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Camillus, from his office of minister to the Gods, and Vialis, because he was the guardian of high ways. He is represented with wings attached to his head and feet, and a caduceus, or wand twisted round with serpents, the symbol of peace.

APOLLO.

Apollo was the son of Jupiter and Latona, and the God of physic, poetry, rhetoric, and music. Many fables are related of this God, who is said to have been banished from heaven by Jupiter, for having destroyed the Cyclops, to revenge the death of Esculapius, his son. During his exile he attended the flocks of Admetus, king of Thessaly; here he fell in love with Daphne, who, refusing his addresses and flying from his pursuit, was metamorphosed into a laurel. This tree was afterwards consecrated to him, and wreaths of laurel were appropriated to those who gained the prize in poetry and the Pythian games. Apollo was equally unfortunate in his friendship,

for while playing at quoits with his beloved Hyacinthus, he accidentally killed him. In compassion for this loss, the pity of the Gods changed his dying friend into the flower which bears his name. Apollo had several names: Delos, from the Island where he was born; Phœbus, alluding to the sun, with which he is often confounded; and Pythius, from the victory he gained over the serpent Python, which the jealousy of Juno had excited against his mother Latona. This circumstance gave rise to the Pythian games, so famous in Greece, and to the name of the priestess who presided at his Oracle at Delphi. Magnificent temples were raised to his honor, and his Oracles were held in great veneration.

MARS.

Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the God of armies and war. He was trained

by Jupiter for the office of a great commander, and was supposed to be the Nimrod mentioned in Scripture, as a "mighty hunter before the Lord:" for that prowess, which was afterwards employed in subduing mankind, was at first exercised against wild beasts. He had several temples at Rome and among other warlike nations. His priests were entrusted with the Ancilia, or sacred shields. The fable relates, that a shield, of a form at that time unknown, having been found, it was supposed to have fallen from heaven, and on its preservation, the city of Rome was destined to have the empire of the world. Numa Pompilius, to ensure it from being lost, had several shields made so exactly alike, that it was impossible to distinguish the original. The number of these Ancilia, and the priests who guarded them, was 12. Mars is represented in a chariot drawn by horses, and guided by his sister Bellona: terror and desolation attend his progress, and discord flies before. The poets added, that fury and indignation sat perched upon his helmet, and

that fame always announced his approach. The dog, the wolf, the raven, and cock, were consecrated to him.

VULCAN.

Vulcan was the son of Jupiter and Juno. He is said to have forged the thunderbolts, with which Jupiter destroyed the Titans, giants who attempted to scale the celestial regions. He was promised, in return, whatever he should de mand: and he requested Venus in marriage. Having afterwards offended Jupiter, he precipitated him into the island of Lemnos; and in his fall he was lamed. He was supposed to have continued his profession in the subterraneous caverns of Lemnos and Mount Etna, where he was assisted by the Cyclops, giants with one, eye in the middle of their foreheads. He was the inventor and patron of the art of fabricating metals, and executed the beautiful armour of Achilles and Æneas. Fire was consecrated to

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him, and he was worshipped in Athens and Rome. A magnificent temple was dedicated to him at Memphis in Egypt, in which his colossal statue was placed, 75 feet high. The lion was sacred to him, because its roaring resembled a volcano. He is generally represented working at a forge, attended by the Cyclops.

JUNO.

Juno was the daughter of Saturn and Rhea, and the sister and wife of Jupiter: she was stiled the queen of the Gods, and the Goddess of empires and riches. She had three children, Hebe, the Goddess of youth, who, before Ganymede supplied her place, served the Gods with nectar; Mars, and Vulcan. She was described of a haughty disposition, extremely jealous of Jupiter, and implacable in her resentments. Eneas and his unhappy followers, and the City of Troy, were subject to her most cruel persecutions, to revenge the insult of Paris, the son of Priam, who

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