Chapter 18

Cyrus, in his expedition against the Medes, is represented as making vows [891]Ἑστιᾳ Πατρῳᾳ, και Διι Πατρῳῳ, και τοις αλλοις Θεοις. But the Persians, from whom this history is presumed to be borrowed, could not mean by these terms Dii Patrii: for nothing could be more unnecessary than to say of a Persic prince, that the homage, which he payed, was to Persic Deities. It is a thing of course, and to be taken for granted, unless there be particular evidence to the contrary. His vows were made to Mithras, who was styled by the nations in the east Pator; his temples were Patra, and Petra, and his festivals Patrica. Nonnus gives a proper account of the Petra, when he represents it as Omphean, or oracular:

[892]Ομφαιῃ περι Πετρῃ Εισετι νηπιαχοιο χορους ἱδρυσατο Βακχου.

At Patara, in Lycia, was an oracular temple: and Patræ, in Achaia, had its name from divination, for which it was famous. Pausanias mentions the temple, and adds, [893]Προ δε του Ἱερου της Δημητρος εστι πηγη--μαντειον δε ενταυθα εστιν αψευδες. _Before the temple is the fountain of Demeter--and in the temple an oracle, which never is known to fail_.

The offerings, which people in antient times used to present to the Gods, were generally purchased at the entrance of the temple; especially every species of consecrated bread, which was denominated accordingly. If it was an oracular temple of Alphi, the loaves and cakes were styled [894]Alphita. If it was expressed Ampi, or Ompi, the cakes were Ompai[895], Ομπαι: at the temple of Adorus[896], Adorea. Those made in honour of Ham-orus had the name of [897]Homoura, Amora, and Omoritæ. Those sacred to Peon, the God of light, were called [898]Piones. At Cha-on, which signifies the house of the Sun, [899]Cauones, Χαυωνες. From Pur-Ham, and Pur-Amon, they were denominated Puramoun, [900]Πυραμουν. From Ob-El, Pytho Deus, came [901]Obelia. If the place were a Petra or Petora, they had offerings of the same sort called Petora, by the Greeks expressed [902]Πιτυρα, Pitura. One of the titles of the Sun was El-Aphas, Sol Deus ignis. This El-aphas the Greeks rendered Elaphos, ελαφος; and supposed it to relate to a deer: and the title El-Apha-Baal, given by the Amonians to the chief Deity, was changed to ελαφηβολος, a term of a quite different purport. El-aphas, and El-apha-baal, related to the God Osiris, the Deity of light: and there were sacred liba made at his temple, similar to those above, and denominated from him Ελαφοι, Elaphoi. In Athenæus we have an account of their composition, which consisted of fine meal, and a mixture of sesamum and honey. [903]Ελαφος πλακους δια σταιτος και μελιτος και σησαμου.

One species of sacred bread, which used to be offered to the Gods, was of great antiquity, and called Boun. The Greeks, who changed the Nu final into a Sigma, expressed it in the nominative, βους; but, in the accusative, more truly boun, βουν. Hesychius speaks of the Boun, and describes it, ειδος πεμματος κερατα εχοντος; _a kind of cake, with a representation of two horns_. Julius Pollux mentions it after the same manner: βουν, ειδος πεμματος κερατα εχοντος; _a sort of cake with horns_. Diogenes Laertius, speaking of the same offering being made by Empedocles, describes the chief ingredients of which it was composed: [904]Βουν εθυσε--εκ μελιτος και αλφιτων. _He offered up one of the sacred liba, called a boun, which was made of fine flour and honey_. It is said of Cecrops, [905]πρωτος βουν εθυσε: _He first offered up this sort of sweet bread_. Hence we may judge of the antiquity of the custom from the times to which Cecrops is referred. The prophet Jeremiah takes notice of this kind of offering, when he is speaking of the Jewish women at Pathros in Egypt, and of their base idolatry; in all which their husbands had encouraged them. The women, in their expostulation upon his rebuke, tell him: _Since we left off to burn incense to the Queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings unto her, we have wanted all things; and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burnt incense to the Queen of heaven, and poured out drink-offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink-offerings unto her without our [906]men?_ The prophet, in another place, takes notice of the same idolatry. [907]_The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the Queen of heaven_. The word, in these instances, for sacred cakes, is כונים, Cunim. The Seventy translate it by a word of the same purport, Χαυωνας, Chauonas; of which I have before taken notice: [908]Μη ανευ των ανδρων ἡμων εποιησαμεν αυτῃ Χαυωνας. κτλ.

