however distinguished himself greatly in the war with the giants, by
appearing in the conflict on an ass, whose braying threw them into
confusion; for which reason, or because, when Bacchus engaged the
Indians, their elephants were put to flight by the braying of the ass,
it was raised to the skies, and there made a constellation.

The historian tells us that Sil{=e}nus was the first of all the kings
that reigned at Nysa; that his origin is not known, it being beyond the
memory of mortals: it is likewise said that he was a Phrygian, who lived
in the reign of Midas, and that the shepherds having caught him, by
putting wine into the fountain he used to drink of, brought him to
Midas, who gave him his long ears; a fable intended to intimate that
this extraordinary loan signified the faculty of receiving universal
intelligence. Virgil makes Sil{=e}nus deliver a very serious and
excellent discourse concerning the creation of the world, when he was
scarcely recovered from a fit of drunkenness, which renders it probable
that the sort of drunkenness with which Sil{=e}nus is charged, had
something in it mysterious, and approaching to inspiration.

He is described as a short, corpulent old man, bald-headed, with a flat
nose, prominent forehead and long ears. He is usually exhibited as
over-laden with wine, and seated on a saddled ass, upon which he
supports himself with a long staff in the one hand, and in the other
carries a _cantharus_ or jug, with the handle almost worn out with
frequent use.

SYLVANUS. The descent of Sylv{=a}nus is extremely obscure. Some think
him son of Faunus, some say he was the same with Faunus, whilst others
suppose him the same deity with Pan, which opinion Pliny seems to adopt
when he says that the AEgipans were the same with the Sylvans. He was
unknown to the Greeks; but the Latins received the worship of him from
the Pelasgi, upon their migration into Italy, and his worship seems
wholly to have arisen out of the ancient sacred use of woods and groves,
it being introduced to inculcate a belief that there was no place
without the presence of a deity. The Pelasgi consecrated groves, and
appointed solemn festivals, in honor of Sylv{=a}nus. The hog and milk
were the offerings tendered him. A monument consecrated to this deity,
by one Laches, gives him the epithet of Littor{=a}lis, whence it would
seem that he was worshipped upon the sea-coasts.

The priests of Sylv{=a}nus constituted one of the princ