Chapter 15

But Campe was an oracular temple and inclosure, sacred to Ham or Cham: where people used to exercise. The fifty heads related to the number of the priests, who there resided; and who were esteemed as so many wild beasts for their cruelty. Nonnus makes Jupiter kill Campe: but Diodorus Siculus gives the honour to Dionusus; who is supposed to have slain this monster at Zaborna in Libya; and to have raised over her, [Greek: choma pammegethes], a vast mound of earth. This heap of soil was in reality a high place or altar; which in after times was taken for a place of burial. These inclosures grew by degrees into disrepute; and the history of them obsolete. In consequence of which the [Greek: taphoi], or mounds, were supposed to be the tombs of heroes. The Grecians, who took every history to themselves, imagined, that their Jupiter and Dionusus, and their Hercules had slain them. But what they took for tombs of enemies were in reality altars to these very Gods; who were not confined to Greece, nor of Grecian original. The Campanians in Italy were an antient Amonian colony; and they were denominated from Campe or Campus, which was probably the first temple, they erected. Stephanus Byzantinus shews, that there was of old such a place: [Greek: Kampos--ktisma Kampanou]: but would insinuate that it took its name from a person the head of the colony. Eustathius more truly makes it give name to the people: though he is not sufficiently determinate. [775][Greek: Kampanoi apo ton hupokathemenon ekei Kampon onomasthesan, e apo Kampou poleos.] There were many of these Campi in Greece, which are styled by Pausanias [Greek: hupaithra], in contradistinction to the temples, which were covered. They are to be found in many parts of the world, where the Amonian religion obtained, which was propagated much farther than we are aware. In our island the exhibition of those manly sports in vogue among country people is called Camping: and the inclosures for that purpose, where they wrestle and contend, are called Camping closes. There are many of them in Cambridgeshire, as well as in other parts of the kingdom. In Germany we meet with the name of Kaempenfelt; in which word there is no part derived from the Latin language: for the terms would then be synonymous, and one of them redundant. Kaempenfelt was, I imagine, an antient name for a field of sports, and exercise, like the gymnasium of the Greeks: and a Camping place in Britain is of the like purport.

* * * * *

ANTIENT HEROES.

[Greek: Katholou de phasin (hoi Aiguptioi) tous Hellenas exidiazesthai tous epiphanestatous Heroas te, kai Theous, eti de kai apoikias tas par' heauton.] Diodorus Sicul. l. 1. p. 21.

It has been my uniform purpose, during the whole process, which I have made in my system, to shew, that the Grecians formed Deities out of titles; and that they often attributed to one person, what belonged to a people. And when they had completed the history, they generally took the merit of it to themselves. By means of this clue we may obtain an insight into some of the most remote, and the most obscure parts of antiquity. For many and great achievements have been attributed to heroes of the first ages, which it was not possible for them singly to have performed. And these actions, though in some degree diversified, and given to different personages, yet upon examination will be found to relate to one people or family; and to be at bottom one and the same history.

OSIRIS.

