A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology Volume I Part 2

EES and IS.

Ees, rendered As and Is, like ?? of the Hebrews, related to light and fire; and was one of the t.i.tles of the Sun. It is sometimes compounded Ad-Ees, and Ad-Is; whence came the Hades of the Greeks, and Atis and Attis of the Asiatics; which were names of the same Deity, the Sun. Many places were hence denominated: particularly a city in Africa, mentioned by [96]Polybius. There was a river [97]Adesa, which pa.s.sed by the city Choma in Asia minor. It was, moreover, the name of one of the chief and most antient cities in Syria, said to have been built by Nimrod. It was, undoubtedly, the work of some of his brotherhood, the sons of Chus, who introduced there the rites of fire, and the wors.h.i.+p of the Sun; whence it was styled Adesa, rendered by the Greeks Edessa. One of the names of fire, among those in the East, who wors.h.i.+p it, is [98]Atesh at this day. The term _As_, like Adad, before mentioned, is sometimes compounded with itself, and rendered Asas, and Azaz; by the Greeks expressed ??a??? and [99]??????. In the very place spoken of above, the Deity was wors.h.i.+pped under the name of Azizus. The Emperor Julian acquaints us, in his hymn to the [100]Sun, that the people of Edessa possessed a region, which, from time immemorial, had been sacred to that luminary: that there were two subordinate Deities, Monimus and Azizus, who were esteemed coadjutors, and a.s.sessors to the chief G.o.d. He supposes them to have been the same as Mars and Mercury: but herein this zealous emperor failed; and did not understand the theology which he was recommending. Monimus and Azizus were both names of the same G.o.d, the Deity of Edessa, and [101]Syria. The former is, undoubtedly, a translation of Adad, which signifies ??a?, or [102]unitas: though, as I have before shewn, more properly primus. Azizus is a reduplication of a like term, being compounded with itself; and was of the same purport as Ades, or Ad Ees, from whence the place was named. It was a t.i.tle not unknown in Greece: for Ceres was, of old, called Azazia; by the Ionians, Azesia. Hesychius observes, ???s?a, ? ???t??. Proserpine, also, had this name. In the same author we learn that a?a, aza, signified as????, or sun-burnt: which shews plainly to what the primitive word [103]related.

This word is often found combined with Or; as in Asorus, and Esorus, under which t.i.tles the Deity was wors.h.i.+pped in [104]Syria, [105]Sicily, and Carthage: of the last city he was supposed to have been the founder. It is often compounded with El and Il; and many places were from thence denominated Alesia, Elysa, Eleusa, Halesus, Elysus, Eleusis, by apocope Las, Lasa, Laesa, Lasaia; also, Lissa, Lissus, Lissia. Sometimes we meet with these terms reversed; and, instead of El Ees, they are rendered Ees El: hence we have places named Azilis, Azila, Asyla, contracted Zelis, Zela, Zeleia, Zelitis; also Sele, Sela, Sala, Salis, Sillas, Silis, Soli.

All these places were founded or denominated by people of the Amonian wors.h.i.+p: and we may always, upon inquiry, perceive something very peculiar in their history and situation. They were particularly devoted to the wors.h.i.+p of the Sun; and they were generally situated near hot springs, or else upon foul and fetid lakes, and pools of bitumen. It is, also, not uncommon to find near them mines of salt and nitre; and caverns sending forth pestilential exhalations. The Elysian plain, near the Catacombs in Egypt, stood upon the foul Charonian ca.n.a.l; which was so noisome, that every fetid ditch and cavern was from it called Charonian. Asia Proper comprehended little more than Phrygia, and a part of Lydia; and was bounded by the river Halys. It was of a most inflammable soil; and there were many fiery eruptions about Caroura, and in Hyrcania, which latter was styled by the Greeks ?e?a?e??. Hence, doubtless, the region had the name of [106]Asia, or the land of fire. One of its most antient cities, and most reverenced, was Hierapolis, famous for its hot [107]fountains. Here was also a sacred cavern, styled by [108]Strabo Plutonium, and Charonium; which sent up pestilential effluvia. Photius, in the life of Isidorus, acquaints us, that it was the temple of Apollo at Hierapolis, within whose precincts these deadly vapours arose. [109]?? ?e?ap??e? t?? F????a? ?e??? ??

