THE WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 89 



plot to get one of them by rapine : taking, there 

 fore, the benefit of opportunity, he caught up Pro 

 serpina, the daughter of Ceres, a beautiful virgin, 

 as she was gathering Narcissus flowers in the mea 

 dows of Sicily, and carried her away with him in 

 his coach to the subterranean dominions, where she 

 was welcomed with such respect, as that she was 

 styled the Lady of Dis. But Ceres, her mother, 

 when in no place she should find this her only be 

 loved daughter, in a sorrowful humour and dis 

 tracted beyond measure, went compassing the whole 

 earth with a burning torch in her hand, to seek and 

 recover this her lost child. But when she saw that 

 all was in vain, supposing peradventure that she 

 was carried to hell, she importuned Jupiter with 

 many tears and lamentations, that she might be re 

 stored unto her again ; and at length prevailed thus 

 far, that if she had tasted of nothing in hell, she 

 should have leave to bring her from thence. Which 

 condition was as good as a denial to her petition, 

 Proserpina having already eaten three grains of a 

 pomegranate. And yet for all this, Ceres gave not 

 over her suit, but fell to prayers and moans afresh ; 

 wherefore it was at last granted that, the year be 

 ing divided, Proserpina should by alternate courses, 

 remain one six months with her husband, and other 

 six months with her mother. Not long after this, 

 Theseus and Perithous in an over-hardy adventure, 

 attempted to fetch her from Pluto s bed, who, being 

 weary with travel and sitting down upon a stone in 

 hell to rest themselves, had not the power to rise 



VOL. 3. H 



