A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology Volume Ii Part 5

[273]O???? t??pat?? ap? ?te??? a????e ?a???.

These towers, near the sea, were made use of to form a judgment of the weather, and to observe the heavens: and those which belonged to cities were generally in the Acropolis, or higher part of the place. This, by the Amonians, was named Bosrah; and the citadel of Carthage, as well as of other cities, is known to have been so denominated. But the Greeks, by an unavoidable fatality, rendered it uniformly [274]??sa, bursa, a skin: and when some of them succeeded to Zancle [275]in Sicily, finding that Orion had some reference to Ouran, or Oura.n.u.s, and from the name of the temple (t??pat??) judging that he must have had three fathers, they immediately went to work, in order to reconcile these different ideas. They accordingly changed Ouran to ???e??; and, thinking the misconstrued hide, ??sa, no improper utensil for their purpose, they made these three fathers co-operate in a most wonderful manner for the production of this imaginary person; inventing the most slovenly legend that ever was devised.

[276]??e?? (?e??) t?? sfa?e?t?? ??? ??s? e?????sa?, ?a? e? a?t?? O????

e?e?et?. Tres Dei in bovis mactati pelle minxerunt, et inde natus est Orion.

t.i.t AND t.i.tH.

When towers were situated upon eminences fashioned very round, they were by the Amonians called t.i.th; which answers to ?? in Hebrew, and to [277]t?t??, and t?t???, in Greek. They were so denominated from their resemblance to a woman's breast; and were particularly sacred to Orus and Osiris, the Deities of light, who by the Grecians were represented under the t.i.tle of Apollo. Hence the summit of Parna.s.sus was [278]named t.i.th.o.r.ea, from t.i.th-Or: and hard by was a city, mentioned by Pausanias, of the same name; which was alike sacred to Orus and Apollo. The same author takes notice of a hill, near Epidaurus, called [279]??t?e??? ???? ?p???????. There was a summit of the like nature at Samos, which, is by Callimachus styled _the breast of Parthenia_: [280]??a????? ?dat? ast?? ?a??e????. Mounds of this nature are often, by Pausanias and Strabo, termed, from their resemblance, [281]ast?e?de??. t.i.thonus, whose longevity is so much celebrated, was nothing more than one of these structures, a Pharos, sacred to the sun, as the name plainly shews. t.i.th-On is ast?? ?????, _the mount of the [282]Sun_. As he supplied the place of that luminary, he is said to have been beloved by Aurora, and through her favour to have lived many ages.

This, indeed, is the reverse of that which is fabled of the [283]Cyclopes, whose history equally relates to edifices. They are said to have raised the jealousy of Apollo, and to have been slain by his arrows: yet it will be found at bottom of the same purport. The Cyclopian turrets upon the Sicilian sh.o.r.e fronted due east: and their lights must necessarily have been extinguished by the rays of the rising Sun. This, I imagine, is the meaning of Apollo's slaying the Cyclopes with his arrows. Tethys, the antient G.o.ddess of the sea, was nothing else but an old tower upon a mount; of the same shape, and erected for the same purposes, as those above. On this account it was called t.i.th-Is, ast?? p????. Thetis seems to have been a transposition of the same name, and was probably a Pharos, or Fire-tower, near the sea.

These mounts, ??f?? ast?e?de??, were not only in Greece; but in Egypt, Syria, and most parts of the world. They were generally formed by art; being composed of earth, raised very high; which was sloped gradually, and with great exactness: and the top of all was crowned with a fair tower. The situation of these buildings made them be looked upon as places of great safety: and the reverence in which they were held added to the security. On these accounts they were the repositories of much wealth and treasure: in times of peril they were crowded with things of value. In a.s.syria was a temple named Azara; which the Parthian plundered, and is said to have carried off ten thousand talents: [284]?a? ??e pa?a?t?? ????? ?a?a?. The same author mentions two towers of this sort in Judea, not far from Jericho, belonging to Aristobulus and Alexander, and styled [285]Ga??f??a??a t?? ???a????: which were taken by Pompeius Magnus in his war with the Jews. There were often two of these mounds of equal height in the same inclosure; such as are described by Josephus at Machaerus, near some warm fountains. He mentions here a cavern and a rock; [286]sp??a???--t? pet?? p??????s? s?ep?e???? ta?t?? a???e? ?sa?e? ast??

d?? a?e???s??, a?????? ????? d?est?te?: _and above it two round hills like b.r.e.a.s.t.s, at no great distance from each other_. To such as these Solomon alludes, when he makes his beloved say, [287]_I am a wall, and my b.r.e.a.s.t.s like towers_. Though the word ????, Chumah, or Comah, be generally rendered a wall; yet I should think that in this place it signified the ground which the wall surrounded: an inclosure sacred to Cham, the Sun, who was particularly worshipped in such places. The Mizram called these hills Typhon, and the cities where they were erected, Typhonian. But as they stood within inclosures sacred to Chom, they were also styled Choma. This, I imagine, was the meaning of the term in this place, and in some others; where the text alludes to a different nation, and to a foreign mode of worship. In these temples the Sun was princ.i.p.ally adored, and the rites of fire celebrated: and this seems to have been the reason why the judgment denounced against them is uniformly, that they shall be destroyed by fire.

