The cuſtom of making preſents at the birth of a child is of high antiquity: a paſſage from the Phormio of Terence is alleged to prove, that the eighth day after the birth, on which the name was given, was eſteemed the dies natalis, and that the preſents were then offered; but that paſſage clearly proves, that these gifts were preſented on each day, Porro autem Geta Ferietur alio munere ubi hera pepererit, Porro alio autem ubi erit puero natalis dies. At the birth only ſome female relations attended as aſſiſtants to Lucina, and these came not empty-handed; on the other, the parents entertained their friends at a feaſt, the sacra repotia patrum, and the guests were liberal in their preſents to the mother: in this ſenſe probably we are to underſtand Homer, who ſays, that Delos upon the birth of Apollo was loaded with gold, χρυσοῦ, δ᾽ ἄρα Δῆλος ἅπασα Βιβρίθει, καθορῶσα Διὸς Λητῶς τε γενέθλην. Hym. in Apollo, v. 135.

By the ſons of Vulcan the Scholiaſt underſtands the Athenians, and tells us, that Theseus cleared the way of robbers: for which he is juſtly reproved by Pauw; for how came the Athenians to be ſons of Vulcan? he then recommends it to us to look in ſome dark corner, if haply ſomething may there lie hid which may give light to this paſſage. Apollo found the country around Parnaffus rocky and barren, Οὔτε τρυγηφορός, ἥδεν᾽ ἐπήρατος, δυτ᾽ ἐυλείμων, Ὡς τ᾿ ἀπὸ τ᾽ εὖ ζώειν καὶ ἀμ ἀνθρώποισιν ὁπηδεῖν. Hym. in Apoll. v. 529. To cultivate this country, and to introduce the arts of poliſhed life, was a work worthy of Apollo, and we find that it was foon done: as Vulcan was the God of fire, "which lends its aid to every art," the workmen in the finer arts may properly be called his ſons. Probably no deeper mystery lies here concealed.

It appears from Callimachus and Pausanias, that Minerva had a ſhrine before the temple at Delphos: hence her title Pronaia. - STANLEY.

The poet could not with propriety omit the mention of this remarkable cave in the Delphian rock: it was ſacred to Pan and the Corycian Nymphs, the daughters of the river Pliſtus.— STANLEY.

This ſhows, that the country was now cultivated. The ſtory of Pentheus is the ſubject of the Bacchae of Euripides.

Neptune is here invoked, as having formerly been the lord of this country, till he exchanged it for Calauria.- SCHOLIAST.

Phineus was king of Pæonia: being old and blind, and having loſt his ſons, his daughters, Pyria and Eraſia, waſted his wealth in wanton riot: hence the fable, that the Harpyes ſnatched the viands from his table. - PALÆPHATUS. It is obſervable, that the ancients in general, and particularly the elegant Athenians, moſt commonly repreſented the vices under the moſt diſguſtful forms, and gave the perſonified virtues the most beautiful and amiable figures.

The ancients took every method reaſon and religion could ſuggeſt to impreſs an horror of ſhedding human blood: Hector could not even make a libation of wine, becauſe his hands were defiled with blood, though it was the blood of enemies, whom he had ſlain in the noblest of all cauſes, the defence of his country, By me that holy office were prophan'd; Ill fits it me, with human gore diſtain'd, To the pure ſkies theſe horrid hands to raiſe, Or offer heav'n's great fire polluted praiſe. Il. vi. POPE. For the ſame reaſon the pious Æneas could not touch his Penates, though to ſnatch them from the flames of burning Troy, but conſigns them to his father, Thou, thou, my fire, our gods and relics bear; Theſe hands, yet horrid with the ſtains of war, Refrain their touch unhallow'd till the day, When the pure ſtream ſhall waſh theſe ſtains away. Æneid. 2. PITT. Hence their various rites of purifications, their oblations and ſacrifices. Under this idea the prieſteſs of Delphos is shocked at ſeeing in the temple a man abhorred by the Gods, becauſe his hands are ſtained with blood; and the Furies thus inſult Apollo, See all defiled with gore thy throne; There ſate the murd'rer dropping blood. Minerva is here apprehenſive of this pollution to her temple; this indeed is but hinted, and that with much tenderneſs, by the bare mention of Ixion. The famous Alexander Roſs tells us, that "Ixion was the ſon of Plegias, who having murder- ed his father-in-law, went up and down the earth as a vaga- bond, at laſt Jupiter did pity him, and expiating his crime, re- ceived him into Heaven." The concern of Oreſtes to remove this ſuggeſtion ſhows, that he clearly understood the Goddeſs; and her anſwer expreſſes her ſatisfaction as to this point.

y In the Lucta, the victory was adjudged to him who gave his antagoniſt three falls: this is ſufficiently atteſted by the epigram upon Milo, who, having challenged the whole af- ſembly, and finding none that durſt encounter him, claimed the the crown; but, as he was going to receive it, unfortunately fell down; whereat the people cried out, that he had forfeit- ed the prize; then Milo

The Prieſteſs of the temple of Delphos had before inform- ed us, that Jupiter himſelf had inſpired Apollo with his pro- phetic ſkill; and this God afterwards demands reverence to his oracles as the voice of Jupiter. Virgil was too well verſed in antiquity to omit ſuch a circumſtance; hence his ill-omened propheteſs, to give the greater dread to her prediction, ſays, Quæ Phœbo pater omnipotens, mihi Phœbus Apollo Prædixit. Virgil might poſſibly take this from Æſchylus, as Macrobius affirms; or both might draw it from the everlaſting fountain of Homer, who makes Apollo ſay at his birth,

The righteous Pauw is highly offended at the impiety of this tragedy: one cannot but ſmile to ſee with what zeal he enters into the intereſts of theſe hideous ſiſters, as if he were enamoured of them. This paſſage gives him great offence: Ad hæc ego nauſeo hic: Nexum conſidera: Siç ineptias inep- tiflimas tibi deprehendes ſtatim: hæc tamen philoſophica vide- bantur Stanleio. Stanley had too juſt a taſte to judge of ancient ſentiment by modern manners, or more enlightened know- ledge. Wretched as this ſophiſtry is, it certainly was at that time held as deep philoſophy; otherwiſe the learned Euri- pides, who was not generous towards Æſchylus, would not have put this ſentiment into the mouth of Oreſtes in his plea to the father of Clytemneſtra,

This is a very curious paſſage, as it informs us that Minerva alone, of all the Gods, had the command of the thunder of Jupiter: hence the learned Virgil, Ipſa Jovis rapidum jaculata e nubibus ignem. -Æn. i. v. 46. She, for the crime of Ajax, from above Launch'd thro' the clouds the fiery bolts of Jove. PITT. At the ſame time it contains an oblique threat of the ſevereſt nature, but conveyed in the gentleſt manner, ſhowing, that ſhe waived her power to force their compliance, and conde- ſcended to entreat, and giving an example of that placability to which ſhe endeavoured to perſuade theſe angry powers.

As this ſoul ſiſterhood was driven from the ſociety of the Gods, admitted to no feaſt, nor ſuffered to abide in any temple, this offer of Minerva was very advantageous to them, and did them the greateſt honour; and as it was urged with the gentleſt, and moſt inſinuating courteſy, it is no wonder, that they ſuffered themſelves to be prevailed upon to accept it. From their conſent to abide here as friends, their harſh name of Erinnyes was changed to Eumenides.