222 A NATURAL HISTORY 



As to the Infcriptions in honour of Mfculapius, G7nitena 

 has thefe following, viz, 



MfctdapiOj Hyge(2^ & ceteris Diis G? Deabus, 

 Deo JEJhilapiOy & Hyge<^^ confervatoribus. 

 Deo Mfculafio^ & Deae Hygea. 



N.B. The Title of Confervator, or Saviour, was the ordi- 

 nary Elogium of Mfculapliis, 



In the I lie of Co, there was a Coin vA^^xtovi Mfcuhpius was 

 called the Saviour j and fo on a Coin of Ancyra. Games are alfq 

 mentioned, inftituted in honour of him as Saviour. The Symbol 

 of Mfculapius was a Serpent^ or Dragon^ about a little Rod, as 

 may be feen in feveral Medals, and by the Teftimony of the 

 Poet *. Wherever he was worfhip'd in Statues of a human Figure, 

 a Staff was put into his heft-hand, with a Serpent about it. 



This feems to be the reafon why Antiquity reprefents the firft 

 Mafters of Phyfick (as Hermes, Mjculapius, Hippocrates, in their 

 Statues and Medals) with a Viper added to their Figure-, and alfo 

 why they worfhip'd thofe Phyjicians under the Form of Serpents -f. 



The Serpent of Mjculapius, the reputed God of Phyfick, had 

 its Rife from the miraculous Cures done by Mofes's, Serpent in the 

 Camp of Ifraeh Serpents of bright and golden Colour were all 

 counted facred to Mjculapius, and were cicur'd, or made tame by 

 human Arts. A Dragon was ufually annex'd to his Image, and 

 to that of Health, nothing being thought available without the 

 Prefe?2ce of a Serpent. 



A T Fella in Macedonia, the Royal Seat, and Alexanders Birth- 

 place, were Dragons of a large Bulk, but of a gentle Nature, 

 maintained at the Expence of the Government, as Creatures bear- 

 ing 2i facred CharaSier, and worthy of the publick Regard. Be- 

 caufe many tame Serpents were kept in that Place, the fabulous 

 Poets faid, Alexander was born of a Serpent. 



The People of Argos in Greece, had Serpents in fuch great 

 Veneration, that no-body was fuffer'd to kill them with impunity t. 



The 



* Ovid. Met am. lib. 5. Qualis in jcde . . . Effi,' folei:, baculumque tenens agrefte 

 finiftra. 



t Salomonii Cellarii — Origines (^ Antiquitates MeSca. Printed at Hall in Saxony. 

 X /Elian, lib. xii. cap. 34. 



