A

NEW SYSTEM;

OR, AN

ANALYSIS

OF

ANTIENT MYTHOLOGY:

WHEREIN AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DIVEST TRADITION OF FABLE; AND TO REDUCE THE TRUTH TO ITS ORIGINAL PURITY,

BY JACOB BRYANT, ESQ.

_THE THIRD EDITION._ IN SIX VOLUMES.

WITH A PORTRAIT AND SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR;

A VINDICATION OF THE APAMEAN MEDAL;

Observations and Inquiries relating to various Parts of Antient History;

A COMPLETE INDEX,

AND FORTY-ONE PLATES, NEATLY ENGRAVED.

VOL. II.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. WALKER; W.J. AND J. RICHARDSON; R. FAULDER AND SON; R. LEA; J. NUNN; CUTHELL AND MARTIN; H.D. SYMONDS; VERNOR, HOOD, AND SHARPE; E. JEFFERY; LACKINGTON, ALLEN, AND CO.; J. BOOKER; BLACK, PARRY, AND KINGSBURY; J. ASPERNE; J. MURRAY; AND J. HARRIS.

1807.

* * * * *

A

NEW SYSTEM

OR AN

ANALYSIS

OF

ANTIENT MYTHOLOGY.

* * * * *

PHOENIX AND PHOENICES.

As there has been much uncertainty about the purport and extent of these terms; and they are of great consequence in the course of history; I will endeavour to state their true meaning. Phoinic, or Poinic, was an Egyptian and Canaanitish term of honour; from whence were formed [Greek: Phoinix, Phoinikes, Phoinikoeis] of the Greeks, and Phoinic, Poinicus, Poinicius of the Romans; which were afterwards changed to Phoenix, Punicus, and [1]Puniceus. It was originally a title, which the Greeks made use of as a provincial name: but it was never admitted as such by the people, to whom it was thus appropriated, till the Greeks were in possession of the country. And even then it was but partially received: for though mention is made of the coast of Phoenice, yet we find the natives called Sidonians, Tyrians, and [2]Canaanites, as late as the days of the Apostles. It was an honorary term, compounded of Anac with the Egyptian prefix; and rendered at times both Phoinic and Poinic. It signified a lord or prince: and was particularly assumed by the sons of Chus and Canaan. The Mysians seem to have kept nearest to the original pronunciation, who gave this title to the God Dionusus, and called him Ph'anac.

[3]Ogygia me Bacchum vocat, Osirin AEgyptus putat, Mysi Phanacem.

It was also conferred upon many things, which were esteemed princely and noble. Hence the red, or scarlet, a colour appropriated to great and honourable personages, was styled Phoinic. The palm was also styled Phoinic, [Greek: Phoinix]: and the antients always speak of it as a stately and noble tree. It was esteemed an emblem of honour; and made use of as a reward of victory. Plurimarum palmarum homo, was a proverbial expression among the Romans, for a soldier of merit. Pliny speaks of the various species of palms; and of the great repute in which they were held by the Babylonians. He says, that the noblest of them were styled the royal Palms; and supposes that they were so called from their being set apart for the king's use. But they were very early an emblem of royalty: and it is a circumstance included in their original name. We find from Apuleius, that Mercury, the [4]Hermes of Egypt, was represented with a palm branch in his hand: and his priests at Hermopolis used to have them stuck in their [5]sandals, on the outside. The Goddess [6]Isis was thus represented: and we may infer that Hermes had the like ornaments; which the Greeks mistook for feathers, and have in consequence of it added wings to his feet. The Jews used to carry boughs of the same tree at some of their festivals; and particularly at the celebration of their nuptials: and it was thought to have an influence at the birth. Euripides alludes to this in his Ion; where he makes Latona recline herself against a Palm tree, when she is going to produce Apollo and Diana.

Table of contents (by pages)

