The reader will probably smile at the translation Dryden has given of this passage.

"Then a crack'd eggshell thy sick fancy frights, "Besides the childish fear of walking sprites, "Of o'ergrown gelding priests thou art afraid; "The timbrel, and the squintifego maid "Of Isis awe thee:" &c.

These priests were indeed what Dryden calls them. Herodian informs us how they received the appellation of Galli,--παλαι μὴν Φρυγες οργίαζον ἐπὶ τῶ ποταμῶ Γαλλω πάῤῥαρεονι, from which, continues he, the τομίαι iEgouevo received their surname: they were generally called at Rome by names more descriptive of their situation than Galli, such as, evirati, abscissi, semi-viri, &c. Lucian thus describes the ceremony of their inauguration. Adolescens quicunque ad hoc paratus venit, abjectis vestibus, magna voce in medium progreditur, atque ensem distringit: accepto autem eo, continuo se ipsum secat, curritque per urbem, et ea quæ resecuit in manibus portat. In quamcunque autem domum hæc abjicit, ex ea, et vestem famineam, et ornamentum muliebrem accipit.

These eunuchs were the priests not of Isis, but of Cybele or Cybebe, the goddess of the Phrygians. I have preferred giving her the latter name, as being more expressive. Κυβήβειν κυρίως τὸ ἐπι τὴν κεφαλὴν ρίπλειν· ὅθεν και την μητέρα τῶν Θεῶν ἀπὸ 18 ἐνθεσιασμού Κυβήβην λεγεσιν. αιτία γαρ ἐνθυσιασμου τοις μύσαις γίνεται.

The sistrum belonged equally to the Phrygian and Egyptian goddesses. Apuleius describes it as a brazen

timbrel-cujus per angustam laminam in modum balthei recurvatam, trajectæ mediæ, parvæ virgula, crispante brachio, tergeminos ictus reddebant argutum sonum.

Plutarch pretends, that the rods were expressive of the four elements,-why not the four cardinal points, or the four seasons? This is an ill-founded conjecture. Besides the sistrum had sometimes only three rods.

Ver. 32.

SATIRE VI.

Cærulea in tabula.

ne pictus oberret

Sailors escaped from shipwreck, were wont to carry about with them a picture descriptive of their misfortune. This was painted of a blue colour. Casaubon.

Ver. 79.

Depinge ubi sistam

See

Inventus, Chrysippe, tui finitor acervi.

In the preceding satire, it may have been observed, that I have rendered fruge Cleanthea literally Cleanthean corn. This may appear obscure, and it may be thought, that I might have said better with Dryden, Stoic institutes, or even with Brewster, Stoic seed. But it ap. peared to me, that Persius probably had some reason for expressing himself as he did, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the words above quoted.

After Zeno, Cleanthes and Chrysippus were the most distinguished teachers among the Stoics. Cleanthes appears to have followed pretty closely the steps

t

of his master Zeno; but Chrysippus has in many things differed from both. Hence the Stoics were not thoroughly agreed amongst themselves; some following Cleanthes, and others Chrysippus. Persius, both by his using the expression fruge Cleanthea in the fifth satire, and by this sarcasm against Chrysippus in the sixth, seems desirous to mark whom of the two philosophers he preferred.

1. The first point concerning which Cleanthes and Chrysippus differed, was with respect to perception. The former thought, that sensible impressions were made upon the brain, and that the objects of its contemplation were actually imprinted upon it. This opinion is not very dissimilar to those of Democritus, Leucippus, and Aristotle. It was, however, justly controverted by Chrysippus. The doctrine of material images floating betwixt mind and matter, and of the sensible species of things leaving impressions upon the brain, is one of the most vulnerable parts, either of the Epicurean, or of the Aristotelian philosophy.

2. The next question, upon which these two philo. sophers disagreed, was, whether or not virtue could be lost, after having been once acquired. Cleanthes maintained that it could not, Chrysippus that it could. If ̧ human virtue were perfect virtue, I should think with Cleanthes.

3. The tendency of the Stoics to materialism, did not prevent them from asserting, that the world had a mind which guided, and a providence which protected it. Chrysippus maintained that providence

existed in the æther, and Cleanthes that it resided in

the sun.

Non nostrum tantas componere lites.

The reader may find other subjects of difference in the precepts of these celebrated Stoics, by consulting Diogenes Laertius, and Stobæus among the ancients, and Stanley and Bruckerus among the moderns. Referring him to these authors, I forbear dwelling any longer upon this subject, or swelling these notes to a greater size.

Depinge ubi sistam

Inventus, Chrysippe, tui finitor acervi.

FINIS.