[Greek: En d' etithei POTAMOIO mega sthenos OKEANOIO.]
The antients loved to wrap up every thing in mystery and fable: they have
therefore described Hercules, also, with a robe of this sort:
[223][Greek: Poikilon heima pheron, tupon Aitheros, eikona Kosmou:]
_He was invested with a robe, which was a type of the heavens, and a
representation of the whole world._
The garment of Thetis, which the poets mention as given her upon her
supposed marriage with Peleus, was a Pharos of the same kind as that
described above. We may learn, from Catullus, who copied the story, that
the whole alluded to an historical picture preserved in some tower; and
that it referred to matters of great antiquity, though applied by the
Greeks to later times, and ascribed to people of their own nation.
[224]Pulvinar vero Divae geniale locatur
Sedibus in mediis; Indo quod dente politum
Tincta tegit roseo conchylis purpura fuco.
Haec vestis priscis hominum variata figuris
Heroum mira virtutes indicat arte.
It contained a description of some notable achievements in the first ages;
and a particular account of the Apotheosis of Ariadne, who is described,
whatever may be the meaning of it, as carried by Bacchus to heaven. The
story is said to have been painted on a robe, or coverlet; because it was
delineated upon a Pharos: that word being equivocal, and to be taken in
either sense. And here I cannot but take notice of the inconsistency of the
Greeks, who make Theseus a partaker in this history; and suppose him to
have been acquainted with Ariadne. If we may credit Plutarch[225], Theseus,
as soon as he was advanced towards manhood, went, by the advice of his
mother AEthra, from Troezen, in quest of his father AEgeus at Athens. This
was some years after the Argonautic expedition; when Medea had left Jason,
and put herself under the protection of this same AEgeus. After having been
acknowledged by his father, Theseus went upon his expedition to Crete;
where he is said to have first seen Ariadne, and to have carried her away.
All this, I say, was done after Jason had married Medea, and had children
by her; and after she had left him and was come to Athens. But the story of
Ariadne, in the above specimen, is mentioned as a fact of far older date.
It was prior to the arrival of Medea in Greece, and even to the Argonautic
expedition. It is spoken of as a circumstance of the highest antiquity:
consequently, [226]Theseus could not any ways be concerned in it.
There, is an account in Nonnus of a robe, or Pharos, which Harmonia is
supposed to have worn when she was visited by the Goddess of beauty. There
was delineated here, as in some above mentioned, the earth, and the
heavens, with all the stars. The sea, too, and the rivers, were
represented; and the whole was, at the bottom, surrounded by the ocean.
[227][Greek: Proten Gaian epasse mesomphalon, amphi de gaiei]
[Greek: Ouranon esphairose tupoi kecharagmenon astron.]
[Greek: Sumpherten de thalassan ephermose suzugi Gaiei,]
[Greek: Kai potamous poikillen; ep' andromeoi de metopoi]
[Greek: Taurophues morphouto kerasphoros enchloos eikon.]
[Greek: Kai pumaten para pezan eueklostoio chitonos]
[Greek: Okeanos kuklose peridromon antuga Kosmou.]
All this relates to a painting, either at Sidon or Berytus; which was
delineated in a tower, or temple, sacred to Hermon.
Orpheus alludes to a Pharos of this sort, and to the paintings and
furniture of it, in his description of the robes with which Apollo, or
Dionusus, is invested. He speaks of them as the same Deity.
[228][Greek: Tauta de panta telein hierai skeuei pukasanta,]
[Greek: Soma theou plattein periaugous Eelioio.]
[Greek: Prota men argupheais enalinkion aktinessi]
[Greek: Peplon phoinikeon, puri eikelon, amphibalesthai.]
[Greek: Autar huperthe nebroio panaiolou heuru kathapsai]
[Greek: Derma polustikton theros kata dexion omon,]
[Greek: Astron daidaleon mimem', hierou te poloio.]
[Greek: Eita d' huperthe nebres chruseon zostera balesthai,]
[Greek: Pamphanoonta, perix sternon phoreein, mega sema.]
[Greek: Euthus, hot' ek peraton gaies Phaethon anorouson]
[Greek: Chruseiais aktisi balei rhoon Okeanoio,]
[Greek: Auge d' aspetos ei, ana de drosoi amphimigeisa,]
[Greek: Marmairei dineisin helissomene kata kuklon]
[Greek: Prosthe theou, zone d' ar' hupo sternon ametreton]
[Greek: Phainet' ar' okeanou kuklos, mega thaum' esidesthai.]