I have mentioned that they were sometimes called Petora, and by the Greeks Pitura. This, probably, was the name of those liba, or cakes, which the young virgins of Babylonia and Persis, used to offer at the shrine of their God, when they were to be first prostituted: for, all, before marriage, were obliged to yield themselves up to some stranger to be deflowered. It was the custom for all the young women, when they arrived towards maturity, to sit in the avenue of the temple, with a girdle, or rope, round their middle; and whatever passenger laid hold of it was entitled to lead them away. This practice is taken notice of, as subsisting among the Babylonians, in the epistle ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah; which he is supposed to have written to Baruch. v. 43. Ἁιδε γυναικες περιθεμεναι σχοινια εν ταις ὁδοις εγκαθηνται θυμιωσαι τα ΠΙΤYΡΑ· ὁταν δε τις αυτων αφελκοθεισα ὑπο τινος των παραπορευομενων κοιμηθῃ, την πλησιον ονειδιζει, ὁτι ουκ ηξιωται, ὡσπερ αυτη, ουτε το σχοινιον αυτης διεῤῥαγη. This is a translation from an Hebrew or Chaldäic original; and, I should think, not quite accurate. What is here rendered γυναικες, should, I imagine, be παρθενοι; and the purport will be nearly this: _The virgins of Babylonia put girdles about their waist; and in this habit sit by the way side, holding their Pitura, or sacred offerings, over an urn of incense: and when any one of them is taken notice of by a stranger, and led away by her girdle to a place of privacy; upon her return she upbraids her next neighbour for not being thought worthy of the like honour; and for having her zone not yet broken or [909]loosed_. It was likewise a Persian custom, and seems to have been universally kept up wherever their religion prevailed. Strabo gives a particular account of this practice, as it was observed in the temple of Anait in Armenia. This was a Persian Deity, who had many places of worship in that part of the world. _Not only the men and maid servants_, says the author, _are in this manner prostituted at the shrine of the Goddess; for in this there would be nothing extraordinary_: [910]Αλλα και θυγατερας ὁι επιφανεστατοι του εθνους ανιερουσι παρθενους, ἁις νομος εστι, καταπορνευθεισαις πολυν χρονον παρα τῃ Θεῳ μετα ταυτα δεδοσθαι προς γαμον· ουκ απαξιουντος τῃ τοιαυτῃ συνοικειν ουδενος. _But people of the first fashion in the nation used to devote their own daughters in the same manner: it being a religious institution, that all young virgins shall, in honour of the Deity, be prostituted, and detained for some time in her temple: after which they are permitted to be given in marriage. Nor is any body at all scrupulous about cohabiting with a young woman afterwards, though she has been in this manner abused._

The Patrica were not only rites of Mithras, but also of Osiris, who was in reality the same Deity.

