38. BRYANT's Ancient Mythology, [Vol. II. See p.317-319.] THE fubjects difcuffed in this volume

are, "Temple Rites in the firt ages.' [Our author here undertakes to prove, that Proteus of Egypt, whom Menelaus confulted, was a light-house, or fire-tower; that Minos was a deity, the Menes of Egypt; that Scylla was a temple, built on a rock, where ftrangers were facrificed, and that the dogs were her priests; that the Sirens, like the Lamii, were Cuthite and Canaanitish priests, who had built temples, in which women officiated and fung hymus; that the den of Cacus was the cavern, or temple, of Chus, &c.] "Meed, or MHTIE [Divine Wisdom], and the goddeis Hippa." [This goddefs is faid to have been the person who received and fostered Dionufus, when he came from the thigh of his father; the titles Hippa and Hippos related to the luminary Ofitis, who was the fame as Dionulus; and the horfes of Diomedes, who fed upon the flesh of frangers, were his priests.] ". Rites of Damater, or Ceres." Ceres was the deity of fire, and hence was made the wife of Vulcan. Her towers were called from the fires preAguTanna, ferved there, which the Greeks mifinterpreted Toge Taps, a granary of corn; the Furies were originally her priests, or priests of fire, and the Harpies priefts of the fun, having birds for their enfigns. "Campe and Campi," another name for thefe Amonian temples. "Ancient Heroes." "Ofris," fhewn to be a title often conferred on Noah, and alfo on others: "Perfeus," a title of the Deity, the fun, and his true name Perez: "My rina," the firt Amazon, a Gentile Divinity: "Hercules," a title given to the chief Deity of the Gentiles; and his labouts the work of a people called Herculeans: "Dionulus," the fame as Ofis, or Noah: “ Setoftris," and his conquefts, all ideal: Ninus and Semiramis," the Ninevites, and a peopie called Samarin : "Zoroafter,"

the first deified mortal, and alfo Chus, the first born of Ham: "Orpheus," a people named Orpheans, the fame as the Cadmians: Cadmus," an ideal perion, and one of the names of Ofitis, Hermes, and Thoth; his fifter Europa, and his wife Harmonia, of the fume nature; and what has been faid of the conquefts, travels, &c. of all thefe perfons, relates to colonies. "The Deluge, and the memorials

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thereof in the Gentile world:" Argo was the ark or hip of Ofiris, the sign Aquarius the deluge, Niobe was Noah, the hiftories of Danae, who conceived her fon Perfeus in thowers, expofed in an ark, of Danaus, who built the first hip, and his daughters, fifty priesteffes, who bore the facred veffel on festivals, all relate to the fame event; and many other traces of it are here fpecified, from the facred rites of Egypt and Greece. "Some particular titles and perfonages; Janus, Saturnus, Phoroneus, Poseidon, Nereus, Proteus, Prometheus," all the fame as Noah, the father of mankind. "Noah, Noas, Nus, Nous, Nufus," all different titles of that patriarch. "Jonah, "", Chaldæorum: A continuation of the Gentile Hiftory of the Deluge." "Jonah," the ancient and true name of the dove, means alfo an oracular perfon. Dagon denotes the god On, in the femblance of 17, Dag, a fish, and was worshipped under that form. Semiramis, a divine emblem, under the figure of a dove, or pigeon, meaning probably the dove fent out by Noah. The fab'e of Semele alfo has a manifelt reference to Noah and the deluge, and to the ftate of death in the atk. From the dove hovering over the face of the deep, Dione, or Venus, is faid to have rifen from the fea. The fymbol of an egg, with a dove over it, was doubtlefs an emblem of the aik. The fable of the mundane egg, and of Typhon, is probably of the fame original and import. Typhon, it is faid, made an ark of curious workmanship, into which Ofiris entered, and was shut up. The like mythology and hieroglyphics prevail at this day in China and Japan. All the mysteries of the Gentile world feem to have been memorials of the deluge, and of the events which immediately fucceeded; thofe in Egypt celebrated by night, in commemoration of the ftate of darkness, in which the patriarch and his family had been involved, beginning with a defcription of chaos (the great abyss), and confeffedly bewailing a perfon loft. The like cuftoms prevailed in Syria and Canaan. Laftly, Plutarch, in his defcription of Ofiris going into the aik, fixes it on the precife month and day of the month, on which Noah entered the ark, and the floods came. It was, he fays, on the 17th day of Athyr, the second month, after the autumnal equinox, when the fun paffes through Scorpio,-In the booth year of

Noah's

366 Noab's life, fays Mofes, in the 2d month, the 17th day of the month, entered Noah into the ark. Scorpio, therefore, is continually commemorated by the Egyptians, in the diluvian hieroglyphics.

