επίθετον. Hence came κυνειν, προσκύνειν, προσκύνησις, well known terms of adoration. It was also expressed Con, as we may infer from the title of the Egyptian Hercules.49 Τον Ἡρακλην φησι κατα την Αιγυπτιων διαλεκτον ΚΩΝΑ λεγεσθαι. It seems also to have been a title of the true God, who by 5 Moses is styled Konah, 50 ap. We find this term oftentimes subjoined. The Chaldeans, who were particularly possessed of the land of Ur, and were worshippers of fire, had the name of Urchani. Strabo limits this title to one branch of the Chaldeans, who were literati, and observers of the heavens; and even of these to one sect only. Es δε και των Χαλδαίων των Αερονομικών γενη πλείω και γαρ 5 Ορχηνοι τινες προσαγορεύονται But " Ptolemy speaks of them more truly as a nation; as does Pliny likewise. He mentions their stopping the course of the Euphrates, and diverting the stream into the 52 49 Etymologicum Magnum. Κυνάδης Ποσειδων Αθήνησιν ετιματο. Hesychius. 51 .אל עליון קנה שמים .19 .so Genesis. c. 14. v Sabacon of Ethiopia was Saba Con, or king of Saba. 51 Strabo. 1. 16. p. 1074. 52 Ptolem. Geogr. lib. 5. cap. 19. p. 165. He places very truly the Orcheni upon the Sinus Persicus: for they extended so far. Παράκειται τη ερημω Αραβία ή Χαλδαία χώρα. Idem. 1, 5. c. 20. p. 167. channel of the Tigris. 53 Euphratem præclusere Orcheni, &c. nec nisi Pasitigri defertur in mare. There seem to have been particular colleges appropriated to the astronomers and priests in Chaldea, which were called Conah; as we may infer from 54 Ezra. He applies it to societies of his own priests and people; but it was a term borrowed from Chaldea. The title of Urchan among the Gentile nations was appropriated to the God of fire, and his 55 priests; but was assumed by other persons. Some of the priests and princes among the Jews, after the return from captivity, took the name of Hyrcanus. Orchan, and Orchanes among the Persic and Tartar nations is very common at this 5 day; among whom the word Chan is ever current for a prince or king. Hence we read of Mangu Chan, Cublai Chan, Cingis Chan. Among some of these nations it is expressed Kon, 56 53 Plin. H. N. 1. 6. c. 27. 54 Ezra. c. 5. v. 6. c. 4. v. 9—17. 55 The priests in Egypt, among other titles, were called Sonchin, sive Solis Sacerdotes, changed to Eons in the singular. Pythagoras was instructed by a Sonchin, or priest of the Sun. It is mentioned as a proper name by Clemens Alexandr. Strom. 1. 1. p. 356. And it might be so: for priests were denominated from the Deity, whom they served. 56 See Observations upon the Antient History of Egypt. p. 164. Kong, and King. Monsieur de Lisle, speaking of the Chinese, says, "7 Les noms de King Che, ou Kong-Sse, signifient Cour de Prince en Chine. Can, ou Chan en langue Tartare signifie Roi, ou Empereur. PETAH. Of this Amonian term of honour I have taken notice in a treatise before. I have shewn, that it was to be found in many Egyptian 58 names, such as Petiphra, Petiphera, Petisonius, Petosiris, Petarbemis, Petubastus the Tanite, and Petesuccus, builder of the Labyrinth. Petes, called Peteos in Homer, the father of Mnestheus, the Athenian, is of the same original: 59 Tov yaş Τον γαρ Πετην, τον πατέρα Μενεσθεως, τα τρατευσαντος εις Τροίαν, φανερως Αιγυπτιον ύπαρξαντα κτλ. All the great officers of the Babylonians and Persians took their names from some sacred title of the Sun. Herodotus mentions 60 Petazithes Magus, and " Pati 61 57 Description de la Ville de Pekin. p. 5. He mentions Chao Kong. p. 3. 58 See Observations and Inquiries. p. 163. 59 Diodorus Siculus. 1. 1. p. 25. o L. 3. c. 61. 61 L. 7. c. 40. Patacion is mentioned by Plutarch de audiendis Poetis. p. 21. Patiramphes is for Pata-Ramphan, the priest of the God Ramphan, changed to Ramphas by the Greeks. ramphes: the latter was charioteer to Xerxes in his expedition to Greece: but he was denominated from another office; for he was brother to Smerdis, and a Magus; which was a priest of the Sun. The term is sometimes subjoined, as in Atropatia, a province in Media; which was so named, as we learn from Strabo, 62 63 апо ту 64 Ατροπατε YEμons. In the accounts of the Amazons likewise this word occurs. They are said to have been called Aorpata, or, according to the common reading in Herodotus, Oiorpata; which writer places them upon the Cimmerian Bosporus. 4 Tas δε Αμαζόνας καλεσι Σκύθαι Οιορπατα· δύναται δε το όνομα τετο κατ' Ἑλλαδα γλωσσαν ανδροκτόνοι Οιορ γαρ καλεσι τον ανδρα, το δε πατα κτείνειν. This etymology is founded upon a notion that the Amazons were a community of women, who killed every man, with whom they had any commerce, and yet subsisted as a people for ages. I shall hereafter speak of the nations under this title; for there were more than one: but all of one family; all colònies from Egypt. The title above was given them Ram-phan is the great Phan or Phanes, a Deity well known in Egypt. 62 Also in Asampatæ, a nation upon the Mæotis. Plin. l. c. 7. 63 L. 11. p. 794. He speaks of it as a proper name; but it was certainly a title and term of office. 64 Herodotus. 1. 4. c. 110. 65 from their worship: for Oiorpata, or, as some MSS. have it, Aor-pata, is the same as Petah Or, the priest of Orus; or, in a more lax sense, the votaries of that God. They were Avdgoxтovo; for they sacrificed all strangers, whom fortune brought upon their coast; so that the whole Euxine sea, upon which they lived, was rendered infamous from their cruelty but they did not take their name from this circumstance. 66 One of the Egyptian Deities was named Neith, and Neit; and analogous to the above her priests were styled Pataneit. They were also named Sonchin, which signifies a priest of the Sun for Son, San, Zan, are of the same signification; and Son-Chin is Zavos iegaus. Proclus says, that it was the title of the priests; and particularly of him, who presided in the college of Neith at Saïs. BEL and BAAL. Bel, Bal, or Baal, is a Babylonish title, appropriated to the Sun; and made use of by 5 Aor, is 7 of the Chaldeans. Clemens Alexand. Strom. I. 1. p. 356. |