CHAP. XlII.] THE FABLE OF PAN INTERPRETEa 99" 



our mind, and know not how to invade them, we will pro- 

 ceed to subjoin examples of the work we recommend. These 

 shall be three in number, — one taken from natural philo- 

 sophy, one from politics, and another from morals. 



PAN, OR NATURE. 



Explained of Natui-al Philosophy, 



" The ancients have, with great exactness, delineated 

 universal nature under the person of Pan. They leav^ his 

 origin doubtful : some asserting him the son of Mercjij', and 

 others the common offspring of all Penelope's suitors. The 

 latter supposition doubtless occasioned some later writers to 

 entitle this ancient fable, Penelope — a thing frequently prac- 

 tised when the early relations are applied to more modf rn 

 characters and persons, though sometimes with great absur- 

 dity and ignorance, as in the present case : for Pan was one 

 of the ancientest gods, and long before the time of Ulysses : 

 besides, Penelope was venerated by antiquity for her matronal 

 chastity. A third sort will have him the issue of Jupiter 

 and Hybris, that is, Reproach. But whatever his origin was, 

 the Destinies are allowed his sisters. 



" Ho is described by antiquity with pyramidal horns 

 reaching up to heaven, a rough and shaggy body, a very long 

 beard, of a biform figure, human above, half-brute below, 

 ending in goat's feet. His arms, or ensigns of power, are a 

 pipe in his left hand, composed of seven reeds ; in his right 

 a crook ; and he wore for liis mantle a leopard's skin. 



" His attributes and titles were, the god of hunters, shep- 

 herds, and all the rural inhabitants ; president of the moun- 

 tains, and after Mercury the next messenger of the gods. 

 He was also held the leader and ruler of the Nymphs, who 

 continually danced and frisked about him, attended with the 

 Satyrs, and their elders the Sileni. He had also the power 

 of striking terrors, especially such as were vain and super- 

 stitious ; whence they came to be called panic terroi-s.^ 



" Few actions are recorded of him ; only a principal one is, 

 tliat he challenged Cupid at wrestling, and was worsted. 

 He also catched the giant Typhon in a net, and held him 

 fast. They relate farther of him, that when Ceres growing 



* Hymn to Pan, Horn. Odyss. ver. iiru ^ Cicero, Epis. to Atticua, 5. 



