30 Fecerat horrendas afpectu. fcalpere terram 35 Utque they went along, and their pale Faces made them look most hideously. THEY fcratch'd up the Earth with their Nails, and having made a little Pit, they fill'd it with the Blood of a black Lamb, which they tore to Pieces with their Teeth: This done, they folemnly invok'd the infernal Spirits, whom they us'd to confult upon all Occafions. They had two Images, one of Wool, the other of Wax; the woollen tormented the waxen, which was much the least, and which stood, as it were, in a fuppliant Posture, like a poor Slave just before his Execution. Canidia call'd upon *Hecate, Sagana implor'd † Tifiphone's Affistance. that Inftant you might have seen the Dogs and Serpents of the infernal Regions, running about the Earth. The Moon blufh'd, and modeftly withdrew her felf behind the Sepulchres, that fhe might not be a Witness of their abominable Incantations. At Ir what I say be not true, may the Crows drop down their Dung upon me, nor may Julius, Voranus, or the foft effeminate Pediatia ufe me more civilly. THERE is no Occafion to mention Particulars, how these Sorcereffes and the Ghosts entertain'd each other in a very fhrill and mourn * Hecate, a Goddess call'd Luna in Heaven, Diana on Earth, and Hecate, or Proferpina, in Hell. She is reprefented with three Heads, upon which Account she is call'd Triceps in Ovid, and Tergemina in Virgil. She is faid to detain the Souls of unburied People on this Side Styx 100 Years, and was therefore call'd Hecate, from the Greek Word 'Exató: She was very skilful in Poisons, and their Antidotes. † Tifiphone, one of the three Furies of Hell, fo call'd from the Greek Word Tirs, Ultio, and Doros, Cades. This Fiction was invented to reprefent the unhappy Condition of the Wicked both in this World and the next. ful Utque lupi barbam varie cum dente colubre 50 BAM SATIRA IX. BAM ut forte via facra, ficut meus eft mos, Nefcio quid meditans nugarum,& totus in illis : Accurrit quidam notus mihi nomine tantum; Arreptaque manu, Quid agis, dulciffime rerum? Suaviter, ut nunc eft, inquam; & cupio omnia quæ vis. Cum adfectaretur; Numquid vis? Occupo. at ille, Noris nos, inquit: docti fumus. Hic ego, Pluris Hoc, inquam, mihi eris. Mifere difcedere quærens, Ire modo ocius, interdum confiftere, in aurem Dicere nefcio quid puero. cum fudor ad imos 10 Manaret ful Tone; how they took a Wolf's Beard, and a speckled Serpent's Teeth, and hid them fecretly in the Ground; how the Fire blaz'd with the waxen Image; how in a just Deteftation of their Villanies, I reveng'd my self upon them, by letting, on a fudden, a thundering Fart, which was as loud as the bursting of a Bladder. It was pleasant to fee these two old Beldames hurrying towards the City in the utmoft Confufion; their Aftonishment was fo great, that they left their Tools and Charms behind them; Canidia loft her Set of Teeth, Sagana her Towre; I leave you to judge, if a Man cou'd poffibly forbear laughing at a Sight which was fo very diverting. A SI was walking the other Day, in the The DeWay that leads to the Capitol, very fe- fcription riously meditating upon fome Trifle or other, of an Impertinent. as my Cuftom is; a Man, whom I only knew by Name, taking me by the Hand very familiarly, ask'd me how I did. Very well, Sir, (faid I) for the Seafon, I am your most humble Servant. Perceiving that he followed me, I ask'd him if he had any farther Business; I have a Mind (replies he) that you should be acquainted with me, I am a Man of Letters. Oh Sir, faid I, I efteem you the more. I endeavour'd in the mean time, all the Ways I cou'd think of, to rid my felf of him; fometimes I walk'd faft, fometimes I ftood still, then I whisper'd my Servant, the Sweat all this time running Manaret talos; O te, Bolane, cerebri Felicem, aiebam tacitus. cum quidlibet ille 20 Demitto auriculas, ut iniquæ mentis afellus, canto. 25 Interpellandi locus hic erat: Eft tibi mater, Cognati, quis te falvo eft opus? Haud mihi quifquam: Omnis compofui. Felices! nunc ego resto. Confice: namque inftat fatum mihi trifte, Sabella Quod puero cecinit mota divina anus urna: 30 Hunc |