[Footnote 23: _Psecas._--Ver. 172. From the Greek ?e???, 'a dew-drop.']

[Footnote 24: _Phyale._--Ver. 172. This is from the Greek f?a??, 'an urn.']

[Footnote 25: _Took up water._--Ver. 189. The ceremonial of sprinkling previous to the transformation seems not to have been neglected any more by the offended G.o.ddesses of the cla.s.sical Mythology, than by the intriguing enchantresses of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments; as the unfortunate Beder, when under the displeasure of the vicious queen Labe, experienced to his great inconvenience. The love for the supernatural, combined with an anxious desire to attribute its operations to material and visible agencies, forms one of the most singular features of the human character.]

[Footnote 26: _Autonoeian._--Ver. 198. Autonoe was the daughter of Cadmus and Hermione, or Harmonia, and the wife of Aristaeus, by whom she was the mother of Actaeon. We may here remark, that in one of his satires, Lucian introduces Juno as saying to Diana, that she had let loose his dogs on Actaeon, for fear lest, having seen her naked, he should divulge the deformity of her person.]

[Footnote 27: _Melampus._--Ver. 206. These names are all from the Greek, and are interesting, as showing the epithets by which the ancients called their dogs. The pack of Actaeon is said to have consisted of fifty dogs. Their names were preserved by several Greek poets, from whom Apollodorus copied them; but the greater part of his list has perished, and what remains is in a very corrupt state. Hyginus has preserved two lists, the first of which contains thirty-nine names, most of which are similar to those here given by Ovid, and in almost the same order; while the second contains thirty-six names, different from those here given.

aeschylus has named but four of them, and Ovid here names thirty-six. Crete, Arcadia, and Laconia produced the most valuable hounds. Melampus, 'Black-foot,' is from the Greek words ??a?, 'black,' and p???, 'a foot.']

[Footnote 28: _Ichn.o.bates._--Ver. 207. 'Tracer.' From the Greek ?????, 'a footstep,' and a???, 'to go.']

[Footnote 29: _Pamphagus._--Ver. 210. 'Glutton.' From p??, 'all,'

and f???, 'to eat.']

[Footnote 30: _Dorcaeus._--Ver. 210. 'Quicksight.' From d????, 'to see.']

[Footnote 31: _Oribasus._--Ver. 210. 'Ranger.' From ????, 'a mountain,' and a???, 'to go.']

[Footnote 32: _Nebrophonus._--Ver. 211. 'Kill-buck.' From ?e???, 'a fawn,' and f????, 'to kill.']

[Footnote 33: _Laelaps._--Ver. 211. 'Tempest.' So called from its swiftness and power, ?a??a?, signifying 'a whirlwind.']

[Footnote 34: _Theron._--Ver. 211. 'Hunter.' From the Greek, ?e?e??, 'to trace,' or 'hunt.']

[Footnote 35: _Pterelas._--Ver. 212. 'Wing.' 'Swift-footed,' from pte???, 'a wing,' and ??a???, 'to drive onward.']

[Footnote 36: _Agre._--Ver. 212. 'Catcher.' 'Quick-scented,' from ???a, 'hunting,' or 'the chase.']

[Footnote 37: _Hylaeus._--Ver. 213. 'Woodger,' or 'Wood-ranger;'

the Greek ???, signifying 'a wood.']

[Footnote 38: _Nape._--Ver. 214. 'Forester.' A 'forest,' or 'wood,' being in Greek, ??p?.]

[Footnote 39: _Pmenis._--Ver. 215. 'Shepherdess,' From the Greek p??e???, 'a shepherdess.']

[Footnote 40: _Harpyia._--Ver. 215. 'Ravener.' From the Greek word ??p??a, 'a harpy,' or 'ravenous bird.']

[Footnote 41: _Ladon._--Ver. 216. This dog takes its name from Ladon, a river of Sicyon, a territory on the sh.o.r.es of the gulf of Corinth.]

[Footnote 42: _Dromas._--Ver. 217. 'Runner.' From the Greek d????, 'a race.']

[Footnote 43: _Canace._--Ver. 217. 'Barker.' The word ?a?a??, signifies 'a noise,' or 'din.']

[Footnote 44: _Sticte._--Ver. 217. 'Spot.' So called from the variety of her colors, as st??t??, signifies 'diversified with various spots,' from st???, 'to vary with spots.' 'Tigris' means 'Tiger.']

[Footnote 45: _Alce._--Ver. 217. 'Strong.' From the Greek ????

'strength.']

[Footnote 46: _Leucon._--Ver. 218. 'White.' From ?e????, 'white.']

[Footnote 47: _Asbolus._--Ver. 218. 'Soot,' or 's.m.u.t.' From the Greek ?s????, 'soot.']

[Footnote 48: _Lacon._--Ver. 219. From his native country, Laconia.]

[Footnote 49: _Aello._--Ver. 219. 'Storm.' From ?e??a, 'a tempest.']

