the Court of Admetus, preparing his immediate expedition for this object. As they are here embroidered in the Delphick tapestry, actually obtained by Hercules, it confequently follows from internal evidence, that the Alceftis in the order of Chronology fhould regularly precede the Ion: But I have already proved in this play, and fhall also shew in the Alceftis, that the Ion may be calculated to precede the Alceftis by 188 years: Euripides must therefore be allowed to be here guilty of an anachronism in this point of Antiquity, if these lines refer to Hercules. The pursuit of the ftag, mentioned in the next verfe, alludes to another labour of this Hero, or the brazen-footed stag, called by Virgil and other Authors Eripedem Cervam. The Lions, are the Nemean and Theumefian 12, which are well known to have been among the celebrated labours of this immortal Conqueror. If the English Reader is defirous to view engravings of Hercules, engaged in thefe different enterprizes, I refer him to the Polymetis 13 of Spence, who has there alfo given an elegant illuftration of them. These objects are defcribed by Silius Italicus, as reprefented in the portal of the Temple of Hercules at Gades in Spain, in the following lines, Juxtà Thraces equi, peftifque Erymanthia, & altos Nec levior vinci Libycæ telluris alumnus Matre fuper, ftratique genus deforme bimembres 8 See my Note on V. 192. p. 87. 10 En. 6. v. 802. & Aufon Idyll. 19. 12 See my Note on V. 6. 10 39. Mart. 1. 9. ep. 104. v. 7. Sil. Ital. 1. 3. v. Hyginus Fab. 30. Mythog. Lat. ed. Stav. p. 81. 13 Dial. 9. & Pl. 18. fig. 1. 2. 8. & Statius Theb. 1. 1. v. 487. On On this paffage in the edition of this Poet by Drakenborch other engravings, correfponding to the above defcription, are inferted. We may also discover a wonderful conformity between the representations on this Delphick Tapestry, and the images of the Temple of Jupiter at Elis, as described by Paufanias 14: For there was the Sun reprefented, mounting into his chariot: There too was the Moon driving her horse: There likewife were the labours of Hercules, and among them, his victory over the Thracian Diomede, the Stag, and the Nemean Lion: There was alfo Thefeus deftroying the Centaurs: Thefe ftriking features of correfpondence fhew, that fuch objects were the favourite reprefentations of Græcian Poetry, Painting, and Sculpture; and that the different Artists often copied from each other in their refpective productions. Hence perhaps we may acquit Euripides of the imputed anachronifm just mentioned, if we suppose the images here delineated, as that of the preceding verfe, to be general, and not perfonally alluding to the actions of Hercules. N° XLVI. Verfe 1164. Σπείρας συνειλίσσοντο. Cecrops roll'd His ferpent train. ACCORDING to the fabulous mythology, Cecrops ' was partly invefted with the ferpentine, and partly with the 14 L. 5. c 10. p. 490. & 1. 5. c. 11. p. 403. ed. Kuhn. Apollod. Bibliot. 1. 3. p. 127. ed. g. Spol. 1555. human 4 human form, and for this reafon he acquired the epithet of dipuns, or of a double nature. "This title, fays Plutarch", was not derived to him, as fome believe, because he was converted from a good into a merciless Tyrant; but on the contrary, because he became a mild and gentle Prince, though before inflexible and formidable :" The reason of this appellation, according to Athenæus, arofe" from his first institution at Athens of the union of the fexes in matrimony, which confined two individuals to each other; but, as promifcuous concubinage before his time was allowed, no one with certainty could ascertain his father:" This idea is ftill more unfolded by Tzetzes on Lycophron; who, having mentioned the various reafons affigned for this fable, fays, "I allegorize it in this manner; because he thus reduced, being a virtuous Monarch, the favageness of Nations to his authority; fo that all efteemed him unanimously an excellent Leader and Governor: And for that reafon they call him, Sipun of a double nature: Or, as I have found in John of Antioch, because the women in Hellas had formerly a brutal and irrational mode of union without any connexion of marriage; their children were then μovoques, or of one nature only, for they knew their mother and not their father: But Cecrops, reigning over Attica, abolished this favage licentiousness, and instituted the legal union in matrimony of the two fexes: Since from this period Children had a knowledge of both their Parents, who were the Authors of their being, and participated of two natures, therefore Cecrops, as the Founder of this inftitution, was denominated Spuns." 2 De ferâ Num. vindictâ, vol. 2. ed. Xylan. p. 551.) 3 L. 13. c. I. 4 On V. III. The folution of this allegory according to Demofthenes, as cited in this note of Tzetzes, was, "becaufe Cecrops was equal to a Serpent in valour, and to a Man in prudence: But others, adds he, refer it to his knowledge in two languages, the Egyptian and Hellenick." Euftathius' in his comment on Dionyfius imagines, that the "transformation of Cecrops from a ferpent into a Man implied, that on his arrival in Græce he divefted himself of Egyptian barbarity, and embraced excellent refinements of policy: The reverse of this happened to the Thebans: for they, after their civilization by Cadmus and Harmonia, relapsed into a state of barbarity." The Reader may confult Meurfius on this fubject, and Bryant in his Analysis of Ancient Mythology 7. A figure of the double Cecrops, as Matrimonii Suafor, or the Adviser of Matrimony, representing a male and female head, united with a Serpent twifting round, may be feen in the first volume of the Greek Antiquities of Gronovius. 6 Verfe 1167. Kneuž. N° XLVII. The Herald 1203. Walk'd his round. THE following lines contain an interefting defcription of the ceremonies at a Græcian entertainment; I fhall illuftrate them in their order. We learn from this paffage, that the s On V. 391. De Reg. Att. 1. 1. c. 8. & De Fort Athen. c. 1. p. 5. Guests Guests were invited to the feaft by the proclamation of the Herald: Thus in the Odyffey the Suitors of Penelope are fummoned for that purpose by Medon the Herald. N° XLVIII. (L. 17. V. 172.) Verfe 1169. Στεφάνοισι κοσμηθέντες. 1206. Crown'd with garlands. THE cuftom among the Greeks of wearing garlands at their feafts is often mentioned; and the injunction of the convivial Archestratus, as preserved in Athenæus, was, Whene'er invited to the genial feast, Let Nature's flowery wreaths your temples twine. 2 The fame Author has enumerated the conftituent flowers of the garland; and has mentioned the medicinal reasons for their use: These are alfo difcuffed by Plutarch in his Sympofiacks, where he obferves, "that the effluvia of flowers has a wonderful virtue in fortifying the citadel of the brain against intoxication; for thofe that are hot, opening the pores, give the fumes free paffage to exhale; while thofe, which are moderately cold, repel the afcending vapours: For this reafon, continues he, Bacchus taught his Revellers the use of ivy against the violence of debauch, the heat of the liquor being remitted by its coldnefs." Thus Hercules is * Αἴει δε σεφάνοισι 2 L. 15. c. 5 & 10. κάρα παρὰ δαῖτα πυκάζει (L. 3. c. 21. p. 101. ed. Cafaub.) 3 L. 3. c. 1. ed. Xylan. vol. 2, p. 645 & 647. M 2 de |