Da, a Chaldaic particle," equivalent to De, Die, and The, of the Saxon, Teutonic, and other languages. By the priests in Egypt, Ryled Decani, were meant the Caben, or priests. Da mater, the mother, related to the ark, the parent of all mankind. The river Danube was properly the river of Noah, and fuch Herodotus and Valerius Flaccus plainly call it. Diana was probably the fame as Dione. "Of Juno, Iri, Eros, Thamuz.” Juno being the fame as Jonah, the Iris was her concomitant. This was no other than the rainbow, the fign made by God in the heavens, as a token of his covenant with man. To this, as a fign, Homer plainly alludes, I. L.

ver. 27.

Like to the bow, which Jove, amid the clouds,

Plac'd as a token to defponding man.

And, again, P. ver. 547,

Just as when Jove, 'mid the high heavens, difplays

Ilis bow mysterious, for a lafling fign. As the peacock difplays, in his plumes, all the colours of the Iris, it was probably, for that reafon, made the bird of Juno, instead of the dove, which was appropriated to Venus. The Egyptians ftyled the rainbow Thamuz, or wonder, the Greeks Thaumaz. What they called Iris, the Egyptians filed Eiras, which was a favourite name among them. The attendants on Cleopatra were Eiras and Charmion, or the Rainbow and Dove. From Ei. was, the Greeks formed Eros, a god of love, and made him the fon of Venus, giving him, as the bow was his fymbol, a material bow, with the addition of a quiver and arrows. To the cowenant with Noah, Hefiod alludes, (Theog ver. 780.) calling it "the great oath," and adding, that "this oath was Iris, or the bow in the heavens, to which the deity appealed! when any of the inferior divinities were guilty of an untruth. On fuch an occafion Iris, the great oath of the gods, was appointed to fetch water from the extremities of the ocean; with which those were tried who had falfified their word." Eros and Iris feem to have been the fame. "Baris or Barit, the Barth 72, of the SS:

Beroe of Nonnus, L. xli." Baris, the facred fhip of Egypt, was another name for the ark, and fignified properly a covenant. Nonnus fpeaks of Beroe (the ark) as coeval with the world, first mentioning her as a nymph, and afterwards in terms which are applicable only to the ark. Of this alfo the hieroglyphical egg of Leda was a symbol. Nonnus plainly figures the patriarch under the type of Time growing young again. The delivery of Beroe was the opening of the ark. The dove is alfo mentioned in this hiftory of Beroe. Nonnus was a native of Panopolis in Egypt, and his Dionufiaca are a rhaplody compofed from hieroglyphical deferiptions, and from ancient hymns of that country. "Various Types." Seira [or the hive of Venus], Cupfelis [a word of the fame purport), Melitta, or Meliffa [the deity of the ark], Rhe, Rimmon, Seide [all names for the pomegranate, an emblem of the ark], Macon [the poppy, another emblem of it, and it fignified alfo water, or the fea]. Pluche, which is no other than the Aurelia, or butterfly, the most pleafing Egyptian emblem, reprefenting the foul of man, and its immortality. This being owing to divine love, Eros is always her concomitant. From this union the ancients dated the inftitution of marriage. The Hippopotamus [tiver-horfe] and crocodile, both reverenced by the Egyptians, were alfo fymbols of the deluge. "Of the Scyphus," or facred cups in the form of boats, ufed at feftivals, and on folemn occafions, in allufion, no doubt, to the fame event, which may be inferred from their invoking Zeus, the faviour and deliverer. See two fragments of Antiphanes, and Alexis the comedian, The latter ftyles him not only the faviour, but the great difpenfer of rains, του και των ομβρων αρχηγον. Thefe cups were often referied to Hercules, and ufed as grace cups. This was the cup (or ark) in which he paffed the feas, and the fame hiftory is given to Helius. "Ios, or the horse of Poseidon," or Neptune, was an emblem of the like purport, having a manifeft relation to the Ceto, or large fifh, and the Scyphus. The fable of the horse produced by Neptune, in his conteft with Minerva, was a mistaken emblem, or mifprition of terms. The goddefs Hippa, reprefented as a feminine, is the fame as Hippos, and relates to the fame hiftory. The story

