A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology Volume I Part 14

The same circ.u.mstance is mentioned in the Orphic Argonautics[815]; where the poet speaks of Argus, and the vine branch:

?f?p?a?e? e????

?pe??? a?a???? ??e? ape?e?se s?d???, ?esse d' ep?stae???.

The Amazonians were a very antient people, who wors.h.i.+pped their provincial Deity under the character of a female, and by the t.i.tles of Artemis, Oupis, Hippa. They first built a temple at Ephesus; and according to Callimachus [816]the image of the G.o.ddess was formed of the stump of a beech tree.

S?? ?a? ?a????de? p??e?? ep????te??a?

?? ??te pa??a??? ?fes?? ?eta? ?d??sa?t?

[817]F??? ?p? p?e??, te?ese? de t?? ?e??? ?pp??

??ta? d', ??p? a?a.s.sa, pe?? p????? ????sa?t?.

Instead of an image made of a stump, the poet Dionysius supposes a temple to have been built beneath the trunk of a decayed tree.

???a Te? p?te ???? ?a????de? tet????t?

??e?? ?p? pte?e??, pe???s??? a?d?as? ?a?a. v. 827.

It is observable, that the Chinese, as well as the people of j.a.pan, still retain something of this custom. When they meet with an uncouth root, or spray of a tree, they humour the extravagance: and, by the addition of a face, give it the look of a Joss or Bonzee, just as fancy directs them.

The vine was esteemed sacred both to Dionusus, and Bacchus; for they were two different personages, though confounded by the Grecians: indeed the t.i.tles of all those, who were originally styled Baalim, are blended together. This tree had therefore the name of Ampel, which the Greeks rendered ?pe???, from the Sun, Ham, whose peculiar plant it was. This t.i.tle is the same as Omphel before mentioned, and relates to the oracular Deity of the Pagan world; under which character Ham was princ.i.p.ally alluded to. The Egyptian and Asiatic Greeks had some imperfect traditions about Ham, and Chus: the latter of which they esteemed Bacchus. And as the term Ampelus did not primarily relate to the vine, but was a sacred name transferred from the Deity, they had some notion of this circ.u.mstance: but as it was their custom out of every t.i.tle to form a new personage, they have supposed Ampelus to have been a youth of great beauty, and one whom Bacchus particularly favoured. Hence Nonnus introduces the former begging of Selene not to envy him this happiness.

[818]?? f???es??, ?t? ?a???? e?? f???t?ta f??a.s.se?.

?tt? ?e?? ?e????, ?t? ?a? f???? e?? ??a???.

The wors.h.i.+p of Ham was introduced by the Amonians in Phrygia and Asia Minor: and in those parts the Poet makes Ampelus chiefly conversant.

[819]?d? ?a? F?????? ?p? de??ad? ?????? a?????

?pe??? ?e??t? ?e?t?efe? e???? e??t??.

He speaks of his bathing in the waters, and rising with fresh beauty from the stream, like the morning star from the ocean.

[820]?a?t??? p??e ?a? s? te?? se?a?, ?f?a fa?e??

?pe??? a?te????, ?te f?sf????-- ??s?se? se? ?a???? ???? ?a?t????? ?d??.

In all these instances there are allusions to a history, which will hereafter be fully discussed. Ovid seems to make Ampelus a native of Thrace; and supposes him to have been the son of a satyr by one of the nymphs in that country:

[821] Ampelon intonsum, Satyro Nymphaque creatum, Fertur in Ismariis Bacchus ama.s.se jugis.

But however they may have mistaken this personage, it is certain that in early times he was well known, and highly reverenced. Hence wherever the Amonians settled, the name of Ampelus will occur: and many places will be found to have been denominated from the wors.h.i.+p of the Deity under this sacred t.i.tle. We learn from Stepha.n.u.s Byzantinus, [822]_that, according to Hecataeus, in his Europa, Ampelus was the name of a city in Liguria. There was likewise a promontory in the district of Torone called Ampelus: a like promontory in Samos: another in Cyrene. Agrtas mentions two cities there, an upper, and a lower, of that name. There_ _was likewise a harbour in Italy so called_. We read of a city [823]Ampeloessa in Syria, and a nation in Lybia called Ampeliotae: ?pe???ta? de e???? ?????. Suidas. Also, Ampelona in Arabia; and a promontory, Ampelusia, near Tingis, in Mauritania. In all these places, however distant, the Amonians had made settlements. Over against the island Samos stood the sacred promontory, Mycale, in Ionia. This, too, was called Ampelus, according to Hesychius, as the pa.s.sage is happily altered by Albertus and others. ?pe???, ??a??, ?a?

