ACCOUNT OP THE PRINCIPAL HEATHEN GODS. 97T 



represented as a beautiful young man, without a beard, and 

 with graceful hair. Mercury, a son of Jupiter, was the 

 messenger of the gods ; and is therefore represented with 

 wings to his cap and his feet. He was said to be the in- 

 ventor of letters, and hence he is the god of eloquence ; and 

 was the god of trade, and thence also of thieves. He was 

 called also Her'mes ; and is represented as carrying a wand, 

 called cadu'ceus, with two serpents twisting round it. Vul- 

 can, the god of fire and of smiths, was the artificer of heaven ; 

 and made the thunderbolts of Jupiter, and the armour and 

 palaces of the gods. It is said that one of his principal 

 forges was within Mount Etna. He is "called also Mul'ci- 

 ber. 



The foregoing are the principal gods, but there were 

 many of a second or still lower order. Bac'chus was the 

 god of wine, and was crowned with leaves of the vine and 

 the ivy. E'olus was the god of the winds : the north wind 

 was called Bo'reas, the south wind Au'ster, the east wind 

 Eu'rus, and the west wind Zeph'yrus. Mo'mus was the 

 god of satire, and likewise of laughter and jokes. Plu'tus 

 was the god of riches. Hy'men was the god of marriage : 

 he is represented with the burning torch. Cu'pid was th« 

 god of love : he is represented as a beautiful child, but blind 

 or hoodwinked, and carries a bow and arrows. Ja'nus, a 

 god with two faces, looking forward and backward, had a 

 temple which v/as open in time of war, and shut in peace. 

 EsGula'pius was an inferior god of medicine, below Apollo: 

 he is represented as accompanied by a serpent, which was 

 thought the most long-lived of all animals. Pan was the 

 god of shepherds ; and he is represented as having horns, 

 and as carrying the musical instrument, now called Pan's 

 pipes. There were other rural deities called Sat'yrs, Fauns, 

 and Syl'vans : their figures were half man and half goat, 

 and they dwelt chiefly in forests. Every river also was sup* 

 posed to have its own god ; who was drawn with a long 

 beard, a crown of reeds, and leaning on an urn. There were 

 likewise a great number of demi-gods, or half-gods; the 

 principal one of these was Her'cules ; who was accounted 

 the god of strength, from his living performed some wonder- 

 ful undertakings, ctOled his Twelve Labours. He is repre- 

 •«nted leaning on a iarge club, and wearing a lion's skin. 



24 -.1 



