makes them companions in the glorious equipage that he gives his Virtue. Mecum Honor, et Laudes, et læto Gloria vultu, [Virtus loquitur. With me the foremost place let Honour gain, Ibid. [Virtue speaks. Tu cujus placido posuere in pectore sedem STAT. SIL, lib. 2. The head of Honour is crowned with a laurel, as Martial has adorned his Glory after the same manner, which indeed is but another name for the same person. Mitte coronatas Gloria mæsta comas. I find, says Cynthio, the Latins mean courage by the figure of Virtue, as well as by the word itself. Courage was esteemed the greatest perfection among them, and therefore went under the name of Virtue in general, as the modern Italians give the same name on the same account to the knowledge of curiosities. Should a Roman painter at present draw the picture of Virtue, instead of the spear and paratonium that she bears on old coins, he would give her a bust in one hand and a fiddle in the other. The next, says Philander, is a lady of a more peaceful character, and had her temple at Rome*. -Salutato crepitat Concordia nido. She is often placed on the reverse of an imperial coin, to show the good understanding between the emperor and empress. She has always a cornu-copia in her hand, to denote that plenty is the fruit of concord. After this short account of the goddess, I desire you will give me your opinion of the deity that is described in the following verses of Seneca, who would have her pro* Fig. 3. pitious to the marriage of Jason and Creusa. He mentions her by her qualities, and not by her name. -Asperi SEN, MED, act, 1. Who sooths great Mars the warrior god, The description, says Eugenius, is a copy of the Jamdudum poste reclinis, STATII EPITHALAMION. SILV. lib. 1. Already leaning at the door, too long And Concord with her flaming torch attends. Peace differs as little in her dress as in her character from Concord. You may observe in both these figures, that the vest is gathered up before them, like an apron, which you must suppose filled with fruits as well as the cornu-copia. It is to this part of the dress that Tibullus alludes. Fig. 4. At nobis, Pax alma, veni, spicamque teneto, Kind Peace, appear, And in thy right hand hold the wheaten ear, Prudentius has given us the same circumstance in his description of avarice. Avaritia gremio præcincta capaci. PRUD. PSYCHOMACHIA. How proper the emblems of Plenty are to Peace, may be seen in the same poet. Interea Pax arva colat, Pax candida primùm Duxit araturos sub juga curva boves; Pax aluit vites, et succos condidit, uvæ, Funderet ut nato testa paterna merum : Pace bidens vomerque vigent, TIBUL. El. 10, lib. 1, She first, white Peace, the earth with plough-shares broke, First rear'd the vine, and hoarded first with care The father's vintage for his drunken heir. The olive-branch in her hand is frequently touched upon in the old poets as a token of peace. Pace orare manu- VIRG. En. 10. Ov. MET. lib. 7. In his right hand an olive-branch he holds. Furorem Indomitum duramque viri deflectere mentem Luc. lib. 3. -To move his haughty soul, they try Mr. RowE. Which, by the way, one would think had been spoken rather of an Attila, or a Maximin, than Julius Cæsar. You see Abundance or Plenty* makes the same figure in medals as in Horace. The compliment on this reverse to Gordianus Pius is expressed in the same manner as that of Horace to Augustus. Aurea fruges Italiam pleno diffudit copia cornu. HoR. Epist. 12. lib. 1. -Golden Plenty with a bounteous hand Rich harvest freely scatters o'er our land. Mr. CREECH. But to return again to our virtues. You have here the picture of Fidelity, who was worshipped as a goddess among the Romans. Si tu oblitus es at Dii meminerunt, meminit Fides. CATUL. AD ALPHEN. I should fancy, from the following verses of Virgil and Silius Italicus, that she was represented under the figure of an old woman. Cana Fides, et Vesta, Remo cum fratre Quirinus VIRG. EN. lib. 1. Then banish'd Faith shall once again return, The righteous laws, and fraud and force restrain. -Ad limina sanctæ Contendit Fidei, secretaque pectora tentă. Mr. DRYDEN. Ante Jovem generata, decus divúmque hominumque, Justitia consor Fig. 5. SIL. IT. lib. 2. Fig. 6. He to the shrines of Faith his steps addrest. There is a Medal of Heliogabalus*, inscribed Fides Exercitus, that receives a great light from the preceding verses. She is posted between two military ensigns, for the good quality that the poet ascribes to her, of preserving the public peace, by keeping the army true to its allegiance. I fancy, says Eugenius, as you have discovered the age of this imaginary lady, from the description that the poets have made of her, you may find too the colour of the drapery that she wore in the old Roman paintings, from that verse in Horace, Te Spes et albo rara Fides colit HOR. Od. 35. lib. 1. Sure Hope, and Friendship cloth'd in white, Mr. CREECH. One would think, says Philander, by this verse, that Hope and Fidelity had both the same kind of dress. It is certain Hope might have a fair pretence to white, in allusion to those that were candidates for an employ. Cretata ambitio -Quem ducit hiantem PERS. Sat. 5. And how properly the epithet of rara agrees with her, you may see in the transparancy of the next figuret. She is here dressed in such a kind of vest as the Latins call a multicium, from the fineness of its tissue. Your Roman beaus had their summer toga of such a light airy make. Quem tenues decuere toga nitidique capilli. HOR. Ep. 14. lib. 1. |