If we consider the history of Osiris, he will appear a wonderful conqueror, who travelled over the face of the whole [776]earth, winning new territories, wherever he came; yet always to the advantage of those whom he subdued. He is said to have been the son of Rhea: and his chief attendants in his peregrinations were Pan, Anubis, Macedo, with Maro, a great planter of vines; also Triptolemus much skilled in husbandry. The people of India claimed Osiris, as their own; and maintained, that he was born at Nusa in their [777]country. Others supposed his birth-place to have been at Nusa in [778]Arabia, where he first planted the vine. Many make him a native of Egypt: and mention the rout of his travels as commencing from that country through Arabia, and Ethiopia; and then to India, and the regions of the east. When he was arrived at the extremities of the ocean, he turned back, and passed through the upper provinces of Asia, till he came to the Hellespont, which he crossed. He then entered [779]Thrace, with the King of which he had a severe encounter: yet he is said to have persevered in his rout westward, till he arrived at the fountains of the Ister. He was also in Italy, and Greece: from the former of which he expelled the giants near Phlegra in Campania. He visited many places upon the ocean: and though he is represented as at the head of an army; and his travels were attended with military operations; yet he is at the same time described with the Muses, and Sciences in his retinue. His march likewise was conducted with songs, and dances, and the sound of every instrument of music. He built cities in various parts; particularly [780]Hecatompulos, which he denominated Theba, after the name of his mother. In every region, whither he came, he is said to have instructed the people in [781]planting, and sowing, and other useful arts. He particularly introduced the vine: and where that was not adapted to the soil, he taught the natives the use of ferment, and shewed them the way to make [782]wine of barley, little inferior to the juice of the grape. He was esteemed a great blessing to the Egyptians both as a [783]Lawgiver, and a King. He first built temples to the Gods: and was reputed a general benefactor of [784]mankind. After many years travel they represent him as returning to Egypt in great triumph, where after his death he was enshrined as a Deity. His Taphos, or high altar, was shewn in many places: in all which he in aftertimes was supposed to have been buried. The people of Memphis shewed one of them; whereon was a sacred pillar, containing a detail of his life, and great actions, to the following purport. [785]_My father was Cronus, the youngest of all the Gods. I am the king Osiris, who carried my arms over the face of the whole earth, till I arrived at the uninhabited parts of India. From thence I passed through the regions of the north to the fountain-head of the Ister. I visited also other remote countries; nor stopped till I came to the western ocean. I am the eldest son of Cronus; sprung from the genuine and respectable race of_ ([Greek: Soos]) _Sous, and am related to the fountain of day. There is not a nation upon earth, where I have not been; and to whose good I have not contributed._

This is a very curious piece of antient history: and it will be found to be in great measure true, if taken with this allowance, that what is here said to have been achieved by one person, was the work of many. Osiris was a title conferred upon more persons than one; by which means the history of the first ages has been in some degree confounded. In this description the Cuthites are alluded to, who carried on the expeditions here mentioned. They were one branch of the posterity of Ham; who is here spoken of as the eldest son of Cronus. How justly they conferred upon him this rank of primogeniture, I will not determine. By [786]Cronus we are here to understand the same person, as is also represented under the name of Soues. This would be more truly expressed [Greek: Soon], Sooen; by which is meant the Sun: All the Amonian families affected to be styled Heliadae, or the offspring of the Sun: and under this title they alluded to their great ancestor the father of all: as by Osiris they generally meant Ham. [Greek: Soon], Sooen, is the same as [787]Zoon, and Zoan, the fountain of day. The land of Zoan in Egypt was the nome of Heliopolis: and the city Zoan the place of the Sun. The person then styled here Soues can be no other than the great Patriarch under a title of the Sun. He is accordingly by Philo Biblius called Ousoues in an extract from Sanchoniathon. He makes him indeed reside, where Tyre was afterwards built; but supposes him to have lived at a time, when there were great rains and storms; and to have been the first constructor of a ship, and the first who ventured upon the [788]seas. In respect to the travels of Osiris we shall find that the posterity of Ham did traverse at different times the regions above-mentioned: and in many of them took up their abode. They built the city Memphis in Egypt; also Hecatompulos, which they denominated Theba, after the name of their reputed mother. They also built Zoan, the city of the Sun.

Osiris is a title often conferred upon the great patriarch himself: and there is no way to find out the person meant but by observing the history, which is subjoined. When we read of Osiris being exposed in an ark, and being afterward restored to day; of his planting the vine, and teaching mankind agriculture; and inculcating religion, and justice; the person alluded to stands too manifest to need any farther elucidation. And when it is said of Osiris, that he went over most parts of the habitable globe, and built cities in various regions; this too may be easily understood. It can allude to nothing else, but a people called Osirians, who traversed the regions mentioned. They were principally the Cuthites, who went abroad under various denominations: and the histories of all the great heroes, and heroines of the first ages will be found of the same purport, as the foregoing. Osiris is supposed to have been succeeded in Egypt by Orus. After Orus came Thoules; who was succeeded by [789]Sesostris.