When the poet has thus adorned the Deity, we find, towards the conclusion,
that these imaginary robes never shew to such advantage as in the morning.
_When the sun_, says he, _rises from the extremities of the earth, and
enlightens the ocean with his horizontal rays; then they appear in great
splendour, which is increased by the morning dew._ All this investiture of
the Deity relates to the earth and the heavens, which were delineated upon
a [229]skin, [Greek: derma polustikton theros], styled [Greek: peplon].
This is described, [Greek: Astron daidaleon mimem', hierou te poloio]: _as
a copy and imitation of all the celestial appearances_. The whole was
deposited in a Pharos upon the sea shore, upon which the sun, at his
rising, darted his early rays; and whose turrets glittered with the dew:
[Greek: Hupo sternon ametreton phainet' ar' okeanou kuklos]: from the upper
story of the tower, which was of an unmeasurable height, there was an
unlimited view of the ocean. This vast element surrounded the edifice like
a zone; and afforded a wonderful phaenomenon. Such, I imagine, is the
solution of the enigma.
* * * * *
TAR, TOR, TARIT.
I have taken notice of the fears and apprehensions, under which the first
navigators must necessarily have been, when they traversed unknown seas;
and were liable to be entangled among the rocks, and shelves of the deep:
and I mentioned the expedients of which they made use to obviate such
difficulties, and to render the coast less dangerous. They built upon every
hill, and promontory, where they had either commerce or settlement,
obelisks, and towers, which they consecrated to some Deity. These served in
a twofold capacity, both as seamarks by day, and for beacons by night. And
as people in those times made only coasting voyages, they continually went
on shore with offerings, in order to gain the assistance of the God,
whoever there presided; for these towers were temples, and oftentimes
richly furnished and endowed. They were built sometimes on artificial
mounds; but generally on natural eminences, that they might be seen at a
great distance. They were called by the Amonians, who first erected them,
[230]Tar, and Tor; the same as the [Hebrew: TWR] of the Chaldees, which
signified both a hill and tower. They were oftentimes compounded, and
styled Tor-Is, or fire towers: on account of the light which they
exhibited, and the fires which were preserved in them. Hence came the
turris of the Romans; and the [Greek: turis, turrhis, tursis, tursos], of
the Greeks. The latter, when the word Tor occurred in antient history,
often changed it to [Greek: tauros], a bull; and invented a number of idle
stories in consequence of this change. The Ophite God Osiris, the same as
Apollo, was by the Amonians styled Oph-El, and Ope-El: and there was upon
the Sinus Persicus a city Opis, where his rites were observed. There seems
likewise to have been a temple sacred to him, named Tor-Opel; which the
Greeks rendered [Greek: Tauropolos]. Strabo speaks of such an oracular
temple; and says, that it was in the island Icaria, towards the mouth of
the Tigris: [231][Greek: Neson Ikarion, kai hieron Apollonos hagion en
autei, kai manteion Tauropolou.] Here, instead of Osiris, or Mithras, the
serpent Deity, the author presents us with Apollo, the manager of bulls.
One of the principal and most antient settlements of the Amonians upon the
ocean was at Gades; where a prince was supposed to have reigned, named
Geryon. The harbour at Gades was a very fine one; and had several Tor, or
Towers to direct shipping: and as it was usual to imagine the Deity, to
whom the temple was erected, to have been the builder, this temple was said
to have been built by Hercules. All this the Grecians took to themselves:
they attributed the whole to the hero of Thebes: and as he was supposed to
conquer wherever he came, they made him subdue Geryon; and changing the
Tor, or Towers, into so many head of cattle, they [232]describe him as
leading them off in triumph over the Pyranees and Alpes, to Hetruria, and
so on to Calabria. From thence, for what reason we know not, he swims them
over to Messana in Sicily: and after some stay he swims with them through
the sea back again, all the while holding by one of their horns. The bulls
of Colchis, with which Jason was supposed to have engaged, were probably of
the same nature and original. The people of this country were Amonians, and
had once a [233]mighty trade; for the security of which they erected at the
entrance of the Phasis towers. These served both as light-houses, and
temples; and were sacred to Adorus. They were on this account called
Tynador, whence the Greeks formed Tyndarus, Tyndaris, and Tyndaridae. They
were built after some, which stood near the city [234]Paraetonium of Egypt;
and they are alluded to by the geographer Dionysius:
[235][Greek: Par de muchon Pontoio, meta chthona Tundaridaon,]
[Greek: Kolchoi naietaousin epeludes Aiguptoio.]
