Where Servius: "DEO, fecundum eos, qui dicunt atriufque fexus participationem habere numina: nam ait Calvus: Pollentemque deum Venerem, &c." 1 believe Spenfer had this place of Servius in his mind. Herodotus, I. 105. having faid that a few Scythians fpoiled the temple of Coeleftial Venus, [ Ουρανίης Αφροδίτης] adds, that for their impiety, the Gon purifhed them: ἐνέσκηψε Ὁ ΘΕΟΣ θήλειαν νόσον. But Gronovius is of opinion that ὁ Θεὸς here means numen, τὸ Θεῖον, without any particular reference to Venus. See his note. Mother of laughter: Qiquids. Homer. CANTO XI. 9. not if a hundred tongues to tell, And hundred mouths, and voice of brass I had. From Virgil, Æn. VI. 625. who imitates Homer. STANZ. XIII. Spenfer in this Canto enumerates the Sea Gods, and defcendants from Neptune; and amongst them names Aftræus, that did fhame Himfelf with inceft of his kin unken'd. Compare Spenfer's catalogue with Natalis Comes, II. 8. where you may find the story of Aftræus. have met with two others of that name; one, a fon of Terra and Tartarus, who was one of the Giants, mentioned by Hyginus; the other, a son of Silenus, in Nonnus Dionyf. And a third, the fon of Crius and Eurubie, is found in Hefiod and Apollodorus. STANZ. XVIH. Speaking of the fons of Oceanus and Tethys : Of all which, Nereus, th' eldest and the beft, Did firft proceed, than which none more upright, Ne more fincere in word and deed profeft; Most void of guile, moft free from foul defpight, Doing himfelf, and teaching others to do, right. From Hefiod, EOY. 233. Νηρέα τ' αψευδέα καὶ ἀληθέα γείνατο Πόντο, Nereumque alienum a mendacio, et veracem genuit Pontus, Eò quod verus atque placidus: nec juris et æqui Nereus is called the aged in Homer, Hefiod, Efchylus, Virgil, Ovid, the Poet called Orpheus, and and Paufanias Lacon. Euftathius on Homer, Il. A. 250. p. 116. Ed. Rom. Iséov öri wohiav ära i μύθο λέγει τὴν γραίαν, καθά και τον Νηρέα γέροντα. Servius on Virgil, Georg. IV. 403. Fere omnes Dii marini fenes funt, albent enim eorum capita fpumis aquarum. We may also observe, that paus means either an old woman, or froth, fcum. Ariftophanes plays upon the word, Plut. 1205. STAN Z. XIX. -When Paris brought his famous prize, He speaks of Nereus. From Horace, L. I, Od. xv. I STANZ. XX. Long Rhodanus, whofe fource fprings from the fkie. Διϊπελής. STANZ. XXI. Great Ganges, and immortal Euphrates, He makes the fecond fyllable in Euphrates.fhort, and gives him the pompous epithet immortal, which, after all, is but a botch. Slow is no epithet for Peneus. He is called Theffalus torrens, by Seneca, Herc. Fur. 288. By Phasides I suppose he means Phafis, who is called μέγας, τραχύς, Bía, divness, rapidus. Instead of Oraxes, it ought to be, as a friend also conjectured, Araxes, feared for great Cyrus' fate. For Cyrus croffed the river Araxes to fight the Maffagetæ, of whom Tomyris was queen. The battle was fought near the river, and Cyrus was there worsted, and flain. So fays Herodotus, I. 201, &c. STANZ. XXV. Speaking of a River-God: And his beard all gray, Dewed with filver drops, that trickled down alway. Sophocles, Trachin. 14. of Achelous, ἐκ δὲ δασκία γενειάδα Κρανοὶ διεῤῥαίνοντο κρηναίο ποτά. Ovid, Faft. I. 375. of Proteus ; Oraque cærulea tollens rorantia barba. Statius, Theb. IX. 414. of Ifinenus : tumido de gurgite furgit Spumofum attollens apicem, lapfuque fonoro Pecora cæruleæ rivis manantia barbæ. Claudian, Claudian, Conf. Pr. et Ol. 222. of the Tiber: Dat fonitum mento unda cadens, licet hifpida fetis Like as the mother of the Gods, they fay Speaking of a River Goddess : Under the which her feet appeared plain, αργυρόπεζα. STANZ. XLVIII, &c. The Nereids, according to Spenfer, are, Amphitrite, Agave, Actea, [it fhould be Ataa] Autonoë, Alimeda, [it fhould be Halimede] Cymothoë, Cymodoce, 04 |