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Both to the war] when the Grecians lay at Aulis, a City of Bæotia ready to embarque themselves for Troy, Agamemnon by chance kill'd Diana's Stag; for which being wroth, she stay'd their progress with contrary winds, till Agamemnon was fain to appease her anger with the slaughter of his daughter Iphigenia on her Altar. For which Sacrifice, Ulysses was employ'd with his Craft to gain her from her mother, which he did, by beginning a Mariage betwixt her and Achilles. But when she was ready to be Sacrific'd,

Victa dea est, nubemque oculis objecit & inter
Officium, turbamq; sacri, vocesque precantum,
Supposita fertur mutasse Mycenida Cerva.
------ Dian' doth pity shew
Who o're their eyes a cloudy meteor threw;
And while they prosecute her rites and pray'd
Produc'd a hind to represent the Maid.
Ovid. Met. 12. From thence by the Goddess she was conveyed to Taurica, &c.

The Sacred Grove] on Ida Sacred to Cybele.

The Gods below] were Pluto, Proserpina, Minos, Æacus, Rathamanius. The Furies, Parcæ, Hecate and others.

Thessalian Prinee] Achilles.

The Great Ghost] which is meant either, because that Ghosts (as they held) appeared in a larger Size than their bodies, or it has respect to the Stature of Achilles, which they say was nine Cubits high.

The Proëm to Troys fatal fall] which was when he encounter'd with, and overcame Cisseus King of Thrace, father to Hecuba, and Telephus Prince of Mysia, who were coming to the aid of Troy.

Neptnnian Cycnus] He was Nephew to Neptune, and invulnerable, as Ovid, met. 12.

------ Removebitur omne
Tegminis officium, tamen indistrictus abibo.
------ Should I display
My naked breast, thy force could find no way.
Sand.

However Achilles after a long fight throtl'd him with his Knees, but his body was not to be found, being Converted into a Swan.

Slow Xanthus] A river by Troy called also Scamandrus.

Great Hector and Troy drawing on the ground]

when Achilles had slain Hector, he tyed him to his Chariot, and drew him round about the walls of Troy; and the tomb of Patroclus, one whom Hector had slain in Achilles Armour. He was kept inhumated 12 dayes, and was at length Ransom'd by Priamus. Homer Il. lib. 23.

Troy drawing on the ground] for when Achilles had slain Hector, he Cri'd out, I have overcome Troy; in that he was the onely defence and safeguard of the City.

A Chore of Tritons] Sea Monsters, whose upper parts were like men, their lower like fishes; They were the Trumpeters of Neptune, and at the Sound of their Concha, the Seas see their raging, and become Calm.

Cærulens Triton, cava buccina sumitur illi
Tum quoq;, ut ora dei madida rorantia barba
Contigit, & cecinit jussos inflata recessus,
Omnibus audita est telluris & æquoris undis,
Et quibus est undis audita Coërcuit omnes.
Ovid. Met. 1. Blew Triton his wreath'd Trumpet takes, and set
To his large mouth, he Sounded a retreat;
All Floods it heard that Earth or Ocean knew,
And all the Floods that heard the same withdrew.

Hymenæan] The Mariage Song, from Hymen the God of mariage, which the Grecians used to sing with the repetition of Hymenæe, as the Romanes did Thalassio.