of

of Pegafus is probably of the fame purport. Palæphatus, a judicious writer, fuppofes it to have been nothing but a fhip. Arion, who was fuppofed to have been faved by a cetus or dolphin, feems to have been the fith itfelf. "Of the facred conteft" (abovementioned) between Minerva and Neptune, emblematical of the deluge. In one place, Minerva was reprefented with the olive-tree, and Neptune preparing to raise the waves of the deep. In another, was a statue of the Earth in a fupplicating polture, "requesting," as Paufanias imagines,

that Jupiter would fend her rain;" but, as Mr. Bryant conjectures, that he would avert it. "Additional types." Noah, after the deluge, being a huf bandman, Taurus, or the ox, so useful in husbandry, was made an emblem of him, was engraved as a fymbol, and in many places held facred and reverenced as a deity, while living. That the Apis and Mneuis both reprefented an ancient perfonage, is certain. The fame perfon was repreferted under the emblem of the Men-taur, or Mino-taurus. The Egyptians imagined, that the ark had a refemblance to the new moon; and, there is reafon, to think, made ufe of fome art to imprefs the figure of a crefcent on the fides of their favourite animals. The ark alfo was defcribed as a crefcent, and styled a heifer. In an ancient entablature carved in a rock, in the Campus Magorum, are Mithras Bovinus, with the head and horns of a bull, the seleftial bow, and over all the child Eros, winged, and fitting on the bow: also a perion afcending fome Ateps to adore the facred phenomenon. This remarkable piece of fculpture is here engraved. The bull of Perillus. was probably conftructed on a religious account; and defigned for the renovation of fome cruel rites, which were prevented by a prince of the country. Diana, diftinguished by a crefcent, was an emblem of the Arkite hiftory, and in confequence was fuppofed to prefide over waters.

The

ark was fometimes called Centaurus. Hence the Venetian principal galley is ftyled the Bucentaur. "Of Man, Maon, Liban, Labar, Lubar," all emblems of the ark. Hence the name of Mount Libanus. The ram, like the bull, was an emblem of the patriarch, the great husbandman, and hepherd, and is found on the coins of many Extern cities. But the most

367

"

frequent on coins is the lanette or moon. The images therefore which Laban worshipped were probably lunar amulets, or types of the ark in the form of a crefcent. Laven, Laris," ancient terms by which the ark was reprefented. Lar and Laren, whence came Laris and Lariffa, had a reference to the fea, there being a fea bird caited Lar and Larus, which, as it outlives the work of forms, might perhaps, on that account, be made an emblein of the ark. To this bird Homer compares Hermes, Odyff. E. ver. 51. The Lares and Manes were the fame perfonages under different names. From Man, Manus, Mania, came the Manes; as from Laren and Laris were derived the Lares. By these terms are fignified Dii Arkitæ, their Arkite ancestors, preferved in the Laren, or ark. The Lares were the fame as the Penates, who were all properly marine deities, as is evident from this epigram:

Γλαύκω και Νηρεί, και Ίνοι και Μελικέρτα, Και βυθιω Κρονίδα και Σαμοθρηξι Θεοίς. See alfo Livy, I. xl. c. 52. [x. X

"Of the Cabiri, Corybantes, Idæi Dactyli, Curetes, Ignetes, Telchines, and other Arkite priests." Both the deity and priest were comprehended. under the fame title. The Cabiri were represented as dæmons, and in number three. The Corybantes were priests of the fame order. The wild joy, fhouts, dancing, and music, exhibited at their rites feem a memorial of the exit from the ark. Corybas, their father and head, was the fame as Helius. The Curetes were the priests of Helius. The Telchines and Ignetes were the first who fettled at Rhodes. The former were fuppofed to have made their first appearance at the time of the deluge, which Diodorus would confine to Rhodes. The Arkite rites prevailed alfo in Britain, efpecially in Mona, and probably in the Hebrides, particularly in Columba, (between Ilay and Scotland) a name certainly given it from its worship; and what is truly remarkable, it was alfo called löna, a name exactly fynoninious, which it retains to this day..." Of the Aigo, and Argonautic expedition." Of this the main piot (our author obferves) is certainly a fable, and replete with inconfittency and contradiction. Yet it is admitted as an historie cal truth by Herodotus, Diodorus, Strabo, among the ancients; by the

