Classical Theology.

she entreated an interview , lest tlie conqueror of the world should be subdued by a woman , But , perhaps our fair readers , if we have any , may opine that they know better , than we do , what really happened ; they may say , " Although only inch by inch , yet still he was movedshe made him relent at last . " Trul y , at last she did make her defence

before him ; however , it was more than rumoured , ho stopped his ears the while she p leaded , and when she was silent , he covered his eyes . " We do not inquire why he should not have done so—as wholly in accordance with Virgil , "Nate moaj vires , mere magna " potentia , " because Venus has herself confessed she can do nothing without her sonwhose power is so mighty that , though the youngest

, , he is computed the strongest among the gods ; but rather—could we behave like Cfcsar ? For the arts of love in a daughter of Auletes are hard to resist . However , wilful as the little god is , he laughs at the fool , and rejoices with the wise ; he will not overcome right by might ;

where the thing that is rig ht exists , Cupid is ever ready to help Hymenams to make it " all rigV-. "' Marriage without love is only a political or convenient union . Passion is not love , neither is love passion . Therefore the poets have made mention of two Cupids , Eros , and Anteros the son of Mars . However , thcogoniajtically speaking , shore is but one Cupid , who was

the son of Jupiter and Venus ; which goddess was first worshipped by the Egyptians , from whom she was translated to the Grecians , and from them to the Romans , and thus onwards far and wide to other nations . But before Venus was , beauty had been worshipped . Natural harmony in the beautiful , or uncorrupted beauty , whether innate or externalwas created to be loved and to be cherished , and

, must always excite our enthusiastic admiration . It was not till after it had been deified under some name identical with a Diva , or image goddess , that her altars blazed with the flames of licentiousness , and fumed , fragrantly intoxicating , with the incense of pollution . It would be endless to repeat the names of all those whom she has incited to commit such monstrous wickedness as we dare not mention .

Nyctimene , Myrrha , the Propretidcs , Pluedra , Pygmalion , and a host as bad , not quite so ancient , arc simple in their characters compared to many others mixed up with the actions of Venus . The Bible tells us that " King Solomon loved many strange women : " he clave unto those in love : and they turned away his heart after other gods ( fallen angels in the idol ); and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God . For " Solomon went after Ashtoreth ( Astarte , one of the names of Venus ) , the goddess of the Siclonians . " Our readers arc not to be told how " her house is

the way to hell , goiug down to the chambers of death . " But let them bear in mind , although we may be referring to that kind of beauty of which Fzekiel hath said , " thou didst trust in thine own beauty , and playcdst the harlot because of thy renown . . . and of thy garments thou didst take and deckedst thy high places with divers colours . . . thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver ,