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A New System; or, an Analysis of Ancient Mythology. Volume I

By Jacob Bryant

An Account Of The Gods Of Greece

To shew that they were all originally one GOD, the SUN.

As I shall have a great deal to say concerning the Grecian Theology in the course of this work, it will be necessary to take some previous notice of their Gods; both in respect to their original, and to their purport. Many learned men have been at infinite pains to class the particular Deities of different countries, and to point out which were the same. But they would have saved themselves much labour, if, before they had bewildered themselves in these fruitless inquiries, they had considered whether all the Deities of which they treat, were not originally the same: all from one source; branched out and diversified in different parts of the world.

I have mentioned that the nations of the east acknowledged originally but one Deity, the Sun: but when they came to give the titles of Orus, Osiris, and Cham, to some of the heads of their family; they too in time were looked up to as Gods, and severally worshipped as the Sun. This was practised by the Egyptians: but this nation being much addicted to refinement in their worship, made many subtile distinctions: and supposing that there were certain emanations of divinity, they affected to particularize each by some title; and to worship the Deity by his attributes. This gave rise to a multiplicity of Gods: for the more curious they were in their disquisitions, the greater was the number of these substitutes. Many of them at first were designed for mere titles: others, as I before mentioned, were αποῤῥοιαι, derivatives, and emanations: all which in time were esteemed distinct beings, and gave rise to a most inconsistent system of Polytheism.

The Grecians, who received their religion from Egypt and the east, misconstrued every thing which was imported; and added to these absurdities largely. They adopted Deities, to whose pretended attributes they were totally strangers; whose names they could not articulate, or spell. They did not know how to arrange the elements, of which the words were composed. Hence it was, that Solon the Wise could not escape the bitter, but just censure of the priest in Egypt, who accused both him, and the Grecians in general, of the grossest puerility and ignorance. ^[917]Ω Σολων, Σολων, Ἑλληνες εστε παιδες αει, γερων δε Ἑλλην ουκ εστι, νεοι τε ψυχας ἁπαντες· ουδεμιαν γαρ εν ἑαυτοις εχετε παλαιαν δοξαν, ουδε μαθημα χρονῳ πολιον ουδεν. The truth of this allegation may be proved both from the uncertainty, and inconsistency of the antients in the accounts of their Deities. Of this uncertainty Herodotus takes notice. ^[918]Ενθενδε εγενετο ἑκαστος των θεων, ειτε δ' αει ησαν παντες, ὁκοιοι δε τινες τα ειδεα, ουκ ηπιστεατο μεχρι ὁυ πρωην τε και χθες, ὡς ειπειν λογῳ. He attributes to Homer, and to Hesiod, the various names and distinctions of the Gods, and that endless polytheism which prevailed. ^[919]Ουτοι δε εισι, ὁι ποιησαντες θεογονιαν Ἑλλησι, και τοισι Θεοισι τας επωνυμιας δοντες, και τιμας τε και τεχνας διελοντες, και ειδεα αυτων σημῃναντες. This blindness in regard to their own theology, and to that of the countries, whence they borrowed, led them to misapply the terms, which they had received, and to make a God out of every title. But however they may have separated, and distinguished them under different personages, they are all plainly resolvable into one Deity, the Sun. The same is to be observed in the Gods of the Romans. This may in great measure be proved from the current accounts of their own writers; if we attend a little closely to what they say: but it will appear more manifest from those who had been in Egypt, and copied their accounts from that country. There are few characters, which at first sight appear more distinct than those of Apollo and Bacchus. Yet the department, which is generally appropriated to Apollo, as the Sun, I mean the conduct of the year, is by Virgil given to Bacchus, or Liber. He joins him with Ceres, and calls them both the bright luminaries of the world.

^[921]Quidam ipsum solem, ipsum Apollinem, ipsum Dionysium eundem esse volunt. Hence we find that Bacchus is the Sun, or Apollo; though supposed generally to have been a very different personage. In reality they are all three the same; each of them the Sun. He was the ruling Deity of the world:

He was in Thrace esteemed, and worshipped as Bacchus, or Liber. ^[923]In Thraciâ Solem Liberum haberi, quem illi Sebadium nuncupantes magnâ religione celebrant: eique Deo in colle ^[924]Zemisso ædes dicata est specie rotundâ. In short, all the Gods were one, as we learn from the same Orphic Poetry:

Some Deities changed with the season.