• 1: A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology
• 2: Because they were sometimes called Phoenices
• 3: Et Spadix Phoenicii Greek sunonumos
• 4: 32 Greek Ta baia ton Phoinikon
• 5: In any degree relate to Canuphis
• 6: Greek Murrha was from Ham Ourah
• 7: Et in nocte 53 compertus Cunocephalus
• 8: And styled his votaries 68 Cunodontes
• 9: Cunoura is also used by Lycophron
• 10: This term was sometimes changed to Greek koinos
• 11: 94 Greek Chruseioi d' hekaterthe kai argureoi kunes esan
• 12: And rendered them Greek Chrusos
• 13: 110 Greek Chrusea kai ta pedila
• 14: 122 Greek Apollona Chrusaora and
• 15: And were represented by the terms Chrusos and Chruse
• 16: And therefore called also Cuta
• 17: Or Apollo 151 Sole satus Phaethon
• 18: The Canaanites were not the least respectable
• 19: Houtos he Phoinike ekaleito to ethnikon Chnaos
• 20: And the antient name of this river was Palaestinus
• 21: As well as the insigne of their nation
• 22: 190 Greek Hebdome ein agathois
• 23: En hais ges kai thalasses anagraphai eisi
• 24: Echei de te KIONAS autos Greek Makras
• 25: Who gives this curious history of the Peleiadae
• 26: The Nile was sometimes called simply Gehon
• 27: In quest of his father AEgeus at Athens
• 28: Greek derma polustikton theros
• 29: They were called by the Amonians
• 30: Which was called also Tauromenium
• 31: So Amphi Tirit is merely an oracular tower
• 32: And was thence styled Greek trikephalos
• 33: Atar mekos ge genesthen enneorguioi
• 34: 273 Greek Orion tripator apo meteros anthore gaies
• 35: Tith On is Greek mastos heliou
• 36: The place for building was a Comah
• 37: And which he styles 306 Greek drakonta peptokota nekron
• 38: Per tota novem cui jugera corpus Porrigitur
• 39: And especially from the Trachones
• 40: The dragon of Apollonius is ever watchful
• 41: The most antient seat of the Nephelim
• 42: Called 359 Kiroon at this day
• 43: And their festival at Athens Greek anakeia
• 44: Who was called the Shepherd Terambus
• 45: Which at times was rendered Tuph
• 46: Seio Greek Kretes etekteinanto
• 47: Thus from the word Greek taphos
• 48: Aiunt iidem Theologi quatuor esse Vulcanos
• 49: That it was in the city Cnossus
• 50: AEputus was the same as Iapetus
• 51: Near the AEaceum at Epidaurus was a hill
• 52: The same Isaac or Isaeac was sometimes rendered AEsacus
• 53: Which the Greeks rendered Greek Ophis
• 54: Abdir quoque et Abadir Greek baitulos
• 55: The title of his book was the Theology of Ophion
• 56: Opheis kai skorpioi deinoi eginonto
• 57: Pitan and had probably Dracontia
• 58: Must have been termed Pitanatae undoubtedly
• 59: Strabo places them near 538 AEtna
• 60: The Cyclopians were denominated from Greek Kuklops
• 61: The Arimaspians were Hyperborean Cyclopians
• 62: Was altered to Greek Tripator
• 63: Cyclopum manu dicitur fabricatum
• 64: Out of which the Greeks formed Greek Gastrocheir
• 65: Ex hes tous lousamenous parachrema metallassein
• 66: When he speaks of a Charopian lion
• 67: And particularly styled Tirynthius
• 68: 617 Greek phlegraias posis Greek Stugnos Torones
• 69: And the God Canobus turned into a Grecian pilot
• 70: Phlegyas was in reality the Sun
• 71: That it was one of the Cyclopian buildings
• 72: Heteroi de Sibullan kalousin Aiguptian
• 73: 666 Apud Antiquos Caiatio dicebatur puerilis caedes
• 74: Greek Alla te Seirenes ligurei thelgousin aoidei
• 75: Epi gar kremnou hidrutai to Hiron
• 76: Co Cutus means the Cuthite temple
• 77: Pausanias mentions 695 Greek Poseidonos Hippiou
• 78: Were priestesses of the Goddess Hippa
• 79: It is said by Scymnus Chios above
• 80: Hothen kai Prutaneion ekaleito
• 81: Hoti to Prutaneion puros en tameion
• 82: These Cercyonians were undoubtedly priests of Ceres
• 83: The Poet styles him Greek broton delemona
• 84: Another name for those Amonian temples was Campi
• 85: In Germany we meet with the name of Kaempenfelt
• 86: That he was born at Nusa in their 777 country
• 87: As is also represented under the name of Soues
• 88: Perseus was no other than the Sun
• 89: 810 Versaque ab axe suo Parrhasis Arctos erat
• 90: They have represented Myrina as making great conquests
• 91: Quem concertasse cum Apolline de tripode accepimus
• 92: One of these was 852 Archemagoras
• 93: And what was above done by Cronus and Astarte
• 94: Kai dia touto tachu kurion genesthai tou sumpantos kosmou
• 95: As 880 Diodorus expresses his name
