Chapter 7

In respect to the legends about dragons, I am persuaded that the antients sometimes did wilfully misrepresent things, in order to increase the wonder. Iphicrates related, that in Mauritania there were dragons of such extent, that grass grew upon their backs: [303][Greek: Drakontas te legei megalous, hoste kai poan epipephukenai.] What can be meant under this representation but a Dracontium, within whose precincts they encouraged verdure? It is said of Taxiles, a mighty prince in India, and a rival of Porus, that, upon the arrival of Alexander the Great, he shewed him every thing that was in his country curious, and which could win the attention of a foreigner. Among other things he carried him to see a [304]Dragon, which was sacred to Dionusus; and itself esteemed a God. It was of a stupendous size, being in extent equal to five acres; and resided in a low deep place, walled round to a great height. The Indians offered sacrifices to it: and it was daily fed by them from their flocks and herds, which it devoured at an amazing rate. In short my author says, that it was treated rather as a tyrant, than a benevolent Deity. Two Dragons of the like nature are mentioned by [305]Strabo; which are said to have resided in the mountains of Abisares, or Abiosares, in India: the one was eighty cubits in length, the other one hundred and forty. Similar to the above is the account given by Posidonius of a serpent, which he saw in the plains of _Macra_, a region in Syria; and which he styles [306][Greek: drakonta peptokota nekron]. He says, that it was about an acre in length; and of a thickness so remarkable, as that two persons on horseback, when they rode on the opposite sides, could not see one another. Each scale was as big as a, shield; and a man might ride in at its mouth. What can this description allude to, this [Greek: drakon peptokos], but the ruins of an antient Ophite temple; which is represented in this enigmatical manner to raise admiration? The plains of Macra were not far from Mount Lebanon and Hermon; where the Hivites resided; and where serpent-worship particularly prevailed. The Indian Dragon above mentioned seems to have been of the same nature. It was probably a temple, and its environs; where a society of priests resided, who were maintained by the public; and who worshipped the Deity under the semblance of a serpent. Tityus must be ranked among the monsters of this class. He is by the Poets represented as a stupendous being, an earthborn giant:

[307]Terrae omniparentis alumnum, ---- per tota novem cui jugera corpus Porrigitur.

By which is meant, that he was a tower, erected upon a conical mount of earth, which stood in an inclosure of nine acres. He is said to have a vulture preying upon his heart, or liver; immortale jecur tondens. The whole of which history is borrowed from Homer, who mentions two vultures engaged in tormenting him.

[308][Greek: Kai Tituon eidon Gaies erikudeos huion,] [Greek: Keimenon en dapedoi; hod' ep' ennea keito pelethra;] [Greek: Gupe de min hekaterthe paremenoi epar ekeiron,] [Greek: Dertron eso dunontes, hod' ouk apamuneto chersi.]

The same story is told of Prometheus, who is said to have been exposed upon Mount Caucasus, near Colchis; with this variation, that an eagle is placed over him, preying upon his heart. These strange histories are undoubtedly taken from the symbols and devices which were carved upon the front of the antient Amonian temples; and especially those of Egypt. The eagle and the vulture were the insignia of that country: whence it was called Ai-Gupt, and [309]Aetia, from Ait and Gupt, which signified an eagle and vulture. Ait was properly a title of the Deity, and signified heat: and the heart, the centre of vital heat, was among the Egyptians styled [310]Ait: hence we are told by [311]Orus Apollo, that a heart over burning coals was an emblem of Egypt. The Amonians dealt much in hieroglyphical representations. Nonnus mentions one of this sort, which seems to have been a curious emblem of the Sun. It was engraved upon a jasper, and worn for a bracelet. Two serpents entwined together, with their heads different ways, were depicted in a semicircular manner round the extreme part of the gem. At the top between their heads was an eagle; and beneath a sacred carriage, called Cemus.

[312][Greek: Aietos en chruseios, hate platun eera temnon,] [Greek: Orthos, echidnaion didumon messegu karenon,] [Greek: Hupsiphanes pterugon pisuron tetrazugi kemoi.] [Greek: Tei men xanthos iaspis epetreche.]

