The Lovers Assistant Part 5

[Footnote 4: In the Original,--_held forth at his Master's Commands those Hands to be whipt, which_ Hector _was hereafter to feel_. The Indelicacy of which Image we have avoided applying to our _British_ Hero.]

[Footnote 5: _Both born of a G.o.ddess._]

[Footnote 6: This is transferred, we hope not improperly from _Roman_ to _British_ Superst.i.tion. The _Latin_ alludes to Augury, and very justly ridicules the Folly of Divination by the Flight of Birds.]

[Footnote 7: _Nor were_ Clio _or her Sisters seen by me, while I tended a Flock in the Valleys of Ascra._ This _Ascra_ was a Valley near the _Helicon_, which was the Residence of the Parents of _Hesiod_. Now _Hesiod_ was fabled, whilst he was keeping his Father's Sheep, to have been led by the Muse to the Fountain _Hippocrene_; and being, I suppose, well ducked in that Water, commenced Poet.]

[Footnote 8: This whole Pa.s.sage is a manifest Burlesque on the Invocations with which the Ancients began their Poems. Not very different is that Sneer at the Beginning of the _Metamorphosis_,

---- _Dii, caeptis_, (NAM VOS MUTASTIS ET ILLAS) _Adspirate_ ----

But the strongest Piece of Burlesque of this kind is the Invocation to _Venus_ at the Beginning of _Lucretius_: For what can be more so than a solemn Application to a Deity for her a.s.sistance in a Work, the professed Intention of which is to expose the Belief of any Deity at all; and more particularly of any Concern which such superior Beings might be supposed to take in the Affairs of Men. For my own part, I must confess, I cannot perceive _that graceful Air of Enthusiasm_ which a n.o.ble Author observes in the Invocation of the Antients; many of them indeed seem to have been too apparently in jest, to endeavour to impose on their Readers, and in reality to apply to the Muses with less Devotion than our modern Poets, many of whom perhaps believe as much in those Deities as in any other.]

[Footnote 9: _Ovid_ would here insinuate, that the Courtezans only were the Subjects of the ensuing Poem; and in his _Tristibus_ he cites these Lines, and pleads them in his Defence: But he is not over-honest in his Profession; for in many Parts it appears, that his Instructions are calculated for much more than _concessa furtia_.]

[Footnote 10: _Andromeda_ was the Daughter of _Cepheus_ King of _Aethiopia_ and of _Ca.s.siope_. Her Mother having offended the _Nereids_, by contending with them for Superiority in Beauty, _Neptune_, at their Pet.i.tion, sent a Sea-Monster, which greatly annoyed the _Aethiopians_. Upon this they consulted the Oracle of _Jupiter Ammon_, who ordered them to expose one of the Progeny of _Cepheus_ and _Ca.s.siope_ to be devoured by the Monster. _Andromeda_ was accordingly ty'd to a Rock, where she was espied by _Perseus_, who killed the Monster, and rescued the Lady; for which he received her at the Hands of her Parents as his Reward. The Story is told in the 4th Book of the _Metamorphosis_.]

[Footnote 11: _Bunches of Grapes in _Methymna__; a City of _Lesbia_, the Wine of which Country was famous among the Ancients.]

[Footnote 12: _Ears of Corn in _Gargara__; which was in _Mysia_, a Province of the _h.e.l.lespont_.]

[Footnote 13: The Original is, _And the Mother of _AEneas_ resides in the City of her Son._ _AEneas_, from whom the Romans derived their Original, was the Son of _Venus_ by _Anchises_.]

[Footnote 14: The Original, rendered as literally as possible, is as follows: _Walk at your ease under the _Pompeian_ Shade, when the Sun enters the _Herculean_ Lion; or where the Mother hath added her Benefactions to those of her Son; a work rich in foreign Marble: Nor avoid that Portico adorned with ancient Pictures, which is called _Livia_, from the Name of its Founder: nor that adorned by the Statues of the _Belides_, who attempted the Lives of their unfortunate Cousins; and where you see the cruel Father standing with his drawn Sword: Nor pa.s.s by the Temple of _Venus_ and her lamented_ Adonis; _nor omit the Seventh-Day Festivals of the _Jews_; nor the _Egyptian_ Temples of the _Linnen-clad_ Heifer: She makes many Women to be that which she herself was to _Jupiter_._

To explain these several Particulars to an _English_ Reader, it must be known, that the Portico's in _Rome_ were the publick Walks; and here Persons of both s.e.xes used to a.s.semble. Among these was one built by _Pompey_. The second Portico mentioned, is by the best Commentators understood of the _Octavian_, which was built by _Octavia_, Sister to _Augustus_, and Mother to _Marcellus_; and this adjoined to a Temple built by the same _Marcellus_. The third Portico was built by _Livia_ the Wife of _Augustus_, and called from her Name. The fourth, where the Picture of the _Belides_ was, is to be understood of the Portico of _Apollo Palatinus_, in which were the Statues of the fifty Daughters of _Danaus_ and Grandaughters of _Belus_. These being married to the fifty Sons of their Uncle _AEgyptus_, every one, by her Father's Command, slew her husband on the first Night, save only _Hypermnestra_. For this they were punished in the lower World, by being obliged to fill a Barrel full of Holes with Water. _Scaliger_ and others have here made a mistake, supposing the Picture of the _Belides_ was here hung up: But the contrary appears by many Authorities, particularly by this in _Qv. Trist. 3_.

