5 6 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



" As the Cynocephali, or Baboun Apes have given 

 occasion to some to imagine (though falsly) there were 

 such men, so the Satyre, a most rare and seldom scene 

 beast, hath occasioned other to thinke it was a Devil ; 

 and the Poets with their Apes, the Painters, Limners, 

 and Carvers, to encrease that superstition, have there- 

 fore described him with homes on his head, and feet 

 like Goates, whereas Satires have neither of both. And 

 it may be that Devils have at some time appeared to 

 men in this likenes, as they have done in the likeness 

 of the Onocentaure and wild Asse, and other shapes ; it 

 being also probable that Devils take not any denomina- 

 tion or shape from Satyres, but rather the Apes them- 

 selves, from Devils whom they resemble, for there are many 

 things common to the Satyre Apes, and devilish Satyres, 

 as their human shape, their abode in solitary places, 

 their rough hayre, and lust to women, wherewith all other 

 Apes are naturally infected ; but especially Satyres. . . . 



" Peradventure the name of Satyre is more fitly derived 

 from the Hebrew, Sair. Esa. 34, whereof the plural is 

 Scirim, Esa. 13, which is interpreted monsters of the 

 Desart, or rough hairy Fawnes ; and when lisim is put 

 to Seir, it signifieth Goats. 



"The Chaldceans, for Seirim, render Schedin; that is, 

 evill devills ; and the Arabians, lesejathin, that is Satanas : 

 the Pcrsyans, Devon, the Illyrians, Devadai, and Dewas : 

 the Germans, Teufel. They which passed through the 

 world, and exercised dauncing and other sports for 

 Dionisius, were called Satyres, and sometimes Tytiri, 

 because of their wanton songes ; sometimes Silent 

 (although the difference is, that the smaller and younger 

 beasts are called Satiri, the elder, and greater, Silent;) 

 Also Bacclice and Nymphce, wherefore Bacchus is pictured 