Colchis was styled Cutaia, and had been early occupied by the sons of Chus.
The chief city, whence the country has been in general denominated, was
from its situation called Cal-Chus, and Col-Chus, the hill, or place of
Chus. This by the Greeks was rendered Colchis: but as travellers are not
uniform in expressing foreign terms, some have rendered what was Colchian,
Chalcian, and from Colchus they have formed [Greek: Chalkos], brass. The
Chalcian towers being moreover interpreted [Greek: tauroi], bulls, a story
took its rise about the brazen bulls of Colchis. Besides this, there was in
these towers a constant fire kept up for the direction of ships by night:
whence the bulls were said to breath fire.
We however sometimes meet with sacred towers, which were really denominated
Tauri from the worship of the mystic bull, the same as the Apis, and Mneuis
of Egypt. Such was probably the temple of Minotaurus in Crete, where the
[236]Deity was represented under an emblematical figure; which consisted of
the body of a man with the head of a bull. In Sicily was a promontory
Taurus, mentioned by Diodorus Siculus; which was called also Tauromenium.
He acquaints us, that Hanno the Carthaginian sent his Admiral with orders
[Greek: paraplein epi ton lophon kaloumenon Tauron], _to sail along the
coast to the promontory named Taurus_. This Taurus, he thinks, was
afterwards named [Greek: Tauromenion], Tauromenium, from the people who
settled, and [237]remained there: as if this were the only place in the
world where people settled and remained. It was an antient compound, and no
part of it of Grecian [238]original. Tauromenium is the same as Menotaurium
reversed: and the figure of the Deity was varied exactly in the same
manner; as is apparent from the coins and engravings which have been found
in Sicily. The Minotaur is figured as a man with the head of a bull; the
Tauromen as a bull with the face of a [239]man.
Among the [240]Hetrurians this term seems to have been taken in a more
enlarged sense; and to have signified a city, or town fortified. When they
settled in Italy, they founded many places of strength; and are reputed to
have been the first who introduced the art of fortification. [241][Greek:
Tursenoi proton epheuron ten teichopoiian]. Hence the word Tar, and Tur, is
often found in the composition of names, which relate to people of this
country. They worshipped the Sun, styled Zan, and Zeen; whose temples were
called Tur-Zeen: and in consequence of it one of the principal names by
which their country was distinguished, was Turzenia. The Scholiast upon
Lycophron mentions it as [242][Greek: Choran apo Tursenou kletheisan
Tursenian], _a region, which from Tur-Seen was named Tursenia_. The Poet
above takes notice of two persons by the names of Tarchon, and Turseen.
[243][Greek: Tarchon te, kai Tursenos, aithones lukoi.] From Tarchon there
was a city and district named [244]Tarcunia; from whence came the family of
the Tarquins, or Tarquinii, so well known in the history of [245]Rome. The
Amonians esteemed every emanation of light a fountain; and styled it Ain,
and Aines: and as they built lighthouses upon every island and insular
promontory, they were in consequence of it called Aines, Agnes, Inis,
Inesos, Nesos, Nees: and this will be found to obtain in many different
countries and languages. The Hetrurians occupied a large tract of
sea-coast; on which account they worshipped Poseidon: and one of their
principal cities was Poseidonium. They erected upon their shores towers and
beacons for the sake of their navigation, which they called Tor-ain: whence
they had a still farther denomination of Tur-aini, and their country was
named Tur-ainia; the [Greek: Turrhenia] of the later Greeks. All these
appellations are from the same object, the edifices which they erected:
even Hetruria seems to have been a compound of Ai-tur; and to have
signified the land of Towers. Another name for buildings of this nature was
Turit, or Tirit; which signified a tower or turret. I have often mentioned
that temples have been mistaken for Deities, and places for persons. We
have had an instance of this above; where Tarchon, and Tursenus are
supposed to have been founders of colonies. Torone was a place in
Macedonia; and signifies literally the Tower of the Sun. The Poets have
formed out of it a female personage; and supposed her to have been the wife
of [246]Proteus. So Amphi-Tirit is merely an oracular tower. This too has
by the Poets been changed to a female, Amphitrite; and made the wife of
Neptune. The name of Triton is a contraction of Tirit-On; and signifies the
tower of the Sun, like Torone: but a Deity was framed from it, who was
supposed to have had the appearance of a man upwards, but downwards to have
been like a fish. From this emblematical representation we may judge of the
figure of the real Deity; and be assured that it could be no other than
that of Atargatis and Dagon. The [247]Hetrurians were thought to have been
the inventors of trumpets: and in their towers upon the sea-coast there
were people appointed to be continually upon the watch both by day and
night; and to give a proper signal, if any thing happened extraordinary.
