SYLVA 221 



day many pilgrimages are made, and speaks of a 

 gummy transudation which it yields, that the Turks 

 affirm to turn every Friday into drops of blood : 

 The tree is hollow within, adorn'd with many lamps, 

 and fitted for an oratory ; and indeed some would 

 derive the name lucus a grove, as more particularly 

 to signifie such enormous and cavernous trees, quod 

 ibi lumina accende rentur religionis causa: But our author 

 adds, the Ethnics do still repute all great trees to be 

 divine, and the habitation of souls departed : These 

 the Persians call Pir and Imam. Perhaps such a 

 hollow tree was that asylum of our poet's hero, when 

 he fled from his burning Troy. 



1 an ancient cypress near, 



Kept by religious parents many a year. 



For that they were places of protection, and privileg'd 

 like churches, and altars, appears out of Livy, and 

 other good authority : Thus where they introduce 

 Romulus encouraging his new colony, 



2 So soon as e're the grove he had immur'd 

 Haste hither (says he) here you are secur'd. 



Such a sanctuary was the Aricina, 3 and suburban Diana, 

 call'd the nemorale templum^ and divers more which 

 we shall reckon up anon. Lucian in his dea Syri 

 speaks of these temples and dedications in their groves 

 among the Egyptians : Lucus in urbe fuit^ &c. and 

 what follows ? Hie templum and since they could 



1 juxtaque ; antiqua cupressus 



Religione patrum multos servata per annos. 



&n. 2. 



2 Ut saxo lucum circumdedit alto 



Quilibet, hue, dicit, confuge, tutus eris. 



3 Virg. 6. Eclog. and I JEntid. vide Fab. 1. 3. Semest. c. I. 



