patellarii, from certain small d dishes, in which the ancients offered to the gods their sacrifices, of which e Ovid makes mention.

To these we ought to adjoin the gods called Novensiles, which the Sabines brought to Rome by the command of king Tatius; and which were so named, as some say, because they were & latest of all reckoned

w Lucian dial. de Deor. concil. * Indigetes quod nullius rei indigerent, quod in Diis agerent, vel quod in iis (sc. locis) degerent Serv. in En. 12. y Liv. l. 1.

Lustratum genitrix divino corpus odore
Unxit, et ambrosia cum dulci nectare mixta
Contigit os, fecitque Deum, quem turba Quirini
Nucupat Indigetem, temploque, arisque recepit.
His mother then his body purify'd,
Anoints with sacred odours, and his lips
In nectar mingled with ambrosia dips;
So deify'd; whom Indiges Rome calls,
Honour'd with altars, shrines, and festivals.

Met. 14.

a Hor. Carm. 3 b Semones vulgo dicebantur quasi semi-homines, antiqui enim hominem dicebant hemonem.

de. jur. Man. 1. 1. c. 4. Lips. 1. 2. ante lect. 2. 18. d Fulgent. Placid. ad. Chalcid.

Cistell.

e Fert missos Vesta pura patella cibos.
To Vesta's deity, with humble mess,

In cleanly dish serv'd up they now address.

Ap. Gother.

< Plaut. in.

Fast. 6.

f Liv. 1. 8. Varro de lingua Lat. 8 Quod novissimi omnium inter Deos numerati sint.

10

h

among the gods; or because they were presidents over the changes, by which the things of this world subsists. Circius believes them to have been the strange gods of conquered nations; whereof the numbers were so vast, that it was thought fit to call them all in general i NoAnd lastvensiles, lest they should forget any of them. ly, to this class also we must refer those gods and goddesses by whose help and means, as k Cicero says, men are advanced to heaven, and obtain a place among the gods; of which sort are the principal virtues, as we shall particularly show in its proper place.

CHAPTER. III.

A VIEW OF THE PANTHEON. A MORE COMMODIOUS DIVISION OF THE GODS.

P. I CAST my eyes very curiously every-where about me, and yet I do not see the three classes of the gods, which you have just now described.

M. Because there is made here another and more convenient division of them; which we will follow also, if you please, in our discourse.

P. How can I deny myself that most useful pleasure, which I shall reap from your conversation?

3.

the

2. The terrestrial, The marine and 4. The infernal,

M. You see that the three classes, which I mentioned to you, are here divided into six, and painted upon several parts of the Pantheon. 1. You see the celestial gods and goddesses upon an arch. upon the wall on the right hand. river gods upon the wall on the left. upon the lower compartment by the pavement. minuti or semones, and miscellanei before you. adscriptitii and indigetes behind you. shall likewise consist of six parts; in each of which I

5. The

6. The Our discourse

h Novitatum præsides, quod omnia novitate constent aut rei Arnob. 3. adv. Gentes. dintegrentur. Apud. Gry. synt. 1.

De Nat Deor. 2.

shall lay before you whatever I have found most remarkable the best authors upon this subject, if you among can bear with my talkativeness.

P. Sir, you jest when you call it talkativeness. any discourse be more pleasant to me?

Can

M. Then since it pleases you, let us sit down together awhile; and, as the place is free from all company, we will take a deliberate view of the whole army of gods, and inspect them one after another; beginning, as is fit, with the celestial, and so with Jove, according to the direction of the 'poet.

1 Ab Jove principium Musa: Jovis omnia plena.

Virg. Ecl. 3.

From the great father of the Gods above
My Muse begins: for all is full of Jove.

PART I.

OF THE CELESTIAL DEITIES.

TH

CHAPTER I.

SECT. I.. -JUPITER. HIS IMAGE.

HE Gods, commonly called Celestial, are these that follow Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, Mercury, and Bacchus. The celestial Goddesses are Juno, Vesta, Minerva or Pallas, Venus, Luna, and Bellona. will begin with Jupiter, the king of them all.

P. Where is Jupiter?

We

M. Look up to the arch. You may easily know him by his habit. He is a the father and king of gods and men, whom you see sitting in a throne of ivory and gold, under a rich canopy, with a beard, holding thunder in his right hand, which he brandishes against the giants at his feet, whom he formerly conquered. His sceptre, they say, is made of cypress, which is a symbol of the eternity of his empire, because that wood is free from corruption. On his sceptre sits an eagle, either because he was brought up by itc, or heretofore an eagle resting upon his head, portended his reign; or because in his wars with the giantsd, an eagle brought him his thunder; and thence received the title of Jupiter's armour-bearer. He wears golden shoes, and an

c Mæro ap.

a Divum pater atque hominum rex. Virg. Æn. 1. Pausan. in Eliac. Lucian. de Sacrif b Apud Laert. 1. 8. e d Serv. in Æn. 1. Jovis armiger. Virg. Æn. 5.

Nat. Com.

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