S78 ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL HEATHEN GODDESSES, 



LESSON 128. 



Account of the principal Heathen Goddesses. 



Ju'no was the wife of Ju'piter, and was of course the 

 queen of heaven. She is represented as drawn by peacocks 

 in a chariot of gold. Her favourite messenger was I'ris the 

 goddess of the rainbow. Miner'va, a daughter of Jupiter, 

 was the goddess of wisdom and of war. She was repre- 

 sented in complete armour, bearing a shield, called segis, 

 with a head on it, so terrible, that every one who looked on 

 it was turned into stone. She was likewise the patroness 

 of spinning, needle-work, and embroidery. She was called 

 also Pal'las, and her principal emblem was the owl. Dian'a 

 was the twin sister of Apollo ; and as he drove the chariot 

 of the sun, so she presided in that of the moon. She was 

 the goddess of hunting ; and is drawn as carrying a bow 

 and arrows, with a half moon as an ornament on her fore- 

 head, and attended by several nymphs as her companions, 

 and by her hounds. She is called also Phcebe ; and Cyn'- 

 thia, from having been born on Mount Cynthus, and she had 

 a very famous temple at Eph'esus, which is mentioned in 

 the New Testament, in the 19th chapter of the Acts. 



Venus was the goddess of beauty and of love ; and the 

 wife of Vulcan, and mother of Cupid ; her chariot was 

 drawn by doves, and the myrtle was sacred to her. She 

 was said to have sprung from the sea, near the island of 

 Cythe'ra ; and her most celebrated temple was at the city 

 of Pa'phos, in the island of Cyprus ; hence she is called also 

 Cythere'a; and the Pa'phian, or the Cyp'rian, goddess. 

 Ves'ta was the goddess of the earth and of fire. In her 

 temple at Rome, a perpetual fire was maintainedj which was 

 kindled from the rays of the sun, and was constantly watched 

 by priestesses chosen from the most noble families. They 

 were called vestal virgins, and had very great honours and 

 privileges. Ce'res was the goddess of corn and of harvest. 

 Cyb'ele was one of the most ancient of the goddesses, being 

 the wife of Saturn ; and in some respects represents the 

 earth. She is displayed as crowned with towers, holding a 

 key in her hand, and drawn in her chariot by lions. Pros'er- 

 pine was the wife of Pluto, and of course the queen of the 

 infernal regions. She was the daughter of Ceres. Amphi- 