This was done by a blast from the trumpet; and Triton was hence feigned to
have been Neptune's trumpeter. He is accordingly described by Nonnus,
[248][Greek: Tursenes Barudoupon echon salpinga thalasses;]
_as possessing the deep toned trumpet of the Hetrurian main_. However in
early times these brazen instruments were but little known: and people were
obliged to make use of what was near at hand, the conchs of the sea, which
every strand afforded. By sounding these, they gave signals from the top of
the towers when any ship appeared: and this is the implement with which
Triton is more commonly furnished. The antients divided the night into
different watches; the last of which was called cockcrow: and in
consequence of this they kept a cock in their Tirat, or Towers, to give
notice of the dawn. Hence this bird was sacred to the Sun, and named
Alector, [Greek: Alektor]: which seems to be a compound out of the titles
of that Deity, and of the tower set apart for his service: for all these
towers were temples. Those styled Tritonian were oracular; as we may infer
from the application made by the Argonauts. What Homer attributes to
Proteus, Pindar ascribes to Triton. [249][Greek: Manteuetai de hos par'
Omeroi Proteus, kai para Pindaroi Triton tois Argonautais.] Pausanias
mentions a tradition of a [250]Triton near Tanagra, who used to molest
women, when they were bathing in the sea; and who was guilty of other acts
of violence. He was at last found upon the beach overpowered with wine; and
there slain. This Triton was properly a Tritonian, a priest of one of these
temples: for the priests appear to have been great tyrants, and oftentimes
very brutal. This person had used the natives ill; who took advantage of
him, when overpowered with liquor, and put him to death.
The term Tor, in different parts of the world, occurs sometimes a little
varied. Whether this happened through mistake, or was introduced for
facility of utterance, is uncertain. The temple of the Sun, Tor Heres, in
Phenicia was rendered [Greek: Trieres], Trieres; the promontory Tor-Ope-On,
in Caria, Triopon; Tor-Hamath, in Cyprus, Trimathus; Tor-Hanes, in India,
Trinesia; Tor-Chom, or Chomus, in Palestine, Tricomis. In antient times the
title of Anac was often conferred upon the Deities; and their temples were
styled Tor-Anac, and Anac-Tor. The city Miletus was named [251]Anactoria:
and there was an Herouem at Sparta called [Greek: Anaktoron], Anactoron;
where Castor and Pollux had particular honours, who were peculiarly styled
Anactes. It was from Tor-Anac that Sicily was denominated Trinacis and
Trinacia. This, in process of time, was still farther changed to Trinacria;
which name was supposed to refer to the triangular form of the island. But
herein was a great mistake; for, the more antient name was Trinacia, as is
manifest from Homer:
[252][Greek: Hoppote de proton pelaseis euergea nea]
[Greek: Trinakiei nesoi.]
And the name, originally, did not relate to the island in general, but to a
part only, and that a small district near AEtna. This spot had been occupied
by the first inhabitants, the Cyclopians, Lestrygons, and Sicani: and it
had this name from some sacred tower which they built. Callimachus calls
it, mistakenly, Trinacria, but says that it was near AEtna, and a portion of
the antient Sicani.
[253][Greek: Aue d' ar' Aitna,]
[Greek: Aue de Trinakrie Sikanon hedos.]
The island Rhodes was called [254]Trinacia, which was not triangular: so
that the name had certainly suffered a variation, and had no relation to
any figure. The city Trachin, [Greek: Trachin], in Greece, was properly
Tor-chun, turris sacra vel regia, like Tarchon in Hetruria. Chun and Chon
were titles, said peculiarly to belong to Hercules: [255][Greek: Ton
Heraklen phesi kata ton Aiguption dialekton Kona legesthai.] We accordingly
find that this place was sacred to Hercules; that it was supposed to have
been [256]founded by him; and that it was called [257]Heraclea.