PERSEUS.

Perseus was one of the most antient heroes in the mythology of Greece: the merit of whose supposed achievements the Helladians took to themselves; and gave out that he was a native of Argos. He travelled to the temple of [790]Ammon; and from thence traversed the whole extent of Africa. He subdued the [791]Gorgons, who lived in Mauritania, and at Tartessus in Boetica; and defeated the Ethiopians upon the western ocean, and the nations about mount _Atlas_: which [792]mountain he only and Hercules are said to have passed. Being arrived at the extremity of the continent, he found means to pass over, and to get possession of all the western islands. He warred in the East; where he freed [793]Andromeda, the daughter of Cepheus king of the eastern Ethiopia, who was exposed to a sea-monster. Some imagine this to have happened at [794]Joppa in Palestine, where the [795]bones of this monster of an extraordinary size are supposed to have been for a long time preserved. He is said to have built [796]Tarsus in Cilicia, reputed the most antient city in the world; and to have planted the peach tree at [797]Memphis. The Persians were supposed to have been his descendants. He travelled through Asia Minor, to the country of the [798]Hyperboreans upon the Ister, and the lake Maeotis; and from thence descended to Greece. Here he built Mycene, and Tiryns, said by many to have been the work of the Cyclopians. He established a seminary at Helicon: and was the founder of those families, which were styled Dorian, and Herculean. It is a doubt among writers, whether he came into Italy. Some of his family were there; who defeated the giant race in Campania, and who afterwards built Argiletum, and Ardea in Latium. Virgil supposes it to have been effected by Danae, the mother of this Hero:

[799]Ardea ---- quam dicitur olim Acrisioneis Danaee fundasse colonis.

But [800]Servius says, that Perseus himself in his childhood was driven to the coast of Daunia. He is represented as the ancestor of the Grecian Hercules, supposed to have been born at Thebes in Boeotia. In reality neither [801]Hercules, nor Perseus, was of Grecian original; notwithstanding the genealogies framed in that country. The history of the latter came apparently from Egypt, as we may learn from Diodorus[802]: [Greek: Phasi de kai ton Persea gegonenai kat' Aigupton.] Herodotus more truly represents him as an [803]Assyrian; by which is meant a Babylonian: and agreeably to this he is said to have married [804]Asterie, the daughter of Belus, the same as Astaroth and Astarte of Canaan; by whom he had a daughter Hecate. This, though taken from an idle system of theology, yet plainly shews, that the history of Perseus had been greatly misapplied and lowered, by being inserted among the fables of Greece. Writers speak of him as a great [805]Astronomer, and a person of uncommon knowledge. He instructed mariners to direct their way in the sea by the lights of heaven; and particularly by the polar constellation. This he first observed, and gave it the name of Helice. Though he was represented as a Babylonian; yet he resided in Egypt, and is said to have reigned at Memphis. To say the truth, he was worshipped at that place: for Perseus was a title of the Deity; [806][Greek: Perseus, ho Helios]; _Perseus was no other than the Sun_, the chief God of the Gentile world. On this account he had a temple of great repute at [807]Chemmis, as well as at Memphis, and in other parts of Egypt. Upon the Heracleotic branch of the Nile, near the sea, was a celebrated watch-tower, denominated from him. His true name was Perez, or Parez, rendered Peresis, Perses, and Perseus: and in the account given of this personage we have the history of the Peresians, Parrhasians, and Perezites, in their several peregrinations; who were no other than the Heliadae, and Osirians abovementioned. It is a mixed history, in which their forefathers are alluded to; particularly their great progenitor, the father of mankind. He was supposed to have had a renewal of life: they therefore described Perseus as inclosed in an [808]ark, and exposed in a state of childhood upon the waters, after having been conceived in a shower of gold.

