TEMPLE RITES
Reading edition
IN THE
FIRST AGES.
Στυγνος Τορωνης, ᾡ γελως απεχθεται,
Και δακρυ.
These places were courts of justice, where the priests seem to have practised a strict inquisition; and where pains and penalties were very severe. The notion of the Furies was taken from these temples: for the term Furia is from Ph'ur, ignis, and signifies a priest of fire. It was on account of the cruelties here practised, that most of the antient judges are represented as inexorable; and are therefore made judges in hell. Of what nature their department was esteemed may be learned from Virgil,
Castigatque, auditque dolos, subigitque fateri, &c.
The temple at Phlegya in Bœotia was probably one of these courts; where justice was partially administered, and where great cruelties were exercised by the priests. Hence a person, named Phlegyas, is represented in the shades below, crying out in continual agony, and exhorting people to justice.
Admonet, et tristi testatur voce per umbras,
Discite justitiam moniti, et non temnere Divos.
Μηπως μοι δεισαντες απολληξειαν ἑταιροι,
Ειρεσιης, εντος δε πυκαζοιεν σφεας αυτους.
As there was a Men-tor in Crete, so there was a place of the same name, only reversed, in Sicily, called Tor-men, and Tauromenium. There is reason to think, that the same cruel practices prevailed here. It stood in the country of the Lamiæ, Lestrygons, and Cyclopes, upon the river On-Baal, which the Greeks rendered Onoballus. From hence we may conclude, that it was one of the Cyclopian buildings. Homer has presented us with something of truth, though we receive it sadly mixed with fable. We find from him, that when Ulysses entered the dangerous pass of Rhegium, he had six of his comrades seized by Scylla: and he loses the same number in the cavern of the Cyclops, which that monster devoured. Silenus, in a passage before taken notice of, is by Euripides made to say, that the most agreeable repast to the Cyclops was the flesh of strangers: nobody came within his reach, that he did not feed upon.
Ουδεις μολων δευρ', ὁστις ου κατεσφαγη.
From these accounts some have been led to think, that the priests in these temples really fed upon the flesh of the persons sacrificed: and that these stories at bottom allude to a shocking depravity; such, as one would hope, that human nature could not be brought to. Nothing can be more horrid, than the cruel process of the Cyclops, as it is represented by Homer. And though it be veiled under the shades of poetry, we may still learn the detestation, in which these places were held.
Κοπτ', εκ δ' εγκεφαλος χαμαδις ῥεε, δευε δε γαιαν.
Τους τε διαμελεϊστι ταμων ὡπλισσατο δορπον·
Ησθιε δ' ωστε λεων ορεσιτροφος, ουδ' απελειπεν
Εγκατα τε, σαρκας τε, και οστεα μυελοεντα.
Ἡμεις δε κλαιοντες ανεσχεθομεν Διι χειρας,
Σκετλια εργ' ὁροωντες, αμηχανιη δ' εχε θυμον.
Snatch'd two unhappy of my martial band,
And dash'd like dogs against the rocky floor:
The pavement swims with brains, and mingled gore.
Torn limb from limb, he spreads the horrid feast,
And fierce devours it like a mountain beast.
He sucks the marrow, and the blood he drains;
Nor entrails, flesh, nor solid bone remains.
We see the death, from which we cannot move,
And humbled groan beneath the hand of Jove.
And the inhabitants are represented as of the giant race.
Μυριοι, ουκ ανδρεσσιν εοικοτες, αλλα Γιγασι.
Ουκ οιδε Λαμιας της Λιβυστικης γενος.
One of the principal places in Italy, where the Lamia seated themselves, was about Formiæ; of which Horace takes notice in his Ode to Ælius Lamia.
Authore ab illo ducis originem,
Qui Formiarum mœnia dicitur
Princeps, et innantem Maricæ
Littoribus tenuisse Lirim.