I imagine that the trident of Poseidon was a mistaken implement; as it does
not appear to have any relation to the Deity to whom it has been by the
Poets appropriated. Both the towers on the sea-coast, and the beacons,
which stood above them, had the name of Tor-ain. This the Grecians changed
to Triaina, [Greek: Triaina], and supposed it to have been a three-pronged
fork. The beacon, or Torain, consisted of an iron or brazen frame, wherein
were three or four tines, which stood up upon a circular basis of the same
metal. They were bound with a hoop; and had either the figures of Dolphins,
or else foliage in the intervals between them. These filled up the vacant
space between the tines, and made them capable of holding the combustible
matter with which they were at night filled. This instrument was put upon a
high pole, and hung sloping sea-ward over the battlements of the tower, or
from the stern of a ship: with this they could maintain, either a smoke by
day, or a blaze by night. There was a place in Argos named [258]Triaina,
which was supposed to have been so called from the trident of Neptune. It
was undoubtedly a tower, and the true name Tor-ain; as may be shewn from
the history with which it is attended. For it stood near a fountain, though
a fountain of a different nature from that of which we have been speaking.
The waters of Amumone rose here: which Amumone is a variation from Amim-On,
_the waters of the Sun_. The stream rose close to the place, which was
named Tor-ain, from its vicinity to the fountain.
[Illustration: A _The ancient Tower at Torone_
B _Tower of Cronus in Sicily_]
[Illustration: _Ancient Triainae_]
Cerberus was the name of a place, as well as Triton and Torone, though
esteemed the dog of hell. We are told by [259]Eusebius, from Plutarch, that
Cerberus was the Sun: but the term properly signified the temple, or place,
of the Sun. The great luminary was styled by the Amonians both Or and Abor;
that is, _light_, and _the parent of light:_ and Cerberus is properly
Kir-Abor, the place of that Deity. The same temple had different names,
from the diversity of the God's titles who was there worshipped. It was
called TorCaph-El; which was changed to [Greek: trikephalos], just as
Cahen-Caph-El was rendered [Greek: kunokephalos]: and Cerberus was hence
supposed to have had three heads. It was also styled Tor-Keren, Turris
Regia; which suffered a like change with the word above, being expressed
[Greek: trikarenos]: and Cahen Ades, or Cerberus, was hence supposed to
have been a triple-headed monster. That these idle figments took their rise
from names of places, ill expressed and misinterpreted, may be proved from
Palaephatus. He abundantly shews that the mistake arose hence, though he
does not point out precisely the mode of deviation. He first speaks of
Geryon, who was supposed to have had three heads, and was thence styled
[Greek: trikephalos.] [260][Greek: En de toionde touto; polis estin en toi
Euxinoi pontoi Trikarenia kaloumene kl.] _The purport of the fable about
Geryones is this: There was, upon the Pontus Euxinus, a city named
Tricarenia; and thence came the history_ [Greek: Geruonou tou Trikarenou],
_of Geryon the Tricarenian; which was interpreted, a man with three heads._
He mentions the same thing of Cerberus. [261][Greek: Legousi peri Kerberou,
hos kuon en, echon treis kephalas; delon de hoti kai houtos apo tes poleos
eklethe Trikarenos, hosper ho Geruones.] _They say of Cerberus, that he was
a dog with three heads: but it is plain that he was so called from a city
named Tricaren, or Tricarenia, as well as Geryones_. Palaephatus says, very
truly, that the strange notion arose from a place. But, to state more
precisely the grounds of the mistake, we must observe, that from the
antient Tor-Caph-El arose the blunder about [Greek: trikephalos]; as, from
Tor-Keren, rendered Tricarenia, was formed the term [Greek: trikarenos]:
and these personages, in consequence of it, were described with three
heads.
As I often quote from Palaephatus, it may be proper to say something
concerning him. He wrote early: and seems to have been a serious and
sensible person; one, who saw the absurdity of the fables, upon which the
theology of his country was founded. In the purport of his name is
signified an antiquarian; a person, who dealt in remote researches: and
there is no impossibility, but that there might have casually arisen this
correspondence between his name and writings. But, I think, it is hardly
probable. As he wrote against the mythology of his country, I should
imagine that [Greek: Palaiphatos], Palaephatus, was an assumed name, which
he took for a blind, in order to screen himself from persecution: for the
nature of his writings made him liable to much ill will. One little
treatise of [262]Palaephatus about Orion is quoted verbatim by the Scholiast
upon [263]Homer, who speaks of it as a quotation from Euphorion. I should
therefore think, that Euphorion was the name of this writer: but as there
were many learned men so called, it may be difficult to determine which was
the author of this treatise.