It was therefore idle in the antients to make a disquisition about the identity of any God, as compared with another; and to adjudge him to Jupiter rather than to Mars, to Venus rather than Diana. ^[927]Τον Οσιριν ὁι μεν Σεραπιν, ὁιδε Διονυσον, ὁιδε Πλουτωνα, τινες δε Δια, πολλοιδε Πανα νενομικασι. Some, says Diodorus, think that Osiris is Serapis; others that he is Dionusus; others still, that he is Pluto: many take him for Zeus, or Jupiter, and not a few for Pan. This was an unnecessary embarrassment: for they were all titles of the same God, there being originally by no means that diversity which is imagined, as Sir John Marsham has very justly observed. ^[928]Neque enim tanta πολυθεοτης Gentium, quanta fuit Deorum πολυωνυμια. It is said, above, that Osiris was by some thought to be Jupiter, and by others to be Pluto. But Pluto, among the best theologists, was esteemed the same as Jupiter; and indeed the same as Proserpine, Ceres, Hermes, Apollo, and every other Deity.

There were to be sure a number of strange attributes, which by some of the poets were delegated to different personages; but there were other writers who went deeper in their researches, and made them all centre in one. They sometimes represented this sovereign Deity as Dionusus; who, according to Ausonius, was worshipped in various parts under different titles, and comprehended all the Gods under one character.

Sometimes the supremacy was given to Pan, who was esteemed Lord of all the elements.

More generally it was conferred upon Jupiter:

Poseidon, God of the sea, was also reputed the chief God, the Deity of Fire. This we may infer from his priest. He was styled a Purcon, and denominated from him, and served in his oracular temples; as we learn from Pausanias, who says, ^[933]Ποσειδωνι δ' ὑπηρετην ες τα μαντευματα ειναι Πυρκωνα. He mentions a verse to the same purpose. Συν δε τε Πυρκων αμφιπολος κλυτου Εννοσιγαιου. P'urcon is Ignis vel lucis dominus: and we may know the department of the God from the name of the priest. He was no other than the supreme Deity, the Sun: from whom all were supposed to be derived. Hence Poseidon or Neptune, in the Orphic verses, is, like Zeus, styled the father of Gods and men.

In the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon the chief deity went by the name of ^[935]Ourchol, the same as Archel and Aides of Egypt, whence came the Ἡρακλης, and Hercules of Greece and Rome. Nonnus, who was deeply read in the mythology of these countries, makes all the various departments of the other Gods, as well as their titles, centre in him. He describes him in some good poetry as the head of all.

All the various titles, we find, are at last comprised in Apollo, or the Sun.

It may appear strange, that Hercules, and Jupiter, or whomever we put for the chief Deity, should be of all ages. This must have been the case, if they were the same as the boy of love, and Bacchus ever young; and were also the representatives of Cronus, and Saturn. But the antients went farther; and described the same Deity under the same name in various stages of life: and ^[937]Ulpian speaking of Dionusus, says that he was represented of all ages. Και γαρ παιδα, και πρεσβυτην, και ανδρα γραφουσιν αυτον. But the most extraordinary circumstance was, that they represented the same Deity of different sexes. A bearded Apollo was uncommon; but Venus with a beard must have been very extraordinary. Yet she is said to have been thus exhibited in Cyprus, under the name of Aphroditus, Αφροδιτος: ^[938]πωγωνιαν ανδρος την Θεον εσχηματισθαι εν Κυπρῳ. The same is mentioned by Servius: ^[939]Est etiam in Cypro simulacrum barbatæ Veneris, corpora et veste muliebri, cum sceptro, et naturâ virili, quod Αφροδιτον vocant. She was also looked upon as prior to Zeus, and to most other of the Gods. ^[940]Αφροδιτη ου μονον Αθηνας, και Ἡρας, αλλα και ΔΙΟΣ εστι πρεσβυτερα. The poet Calvus speaks of her as masculine: ^[941]Polientemque Deum Venerem. Valerius Soranus among other titles calls Jupiter the mother of the Gods.

Synesius speaks of him in nearly the same manner.

And the like character is given to the antient Deity Μητις.

In one of the fragments of the Orphic poetry there is every thing, which I have been saying comprehended within a very short compass.

Whom he meant under the title of Zeus, he explains afterwards in a solemn invocation of the God Dionusus.