We have a curious inscription to this purpose, and a representation, which was first exhibited by the learned John Price in his observations upon Apuleius. It is copied from an original, which he saw at Venice: and there is an engraving from it in the Edition of Herodotus by [911]Gronovius, as well as in that by [912]Wesselinge: but about the purport of it they are strangely mistaken. They suppose it to relate to a daughter of Mycerinus, the son of Cheops. She died, it seems: and her father was so affected with her death, that he made a bull of wood, which he gilt, and in it interred his daughter. Herodotus says, that he saw the bull of Mycerinus; and that it alluded to this history. But, notwithstanding the authority of this great author, we may be assured that it was an emblematical representation, and an image of the sacred bull Apis and Mneuis. And, in respect to the sculpture above mentioned, and the characters therein expressed, the whole is a religious ceremony, and relates to an event of great antiquity, which was commemorated in the rites of Osiris. Of this I shall treat hereafter: at present, it is sufficient to observe, that the sacred process is carried on before a temple; on which is a Greek inscription, but in the provincial characters: Ενδον Πατρικην Ἑορτην Φερω. How can Ἑορτη Πατρικη relate to a funeral? It denotes a festival in honour of the Sun, who was styled, as I have shewn, Pator; and his temple was called Patra: whence these rites were denominated Patrica. Plutarch alludes to this Egyptian ceremony, and supposes it to relate to Isis, and to her mourning for the loss of her son. Speaking of the month Athyr, he mentions [913]Βουν διαχρυσον ἱματιῳ μελανι βυσσινῳ περιβαλοντες επι πενθει της Θεου δεικνυουσιν (ὁι Αιγυπτιοι). _The Egyptians have a custom in the month Athyr of ornamenting a golden image of a bull; which they cover with a black robe of the finest linen. This they do in commemoration of Isis, and her grief for the loss of Orus_. In every figure, as they are represented in the sculpture, there appears deep silence and reverential awe: but nothing that betrays any sorrow in the agents. They may commemorate the grief of Isis; but they certainly do not allude to any misfortune of their own: nor is there any thing the least funereal in the process. The Egyptians of all nations were the most extravagant in their [914]grief. If any died in a family of consequence, the women used by way of shewing their concern to soil their heads with the mud of the river; and to disfigure their faces with filth. In this manner they would run up and down the streets half naked, whipping themselves as they ran: and the men likewise whipped themselves. They cut off their hair upon the death of a dog; and shaved their eyebrows for a dead cat. We may therefore judge, that some very strong symptoms of grief would have been expressed, had this picture any way related to the sepulture of a king's daughter. Herodotus had his account from different people: one half he confessedly [915]disbelieved; and the remainder was equally incredible. For no king of Egypt, if he had made a representation of the sacred [916]bull, durst have prostituted it for a tomb: and, as I have before said, Ἑορτη Πατρικη can never relate to a funeral.

* * * * *

AN

ACCOUNT

OF THE

GODS OF GREECE;

_To shew that they were all originally one_ GOD, _the_ SUN.

As I shall have a great deal to say concerning the Grecian Theology in the course of this work, it will be necessary to take some previous notice of their Gods; both in respect to their original, and to their purport. Many learned men have been at infinite pains to class the particular Deities of different countries, and to point out which were the same. But they would have saved themselves much labour, if, before they had bewildered themselves in these fruitless inquiries, they had considered whether all the Deities of which they treat, were not originally the same: all from one source; branched out and diversified in different parts of the world. I have mentioned that the nations of the east acknowledged originally but one Deity, the Sun: but when they came to give the titles of Orus, Osiris, and Cham, to some of the heads of their family; they too in time were looked up to as Gods, and severally worshipped as the Sun. This was practised by the Egyptians: but this nation being much addicted to refinement in their worship, made many subtile distinctions: and supposing that there were certain emanations of divinity, they affected to particularize each by some title; and to worship the Deity by his attributes. This gave rise to a multiplicity of Gods: for the more curious they were in their disquisitions, the greater was the number of these substitutes. Many of them at first were designed for mere titles: others, as I before mentioned, were αποῤῥοιαι, derivatives, and emanations: all which in time were esteemed distinct beings, and gave rise to a most inconsistent system of Polytheism. The Grecians, who received their religion from Egypt and the east, misconstrued every thing which was imported; and added to these absurdities largely. They adopted Deities, to whose pretended attributes they were totally strangers; whose names they could not articulate, or spell. They did not know how to arrange the elements, of which the words were composed. Hence it was, that Solon the Wise could not escape the bitter, but just censure of the priest in Egypt, who accused both him, and the Grecians in general, of the grossest puerility and ignorance. [917]Ω Σολων, Σολων, Ἑλληνες εστε παιδες αει, γερων δε Ἑλλην ουκ εστι, νεοι τε ψυχας ἁπαντες· ουδεμιαν γαρ εν ἑαυτοις εχετε παλαιαν δοξαν, ουδε μαθημα χρονῳ πολιον ουδεν. The truth of this allegation may be proved both from the uncertainty, and inconsistency of the antients in the accounts of their Deities. Of this uncertainty Herodotus takes notice. [918]Ενθενδε εγενετο ἑκαστος των θεων, ειτε δ' αει ησαν παντες, ὁκοιοι δε τινες τα ειδεα, ουκ ηπιστεατο μεχρι ὁυ πρωην τε και χθες, ὡς ειπειν λογῳ. He attributes to Homer, and to Hesiod, the various names and distinctions of the Gods, and that endless polytheism which prevailed. [919]Ουτοι δε εισι, ὁι ποιησαντες θεογονιαν Ἑλλησι, και τοισι Θεοισι τας επωνυμιας δοντες, και τιμας τε και τεχνας διελοντες, και ειδεα αυτων σημῃναντες. This blindness in regard to their own theology, and to that of the countries, whence they borrowed, led them to misapply the terms, which they had received, and to make a God out of every title. But however they may have separated, and distinguished them under different personages, they are all plainly resolvable into one Deity, the Sun. The same is to be observed in the Gods of the Romans. This may in great measure be proved from the current accounts of their own writers; if we attend a little closely to what they say: but it will appear more manifest from those who had been in Egypt, and copied their accounts from that country. There are few characters, which at first sight appear more distinct than those of Apollo and Bacchus. Yet the department, which is generally appropriated to Apollo, as the Sun, I mean the conduct of the year, is by Virgil given to Bacchus, or Liber. He joins him with Ceres, and calls them both the bright luminaries of the world.

