On Occult Philosophy or the Secret Miraculous Birth of the Seven Planets and Metals

Their drink was very poor, and when they became sick, a sour spring flowed out in the middle of a wilderness through a warm, stony mountain range; it brought with it medicine by which they could become healthy. The clothing upon them was very meager and not firmly woven together, wherefore they often had to suffer great hardship and infirmity from frost, even though they were earthly gods. And it happened that Coelus went for a walk once when the weather was beautiful, clear, and bright. And it was in the spring, so that one could notice how the fertile trees wanted to bloom. When the evening approached, Coelus was tired, for the sky was clothed with a beautiful evening red. As Coelus now betook himself to rest under the dew of the sky, he lay upon the earth so that the warm air could pass over him. There he called to the goddess Vestæ, his wife, that she must undress and lie with him to attend to the work of love. There the goddess became pregnant by Coelus her husband, and as she carried the birth within her, then