Thus, in the Palmyrene inscription, two Syrian Deities are characterized by this title. ** ΑΓΛΙΒΩΛΩ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΛΑΧΒΗΛΩ ΠΑΤΡΩΟΙΣ ΘΕΟΙΣ. Cyrus, in his expedition against the Medes, is represented as making vows 43 Εσια Πατρῴα, και Λι Πατρῴῳ, και τοις άλλοις Θεοις. But the Persians, from whom this history is presumed to be borrowed, could not mean by these terms Dii Patrii: for nothing could be more unnecessary than to say of a Persic prince, that the homage, which he payed, was to Persic Deities. It is a thing of course, and to be taken for granted, unless there be particular evidence to the contrary. His vows were made to Mithras, who was styled by the nations in the east Pator; his temples were Patra, and Petra, and his festivals Patrica. Nonnus gives a proper account of the Petra, when he represents it as Omphean, or oracular: 44 Ομφαιη περι Πετρῃ Εισετι νηπιαχοιο χορες ίδρυσατο Βακχε. 42 Gruter. Inscript. lxxxvi. n. 8. 43 Xenophon. Kuguardia. Nonnus. Dionysiac. I. ix. p. 266. At Patara, in Lycia, was an oracular temple: and Patræ, in Achaia, had its name from divination, for which it was famous. Pausanias mentions the temple, and adds, 5 IIpo dε To 'Iεpx TNS 45 Προ δε τε Ιερε της Δημητρός εςι πηγη-μαντείον δε ενταυθα εσιν αψευδές. Before the temple is the fountain of Demeterand in the temple an oracle, which never is known to fail. The offerings, which people in antient times used to present to the Gods, were generally purchased at the entrance of the temple; especially every species of consecrated bread, which was denominated accordingly. If it was an oracular temple of Alphi, the loaves and cakes were styled 4 Alphita. If it was expressed Ampi, or Ompi, the cakes were Оmpai 47, Oμ: at the temple of Adorus 49, Adorea. Those made 46 48 45 Pausanias. 1. 7. p. 577. 45 ΑΛΦΙΤΟΝ, το απο Hesychius. νέας κρίθης, η σιτε πεφυρμένον αλευρον. Αλφιτα μελιτι και ελαιῳ δεδευμενα. Hesych. 47 ΟΜΠΑΙ, θυματα, και πυροι μελιτι δεδευμενοι. Hesychius. ΟΜΠΙΑ, παντοδαπα τρωγάλια. Ibidem. If it was expressed Amphi, the cakes were Amphitora, Amphimantora, Amphimasta: which seem to have been all nearly of the same composition. ΑΜΦΑΣΜΑ, ψαιςα οινῳ και ελαιῳ βεβρεγμενα. Ibidem. 45 Fine flour had the sacred name of Ador, from Adorus, the God of day, an Amonian name. in honour of Ham-orus had the name of "Homoura, Amora, and Omoritæ. Those sacred to Peon, the God of light, were called so Piones. At Cha-on, which signifies the house of the Sun, "Cauones, Xauwves. Χανωνες. From Pur-Ham, and Pur-Amon, they were denominated Puramoun, 52 Πυράμεν. From Ob-El, Pytho Deus, came "Obelia. If the place were a Petra or Petora, they had offerings of the same sort called Petora, by the Greeks expressed 54 ПTupa, Pitura. One of the titles of the Sun was El-Aphas, Sol Deus ignis. This El-aphas the Greeks rendered Elaphos, Eλaços; and supposed it to relate to a deer: and 49 ΟΜΟΥΡΑ, σεμίδαλις έφθη, μελι εχεσα, και σησαμον. Hesych. ΑΜΟΡΑ, σημιδαλις έφθη συν μελιτι. Ibidem. ΟΜΟΡΙΤΑΣ, αρτος εκ πυρου διηρημενου γεγονως. Ibid. Also Apogeira, Amorbitæ. See Athenæus. 1. 14. p. 646. Pi-On was the Amonian name of the Sun: as was also Pi-Or, and Pe-Or. 51 ΧΑΥΩΝΑΣ, αρτος ελαίῳ αναφυραθέντας κριθίνες. Suidas. 52 The latter Greeks expressed Puramoun, Puramous. ΠΥΡΑΜΟΥΣ, a cake. Ην ὁ Πυραμες παρα τοις παλαίοις επινίκιος, Artemidorus. 1. 1. c. 74. Και ὁ διαγρύπνησας μέχρι την έω ελαμβανε τον πυραμαντα. Schol. Aristoph. Ἱππεις. See Meursius on Lycophron. v. 593. and Hesych. Пugaus είδος πλακεντος. 53 OBEAIAI, placenta. Athenæus. 1. 14. p. 645. 54 Νυν θύσω τα ΠΙΤΥΡΑ. Theocritus. Idyl. 2. v. 33. the title El-Apha-Baal, given by the Amonians to the chief Deity, was changed to exαonboλ05, a term of a quite different purport. El-aphas, and El-apha-baal, related to the God Osiris, the Deity of light: and there were sacred liba made at his temple, similar to those above; and denominated from him Expo, Elaphoi. In Athenæus we have an account of their composition, which consisted of fine meal, and a mixture of sesamum and honey. " Ελαφος πλακες δια σαιτος και μελιτος και σησαμε. 55 One species of sacred bread, which used to be offered to the Gods, was of great antiquity, and called Boun. The Greeks, who changed the Nu final into a Sigma, expressed it in the nominative, Cas; but, in the accusative, more truly boun, Cɛv. Hesychius speaks of the Boun, and describes it, είδος πέμματος κερατα έχοντος; a kind of cake, with a representation of two horns. Julius Pollux mentions it after the same manner: 68v, dos TEμμATOS xegata exovтos; a sort of cake with horns. Diogenes Laertius, speaking of the same offering being made by Empedocles, describes the chief ingredients of which it was composed: 56 Bv ElvσE-EX Βεν έθυσε μελιτος και αλφίτων. He offered up one of the sacred 55 Athenæus. 1. 14. p. 646.' 56 Diogenes Laertius: Vita Empedoclis. 1. 8. liba, called a boun, which was made of fine flour and honey. It is said of Cecrops, 57 #gwтos bv EQUσε: δεν έθυσε He first offered up this sort of sweet bread. Hence we may judge of the antiquity of the custom from the times to which Cecrops is referred. The prophet Jeremiah takes notice of this kind of offering, when he is speaking of the Jewish women at Pathros in Egypt, and of their base idolatry; in all which their husbands had encouraged them. The women, in their expostulation upon his rebuke, tell him: Since we left off to burn incense to the Queen of heaven, and to pour out drinkofferings unto her, we have wanted all things; and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. And when we burnt incense to the Queen of heaven, and poured out drink-offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink-offerings unto her without our 58 men? The prophet, in another place, takes notice of the same idolatry. 59 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead 57 Some read avμaos. Cedrenus. p. 82. Some have thought, that by C was meant an Ox: but Pausanias says, that these offerings were πεμματα: and moreover tells us; όποσα έχει ψυχην, τούτων μεν ηξίωσεν εδεν θυσαι. Cecrops sacrificed nothing that had life. Pausan. 1. 8. p. 600. 58 Jeremiah. c. 44. v. 18, 19. 59 Ibid. c. 7. v. 18. |