Departing from Argos, upon the seventh day we arrived at Athens.Athens: Athens is still inhabited, standing in the East part of Peloponnesus, neere to the frontiers of Macedon, or Thessaly by the Sea side. It was first called Cecropia: Of one Cecrops the first King thereof, who first founded it, Anno Mundi, 2409. it was after mightily inlarged by Theseus, and well provided with good lawes by Solon, and lastly Athens of Minerva: In whose honour for a long time were celebrate solemne playes, called Panathanaia: Athens is now termed Salenos, and was once the shrill sounding Trumpet of Mars, yeelding more valiant Captaines and Commanders then any City in the World, Rome excepted: It was a custome here, that when any man was growne too wealthy or potent, he was banished thence for ten yeares: This exile was intituled Ostracisme, because his name who was abandoned was written in an Oyster-shell: Great combustions and mutinies have happened betweene Lacedemon, and Athens; at last it was sacked by Lysander, and her Virgin body prostituted to the lust of 30. insulting Tyrants; not long after whose expulsion, it was utterly subdued by the Macedonians.
And in a word Athens being stayned with intestine blood-sheds, and grievously discontented with the death of her children; her babes were brought forth, for the sword to glut upon, the bodies of her auncients were made as Pavements to walke upon, her matrones became a prey and prise to every Ravisher, and her Priests and [II. 75.]Sacrificers were slaine before the gates of their Temples.
This City was the Mother & Well-spring of all liberall Arts and Sciences; and the great Cisterne of Europe, whence flowed so many Conduit pipes of learning all where, but now altogether decayed: The circuit of old Athens hath beene according to the fundamentall walles yet extant about sixe Italian miles, but now of no great quantity, nor many dwelling houses therein; being within two hundreth fire houses, having a Castle which formerly was the Temple of Minerva. They have abundance of all things, requisite for the sustenance of humane life, of which I had no small proofe: For these Athenians or Greekes, exceeding kindly banqueted me foure dayes, and furnish’t me with necessary provision for my voyage to Creta. And also transported me by sea in a Brigandine freely, and on their owne charges to Serigo, being 44. miles distant.
After my redounded thankes, they having returned, the contemplation on their courtesies, brought me in rememberance, how curious the old Athenians were to heare of forraine newes, & with what great regard & estimation they honoured travellers, of which as yet, they are no wayes defective.
Serigo.Serigo is an Iland in the sea Cretico: It was aunciently called Cytherea, of Cithero the sonne of Phænise: And of Aristotle Porphyris, or Schotera, in respect of the fine Marble that is got there: It is of circuit threescore miles having but one Castle called Capsallo, which is kept by a Venetian Captaine: here it is sayd that Venus did first inhabit, and I saw the ruines of her demolished Temple, on the side of a mountaine yet extant.
A little more downeward below this old adored Temple [II. 76.]of Venus, are the relickes of that Palace, wherein Menalaus did dwell, who was King of Sparta, and Lord of this Ile. The Greekes of the Ile told me there were wild Asses there, who had a stone in their heads, which was a soveraigne remedy for the Falling sicknesse, and good to make a woman be quickly delivered of her birth. I made afterward deeper enquiry for it, to have either seene or bought it, but for my life I could never attaine to any perfect knowledge thereof.
In the time of my abode, at the Village of Capsalo (being a haven for small barkes, and situate below the Castle) the Captaine of that same Fortresse A Priest slaine in a Bordell.kild a Seminary Priest, whom he had found in the night with his whoore in a Brothel-house: for the which sacrilegious murther, the Governour of the Ile deposed the Captaine, and banished him, causing a boate to be prepared to send him to Creta. O! if all the Priests which doe commit incest, adultery, and fornication (yea, and worse, Il peccato carnale contra natura) were thus handled and severely rewarded; what a sea of Sodomiticall irreligious blood would overflow the halfe of Europe, to staine the spotted colour of that Romane Beast. Truely, and yet more, these lascivious Friars are the very Epicures, or off-scourings of the earth; for how oft have I heard them say one to another? Allegre, allegre, mio caro fratello, chi ben mangia, ben beve, &c. That is, Be cheerefull, be cheerefull, deare brother, he that eateth well, drinketh well, he that drinketh well, sleepeth well, he that sleepeth well, sinneth not, and he that sinneth not, goeth straight through Purgatory to Paradize. This is all the care of their living, making their tongues to utter what their hearts do thus prophanely thinke, Ede, bibe, dormi, post mortem nulla voluptas, and as it is well observed of this monachall and licentious life:
[II. 77.]Non male sunt Monachis, grato indita nomina patrum,
Cum numerent natos, hic & ubique suos.
Injustly, no! Monkes be cal’d Fathers, Why?