If we suppose Comah to mean a mere wall, I do not see why fire should be so particularly destined against a part, which is the least combustible. The Deity says, [288]_I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus. [289]I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza. [290]I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus. [291]I will kindle a [292]fire in the wall of Rabbah_. As the crime which brought down this curse was idolatry, and the term used in all these instances is Chomah; I should think that it related to a temple of Chom, and his high places, called by the Greeks ??f?? ast?e?de??: and to these the spouse of Solomon certainly alludes, when she Says, e?? te????, ?a? ??

ast?? ?? ?? p?????. This will appear from another pa.s.sage in Solomon, where he makes his beloved say, [293]_We have a little sister, and she hath no b.r.e.a.s.t.s. If she be a Comah, we will build upon her a palace of silver._ A palace cannot be supposed to be built upon a wall; though it may be inclosed with one. The place for building was a Comah, or eminence. It is said of Jotham, king of Judah, that [294]_on the wall of Ophel he built much_. Ophel is literally Pytho Sol, the Ophite Deity of Egypt and Canaan.

What is here termed a wall, was a Comah, or high place, which had been of old erected to the sun by the Jebusites. This Jotham fortified, and turned it to advantage; whereas before it was not used, or used for a bad purpose.

The ground set apart for such use was generally oval; and towards one extremity of the long diameter, as it were in the focus, were these mounds and towers erected. As they were generally royal edifices, and at the same time held sacred; they were termed Tarchon, like Tarchonium in Hetruria: which by a corruption was in later times rendered Trachon, ??a???. There were two hills of this denomination near Damascus; from whence undoubtedly the Regio Trachonitis received its name: [295]?pe??e??ta? de a?t??

(?aas???) d?? ?e??e??? ??a???e?. These were hills with towers, and must have been very fair to see to. Solomon takes notice of a hill of this sort upon [296]_Lebanon, looking toward Damascus_; which he speaks of as a beautiful structure. The term Trachon seems to have been still farther sophisticated by the Greeks, and expressed ??a???, Dracon: from whence in, great measure arose the notion of treasures being guarded by [297]Dragons.

We read of the gardens of the Hesperides being under the protection of a sleepless serpent: and the golden fleece at Colchis was entrusted to such another guardian; of which there is a fine description in Apollonius.

[298]??????? e?s??es?e ??tae?? ???ta?, ??s?? te s???e? ??e??, t??? ??a? ep' a????

?eptae??? f????? ??a???, te?a? a???? ?des?a?, ?f?? ?p?pte?e? ded???e???? ??de ?? ?a?, ?? ??efa? ?d??? ?p??? a?a?dea da?ata? ?sse.

Nonnus often introduces a dragon as a protector of virginity; watching while the damsel slumbered, but sleepless itself: [299]?p?a?e?? a???p???

?p?pte?t??a ???e???: and in another place he mentions [300]F?????? e?e??

ape?e???? ?f??. Such an one guarded the nymph Chalcomeda, [301]?a??e?????

a?a??? ??????. The G.o.ddess Proserpine had two [302]dragons to protect her, by the appointment of her mother Demeter.

Such are the poetical representations: but the history at bottom relates to sacred towers, dedicated to the symbolical worship of the serpent; where there was a perpetual watch, and a light ever burning. The t.i.tans, ??ta?e?, were properly t.i.tanians; a people so denominated from their worship, and from the places where it was celebrated. They are, like Orion and the Cyclopians, represented as gigantic persons: and they were of the same race, the children of Anak. The t.i.tanian temples were stately edifices, erected in Chaldea, as well as in lower Egypt, upon mounds of earth, ??f??

ast?e?de??, and sacred to Hanes; ??ta??? and ??ta?e? are compounds of t.i.t-Hanes; and signify literally ast?? ?????, the conical hill of Orus.

They were by their situation strong, and probably made otherwise defensible.

