Note 387 — RADICALS.

It is remarkable that Syncellus, speaking of Venephres, King of Egypt, says, that he built the pyramids of [387]Co-Chone; which are the principal pyramids of that country. Eusebius before him had taken notice of the same history: [388]Ουενεφρης, εφ' ὁυ ὁ λιμος κατεσχε την χωραν, ὁς και τας Πυραμιδας περι Κοχωνην ηγειρεν. Venephres was a prince, in whose time happened a famine in the land of Egypt. He was the same, who built the Pyramids about Cochone. Now Co-Chone, analogous to Beth-El, Beth-Shan, Beth-Dagon, signifies the temple of the Deity; the house of the great king, or ruler: for such is the purport of Con, and Conah. Hercules, the chief Deity of Tyre, and who was also highly reverenced in Egypt, was Styled Con. [389]Τον Ἡρακλην φησι κατα την Αιγυπτιων διαλεκτον Κωνα λεγεσθαι. From hence we find, that it was a sacred Egyptian title. According to some readings the place is expressed Cocome; which is of the same purport. Co-Chome, the same as Cau-Come, signifies the house of Chom, or the Sun; and seems to betray the purpose for which the chief pyramid was erected: for it was undoubtedly nothing else but a monument to the Deity, whose name it bore. According to [390] Herodotus the great pyramid was built by Cheops; whom others called Chaops. But Chaops is a similar compound; being made up of the terms Cha-Ops, and signifies οικος Πυθωνος, domus Opis Serpentis. It was the name of the pyramid, which was erected to the Sun, the Ophite Deity of Egypt, worshipped under the symbol of a serpent. Analogous to Cau-Come in Egypt was a place in Ethiopia, called [391]Cuscha: doubtless so named from Chus, the great ancestor from whom the Ethiopians were descended.