" OLYMPIC DIALOGUE. 



<%uirinus.~] When the triumvir, Antonius, had routed 

 the army of Pharnaces at Zela, that city, together with 

 the temple of Anaitis were facked by the conquerors ; 

 and no one could tell what became of the maffive gold 

 goddefs. After fome years it fo happened that Au- 

 guilus lodged one night at Rononia with a veteran of 

 Antonius. The emperor was fumptuoufly entertained ; 

 and, while they were at table the difcourfe falling on 

 the action at Zela and the plundering of the temple of 

 Anaitis, he afked his hoft, who had been an eye-wit^ 

 nefs to it, whether it was true that the firft who laid 

 his hand upon it was fuddenly ftfuck dead to the 

 ground ? — Thou feeft before thee the man that did 

 the audacious deed, returned the veteran, and thou art 

 actually feeding on a part of the goddefs. I had the 

 good fortune to get firft pofleffion of her ; Anaitis is 

 an excellent perfon, and I confefs with gratitude, that 

 I am indebted to her for all my wealth. 



Serapis.] Thou giveft me there but c®ld comfort, 

 -Quirinus ! If matters are going on in the world as Mer- 

 cury relates, I cannot promife myfelf any better fate for 

 my colofs at Alexandria. It is however a horrible 

 thing that Jupiter can remain a calm fpectator of fuch 

 abominations ! 



Jupiter .] Thou wouldft do well, Serapis, to be as 

 much compofed as I. For a deity from Pontus thou> 

 haft enjoyed the honour of being adored from the eafr. 

 to the weft long enough ; and furely thou canft not re- 

 quire that it fhould fare better with thy trmple than 

 with mine or that thy colofs fhould laft longer than 

 the divine mafter-piece of Phidias. Thou wouldft not, 

 when we are falling, be the only one left ftanding ? 



MomusJ] 