The history of Tityus, Prometheus, and many other poetical personages, was certainly taken from hieroglyphics misunderstood, and badly explained. Prometheus was worshipped by the Colchians as a Deity; and had a temple and high place, called [313][Greek: Petra Tuphaonia], upon Mount Caucasus: and the device upon the portal was Egyptian, an eagle over a heart. The magnitude of these personages was taken from the extent of the temple inclosures. The words, per tota novem cui jugera corpus Porrigitur, relate to a garden of so many acres. There were many such inclosures, as I have before taken notice: some of them were beautifully planted, and ornamented with pavilions and fountains, and called Paradisi. One of this sort stood in Syria upon the river [314]Typhon, called afterwards Orontes. Places of this nature are alluded to under the description of the gardens of the Hesperides, and Alcinous; and the gardens of Adonis. Such were those at Phaneas in Palestine; and those beautiful gardens of Daphne upon the Orontes above mentioned; and in the shady parts of Mount Libanus. Those of Daphne are described by Strabo, who mentions, [315][Greek: Mega te kai sunerephes alsos, diarrheomenon pegaiois hudasin; en mesoi de Asulon temenos, kai neos Apollonoi kai Artemidos.] _There was a fine wide extended grove, which sheltered the whole place; and which was watered with numberless fountains. In the centre of the whole was a sanctuary and asylum, sacred to Artemis and Apollo_. The Groves of Daphne upon the mountains Heraei in Sicily, and the garden and temple at bottom were very noble; and are finely described by [316]Diodorus.

I have taken notice that the word [Greek: drakon], draco, was a mistake for Tarchon, [Greek: Tarchon]: which was sometimes expressed [Greek: Trachon]; as is observable in the Trachones at Damascus. When the Greeks understood that in these temples people worshipped a serpent Deity, they concluded that Trachon was a serpent: and hence came the name of Draco to be appropriated to such an animal. For the Draco was an imaginary being, however afterwards accepted and understood. This is manifest from Servius, who distributes the serpentine species into three tribes; and confines the Draco solely to temples: [317]Angues aquarum sunt, serpentes terrarum, Dracones templorum. That the notion of such animals took its rise from the temples of the Syrians and Egyptians, and especially from the Trachones, [Greek: Trachones], at Damascus, seems highly probable from the accounts above: and it may be rendered still more apparent from Damasenus, a supposed hero, who took his name from the city Damasene, or Damascus. He is represented as an earthborn giant, who encountered two dragons: [318][Greek: Kai chthonos apleton huia, drakontophonon Damasena.] One of the monsters, with which he fought, is described of an enormous size, [Greek: pentekontapelethros Ophis], _a serpent in extent of fifty acres_: which certainly, as I have before insinuated, must have a reference to the grove and garden, wherein such Ophite temple stood at Damascus. For the general measurement of all these wonderful beings by [319]jugera or acres proves that such an estimate could not relate to any thing of solid contents; but to an inclosure of that superficies. Of the same nature as these was the gigantic personage, supposed, to have been seen at Gades by Cleon Magnesius. He made, it seems, no doubt of Tityus and other such monsters having existed. For being at Gades, he was ordered to go upon a certain expedition by Hercules: and upon his return to the island, he saw upon the shore a huge sea-man, who had been thunderstruck, and lay extended upon the ground: [320][Greek: touton plethra men pente malista epechein]; _and his dimensions were not less than five acres_. So Typhon, Caanthus, Orion, are said to have been killed by lightning. Orpheus too, who by some is said to have been torn to pieces by the Thracian women, by others is represented as slain by the bolt of Jupiter: and his epitaph imports as much.

[321][Greek: Threika chrusoluren ted' Orphea Mousai ethapsan,] [Greek: Hon ktanen hupsimedon Zeus psoloenti belei.]

