Transcription
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[Music] foreign [Music] foreign [Music] The first generation of men in Egypt, contemplating the beauty of the superior world, admiring with astonishment the frame and order of the universe, supposed there were two chief gods that were eternal, that is to say, the Sun and the Moon. The first, which they call Osiris, and the other, Isis. Both names having proper etymologies. For Osiris, in the Greek language, signifies a thing with many eyes, which may be properly applied to the Sun, darting his rays into every corner, and as it were with so many eyes, viewing and surveying the whole land and sea. And which agrees the poet: "The Sun from lofty sphere, all seas, all here."
[Music] Some also, the ancient Greek mythologists, say Osiris is Dionysus, and surname him Sirius among umalpas, and his bacchanal verses, Dionysus darts his fiery rays.
[Music] And Orpheus, the bard, calls affinities and Dionysus.
[Music] Some likewise set him forth clothed with the spotted skin of a fawn, called nibrous, from the variety of stars that surround him. Isis, likewise, being interpreted, signifies ancient, that name being inscribed to the Moon, from the internal generations. They add likewise to her horns, because her aspect is such an increase and in her decrease, representing a sickle. And because an ox among the Egyptians is offered into her sacrifice, they hold that these gods govern the whole world, cherishing and increasing all things, and divide the year into three parts, that is to say, spring, summer, and winter, by an invisible motion perfecting their constant course in that time. And though they say they are in their very natures very differing one from another, yet they complete the whole year with the most excellent harmony and consent. They say that these gods and their natures do contribute much to the generation of all things, the one being a hot and active nature, the other moist and cold, but both having something of the air, and that by these all things are both brought forth and nourished. And therefore, that every particular being in the universe is perfected and completed by the Sun and the Moon, whose qualities, as before declared, are five: Spirit, are quickening, efficiency, heat or fire, dryness or Earth, moisture or Water, and Air. In which the world does consist, as man made up of head, hands, feet, and other parts. These five are reputed for gods, and the people of Egypt, who were the first that spoke articulately, gave names proper to the several natures according to the language that they spake. And therefore, they call the spirit Jupiter, which is such interpretation, because a quickening influence is derived from this into all living creatures, as from the original principle, and upon that account he is esteemed the common parent of all things. And to this most famous poet of the Greeks gives testimony, or speaking of this God, he says: "Of men and gods the father." Fire, they call interpretation Vulcan, and him they had a veneration as a great God, as he that greatly contributed to the generation and perfection of all beings whatsoever. The Earth, as the common womb of all production, they call Matera, as the Greeks, and process of time, by a small alteration of one letter and the emission of two letters, called the Earth dimetra, which was very anciently called Gen Matera, or Mother Earth, as Orpheus attests in this verse: "The mother earth Demeter also called, brings forth most richly." Water, or moisture, the Ancients called Oceanus, which by interpretation is a nourishing mother, and so taken by the Grecians, of which the poet says thus: "The father of the gods, the ocean is, Tethys the mother called." But the Egyptians account their Nile to be Oceanus, of which all the gods were born. For in Egypt, among all countries in the world, are many cities built by the ancient gods, as by Jupiter, Sol, Mercury, Apollo, Pan, Elithia, and many others. To the air, that gave the name Minerva, signifying something proper to the nature thereof, and called her the daughter of Jupiter, and counted a virgin, because the air naturally is not subject to corruption, and is the highest part of the universe, whence rises the fable that she was the issue of Jupiter's brain. They say she is called also Trytogenus, or Thrice begotten, because she changes her natural qualities thrice in a year: the spring, summer, and winter. And that she was called Glaucopis, not that she has gray eyes, as some of the Greeks have supposed, for that is a weak conceit, but because the air seems to be of a great color to the view.
[Music] They report likewise that these five gods travel through the whole world, representing themselves to men sometimes in the shapes of sacred living creatures, and sometimes in the form of men, or some other representation. And this is not a fable, but very possible, if it be true that these generate all things. And the poet, who traveled into Egypt, and some parts of his works, affirms this appearance to be learned is from the priest.
