[28] Baiae, a Place not far from Naples, famous for wholesome as well as pleasant Baths. It is described very largely by Diodorus; and Horace mentions it as the pleasantest Place in the World.
[29] In the Original, the Temple of Diana in the Suburbs. It stood in a Grove not far from Rome. The next Line, Partaque per gladios, &c. alludes to a very singular Custom, by which the Priests of this Temple succeeded to each other, viz. by Conquest in single Combat, for which every Slave or Fugitive was admitted to contend, and the Victor was rewarded with the Priesthood. This Practice was renewed every Year, and was, as Strabo informs us, originally taken from the Scythians.
[30] Byblis fell in love with her Brother Caunus; and upon his rejecting her Addresses, hanged herself. The Poets feign she was afterwards turned into a Fountain. See Metam. IX.
[31] Myrrha was the Daughter of Cinyras, who being in love with her Father, took an Opportunity, while her Mother was employed in the Sacrifices to Ceres, to supply her Place. Her Father discovering the Imposture, ran after her with a drawn Sword to kill her: But she escaped by means of the Night, and fled into Sabeaea. She was changed into the Myrrh-Tree. The Story of which is in Metam. X. But though the Poets have subjoined Fable to this Fact, it is related by Pliny as a true History.
[32] Pasiphaë was the Daughter of the Sun, married to Minos King of Crete. The Poets feign that being in love with a Bull, she employed Daedalus, a famous Artist, to make her a wooden Cow, into which she conveyed herself, in order to enjoy her monstrous Desires. From this unnatural Coition sprung the Minotaur, a Monster half Man and half Bull, which was enclosed in a Labyrinth, and afterward destroyed by Theseus.
[33] The Original alludes to the Cretans, who were famous among the Antients for the Vice of lying.
[34] Europa was the Daughter of Agenor King of Cydon, beloved by Jupiter, and by him run away with in the Shape of a Bull.
[35] AErope was the Wife of Atreus. She committed Adultery with her Husband's Brother Thyestes, by whom she had two Sons, whom Atreus caused to be killed, and served up to his Brother's Table. To avoid this Sight, the Sun is said to have gone backward.
[36] Scylla the Daughter of Nisus, King of the Megarensians, fell in love with Minos, while he was besieging her Father's City. She stole away her Father's Hair, on which the Fate of the City depended, and carried it to Minos; for which Fact she was rewarded by her Lover with Contempt only. She is by some said to have been changed into a Lark: But Ovid, who here seems to confound two Stories together, makes her Transformation to have been into a Rock, which lies between Sicily and Italy; where the dashing of the Waves against the Rock representing the Sound of the Barking of Dogs, gave rise to the Fable which is here hinted at.
[37] Clytemnestra, the Wife of Agamemnon, who in the absence of her Husband committed Adultery with AEgysthus, and with him afterwards murdered Agamemnon, at his Return from Troy.