The Poetical Works of Mark Akenside Part 26

Hermes, or Mercury, was the patron of commerce; in which benevolent character he is addressed by the author of the Indigitamenta in these beautiful lines:--

[Greek: _Ermaeuen panton, kerdempore, lusimerimue, O? cheiresthiu echei? oplun aremphe_?]

NOTE U.

_'Dispense the mineral treasure'_.--L. 121.

The merchants of Sidon and Tyre made frequent voyages to the coast of Cornwall, from whence they carried home great quant.i.ties of tin.

NOTE V.

_'Hath he not won'_?--L. 136.

Mercury, the patron of commerce, being so greatly dependent on the good offices of the Naiads, in return obtains for them the friends.h.i.+p of Minerva, the G.o.ddess of war: for military power, at least the naval part of it, hath constantly followed the establishment of trade; which exemplifies the preceding observation, that 'from bounty issueth power.'

NOTE W.

_'C'alpe ... Cantabrian surge'_--L. 143.

Gibraltar and the Bay of Biscay.

NOTE X.

_'aegina's gloomy surge'_--L. 150.

Near this island, the Athenians obtained the victory of Salamis, over the Persian navy.

NOTE Y.

_'Xerxes saw'_--L. 160.

This circ.u.mstance is recorded in that pa.s.sage, perhaps the most splendid among all the remains of ancient history, where Plutarch, in his Life of Themistocles, describes the sea-fights of Artemisium and Salamis.

NOTE Z.

_'Thyrsus'_--L. 204.

A staff, or spear, wreathed round with ivy: of constant use in the baccha.n.a.lian mysteries.

NOTE AA.

_'Io Paean.'_--L. 227.

An exclamation of victory and triumph, derived from Apollo's encounter with Python.

NOTE BB.

_'Rocky Cirrha'_--L. 252.

One of the summits of Parna.s.sus, and sacred to Apollo. Near it were several fountains, said to be frequented by the Muses. Nysa, the other eminence of the same mountain, was dedicated to Bacchus.

NOTE CC.

_'Charm the mind of G.o.ds'_--L. 263.

This whole pa.s.sage, concerning the effects of sacred music among the G.o.ds, is taken from Pindar's first Pythian ode.

NOTE DD.

'_Phrygian pipe_.'--L. 297.

The Phrygian music was fantastic and turbulent, and fit to excite disorderly pa.s.sions.

NOTE EE.

'_The gates where Pallas holds The guardian key_.'--L. 302.

It was the office of Minerva to be the guardian of walled cities; whence she was named IIOAIAS and HOAIOYXOS, and had her statues placed in their gates, being supposed to keep the keys; and on that account styled KAHAOYXOS.

NOTE FF.

'Fate of sober Pentheus.'--L. 311.

Pentheus was torn in pieces by the baccha.n.a.lian priests and women, for despising their mysteries.

NOTE GG.

'The cave Corycian:--L. 318.

Of this cave Pausanias, in his tenth book, gives the following description:--'Between Delphi and the eminences of Parna.s.sus is a road to the grotto of Corycium, which has its name from the nymph Corycia, and is by far the most remarkable which I have seen. One may walk a great way into it without a torch. 'Tis of a considerable height, and hath several springs within it; and yet a much greater quant.i.ty of water distils from the sh.e.l.l and roof, so as to be continually dropping on the ground. The people round Parna.s.sus hold it sacred to the Corycian nymphs and to Pan.'

NOTE HH.

'Delphic mount.'--L. 319.

Delphi, the seat and oracle of Apollo, had a mountainous and rocky situation, on the skirts of Parna.s.sus.

NOTE II.

'Cyrenac sh.e.l.l.'--L. 327.

Cyrene was the native country of Callimachus, whose hymns are the most remarkable example of that mythological pa.s.sion which is a.s.sumed in the preceding poem, and have always afforded particular pleasure to the author of it, by reason of the mysterious solemnity with which they affect the mind. On this account he was induced to attempt somewhat in the same manner; solely by way of exercise: the manner itself being now almost entirely abandoned in poetry. And as the mere genealogy, or the personal adventures of heathen G.o.ds, could have been but little interesting to a modern reader, it was therefore thought proper to select some convenient part of the history of nature, and to employ these ancient divinities as it is probable they were first employed; to wit, in personifying natural causes, and in representing the mutual agreement or opposition of the corporeal and moral powers of the world: which hath been accounted the very highest office of poetry.