This prefix is sometimes expressed with an aspirate, Phi: and as that word signifies a mouth, and in a more extensive signification, speech and language, it sometimes may cause a little uncertainty about the meaning. However, in most places it is sufficiently plain. Phaethon, a much mistaken personage, was an antient title of the Sun, a compound of Phi-Ath-On. Bacchus was called Phi-Anac by the Mysians, rendered by the poets 49 Phanac and Phanaces. Hanes was a title of the same Deity, equally reverenced of old, and compounded Ph' Hanes. It signified the fountain of light and from it was derived Phanes of Egypt: also φαίνω, φανεις, φανερος : and from Pl'ain On, Fanum. In short, these particles occur continually in words, which relate to religious rites, and the antient adoration of fire. They are generally joined to Ur, by which that element is denoted. From P'Ur Tor came Prætor and Prætorium, among the Romans: from P'Ur-Aith, 49 Ausonius. Epigram. 30. Kircher says, that Pi in the Coptic is a prefix, by which a noun is known to be masculine, and of the singular number: and that Pa is a pronoun possessive. Paromi is Vir meus. It may be so in the Coptic: but in antient times Pi, Pa, Phi, were only variations of the same article: and were indifferently put before all names: of which I have given many instances. See Prodromus. Copt. p. 303. Purathi and Puratheia among the Asiatics. From PUr-tan, πρυτάνεις, and πρυτανεια among the Greeks of Hellas in which Prutaneia there were of old sacred hearths, and a perpetual fire. The antient name of Latian Jupiter was Pur, by length of time changed to Puer. He was the Deity of fire; and his ministers were styled Pueri: and because many of them were handsome youths selected for that office, Puer came at length to signify any young person. Some of the Romans would explain this title away, as if it referred to Jupiter's childhood but the history of the place will shew that it had no such relation. It was a proper name, and retained particularly among the people of Præneste. They had undoubtedly been addicted to the rites of fire; for their city was said to have been built by Cæculus, the son of Vulcan, who was found in the midst of fire: 50 Vulcano genitum pecora inter agrestia Regem, Inventumque focis. They called their chief God Pur: and dealt particularly in divination by lots, termed of old Purim. Cicero takes notice of this custom of divination at Præneste; and describes the manner, 50 Virgil. Æneid. 1. 7. v. 679. as well as the place: but gives into the common mistake, that the Purim related to Jupiter's childhood. He He says, that the place, where the process was carried on, was a sacred inclosure, " is est hodie locus septus, religiose propter Jovis Pueri, qui lactens cum Junone in gremio Fortuna mammam appetens, castissime colitur a Matribus, This manner of divination was of Chaldaïc original, and brought from Babylonia to Præneste. It is mentioned in Esther, c. 3. v. 7. They cast Pur before Haman, that he might know the success of his purposes against the Jews. Wherefore they call these days Purim after the name of Purs c. 9. v. 26. The same lots of divination being used at Præneste was the occasion of the God being called Jupiter Pur. This in aftertimes was changed to Puer: whence we find inscriptions, which mention him under that name; and at the same time take notice of the custom, which prevailed in his temple. Inscriptions Jovi Puero, and Fortunæ Primigeniæ Jovis "Pueri are to be found in Gruter. One is very particular. 54 Fortunæ Primigeniæ Jovis Pueri D. D. Nothus Ruficanæ L. P. Plotilla. That this word Puer was originally Pur may be proved from a well known passage in Lucretius: 55 Puri sæpe lacum propter ac dolia curva Somno devincti credunt se attollere vestem. Many instances, were it necessary, might be brought to this purpose. It was a name originally given to the priests of the Deity who were named from the Chaldaic, Ur: and by the antient Latines were called P'uri. At Præneste the name was particularly kept up on account of this divination by " lots. These by the Amonians were 56 54 Ibid. lxxvi. n. 7. BONO DEO PUERO POS 55 Lucretius. 1. 4. v. 1020. PORO. Gruter. Inscrip. p. lxxxviii. n. 13. 56 Propertius alludes to the same circumstance: Nam quid Prænestis dubias, O Cynthia, sortes? Quid petis Ææi monia Telegoni? 1. 2. eleg. 32. v. 3. styled Purim, being attended with ceremonies by fire; and supposed to be effected through the influence of the Deity. Præneste seems to be a compound of Puren Esta, the lots of Esta, the Deity of fire. These are terms, which seem continually to occur in the antient Amonian history: out of these most names are compounded; and into these they are easily resolvable. There are some few more, which might perhaps be very properly introduced: but I am unwilling to trespass too far, especially as they may be easily taken notice of in the course of this work. I could wish that my learned readers would afford me so far credit, as to defer passing a general sentence, till they have perused the whole for much light will accrue; and fresh evidence be accumulated in the course of our procedure. A history of the rites and religion, in which these terms are contained, will be given; also of the times, when they were introduced; and of the people, by whom they were diffused so widely. Many positions, which may appear doubtful, when they are first premised, What in the book of Hester is styled Purim, the seventy render, c. 9. v. 29. paper. The days of Purim were styled gear-In διαλεκτῳ αυτών καλενται φρεραι. so iu c. 10. The additamenta Græca mention-την προκειμένην επιτολήν των φρεραν, instead of pegar and Пapas: from P'Ur and Ph'Ur, iguis. |