All these histories relate to sacred inclosures; and to the worship of the serpent, and rites of fire, which were practised within them. Such an inclosure was by the Greeks styled [322][Greek: temenos], and the mound or high place [Greek: taphos] and [Greek: tumbos]; which had often a tower upon it, esteemed a sanctuary and asylum. Lycophron makes Cassandra say of Diomedes, [323][Greek: TYMBOS d' auton eksosei]: _the temple, to which he shall fly, shall save him_. In process of time both the word [Greek: tumbos], as well as [Greek: taphos], were no longer taken in their original sense; but supposed uniformly to have been places of sepulture. This has turned many temples into tombs: and the Deities, to whom they were sacred, have been represented as there buried. There was an Orphic Dracontium at Lesbos; where a serpent was supposed to have been going to devour the remains of Orpheus: and this temple being of old styled Petra, it was fabled of the serpent, that he was turned into stone.

[324] Hic ferus expositum peregrinis anguis arenis Os petit, et sparsos stillanti rore capillos. Tandem Phoebus adest: morsusque inferre parantem Arcet; et in lapidem rictus serpentis apertos Congelat; et patulos, ut erant, indurat hiatus.

All the poetical accounts of heroes engaging with dragons have arisen from a misconception about these towers and temples; which those persons either founded, or else took in war. Or, if they were Deities of whom the story is told, these buildings were erected to their honour. But the Greeks made no distinction. They were fond of heroism; and interpreted every antient history according to their own prejudices: and in the most simple narrative could find out a martial achievement. No colony could settle any where, and build an Ophite temple, but there was supposed to have been a contention between a hero and a dragon. Cadmus, as I have shewn, was described in conflict with such an one near Thebes, whose teeth he sowed in the earth:

[325][Greek: odontas] [Greek: Aonioio drakontos, hon ogugiei eni Thebei] [Greek: Kadmos, hot' Europen dizemenos eisaphikane,] [Greek: Pephne.]

Serpents are said to have infested [326]Cyprus, when it was occupied by its first inhabitants: and there was a fearful dragon in the isle of [327]Salamis. The Python of Parnassus is well known, which Apollo was supposed to have slain, when he was very young; a story finely told by Apollonius.

[328][Greek: Hos pote petraiei hupo deiradi Parnessoio] [Greek: Delphunen toxoisi pelorion exenarixe,] [Greek: Kouros eon eti gumnos, eti plokamoisi gegethos.]

After all, this dragon was a serpent temple; a tumbos, [Greek: tumbos], formed of earth, and esteemed of old oracular. To this, Hyginus bears witness. [329]Python, Terrae filius, Draco ingens. Hic ante Apollinem ex oraculo in monte Parnasso responsa dare solitus est. Plutarch says, that the dispute between Apollo and the Dragon was about the privilege of the place. [330][Greek: Hoi Delphon theologoi nomizousin entautha pote pros ophin toi Theoi peri tou chresteriou machen genesthai.] Hence we may perceive, that he was in reality the Deity of the temple; though the Greeks made an idle distinction: and he was treated with divine honours. [331][Greek: Puthoi men oun ho Drakon ho Puthios threskeuetai, kai tou Opheos he paneguris katangelletai Puthia.] It is said, moreover, that the seventh day was appointed for a festival in the temple, and celebrated with a Paean to the [332]serpent.

We often read of virgins, who were exposed to dragons and sea-monsters; and of dragons which laid waste whole provinces, till they were at length, by some person of prowess, encountered and slain. These histories relate to women, who were immured in towers by the sea-side; and to banditti, who got possession of these places, whence they infested the adjacent country. The [333]author of the Chronicon Paschale supposes, that Andromeda, whom the poets describe as chained to a rock, and exposed to a sea-monster, was in reality confined in a temple of Neptune, a Petra of another sort. These dragons are represented as sleepless; because, in such places there were commonly lamps burning, and a watch maintained. In those more particularly set apart for religious service there was a fire, which never went out.

[334]Irrestincta focis servant altaria flammas.

The dragon of Apollonius is ever watchful.

[Greek: Oude hoi emar,] [Greek: Ou knephas hedumos hupnos anaidea damnatai osse.]