[Music] "The gods also, like strangers, come from far, within towns appear, viewing men's good and wicked acts." And these are the stories told by the Egyptians of the heavenly immortal gods. Besides these, they say there are others that are terrestrial, which were forgotten of the former gods, and were originally immortal then, but by reason of their wisdom to all mankind have obtained immortality. Of which some have been kings of Egypt, some of whom by interpretation have had the same names with the celestial gods, others have kept their own proper names. But they report that Sol, Saturn, Rhea, Jupiter, also known as Amon, Juno, Vulcan, Bacchus, and lastly Mercury, who is called Thoth, reigned in Egypt. And Sol was the first king of Egypt, whose name was the same with the celestial planet called Sol, with the priesthood and Heliopolis.
[Music] But there are some of the priests who affirm Vulcan to be the first of their gods, and that he was advanced to all dignity upon account of being the first that used fire, which was so beneficial to all mankind. For a tree in the mountain, happening to be set on fire by lightning, the wood next adjoining was presently all in a flame, and Vulcan thereupon coming to that place was mightily refreshed by the heat of it, being then winter season. And when the fire began to fail, he added more combustible matter to it, and by that means preserving it, calling it other men to enjoy the benefits of that which he himself was the first inventor, as he gave out. Afterwards, they say Saturn reigned and married his sister Rhea, and that he begot of her Osiris and Isis. But others say Jupiter and Juno, who for the great virtues ruled all over the world. That of Jupiter and Juno were born five gods, one upon every day of the five Egyptian intercalary days. The names of these gods: Osiris, Isis, Typhon, Apollo, and Venus. That Osiris was interpreted Bacchus, and Isis plainly Ceres. That Osiris married Isis, and after he came to the kingdom did much perform many things for the common benefit and advantage of mankind. For he was the first that forbade men eating one another, and at the same time Isis found out the way of making bread of wheat and barley, which before grew here and there in the fields amongst the other herbs and grasses, and the use of it unknown. And Osiris teaching the way and manner of tillage and well management of the fruits of the Earth, this change of food became grateful both because it was naturally sweet and delicious, and the men were thereby restrained from the mutual butcheries of one another. For an evidence of this first finding out the use of these fruits, they allege ancient custom among them, for even this day, in the time of harvest, the inhabitants offer the first fruits, the ears of corn, howling and wailing about the handfuls they offer, invoking this God Isis, and this they do in return of due honor to her that invention. At the first, in some cities, when they celebrate the Feast of Isis in a pompous procession, they carry out vessels of wheat and barley in memory of the first invention by the care and industry of this goddess. They say likewise that Isis made many laws for the good of human society, whereby were restrained from lawless force, violence one upon another, out of fear of punishment. And therefore Ceres was called by the ancient Greeks Themosphorus, that is lawgiver, being the princess that first constituted laws for the better government of her people. Osiris moreover built Thebes in Egypt, the hundred gates, and called it after his mother's name, but in following times it was called Thespolis and Thebes, of whose first founder not only historians but the priests of Egypt themselves are much in doubt. For some say it was not built by Osiris, but by many years after by a king of Egypt, whose history we shall treat hereafter in its proper place.
[Music] Likewise that he built two magnificent temples and dedicated to his parents Jupiter and Juno, and likewise two golden altars, the greater to the great God Jupiter, the other to his father Saturn, who had formerly reigned there, whom they call Amon. That he erected golden altars to other gods and instituted their several rites of worship, and appointed priests to have the oversight and care of the holy things. In the time of Osiris and Isis, projectors and ingenious artists were in great honor and esteem. That therefore in Thebes there were the goldsmiths and braziers who made arms and weapons for the killing of wild beasts, and other instruments for the husbanding of the ground and improvement of tillage.
[Music] Besides images of the gods and the altars in gold, they say that Osiris was much given to husbandry. That he was the son of Jupiter, brought up by Nissa, a town of Arabia the Happy, near to Egypt, called by the Greeks Dionysus, from his father and the place of his education. Poet and his hymns makes mention of Nissa as bordering upon Egypt, where he says: "Far off from Phoenicia stands the sacred Nisa, where streams of Egypt's Nile begins to rise on mountain high with pleasant wood adorned."