?p???????, ?p? de t?? ?a?? ?ataas??? ?pe?e?t?, ?a?as???? a?ap??a?

pa?e??e???. He speaks of this cavity as being immediately under the edifice. Four caverns of this sort, and styled Charonian, are mentioned by [110]Strabo in this part of the world. Pliny, speaking of some Charonian hollows in Italy, says, that the exhalations were insupportable.

[111]Spiracula vocant, alii _Charoneas_ scrobes, mortiferum spiritum exhalantes. It may appear wonderful; but the Amonians were determined in the situation both of their cities and temples by these strange phaenomena.

They esteemed no places so sacred as those where there were fiery eruptions, uncommon steams, and sulphureous exhalations. In Armenia, near [112]Comana, and Camisena, was the temple of [113]Anait, or fountain of the Sun. It was a Persic and Babylonish Deity, as well as an Armenian, which was honoured with Puratheia, where the rites of fire were particularly kept up. The city itself was named Zela; and close behind it was a large nitrous lake. In short, from the Amonian terms, Al-As, came the Grecian ????, ??a?, ???; as, from the same terms reversed (As-El), were formed the Latine Sal, Sol, and Salum. Wherever the Amonians found places with these natural or praeternatural properties, they held them sacred, and founded their temples near them. [114]Selenousia, in Ionia, was upon a salt lake, sacred to Artemis. In Epirus was a city called Alesa, Elissa, and Lesa: and hard by were the Alesian plains; similar to the Elysian in Egypt: in these was produced a great quant.i.ty of fossil [115]salt. There was an Alesia in Arcadia, and a mountain Alesium with a temple upon it. Here an antient personage, aeputus, was said to have been suffocated with salt water: in which history there is an allusion to the etymology of the name. It is true that Pausanias supposes it to have been called Alesia, from Rhea having wandered thither; [116]d?a t?? a???, ?? fas?, ?a???e??? t?? ?ea?: but it was not a??, but ??a?, and ????, sal; and the Deity, to whom that body was sacred, from whence the place was named. And this is certain from another tradition, which there prevailed: for it is said that in antient times there was an eruption of sea water in the temple: [117]Ta?a.s.s?? de a?afa??es?a? ??a e? t? ?e?? t??t? ????? est?? a??a???. Nor was this appellation confined to one particular sort of fountain, or water: but all waters, that had any uncommon property, were in like manner sacred to Elees, or Eesel. It was an antient t.i.tle of Mithras and Osiris in the east, the same as [118]Sol, the Sun. From hence the priests of the Sun were called Soli and Solimi in Cilicia, Selli in Epirus, Salii at Rome, all originally priests of fire. As such they are described by Virgil:

Tum Salii ad cantus incensa altaria circ.u.m.

In like manner the Silaceni of the Babylonians were wors.h.i.+ppers of the same Deity, and given to the rites of fire, which accompanied the wors.h.i.+p of the Sun.

The chief city of Silacena was Sile or Sele, where were eruptions of fire.

Sele is the place or city of the Sun. Whenever therefore Sal, or Sel, or the same reversed, occur in the composition of any place's name, we may be pretty certain that the place is remarkable either for its rites or situation, and attended with some of the circ.u.mstances [119]above-mentioned. Many instances may be produced of those denominated from the quality of their waters. In the river [120]Silarus of Italy every thing became petrified. The river [121]Silias in India would suffer nothing to swim. The waters of the [122]Sala.s.si in the Alps were of great use in refining gold. The fountain at [123]Selinus in Sicily was of a bitter saline taste. Of the salt lake near [124]Selinousia in Ionia I have spoken.

