"limb from limb: that his members were scattered different ways; but that he afterwards revived. The Scripture account is, that the Lord scattered them abroad; not to any certain place of destination, but over the face of the whole earth. This is plainly referred to by Nonnus, where he speaks of the retreat of Bacchus, and the dissipation of his associates; by whom are to be understood the Cuthites. 9 Αςαθεες δε φαλαγγες αήθεα κυκλα κελευθε His wavering bands now fled in deep dismay By different routs, uncertain where they pass'd, Some sought the limits of the eastern world; 95 Clemens Alexandr. Cohort. p. 15. "Oi Titaves dieomaoay it' maiaxov orra, Justin. Mart. Apolog. 1. 1. p. 56. and 75. mentions Διονυσον διασπαριντα. Bacchus was the same as Osiris. Ogygia me Bacchum vocat: Osirin Ægyptus putat: &c. Ausonius, Osiris, in consequence of this, is supposed to have been torn to pieces, and his limbs scattered. Plutarch. Isis and Osiris. See also Diodorus Sicul. 1. 3. p. 196. 56 Nonni Dionysiac. 1. 34. p. 864. Some, where the craggy western coast extends, Sped to the regions of the setting sun. Sore travel others felt, and wandered far Southward; while many sought the distant t north, All in confusion. He speaks of this people in the feminine; because many of the attendants upon Bacchus were supposed to have been women, and were his priestesses: but the meaning of the story is evident. I shall shew that many of them fled by sea to India, where they settled upon the great Erythrean Ocean. The poet has an eye to this likewise in another place, where he speaks of the flight of Bacchus. He paints him in great terrors, and in the utmost consternation. 57 Ταρβαλέοις δε πόδεσσι φυγών ακίχητος οδίτης, Bacchus all trembling, as he fled away, 97 Nonni Dionysiac. 1. 20. p. 552. To yield him shelter. Thetis heard his cries, The Arabian God, stretch'd out his friendly hand, And led him darkling thro' the vast abyss The check which Bacchus received, and his flight in consequence of it, is supposed by many to have been in Thrace. Here Lycurgus is said to have been king, who drove Bacchus out of his dominions. But Lycurgus being made king of Thrace, is like Inachus and Phoroneus being the same at Argos, Deucalion in Thessaly. These are all antient traditions, ingrafted upon the history of the place by the posterity of those who introduced them. Diodorus Siculus 98 assures us, that many writers, and particularly Antimachus, made Lycurgus a king of Arabia: and Homer places the scene of this transaction at Nusa; but which Nusa he does not say. In short, Lycus, Lycorus, Lycoreus, and with a guttural, Lycurgus, were all names of the Deity; and by the Amonians appro priated to the Sun. Under the fable of " Lycur 5 L. 3. p. 199. "Lycus, Sol. Macrob. Saturnal. 1. 1. p. 195. gus, who exterminated Bacchus and his associates, is veiled the true history of the just judgments of God upon Chus and his family, who fled every way from the place of vengeance, and passed the seas to obtain shelter. The sacred writings mention only a confusion of tongues: but all Pagan accounts allude to some other fearful judgment, with which this people were pursued till they were totally dissipated. Homer, speaking of Lycurgus, mentions this pursuit; but, by a common mistake, introduces Dionusus instead of Bacchus. προ Ὃς ποτέ μαινομενοιο Διωνύσοιο Τιθήνας So also Lycoreus, in Callimach. Hymn. in Apoll. v. 19. Lycurgus is Lycorus with a guttural; which manner of pronunciation was very common among the antients. So Reu, or Rau, is styled Ragau: the plains of Shinar, Singar and Singara: Sehor, Segor: Aza, Gaza: Nahum, Nachum: Isaac, Ischiac: Urhoe, the land of Ur, Urchoe, and Orchoe. The same place, styled ne, is by the LXX always rendered Xapa. The rites of fire were originally called Opie, but were changed to Opya: asa to yaia. As Lycurgus was a title of the Deity, they sometimes gave it, which is extraordinary, to Bacchus himself, or at least to Dionusus. Και τον δε Διονυσον και τον Ηδωνων Λυκέργον συναπτοντες εις εν, των ἱερων ὁμοιοτροπίαν αινίττονται. Strabo of the Thracians, and also of the Phrygians. 1. 10. p. 722. 100 Homer. Hiad. 7. v. 133. : Σευε κατ' ηγαθεον * Νύσσηιον· αι δ' άμα πασαι Δυσεθ ̓ ἄλος κατα κύμα· Οετις δ ̓ ὑποδεξατο κολπῳ In a mad mood, while Bacchus blindly rag'd, By the τιθηναι, or nurses, of Bacchus are meant the priests and priestesses of the Cuthites. I make no doubt but the story is founded in truth; that there was some alarming judgment; terrified with which the Bacchians, or Cuthites, fled different ways; that their priests, in consternation, threw away what Hestiæus styles what Hestiæus styles * ἱερωματα Ζηνος 2 1 Η μεν Νύσσα εν τισι χώραις ορος, ὡς εν Βοιωτία, και Θράκη, και Αραβία, και Ινδίκη, και Λιβύη, και Ναξῳ, όπω δε πολις, ὡς εν Καρία, και εν τῷ Καυκασιῳ ορει· όπε δε νησος, ὡς εν Νειλῳ τῷ ποταμών. Scholia in Homer. supra. |