[Footnote 50: _Thous._--Ver. 220. 'Swift.' From ????, 'swift.'

Pliny the Elder states, that 'thos' was the name of a kind of wolf, of larger make, and more active in springing than the common wolf. He says that it is of inoffensive habits towards man; but that it lives by prey, and is hairy in winter, but without hair in summer. It is supposed by some that he alludes to the jackal.

Perhaps, from this animal, the dog here mentioned derived his name.]

[Footnote 51: _Lycisca._--Ver. 220. 'Wolf.' From the diminutive of the Greek word ?????, 'a wolf.' Virgil uses 'Lycisca' as the name of a dog, in his Eclogues.]

[Footnote 52: _Harpalus._--Ver. 222. 'Snap.' From ??p???, 'to s.n.a.t.c.h,' or 'plunder.']

[Footnote 53: _Melaneus._--Ver. 222. 'Black-coat.' From the Greek, ??a?, 'black.']

[Footnote 54: _Lachne._--Ver. 222. 'Stickle.' From the Greek work ?a???, signifying 'thickness of the hair.']

[Footnote 55: _Labros._--Ver. 224. 'Worrier.' From the Greek ????? 'greedy.' Dicte was a mountain of Crete; whence the word 'Dictaean' is often employed to signify 'Cretan.']

[Footnote 56: _Agriodos._--Ver. 224. 'Wild-tooth.' From ??????

'wild,' and ?d???, 'a tooth.']

[Footnote 57: _Hylactor._--Ver. 224. 'Babbler.' From the Greek word ??a?t??, signifying 'to bark.']

[Footnote 58: _Melanchaetes._--Ver. 232. 'Black-hair.' From the ??a?, 'black,' and ?a?t?, 'mane.']

[Footnote 59: _Theridamas._--Ver. 233. 'Kilham.' From ???, 'a wild beast,' and da??, 'to subdue.']

[Footnote 60: _Oresitrophus._--Ver. 223. 'Rover.' From ???? 'a mountain,' and t??f? 'to nourish.']

EXPLANATION.

If the maxim of Horace, 'Nec Deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice nodus,' had been a little more frequently observed by the ancient poets, their Deities would not have been so often placed in a degrading or disgusting light before posterity. There cannot be a better ill.u.s.tration of the truth of this than the present Fable, where Ovid represents the chaste and prudent Diana as revenging herself in a cruel and barbarous manner for the indiscretion, or rather misfortune, of an innocent young man.

Cicero mentions several G.o.ddesses of the name of Diana. The first was the daughter of Jupiter and Proserpine; the second of Jupiter and Latona; and the third of Upis and Glauce. Strabo mentions another Diana, named Britomartis, the daughter of Eubalus. The worship, however, of Diana as the G.o.ddess of the Moon, was, most probably, derived from Egypt, with the Isis of whom she is perhaps identical.

The adventure narrated in this Fable is most probably to be attributed to Diana Britomartis, as Strabo tells us, that she was particularly fond of the chase. Pausanias, in his Attica, tells the story in much the same terms, but he adds, that on seeing Diana bathing, the novelty of the sight excited Actaeon's curiosity, and prompted him to approach nearer. To explain this fable, some authors suggest, that Actaeon's dogs becoming mad, devoured him; while others suppose, that having ruined himself by the expense of supporting a large pack of hounds, and a hunting establishment, it was reported that he had been devoured by his dogs. Diodorus Siculus, and Euripides, tell us, that Actaeon showed contempt to Diana, and was about to eat of the sacrifice that had been offered to her; and of course, in such a case, punishment at the hands of the G.o.ddess would be deemed a just retribution.

Apollodorus says, that Actaeon was brought up by Chiron, and that he was put to death on Mount Cithaeron, for having seen Diana bathing; though, according to one ancient authority, he was punished for having made improper overtures to Semele. Apollodorus also says, that his dogs died of grief, on the loss of their master, and he has preserved some of their names.

FABLE IV. [III.253-301]

Juno, incensed against Semele for her intrigue with Jupiter, takes the form of Beroe, the more easily to ensure her revenge. Having first infused in Semele suspicions of her lover, she then recommends her to adopt a certain method of proving his constancy. Semele, thus deceived, obtains a reluctant promise from Jupiter, to make his next visit to her in the splendor and majesty in which he usually approached his wife.

They speak in various ways {of this matter}. To some, the G.o.ddess seems more severe than is proper; others praise her, and call her deserving {of her state} of strict virginity: both sides find their reasons. The wife of Jupiter alone does not so much declare whether she blames or whether she approves, as she rejoices at the calamity of a family sprung from Agenor, and transfers the hatred that she has conceived from the Tyrian mistress to the partners of her race. Lo! a fresh occasion is {now} added to the former one; and she grieves that Semele is pregnant from the seed of great Jupiter. She then lets loose her tongue to abuse.