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28 Erasmus young, and making sport for other people, than either Homer’s Jupiter, with his crooked Councels, terrible to every one; or old Pan with his Hubbubs; or smutty Vulcan half-cover’d with Cinders ; or even Pallas her self, so dreadful with her Gorgon’s Head and Spear and a Countenance like Bul-beef? Why is Cupid always Pourtrai’d like a Boy, but because he is a very Wagg, and can neither do nor so much as think of any thing sober? Why Venus ever in her prime, but because of her affinity with me? Witness that colour of her Hair, so resembling my Father, from whence she is call’d 1the golden Venus; and lastly, ever laughing, if ye give any credit to the Poets, or their followers the Statuaries. What Deity did the Romans ever more religiously adore than that of Flora, the foundress of all pleasure? Nay, if ye should but diligently search the lives of the most sowre and morose of the Gods out of Homer and the rest of the Poets, you would find ’em all but so many pieces of Folly. And to what purpose should I run over any of the other gods’ tricks when ye know enough of Jupiter’s loose Loves? 1 Venus aurea.
