Part 9

He was at times supposed to have been a native of Troas, of Crete, of Thebes, of Arcadia, of Elis: but the whole arose from the word [Greek: taphos] being, through length of time, misunderstood: for there would have been no legend about the birth of Jupiter, had there been no mistake about his funeral. It was a common notion of the Magnesians, that Jupiter was buried in their country upon Mount Sipylus. Pausanias says, that he ascended the mountain, and beheld the tomb, which was well worthy of [412]admiration. The tomb of [413]Isis in like manner was supposed to be at Memphis, and at Philæ in Upper Egypt: also at Nusa in Arabia. Osiris was said to have been buried in the same places: likewise at Taphosiris, which is thought by Procopius to have had its name, [414]because it was the place of sepulture of Osiris. The same is said of another city, which was near the mouth of the Nile, and called Taphosiris parva. But they each of them had their name from the worship, and not from the interment of the Deity. This is plain from the account given of the [Greek: taphos Osiridos], or high altar of Osiris, by Diodorus; from whom we learn that Busiris and Osiris were the same. [415]_The Grecians_, says this author, _have a notion, that Busiris in Egypt used to sacrifice strangers: not that there was ever such a king as Busiris; but the_ [Greek: taphos], _or altar, of Osiris had this name in the language of the natives_. In short, Busiris was only a variation for Osiris: both were compounded of the Egyptian term [416]Sehor, and related to the God of day. Hence the altars of the same Deity were called indifferently the altars of Osiris, or Busiris, according as custom prevailed.

I have in a former chapter taken notice of the Tarchons and Dracontia in Syria, and other parts: which consisted of sacred ground inclosed with a wall, and an altar or two at the upper part. Such an inclosure is described by Pausanias, which must have been of great antiquity: hence the history of it was very imperfectly known in his time. He is speaking of Nemea in Argolis; [417]_near which_, says he, _stands the temple of Nemean Jupiter, a structure truly wonderful, though the roof is now fallen in. Round the temple is a grove of cypress; in which there is a tradition that Opheltes was left by his nurse upon the grass, and in her absence killed by a serpent.--In the same place is the tomb of Opheltes, surrounded with a wall of stone; and within the inclosure altars. There is also a mound of earth said to be the tomb of Lycurgus, the father of Opheltes._ Lycurgus is the same as Lycus, Lycaon, Lycoreus, the Sun: and Opheltes, his supposed offspring, is of the same purport. To say the truth, [418]Opheltes, or, as it should be expressed, Ophel-tin is the place; and Ophel the Deity, Sol Pytho, whose symbol was a serpent. Ophel-tin was a Taphos with a [Greek: temenos], or sacred inclosure: it was a sacred mound to the Ophite Deity; like that which was inclosed and fortified by [419]Manasseh king of Judah; and which had been previously made use of to the same purpose by [420]Jotham. A history similar to that of Opheltes is given of Archemorus; who was said to have been left in a garden by his nurse Hypsipyle, and in her absence slain by a serpent. Each of them had festivals instituted, together with sacred games, in memorial of their misfortune. They are on this account by many supposed to have been the same person. But in reality they were not persons, but places. They are, however, so far alike, as they are terms which relate to the same worship and Deity. Opheltin is the place, and altar of the Ophite God above-mentioned: and Archemorus was undoubtedly the antient name of the neighbouring town, or city. It is a compound of Ar-Chemorus; and signifies the city of Cham-Orus, the same who is styled Ophel. In many of these places there was an antient tradition of some person having been injured by a serpent in the beginning of life; which they have represented as the state of childhood. The mythology upon this occasion is different: for sometimes the personages spoken of are killed by the serpent: at other times they kill it: and there are instances where both histories are told of the same person. But whatever may have been the consequence, the history is generally made to refer to a state of childhood. Hercules has accordingly a conflict with two serpents in his cradle: and Apollo, who was the same as Python, was made to engage a serpent of this name at Parnassus, when he was a child;

[421][Greek: Kouros, eôn, ETI GYMNOS, eti plokamoisi gegêthôs.]