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 gra.s.s grew upon their backs: [303]??a???ta? te ?e?e? e?a????, ?ste ?a? p?a? ep?pef??e?a?. 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 G.o.d. 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]d?a???ta pept???ta ?e????. 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 d?a??? pept????, 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. t.i.tyus must be ranked among the monsters of this cla.s.s. 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]?a? ??t??? e?d?? Ga??? e????de?? ????, ?e?e??? e? daped?? ?d' ep' e??ea ?e?t? pe?e??a?

G?pe de ?? ??ate??e pa??e??? ?pa? e?e????, ?e?t??? es? d????te?, ?d' ??? apa??et? ?e?s?.

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 t.i.tle 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]??et?? e? ???se???, ?te p?at?? ?e?a te???, ?????, e??d?a??? d?d??? ess??? ?a?????, ???fa??? pte????? p?s???? tet?a???? ???.

?? e? ?a???? ?asp?? epet?e?e.

The history of t.i.tyus, 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]?et?a ??fa???a, 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 Liba.n.u.s. Those of Daphne are described by Strabo, who mentions, [315]?e?a te ?a? s????efe? a?s??, d?a??e?e??? p??a???? ?das??? e? es? de ?s???? tee???, ?a? ?e?? ?p???????

?a? ??te?d??. _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 n.o.ble; and are finely described by [316]Diodorus.

I have taken notice that the word d?a???, draco, was a mistake for Tarchon, ?a????: which was sometimes expressed ??a???; 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, ??a???e?, 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]?a? ?????? ap?et?? ??a, d?a???t?f???? ?aas??a. One of the monsters, with which he fought, is described of an enormous size, pe?t????tape?e???? ?f??, _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 t.i.tyus 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 sh.o.r.e a huge sea-man, who had been thunderstruck, and lay extended upon the ground: [320]t??t?? p?e??a e? pe?te a??sta epe?e??; _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]T????a ???s?????? t?d' ??fea ???sa? e?a?a?, ?? ?ta?e? ???ed?? ?e?? ????e?t? e?e?.

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]tee???, and the mound or high place taf?? and t???; which had often a tower upon it, esteemed a sanctuary and asylum. Lycophron makes Ca.s.sandra say of Diomedes, [323]?Y???S d' a?t?? e?s?se?: _the temple, to which he shall fly, shall save him_. In process of time both the word t???, as well as taf??, 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 pet.i.t, et sparsos stillanti rore capillos.

Tandem Phbus 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]?d??ta?

??????? d?a???t??, ?? ?????? e?? T??

?ad??, ?t' ????p?? d???e??? e?saf??a?e, ?ef?e.

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 Parna.s.sus is well known, which Apollo was supposed to have slain, when he was very young; a story finely told by Apollonius.

[328]?? p?te pet?a?? ?p? de??ad? ?a???ss???

?e?f???? t????s? pe?????? e?e?a???e, ?????? e?? et? ?????, et? p???a??s? ?e?????.

After all, this dragon was a serpent temple; a tumbos, t???, 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 Parna.s.so responsa dare solitus est. Plutarch says, that the dispute between Apollo and the Dragon was about the privilege of the place. [330]??

?e?f?? ?e?????? ??????s?? e?ta??a p?te p??? ?f?? t? Te? pe?? t??

???st????? a??? ?e?es?a?. 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]????? e? ??? ? ??a??? ? ??????

???s?e?eta?, ?a? t?? ?fe?? ? pa??????? ?ata??e??eta? ????a. 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.

??de ?? ?a?, ?? ??efa? ?d??? ?p??? a?a?dea da?ata? ?sse.

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 G.o.d. [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 circ.u.mstance 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 ?efe??, 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 ?efe??, 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 h.e.l.len were by a woman named Nephele, whom Athamas was supposed to have married. [346]??aa?

? ?????? t?? ??????? pa?? e? ?efe??? ?e??? ?????, ?a? F?????. The author has made a distinction between h.e.l.le, and h.e.l.len; the former of which he describes in the feminine. By Phrixus is meant F???, Phryx, who pa.s.sed the h.e.l.lespont, and settled in Asia minor. However obscured the history may be, I think the purport of it is plainly this, that the h.e.l.lenes, 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 pa?d?t??f??. 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]??e???t? a?t? a??ta?

?????es??? te, ?a? ?te??? ?a???, ?efa???, ?s???p???, ?e?a????, ?est??, ?f?a?a??, ???e??, ?e?a??, ?e?ea????, T?se??, ?pp???t??, ?a?a?d??, ?d?sse??, ?e?es?e??, ????d??, ?ast??, ????de????, ?a?a??, ??da?e?????, ??t??????, ???e?a?, ?????e??. Jason is by Pindar made to say of himself, [349]Fa? d?das?a??a? ?e?????? ??se??: and the same circ.u.mstance is mentioned in another place; [350]?????d? de t?afe? ?e????? d??a? (?as??a).