As we have seen how the father of the Gods was diversified, it may be worth while to hear what the supposed mother of all the Deities says of her titles and departments, in Apuleius. ^[948]Me primigenii Phryges Pessinuntiam nominant Deûm Matrem: hinc Autochthones Attici Cecropiam Minervam: illinc fluctuantes Cyprii Paphiam Venerem: Cretes sagittiferi Dictynnam Dianam. Siculi trilingues Stygiam Proserpinam: Eleusinii vetustam Deam Cererem. Junonem alii: alii Bellonam: alii Hecaten: Rhamnusiam alii: et qui nascentis dei Solis inchoantibus radiis illustrantur Æthiopes, Ariique, priscâque doctrinâ pollentes Ægyptii, ceremoniis me prorsus propriis percolentes, appellant vero nomine Reginam Isidem.

Porphyry acknowledged, that Vesta, Rhea, Ceres, Themis, Priapus, Proserpina, Bacchus, Attis, Adonis, Silenus, and the Satyrs, were all one, and the^[949] same. Nobody had examined the theology of the antients more deeply than Porphyry. He was a determined Pagan, and his evidence in this point is unexceptionable. The titles of Orus and Osiris being given to Dionusus, caused him in time to partake of the same worship which was paid to the great luminary; and as he had also many other titles, from them sprung a multiplicity of Deities. ^[950]Morichum Siculi Bacchum nominârunt: Arabes vero eundem Orachal et Adonæum: alii Lyæum, Erebinthium, Sabazium; Lacedæmonii Scytidem, et Milichium vocitarunt. But let Dionusus or Bacchus be diversified by ever so many names or titles, they all, in respect to worship, relate ultimately to the Sun. ^[951]Sit Osiris, sit Omphis, Nilus, Siris, sive quodcunque aliud ab Hierophantis usurpatum nomen, ad unum tandem Solem, antiquissimum Gentium numen, redeunt omnia.

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END OF VOL. I.

W. Marchant, Printer, 3, Greville-street, Holborn.

Footnotes

[917] Cyril. contra Julian. p. 15. It is related somewhat differently in the Timæus of Plato. vol. 3. p. 22. See also Clemens Alex. Strom. l. 1. p. 356.

[918] L. 2. c. 53. The evidence of Herodotus must be esteemed early; and his judgment valid. What can afford us a more sad account of the doubt and darkness, in which mankind was inveloped, than these words of the historian? how plainly does he shew the necessity of divine interposition; and of revelation in consequence of it!

[919] Herodotus. l. 2. c. 53.

[920] Virgil. Georgic. l. 1. v. 6.

Liber is El-Abor contracted: Sol, Parens Lucis.

[921] Scholia in Horat. l. 2. Ode 19.

[922] Orphic. Fragment. in Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 23.

[923] Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 18.

He is called by Eumolpus Αστροφανη Διονυσον εν ακτινεσσι πυρωπον: apud Euseb. P. E. l. 9 c. 27.

[924] Zemissus is the Amonian Sames, or Samesh, analogous to Beth-Shemesh in the Scriptures.

[925] Orphic. Fragment. 4. p. 364. edit. Gesner.

See Stephani Poësis Philosoph. p. 80. from Justin Martyr.

[926] Macrobius. Saturn. l. 1. c. 18. p. 202. He mentions Jupiter Lucetius, and Diespater, the God of day; and adds, Cretenses Δια την ἡμεραν vocant. The Cretans call the day dia. The word dies of the Latines was of the same original.

[927] Diodorus Siculus. l. 1. p. 22.

[928] Chronolog. Canon. p. 32.

[929] Hermesianax.

It may be worth while to observe below, how many Gods there were of the same titles and departments. Παιονιος Διονυσιος. Hesychius. Pæonia Minerva. Plutarch. de decem Rhetoribus.

Παλαιμων Ἡρακλης. Hesychius.

Ιητηρ παντων, Ασκληπιε, δεσποτα Παιαν. Orphic. H. 66.

Ποσειδων Ιατρος εν Τηνῳ. Clement. Cohort. p. 26.

Olen, the most antient mythologist, made Eilithya to be the mother of Eros; so that Eilithya and Venus must have been the same, and consequently Diana.

Μητερα Ερωτος Ειλιθυιαν ειναι. Pausan. l. 9. p. 762.

Adonim, Attinem, Osirim et Horum aliud non esse quam Solem. Macrobius Sat. l. 1. c. 21. p. 209.

