Satir. i.
At Alba, in a Wood not far from Juno’s Temple, is a Dragon worshipp’d by the Inhabitants, and for their greater Honour, fed by Virgins, thereby intimating, that Innocence was a proper Attendant on the Gods.
In Epirus, south of Macedonia, is a certain place sacred to Apollo, and wall’d about, within which are kept sacred Dragons, fed likewise by a Virgin Priestess, uncloathed, which they believe to be most acceptable to their idol Gods[[399]]; called by Juvenal, one of their own Poets, wenching Gods.
[399]. Ælian. lib. ii. cap. 2. ἱερεια γυμνη παρθενος.
The Epiroticks, who highly venerated Apollo, honour’d his Temple with a consecrated Dragon, which they worshipp’d in solemn remembrance of his killing the Pythonic Serpent. It were well if the same Spirit of Gratitude reign’d amongst Britons, towards the Heroes that deliver’d their Country from the great Ecclesiastical Dragon, by the glorious Revolution.
Near Lavinium was a Grove of serpentine Gods, dedicated to Juno of Argos, which was a City in Peloponnesus (famous for the Shrine of Æsculapius) now the Morea, one of whose Rivers is called Styx; or rather a Well, whose Water is so cold and venemous, that it often kills such that drink thereof; and therefore design’d by the Poets, to be a River of Hell: ’Tis said by some, that Alexander was poison’d with it.
It’s well known what Worship was paid to the Serpent at Epidaurus, a Peleponnesian City, and the Manner how ’twas pretended that Serpent was brought to Rome, which is as follows, viz.
The Romans being sorely distrest by a Plague, they sent a Galley with Ambassadors to Epidaurus, to bring the Serpent consecrated to Æsculapius to Rome, which of its own accord went aboard the Galley, and which was landed in the Isle of Tyber, where divine Honours were paid to it; upon which the Plague ceased.——Take it as represented by the Historian, who says, ... That the Plague raging terribly at Rome, and in the Vicinity, above three Years, did not abate, by any divine or human Remedy, tho’ Men had tried both; therefore by the Counsel of the Delphic Oracle, ten Ambassadors were sent to fetch the Statue of Æsculapius, that was ador’d in the Body of the great Serpent; hereupon, a very strange thing ensued, and manifestly true, both from many faithful Historians, and building the Temple (dedicated to it) in the Isle of Tyber.
When the Roman Ambassadors had delivered their Commands to the Epidaurians, who brought them into the Temple of Æsculapius ... while they were admiring a huge Shrine, a great Serpent sliding of a sudden from the Adytum (which was a Place of Retirement in the Pagan Temples, where Oracles were given, into which none but Priests were admitted) upon sight of it the Priests, in a devout Posture, said to the Company, that the Deity shrouded itself in that Form, and when it appear’d in this Fashion, ’twas look’d upon as a happy Omen.
The Serpent was seen for two Days in the Temple, and afterwards disappeared, but on the third Day it past thro’ the Croud (which gazed on and worship’d) and went directly to the Port where the Roman Galley stood; and having enter’d into it, laid itself down in the Cabin of Q. Ogulnius, the chief Ambassador. They set sail from thence ... and soon arrived at Rome. The whole City came out to see this wonderful Thing——Altars were built, Incense burnt, and Sacrifices offer’d. The Serpent swam over to the Isle of Tyber, (which afterwards was called Æsculapius’s Isle) and since was never seen.