Near mount Cyllene in Arcadia was the sacred Taphos of [422]Æputus, who was supposed to have been stung by a serpent. Æputus was the same as Iapetus, the father of mankind. In the Dionusiaca the priests used to be crowned with serpents; and in their frantic exclamations to cry out [423]Eva, Eva; and sometimes Evan, Evan: all which related to some history of a serpent. Apollo, who is supposed by most to have been victor in his conflict with the Pytho, is by Porphyry said to have been slain by that serpent: Pythagoras affirmed, that he saw his tomb at Tripos in [424]Delphi; and wrote there an epitaph to his honour. The name of Tripos is said to have been given to the place, because the daughters of Triopus used to lament there the fate of Apollo. But Apollo and the Python were the same; and Tripus, or Triopus, the supposed father of these humane sisters, was a variation for Tor-Opus, the serpent-hill, or temple; where neither Apollo, nor the Python were slain, but where they were both worshipped, being one and the same Deity. [425][Greek: Puthoi men oun ho Drakôn ho Puthios thrêskeuetai, kai tou Opheôs hê panêguris katangelletai Puthia.] _At Python_ (the same as Delphi) _the Pythian Dragon is worshipped; and the celebrity of the serpent is styled Pythian_. The daughters of Triopus were the priestesses of the temple; whose business it was to chant hymns in memory of the serpent: and what is very remarkable, the festival was originally observed upon the seventh [426]day.

The Greeks had innumerable monuments of the sort, which I have been describing. They were taken for the tombs of departed heroes, but were really consecrated places: and the names by which they were distinguished, shew plainly their true history. Such was the supposed tomb of [427]Orion at Tanagra, and of Phoroneus in [428]Argolis; the tomb of [429]Deucalion in Athens; and of his wife [430]Pyrrha in Locris: of [431]Endymion in Elis: of Tityus in [432]Panopea: of Asterion in the island [433]Lade: of the Egyptian [434]Belus in Achaia. To these may be added the tombs of Zeus in Mount Sipylus, Mount Iasius, and Ida: the tombs of Osiris in various parts: and those of Isis, which have been enumerated before. Near the Æaceum at Epidaurus was a hill, reputed to have been the tomb of the hero [435]Phocus. This Æaceum was an inclosure planted with olive trees of great antiquity; and at a small degree above the surface of the ground was an altar sacred to Æacus. To divulge the traditions relative to this altar would, it seems, be an high profanation. The author, therefore, keeps them a secret. Just before this sacred septum was the supposed tomb of Phocus, consisting of a mound of raised earth, fenced round with a border of stone work: and a large rough stone was placed upon the top of all. Such were the rude monuments of Greece, which were looked upon as so many receptacles of the dead: but were high altars, with their sacred [Greek: temenê], which had been erected for divine worship in the most early times. The Helladians, and the Persians, were of the same [436]family: hence we find many similar rites subsisting among the two nations. The latter adhered to the purer Zabaïsm, which they maintained a long time. They erected the same sacred Tupha, as the Grecians: and we may be assured of the original purpose, for which these hills were raised, from the use to which they put them. They were dedicated to the great fountain of light, called by the Persians, Anaït: and were set apart as Puratheia, for the celebration of the rites of fire. This people, after they had defeated the Sacæ in Cappadocia, raised an immense Comah in memorial of their victory. [437]Strabo, who describes it very minutely, tells us, that they chose a spot in an open plain; where they reared a Petra, or high place, by heaping up a vast mound of earth. This they fashioned to a conical figure; and then surrounded it with a wall of stone. In this manner they founded a kind of temple in honour of Anaït, Omanus, and Anandrates, the Deities of their country. I have mentioned that the Egyptians had hills of this nature: and from them the custom was transmitted to Greece. Typhon, or more properly Tuphon, [Greek: Tuphôn], who was supposed to have been a giant, was a compound of Tuph-On, as I have before mentioned; and signified a sacred [438]mount of the sun. Those cities in Egypt, which had a high place of this sort, and rites in consequence of it, were styled Typhonian. Upon such as these they sacrificed red haired men, or men with hair of a light colour; in other words strangers. For both the sons of Chus, and the Mizraïm were particularly dark and woolly: so that there could be no surer mark than the hair to distinguish between a native and a foreigner. These sacrifices were offered in the city [439]Idithia, [440]Abaris, [441]Heliopolis, and Taphosiris; which in consequence of these offerings were denominated Typhonian cities. Many writers say, that these rites were performed to Typhon at the [442]tomb of Osiris. Hence he was in later times supposed to have been a person, one of immense size: and he was also esteemed a [443]God. But this arose from the common mistake by which places were substituted for the Deities there worshipped. Typhon was the Tupha, or altar, the supposed tomb of the God: and the offerings were made to the Sun, styled On; the same as Osiris, and Busiris. As there were Typhonian mounts in many parts, he was in consequence of it supposed to have been buried in different places: near mount Caucasus in Colchis; near the river Orontes in Syria; and under lake Serbonis. Typhon, or rather Typhonian worship, was not unknown in the region of [444]Troas, near which were the Scopuli Typhonis. Plutarch mentions that in the Phrygian Theology Typhon was esteemed the grandson of Isaac or Isæac: and says that he was so spoken of [Greek: en tois Phrugiois] [445][Greek: grammasin]. But all terms of relation are to be disregarded. The purport of the history was this. The altar was termed Tuphon Isiac, sive [Greek: Bômos Isiakos], from the sacra Isiaca, which were performed upon it. The same Isaac or Isæac was sometimes rendered Æsacus, and supposed to have been a son of the river Granicus.

