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

THE HEATHEN GODS. 3{
the Eaft, and there erefted pillars as Herculus did
n the Weft. He rode upon an elephant, and firft
Invented triumphs and crowns for kings
Bacchus, willing to oblige Midas, king of Phry¬
gia, by fome tavour, becaufe he had often defervcd
well of him, bid him afe at large, and promifed
that he Ihould be mafter of his higheft with. The
kingimmediatey requefted, that whatever he fliould
(touch might be turned into gold. The god was
(furry, yet confented. Midas foon perceived, that he
ijhad fought a boon very deftrudtive and dangerous
(to himfeif; for, being to take meat and drink, he
ufound that they alfo became gold, and that there-
sifore he mult perifli by hunger and third. Now re-
spenting of his folly, and praying that the dear
i bought gift might be recalled, the god, being mov-
■ed with companion, ordered him to bathe in the
driver Padtolus of Lydia, and from thence the land
of that river became gold.
In the facred rites of Bacchus there are three
i(things to be confidered; the things that are ofler-
tlbd, the priefts, and the facrifices themfelves, which
Wjire celebrated with peculiar ceremonies. Of plants
irand trees were confecrated to him, the bindweed,
jilhe fir, the ivy, the fig and the vine: Of animals,
tithe dragon, and the pye, fignifying the talkativenefs
Tof drunkards: The goat was offered, being acrea-
i::ure deffrudlive to the vines ; and, among .(Egyp¬
tians, they killed a fwine to his honour before their
jeBoors. The Satyrs, the Sileni, the Naiades, but
qffpecially the women, called Bacchae from himfeif,
rprefided over the holy myfteries.
i' The facrifices were various, according to the va-
Hfiety of nations and places, and celebrated with
:M(fferent ceremonies, on Bated days, with the great-