[920]Vos, O, clarissima Mundi Lumina, labentem Cœlo qui ducitis annum, Liber, et alma Ceres.

[921]Quidam ipsum solem, ipsum Apollinem, ipsum Dionysium eundem esse volunt. Hence we find that Bacchus is the Sun, or Apollo; though supposed generally to have been a very different personage. In reality they are all three the same; each of them the Sun. He was the ruling Deity of the world:

[922]Ἡλιε παγγενετορ, παναιολε, χρυσεοφεγγες.

He was in Thrace esteemed, and worshipped as Bacchus, or Liber. [923]In Thraciâ Solem Liberum haberi, quem illi Sebadium nuncupantes magnâ religione celebrant: eique Deo in colle [924]Zemisso ædes dicata est specie rotundâ. In short, all the Gods were one, as we learn from the same Orphic Poetry:

[925]Ἑις Ζευς, ἑις Αϊδες, ἑις Ἡλιος, ἑις Διονυσος, Ἑις θεος εν παντεσσι.

Some Deities changed with the season.

[926]Ηελιον δε θερους, μετοπωρης δ' ἁβρον Ιαω.

It was therefore idle in the antients to make a disquisition about the identity of any God, as compared with another; and to adjudge him to Jupiter rather than to Mars, to Venus rather than Diana. [927]Τον Οσιριν ὁι μεν Σεραπιν, ὁιδε Διονυσον, ὁιδε Πλουτωνα, τινες δε Δια, πολλοιδε Πανα νενομικασι. _Some_, says Diodorus, _think that Osiris is Serapis; others that he is Dionusus; others still, that he is Pluto: many take him for Zeus, or Jupiter, and not a few for Pan_. This was an unnecessary embarrassment: for they were all titles of the same God, there being originally by no means that diversity which is imagined, as Sir John Marsham has very justly observed. [928]Neque enim tanta πολυθεοτης Gentium, quanta fuit Deorum πολυωνυμια. It is said, above, that Osiris was by some thought to be Jupiter, and by others to be Pluto. But Pluto, among the best theologists, was esteemed the same as Jupiter; and indeed the same as Proserpine, Ceres, Hermes, Apollo, and every other Deity.

[929]Πλουτων, Περσεφονη, Δημητηρ, Κυπρις, Ερωτες, Τριτωνες, Νηρευς, Τηθυς και Κυανοχαιτης, Ἑρμης θ', Ἡφαιστος τε κλυτος, Παν, Ζευς τε, και Ἑρη, Αρτεμις, ηδ' Ἑκαεργος Απολλων, ἑις Θεος εστιν.

There were to be sure a number of strange attributes, which by some of the poets were delegated to different personages; but there were other writers who went deeper in their researches, and made them all centre in one. They sometimes represented this sovereign Deity as Dionusus; who, according to Ausonius, was worshipped in various parts under different titles, and comprehended all the Gods under one character.