a??a ???a???, ????? ?????. From the words ????? ????? one might infer, that Ampelus was no uncommon name for a mountain in general: so far is certain, that many such were so denominated: which name could not relate to ape???, the vine; but they were so called from the Deity to whom they were [824]sacred. Many of these places were barren crags, and rocks of the sea, ill suited to the cultivation of the [825]vine. And not only eminences were so called, but the strand and sh.o.r.es, also, for the same reason: because here, too, were altars and pillars to this G.o.d. Hence we read in Hesychius: ?pe???--a???a???--?????a???? a???a???. _By Ampelus is signified the sea sh.o.r.e; or Ampelus, among the people of Cyrene, signifies the sea sh.o.r.e_.

From what has been said, we may be a.s.sured that Ampelus and Omphalus were the same term originally, however varied afterwards and differently appropriated. They are each a compound from Omphe, and relate to the oracular Deity. Ampelus, at Mycale, in Ionia, was confessedly so denominated from its being a sacred[826] place, and abounding with waters; by which, people who drank them were supposed to be inspired. They are mentioned in an antient oracle quoted by Eusebius[827]: ?? ??d??? ??a????

???a??s??? ??T??? ?d??. I have mentioned that all fountains were esteemed sacred, but especially those which had any praeternatural quality, and abounded with exhalations. It was an universal notion that a divine energy proceeded from these effluvia, and that the persons who resided in their vicinity were gifted with a prophetic quality. Fountains of this nature, from the divine influence with which they were supposed to abound, the Amonians styled Ain Omphe, sive fontes Oraculi. These terms, which denoted the fountain of the prophetic G.o.d, the Greeks contracted to ??f?, a Nymph; and supposed such a person to be an inferior G.o.ddess, who presided over waters. Hot springs were imagined to be more immediately under the inspection of the nymphs: whence Pindar styles such fountains, [828]Te?a ??fa? ???t?a. The temple of the Nymphae Ionides, in Arcadia, stood close to a fountain of great [829]efficacy. The term Nympha will be found always to have a reference to [830]water. There was in the same region of the Peloponnesus a place called ??fa?, Nymphas; which was undoubtedly so named from its hot springs: [831]?ata??e?ta? ?a? ?dat?--??fa?: _for Nymphas--abounded with waters_. Another name for these places was Ain-Ades, the fountain of Ades, or the Sun; which, in like manner, was changed to ?a?ade?, Naiades, a species of Deities of the same cla.s.s. Fountains of bitumen, in Susiana and Babylonia, were called Ain-Aptha, the fountains of Aptha, the G.o.d of fire; which by the Greeks was rendered Naptha, a name given to [832]bitumen. As they changed Ain Omphe to Numpha, a G.o.ddess, they accordingly denominated the place itself ??fe???, Nymphaeum: and wherever a place occurs of that name, there will be found something particular in its circ.u.mstances. We are told by [833]Pliny that the river Tigris, being stopped in its course by the mountains of Taurus, loses itself under ground, and rises again on the other side at Nymphaeum. According to Marcellinus, it seems to be at Nymphaeum that it sinks into the earth. Be it as it may, this, he tells us, is the place where that fiery matter called naptha issued: from whence, undoubtedly, the place had its name.

[834]Bitumen nascitur prope lac.u.m Sosingitem, cujus alveo Tigris voratus, fluensque subterraneus, procursis spatiis longis, emergit. Hic et Naptha gignitur specie picea. In his pagis hiatus conspicitur terrae, unde halitus lethalis exsurgens, quodcunque animal prope consist.i.t, odore gravi consumit. There was an island of the like nature at the mouth of the river Indus, which was sacred to the Sun, and styled Cubile [835]Nympharum: in qua nullum non animal absumitur. In Athamania was a temple of the Nymphs, or [836]Nymphaeum; and near it a fountain of fire, which consumed things brought near to it. Hard by Apollonia was an eruption of bituminous matter, like that in a.s.syria: and this too was named [837]Nymphaeum. The same author (Strabo) mentions, that in Seleucia, styled Pieria, there was alike bituminous eruption, taken notice of by Posidonius; and that it was called Ampelitis: [838]??? ?pe??t?? ??? asfa?t?d?, t?? e? Se?e??e?? t? ??e???

