Curiosities & wonders > History of the heathen gods and heroes of antiquity, very necessary for understanding the writings of the ancients, and the modern English poets

30 THE HISTORY OF
recjueft, grieved much, yet arrayed with his great,
eft glory, and terrible with his tremenduous Ma.
jefty, unwilling enters the houie of Semele ; who,
unable to fuftain the etherial tumult, being ftruck
down with the lightning, and ftupified with the
thunder, was foon reduced into afhes, and her pa¬
lace periftied in the flames, which her ambition
had kindled.
Mean while, the child Bacchus, with whom (he
was big, is taken out of the womb of the unhappy
mother and fewed into the father's thigh, till the
full time of his nativity. When he was born, Ju¬
piter delivered him to Mercury, to be carried into
Eubcea, to Macris daughter of Ariftaeus, who firft
anointed the lips of the infant with honey, and
brought him up with great care, in a cave having
two gates.
Bacchus invented fo many things ufeful to man¬
kind, either in linifliing controverlies, building ci¬
ties, enadting laws, or obtaining victories, that
therefore he was admitted into the council of the
gods by the joint fuflfages of the whole world.
Yea even his prieftefles, by ifriking the earth with
their thyrli, drew forth rivers of milk, honey and
wine, and wrought feveral other miracles by the
power of that god. He firft invented the ufe of
wine, and taught the art of planting the vine, the
method of making honey, and tilling the ground.
When he was king of Phoenicia, he flrft difeovered
to Ifls fubjedls the manner of traffic and naviga¬
tion. He reduced men, wandering after the man¬
ner of hearts, into fociety and union brought them
over to religion, and the knowledge of the gods,
apd excelled in the myrtery of prophefying.
JIq fubdued India, Egypt, Syria, Phrygia, and all
the