_Signa peregrinis ubi sunt alterna columnis, Belides, & stricto barbarus ense pater._

It appears that the Number of Pillars was equalled by the Number of Statues. 5thly, The Temple of _Venus_, in which she was wors.h.i.+pped, together with _Adonis_, after the _a.s.syrian_ manner. This _Adonis_ was the Son of _Cinyras_ King of _Cyprus_, begotten by him on his own Daughter _Myrrha_. The Fame of his Beauty, and the Pa.s.sion which _Venus_ bore towards him, are well known. 6thly, The _Jewish_ Synagogues. The _Jews_ having been encouraged by _Julius Caesar_, were very numerous in _Rome_ at that time; and the Strangeness and Pomp of their Ceremonies inviting the Curiosity of the _Roman_ Ladies, their Synagogues became famous Places of Intrigue. 7. The Temple of _Isis_.

This G.o.ddess, when a Woman, was called _Io_. She was the Daughter of _Inachus_; and being beloved by _Jupiter_, was by him, to preserve her from his Wife's Jealousy, turned into a Heifer, _Juno_ suspecting the Fact, obtained this Heifer of her Husband, and set Argus to watch over her. _Jupiter_ wanting to visit his old Friend, sent _Mercury_ to kill _Argus_; in revenge of which, _Juno_ ordered a Gad-Bee to sting the poor Heifer; which thereupon growing mad, ran to _Egypt_, where she was again restored to the Shape of a Woman, and married to _Osiris_.

The Feast of _Isis_ was celebrated in _Rome_ ten Days together by the Women, and was a time of Carnival among them.]

[Footnote 15: In _Caesar's Forum_, which was built on the _Appian_ Way, was the Temple of _Venus Genetrix_.]

[Footnote 16: Races were run at _Rome_ in _April_ in the _Circus Maximus_, which was likewise the Scene of many other public Exercises and Shews.]

[Footnote 17: _And when the Procession shall pa.s.s on with the Ivory Deities, do you applaud most the Statue of _Lady_ Venus._ Thus the Original. The Paraphrase preserves the same Sense, though in other Circ.u.mstances. These Statues were carried in Procession on many Occasions, particularly at the _Maegalesian_ Games.]

[Footnote 18: _Adjusting her cus.h.i.+on._]

[Footnote 19: _Putting a Foot-stool under her._]

[Footnote 20: The Original mentioned the Fights of the _Gladiators_.

The Paraphrase comes as near as our Customs admit; for the _British_ Ladies never attend to see Men kill one another in jest.]

[Footnote 21: _Augustus Caesar_ among other rich Shews, with which he entertained the People, exhibited to them a Sea-Fight in a Place dug on purpose near the banks of the _Tyber_. The Poet takes this occasion of introducing many Compliments to the Grandson of this Prince. We have done little more than altered Names in this Place; and as we are a.s.sured all here said is as properly applicable to the n.o.ble Person to whom we have transferred it, the learned Reader will admire that any Pa.s.sage in an antient Author can be so apposite to the present Times, and the true _English_ Reader will be no less delighted to see _Ovid_ introduced as singing forth the Praises of the _British Hero_.]

[Footnote 22: _Parthia._]

[Footnote 23: The _Cra.s.si_.]

[Footnote 24: _Hercules._]

[Footnote 25: _Bacchus._]

[Footnote 26: The Original here described the many Nations who are led Captives.]

[Footnote 27: Here we have inverted the Original; but sure the Sense upholds us in so doing.]

[Footnote 28: _Baiae_, a Place not far from _Naples_, famous for wholesome as well as pleasant Baths. It is described very largely by _Diodorus_; and _Horace_ mentions it as the pleasantest Place in the World.]

[Footnote 29: In the Original, the Temple of _Diana_ in the Suburbs.

It stood in a Grove not far from Rome. The next Line, _Partaque per gladios, &c._ alludes to a very singular Custom, by which the Priests of this Temple succeeded to each other, _viz._ by Conquest in single Combat, for which every Slave or Fugitive was admitted to contend, and the Victor was rewarded with the Priesthood. This Practice was renewed every Year, and was, as _Strabo_ informs us, originally taken from the _Scythians_.]

[Footnote 30: _Byblis_ fell in love with her Brother _Caunus_; and upon his rejecting her Addresses, hanged herself. The Poets feign she was afterwards turned into a Fountain. See _Metam._ IX.]

[Footnote 31: _Myrrha_ was the Daughter of _Cinyras_, who being in love with her Father, took an Opportunity, while her Mother was employed in the Sacrifices to _Ceres_, to supply her Place. Her Father discovering the Imposture, ran after her with a drawn Sword to kill her: But she escaped by means of the Night, and fled into _Sabeaea_.

She was changed into the Myrrh-Tree. The Story of which is in _Metam._ X. But though the Poets have subjoined Fable to this Fact, it is related by _Pliny_ as a true History.]

