The Grecians, not knowing that their mytho-logy arose from hieroglyphics, formed out of every circumstance personages. They supposed that Semiramis was the daughter of Dercetus; and that the latter was changed to a fish, as the former was to a pigeon. 85 Et dubia est, de te, Babylonia, narret, Derceti, quam versâ, squamis velantibus artus, Stagna Palæstini credunt, coluisse figurâ: An magis, ut, sumptis illius filia pennis, Extremos altis in turribus egerit annos. 87 86 These notions arose from the feminine emblems of the ark, which were exhibited at " Ascálon, Azótus, Joppa; and in the cities of Syria. The representation of Dercetus at Ascalon is thus given by Diodorus: Θεα, ἣν ονομάζεσιν δι Σύροι Δερκετεν, 88 μενα, μητε Θεων παθήματα, μητε ανθρώπων, αλλά Δαιμονων μεγάλων είναι νομίζοντες, ὡς και Πλατων. Isis et Osir. p. 360. Ερμηνευτικον το τοι τον ονομάζει γενος, και διακονικον, εν μέσῳ θεων και ανθρωπων, ευχας μεν και δεήσεις ανθρωπων αναπεμποντας, εκείθενδε Marria dugo. Ibid. p. 361. from Plato's Sympos. $5 Ovid. Metamorph. 1. 4. v. 44. 86 Diodorus. 1. 2. p. 92. 97 Colitur illic fabulosa Ceto. Plin. 1. 5. c. 13. Numen Joppensium, Ceti formam præferens, qualis Dagon Azotiorum Hoffman. $8 Diodorus above, -το μεν προσωπον έχει γυναικός, το δε άλλο σωμα παν xuos. The Goddess, which by the Syrians is called Dercetus, has the face of a woman; but the rest of the image is the figure of a fish. He moreover says, that she was esteemed by her votaries the same as Venus, or Cupris. Lucian gives a similar description of her under the name of Atargatis: but represents her upwards as of a woman's form intirely. 29 Ημισεη μεν γυνή, το δε όκοσον, εκ μηρών εξ άκρες πόδας ιχθυος ουρη αποτείνεται. The upper half was a perfect figure of a woman: the lower part from the thighs downward terminated in the tail of a fish. She was worshipped by the Phigalians, in Arcadia, by the name of 9 Eurunome. Her statue was of great antiquity, and represented a woman as far as the middle, but from thence had the figure of a fish. She had a chain of gold, and was denominated by the natives Eurunome Diana: which Eurunome is represented as the most antient of the female Divinities, and the wife of Ophion. From the above we may perceive that Dercetus, Eurunome, and Semiramis, were emblems relating to the same history. As these were probably the most early and the most sacred hie 9o Pausan. 1. 8. p. 684. Evguvaun xavis. Apollon. Rhod. 1. 1. v. 503. roglyphics, they were the cause of the animals whence they were copied, being held in great veneration. Clemens Alexandrinus takes notice of this regard being carried to a degree of the basest idolatry. 9: Ουδε με των την Φοινικην Σύρων κατοικέντων (εκλησομαι), ὧν οι μεν τας περιςερας, οι δε τας ιχθυς, έτω σεβεσι περίττως, ως Ηλείοι τον Δια. I cannot but take notice of the people styled Syro-Phenicians, some of whom reverence Doves, and others of them Fish, with the same zeal as the people of Elis shew towards Jupiter. Xenophon had long before taken notice of divine honours being paid in those parts to fish and doves; “ ὡς οι Σύροι Θεος ενομίζον, και αδικειν εκ είων, εδε τας περιςερας. And the veneration paid to the latter is by Diodorus dated from the supposed change of Semiramis, and said to have been universal in Syria: 93 as (πepisepαs) an' εκείνων των χρόνων οι κατα Συριαν ΑΠΑΝΤΕΣ διετελέσαν ὡς θεας τιμωντες. To this Tibullus alludes. 92 "Quid referam, ut volitet crebras intacta per urbes Alba Palæstino culta columba Syro? 91 Cohort. p. 35. 93 Αναβασις. 1. 1. p. 254. 95 Syri pisces et columbas ex Deorum numero habent: non edunt. 96 Ορνίθων τε αυτέοισι περιτερη δοκέει χρημα ἱρωτατον, και ουδε ψαύειν αυτέων δικαίευσι. The places where this regard was shewn more particularly, seem to have been Ascalon and Hierapolis. Philo Judæus informs us, that, as he once had occasion to stop in the former, he observed vast flocks of pigeons in all the streets, and about all the buildings of the city; and wondering at the reason, he was told, 9 & θεμιτον είναι συλλαμβανειν άπειρησθαι εκ παλαις τοις οικήτορσι την χρησιν. The like is mentioned by Lucian of the people at Hierapolis: 98 περιτερην δε μένην ε σιτεονταν, άλλα σφισι ἡδὲ ign. The pigeon is the only bird which they never taste; for it is held by them as particularly sacred. The term löna is sometimes found compounded; and expressed" Ad, or Ada Iönah, Regina, vel Regia Columba: from which title another Deity Adiona was constituted, and particular rites were superadded. This mode of idolatry must have been very antient, as it is mentioned in Leviticus 95 Hygin. Fab. 197. 96 Lucian. de Deâ Suriâ. p. 912. 97 Philo apud Euseb. P. E. 1. 8. c. 14. p. 398. 99 A. D. unus, primus, Rex. Ada, prima, Regina. 100 and Deuteronomy; and is one species of false worship, which the prophet Moses forbad by name. According to our method of rendering the Hebrew term, it is called ! Idione. This Idione, er Adione, was probably the Dione, Awn, of the Greeks, the Deity who was sometimes looked upon as the mother of Venus; at other times, as the Goddess herself, styled Dione, and Venus Dionæa. She was said to have been the mother of Niobe; and, under the name of Pleione, was esteemed the mother of the Peleiades, who form 2 200 The words in our Version are translated, And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after, wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. Levitic. c. 20. v. 6. In another place it is ordered, that there should not be found among the children of Israel a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Deuteronom. c. 18. v. 11. What is translated a consulter with familiar spirits, and a wizard, is in the original 18, and '', Ob and Idione: by which are meant the priests of the Serpent, and of the Dove, who affected to give out oracles. The latter were the Peleiai, Peleiades, Iönim, Columbæ of other countries; all the priests of Theba, or the ark. This Idione is the same Deity as occurs in St. Augustine under the name of Adeona. 2 Dione, Hermione, Pleione, are all compounded of Iöne, and relate to doves. Duxerat Oceanus quondam Titanida Tethyn, Qui terram liquidis, quà patet, ambit aquis. |