[Music] Here near unto Nisa, they say he found out the use of the vine, and there planting it, was the first that drank wine, and taught others how to plant it and use it, and to grasp in their vintage and keep and preserve it. Above all others, he most honored Hermes, one of admirable ingenuity and quick invention in finding out what might be useful to mankind. This Hermes was the first that taught how to speak distinctly and articulately, and gave names to many things that had been known before. He found out letters and instituted the worship of the gods, and was the first to observe the motion of the stars, invented music, taught the manner of wrestling, invented arithmetic, and the art of curious graving and cutting of statues. He first found out the harp with three strings in resemblance of the three seasons of the year, causing three several sounds: the treble, bass, and mean. The treble to represent this summer, the bass the winter, and the mean the spring. He was the first that taught the Greeks eloquence. Thence he is called Hermes, a speaker or interpreter. To conclude, he was Osiris's sacred scribe, to whom he communicated all his secrets, and was chiefly steered by his advice in everything. He not Minerva, as the Greeks affirm, found out the use of the olive tree for the making of holy oils. It is moreover reported that Osiris, being the prince of a public spirit and very ambitious of glory, raised a great army with which he resolved to go through all parts of the world that were inhabited, and to teach men how to plant vines and how to sow wheat and barley. For he hoped that if he could civilize men and take them off from their rude and beast-like courses of life, by such public good and advantage, he should raise a foundation amongst all mankind for his immortal praise and honor, which happened accordingly. For not only that age, but posterity ever after honored those among the chiefest of their gods that first found out their proper and ordinary food. Having therefore settled his affairs in Egypt, and committed the government of his whole kingdom to his wife Isis, he joined her with Thoth as her chief counselor of state. He far excelled others in wisdom and prudence.
[Music] As his near kinsman, he left General of all his forces within his dominions, a man admired for all his valor and strength of body. As to those parts which lay near Phoenicia and upon the seacoast of them, he made Bucyrus Lieutenant of all Ethiopia, Libya, Antias. Then marching out of Egypt, he began his expedition, taking along with him his brother, whom the Greeks called Apollo. This Apollo is reported to have discovered the laurel tree, which all dedicate especially to this God, and where diadems of laurel leaves. To Osiris they attribute the finding out of the ivy tree, and where ivy diadems instead of laurel, and dedicate to him, who the Greeks called Bacchus. Therefore, in the Egyptian tongue, they call ivy Osiris's plant, which they prefer before the vine and all their sacrifices, because this loses its leaves, and the others always continue fresh and green. Which rule the Ancients have observed in other plants that are always green, dedicating Myrtle to Venus, Laurel to Apollo, Olive to Pallas, and Ivy to Osiris. It is said that two of his sons accompanied their father Osiris in his expedition, one called Anubis, and the other Macado, both valiant men. Both of them were coats of male, there were extraordinary remarkable, covered with the skins of such creatures as resembled them in stoutness and valor. Anubis was covered with the dogs, and Macado with the skin of a wolf, and for this reason these beasts are religiously adored by the Egyptians. He had likewise for his companion Pan, whom the Egyptians have in great veneration, for they not only set up images and statues in every temple, but built a city and in Bites after his name, called by the inhabitants, which by interpretation is Pan City. There went along with them likewise those that were skillful in husbandry, as Marrow in the planting of vines, and Triptolemus in sowing of corn, gathering the harvest. All things being prepared now, Osiris having vowed to the gods to let his hair grow till he returned into Egypt, marched through Ethiopia. And for that very reason, it is a piece of religion and practice among the Egyptians this very day, and those that traveled abroad suffer their hair to grow till they return home. As he passed through Ethiopia, a company of satyrs were presented to him, who, as it is reported, were all hairy down to their loins. For Osiris was a man given to mirth and jollity, and took great pleasure in music and dancing. Therefore carried along with him a train of musicians, of whom nine were virgins, most excellent singers and experts, and many other things, who the Greeks call the Muses, whom Apollo was the captain, the brother of Osiris, who's then called the leader of the Muses. Upon this account, the satyrs, who are naturally inclined to skipping and dancing and singing and all other sorts of mirth, were taken in as part of the army. For Osiris was not for war, came to fight battles and to decide controversy by the sword, every country receiving him for his merits and virtues as a god. In Ethiopia, having instructed the inhabitants in husbandry and tillage of the ground, and built several cities among them, he left there behind some of the governors of the country and others to be the gatherers of his tribute. While they were thus employed, it is said that the River Nile, above the dog days, at which time it uses to be the highest, broke down its banks and overflowed the greatest part of Egypt, and that part especially where Prometheus was the governor, in so much as almost all the inhabitants were drowned, so that Prometheus was near and to killing himself for the grief of heart. And from the sudden and violent eruption of the waters, the river was called Eagle. Hercules, who was always high in difficult enterprises, an ever-astoked spirit, presently made up breeches and turned the river into its channel and kept it within the ancient banks. And therefore some of the Greek poets from this fact have forged a fable that Hercules killed the eagle that flew upon Prometheus's heart. The most ancient name of this river was Oceanus, which in the Greek pronunciation Okeanus, afterwards called Eagle. Upon the violent eruption, lastly, it was called Ægyptus from the name of a king that reigned there, which the poets attest, who says: "In the river of Ægyptus, then I placed the galley swift, for near Thonus, as it is called, an ancient marked town of Egypt, the river empties itself into the sea." The last name which still remains derives from Nilas, a king of those parts.
