Her priests were also called Corybantes; because in the sacrifices of their goddess they tossed their heads and danced, and butted with their foreheads like rams, after a mad fashion. Thus, when they initiated any one into their sacrifices, *they placed him in a chair, and danced about him like fools.

Another name of her priests was Telchines. These were famous magicians and enchanters; and they came from Crete to Cyprus, and thence into Rhodes, which latter island was called Telchines from them. Or, if we believe others, they were deserving men, and invented many arts for the good of the public, and first set up the statues and images of the gods.

The Cabiri, or Caberi, so called from Cabiri, mountains of Phrygia, were either the servants of the gods, or gods themselves, or rather dæmons, or the same with the Corybantes; for the people's opinions concerning them are different.

The Idæi Dactyli were the servants and assistants of Magna Mater; called Idæi from the mountain Ida, where they lived; and Dactyli from the fingers, for the priests were ten, like the fingers: they served Rhea every where, and in every thing, as if they were fingers to her. Yet many affirm, that there were more than ten.

QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION.

How were the sacrifices of Cybele celebrated?
What peculiar rites were observed in them?
Why were the box and pine sacred to Cybele?

On what condition was Atys made president of her rites, and
what happened to him on his breaking his vow?
Who was the true Atys, and what is his history?
What property belonged to the river Gallus?
What was the origin of the word "gallantes?"

ATO TOU XOOÚTTE, a cornibus feriendo, et Balvin incedendo.

Strabo. 1. 1. Plato in Enthid.

+ Digiti enim Qræce dicuntur daxrudos.

What other names have been given to the priests of Cybele?
From what did the Curetes derive their name?

From what circumstance were the Corybantes named?
Who were the Telchines?

Who were the Cabiri?

Who was the Idæi Dactyli?

CHAPTER VIII.

SEC. 1-CERES. HER IMAGE AND SACRIFICES.

CERES is a tall majestic lady; who stands beautified with yellow hair, and crowned with a turban composed of the ears of corn; her bosom swells with breasts as white as snow; her right hand is full of poppies and ears of corn, and in her left is a lighted torch. She is the daughter of Saturn and Ops; whose singular beauty made the gods themselves her lovers and admirers. Her brothers Jupiter and Neptune fell in love with her. She had Proserpine by Jupiter. And by Neptune it is uncertaian whether she was the mother of a daughter, or a horse called Arion. Upon the mountain Æleus, in Arcadia, an altar was dedicated to Ceres; her image had the body of a woman, but the head of a horse; it remained perfect and entire in the midst of fire. Yet others have told us that Ceres did not bring forth a horse, but a daughter. The Arcadians thought it a wicked thing to call this daughter by any other name than "the lady," or "the great goddess," which were the usual names of her mother Ceres.

Ceres was greatly ashamed of this disgrace, and testified her sorrow by the mourning clothes which she afterwards wore; whence she was named Melæna, Mɛλa‹va nigra; she retired into the dark recesses of a cave, where she lay so privately that none of

the gods knew where she was, till Pan, the god of the woods, discovered her by chance, and told Jupiter; who, sending the Fates to her, persuaded her at last to lay aside her grief, and rise out of the cave, which was a happy and joyful thing for all the world. For in her absence a great infection reigned throughout all sorts of living creatures, which sprang from the corruption of the fruits of the earth, and the granaries every where. She is the goddess of the fruits, and her name is derived from the care which she exerts in producing or preserving them. It is supposed that she first invented and taught the art of tilling the earth, and sowing corn, and of making bread therewith, when before mankind only ate

acorns.

"Prima Ceres unco glebam dimovit aratro,
Prima dedit fruges alimentaque mitia terris,
Prima dedit leges. Cereris sunt omnia munus.'
Ceres was she who first our furrows plough'd;
Who gave sweet fruits, and easy food allow'd.
Ceres first tam'd us with her gentle laws;

From her kind hand the world subsistence draws.

