336 Albert S. Cook, 



which occurs the following sentence (Lowrie, p. 235) : ' My name is 

 Abercius, a disciple of the holy Shepherd who feeds his sheep upon 

 the hills and plains, who has great eyes which see through all.' 

 The last clause is perhaps significant with regard to the evolution of 

 the idea of Pan. Spenser, whose disciple Milton professed himself 

 to be, refers twice to Christ in the Shepherd's Calendar for May 

 fand again twice in July and once in September) as Pan. In the 

 Gloss for May we have the following : 



' Great Pan, is Christ, the ver}- God of all shepheards, which calleth 

 himselfe the greate, and good shepherd. The name is most rightly 

 fmethinkes) applyed to him; for Pan signifieth all, or omnipotent, 

 which is onely the Lord Jesus. And by that name (as I remember) 

 he is called of Eusebius, in his fifte booke De Preparat. Evang., 

 who thereof telleth a proper storye to that purpose. Which story 

 is first recorded of Plutarch, in his booke of the ceasing of Oracles : 

 and of Lavetere translated, in his booke of walking sprightes ; who 

 sayth, that about the same time that our Lord suffered his most 

 bitter passion, for the redemtion of man, certein passengers sayling 

 from Italy to Cyprus, and passing by certaine Isles called Paxae, heard 

 a voyce calling alowde Thamus, Thamus! (now Thamus was the 

 name of an ^Egyptian, which was Pilote of the ship), who, giving 

 eare to the cry, was bidden, when he came to Palodes, to tel that 

 the great Pan was dead : which he doubting to doe, 5^et for that 

 when he came to Palodes, there sodeinly was such a calme of winde, 

 that the shippe stoode still in the sea unmoved, he was forced to 

 cry alowd, that Pan was dead : wherewithal! there was heard suche 

 piteous outcryes, and dreadfuU shriking, as hath not bene the like. 

 By whych Pan, though of some be understoode the great vSatanas, 

 whose kingdome was at that time b}' Christ conquered, the gates 

 of hell broken up, and death by death delivered to eternall death, 

 iiox at that time, as he sayth, all Oracles surceased, and enchaunted 

 spirits, that were wont to delude the people, thenceforth held the3'r 

 peace:) and also at the demaund of the Emperoure Tiberius, who 

 that Pan should be, answere was made him by the wisest and best 

 learned, that it was the sonne of Mercuric and Penelope : yet I thinke 

 it more properly meant of the death of Christ, the onely and very 

 Pan, then suffering for his flock.' 



Spenser had precedents for his interpretation of Pan as Christ 

 in Marot's Complainte d'un Pastoureau Lhrestien {CEuvres, ed. Jannet, 

 1. 97 ff.), and Rabelais 4. 28 (ed. Des Marets and Rathery 2. 163-4). 

 Rabelais thus justifies his interpretation : ' Car a bon droit peut il 

 estre en langage gregois dit Pan. Veu qu'il est le nostra Tout, tout 



