CHRISTIAN RELIGION IN INDIA, 31 



Palestine. Such women probably never existed / but 

 the prophetical verses, that were attributed to them, 

 wfere extracted from the sacred records of theii^ re- 

 spective countries. The fourth eclogue of Virgil is 

 entirely on the subject of this long expected renova- 

 tion of the world. 



The last great age, foretold by sacred rhymes. 



In the original it is, foretold by the Cumcean 

 Sibyl. 



Renews its fiuislied course ; Saturnian times 



Roll round tigain, and might]/ years, begun 



From their first orb, in radiant circles run. 



The base degenerate iron ofFsprinir, far the Cali-yuga) ends, 



A golden progeny (of the Crita, or golden age) from heaven descends : 



O chaste Luci N A, speed the mother's pains : 



And haste the glorious birtii ; thy own APOLLO reigns ! 



The lovely boy, with his auspicious face ! 



The son shall lead the life of gods, and be 



By eods and heroes seen, and gods and heroes see. 



Anotlier Typhis shall new seas explore, 



Another Argo laud the chiefs upon the Iberian shore : 



Another Helen other wars create. 



And great Achilles urge the Trojan, fate. 



O of celestial seed ! O foster son of Jove ! 



See, labouring nature calls thee to sustain 



The nodding frame of heaven, and earth, and main : 



See to their base restored, earth, seas and air. 



These are the very words of Vishnu tothe^«r//e, 

 when complaining to him and begging for redress. 



It is obvious, that Virgil considered the moment- 

 ous events of the Trojan war, the expedition of Jason 

 in the Argo, and the rape of Helen or Lacshmi, 

 as the necessary concomitants of a renovation of 

 the world. The Cali-yuga, according to Virgil, 

 ended a little before Christ,, of whom he had no 



