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Upon Act the fourth.
Dardanian House] from Dardanus the son of Jupiter and Electra, the founder of Troy, from whom as also the region about was call'd Dardauia.
Thetis] was the Wife of Peleus, and the Mother of Achilles, a great Sea-Goddesse also, and could vary shapes at her pleasure.
See Ovid. Met. lib. 11.Nereus] The Son of Oceanus and Thetis, a Sea God, father to the Sea Nymphs of whom they were call'd Nereids.
The ruine, Pest, and Plague] she was the cause of the ruine and utter overthrow of famous Troy, and the losse of many noble Greecians, she was
------ Trojæ & patriæ Communis Erinnys.Virg. Common Erinnys both to Greece and Troy.
Thy Husbands] Menelaus her former, from whom Paris ravish'd her, and Paris to whom she had been married.
Nuptial Taxes] It was the Custome of the Romans to use torches at their Weddings, from which a certain clammy liquor like Tar issued out; they were called Tedas from the tree Teda. They were five in number, which represented Jupiter, Juno, Venus, Suadela and Lucina, which were called the Nuptial or Conjugal powers, for the help they afforded the new married Couple.
O Paris hand that thus so lightly stroke] Who had not wholly slain Achilles. For Achilles being drawn into Troy under the prext of marrying Polyxena was, slain by Paris.
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