The fountain Siloe at Jerusalem was in some degree [125]salt. Ovid mentions Sulmo, where he was born, as noted for its [126]cool waters: for cold streams were equally sacred to the Sun as those, which were of a contrary nature. The fine waters at aenon, where John baptized, were called [127]Salim. The river Ales near Colophon ran through the grove of Apollo, and was esteemed the coldest stream in Ionia. [128]???? p?ta?? ?????tat??

t?? e? ?????. In the country of the Alazonians was a bitter fountain, which ran into the [129]Hypanis. These terms were sometimes combined with the name of Ham; and expressed Hameles, and Hamelas; contracted to Meles and Melas. A river of this name watered the region of Pamphylia, and was noted for a most cold and pure [130]water. The Meles near Smyrna was equally admired. [131]S???a??? de p?ta?? ?e???? ?d?? est? ?a???st??, ?a? sp??a???

ep? ta?? p??a??. The Melas in Cappadocia was of a contrary quality. It ran through a hot, inflammable country, and formed many fiery pools. [132]?a?

ta?ta d' est? ta ??? pa?ta??? p?????pta. In Pontus was Amasus, Amasia, Amasene, where the region abounded with hot waters: [133]?pe??e?ta? de t??

t?? ?ase?? ta te ?e?a ?data t?? Fa????e?t??, ???e??a sf?d?a.

It is wonderful, how far the Amonian religion and customs were carried in the first ages. The antient Germans, and Scandinavians, were led by the same principles; and founded their temples in situations of the same nature, as those were, which have been above described. Above all others they chose those places, where were any nitrous, or saline waters.

[134]Maxime autem lucos (or lacus) sale gignendo faecundos Clo propinquare, precesque mortalium nusquam propius audiri firmiter erant persuasi; prout exemplo Hermundurorum docet testis omni exceptione major [135]Tacitus.

SAN, SON, ZAN, ZAAN.

The most common name for the Sun was San, and Son; expressed also Zan, Zon, and Zaan. Zeus of Crete, who was supposed to have been buried in that Island, is said to have had the following inscription on his tomb:

[136]?de e?a? ?e?ta? ?a?, ?? ??a ?????s???s?.

The Ionians expressed it ???, and ???a. Hesychius tells us, that the Sun was called Sa?? by the Babylonians. It is to be observed that the Grecians in foreign words continually omitted the Nu final, and subst.i.tuted a Sigma.

The true Babylonish name for the Sun was undoubtedly Sa??, oftentimes expressed S?a?, Soan. It was the same as Zauan of the Sidonians; under which name they wors.h.i.+pped Adonis, or the Sun. Hesychius says, ?a?a?a?, ?e?? t?? e? S?d???. Who the Deity was, I think may be plainly seen. It is mentioned by the same writer, that the Indian Hercules, by which is always meant the chief Deity, was styled Dorsanes: ???sa??? ? ??a???? pa?' ??d???.

The name Dorsanes is an abridgment of Ador-San, or Ador-Sanes, that is Ador-Sol, _the lord of light_. It was a t.i.tle conferred upon Ham; and also upon others of his family; whom I have before mentioned to have been collectively called the Baalim. a.n.a.logous to this they were likewise called the Zaanim, and Zaananim: and a temple was erected to them by the antient Canaanites, which was from them named [137]Beth-Zaananim. There was also a place called Sanim in the same country, rendered Sonam[138], S??a, by Eusebius; which was undoubtedly named in honour of the same persons: for their posterity looked up to them, as the Heliadae, or descendants of the Sun, and denominated them from that luminary. According to Hesychius it was a t.i.tle, of old not unknown in Greece; where princes and rulers were styled Zanides, ?a??de?, ??e??e?. In [139]Diodorus Siculus mention is made of an antient king of Armenia, called Barsanes; which signifies the offspring of the Sun. We find temples erected to the Deity of the same purport; and styled in the singular Beth-San: by which is meant the temple of the Sun.