This may be learned from Ovid, who tells us that Ceres was the first that made laws, provided wholesome food, and taught the art of husbandry, of ploughing and sowing.

For, before her time, the earth lay rough and uncultivated, covered with briers and unprofitable plants; when there were no proprietors of land, they neglected to cultivate it; when nobody had any ground of his own, they did not care to fix landmarks; but all things were common to all men, till Ceres, who had invented the art of husbandry, taught men how to exercise it; and then they began

*Ceres dicitur quasi Ceres a gerendis fructibus: aut quasi Serens, vel ab antiquo verbo Cereo, quod idem est ac Creo, quod cunctarum frugum creatrix sit et altrix. Cic. Nat. Deo. 2.

to contend and dispute about the limits of those fields from the culture of which they reaped so much profit; and hence it was necessary that laws should be enacted to determine the rights and properties of those who contended. For this reason Ceres was named the foundress of laws: and hence she is crowned with corn.

1. Ceres is beautiful and well shaped; because the earth, which she resembles, appears beautiful and delightful to the beholders; especially when it is arrayed with plants, diversified with trees, adorned with flowers, enriched with fruits, and covered with greens; when it displays the honours of spring, and pours forth the gifts of autumn with a bountiful hand.

2. Her hair is yellow, and when the ears of corn are ripe, they are adorned with a golden colour.

3. Her breasts swell with milk, whence she is styled Mammosa sometimes, *because, after the earth is impregnated with seed, and big with the fruit thereof, it brings forth all things out of itself in abundance, and like a mother, feeds and nourishes us; and hence she is called †Alma, and ‡Altrix Nostra.

4. She holds a lighted torch, because, when Proserpine was stolen away by Pluto, her mother ||Ceres was greatly afflicted at the loss of her daughter, and, being very desirous to find her again, she kindled her torches with the flames which burst from the mountain Ætna; and with them sought her daughter through the whole world.

5. She carries poppy, because, when through grief she could not obtain the least rest or sleep, Jupiter gave her poppy to eat for this plant is endued with a power to cause sleep and forgetfulness. Her grief was a little allayed by sleep, but she for

*Cic. Nat. Deor. 2 and 3. Cie. Nat. Deor. 2.

+ Virg. Geo. 1.

Cic. in Verrem.

got not her loss, and, after many voyages and journeys, she at last heard where Proserpine was; as we shall hear in its proper place.

We often see a young man sitting in a chariot drawn by flying serpents. It is Triptolemus, in the chariot which Ceres gave him. He was the son of Celeus, king of Eleusis in Attica. Ceres brought him up from his infancy, upon this occasion: while she was seeking Proserpine by sea and land, upon the way she came into the city Eleusis, where king Celeus entertained her; whose kindness she requited by bringing up his young son, whom, in the day time she fed with celestial and divine milk, but in the night covered him all over with fire. The child in a few days became a beautiful young man by this extraordinary manner of education. Meganira, his mother, greatly wondering at this speedy progress, was very desirous to know how Ceres dealt with her son; she therefore looked through a small hole, and saw Ceres cover her son Triptolemus with burning coal. This affrighted her so, that she cried out that Ceres was murdering her son; and ran into the room to save him. Ceres punished her imprudent curiosity with death; then putting Triptolemus into a splendid chariot, she sent him throughout the world, to show mankind the use of corn. He executed her commands so faithfully, and taught men the art of husbandry, of sowing, reaping, and of thrashing the corn so well, that hence he obtained his name *Triptolemus, Ovid gives us an excellent description of this in the fifth book of his Metamorphoses.

Ceres once changed a boy into a lizard: for, being very weary with travelling, and thirsty, she came to a cottage, and begged a little water to wash her mouth, of an old woman that lived there; the old woman not only gave her water, but also barley

* Triptolemus dictitur quasi «pr↓e; ras 8λas, id est, hordeum terens. Hygin. fac. 147.