[930]Ogygia me Bacchum vocat; Osyrin Ægyptus putat: Mysi Phanacem nominant: Dionyson Indi existimant: Romana Sacra Liberum; Arabica Gens Adoneum; Lucanianus Pantheon.

Sometimes the supremacy was given to Pan, who was esteemed Lord of all the elements.

[931]Πανα καλω, κρατερον Νομιον, κοσμοιο τε συμπαν, Ουρανον, ηδε θαλασσαν, ιδε χθονα παμβασιλειαν, Και πυρ αθανατον, ταδε γαρ μελη εστι τα Πανος. Κοσμοκρατωρ, αυξητα, φαεσφορε, καρπιμε Παιαν, Αντροχαρες, βαρυμηνις, ΑΛΗΘΗΣ ΖΕΥΣ Ὁ ΚΕΡΑΣΤΗΣ.

More generally it was conferred upon Jupiter:

[932]Ζευς εστιν αιθηρ, Ζευς δε γη, Ζευς δ' Ουρανος· Ζευς τοι τα παντα.

Poseidon, God of the sea, was also reputed the chief God, the Deity of Fire. This we may infer from his priest. He was styled a Purcon, and denominated from him, and served in his oracular temples; as we learn from Pausanias, who says, [933]Ποσειδωνι δ' ὑπηρετην ες τα μαντευματα ειναι Πυρκωνα. He mentions a verse to the same purpose. Συν δε τε Πυρκων αμφιπολος κλυτου Εννοσιγαιου. P'urcon is Ignis vel lucis dominus: and we may know the department of the God from the name of the priest. He was no other than the supreme Deity, the Sun: from whom all were supposed to be derived. Hence Poseidon or Neptune, in the Orphic verses, is, like Zeus, styled the father of Gods and men.

[934] Κλυθι, Ποσειδαον---- Ουρανιων, Μακαρων τε Θεων πατερ, ηδε και ανδρων.

In the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon the chief deity went by the name of [935]Ourchol, the same as Archel and Aides of Egypt, whence came the Ἡρακλης, and Hercules of Greece and Rome. Nonnus, who was deeply read in the mythology of these countries, makes all the various departments of the other Gods, as well as their titles, centre in him. He describes him in some good poetry as the head of all.

[936]Αστροχιτων Ἡρακλες, Αναξ πυρος, Ορχαμε κοσμου, Ὑια Χρονου Λυκαβαντα δυωδεκαμηνον ἑλισσων, Ἱππευων ἑλικηδον ὁλον πολον αιθοπι δισκῳ, Κυκλον αγεις μετα κυκλον---- Ομβρον αγεις φερεκαρτον, επ' ευωδινι δε γαιῃ Ηεριης ηωον ερευγεται αρδμον εερσης.---- Βηλος επ Ευφρηταο, Λιβυς κεκλημενος Αμμων, Απις εφυς Νειλῳος Αραψ Κρονος, Ασσυριος Ζευς.---- Ειτε Σαραπις εφυς Αιγυπτιος, ανεφαλος Ζευς, Ει Χρονος, ει Φαεθων πολυωνυμος, ειτε συ Μιθρης, ΗΕΛΙΟΣ ΒΑΒYΛΩΝΟΣ, εν Ἑλλαδι ΔΕΛΦΟΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ.

All the various titles, we find, are at last comprised in Apollo, or the Sun.

It may appear strange, that Hercules, and Jupiter, or whomever we put for the chief Deity, should be of all ages. This must have been the case, if they were the same as the boy of love, and Bacchus ever young; and were also the representatives of Cronus, and Saturn. But the antients went farther; and described the same Deity under the same name in various stages of life: and [937]Ulpian speaking of Dionusus, says that he was represented of all ages. Και γαρ παιδα, και πρεσβυτην, και ανδρα γραφουσιν αυτον. But the most extraordinary circumstance was, that they represented the same Deity of different sexes. A bearded Apollo was uncommon; but Venus with a beard must have been very extraordinary. Yet she is said to have been thus exhibited in Cyprus, under the name of Aphroditus, Αφροδιτος: [938]πωγωνιαν ανδρος την Θεον εσχηματισθαι εν Κυπρῳ. The same is mentioned by Servius: [939]Est etiam in Cypro simulacrum _barbatæ_ Veneris, corpora et veste muliebri, cum sceptro, et naturâ virili, quod Αφροδιτον vocant. She was also looked upon as prior to Zeus, and to most other of the Gods. [940]Αφροδιτη ου μονον Αθηνας, και Ἡρας, αλλα και ΔΙΟΣ εστι πρεσβυτερα. The poet Calvus speaks of her as masculine: [941]Polientemque Deum Venerem. Valerius Soranus among other titles calls Jupiter the mother of the Gods.