Two places occur in Scripture of this name: the one in the tribe of Mana.s.seh: the other in the land of the Philistines. The latter seems to have been a city; and also a temple, where the body of Saul was exposed after his defeat upon mount Gilboa. For it is said, that the Philistines [140]_cut off his head, and stripped off his armour--and they put his armour in the house of Ashtoreth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethsan_. They seem to have sometimes used this term with a reduplication: for we read of a city in Canaan called [141]Sansanah; by which is signified a place sacred to the most ill.u.s.trious...o...b..of day. Some antient statues near mount Cronius in Elis were by the natives called Zanes, as we are told by Pausanias: [142]?a????ta? de ?p? t?? ep??????? ?a?e?. They were supposed to have been the statues of Zeus: but Zan was more properly the Sun; and they were the statues of persons, who were denominated from him. One of these persons, styled Zanes, and Zanim, was Chus: whose posterity sent out large colonies to various parts of the earth. Some of them settled upon the coast of Ausonia, called in later times Italy; where they wors.h.i.+pped their great ancestor under the name of San-Chus. Silius Italicus speaking of the march of some Sabine troops, says,

[143]Pars Sanc.u.m voce canebant Auctorem gentis.

Lactantius takes notice of this Deity. [144]aegyptii Isidem, Mauri Jubam, Macedones Cabirum--Sabini _Sanc.u.m_ colunt. He was not unknown at Rome, where they styled him Zeus Pistius, as we learn from Dionysius of Halicarna.s.sus: [145]?? ?e?? ???? ??st???, ?? ??a??? Sa???? ?a???s?. There are in Gruter inscriptions, wherein he has the t.i.tle of Semon prefixed, and is also styled Sanctus.

[146]SANCTO. SANCO.

SEMONI. DEO. FIDIO.

SACRUM.

Semon (Sem-On) signifies Clestis Sol.

Some of the antients thought that the soul of man was a divine emanation; a portion of light from the Sun. Hence, probably, it was called Zoan from that luminary; for so we find it named in Macrobius. [147]Veteres nullum animal sacrum in finibus suis esse patiebantur; sed abigebant ad fines Deorum, quibus sacrum esset: animas vero sacratorum hominum, quos Graeci ?O???S vocant Diis debitas aestimabant.

DI, DIO, DIS, DUS.

Another common name for the Deity was Dis, Dus, and the like; a.n.a.logous to Deus, and Theos of other nations. The Sun was called Arez in the east, and compounded Dis-arez, and Dus-arez; which signifies Deus Sol. The name is mentioned by Tertullian[148]. Unicuique etiam provinciae et civitati suus Deus est, ut Syriae Astarte, Arabiae Dysares. Hesychius supposes the Deity to have been the same as Dionusus. ???sa??? t?? ?????s?? ?aata??? (?a???s??), ?? ?s?d????. There was a high mountain, or promontory, in [149]Arabia, denominated from this Deity: a.n.a.logous to which there was one in Thrace, which had its name [150]from Dusorus, or the G.o.d of light, Orus. I took notice, that Hercules, or the chief Deity among the Indians, was called Dorsanes: he had also the name of Sandis, and Sandes; which signifies Sol Deus. [151]????? e? t?? ??a t????, Sa?d?? te t?? ??a??ea, ?a? ??a?t?da t??

?f??d?t??, ?a? a???? a????? e?a????. Agathias of the people in the east.

Probably the Deity Bendis, whose rites were so celebrated in Phrygia and Thrace, was a compound of Ben-Dis, the offspring of G.o.d. The natives of this country represented Bendis as a female; and supposed her to be the same as [152]Selene, or the moon. The same Deity was often masculine and feminine: what was Dea Luna in one country, was Deus Lunus in another.

KUR, ?Y??S, CURA.

The Sun was likewise named Kur, Cur, ?????. [153]????? ?a? ?a?e?? ?e?sa?

t?? ?????. Many places were sacred to this Deity, and called Cura, Curia, Curopolis, Curene, Cureschata, Curesta, Curestica regio. Many rivers in Persis, Media, Iberia, were denominated in the same manner. The term is sometimes expressed Corus: hence Corusia in Scythia. Of this term I shall say more hereafter.

COHEN, or CAHEN.

Cohen, which seems, among the Egyptians and other Amonians, to have been p.r.o.nounced Cahen, and Chan, signified a Priest; also a Lord or Prince. In early times the office of a Prince and of a Priest were comprehended under one character.

[154]Rex Anius, Rex idem hominum, Phbique Sacerdos.

This continued a great while in some parts of the [155]world; especially in Asia Minor, where, even in the time of the Romans, the chief priest was the prince of the [156]province. The term was sometimes used with a greater lat.i.tude; and denoted any thing n.o.ble and divine. Hence we find it prefixed to the names both of Deities and men; and of places denominated from them.

