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idea of the true God was lost; and all adoration was paid to the sun, and to the earth, under the title of Osiris, Ammon, Orus, Isis, and the like. The sun, in consequence of it, was esteemed to be the soul of the world: and Diodorus Siculus mentions, that the ancient Egyptians supposed this luminary and the moon to rule all things by their influence; and that they were through all ages (ao Ts αιδια και παλαιας γενέσεως) the chief 3 deities, and the conservators of all things. And not only the conservators, but the Hence it is said, that they esteemed the sun

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creators.

as, 3 mundi caput, the principal being in the uni

The titles were various.

Te Serapim Nilus, Memphis veneratur Osirim.

Martianus Capella, Hymn. 2.

See Ausonius, Epigram. 30.

The same notion prevailed in other parts. Sol mens mundi. Macrob. Sat. 1. 1. p. 69. and 204.

3. Solem et lunam deos esse. ibid. p. 210.

4 Τους δ' ουν κατ' Αίγυπτον ανθρωπες, το παλαιον γενομενες, ανα βλέψαντας εις τον κόσμον, και την των όλων φυσιν καταπλαγέντας, και θαυμάζοντας, ὑπολαβείν είναι δυο θεός αίδιες τε και πρωτες, τον τε Ηλιον και την Σελήνην, ὧν τον μεν Οσιριν, τον δε Ισιν όνομασαι. 1. 1. p. 11.

5 Solem mundi caput, rerumque satorem. Macrob. Sat.

1.1.

P.

204.

T૪૪૬ દ 18

1. 1. p. 11

θεας ὑφισανται τον συμπαντα κόσμον διοικειν. Diodor.

verse, by whom all things were produced. Homer, who borrowed from Egypt, ascribed to the sun intellect, and universal perception. Ηλιος, ός παντ' εφορα, και παντ' επακδεί,

Odyss. 1. 12. v. 108.

Of the Adoration paid to the Sun, and to Fire.

1

Not only the Egyptians, but the Ethiopians, Persians, Phenicians, Syrians, Rhodians, and other nations, esteemed themselves Heliadæ, or descendants of the Sun: and they worshipped him both as their sovereign and parent. Hence Persina, the queen of Ethiopia, is introduced by Heliodorus, as invoking the sun in the following manner. Επικεκλησθω μαρ τις ὁ γενάρχης ήμων Ήλιος. Let the Sun, the great author of our race, be invoked, as a witness upon this occasion. A like address is made by a person called Hydaspes to both luminaries at a sacrifice. Ω Δεσποτα Ηλιε, και Σεληνη deσTowα---Our Lord the Sun; and our Governess the Moon. The Egyptians had a great con

I

2

Ethop. 1. 4. p. 175. See Xenophon Kuguraida, 1. 8. p. 233.

Heliod. 1. 10. p. 518.

The author stiles himself-ang poivis, Eμesenvos, var ap' 'Hair γενες. Ηλιόδωρος. p. 519,

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nection with the Ethiopians: their rites and institutes, and their manner of writing were in great measure the same. In In consequence of which we find this luminary invoked by them, as the principal fountain of all human being.

Ο δεσπότα Ήλιε, και θεοι παντες, οι την ζωην τοις ανθρωποις δοντες, προσδέξασθε με, και παραδοτε τοις αϊδιος θεοις συνοικον. They are the words, which it was usual for the priest to speak at a funeral in the person of one deceased. At the same time he held up towards heaven an ark, in which the remains of the deceased were deposited. ❝. O, sovereign Lord, the Sun, and all ye other deities, who "bestow life upon mankind; receive me, I beseech you; and suffer me to be admitted "to the society of the immortals."

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They worshipped also the elements, and particularly fire and water. Ετι και νυν εν τη ανοίξει το άγιο Σεραπιδος ἡ θεραπεια δια πυρος και ὕδατος γίνεται Even at this day, says 3 Porphy

Ταδε πλείσα των νομίμων τοις Αιγυπτίοις υπαρχειν Αιθιοπικούς της βέμενης της παλαιας συνηθείας παρά τοις αποικισθεισί. Το λο Ка

πολλα τοιαυθ' ἑτερα Αιθιοπων υπαρχειν.

P. 144. See also p. 145.

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Diodorus Sic. l. 3.

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ry, at the opening of the sanctuary of the holy Serapis, the service is performed by rites both of fire and water. And he gives a reason for acting in this manner---' ύδως και πυρ σεβοντες μαλιςα των soιχείων. It seems, that water and fire were two of the chief objects, which they worshipped. Hence fire and water mingled were no improper judgment, as has been observed before. They thought, that fire was a living animal--- Αιγυπτίοισι δε νενόμισαι πως το θηρίον είναι εμψυχον. The Egyptians esteemed fire to be a living informed animal. But in general they had a still higher notion of this element, as we learn from Diodorus.---To de πυς μεθερμηνευόμενον Ηφαισον ονόμασαι, νομίσαντες μεγαν είναι θεον, και πολλα συμβάλλειν πασιν εις γενεσιν τε και τελείαν αυξησιν. They denominated fire Hephaistos, esteeming it a mighty deity; which contributed largely towards generation,

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Περσαι πυρί, και Αιγυπτιοι ύδατι θυεσι.

καίτοι μεν άπασι καινον

τους Αιγυπτίοις το idag. Lucianus in Jove Tragado, vol. 2. p. 223.

1 Herodot. l. 3. c. 16. p. 202. Fire was esteemed a god by the Persians. Πέρσαι γαρ θεον νομιζεσι είναι το πυρ. ibid. 3 L. 1. p. 11.

4 This opinion was followed by Heraclitus.

Ex

πυρος τα παντα συνεςαναι, και ες τετο αναλύεσθαι.

Diog.

4

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and the ultimate perfection of beings. The true Egyptian name seems to have been a, Phtha, or rather' las, Phthas. It is however expressed Phtha by Jamblichus; who mentions this elementary deity, as, dnsgyinos vas, the divine intellect, by which all things were fashioned. They looked upon him as the chief guardian of their country. 3 Pthas, custodem Ægypti. In respect to the adoration of the element, Diodorus endeavours to apologize for the custom, by saying, that the divine title of Hephaistus, or Vulcan, was given to fire, εις μνήμην και τιμην αθανατον, by way of honour, and to be a perpetual memorial of the great and true benefactor, the god of fire. But unfortunately this learned writer was not apprised, that the real benefactor, the only true God, was antecedently obscured, and at last banished from the hearts of men. In consequence

Laert. 1. 9. p. 551. also by the Stoics-Omnia vestri, Balbe, solent ad igneam vim referre. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. P. 1238.

Φθας, ὁ Ηφαιςος παρα Μεμφιταις. Suidas. The name was in use all over Egypt.

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3 Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 3. c. 22.

times expressed wrongly-Opas. * L. 5. p. 341. c.

P.
1241. It is some→

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