[446]Æsacon umbrosâ furtim peperisse sub Idâ Fertur Alexirhoë Granico nata bicorni.

The antient Arcadians were said to have been the offspring of [447]Typhon, and by some the children of Atlas; by which was meant, that they were people of the Typhonian, and Atlantian religion. What they called his tombs were certainly mounds of earth, raised very high, like those which have been mentioned before: only with this difference, that some of these had lofty towers adorned with pinnacles, and battlements. They had also carved upon them various symbols; and particularly serpentine hieroglyphics, in memorial of the God to whom they were sacred. In their upper story was a perpetual fire, which was plainly seen in the night. I have mentioned, that the poets formed their notions about Otus and Ephialtes from towers: and the idea of Orion's stupendous bulk taken from the Pelorian edifice in Sicily. The gigantic stature of Typhon was borrowed from a like object: and his character was formed from the hieroglyphical representations in the temples styled Typhonian. This may be inferred from the allegorical description of Typhoeus, given by Hesiod. Typhon and Typhoeus, were the same personage: and the poet represents him of a mixed form, being partly a man, and partly a monstrous dragon, whose head consisted of an assemblage of smaller serpents.

[448][Greek: Ek de hoi ômôn] [Greek: Ên hekaton kephalai ophios, deinoio Drakontos.]

As there was a perpetual fire kept up in the upper story, he describes it as shining through the apertures in the building.

[449][Greek: Ek de hoi ossôn] [Greek: Thespesiêis kephalêisin hup' ophrusi pur amarusse;] [Greek: Paseôn d' ek kephaleôn pur kaieto derkomenoio.]

But the noblest description of Typhon is given in some very fine poetry by Nonnus. He has taken his ideas from some antient tower situated near the sea upon the summit of an high mountain. It was probably the Typhonian temple of Zeus upon mount Casius, near the famed Serbonian lake. He mentions sad noises heard within, and describes the roaring of the surge below: and says that all the monsters of the sea stabled in the cavities at the foot of the mountain, which was washed by the ocean.

[450][Greek: En ichthuoenti de pontôi] [Greek: Histamenou Tuphônos esô bruoentos enaulou] [Greek: Bentheï tarsa pepêkto, kai êeri mignuto gastêr] [Greek: Thlibomenê nepheessi; Giganteiou de karênou] [Greek: Phrikton aersilophôn aïôn bruchêma leontôn,] [Greek: Pontios eiluoenti leôn ekalupteto kolpôi. ktl.]

We may perceive, that this is a mixed description, wherein, under the character of a gigantic personage, a towering edifice is alluded to; which was situated upon the summit of a mountain, and in the vicinity of the sea.

* * * * *

OB, OUB, PYTHO,

SIVE DE

OPHIOLATRIA.

[Greek: Para panti tôn nomizomenôn par' humin Theôn Ophis sumbolon mega kai mustêrion anagraphetai.] Justin. Martyr. Apolog. l. 1. p. 60.

