- Ethiopian Superstition—Heathen Indian Gods—Superstitious Observances at Marriages—Disposal of Dead Bodies—Different Degrees of Glory after Death—Reverence for the Cow—Detecting Criminals—Addressing Oracles—Astronomy—Eclipse of the Moon—Magic—John Gondalez39
- Wizard and Man-tiger—Man-lion—Sacrificing Children—Offerings to the Ganges—A Rajah offering himself as a Sacrifice—Various Superstitious Ceremonies—King's Wives and Retainers going with the Dead Monarch into another World—An eternal Succession of Worlds—Apes supposed to have Human Souls—Worshipping Demons—Drinking Blood—Prognosticating from the Cries of Beasts—Witchcraft and Magic—Singular Opinions and Customs—Foretelling Future Events at the New Moon—Discovering a False Swearer—Offerings to the Sea and Winds—Superstition in China—Superstition in Japan48
[HEATHEN GODS AND GODDESSES.]
[CHAPTER IX.]
- Classification of Gods and Goddesses—Primeval Parent Chaos—Creation—Influence of Ether—Celestial Fire—Birth and Banishment of Cupid—Fate—Eternal Decrees—Throne of Jove—Fortune and Happiness—Misfortune and Misery—Rewards and Punishments—First Man and Woman—Pan the Emblem of all Things—Power of Heathen Gods—Descriptions of Juno—Venus the Goddess of Love and Beauty—Rustics turned into Frogs—Vulcan—Æolus—Momus the Jester—The Carping God59
- Satyrs described—Diana's Retirement—Pallas, the Goddess of Shepherds—The vile Flora—Pomona deceived—Nymphs—River Gods and Goddesses—Sirens—Witch Circe—Infernal Deities—Passage to Tartarus—Palace of Pluto—Judges of Hell—Goddesses of Destiny—Furies—Night, Death, and Sleep—Tartarian Regions—Delights of the Elysian Fields—Festivals of Heathens—Sacrifices to Deities—Things sacred to Gods65
- Achilles—Taking of Troy—Acrisius's Daughter—Danae and her son Perseus—Ardea changed into a Bird—Pluto's Invisible Helmet—Minerva's Buckler—Mercury's Wings—Medusa deprived of Life—Sea Monster—A Gorgon's Head—Stheno and Euryale—Minerva's Revenge—Serpents and Pegasus produced by Medusa's Blood—Tales by the Daughters of Minyas—Punishment by Bacchus—The Search of Cadmus for his sister Europa—Halcyon's Sorrow—Transmigration—Exploits of Hercules—Love Potion—Hymen—Jason's Adventures—Power and Cruelty of Medea—How a Favourable Wind was procured—Manner in which Orion came into Existence—False Swearer punished—Palladium—Deeds of Paris—Golden Apple—Marriage of Peleus and Thetis—Impiety of Pentheus—Rhea and her Sons—Scylla turned into a Sea Monster71