[Music] Being calm to the borders of Ethiopia, raised high banks on either side of the river, lest in time of its inundation it should overflow the country more than was convenient and make it marsh and boggy, and made floodgates to let the water by degrees as far as was necessary. Thence he passed through Arabia, bordering upon the Red Sea, as far as to India and the utmost coasts that were inhabited. He built likewise many cities in India, one which he called Nisa, willing to have remembrance of that of Egypt where he was brought up. At this Nisa in India, he planted ivy, which grows and remains here only, for all other places in India or the parts. Jason left likewise many other marks of his being and those parts, by which the later interpret, by which the later inhabitants are induced to believe and to affirm that this God was born in India. He likewise addicted himself much to hunting of elephants, and took care to have statues of himself in every place and lasting monuments of his expedition. Thence passing the rest of Asia, he transported his army through the Hellespont into Europe, and in Thrace he killed Lycurgus, the king of the barbarians, who opposed him in his designs. Then he ordered Maro, at the time of an old man, to take care of the planters in that country, and build the city and call it Maronea after his own name. Macado, his son, he made king of Macedonia, so calling it after him. To Triptolemus he appointed a culture and tillage of the land of Attica. To conclude, Osiris, having traveled through the whole world, by finding out food fit and convenient for man's body, was a benefactor for all mankind. Where vines would not grow and be fruitful, he taught the inhabitants to make drink of barley. He brought back with him into Egypt the most precious and richest things that every place did afford, and for the many benefits and advantages, by the common consent of all men, he gained the reward of immortality and honor equal to the heavenly deities.
[Music] The story of Osiris's death is as follows: Seth invited Osiris to a banquet with some of Seth's wicked friends. After the feasting, a casket was carried in, a gift from Seth to anyone who could fit inside. Seth's friends tried in vain to squeeze, stretch, or slide themselves in the casket; none of them fit. Then Osiris took his turn and fit perfectly in the casket. In a flash, Seth slammed down the lid and sealed it shut. The coffin was then thrown into the Nile. It floated off toward the sea. Isis was heartbroken at the loss of her husband. Isis was pregnant at this time with Horus, leaving her baby son behind with Hermes, she set out to find Osiris's body.
[Music] Weeks Isis reached the city of Byblos in Phoenicia. With the help of her magic, she discovered Osiris's coffin with a great ivy tree growing from the coffin. She hurried back to Egypt, but before she could place Osiris in his tomb, Seth found the body. He chopped his brother into 14 pieces and scattered them across the land of Egypt. Isis set out once again to search for the pieces of Osiris's body. After weeks of searching, she found all but one part of Osiris's body: his phallus, which had been swallowed up by a fish. To protect Osiris from Seth, Isis buried Osiris in 13 different places. The spirit of Osiris passed into the underworld, where he became the king of Hades. Osiris transmigrated his soul into his son Horus, the Avenger of the father, was seen by some as a resurrection of Osiris. Seth became Pharaoh of Egypt.
[Music] One day, when Horus was just a child, Seth took on the shape of a scorpion, came into Horus's room, and stung him and killed him. Horus was then sent to the underworld with his father, where he would stay there until he was of age so he can avenge his father. And when he was of age, Amen, the father of Osiris, the ruler and creator of the universe, took Horus and brought him back to the land of the living by the sacred boat.
