Classical Theology.—Xxviii

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —XXVIII

lOFDON , SATURDAY , AUGUST 11 , 1860 .

VIII . —MAES AOT OCTOBER . TnE descriptions given by all the poets and fabulists of antiquity of the god Mars , depict him as iinprineipled a libertine as any rake of a less immortal parentage , and far more distinguished for his daring amours , than hy his military heroism . His progeny were as numerous as the offspring of his presumptive father . The stars

were once sujrposed to be the actual offspring of tlie gods or planets , and possibly Avhen this theory fell into desuetude ( there being for its belief no attainable foundation ) , historians self-interestecily combined with mythologists to minister to thejiride of nations , and the vanity of families , hy bestowing upon them celestial

and immortal ori gin . IToiv far this first knowledge of astrography AA ent AA-hen it was lost , or Avhat constituted the cause of its rise—ambiguous as it may now seem—it is certain there once existed a kind of general confused notion ( derived indeed from sacred sources , even from the Bible itself ) of there having "been angelsor gods in

, human shape upon the earth , AVIIO came doAiui from heaven . The ancients' organised the Aidiole of tlie fixed stars into symbolical signs , or constellations , under the appellations of various animals and things , as , amongst the rest , those of Aries , Taurus , Libra , Leo , the hear , the goat , the mermaid and the serpent . These groups were

recognised in the time of llipparchus , since Allien they have so much changed their places , that the constellation of Aries has got into the sign of Taurus , , and so onAvith the rest . In all probability their names occasioned the Avorshi p ' of the living creatures their representatives . The number of fixed stars A-isible to the naked eye is less than two thousand , some of Avhich have been discovered recently , ancl seem to have been unknoAvn to the ancients ,

ivhilst some Avhich they saw are no longer A'isible to us . There are also some stars ivhieh only appear for a short period , as that of the year 1572 , which caused not a little stir at that time . At first it appeared more brilliant , and much larger than any of the others ; but by degrees so diminished that Avithin about six months it vanished

altogether , The MoL < o were certain goddesses , the daughters of Mars , who were worshipped by the Romans . Philonome , daughter of ISTyctimus , king of Arcadia , while hunting with the scrupulous Diana , was met during the chase by Mars , ivho having no dread of the chaste

goddess before his eyes , got her fair friend ivith child , and she became the mother of Lycastus and Parrhasius , afterwards kings of Arcadia . Phlegyas ivas another son of Mars , by Chryse ; he is Avell knoAvn as the king of the Lapithre inThessalia , and said to have been the founder of a city of Baootiacalled after his name Phlegyas he

, ; was also the father of the nymph Corones , by Almoin Apollo had iEsculapius . When this personage heard that A pollo had ravished his daughter , he hastened in auger to Del phi , and consumed with fire the temple of Delphicus , for ivhieh the enraged god in his vindictive rage shot him through the body Avith an

arroAv , and in the infernal regions contrived an ingenious eA'erlasting torture for him—the torment of imagining that a great stone suspended oi'er his head Avas every momeiit about to fall and crush him to pieces . Thus , in perpetual fear of something terrible about to happen to him and Avhich he saAv impending close at handlie sat

, , , frequentl y calling out in the hope that men mi ght hear him—that they should observe tlie laws of justice , and the duties of reli gion , or as described in the Jimeicl . " Discite justitiam moniti , ot non tcmncre Divers " " Jicarii justice hence , nor e ' er despise the gods . "

Strange justice this would seem ; but it would be hard to reconcile our notions of morality with those of the compilers of these time-honoured fables ; harder still to examine a profane story in a religious point of Anew , though a parallel might certainly bo found . As has been before alluded to , " the sons of Grod saw the daughters ;

of men , that they were fair , and they took them wives of all that they chose . " So with the heathens . The cause , and all similar causes to that of the destruction of the Temple of Apollo , AVUS considered a glorious event , on which no invidious insinuation or reflection should be cast , or Avoitld be left by the gods themselves unpunished . We trust we have in these chapters , for our part , dealt with the theology of the pagans in strict accordance with revealed truth .

Mars is sometimes represented on horseback , equipped in a formidable manner ; sometimes erect , and holding sword aud spear , in a chariot drawn by horses driven by Bellona , and attended by their servants—Discord , Terror , the Furies , and Fear . There were several sacrifices instituted and offered to

this uncertain god of battles and blood . The ivolf , on account of its fierceness , rapacity , andquicksightedness ; the raven , because he inclefatigably folloAvs armies ; the Avoodpecker and vulture for their voraciousness ; the cock for his vi gilance ( being a symbol of the virtues soldiers ought especially to have ) ; and grass for its use , and because it is seen to spring xrp all the more thickly on plains which have been moistened Avith human blood .

Amongst the most ancient rites belonging to Mars , is one Avhich has been mentioned ( ive believe ) b y . Servius . Whoever had undertaken the command of an army went into the sacrariwni of the Temple of Mars , and first shaking the ancilium , or holy shield , and afterwards the spear of tlie statue of the god itself , uttered solemnly the Avords , Mars , vie / ila !— "Mars watch over us !"

In Avar , says Cicero , the most valaint are commonly the first that are slain . " Mars fortissimum quemque exacte pignerarisolet . " When there is a chance of Avar , a nation should be Avell prepared to meet it . It but too often has been caused by the ambition or the vainglory of monarchsivho have on its murderous chances staked

, the blood and liberties of those they rule . So was it ivith the first Napoleon ; and so will it be with his successor , unless caution be more powerful than ambition . The nobly patriotic volunteer movement of our time has in all probability saved the' country from an attempted invasion , and quieted the apprehensions of the most

enervated alarmists ; besides which it has already covered itself with self-sustained dignity . It has won the praise of the entire nation , and has excited the wonder of Europe , to which indubitably Avould be added glory in abundance , should any foreign despot dare to visit our AA'hite cliffs and plunge us into unnecessary eidl .

By this was the son of Mars by Seta , after whom was named the city of Rhesus , who came " with his white horses" to assist the besieged Trojans , hut Avas slain on the night of his arrival by Diomedes ancl Ulysses , through the treacherous Dolon , the sAvift-footed traitor knai'e , Aidio , to save his life , revealed the counsels of

Troy to his captor Ulysses . That wise king-in his wisdom thought fit to slay him as a just reward of his perfidy . Ilesus , the god evoked by the ancient Gauls in their Avars , Avas Mars under another name ; aud in Spain , the A . citani were the worshippers of the shining image of this GodAVIIO was called Pyrin ' sAvhich name was

, , given also one of the horses of the sun , aslikcAvise to the planet Mars . Mars , Jupiter , and Saturn are distinguished from the rest of the planets , inasmuch that they aimear larger