Eratosthenes in Erigone tells a story of Icarius, that
entertained Bacchus under his roof; and it runs thus.
Saturn, having taken up his lodging with an husbandman
who had a very beautiful daughter named Entoria, took
her to his bed, and had several sons by her, Janus, Hymnus, Faustus, and Felix. He taught his host Icarius the
use of wine and the way of dressing his vines, with a
charge that he should likewise instruct his neighbors in
the mystery. His acquaintance, hereupon finding that this
strange drink had cast them into a deeper sleep than ordinary,
[p. 457]
took a fancy that they were poisoned, and stoned
Icarius in revenge; whereupon his grandchildren hanged
themselves for grief.
Upon a time, when the plague was very hot in Rome,
the Pythian oracle being consulted gave this answer, that
upon the appeasing the wrath of Saturn, and the Manes of
those that were unjustly killed, the pestilence would cease.
Lutatius Catulus, a man of the first quality, caused a temple upon this occasion to be erected near the Tarpeian
Mount, which he dedicated to Saturn, placing an altar in
it with four faces; possibly with a respect to Saturn's four
children, or to the four seasons of the year. He also instituted the month of January. But Saturn translated
them all to heaven among the stars, some of which are
called Protrygeteres, as forerunners of the vintage; only
Janus rises first, and has his place at the feet of the Virgin.—Critolaus, in his Fourth Book of Celestial Appearances.
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