Janus was Juno, and styled Junonius. Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 9. p. 159.

Lunam; eandem Dianam, eandem Cererem, eandem Junonem, eandem Proserpinam dicunt. Servius in Georgic. l. 1. v. 5.

Astarte, Luna, Europa, Dea Syria, Rhea, the same. Lucian. de Syriâ Deâ.

Κειοι Αρισταιον τον αυτον και Δια και Απολλω νομιζοντες. κτλ. Athenagoras. p. 290.

Ἡλιος, Ζευς. Sanchoniathon. Euseb. P. E. lib. 1. c. x. p.34.

Ἡλιος, Κρονος. Damascius apud Photium. c. 242.

[930] Auson. Epigram. 30.

See Gruter for inscriptions to Apollo Pantheon. Dionusus was also Atis, or Attis. Διονυσον τινες Αττιν προσαγορευεσθαι θελουσιν. Clementis Cohort. p. 16.

[931] Orphic. Hymn. x. p. 200. Gesner.

Παρ' Αιγυπτιοισι δε Παν μεν αρχαιοτατος, και των οκτω των πρωτων λεγομενων Θεων. Herodotus. l. 2. c. 145. Priapus was Zeus; also Pan, and Orus: among the people of Lampsacus esteemed Dionusus.

[932] Euphorion.

[933] L. 10. p. 805.

[934] Oprhic. Hymn. in Poseidon xvi. p. 208.

[935] Selden de Diis Syris. p. 77. and additamenta. He was of old styled Arcles in Greece; and supposed to have been the son of Xuth. Κοθος και Αρκλης, ὁι Χυθου παιδες. Plutarch. Quæstiones Græcæ. v. 1. p 296.

[936] Nonnus. l. 40. p. 1038.

[937] In Demosthenem Κατα Μειδιου. Παν σχημα περιτεθεασιν αυτῳ. p. 647. See also Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 18.

Αυτον τον Δια και τον Διονυσον παιδας και νεους ἡ θεολογια καλει. Proclus upon Plato's Parmenides. See Orphic Fragments. p. 406.

[938] Hesychius. The passage is differently read. Kuster exhibits it Αφροδιτος. Ὁδε τα περι Αμαθουντα γεγραφως Παιαν, ὡς ανδρα την θεον εσχηματισθαι εν Κυπρῳ φησιν.

[939] Servius upon Virgil. Æneid. l. 2. v. 632.

[940] Scholia upon Apollon. Rhod. l. 3. v. 52. Των καλουμενων Μοιρων ειναι πρεσβυτεραν. In some places of the east, Venus was the same as Cybele and Rhea, the Mother of the Gods: Περι της χωρας ταυτης σεβουσι μεν ὡς επι ταν την Αφροδιτην, ὡς μητερα θεων, ποικιλαις και εγχωριοις ονομασι προσαγορευοντες. Ptol. Tetrabibl. l. 2.

[941] Apud Calvum Acterianus. Macrob. Sat. l. 3. c. 8. Putant eandem marem esse ac fœminam. Ibidem.

[942] Apud Augustin. de Civitate Dei. l. 4. c. 11. and l. 7. c. 9.

The author of the Orphic verses speaks of the Moon as both male and female.

Αυξομενη και λειπομενη, θηλυστε και αρσην. Hymn 8. v. 4.

Deus Lunus was worshipped at Charræ, Edessa, and all over the east.

[943] Synesius. Hymn 3. p. 26. Edit. H. Steph.

The Orphic verses περι φυσεως are to the same purpose.

[944] Orphic Hymn 31. v. 10. p. 224.

[945] Orphic Fragment. vi. p. 366. Gesner's Edit. from Proclus on Plato's Alcibiades. See also Poesis Philosophica H. Stephani. p. 81.

[946] Jupiter Lucetius, or God of light. Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 15. p. 182.

[947] Orphic Fragm. vii. p. 371. See Poesis Philosoph. H. Stephani. p. 85.

Orpheus of Protogonus.

[948] Apuleii Metamorph. l. xi. p. 241.

[949] Porphyr. apud Eusebium Præp. Evang. l. 3. c. 11.

Τιμᾳται παρα Λαμψακηνοις ὁ Πριαπος, ὁ αυτος ων τῳ Διονυσῳ. Athenæus. l. 1. p. 30.

[950] Janus Gulielmus Laurenbergius.

[951] Selden de Diis Syris. p. 77.