[942]Jupiter omnipotens, Regum Rex ipse, Deûmque Progenitor, _Genetrixque Deûm_; Deus unus et idem.

Synesius speaks of him in nearly the same manner.

[943]Συ πατηρ, συ δ' εσσι μητηρ, Συ δ' αρσην, συ δε θηλυς.

And the like character is given to the antient Deity Μητις.

[944]Αρσην μεν και θηλυς εφυς, πολυωνυμε Μητι.

In one of the fragments of the Orphic poetry there is every thing, which I have been saying comprehended within a very short compass.

[945]Ζευς αρσην γενετο, Ζευς αμβροτος επλετο Νυμφη, Ζευς πυθμην γαιης τε και ουρανου αστεροεντος.---- Ζευς ποντου ῥιζα, Ζευς [946]Ἡλιος, ηδε Σεληνη, Ζευς Βασιλευς, Ζευς αυτος ἁπαντων αρχιγενεθλος---- Και Μητις, πρωτος γενετωρ και Ερως πολυτερπης. Παντα γαρ εν Ζηνος μεγαλῳ ταδε σωματι κειται. Ἑν κρατος, ἑις Δαιμων, γενεται μεγας αρχος ἁπαντων.

Whom he meant under the title of Zeus, he explains afterwards in a solemn invocation of the God Dionusus.

[947]Κεκλυθι τηλεπορου δινης ἑλικαυγεα κυκλον Ουρανιαις στροφαλιγξι περιδρομον αιεν ἑλισσων, Αγλαε ΖΕΥ, ΔΙΟΝYΣΕ, πατερ ποντου, πατερ αιης, Ἡλιε, παγγενετορ, παναιολε, χρυσεοφεγγες.

As we have seen how the father of the Gods was diversified, it may be worth while to hear what the supposed mother of all the Deities says of her titles and departments, in Apuleius. [948]Me primigenii Phryges Pessinuntiam nominant Deûm Matrem: hinc Autochthones Attici Cecropiam Minervam: illinc fluctuantes Cyprii Paphiam Venerem: Cretes sagittiferi Dictynnam Dianam. Siculi trilingues Stygiam Proserpinam: Eleusinii vetustam Deam Cererem. Junonem alii: alii Bellonam: alii Hecaten: Rhamnusiam alii: et qui nascentis dei Solis inchoantibus radiis illustrantur Æthiopes, Ariique, priscâque doctrinâ pollentes Ægyptii, ceremoniis me prorsus propriis percolentes, appellant vero nomine Reginam Isidem.

Porphyry acknowledged, that Vesta, Rhea, Ceres, Themis, Priapus, Proserpina, Bacchus, Attis, Adonis, Silenus, and the Satyrs, were all one, and the[949] same. Nobody had examined the theology of the antients more deeply than Porphyry. He was a determined Pagan, and his evidence in this point is unexceptionable. The titles of Orus and Osiris being given to Dionusus, caused him in time to partake of the same worship which was paid to the great luminary; and as he had also many other titles, from them sprung a multiplicity of Deities. [950]Morichum Siculi Bacchum nominârunt: Arabes vero eundem Orachal et Adonæum: alii Lyæum, Erebinthium, Sabazium; Lacedæmonii Scytidem, et Milichium vocitarunt. But let Dionusus or Bacchus be diversified by ever so many names or titles, they all, in respect to worship, relate ultimately to the Sun. [951]Sit Osiris, sit Omphis, Nilus, Siris, sive quodcunque aliud ab Hierophantis usurpatum nomen, ad unum tandem _Solem_, antiquissimum Gentium numen, redeunt omnia.

* * * * *

END OF VOL. I.

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