Note 826 — OMPHI,

From what has been said, we may be assured that Ampelus and Omphalus were the same term originally, however varied afterwards and differently appropriated. They are each a compound from Omphe, and relate to the oracular Deity. Ampelus, at Mycale, in Ionia, was confessedly so denominated from its being a sacred[826] place, and abounding with waters; by which, people who drank them were supposed to be inspired. They are mentioned in an antient oracle quoted by Eusebius[827]: Εν Διδυμον γυαλοις Μυκαλησιον ΕΝΘΕΟΝ ὑδωρ. I have mentioned that all fountains were esteemed sacred, but especially those which had any præternatural quality, and abounded with exhalations. It was an universal notion that a divine energy proceeded from these effluvia, and that the persons who resided in their vicinity were gifted with a prophetic quality. Fountains of this nature, from the divine influence with which they were supposed to abound, the Amonians styled Ain Omphe, sive fontes Oraculi. These terms, which denoted the fountain of the prophetic God, the Greeks contracted to Νυμφη, a Nymph; and supposed such a person to be an inferior Goddess, who presided over waters. Hot springs were imagined to be more immediately under the inspection of the nymphs: whence Pindar styles such fountains, [828]Θερμα Νυμφαν λουτρα. The temple of the Nymphæ Ionides, in Arcadia, stood close to a fountain of great [829]efficacy. The term Nympha will be found always to have a reference to [830]water. There was in the same region of the Peloponnesus a place called Νυμφας, Nymphas; which was undoubtedly so named from its hot springs: [831]Καταῤῥειται γαρ ὑδατι—Νυμφας: for Nymphas—abounded with waters. Another name for these places was Ain-Ades, the fountain of Ades, or the Sun; which, in like manner, was changed to Ναιαδες, Naiades, a species of Deities of the same class. Fountains of bitumen, in Susiana and Babylonia, were called Ain-Aptha, the fountains of Aptha, the God of fire; which by the Greeks was rendered Naptha, a name given to [832]bitumen. As they changed Ain Omphe to Numpha, a Goddess, they accordingly denominated the place itself Νυμφειον, Nymphæum: and wherever a place occurs of that name, there will be found something particular in its circumstances. We are told by [833]Pliny that the river Tigris, being stopped in its course by the mountains of Taurus, loses itself under ground, and rises again on the other side at Nymphæum. According to Marcellinus, it seems to be at Nymphæum that it sinks into the earth. Be it as it may, this, he tells us, is the place where that fiery matter called naptha issued: from whence, undoubtedly, the place had its name. [834]Bitumen nascitur prope lacum Sosingitem, cujus alveo Tigris voratus, fluensque subterraneus, procursis spatiis longis, emergit. Hic et Naptha gignitur specie piceâ. In his pagis hiatus conspicitur terræ, unde halitus lethalis exsurgens, quodcunque animal prope consistit, odore gravi consumit. There was an island of the like nature at the mouth of the river Indus, which was sacred to the Sun, and styled Cubile [835]Nympharum: in quâ nullum non animal absumitur. In Athamania was a temple of the Nymphs, or [836]Nymphæum; and near it a fountain of fire, which consumed things brought near to it. Hard by Apollonia was an eruption of bituminous matter, like that in Assyria: and this too was named [837]Nymphæum. The same author (Strabo) mentions, that in Seleucia, styled Pieria, there was alike bituminous eruption, taken notice of by Posidonius; and that it was called Ampelitis: [838]Την Αμπελιτην γην ασφαλτωδη, την εν Σελευκειᾳ τη Πιεριᾳ μεταλλευομενην. The hot streams, and poisonous effluvia near Puteoli and lake Avernus are well known. It was esteemed a place of great sanctity; and people of a prophetic character are said to have here resided. Here was a [839]Nymphæum, supposed to have been an oracular temple. There was a method of divination at Rome, mentioned by [840]Dion Cassius, in which people formed their judgment of future events from the steam of lighted frankincense. The terms of inquiry were remarkable: for their curiosity was indulged in respect to every future contingency, excepting death and marriage. The place of divination was here too called [841]Nymphæum. Pausanias takes notice of a cavern near Platea, which was sacred to the Nymphs of Cithæron: Ὑπερ δε της κορυφης, εφ' ᾑ τον βωμον ποιουνται, πεντε που μαλιστα και δεκα ὑποκαταβαντι σταδιους ΝYΜΦΩΝ εστιν αντρον Κιθαιρωνιδων—ΜΑΝΤΕΥΕΣΘΑΙ δε τας Νυμφας το αρχαιον αυτοθι εχει λογος. We find that the Nymphs of this place had been of old prophetic. Evagrius mentions a splendid building at Antioch called Nymphæum, remarkable [842]Ναματων πλουτῳ, for the advantage of its waters. There was a Nymphæum at Rome mentioned by Marcellinus. [843]Septemzodium celebrem locum, ubi Nymphæum Marcus condidit Imperator. Here were the Thermæ Antonianæ. As from Ain Ompha came Nympha; so from Al Ompha was derived Lympha. This differed from Aqua, or common water, as being of a sacred and prophetic nature. The antients thought, that all mad persons were gifted with divination; and they were in consequence of it styled Lymphati.