What the Poet styles the eyes of the Dragon, were undoubtedly windows in the upper part of the building, through which the fire appeared. Plutarch takes notice, that in the temple of Amon there was a [335]light continually burning. The like was observable in other temples of the [336]Egyptians. Pausanias mentions the lamp of Minerva [337]Polias at Athens, which never went out: the same custom was kept up in most of the [338]Prutaneia. The Chaldeans and Persians had sacred hearths; on which they preserved a [339]perpetual fire. In the temple of [340]Apollo Carneus at Cyrene, the fire upon the altar was never suffered to be extinguished. A like account is given by Said Ebn Batrick of the sacred fire, which was preserved in the great temple at [341]Aderbain in Armenia. The Nubian Geographer mentions a nation in India, called [342]Caimachitae, who had large Puratheia, and maintained a perpetual fire. According to the Levitical law, a constant fire was to be kept up upon the altar of God. [343]_The fire shall be ever burning upon the altar: it shall never go out._

From what has preceded, we may perceive, that many personages have been formed out of places. And I cannot help suspecting much more of antient history, than I dare venture to acknowledge. Of the mythic age I suppose almost every circumstance to have been imported, and adopted; or else to be a fable. I imagine, that Chiron, so celebrated for his knowledge, was a mere personage formed from a tower, or temple, of that name. It stood in Thessaly; and was inhabited by a set of priests, called Centauri. They were so denominated from the Deity they worshipped, who was represented under a particular form. They styled him Cahen-Taur: and he was the same as the Minotaur of Crete, and the Tauromen of Sicilia; consequently of an emblematical and mixed figure. The people, by whom this worship was introduced, were many of them Anakim; and are accordingly represented as of great strength and stature. Such persons among the people of the east were styled [344]Nephelim: which the Greeks in after times supposed to relate to [Greek: nephele], a cloud. In consequence of this, they described the Centaurs as born of a cloud: and not only the Centaurs, but Ixion, and others, were reputed of the same original. The chief city of the Nephelim stood in Thessaly, and is mentioned by [345]Palaephatus: but through the misconception of his countrymen it was expressed [Greek: Nephele], Nephele, a cloud. The Grecians in general were of this race; as will be abundantly shewn. The Scholiast upon Lycophron mentions, that the descendants of Hellen were by a woman named Nephele, whom Athamas was supposed to have married. [346][Greek: Athamas ho Aiolou tou Hellenos pais ek Nepheles gennai Hellen, kai Phrixon.] The author has made a distinction between Helle, and Hellen; the former of which he describes in the feminine. By Phrixus is meant [Greek: Phrux], Phryx, who passed the Hellespont, and settled in Asia minor. However obscured the history may be, I think the purport of it is plainly this, that the Hellenes, and Phrygians were of the Nephelim or Anakim race. Chiron was a temple, probably at Nephele in Thessalia, the most antient seat of the Nephelim. His name is a compound of Chir-On, in purport the same as Kir-On, the tower and temple of the Sun. In places of this sort people used to study the heavenly motions: and they were made use of for seminaries, where young people were instructed; on which account they were styled [Greek: paidotrophoi]. Hence Achilles was supposed to have been taught by [347]Chiron, who is reported to have had many disciples. They are enumerated by Xenophon in his treatise upon hunting, and amount to a large number. [348][Greek: Egenonto autoi mathetai kunegesion te, kai heteron kalon, Kephalos, Asklepios, Melanion, Nestor, Amphiaraos, Peleus, Telamon, Meleagros, Theseus, Hippolutos, Palamedes, Odusseus, Menestheus, Diomedes, Kastor, Poludeukes, Machaon, Podaleirios, Antilochos, Aineias, Achilleus.] Jason is by Pindar made to say of himself, [349][Greek: Phami didaskalian Cheironos oisein]: and the same circumstance is mentioned in another place; [350][Greek: Kronidai de traphen Cheironi dokan (Iasona)]. These histories could not be true of Chiron as a person: for, unless we suppose him to have been, as the Poets would persuade us, of a different species from the rest of mankind, it will be found impossible for him to have had pupils in such different ages. For not only AEsculapius, mentioned in this list, but Apollo likewise learnt of him the medicinal arts. [351][Greek: Asklepios kai Apollon para Cheironi toi Kentauroi iasthai didaskontai.] Xenophon indeed, who was aware of this objection, says, that the term of Chiron's life was sufficient for the performance of all that was attributed to him: [352][Greek: Ho Cheironos bios pasin exerkei; Zeus gar kai Cheiron adelphoi]: but he brings nothing in proof of what he alleges. It is moreover incredible, were we to suppose such a being as Chiron, that he should have had pupils from so many different [353]countries. Besides many of them, who are mentioned, were manifestly ideal personages. For not to speak of Cephalus and Castor, Apollo was a Deity; and AEsculapius was the [354]like: by some indeed esteemed the son of the former; by others introduced rather as a title, and annexed to the names of different Gods. Aristides uses it as such in his invocation of [355]Hercules: [Greek: Io, Paian, Herakles, Asklepie]: and he also speaks of the temple of Jupiter AEsculapius, [Greek: Dios Asklepiou neos]. It was idle therefore in the Poets to suppose that these personages could have been pupils to Chiron. Those that were instructed, whoever they may have been, partook only of Chironian education; and were taught in the same kind of academy: but not by one person, nor probably in the same place. For there were many of these towers, where they taught astronomy, music, and other sciences. These places were likewise courts of judicature, where justice was administered: whence Chiron was said to have been [Greek: philophroneon, kai dikaiotatos]:

[356][Greek: Hon Cheiron edidaxe dikaiotatos Kentauron.]

The like character is given of him by Hermippus, of Berytus.

[357][Greek: Houtos] [Greek: Eis te dikaiosunen thneton genos egage, deixas] [Greek: Horkon, kai thusias hilaras, kai schemat' Olumpou.]

Right was probably more fairly determined in the Chironian temples, than in others. Yet the whole was certainly attended with some instances of cruelty: for human sacrifices are mentioned as once common, especially at Pella in Thessaly; where, if they could get a person, who was an Achean by birth, they used to offer him at the altars of Peleus and [358]Chiron.

There were many edifices denominated Chironian, and sacred to the Sun. Charon was of the same purport, and etymology; and was sacred to the same Deity. One temple of this name, and the most remarkable of any, stood opposite to Memphis on the western side of the Nile. It was near the spot where most people of consequence were buried. There is a tower in this province, but at some distance from the place here spoken of, called [359]Kiroon at this day. As Charon was a temple near the catacombs, or place of burial; all the persons who were brought to be there deposited, had an offering made on their account, upon being landed on this shore. Hence arose the notion of the fee of Charon, and of the ferryman of that name. This building stood upon the banks of a canal, which communicated with the Nile: but that which is now called Kiroon, stands at some distance to the west, upon the lake [360]Moeris; where only the kings of Egypt had a right of sepulture. The region of the catacombs was called the Acheronian and [361]Acherusian plain, and likewise the Elysian: and the stream, which ran by it, had the name of Acheron. They are often alluded to by Homer, and other Poets, when they treat of the region of departed souls. The Amonians conferred these names upon other places, where they settled, in different parts of the world. They are therefore to be met with in [362]Phrygia, [363]Epirus, [364]Hellas, [365]Apulia, [366]Campania, and other countries. The libri [367]Acherontii in Italy, mentioned by Arnobius, were probably transcripts from some hieroglyphical writings, which had been preserved in the Acherontian towers of the Nile. These were carried by Tages to Hetruria; where they were held in great veneration.

As towers of this sort were seminaries of learning, Homer from one of them has formed the character of sage Mentor; under whose resemblance the Goddess of wisdom was supposed to be concealed. By Mentor, I imagine, that the Poet covertly alludes to a temple of Menes. It is said, that Homer in an illness was cured by one [368]Mentor, the son of [Greek: Alkimos], Alcimus. The person probably was a Mentorian priest, who did him this kind office, if there be any truth in the story. It was from an oracular temple styled Mentor; and Man-Tor, that the sacred cakes had the name of Amphimantora. [369][Greek: Amphimantora, alphita meliti dedeumena.]