The coast of Campania seems to have been equally infamous: and as much dreaded by mariners, as that of Rhegium, and Sicily. Here the Sirens inhabited, who are represented, as the bane of all, who navigated those seas. They like the Lamii were Cuthite, and Canaanitish priests, who had founded temples in these parts; and particularly near three small islands, to which they gave name. These temples were rendered more than ordinary famous on account of the women, who officiated. They were much addicted to the cruel rites, of which I have been speaking; so that the shores, upon which they resided, are described, as covered with the bones of men, destroyed by their artifice.
Difficiles quondam, multorumque ossibus albos.
They used hymns in their temples, accompanied with the music of their country: which must have been very enchanting, as we may judge from the traditions handed down of its efficacy. I have mentioned, that the songs of the Canaanites and Cretans were particularly plaintive, and pleasing:
Such as were warbled by the Delian God,
When in the groves of Ida he bewail'd
The lovely lost Atymnius.
Ανθρωπους θελγουσιν, ὁτις σφεας εισαφικανει.
Ὁστις αϊδρειῃ πελασει, και φθογγον ακουσει
Σειρηνων, τῳ δ' ουτι γυνη, και νηπια τεκνα
Οικαδε νοστησαντι παρισταται, ουδε γανυνται·
Αλλα τε Σειρηνες λιγυρῃ θελγουσιν αοιδῃ,
Ἡμενοι εν λειμωνι· πολυς τ' αμφ' οστεοφιν θις
Ανδρων πυθομενων, περι δε ῥινοι φθινυθουσιν.
They are the words of Circe to Ulysses, giving him an account of the dangers which he was to encounter.
Their song is death, and makes destruction please.
Unblest the man, whom music makes to stray
Near the curst coast, and listen to their lay.
No more that wretch shall view the joys of life,
His blooming offspring, or his pleasing wife.
In verdant meads they sport, and wide around Lie human bones, that whiten all the ground: The ground polluted floats with human gore, And human carnage taints the dreadful shore. Fly, fly the dangerous coast.
The story at bottom relates to the people above-mentioned; who with their music used to entice strangers into the purlieus of their temples, and then put them to death. Nor was it music only, with which persons were seduced to follow them. The female part of their choirs were maintained for a twofold purpose, both on account of their voices and their beauty. They were accordingly very liberal of their favours, and by these means enticed seafaring persons, who paid dearly for their entertainment. Scylla was a personage of this sort: and among the fragments of Callimachus we have a short, but a most perfect, description of her character.
The den of Cacus was properly Ca-Chus, the cavern or temple of Chus, out of which the poets, and later historians have formed a strange personage, whom they represent as a shepherd, and the son of Vulcan. Many antient Divinities, whose rites and history had any relation to Ur in Chaldea, are said to have been the children of Vulcan; and oftentimes to have been born in fire. There certainly stood a temple of old upon the Aventine mountain in Latium, which was the terror of the neighbourhood. The cruelties of the priests, and their continual depredations, may be inferred from the history of Cacus. Virgil makes Evander describe the place to Æneas; though it is supposed in his time to have been in ruins.
Disjectæ procul ut moles, desertaque montis
Stat domus, et scopuli ingentem traxere ruinam.
Hic spelunca fuit, vasto submota recessu,
Semihominis Caci, facies quam dira tegebat,
Solis inaccessum radiis: semperque recenti
Cæde tepebat humus; foribusque affixa superbis
Ora virûm tristi pendebant pallida tabo.
Huic monstro Vulcanus erat pater.
What we express Cocytus, and suppose to have been merely a river, was originally a temple in Egypt called Co-Cutus: for rivers were generally denominated from some town, or temple, near which they ran. Co-Cutus means the Cuthite temple, the house of Cuth. It was certainly a place of inquisition, where great cruelties were exercised. Hence the river, which was denominated from it, was esteemed a river of hell; and was supposed to have continual cries, and lamentations resounding upon its waters.
Heard on its banks.