Note 1234 — ANTIENT HEROES.

Almost all the principal persons, whose names occur in the mythology of Greece and Italy, are represented as shepherds. Not only the Gods Faunus, Apollo, Pan, Sylvanus, Pales, Adonis, but Eumelus, Triptolemus, Ericthonius, Eumolpus, Aristæus, Battus, Daphnis, Terambus of Egypt, and Osiris, are represented of that profession. Hence it is, that we find altars, and inscriptions to the shepherd [1234]Gods. Apollo was styled Νομευς, and Ποιμνιος; and was said to have been educated in [1235]Arabia. When Rhea produced to the world Poseidon, she gave him to the care of a [1236]shepherd to bring him up among the flocks. Atlas, the great astronomer, is represented as a shepherd. [1237]Ατλας μαθηματικος ην Λιβυς ανηρ.—Πολυειδος δε ὁ διθυραμβοποιος τον Ατλαντα τουτον ΠΟΙΜΕΝΑ Λιβυν φησιν. Atlas the great mathematician, was a person of Libya. The Dithyrambic poet Polueidos says, that Atlas was a Libyan shepherd. There was a tradition that the temple of Ammon in Libya was built by a shepherd, from whom it received its name; [1238]απο του ἱδρυσαμενου ποιμενος. It is reported of the Muses, that they were of shepherd extraction, and tended flocks, which they entrusted to their favourite Aristæus.