ing always green and flourishing, by its natural coldness assuages the heat occasioned by too much wine.

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.

In what respects do Bacchus and Nimrod resemble each other?
In what respects is Bacchus like Moses?
What does the fable of Bacchus teach?

CHAPTER VI.

SEC. 1.-MARS. HIS IMAGE AND DESCENT.

MARS is fierce and sour in his aspect; terror is every where in his looks, as well as in his dress; he sits in a chariot drawn by a pair of horses, which are driven by a distracted woman; he is covered with armour, and brandishes a spear in his right hand, as though he breathed fire and death, and threatened every body with ruin and destruction.

Mars, the god of war, who is often seen on horseback, in a formidable manner, with a whip and a spear together. The dog was consecrated to him, for his vigilance in the pursuit of his prey; the wolf, for his rapaciousness; the raven, because he diligently follows armies when they march, and watches for the carcasses of the slain; and the cock, for his watchfulness, whereby he prevents all surprise. But, that you may understand every thing in the picture, observe, that the creatures which draw the chariot are not horses, but Fear and Terror. Sometimes Discord goes before them in tattered garments, and Clamour and Anger go behind. Yet some say, that Fear and Terror are servants to Mars; and accordingly, he is not more awful and imperious in his commands, than they are ready and exact in their obedience.

"Fer galeam, Bellona mihi, nexusques rotarum
Tende, Pavor; Fræna rapidos, Formido, jugales."
Claud. in Ruf

My helmet let Bellona bring; Terror my traces fit;
And, panic Fear, do thou the rapid driver sit.

"Sævit medio in certamine Mavors,

Cœlatus ferro, tristesque ex æthere Dira,
Et scissa gaudens vadit Discordia palla,
Quam cum sanguineo sequitur Bellona flagello."

Virg. Æn. 8..

Mars in the middle of the shining shield
Is grav'd, and strides along the liquid field.
The Dira come from heav'n with quick descent,
And Discord, died in blood, with garments rent,
Divides the press: her steps Bellona treads,
And shakes her iron rod above their heads.

goes

Bellona is the goddess of war, and the companion of Mars; or, as others say, his sister, or wife. She prepares for him his chariot and horses when he to fight. It is plain that she is called Bellona from bellum. She is otherwise called Duellona from duellum, or from the Greek word Beλown [belone] a needle," whereof she is said to be the inventress. Her priests, the Bellonarii, sacrificed to her in their own blood; they hold in each hand naked swords, with which they cut their shoulders, and wildly run up and down like men mad and possessed: upon which people thought, that (after the sacrifice was ended) they were able to foretell future events. Claudian introduces Bellona combing snakes; and another poet describes her shaking a burning torch, with her hair hanging loose, stained and clotted with blood, and running through the midst of the ranks of the army, uttering horrid shrieks and dreadful groans.

"Ipsa faciem quatiens, et flavam sanguine multo
Sparsa comam, medias acies Bellona pererrat.
Stridet Tartarea nigro sub pectore Diva
Lethiferum murmur."

Her torch Bellona waving through the air,
Sprinkles with clotted gore her flaming hair,

Sil. 1. 5,

And through both armies up and down doth flee;
While from her horrid breast Tissiphone

A dreadful murmur sends.

And in Homer we have a description of a battle in which Mars, Minerva, and Discord, are engaged:

Loud clamours rose from various nations round;
Mix'd was the murmur, and confus'd the sound:
Each host now joins, and each a god inspires;
These Mars incites, and those Minerva fires.
Pale Flight around, and dreadful Terror reign;
And Discord, raging, bathes the purple plain.
Discord, dire sister of the slaught'ring pow'r,
Small at her birth, but rising every hour;
While scarce the skies her horrid head can bound;
She stalks on earth, and shakes the world around;
The nations bleed where'er her steps she turns:

The groan still deepens, and the combat burns.-Iliad.

Before the temple of this goddess, there stood a pillar called Bellica, over which the herald threw a spear, when he proclaimed war.

Mars is said to be the son of Jupiter and Juno, though, according to Ovid's story, he is the child of Juno only.

He married Nerio or Nerione, which word in the Sabian language signifies "valour and strength," and from her the Claudian family derived the name of Nero.

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.

How is Mars represented?

How is his chariot drawn and driven?

What animals are consecrated to Mars?

Repeat the lines in Virgil.

Who is Bellona ?

Who is Bellonarii ?

SEC. 2.-NAMES AND ACTIONS OF MARS.

The name of Mars sets forth the power and influence he has in war, where he presides over the sol