fathers

368

fathers, Clemens, Eufebius, and Syncellus; and by the moderns, Scaliger, Petavius, Usher, Cumberland, Dr. Jackton, and Sir Ifaac Newton. Of the last we all quote Mr. Bryant's words: "It was a great misfortune to the learned world, that this excellent perfon was fo eafily fatisfied with Grecian lore, taking with two little examination whatever was tranfmitted to his hand. Had he looked more carefully into the hiftories to which he appeals, and difcarded what he could not authenticate, fuch were in all other refpects his fuperior parts and penetration, that he would have been as eminent for moral evidence, as he had been for demonftration. This last was his great prerogative, which when he quitted, he became like Samplon fhorn of his strength; he went out like another man. This hiftorv, on which he builds fo much, certainly did not relate to Greece, though adopted by the people of that country." Sir Ifaac's fuppofition of "Chiron, orMufæus, forming a phere for the Argonauts," has been confuted by the late Dr. Rutherforth (fee his Sytem of Natural Philofophy, vol. i. p. 849.) great part of the confteliation Aigo, and even the principal tar in it, being fo near the fouth pole as to be invisible to the Argonauts both in going and returning. The fphere not being the work of Greece, must have been the produce of Egypt. The Zodiac, which Sir Ifaac fuppofed to relate to the Argonautic expedition, was an affemblage of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Aries, which he refers to the golden fleece, was a le prefentation of Amen; Taurus of Apis; Leo of Arez, the fame as Mithras and Ofiris; Virgo with the Spike of corn was Ifis, &c. Fifty perfons, and ten times fifty, could not in any term have performed what the Argonauts are faid to have done in thice or four months-fuch as build

ing temples, founding cities, pafling over vaft continents, and through feas unknown, in an open boat, which they often dragged over mountains, and carried for leagues on their fhoulders. Nothing can be more contradictory than the accounts of Hercules, the fit fetting out of the Argo, and the

a of it, the place where the thip was built, the builder of it, &c. and t ven whether it failed to Colchis or the Ganges is doubtful. How could the tuit hip be pursued by a navy (that of Eet.s) which was prior to it? Al

that is certain, is, that this is the hi-> Itory of a sacred ship, the first which was ever conftructed. Plutarch calls it "a reprefentation of the facred fhip of Ofiris." This Mr. B. has before thewn to be no other than the Ark, called by the Greeks Argus and Arcas. They took the hiftory of the Arkites to themselves, and confequently fuppofed, that wherever any people under the title of Arcades or Arge fettled, their Argo had been. Hence they made it pafs, not only through the moft diftant feas, but over hills, mountains, &c. In short, Jaion was certainly a title of the Arkite God, the fame as Arcas, Argus, Inachus, and Prometheus; and the temples were not built by him, but erected to his honour.

This very imperfect analysis of a work, which does honour both to the erudition and judgment of the writer, may however ferve to convey fome faint idea of the manner in which he has treated this important fubject, and to excite the curiofity of all who have leisure and abilities to peruse the whole. In particular, the Molaic history of the deluge, its univerfality, and the renewal of the world in Noah and his ions, was never, we may venture to affirm, fo well fupported from the concurrent evidence of every age and nation to which accefs could be had, traditions of it being (as is here fhewn) kept up with great reverence in all the rites and ceremonies of the Gentile world. And the farther we go back, the more vivid the traces appear, the reverfe of which would happen, if the whole were originally a fable. Of that one family before mentioned, which over-ran a great part of the earth, and of the occurrences in the firft ages, our author proposes to treat in his fub fequent volumes; especially of the hiftory of the Chaldeans and Egyptians, and to fhew that a perfect correfpondence fubfifts between them and the Mofaic history. Here therefore we must at pres fent difimifs this interefting work, with ing Mr. Bryant that farther fuccefs in his laborious researches, which so much meric, joined with fo much modelty, may july claim, and, without doubt, will receive from the learned of all na tions.