[Footnote 32: _Pasiphae_ was the Daughter of the Sun, married to _Minos_ King of _Crete_. The Poets feign that being in love with a Bull, she employed _Daedalus_, a famous Artist, to make her a wooden Cow, into which she conveyed herself, in order to enjoy her monstrous Desires. From this unnatural Coition sprung the _Minotaur_, a Monster half Man and half Bull, which was enclosed in a Labyrinth, and afterward destroyed by _Theseus_.]

[Footnote 33: The Original alludes to the _Cretans_, who were famous among the Antients for the Vice of lying.]

[Footnote 34: _Europa_ was the Daughter of _Agenor_ King of _Cydon_, beloved by _Jupiter_, and by him run away with in the Shape of a Bull.]

[Footnote 35: _AErope_ was the Wife of _Atreus_. She committed Adultery with her Husband's Brother _Thyestes_, by whom she had two Sons, whom _Atreus_ caused to be killed, and served up to his Brother's Table. To avoid this Sight, the Sun is said to have gone backward.]

[Footnote 36: _Scylla_ the Daughter of _Nisus_, King of the _Megarensians_, fell in love with _Minos_, while he was besieging her Father's City. She stole away her Father's Hair, on which the Fate of the City depended, and carried it to _Minos_; for which Fact she was rewarded by her Lover with Contempt only. She is by some said to have been changed into a Lark: But _Ovid_, who here seems to confound two Stories together, makes her Transformation to have been into a Rock, which lies between _Sicily_ and _Italy_; where the das.h.i.+ng of the Waves against the Rock representing the Sound of the Barking of Dogs, gave rise to the Fable which is here hinted at.]

[Footnote 37: _Clytemnestra_, the Wife of _Agamemnon_, who in the absence of her Husband committed Adultery with _AEgysthus_, and with him afterwards murdered _Agamemnon_, at his Return from _Troy_.]

[Footnote 38: _Creusa_ was the Daughter of _Creon_ King of _Corinth_, and second Wife to _Jason_; to whom _Medea_, enraged with _Jason_, who had forsaken her, sent a Casket in which Wild-Fire was inclosed, and by which she was burnt as soon [as] it was opened. This _Medea_ afterwards, on account of the same Anger with _Jason_, tore to pieces her two Sons which she had bore to him.]

[Footnote 39: This _Phoenix_ having incensed his Father, by lying with a Woman who was beloved by the latter, fled to the Protection of _Peleus_ the Father of _Achilles_, and was by bim [_sic_] Preceptor of that young Hero.]

[Footnote 40: _Hippolytus_ being beloved by his Stepmother _Phaedra_, and refusing to gratify her Desires, was by her falsely accused to his Father _Theseus_; upon which account he was obliged to fly, and the Chariot Horses being frighted by Sea-Calves, dashed the Chariot to-pieces, and him also.]

[Footnote 41: _Phineus_ King of _Arcadia_, having repudiated his Wife _Cleopatra_, married _Harpalice_; by whose Instigation he put out the Eyes of his Sons: for which he was afterwards punished by Divine Vengeance with the Loss of his own.]

[Footnote 42: The _Romans_ paid a Religious Regard to their Birth-Day, as appears from many Pa.s.sages in their Poets. At this time they used to receive Presents from their Relations and Acquaintance. We have here given the Sense of the Original, only varying the Customs (_Kalendae Martii_.) _Ovid_ advises the Lover to abstain from visiting his Mistress in the Kalends of _March_. At which time the _Matronalia_ were celebrated to _Juno Lucina_, and the Husbands used to pray to that G.o.ddess to protect the Chast.i.ty of their Wives. _Horace_ likewise Lib. III. Ode 8. hints that this was not the proper Season for Batchelors to give a Loose to their Gaieties. (_Sive erit ornatus Circus_, &c.) A third Caution _Ovid_ gives, is not to visit on those Days when the Wealth of the _Roman_ Conquests were exposed to the _Circus_, in admiring which, as _Mycellus_ observes, the Girls were too much taken up, to attend to the Desires of their Lovers. To say the truth, some Custom seems to be alluded to here, which is not sufficiently preserved from the Ruins of Antiquity.]

[Footnote 43: _Then the _Pleiades_ are at hand. Then the Goat is merged in the Sea_, _viz._ in the Month of _October_ and _November_.]

[Footnote 44: The Original points at the Day in which the _Romans_ were overthrown by the _Gauls_ on the Banks of the River _Allia_. This was the 15th of the Kalends of _August. A. U. C._ 363, and it was marked as a black Day in their Kalendar. As this Nation is too happy to produce any such Day, we have been obliged to give it a different Turn in our Paraphrase.]

[Footnote 45: _Cydippe_ was a beautiful virgin of the island of _Delos_. She was celebrating the Rites of _Diana_ when she was seen by _Acontius_, who falling in love with her, and not daring openly to declare his Pa.s.sion, contrived to drop an Apple at her Feet, in which were inclosed these two Lines:

_I swear to you by the mystical Rites of _Diana_, That I will attend you as a Companion, and become your Bride._