observed respecting the mystic rites practised in them, that any person revealing the various ceremonies was condemned to an ignominious death. Ceres is usually represented as a lovely nymph crowned with ears of corn, a wheat sheaf at her side, and the cornucopia, or horn of plenty, in her hand. Jove some amends for Ceres' loss to make, Yet willing Pluto should the joy partake, From whence she came, and why a sacred well. OVID'S Metamorphoses, book 5. Here Arethusa stopped; then Ceres takes Her golden car and yokes her fiery snakes; With a just rein, along mid-heaven she flies Parent of seed, she gave him fruitful grain, And bade him teach to till and plough the main ; As where the soil manured a richer harvest yields. Ibid. ; Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the God of War he was placed under the care of a preceptor during his youth, who instructed him in every kind of martial and manly exercise he was accused of the murder of Hallerhotius, and summoned by Neptune to appear in the assembly of the Gods, and clear himself of the charge; they met on a hill near Athens, where Mars was tried and acquitted; the hill received the name of this God in consequence, and afterwards became famous in history as the place of debate for the court of Areopagus, the most illustrious tribunal on record. In the war of Troy, Mars fought on the Trojan side, and defended the favourites of Venus with great assiduity; his intrigues with the Goddess of beauty need not be recounted;Cupid, Anteros, and Harmonia, were his offspring by her; but he was also the father of Alcippe, Ascalaphus, Pylus, and several others. The worship of Mars was not very general among the Greeks, but he was universally adored by the Romans, who considered him as the founder and guardian of their city, and the parent of their warlike monarch Romulus. Religious rites were instituted in honour of him by Numa Pompilius, and priests were appointed to watch over and guard the、 ancilia, or bucklers, sacred to Mars, made after the model of one said to have fallen from heaven. His most celebrated temple was built by Augustus Cæsar, after the battle of Philippi. Mars is sometimes mentioned in the fables of the ancients by the names of Quirinus, Mavors, and Gradivus; he is often represented as a warrior, clad in armour, and driving a chariot drawn by the two famous horses, Flight and Terror, and is sometimes accompanied by his sister Bellona, the Goddess of War. As in the Lemnian caves of fire, 'Twas from the ranks of war he rushed, "And dost thou smile?" said little Love; "That tho' they pass the breeze's flight, My bolts are not so feathery light." "It is not light,—I die with pain! MOORE'S Anacreon, ode 28. Mars and Bellona are well introduced by Homer, assisting and animating the Trojans against the Greeks. Great Hector saw, and raging at the view, Pours on the Greeks; the Trojan troops pursue ; And brings along the furies of the skies. Mars, stern destroyer! and Bellona dread, Iliad, book 5. |