The worship of Mars, was not very universal among the ancients, nor were
his temples very numerous in Greece, but among the warlike Romans he
received great homage, as they were proud of sacrificing to a deity, whom
they considered the patron of their city, and the father of the first of
their monarchs; a faith to which {96} they loved to give credit. Among this
people, it was customary for the consul, before he went on an expedition,
to visit the temple of Mars, where he offered his prayers, and shook in a
solemn manner, the spear which was in the hand of the statue of the God,
exclaiming "_Mars vigila!_ God of War, watch over the safety of this city."
The influence of Cupid, as God of love, was felt even by Mars, who was
compelled to acknowledge his power, and the sharpness of his arrows.
"As in the Lemnian caves of fire,
The mate of her who nursed desire,
Moulded the glowing steel, to form
Arrows for Cupid, melting, warm;
Once to this Lemnian cave of flame,
The crested lord of battles came;
'Twas from the ranks of war he rushed,
His spear with many a life-drop blushed;
He saw the mystic darts, and smiled
Derision on the archer child.
'And dost thou smile?' said little Love;
'Take this dart, and thou mayest prove
That tho' they pass the breeze's flight,
My bolts are not so feathery light.'
He took the shaft--and oh! thy look,
Sweet Venus! when the shaft he took,
He sighed, and felt the urchin's art,
He sighed in agony of heart;
'It is not light, I die with pain!
Take, take thine arrow back again.'
'No,' said the child 'it must not be,
That little dart was made for thee.'"