More especially, Jupiter, and the gods in general, are represented as offended at perjury, and determined to punish it. "The immortal gods," say's Phocylides (v. 15.) "hate a false oath, whoever takes it." And Theognis says, (6 never

swear that any thing shall not be; for the gods are angry at it." (v. 659.) In Homer Jupiter is. frequently appealed to for the observance of oaths, and requested to punish the guilty, (Iliad, Lib. III. v. 321.) Talthybias calls to witness in the first place Jupiter, stiled on this occasion, by the remarkable character of the greatest and the best, then the sun, the earth, and the furies, who he says punish the perjured under the earth, (Iliad, Lib.. XIX. v. 257.)

Other vices are occasionally mentioned as incurring the indignation of Jupiter. "Father Jupiter "will not favour a liar" (Iliad, Lib. IV. v. 235.)

May the celestial gods," says Theognis (v. 850.) i destroy the man that shall by smooth speeches "deceive his friend." Hesiod says (On Works, Lib. I. v. 329.) "He who deceives the orphan, or "abuses his aged parents, Jupiter is certainly angry "with him, and at the last he will give an account "of all his unjust actions." In Homer Menelaus

laus prays that "Jupiter may give him to punish "the wicked Alexander, that hereafter all men may "dread to injure a person who has received them "with kindness." (Iliad, Lib. III. v. 11.) Chilon being asked what Jupiter was doing, said, "He is humbling the proud and exalting the hum"ble."

No Jew or Christian could appeal with more confidence to the justice and equity of the true God than these persons do to their Jupiter. It is evident, therefore, that, whatever name they gave this object of their worship they had the same idea of his general character; and this must have been derived from the same source. The belief of a righteous governor of the world appears never to have been wholly abandoned by mankind. Though the name was changed, and multiplicity took the place of unity, what was most essential to the righteous administration of affairs was, in a considerable degree, though accompanied with much superstition, retained. The heathens were deficient chiefly in their ignorance of a future state, in which the seeming ireigularities, and many unaccounta ble appearances in this life, will be rectified to universal satisfaction.

SECTION V.

Of the Influence of the Fates.

It is something remarkable that, notwithstanding the omnipotence which the heathens ascribed to their gods, and their control over the affairs of men, they had an idea of a power which the gods themselves either could not, or did not chuse to oppose. This was Fate, or the Fates. And yet this was a divinity to which they never ascribed any degree of wisdom.

According to Hesiod, the Fates were the daughters of Jupiter, and He gave them this extraordinary power. Jupiter" (and whom on this occasion he styles "the wise, μntiera) produced the Parco (μopov) Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, to whom "he gave the greatest honour, who distribute good "and evil to mortal men," Theognis v. 905. But in another place of the same poem (v. 211) he says that, "Night produced odious Fate (unpa) " and the black Parco (saproμ) and death, without "the concurrence of any deity and the fatal "goddesses, and cruel Parco, Clotho, Lachesis,

"and

"and Atropos, who appoint good and evil to men "that are born, who revenging the offences of men "and gods, never remit of their anger till they have punished the offender.” Here the same powers have a different origin, and are altogether independent of Jupiter, or any of the gods, and superior to them all.

Besides the sovereign power over life and death, and external advantages of every kind, the affections and characters of men are sometimes ascribed to these fates, "The Fates," says Homer, (Iliad, Lib. XXIV. v. 49.) "give a patient mind to man." However, with respect to the important article of life or death, their decision was never violated; and the time, and all the circumstances, of a man's death were determined by them, as well as the death itself. Thus Neptune assures Achilles, who knew that he was never to return from the siege of Troy, that is was not his fate to be drowned in the river, when he apprehended that he was in great danger from it. (Iliad, Lib. XXI. v. 291.) He wishes that he might die by the hand of Hector, a brave man, but he knew that he should fall by a less noble hand. (Iliad, Lib. XXI. v. 278.) Whatever the gods might wish, they never fail-. B 3.

ed

ed to acquiesce in the known decision of the fates. Achilles, lamenting his destiny, says that " Hercu"les, though most dear to Jupiter, was conquered "by Fate, and the anger of Juno, (Iliad, Lib. XVIII. v. 118.) "It was in the fates," he says, (Iliad. Lib. XVIII. v. 328.)" that two friends of "his should die before Troy, as well as that he 66 was not to return to Greece." It was one of the sayings of Pittacus. "The Gods cannot op

On several occasions the gods express some degree of fear least the orders of the fates should be violated. Neptune, expressing his regard for Æneas, advises him not to fight before the death of Achilles (Iliad, Lib. XX. v. 336.) though he knew that it was not in the fates that he should die by his hand. Both Apollo and Jupiter express their concern lest the Greeks should take Troy before the time ordained by the fates. (Iliad, Lib. XXI. v. 516. XX. v. 30.)

On some occasions Jupiter, who is said to have given this great power to the fates, seems to think it was in his power to control them, and to have been half inclined to do it; but he yielded to the gods, who opposed

emonstrances of the other