It is often compounded with Athoth, as Canethoth; and we meet with Can-Osiris, Can-ophis, Can-ebron, and the like. It was sometimes expressed Kun, and among the Athenians was the t.i.tle of the antient priests of Apollo; whose posterity were styled ?????da?, Cunnidae, according to Hesychius. ?????da?, ?e??? e? ?????s??, e? ?? ?e?e?? t?? ??????? ?p???????.

We find from hence, that Apollo was styled ???????, Cunnius. ???????, ?p??????? ep??et??. Hence came ???e??, p??s???e??, p??s????s??, well known terms of adoration. It was also expressed Con, as we may infer from the t.i.tle of the Egyptian Hercules.[157] ??? ??a???? f?s? ?ata t?? ????pt???

d?a?e?t?? ?O?? ?e?es?a?. It seems also to have been a t.i.tle of the true G.o.d, who by [158]Moses is styled Konah, ???.

We find this term oftentimes subjoined. The Chaldeans, who were particularly possessed of the land of Ur, and were wors.h.i.+ppers of fire, had the name of Urchani. Strabo limits this t.i.tle to one branch of the Chaldeans, who were literati, and observers of the heavens; and even of these to one sect only. ?st? de ?a? t?? ?a?da??? t?? ?st???????? ?e??

p?e??? ?a? ?a? [159]??????? t??e? p??sa???e???ta?. But [160]Ptolemy speaks of them more truly as a nation; as does Pliny likewise. He mentions their stopping the course of the Euphrates, and diverting the stream into the channel of the Tigris. [161]Euphratem praeclusere Orcheni, &c. nec nisi Pasitigri defertur in mare. There seem to have been particular colleges appropriated to the astronomers and priests in Chaldea, which were called Conah; as we may infer from [162]Ezra. He applies it to societies of his own priests and people; but it was a term borrowed from Chaldea.

The t.i.tle of Urchan among the Gentile nations was appropriated to the G.o.d of fire, and his [163]priests; but was a.s.sumed by other persons. Some of the priests and princes among the Jews, after the return from captivity, took the name of Hyrca.n.u.s. Orchan, and Orchanes among the Persic and Tartar nations is very common at this [164]day; among whom the word Chan is ever current for a prince or king. Hence we read of Mangu Chan, Cublai Chan, Cingis Chan. Among some of these nations it is expressed Kon, Kong, and King. Monsieur de Lisle, speaking of the Chinese, says, [165]Les noms de King Che, ou Kong-Sse, signifient Cour de Prince en Chine. Can, ou Chan en langue Tartare signifie Roi, ou Empereur.

PETAH.

Of this Amonian term of honour I have taken notice in a treatise before. I have shewn, that it was to be found in many Egyptian [166]names, such as Petiphra, Petiphera, Petisonius, Petosiris, Petarbemis, Petubastus the Tanite, and Petesuccus, builder of the Labyrinth. Petes, called Peteos in Homer, the father of Mnestheus, the Athenian, is of the same original: [167]??? ?a? ?et??, t?? pate?a ?e?es?e??, t?? st?ate?sa?t?? e?? ????a?.

fa?e??? ????pt??? ?pa??a?ta ?t?. All the great officers of the Babylonians and Persians took their names from some sacred t.i.tle of the Sun. Herodotus mentions [168]Petazithes Magus, and [169]Patiramphes: the latter was charioteer to Xerxes in his expedition to Greece: but he was denominated from another office; for he was brother to Smerdis, and a Magus; which was a priest of the Sun. The term is sometimes subjoined, as in Atropatia, a province in [170]Media; which was so named, as we learn from Strabo, [171]ap? t?? ?t??pat?? ??e????. In the accounts of the Amazons likewise this word occurs. They are said to have been called Aorpata, or, according to the common reading in Herodotus, Oiorpata; which writer places them upon the Cimmerian Bosporus. [172]?a? de ?a???a? ?a?e??s? S???a? ????pata?

d??ata? de t? ????a t??t? ?at' ???ada ???ssa? a?d???t???? ???? ?a?

