University of Virginia Library

To Amyclas] A City in Laconia, where the Brothers of Helena, Castor and Pollux were born.

With mother Cybeles Sacred Pines] The Ship in which Paris went, being made of the Pines that grew on Mount Ida, a Mountain Sacred to Cybele, and where she was chiefly worshipped, from whence her Priests where Call'd Idæi-dactyli.

In the Sigean fields] The fields adjoyning to Troy, denominated from the promontorie Sigeum, by

which was the Sepulchre of Achilles.

O Queen lift up thy hand] after the manner of the Præficæ, which was the sign to begin their lamentations.

Your hair untye] Here is described the custome of those women hired to lament at funerals, they wore their hair disshevel'd, their necks and breasts bare, and striking their hands against them, made a fearful ejulation, and howling.

Hæ la crymis sparsêre deos, hæ pectora duro
Afflixêre solo: lacerasq; in limine sacro
Attonitæ fudere Comas: votisq; vocari
Assuetas crebris feriunt ululatibus aures.
------ Una madentes
Scissa genas, planctu liventes atra lacertos,
Nunc ait ô miseræ contundite pectora matres,
Nunc laniate Comas, &c.
Lucan. lib. 2. One weeps before the Gods; one her torn locks
Throws in the Sacred porch: another knocks
Her breast against the ground: the God whose ears
Were us'd to prayers, now only howlings hears:
------ But one there
Her plaint-bruis'd armes, and moysten'd cheeks did tear
Now now quoth she, oh Mothers teare your hair
Now beat your breasts—
Such was the manner of the ancients mourning fully described in his Chorus.

Make all the Rhætian Shores] A promontory of Troy, in which was the Sepulcher of Ajax Telamonius.

The Eccho found, In Mounts and Caves] Is the repercussion of the air against some rock or hill, or some

obvious body which repeats the dilated sound by reflection. But the Poets have feign'd it the effect of Love, whose Metamorphosis you may read in Ovid. lib. 3. She was a Nymph of the river Cephissus, who falling in Love with Narcissus, and being by him rejected pined her self with grief to a stone, her voyce onely remaining, &c.

------ In aere succus
Corporis omnis abit: vox tantum atq; ossa supersunt,
Vox manet: ossa ferunt lapidis traxisse figuram.
Inde latet sylvis, nulloq; in monte videtur:
Omnibus auditur, sonus est qui vivit in illa.
------ Her blood converts to air,
Nothing was left her but her voyce and bones:
The voyce remaines: the other turn'd to stones.
Conceal'd in words, in mountaines never found.
She's heard of all: and all is but a sound.
Sands.

Here 'tis said she is never found in Mountains, and that is because there is no obstacle, to strike back the air, but if you stand at a Convenient distance from the mountain (especially if there be any Caverns.) you will according to my author finde this vocal Nymphs habitation to be at the foot of the hill, or on the sides of the rock.

Our wounds do flow with blood fresh Torn] They did believe that humane blood was pleasing to the defunct, which made them not onely use these Præficæ to teare their breasts, but also the gladiators were brought into use, who unmercifully shed one anothers blood.

A Sconce for tyred Trojans] Hector might be well call'd the safeguard of Troy, for whilst he liv'd she was impregnable.

O lux Dardaniæ, spes O fidissima Tencrum.
Virg. O Dardan light! O Troy's chief Confidence.
Hector—Cum quo sua Troja sepulta est
Conduntur pariter qui periere simul.
Hector with whom Troy's sepulcher'd, they lye
Together now, who did together dye.

Twice lost old man] He was twice Captivated when a youth, and being lead into Greece, he was ransomed by his Sister Hesione.

Thou living but one ill sustain] That is, by the Death of Hector the Kings Son, now the King himself is slain.

And twice abode th'Herculean shaft] Without the arrows of Hercules, Troy could not have been conquer'd, they were fatal to Troy; Twice, that is this last time, and once before, when Hercules subdued it: See the 2 note of the first Act.

At great Joves Altar] See note 14. Act the first.

Ædibus in mediis, nudoq; sub ætheris axe.
Ingens ara fuit.
Virg. Amid'st the Court under heav'ns Canopy
An Altar stood, &c.

Thy Trunk] Jacet ingens littore Truncus
Avulsumque humeris caput, &c.
Vir. Æn. 2. His body lyeth on the shore without a head.
Here Virgil alludes to the fall of Pompey, whom our author follows.

Neither Atrides] Agamemnon and Menelaus both Sons to Atreus.

Mycene] A City of Peloponnesus, built by Perseus, in which Agamemnon the Captain general of the Greeks reigned.

In the shade of th'Elysian wood] The habitation of the blessed after death, some suppos'd it to be in the Sphere of the Moon, others placed it in the

Atlantic or Fortunate Islands, Homer in Spain, Plutarch in Brittain. It is supposed the Greeks borrowed their Elysium from the Egyptians, who came to the Knowledg of it by the Hebrews, so that it was answerable to their Paradise, where Pious Souls received all the joys and pleasures annexed to the other life. But the Poëts have described the pleasures of Elysium too sensually, it may be as Mahomet did his Paradise, not but that they knew better, but knowing that such sensual descriptions would soonest take with vulgar Capacities.

Devenere Locos lætos, & amæna vireta
Fortunatorum nemorum, sedesq; beatas.
Largior hic Campis æther, &c.
Virg. Ænei. 6. In joyful places they arriv'd at last,
And came to Groves where happy souls do rest,
In pleasant Greens the dwellings of the blest.
Here larger Skies did cloath the purple rayes
The field, &c.
Ogilvius.