he reason that she is held to be Goddess
of the Earth, robed in a vestment woven of various plants, with a
sceptre in the hand, and seated upon a quadrangular car, which contained
many other empty seats besides her own, and was drawn by two great
lions; and for the adornment of the car were painted with most beautiful
design four of her stories. For the first of these was seen how, when
she was conveyed from Pessinus to Rome, the ship that was carrying her
being stuck fast in the Tiber, she was drawn miraculously to the bank by
the Vestal Claudia with only her own simple girdle, to the rare marvel
of the bystanders; even as for the second she was seen taken by command
of her priests to the house of Scipio Nasica, who was judged to be the
best and most holy man to be found in Rome at that time. For the third,
likewise, she was seen visited in Phrygia by the Goddess Ceres, after
she thought to have hidden her daughter Proserpine safely in Sicily; and
for the fourth and last she was seen flying from the fury of the Giants
into Egypt, as the poets relate, and constrained to transform herself
into a blackbird. At the foot of the car, then, were seen riding ten
Corybantes, armed after the ancient fashion, who were making various
extravagant gestures of head and person; after whom were seen coming two
Roman matrons in Roman dress, with the head covered by a yellow veil,
and with them the above-named Scipio Nasica and the Vestal Virgin
Claudia, who had over the head a square white kerchief with a border all
around, which was fastened under the throat. And for the last, to give a
gracious conclusion to the little company, there was seen coming with an
aspect of great loveliness the young and beautiful Atys, beloved most
ardently, as we read, by Cybele; who, besides the rich, easy, and
charming costume of a huntsman, was seen most gracefully adorned by a
very beautiful gilded collar.

EIGHTEENTH CAR, OF DIANA.

In the eighteenth and incredibly beautiful car, drawn by two white
stags, there was seen coming, with the gilded bow and gilded quiver, the
huntress Diana, who was shown seated with infinite grace and loveliness
upon two other stags, which with their hindquarters made for her, as it
were, a most fanciful seat; the rest of the car being rendered strangely
gracious, lovely, and ornate by nine of her most pleasing fables. For
the first of these was seen how, moved by pity for the flying Arethusa,
who was seen pursued by th