Fair Iterduca' leads the bride her way;
And Domiduca' home her steps doth stay:
Cinxias the maid, quit of her zone, defends.
Telia,' for Hymen, perfects all, and ends.

By this time the ladies were paired with the men, and the whole sixteen ranked forth, in order, to dance; and were with this SONG provoked.

Now, now, begin to set

Your spirits in active heat;
And, since your hands are met,
Instruct your nimble feet,
In motions swift and meet,
The happy ground to beat;

Cho. Whilst all this roof doth ring,
And each discording string,

With every varied voice,
In union doth rejoice.

gall, and threw it behind the altar; intimating, that (after marriage) there should be known no bitterness, nor hatred between the joined couple, which might divide or separate them. See Plutarch. Connub. Pra. This rite I have somewhere following touched at.

The title of Iterduca she had amongst them, quòd ad sponsi ades sponsas comitabatur, or was a protectress of their journey. Mart. Capel. de Nupt. Philol. et Mercur. libro secundo.

* The like of Domiduca, quòd ad optatas domus duceret. Mart. ibid.

Cinxia, the same author gives unto her, as the defendress of maids, when they had put off their girdle, in the bridal chamber; to which Festus, Cinxia Junonis nomen sanctum habebatur in nuptiis, quòd initio conjugis solutio erat cinguli, quo nova nupta erat cincta. And Arnobius, a man most learned in their ceremonies, lib. iii. advers. Gent. saith, Unctionibus superest Unxia. Cingulorum Cinxia replicationi.

Telia signifies Perfecta, or, as some translate it, Perfectrix; with Jul. Pol. lib. iii. Onomast. pa réλeia values Juno ! Præses ñpa Nuptiarum: who saith, the attribute depends of réλeos, which (with the ancients) signified marriage, and thence were they called

Here they danced jorth a most neat and curious measure, full of subtilty and device; which was so excellently performed, as it seemed to take away that spirit from the invention, which the invention gave to it and left it doubtful, whether the forms flowed more perfectly from the author's brain, or their feet. The strains were all notably different, some of them formed into letters, very signifying to the name of the Bridegroom, and ended in the manner of a chain, linking hands: to which this was spoken.

Rea. Such was the golden chain" let down from heaven;

And not those links more even,

Than these so sweetly temper'd, so combined
By union and refined.

TÉλε that entered into that state. Servius interprets it the same with Gamelia Æneid. iv. ad verb. Et Junone secunda. But it implies much more, as including the faculty, too, mature and perfect. See the Greek Scholiast on Pind. Nem. in Hym. ad Thyæum Ulia filium Argi. τέλειος δὲ ὁ γάμος διὰ τὸ κατασκευάζειν τὴν τελειότητα To Biov; that is, Nuptials are therefore called tέλɛɩɩ, because they affect perfection of life, and do note that maturity which should be in matrimony. For before nuptials, she is called Juno napoévos, that is, Virgo; after nuptials, réλea, which is, Adulta, or Perfecta.

" Mentioned by Homer, Ilia. 0. which many have interpreted diversely, all allegorically. Pla. in Theateto, understands it to be the Sun, which while he circles the world in his course, all things are safe, and preserved: others vary it. Macrob. (to whose interpretation I am specially affected in my allusion) considers it thus: in Som. Scip. lib. i. cap. 14. Ergo cùm ex summo Deo mens, ex mente anima sit; anima vero et condat, et vita compleat omnia quæ sequuntur, cunctaque hic unus fulgor illuminet, et in universis appareat, ut in multis speculis, per ordinem positis, vultus unus: cumque omnia continuis successionibus se sequantur, degenerantia per ordinem ad imum meandi: invenietur pressius intuenti à summo Deo usque ad ultimam rerum facem una mutuis se vinculis religans, et nusquam interrupta connexio. Et hæc est Homeri Catena aurea, quam pendere de cælo in terras Deum jussisse commemorat. To which strength and evenness of connexion, I have not absurdly likened this uniting of Humours and Affections by the sacred Powers of marriage.

Here no contention, envy, grief, deceit,

Fear, jealousy have weight;

But all is peace, and love, and faith, and bliss:
What harmony like this?