• 96: But there is nothing more said of Sesac
• 97: What to make of this Sesonchosis
• 98: Sesostris immediately succeeds
• 99: Independent of Babylon and Nineve
• 100: By the conduct of Semiramis the Bactrians are subdued
• 101: They were called Semarim from their insigne
• 102: The Samarim of Egypt and Babylonia
• 103: And another whom he calls Greek Perso Medes
• 104: He is also mentioned by 945 Cephalion
• 105: And 963 Nimrod and by Huetius for Moses
• 106: Plato styles him the son of 967 Oromazes
• 107: Greek Para Persais 986 Greek Magoi hoi philosophoi
• 108: Who were called Zoni and 1011 Azoni
• 109: Some make Orpheus by birth a Thracian
• 110: 1040 Orpheum poetam docet Aristoteles nunquam fuisse
• 111: They seem to have named the temple at Lesbos Orphi
• 112: This temple was undoubtedly styled Urphi
• 113: Which he is said to have established in Samothracia
• 114: The same people as the Cadmonites
• 115: 1070 Greek Kai ho Ogugos Thebon Aiguption en Basileus
• 116: And as the city Carthage in Libya was called Cadmeia
• 117: He was sometimes styled Cadmilus
• 118: What has been mentioned about Cadmus and Caanthus
• 119: Greek Apo Ekademou tinos Heroos onomasthen
• 120: The God 1141 Charops was worshipped
• 121: 1146 Greek Leukon schem' hekaterthe periplokon
• 122: Hence Hesychius explains the term Beliar by a serpent
• 123: Cnopia is a contraction for Can Opia
• 124: Et nomine prisco Encheliae
• 125: That the Cadmians were the people
• 126: AEthiopium 1214 Greek Aithiopion
• 127: And that the province was from him called Oraia
• 128: The Dithyrambic poet Polueidos says
• 129: Or as Eustathius renders it Poimandria
• 130: Which he inscribed Greek peri ton Aiguption apoikias
• 131: There are accounts concerning Erectheus
• 132: Poinei sunt soliti suos sacrificare puellos
• 133: Kai hiera kai timas echei basileon
• 134: Greek Dodekatis tes hemeras kath' hekasten horan ourei
• 135: Another promontory Cunocephale in Corcyra
• 136: Greek Omnunai keleusai Rhadamanthun chena
• 137: Kathaper toi chrusoi ten Heliada aigeiron
• 138: Kai Panephaistia tes Lemnou akroterion kai en Bithuniai
• 139: 148 Sanchoniathon apud Euseb Praep
• 140: Hina Greek Hai phorkides naiousi
• 141: Kai tes ton pinakon anagraphas ouk Aiguptiois monon
• 142: Kai to ep' autei pepoikilmenon PHAROS
• 143: 244 Greek Tarkunia polis Turrhenidos apo Tarchonos
• 144: Greek Rheithron Helorou prosthen
• 145: Greek Poulupelethros ekeito kata chthonos eurupedoio
• 146: Greek Kai temenos peripuston Amuklaioio Kanobou
• 147: There was a hill called Anakeion Greek Anakeion
• 148: Kai Hekaergen ek ton Huperboreon
• 149: Ou tou Basileos onomazomenou Bousiridos
• 150: Greek Naos Hermou Aiputou near Tegea in Arcadia
• 151: 455 Greek Tous Opheis anestemmenoi
• 152: Greek Oubaion is so corrected for Greek Ouraion
• 153: The same as Ophis which signified Petra Serpentis
• 154: Desiit hostiles confestim horrere Dracones
• 155: Hence Greek Neilos Kuklops must have been the chief Deity
• 156: Which Lycaon was no other than Apollo
• 157: Greek Kuklopeia t' ourania teichea
• 158: 606 Acmonides is represented as a patronymic
• 159: Greek Chalkeuein Kuklopes edidaxan
• 160: Lamias ten Skullan phesi thugatera einai
• 161: Caiat signified a kind of whip
• 162: 687 He makes Metis the same as Athena
• 163: 733 Greek To de luchnion en Prutaneioi
• 164: Asterius was represented as the son of Anac
• 165: Greek Eu eidos agoreue theopropias Hekatoio
• 166: Hoi Koios de kai Phoibe OURANOU paides
• 167: Kai tous pleistous anelonta ten choran exemerosai
• 168: Greek Esti gar en Turoi Hieron Herakleous palaiotaton
• 169: Didaxai ten phuteian tou ampelou
• 170: Kai meta ton Oron ebasileuse Thoulis
• 171: Theopompos de en tritoi Sesostrin auton kalei
• 172: Rhea and Rhea was the same as Cybele
• 173: Unum tantum constituentes Zoroastrem
• 174: 965 Primus dicitur magicas artes invenisse
• 175: 998 Bethsur est hodie Bethsoron
• 176: Psellus styles them Greek Azonoi
• 177: 1046 Scholia upon the Hecuba of Euripides
• 178: Literas in Greciam intulisse e Phoenice Cadmum
• 179: There was a city Cadmea in Cilicia
• 180: Hentina Areos phasin hieran einai
• 181: Greek Apo tou Kathierosantos Akademou
• 182: 1154 Hence Nonnus alluding to the Tauric oracle
• 183: Greek Keinon d au peri kolpon idois perikudea tumbon
• 184: 1220 Greek Esti kai Orionos mnema en Tanagra
• 185: Greek Pros ton dusin tou Indou potamou Oritai
• 186: 1142 country 'county' in original ibid