It may seem extraordinary, that the worship of the serpent should have ever been introduced into the world: and it must appear still more remarkable, that it should almost universally have prevailed. As mankind are said to have been ruined through the influence of this being, we could little expect that it would, of all other objects, have been adopted, as the most sacred and salutary symbol; and rendered the chief object of [451]adoration. Yet so we find it to have been. In most of the antient rites there is some allusion to the [452]serpent. I have taken notice, that in the Orgies of Bacchus, the persons who partook of the ceremony used to carry serpents in their hands, and with horrid screams called upon Eva, Eva. They were often crowned with [453]serpents, and still made the same frantic exclamation. One part of the mysterious rites of Jupiter Sabazius was to let a snake slip down the bosom of the person to be initiated, which was taken out below[454]. These ceremonies, and this symbolic worship, began among the Magi, who were the sons of Chus: and by them they were propagated in various parts. Epiphanius thinks, that the invocation, Eva, Eva, related to the great [455]mother of mankind, who was deceived by the serpent: and Clemens of Alexandria is of the same opinion. He supposes, that by this term was meant [456][Greek: Euan ekeinên, di' hên hê planê parêkolouthêse.] But I should think, that Eva was the same as Eph, Epha, Opha, which the Greeks rendered [Greek: Ophis], Ophis, and by it denoted a serpent. Clemens acknowledges, that the term Eva properly aspirated had such a signification. [457][Greek: To onoma to Euia dasunomenon hermêneuetai Ophis.] Olympias, the mother of [458]Alexander, was very fond of these Orgies, in which the serpent was introduced. Plutarch mentions, that rites of this sort were practised by the Edonian women near mount Hæmus in Thrace; and carried on to a degree of madness. Olympias copied them closely in all their frantic manoeuvres. She used to be followed with many attendants, who had each a thyrsus with [459]serpents twined round it. They had also snakes in their hair, and in the chaplets, which they wore; so that they made a most fearful appearance. Their cries were very shocking: and the whole was attended with a continual repetition of the words, [460]Evoe, Saboe, Hues Attes, Attes Hues, which were titles of the God Dionusus. He was peculiarly named [Greek: Huês]; and his priests were the Hyades, and Hyantes. He was likewise styled Evas. [461][Greek: Euas ho Dionusos.]

In Egypt was a serpent named Thermuthis, which was looked upon as very sacred; and the natives are said to have made use of it as a royal tiara, with which they ornamented the statues of [462]Isis. We learn from Diodorus Siculus, that the kings of Egypt wore high bonnets, which terminated in a round ball: and the whole was surrounded with figures of [463]asps. The priests likewise upon their bonnets had the representation of serpents. The antients had a notion, that when Saturn devoured his own children, his wife Ops deceived him by substituting a large stone in lieu of one of his sons, which stone was called Abadir. But Ops, and Opis, represented here as a feminine, was the serpent Deity, and Abadir is the same personage under a different denomination. [464]Abadir Deus est; et hoc nomine lapis ille, quem Saturnus dicitur devorâsse pro Jove, quem Græci [Greek: baitulon] vocant.--Abdir quoque et Abadir [Greek: baitulos]. Abadir seems to be a variation of Ob-Adur, and signifies the serpent God Orus. One of these stones, which Saturn was supposed to have swallowed instead of a child, stood, according to [465]Pausanias, at Delphi. It was esteemed very sacred, and used to have libations of wine poured upon it daily; and upon festivals was otherwise honoured. The purport of the above history I imagine to have been this. It was for a long time a custom to offer children at the altar of Saturn: but in process of time they removed it, and in its room erected a [Greek: stulos], or stone pillar; before which they made their vows, and offered sacrifices of another nature. This stone, which they thus substituted, was called Ab-Adar, from the Deity represented by it. The term Ab generally signifies a [466]father: but, in this instance, it certainly relates to a serpent, which was indifferently styled Ab, Aub, and [467]Ob. I take Abadon, or, as it is mentioned in the Revelations, Abaddon, to have been the name of the same Ophite God, with whose worship the world had been so long infected. He is termed by the Evangelist [468][Greek: Abaddôn, ton Angelon tês Abussou], the angel of the bottomless pit; that is, the prince of darkness. In another place he is described as the [469]dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan. Hence I think, that the learned Heinsius is very right in the opinion, which he has given upon this passage; when he makes Abaddon the same as the serpent Pytho. Non dubitandum est, quin Pythius Apollo, hoc est spurcus ille spiritus, quem Hebræi Ob, et Abaddon, Hellenistæ ad verbum [Greek: Apolluôna], cæteri [Greek: Apollôna], dixerunt, sub hâc formâ, quâ miseriam humano generi invexit, primo cultus[470].