The gall behind the altar quite is thrown ;
This sacrifice hath none.

Now no affections rage, nor humours swell
But all composed dwell.

O Juno, Hymen, Hymen, Juno! who
Čan merit with you two?

Without your presence, Venus can do nought,
Save what with shame is bought;

No father can himself a parent show,

Nor any house with prosperous issue grow. O then, what deities will dare

With Hymen, or with Juno to compare?

This speech being ended, they dissolved: and all took forth other persons (men and women) to dance other measures, galliards, and corantos: the whilst this SONG importuned them to a fit remembrance of the

time.

Think, yet, how night doth waste,
How much of time is past,
What more than winged haste

Your selves would take,

If you were but to taste
The joy the night doth cast
(0 might it ever last)

On this bright virgin, and her happy make. Their dances yet lasting, they were the second time importuned by speech.

Rea. See, see! the bright Idalian star, That lighteth lovers to their war,

* Stella Veneris, or Venus, which when it goes before the sun, is called Phosphorus, or Lucifer; when it follows, Hesperus, or

Complains that you her influence lose;
While thus the night sports you abuse.

Hym. The longing bridegroom,' in the porch,
Shews you again the bated torch;

And thrice hath Juno' mixt her air
With fire, to summon your repair.

Rea. See, now she clean withdraws her light;
And, as you should, gives place to night,
That spreads her broad and blackest wing
Upon the world, and comes to bring
A thousand several-colour'd loves,
Some like sparrows, some like doves,
That hop about the nuptial-room,

And fluttering there, against you come,

Warm the chaste bower, which Cypria strows,
With many a lily, many a rose.

Hym. Haste, therefore, haste, and call, away!
The gentle night is prest to pay

The usury of long delights,

She owes to these protracted rites.

At this, the whole scene being drawn again, and all covered with clouds, as a night, they left off their

Noctifer (as Cat. translates it.) See Cic. ii. de Nat. Deor. Mar. Cap. de Nup. Phil. et Mer. lib. viii. The nature of this star Pythagoras first found out: and the present office Clau. expresseth in Fescen. Attollens thalamis Idalium jubar Dilectus Veneri nascitur Hesperus.

It was a custom for the man to stand there, expecting the approach of his bride. See Hotto. de Rit. Nupt.

Juno

rum.

Alluding to that of Virg. Æneid. iv. Prima et Tellus, et Pronuba
Dant signum: fulsere ignes, et conscius æther
Connubii, &c.

Stat. in Epit. Fulcra, torosque dea, tenerum premit agmen AmoAnd Claud. in Epith. Pennati passim pueri, quo quemque vocavit Umbra, jacent. Both which proved the ancients feigned many Cupids. Read also Prop. eleg. 29, lib. ii.

b Venus is so induced by Stat., Claud., and others, to celebrate nuptials.

intermixed dances, and returned to their first places; where, as they were but beginning to move, this SONG, the third time, urged them.

O know to end, as to begin:

A minute's loss in love is sin.

These humours will the night out-wear

In their own pastimes here;

You do our rites much wrong,

In seeking to prolong

These outward pleasures:
The night hath other treasures
Than these, though long conceal'd,
Ere day to be reveal'd.

Then, know to end, as to begin;
A minute's loss in love is sin.

Here they danced their last dances, full of excellent delight and change, and, in their latter strain, fell into a fair orb or circle; REASON standing in the midst, and speaking.

Rea. Here stay, and let your sports be crown'd: The perfect'st figure is the round.

Nor fell you in it by adventure,

When reason was your guide and centre.

This, this that beauteous ceston is

Of lovers many-colour'd bliss.

Come, Hymen, make an inner ring,

And let the sacrificers sing;

Chear up the faint and trembling bride,

That quakes to touch her bridegroom's side:
Tell her what Juno is to Jove,

The same shall she be to her love;

• Venus's girdle, mentioned by Homer, Ili. . which was feigned to be variously wrought with the needle, and in it woven love, desire, sweetness, soft parley, gracefulness, persuasion, and all the powers of Venus.