eta??e??e???. The hot streams, and poisonous effluvia near Puteoli and lake Avernus are well known. It was esteemed a place of great sanct.i.ty; and people of a prophetic character are said to have here resided. Here was a [839]Nymphaeum, supposed to have been an oracular temple. There was a method of divination at Rome, mentioned by [840]Dion Ca.s.sius, in which people formed their judgment of future events from the steam of lighted frankincense. The terms of inquiry were remarkable: for their curiosity was indulged in respect to every future contingency, excepting death and marriage. The place of divination was here too called [841]Nymphaeum.

Pausanias takes notice of a cavern near Platea, which was sacred to the Nymphs of Cithaeron: ?pe? de t?? ????f??, ef' ? t?? ??? p?????ta?, pe?te p?? a??sta ?a? de?a ?p??ataa?t? stad???? ?Y?FO? est?? a?t???

???a?????d??--???????ST?? de ta? ??fa? t? a??a??? a?t??? e?e? ?????. We find that the Nymphs of this place had been of old prophetic. Evagrius mentions a splendid building at Antioch called Nymphaeum, remarkable [842]?aat?? p???t?, for the advantage of its waters. There was a Nymphaeum at Rome mentioned by Marcellinus. [843]Septemzodium celebrem loc.u.m, ubi Nymphaeum Marcus condidit Imperator. Here were the Thermae Antonianae. As from Ain Ompha came Nympha; so from Al Ompha was derived Lympha. This differed from Aqua, or common water, as being of a sacred and prophetic nature. The antients thought, that all mad persons were gifted with divination; and they were in consequence of it styled _Lymphati_.

From what has preceded, we may perceive that there once existed a wonderful resemblance in the rites, customs, and terms of wors.h.i.+p, among nations widely separated. Of this, as I proceed, many instances will be continually produced. I have already mentioned that this similitude in terms, and the religious system, which was so widely propagated, were owing to one great family, who spread themselves almost universally. Their colonies went abroad under the sanction and direction of their priests; and carried with them both the rites and the records of their country. Celsus took notice of this; and thought that people payed too little attention to memorials of this nature. He mentions particularly the oracular temples at Dodona, at Delphi, at Claros, with those of the Branchidae and Amonians: at the same time pa.s.sing over many other places, from whose priests and votaries the whole earth seemed to have been peopled[844]. ?a e? ?p? t?? ????a?, ?

??d?????, ? ??a????, ? e? ??a???da??, ? e? ?????, ?p? ????? te a????

?e?p??p?? p??e???e?a, ?f' ?? ep?e???? pasa ?? ?at???s??, ta?ta e? ??de??

???? t??e?ta?. As colonies went abroad under the influence and direction of their tutelary Deities; those Deities were styled ??e??e?, and ?????eta?: and the colony was denominated from some sacred t.i.tle of the G.o.d. A colony was planted at Miletus; of which the conducting Deity was Diana. [845]Se ?a? p???sat? ???e?? ??e????. This G.o.ddess is styled p???pt????, because this office was particularly ascribed to her: and she had many places under her patronage. Jupiter accordingly tells her:

[846]???? de?a t?? pt???e??a, ?a? ??? ??a p????? ?pa.s.s?.

Thrice ten fair cities shall your portion be, And many a stately tower.

Apollo likewise was called ???t?st?? and ?????et??, from being the supposed founder of cities; which were generally built in consequence of some oracle.

[847]F??? d' esp?e??? p??ea? d?eet??sa?t?

?????p??? F???? ?a? ae? p???ess? f???de?

?t???e?a??? a?t?? de ?ee???a F???? ?fa??e?.

'Tis through Apollo's tutelary aid, That men go forth to regions far remote, And cities found: Apollo ever joys In founding cities.