Bochart thinks that the name both of Persis and Perseus was from [Hebrew: PRS], Paras, an Horse: because the Persians were celebrated horsemen, and took great delight in that animal. But it must be considered that the name is very antient, and prior to this use of horses. P'aras, P'arez, and P'erez, however diversified, signify the Sun; and are of the same analogy as P'ur, P'urrhos, P'oros, which betoken fire. Every animal, which was in any degree appropriated to a Deity, was called by some sacred [809]title. Hence an horse was called P'arez: and the same name, but without the prefix, was given to a lion by many nations in the east. It was at first only a mark of reference, and betokened a solar animal, specifying the particular Deity to whom it was sacred. There were many nations, which were distinguished in the same manner; some of whom the Greeks styled Parrhasians. Hence the antient Arcadians, those Selenitae, who were undoubtedly an Amonian colony, had this appellation. A people in Elis had the same. The Poets described the constellation of Helice, or the Bear, by the title of Parrhasis, Arctos, and Parrhasis Ursa. This asterism was confessedly first taken notice of by Perez or Perseus, by which is meant the Persians.

[810] Versaque ab axe suo Parrhasis Arctos erat.

In the east, where the worship of Arez greatly prevailed, there were to be found many nations called after this manner. Part of Media, according to [811]Polybius, had the name of Parrhasia. There were also Parrhasii and Parrhasini in [812]Sogdiana; and [813]the like near Caucasus: also a town named [814]Parasinum in the Tauric Chersonesus. The people styled [815]Parrhasians in Greece were the same as the Dorians and Heraclidae; all alike Cuthites, as were the antient Persians. Hence it is truly said by Plato, that the Heraclidae in Greece, and the Achaemenidae among the Persians were of the same stock: [816][Greek: To de Herakleous te genos kai to Achaimeneous eis Persea ton Dios anapheretai.] On this account [817]Herodotus makes Xerxes claim kindred with the Argives of Greece, as being equally of the posterity of Perses, the same as Perseus, the Sun: under which character the Persians described the patriarch, from whom they were descended. Perseus was the same as Mithras, whose sacred cavern was styled Perseuem.

[818]Phoebe parens--seu te roseum Titana vocari Gentis Achaemeniae ritu; seu praestat Osirin Frugiferum; seu Persei sub rupibus antri Indignata sequi torquentem cornua Mithram.

OF MYRINA,

AND THE

AMAZONIANS OF LIBYA.

From a notion that the Amazons were a community of women, historians have represented the chief personage of their nation as a [819]female. She is mentioned by some as having flourished long before the aera of [820]Troy: and it is by others said more precisely, that she lived in the time of Orus, the son of Isis and Osiris. This removes her history far back; so as to make it coeval with the first annals of time. Her dominions lay in the most western parts of [821]Africa, at the extremity of Atlas; where the mountain terminated in the ocean, to which it gave name. This country was called Mauritania; and was supposed to have been possessed by the Atlantes and Gorgons. The Grecian writers, who did not know that the same family went under different titles, have often made the same nation at variance with itself. And as they imagined every migration to have been a warlike expedition, they have represented Myrina as making great conquests; and what is extraordinary, going over the same ground, only in a retrograde direction, which Osiris had just passed before. Her first engagement was with the Atlantes of Cercene: against whom she marched with an army of 30,000 foot, and 2,000 horse; whom she completely armed with the skins of serpents. Having defeated the Atlantes, she marched against the Gorgons, whom she likewise [822]conquered; and proceeding forward, subdued the greater part of Africa, till she arrived at the borders of Egypt. Having entered into an alliance with Orus, she passed the Nile, and invaded the Arabians, whom she defeated. She then conquered the Syrians, and Cilicians, and all the nations about Mount Taurus; till she arrived at Phrygia, and the regions about the river Caicus. Here she built many cities, particularly Cuma, Pitane, and Priene. She also got possession of several islands; and among others, of Lesbos and Samothracia, in which last she founded an asylum. After these transactions, Myrina, accompanied with Mopsus the diviner, made an expedition into Thrace, which was the ultimate of her progress; for she was supposed to have been here slain. According to Homer she died in Phrygia: for he takes notice of her tomb in the plains of Troas; and represents it as a notable performance.

