T he defcription of a cave of- this fpecies in the Odyfley has
been underftood as fymbolical, and furnifhed, contrary to; all
natural interpretation, with myftic meaning, by Porphyry, a
philofopher, who flourifhed in the-third e C n t u r y Thfë'fcaV'é
was fituated near the head óf a port in Ithaca. It was1 obfcure
within, but remarkable for perennial water, and ftone bowls
and veflels, bees depofiting honey, and long ftone löönië, with
nymphs weaving' purple garments wonderful to behold. The
poet here’j records real and imaginary • refemblances, probably
traced and reported by the manders, and which perhaps«he had
likewife feen with admiration. It may be .furirdfedwthat ideal
perfonages and reprefentations were antiently found aifo in the
Attic cave.
A c a v e in Paphlagonia was facred to the Nymphs, who inhabited
the mountains about Heraclea. It was long, and wide,,
and pervaded by cold water> Clear as chryRal. . There alfo were
feen bowls* of ftone, and nymphs,E and their webs-, and diftaffs,
and curious work, exciting admiration. The poet V w hoe has1
defcribed this 'grotto, deferves not to-be regarded, a& ;forVjl#ly
copying TIomer. Pie may juftly claim to. rank'as an original
topographer. I
THEaCayes of Ithaca and Heraclea had each, two entrinees*
One toward the north,- the other toward the fouth. .ijAt Ithaca*
men defcended only by the northern aperture, theirfputhern
being accounted holy and the way of the gods. In the fecond
cave was alfo a track referved foperipfE^ngs, land this ds
defcribed as'both, difficult and dangerous, lying on the brink o f
a deep pit; The fame diftinétion, it is likely, prevailed, ini the
Attic cave. - The perfons, who prefided occajfionally and were
benefited by the religion of the place found perhaps a paflage
•appropriated to . their ufe both convenient and neceflary, and
- Spe I^jfje’fijOdyffey, ^ notes on y, 134 and v. 134 Of the thirteenth book.
2 Q. Smyrnseus, 1. 6. v. 470. “
obtained
T ,R A iV {B t%>S. m m i Q R E.E.iC E .
obtained an exdufive right by eftablifhing an idea of its
T he cpi^tryman..andf, fhephe^d, ,4 s as the Jportfinan,
has pRen. repaired, it is likely, to this cave,, to repder the deities
propitious byjfacrificing .a f t ie ^ a t , or lamb,, by, gifts of
cakes^or f e C and byjfo|tions !pf .milk, .oil, and Honey; fimPry
believing» that this attention yvas pleaftng to them, that they
weoe preterit ffiwpi'imfoen^and partook yntboptJimiriiftdrig
th’e offering, , tbpir appetites^s as ^affioijfi,, .caprice?, a,nd
employments refembjing the human,, At ^qo^day the pipe
filent on the,mountains, left it ipight happen to awake Pan,
then repofing”after the exereffe of hunting, fired and peeyifti.
I t is related, where1' druidifm prevailed; the houfes
were decked, with evergreens in December,, that the fylvan
Spirits might repair to them, and remain,-snipped with froft
and cold winds, until a milder feafori had renewed the foliage o f
their darliqg abodes. The gods, o f Greece, at leaft the inferior
clafs, were conceived liable to like^ fufferipgs., The y were
capable of diflblving with heat and fhivering withhold... Among
tW ^nhhments imprecated on Pan1, i f he f.Aébld pr^ve
unkind, are thefe; that in mid winter he might be
J r Sleak mountains, of Thrace, and during fumnaer in the
piety of Archidamus fu r ,
nifhedi ai -rétréatl for ’ the Nymphs, where they might find
fhelter and.prqv-ifion, i f .diftreffed ; whether the fun parched up
flsiT T re^ Jupiter enthroned in.clouds upon the mountain-,
top" feared them with his red lightening and terrible thunder,
pouring d ow n a deluge o f rain, lor brightening th§ fumniiè
with his- fliow. '
i Theocritus, Id. l i