תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

were many nations in those parts, among whom this worship was common.

Of the Compound Deity Atargatis.

And here it is proper to take notice, that there was a female deity, called Athor in Egypt: but in Syria Atar-Cetus, or Atargatis; and abbreviated Dercetus and Derceti. This personage was supposed to have been of old preserved by means of a fish and was represented one half under that form; and the other half as a woman. She was esteemed to be the same as the Aphrodite of the Greeks, and the Venus of the Romans: whose origin

4

3

Atar-catus, or cetus, signifies the fish Atar. Catus and Cetus in many languages signified a fish.

2

Pliny speaking of Joppa says-colitur illic fabulosa Ceto. 1. 5. c. 13. p. 260. This was the same as Derceto and Atargetis.

Αταργάτιν την Αθαράν. Atargatis was the goddess Athar. Strabo, 1. 16. p. 1132.

3 Ο μέγας καλέμενος ιχθυς εν λίμνη τινι κατα την Βαμβύκην, εμ πέσεσης δε της Δερκατας νυκτος σωσαι αυτην. Eratosthenis KaTagegional ixtus. Some speak of more fishes than one. Schol. in Arat. p. 32.

4 Ημισεη μεν γυνη· το δε όκοσον εκ μηρων εις ακρες πόδας, ιχθυος Φυρή αποτεινεται. Lucian de Syriâ Deâ, p. 884.

At Hierapolis she was represented intirely in the form of a woman, waσa yun. Ibid. p. 884.

[ocr errors]

was from the sea. In consequence of this, wherever her worship prevailed, fish were esteemed sacred; and the inhabitants would not feed upon them. This was the case at Edessa, called Hierapolis, where Atargatis, or Derceto, was held in particular veneration. Xenophon, in his march through these parts, observed, in a river called Chalus, many large fishes, which appeared tame, and were never taken for food: the natives esteeming them as gods. Lucian tells us, that this worship was of great antiquity; and was introduced into these parts from Egypt. The same

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

3

Βαμβύκη πόλις την και Εδέσσαν, και Ιεραν πολιν καλέσιν, εν ή για βωσι Συρίαν θεον, την Αταργάτιν. Strab. 1. 16. p. 1085. Κατα την παλαι Βαμβύκην ιχθυες εισιν ἱεροι. Ælian de An. 1. 12. c. 2. p. 661.

Ibi prodigiosa Atargatis, Græcis autem Derceto dicta, colitur. Pliny, 1. 5. c. 23. p. 266. Theon tells us, that out of honour to the goddess, the Syrians abstained from fish,— οι Σύριοι ιχθυών απέχονται. Schol. in Aratum, p. 32.

Some say,

2

that Derceto was turned into a fish.

Σύρων γραφαι δε λεγεσιν ιχθυν αυτην γενεσθαι

Οθεν εδ ̓ εσθίεσι τινων ιχθύων Συροι.

Joh. Tzetzes. Chil. ix. Hist. 275. 172.

πλήρη ιχθύων μεγάλων και πραέων, ἐς οι Σύροι θεός ενομίζον. Avab. 1. 1. p. 254.

3 De Syriâ Deâ, p. 877. He stiles the temples-agxe xaı μɛyaλa iga. ibid. p. 881.

2

3

custom seems to have been kept up in Babylonia: but what was of more consequence to the Israelites, it prevailed within their own. borders. Dagon of Ashdod, or Azotus, was the same deity and represented under a like figure as Atargatis. The same rites and abstinence were observed also at Ascalon. Diodorus Siculus speaks of this city, which he places in Syria, rather than Palestine; at no great distance from which he says was a large lake, abounding with fishes. Near it was a noble temple of the goddess Derceto, whom they represented with the face of a woman, but from thence downwards under the figure of a fish. The history of Derceto in this place was, that she threw herself into this lake, and was changed to a fish. On which account the inhabitants of Ascalon, and of some

I Cogitat, et dubia est, de te Babylonia narret
Derceti, quam versâ, squamis velantibus artus,
Stagna Palæstinæ credunt celebrâsse figurâ.

Ovid. Met. 1. 4. v. 44, 45.

Manilius makes it a Babylonish history;
Scilicet in piscem sese Citharea novavit,

Quum Babyloniacas submersa profugit in undas.

* 1 Samuel c. 5. v. 2, 3, 4.

3 Diodorus. Sic. 1. 2. p. 92.

Astronom. 1. 4. v. 577.

4 Διο και τις Συρές μέχρι τε νυν απεχεσθαι τετε τη ζωή, και τιμαν TES IXOUS is Des. Diodor. ibid.

parts of Syria, abstained from fish: and held those of the lake as so many deities.

Extent of this Worship.

However strange this idolatry may appear, yet we see how very far it reached; and with what a reverence it was attended. It was to be found not only in Syria, which was sufficiently near; but in the borders of Lebanon; also at Ascalon, Ashdod, and Joppa; which cities were within the precincts of the tribes of Dan and Judah. These prodigies therefore in Egypt were very salutary and well directed. They must have had a great influence upon the Israelites; and been attended with a permanent disgust and abhorrence. The fallacy too of the worship must have been apparent : when judgments were thus executed upon these reputed deities: who could neither protect their votaries, nor defend themselves. Whose priests and magicians were obliged to sue to the servants of the true God to remedy those evils, which the popular gods were not

Τις ιχθυς έτω σεβεσι περίττως, ὡς Ηλείοι τον Δια. Clemens Alex. Cohort. p. 35.

[ocr errors]

Δερκετες δε είδος εν Φοινική εθηησάμην. Lucian de Syria Dea, p. 884.

able to avert. Herein were verified the words of God to Moses-Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. Exodus xii. 12.

I thought it might be attended with some utility to shew, what appeared to me to be the purpose of divine wisdom in this judgment displayed upon the Egyptians. For I cannot help thinking that without this explanation we see neither the extent nor the propriety of the punishment.

THE SECOND PLAGUE.

FROGS.

Ch. viii. Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may

serve me.

V. 2. And if thou refuse to let them 80, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, &c.

V. 3.

V. 5. And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over

« הקודםהמשך »