[823][Greek: Esti de tis proparoithe poleos aipeia kolone,] [Greek: En pedioi apaneuthe, peridromos entha kai entha;] [Greek: Ten etoi andres Batieian kikleskousin,] [Greek: Athanatoi de te sema poluskarthmoio Murines.]

The tomb of this heroine was in reality a sacred mound, or high altar; and Myrina a Gentile divinity. In her supposed conquests we may in great measure see the history of Osiris, and Perseus, reversed, and in some degree abridged; yet not so far varied, but that the purport may be plainly discerned. Indeed there is no other way to obtain the hidden meaning, but by collating the different histories, and bringing them in one view under the eye of the reader.

HERCULES.

Similar to the foregoing are the expeditions of Hercules, and the conquests which he is supposed to have performed. After many exploits in Greece, the reputed place of his nativity, he travelled as far as mount Caucasus near Colchis, to free Prometheus, who was there exposed to an eagle or vulture. Upon the Thermodon he engaged with the Amazons, whom he utterly defeated; and then passed over into Thrace. Upon his return into Greece he was ordered to make an expedition into Iberia, a region in the farthest part of Spain; where Chrusaor, a prince of great wealth, resided. Hercules accepts of the commission; but, I know not for what reason, goes first to Crete, and from thence to [824]Libya; and what is extraordinary, proceeds to Egypt. This makes the plan of his supposed rout somewhat irregular and unaccountable. After some time spent in these parts, he builds the city Hecatompulos, said before to have been built by Osiris: and then traverses the whole of Africa westward, till he arrives at the Fretum Gaditanum. Here he erects two pillars; which being finished, he at last enters Iberia. He defeats the sons of Chrusaor, who were in arms to oppose him; and bestows their kingdom upon others. He likewise seizes upon the oxen of Geryon. He then marches into the country of the Celtae, and [825]founds the city Corunna, and likewise [826]Alesia in Gaul. He afterwards fights with the giants Albion and Bergion near Arelate, in the plain styled Campus Lapideus; where are the salt waters of Salona. He then passes the [827]Alpes; and upon the banks of the Eridanus encounters a person of shepherd race; whom he kills, and seizes his [828]golden flocks. In his way homeward he visits Hetruria, and arrives at the mountain Palatinus upon the Tiber. From thence he goes to the maritime part of Campania, about Cuma, Heraclea, and the lake Aornon. Not far from hence was an adust and fiery region; supposed to have been the celebrated Phlegra, where the giants warred against heaven: in which war Hercules is said to have [829]assisted. Here was an antient oracular temple; and hard by the mountain Vesuvius, which in those days flamed violently, though it did not for many ages afterwards. During his residence here he visited the hot fountains near Misenus and Dicaearchea; and made a large causeway, called in aftertimes Via Herculanea, and Agger Puteolanus. After having visited the Locrians, and the people of Rhegium, he crossed the sea to Sicily; which sea he swam over, holding by the horn of an ox. At his arrival some warm springs burst forth miraculously, to give him an opportunity of bathing. Here he boxed with Eryx; defeated the Sicani; and performed many other exploits. What is remarkable, having in Spain seized upon the cattle of Geryon, he is said to have made them travel over the Pyrenean mountains, and afterwards over the Alpes, into Italy; and from thence cross the sea into Sicily; and being now about to leave that island, he swims with them again to Rhegium: and ranging up the coast of the Adriatic, passes round to Illyria, from thence to Epirus; and so descends to Greece. The whole of these travels is said to have been completed in ten years.