What colony, says [848]Cicero, did Greece ever send into aetolia, Ionia, Asia, Sicily or Italy, without having first consulted about every circ.u.mstance relative to it, either at Delphi, or Dodona, or at the oracle of Ammon. And Lucian speaks to the same purpose. [849]??te p??ea? ??????, ??de te??ea pe??ea????t?--p??? a? d? pa?a ?a?te?? a???sa? ??asta. _People would not venture to build cities, nor even raise the walls, till they had made proper inquiry among those, who were prophetically gifted, about the success of their operations_.

PATOR AND PATRA.

I cannot help thinking that the word pat??, pater, when used in the religious addresses of the Greeks and Romans, meant not, as is supposed, a father, or parent; but related to the divine influence of the Deity, called, by the people of the east, Pator, as I have [850]shewn. From hence I should infer, that two words, originally very distinct, have been rendered one and the [851]same. The word pater, in the common acceptation, might be applicable to Saturn; for he was supposed to have been the father of all the G.o.ds, and was therefore so ent.i.tled by the antient poet Sulpitius.

[852]Jane pater, Jane tuens, Dive biceps, biformis, O! cate rerum sator; O! principium Deorum.

But, when it became a t.i.tle, which was bestowed upon G.o.ds of every denomination, it made Jupiter animadvert with some warmth upon the impropriety, if we may credit Lucilius:

[853]Ut nemo sit nostrum, quin pater optimus Divom est: Ut Neptunus pater, Liber, Saturnus pater, Mars, Ja.n.u.s, Quirinus, pater, omnes dicamur ad unum.

And not only the G.o.ds, but the Hierophantae, in most temples; and those priests, in particular, who were occupied in the celebration of mysteries, were styled Patres: so that it was undoubtedly a religious term imported from Egypt, the same as Pator, and Patora, before mentioned. I have taken notice, that the Paterae of Curtius were the priests of Hamon: but that writer was unacquainted with the true meaning of the word, as well as with the p.r.o.nunciation, which seems to have been penultima producta. The wors.h.i.+p of Ham, or the Sun, as it was the most antient, so it was the most universal, of any in the world. It was at first the prevailing religion of Greece, and was propagated over all the sea coast of Europe; whence it extended itself into the inland provinces. It was established in Gaul and Britain; and was the original religion of this island, which the Druids in aftertimes adopted. That it went high in the north is evident from Ausonius, who takes notice of its existing in his time. He had relations, who were priests of this order and denomination; and who are, on that account, complimented by him, in his ode to Attius Patera [854]Rhetor.

Tu Boioca.s.sis stirpe Druidarum satus, Si fama non fallat fidem, Beleni sacratum ducis e templo genus, Et inde vobis nomina, Tibi Paterae: sic ministros nuncupant Apollinares Mystici.

Fratri, Patrique nomen a Phaebo datum, Natoque de Delphis tuo.

He mentions, that this wors.h.i.+p prevailed particularly in Armorica; of which country his relations were natives.

[855]Nec reticebo Senem, Nomine Phbicium, Qui Beleni aedituus, Stirpe satus Druidum, Gentis Armoricae.

Belin, the Deity of whom he speaks, was the same as [856]Bel and Balen, of Babylonia and Canaan; the Orus and Apollo of other nations. Herodian takes notice of his being wors.h.i.+pped by the people of Aquileia; and says, that they called him Belin, and paid great reverence, esteeming him the same as [857]Apollo.

The true name of the Amonian priests I have shewn to have been Petor, or Pator; and the instrument which they held in their hands was styled Petaurum. They used to dance round a large fire, in honour of the Sun, whose orbit they affected to describe. At the same time they exhibited other feats of activity, to amuse the votaries who resorted to their temples. This dance was sometimes performed in armour, especially in Crete: and, being called Pyrrhic, was supposed to have been so named from Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles. But, when was he in Crete? Besides, it is said to have been practised by the Argonautic heroes before his time. It was a religious dance, denominated from fire, with which it was accompanied.

[858]?f? de da??e???? e???? ????? est?sa?t?, ?a??? ??pa????', ??pa????a F????

?e?p?e???.

It was originally an Egyptian dance, in honour of Hermes, and practised by the Patarae, or Priests. In some places it was esteemed a martial exercise, and exhibited by persons in armour, who gave it the name of Betarmus. We have an instance of it in the same poet:

[859]??d?? de ?e?? ??f??? a????