3 Cupid, called after his mother's title.

4 Ganymede, whom Jove, in the form of an eagle, spirited away to
serve as his cup-bearer. See Ovid (Met. x, 155-161)

5 The friend of Hercules, stolen by nymphs who had fallen in love
with him.

6 She fled from Apollo, and was transformed into a laurel.

7 The Roman Crassus was defeated in 53 B.C. by the Parthian
cavalry when they fired backwards with devastating effect. The Cydonians were
also famed for their skill in archery.

8 Cephalus, who shot his wife Procris by mistake.

9 Hercules. 10 Telemon.

11 Esculapius, who came to Rome in the form of a snake.

12 Vulcan (Hephaestus) was cast down from Olympus to the isle of
Lemnos.

13 One of the Argonauts. He was swallowed up by the sea.

14 A later retraction by Milton. The line appears in the original to separate it
from what came before it.

15 Diomedes wounded Venus (Aphrodite) at Troy. See Homer (Il. v,