?a?e??s? t?? a?d?a, t? de pata ?te??e??. This etymology is founded upon a notion that the Amazons were a community of women, who killed every man, with whom they had any commerce, and yet subsisted as a people for ages. I shall hereafter speak of the nations under this t.i.tle; for there were more than one: but all of one family; all colonies from Egypt. The t.i.tle above was given them from their wors.h.i.+p: for Oiorpata, or, as some MSS. have it, Aor-pata, is the same as [173]Petah Or, the priest of Orus; or, in a more lax sense, the votaries of that G.o.d. They were ??d???t????; for they sacrificed all strangers, whom fortune brought upon their coast: so that the whole Euxine sea, upon which they lived, was rendered infamous from their cruelty: but they did not take their name from this circ.u.mstance.

One of the Egyptian Deities was named Neith, and Neit; and a.n.a.logous to the above her priests were styled [174]Pataneit. They were also named Sonchin, which signifies a priest of the Sun: for Son, San, Zan, are of the same signification; and Son-Chin is ?a??? ?e?e??. Proclus says, that it was the t.i.tle of the priests; and particularly of him, who presided in the college of Neith at Sas.

BEL and BAAL.

Bel, Bal, or Baal, is a Babylonish t.i.tle, appropriated to the Sun; and made use of by the Amonians in other countries; particularly in Syria and Canaan. It signified ??????, or Lord, and is often compounded with other terms; as in Bel-Adon, Belorus, Bal-hamon, Belochus, Bel-on; (from which last came Bellona of the Romans) and also Baal-shamaim, the great Lord of the Heavens. This was a t.i.tle given by the Syrians to the Sun: [175]???

????? ?ee?sa?? ?a???s??, ? est? pa?a F?????? ?????? ???a???, ?e?? de pa?'

????s?. We may, from hence, decypher the name of the Sun, as mentioned before by Damascius, who styles that Deity Bolathes: [176]F?????e? ?a?

S???? t?? ?????? ??, ?a? ???, ?a? ???a??? ep???a???s?. What he terms Bolathes is a compound of Bal-Ath, or Bal-Athis; the same as Atis, and Atish of Lydia, Persis, and other countries. Philo Biblius interprets it Zeus: Damascius supposed it to mean Cronus; as did likewise Theophilus: [177]????? e? se??ta? t?? ??????, ?a? t??t?? a?t?? ???a???s? ???, ?a?

?a?, a??sta ?? ??????te? ta a?at????a ???ata. This diversity amounts to little: for I shall hereafter shew, that all the Grecian names of Deities, however appropriated, were originally t.i.tles of one G.o.d, and related to the Sun.

KEREN.

Keren signifies, in its original sense, _a horn_: but was always esteemed an emblem of power; and made use of as a t.i.tle of sovereignty and puissance. Hence, it is common with the sacred writers to say [178]_My horn shalt thou exalt--[179]his horn shall be exalted with honour--[180]the horn of Moab is cut off:_ and the Evangelist[181] speaks of Christ as _a horn of salvation_ to the world. The Greeks often changed the nu final into sigma: hence, from keren they formed ?e?a?, ?e?at??: and from thence they deduced the words ??at??, ??ate???: also ????a???, ??e??, and ?a?????; all relating to strength and eminence. Gerenius, Ge??????, applied to Nestor, is an Amonian term, and signifies a princely and venerable person. The Egyptian Crane, for its great services, was held in high honour, being sacred to the G.o.d of light, Abis (?? ??) or, as the Greeks expressed it, Ibis; from whence the name was given. It was also called Keren and Kerenus: by the Greeks Ge?a???, the n.o.ble bird, being most honoured of any. It was a t.i.tle of the Sun himself: for Apollo was named Craneus, and [182]Carneus; which was no other than Cereneus, the supreme Deity, the Lord of light: and his festival styled Carnea, ?a??e?a, was an abbreviation of ?e?e?e?a, Cerenea.

The priest of Cybele in Phrygia was styled Carnas; which was a t.i.tle of the Deity, whom he served; and of the same purport as Carneus above.

OPH.