[Illustration: _Ophis Thermuthis, sive Ob Basiliscus Ægyptiacus cum Sacerdote Supplicante._]

[Illustration: Pl. VII.]

It is said, that, in the ritual of Zoroaster, the great expanse of the heavens, and even nature itself, was described under the symbol of a serpent[471]. The like was mentioned in the Octateuch of Ostanes: and moreover, that in Persis and in other parts of the east they erected temples to the serpent tribe, and held festivals to their honour, esteeming them [472][Greek: Theous tous megistous, kai archêgous tôn holôn], _the supreme of all Gods, and the superintendants of the whole world_. The worship began among the people of Chaldea. They built the city Opis upon the [473]Tigris, and were greatly addicted to divination, and to the worship of the serpent[474]. Inventi sunt ex iis (Chaldeis) augures, et magi, divinatores, et sortilegi, et inquirentes Ob, et Ideoni. From Chaldea the worship passed into Egypt, where the serpent Deity was called Can-oph, Can-eph, and C'neph. It had also the name of Ob, or Oub, and was the same as the Basiliscus, or Royal Serpent; the same also as the Thermuthis: and in like manner was made use of by way of ornament to the statues of their [475]Gods. The chief Deity of Egypt is said to have been Vulcan, who was also styled Opas, as we learn from [476]Cicero. He was the same as Osiris, the Sun; and hence was often called Ob-El, sive Pytho Sol: and there were pillars sacred to him with curious hieroglyphical inscriptions, which had the same name. They were very lofty, and narrow in comparison of their length; hence among the Greeks, who copied from the Egyptians, every thing gradually tapering to a point was styled Obelos, and Obeliscus. Ophel (Oph-El) was a name of the same purport: and I have shewn, that many sacred mounds, or Tapha, were thus denominated from the serpent Deity, to whom they were sacred.

Sanchoniathon makes mention of an history, which he once wrote upon the worship of the serpent. The title of this work, according to Eusebius was, [477]Ethothion, or Ethothia. Another treatise upon the same subject was written by Pherecydes Syrus, which was probably a copy of the former; for he is said to have composed it, [478][Greek: para Phoinikôn labôn tas aphormas], _from some previous accounts of the Phenicians_. The title of his book was the Theology of Ophion, styled Ophioneus; and of his worshippers, called Ophionidæ. Thoth, and Athoth, were certainly titles of the Deity in the Gentile world: and the book of Sanchoniathon might very possibly have been from hence named Ethothion, or more truly Athothion. But from the subject, upon which it was written, as well as from the treatise of Pherecydes, I should think, that Athothion, or Ethothion, was a mistake for Ath-ophion, a title which more immediately related to that worship, of which the writer treated. _Ath_ was a sacred title, as I have shewn: and I imagine, that this dissertation did not barely relate to the serpentine Deity; but contained accounts of his votaries, the Ophitæ, the principal of which were the sons of Chus. The worship of the Serpent began among them; and they were from thence denominated Ethopians, and Aithopians, which the Greeks rendered [Greek: Aithiopes]. It was a name, which they did not receive from their complexion, as has been commonly surmised; for the branch of Phut, and the Lubim, were probably of a deeper die: but they were so called from Ath-Ope, and Ath-Opis, the God which they worshipped. This may be proved from Pliny. He says that the country Æthiopia (and consequently the people) had the name of Æthiop from a personage who was a Deity--ab [479]Æthiope Vulcani filio. The Æthiopes brought these rites into Greece: and called the island, where they first established them, [480]Ellopia, Solis Serpentis insula. It was the same as Euboea, a name of the like purport; in which island was a region named Æthiopium. Euboea is properly Oub-Aia; and signifies the Serpent Island. The same worship prevailed among the Hyperboreans, as we may judge from the names of the sacred women, who used to come annually to Delos. They were priestesses of the Tauric Goddess, and were denominated from her titles.

[481][Greek: Oupis te, Loxô te, kai Euaiôn Hekaergê.]