Part 2 — GODS OF GREECE;

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

Lumina, labentem Cœlo qui ducitis annum,

Liber, et alma Ceres.

Ἑις θεος εν παντεσσι.

Some Deities changed with the season.

Τριτωνες, Νηρευς, Τηθυς και Κυανοχαιτης,

Ἑρμης θ', Ἡφαιστος τε κλυτος, Παν, Ζευς τε, και Ἑρη,

Αρτεμις, ηδ' Ἑκαεργος Απολλων, ἑις Θεος εστιν.

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.

Osyrin Ægyptus putat:

Mysi Phanacem nominant:

Dionyson Indi existimant:

Romana Sacra Liberum;

Arabica Gens Adoneum;

Lucanianus Pantheon.

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

Ουρανον, ηδε θαλασσαν, ιδε χθονα παμβασιλειαν,

Και πυρ αθανατον, ταδε γαρ μελη εστι τα Πανος.

Κοσμοκρατωρ, αυξητα, φαεσφορε, καρπιμε Παιαν,

Αντροχαρες, βαρυμηνις, ΑΛΗΘΗΣ ΖΕΥΣ Ὁ ΚΕΡΑΣΤΗΣ.

More generally it was conferred upon Jupiter:

Ζευς τοι τα παντα.

Ουρανιων, Μακαρων τε Θεων πατερ, ηδε και ανδρων.

Ὑια Χρονου Λυκαβαντα δυωδεκαμηνον ἑλισσων,

Ἱππευων ἑλικηδον ὁλον πολον αιθοπι δισκῳ,

Κυκλον αγεις μετα κυκλον——

Ομβρον αγεις φερεκαρτον, επ' ευωδινι δε γαιῃ

Ηεριης ηωον ερευγεται αρδμον εερσης.——

Βηλος επ Ευφρηταο, Λιβυς κεκλημενος Αμμων,

Απις εφυς Νειλῳος Αραψ Κρονος, Ασσυριος Ζευς.——

Ειτε Σαραπις εφυς Αιγυπτιος, ανεφαλος Ζευς,

Ει Χρονος, ει Φαεθων πολυωνυμος, ειτε συ Μιθρης,

ΗΕΛΙΟΣ ΒΑΒYΛΩΝΟΣ, εν Ἑλλαδι ΔΕΛΦΟΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ.

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

Progenitor, Genetrixque Deûm; Deus unus et idem.

Synesius speaks of him in nearly the same manner.

Συ δ' αρσην, συ δε θηλυς.

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.

Ζευς πυθμην γαιης τε και ουρανου αστεροεντος.——

Ζευς Βασιλευς, Ζευς αυτος ἁπαντων αρχιγενεθλος——

Και Μητις, πρωτος γενετωρ και Ερως πολυτερπης.

Παντα γαρ εν Ζηνος μεγαλῳ ταδε σωματι κειται.

Ἑν κρατος, ἑις Δαιμων, γενεται μεγας αρχος ἁπαντων.

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

Ουρανιαις στροφαλιγξι περιδρομον αιεν ἑλισσων,

Αγλαε ΖΕΥ, ΔΙΟΝYΣΕ, πατερ ποντου, πατερ αιης,

Ἡλιε, παγγενετορ, παναιολε, χρυσεοφεγγες.

END OF VOL. I.

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