SYLVA 213 



1 All sorts together flock ; and on the ground 

 Displayed, each fellow with his mate drinks round. 

 Some sit in open air, some build their tents ; 

 And some themselves in branchy arbors fence. 



Plutarch speaking of the anniversary feast of 

 Bacchus, plainly resembles it to that of the Taber- 

 nacles, carry ing about Qvpaovs (J>OIVIKUV, branches of palm, 

 citron, and other trees, as Josephus describes the 

 Jewish festival: 2 The custom (for ought I know) still 

 kept up in many places of our country, and abroad on 

 May-Day (and about the time of the year) when the 

 young men and maidens, like the pagan Ovpeo^op'ta 

 go out into the woods and copp'ces, cut down and 

 spoil 3 young springers, to dress up their May-booth, 

 and dance about the pole, as in pictures we see the 

 wanton Israelites about the molten calf. For thus, 

 as we noted, those rites commanded by God, came to 

 be prophaned, and the retireness of groves and shades 

 for their opacousness, abus'd to abominable purposes, 

 and works of darkness : But what good, or indifferent 

 thing has not been subject to perversion ? It is said 

 in the end of Isaiah, Exprobratur Hebraeis quod in 

 oputhonais idolorum horti essent in quorum medio februa- 

 bantur? but how this is applicable to groves, does not 

 appear so fully ; though we find them interdicted, 

 Deut. 1 6. 21. Judg. 6. 26. 2 Ghron. 31. 3, &c. and 

 forbidden to be planted near the Temple. 5 And an 

 impure grove on Mount Libanus, dedicated to Venus, 



1 Plebs venit, ac virides passim disjecta per herbas 

 Potat & accumbit cum pare quisque sua : 

 Sub Jove pars durat, pauci tentoria ponunt ; 

 Sunt quibus e ramis frondea facta casa est. 



Ovid) Fast. lib. 3. (march.) 

 9 Sympos. 1. 2 q. 8. 



3 See cap. VIII. lib. III. sect. 5. 



4 Vide Seldenum de jure nat. & gent. Heb. 1. 2. c. 6. 



5 Lil. & Gre. Gyraldum de diis gent. Syntag. 17. 



