ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING 73 



The Great are elegantly described as hoary-headed, and like old 

 women from their birth, on account of the perpetual cares, fears, and 

 trepidations attending traitors. Their force also, before it breaks out 

 into open revolt, consists either in an eye or a tooth; for all faction 

 alienated from a state is both watchful and biting, and this eye and 

 tooth are as it were common to all the disaffected, because whatever 

 they learn and know is transmitted from one to another, as by the 

 hands of faction. And for the tooth they all bite with the same, and 

 clamor with one throat, so that each of them singly expresses the 

 multitude. 



These Grese, therefore, must be prevailed upon by Perseus to lend 

 him their eye and their tooth the eye to give him indications and 

 make discoveries, the tooth for sowing rumors, raising envy, and 

 stirring up the minds of the people. And when all these things are 

 thus disposed and prepared, then follows the action of the war. 



He finds Medusa asleep; for whoever undertakes a war with pru- 

 dence generally falls upon the enemy unprepared, and nearly in a state 

 of security; and here is the occasion for Pallas's mirror, for it is com- 

 mon enough, before the danger presents, to see exactly into the state 

 and posture of the enemy; but the principal use of the glass is in the 

 very instant of danger, to discover the manner thereof and prevent 

 consternation, which is the thing intended by Perseus's turning his 

 head aside and viewing the enemy in the glass./ 



Two effects here follow the conquest i. The darting forth of 

 Pegasus, which evidently denotes fame, that flies abroad, proclaiming 

 the victory far and near. 2. The bearing of Medusa's head in the 

 shield, which is the greatest possible defence and safeguard; for one 

 grand and memorable enterprise, happily accomplished, bridles all 

 the motions and attempts of the enemy, stupefies disaffection, and 

 quells commotions. 



DIONYSUS, OR BACCHUS m 

 Explained of the Passions 



"The fable runs, that Semele, Jupiter's mistress, having bound him 

 by an inviolable oath to grant her an unknown request, desired he 

 would embrace her in the same form and manner he used to embrace 

 Juno; and the promise being irrevocable, she was burnt to death with 

 lightning in the performance. The embryo, however, was sewed up, 

 and carried in Jupiter's thigh, till the complete time of its birth; but 

 the burden thus rendering the father lame, and giving him pain, the 

 child was thence called Dionysus. When born, he was committed 

 for some years to be nursed by Proserpina; and when grown up, ap- 

 peared with such an effeminate face, that his sex seemed somewhat 

 doubtful. He also died and was buried for a time, but afterwards 

 revived. When a youth, he first introduced the cultivation and dress- 

 ing of vines, the method of preparing wine, and taught the use thereof; 

 whence becoming famous, he subdued the world, even to the utmost 

 bounds of the Indies. He rode in a chariot drawn by tigers: there 