[Music] Seth was already waiting for his return, charged that Horus and aimed fire at his eyes and blinded him. After many weeks, Horus regained his sight. Horus grabbed the great army and chased down Seth up the River Nile, where they reached the island of Elephantine. Horus saw Seth standing there in the form of a vast red hippopotamus, uttering a terrible curse. Horus threw its much force a javelin in the roof of Seth's mouth and into his brain. The red hippopotamus sank dead into the Nile. The darkness vanished, and the people of Egypt rejoiced of the victory of Horus, son of Osiris, the Avenger. Peace came to Egypt, and Horus was crowned Pharaoh.
[Music] Now, after the death of Osiris, Isis and Hermes celebrated his funeral with sacrifices and other divine honors, as to one of the gods, and instituted many sacred rites and mystical ceremonies in memory of the mighty works wrought by his hero now deified. Anciently, the Egyptian priests kept the manner of the death of Osiris secret in their own registers among themselves, but in after times it fell out that some that could not hold blurted it out the secret mysteries of Osiris, and so it came abroad. For they say that Osiris, while he governed Egypt with all justice imaginable, murdered by his brother, who was known as Typhon to the Greeks, and that he mangled his body into six to twenty pieces and gave to each of his confederates in the treason of peace, by that means bringing them all within the same horde guilt, and thereby the more to engage them advance him to the throne and defend and preserve in the possession. But Isis, with the assistance of her son Horus, avenged the death of Osiris and got revenge upon Seth and his accomplices and possessed herself of the kingdom of Egypt. It is said that the battle was fought near a river not far off a town now called Antia in Arabia, as so-called from Anthias, whom Hercules slew in the time of Osiris. She found all the pieces of his body except for the phallus, and having a desire to conceal her husband's burial, yet to have him honored by a god by all Egyptians, she thus contrived it. She closed all the pieces together, cementing them with wax and aromatic spices, and so that the shape of a man of the bigness of Osiris, she sent for the priests to her one by one, and swore them all they should not discover what she should then entrust them with. Then she told them privately that they only should have the burial of the king's body, and recounting the many good works he had done, charged them to bury the body in proper place among themselves, and to pay unto all the divine honor as to God, that they should dedicate to him one of the beasts bred among them, which of them they pleased. That it was alive, they should pay it with some veneration as they did before Osiris himself, and when it was dead, it should worship it with the same adoration and worship given to Osiris. But being willing to encourage the priests that these divine offices by profit and advantage, she gave them a third part of the country for maintenance of service of the god and their attendance at the altars.
[Music] In memory therefore of Osiris's great deeds, being incited thereunto the commands of the queen and an expectation of their own profit and advantage, the priests exactly performed everything that Isis enjoined them. And therefore every order of the priests at this day are of opinion that Osiris is buried among them, and they have those beasts in great veneration that were so long since thus consecrated and renewed their mournings for Osiris, the weeping for the dead God over the graves of those beasts. There are two sacred bowls especially, the bull Apis and the other Mnevis, that are consecrated to Osiris and reputed as gods generally all by Egyptians. For this creature of all others was extraordinary serviceable to the first inventors of husbandry, both as to sowing corn and the other advantages concerning tillage, of which all reap the benefit. Lastly, they say that after the death of Osiris, Isis made a vow never to marry another man and spent the rest of her days in exact administration of justice among her subjects, and selling all other princes and her acts of grace and bounty towards her people. And therefore after her death, she was numbered among the gods, and as such had divine honor and veneration, and was buried at Memphis, where they show her sepulture at this day in the Grove of Vulcan. Yet there are some that deny that these gods are buried in Memphis, but near the mountains of Ethiopia and Egypt, and the Isle of the Nile, lying near a place called Phile, and upon the account also called the Holy Field. They confirmed this by undoubted signs and marks left in the island, as a sepulture built and erected to Osiris, religiously revered by all the priests of Egypt, wherein are laid up 360 bulls, which certain priests appointed for that purpose fill every day with milk and call upon the gods by name with mourning and lamentation. For the cause none go into the island except the priests. The inhabitants of Thebes, which is the most ancient city of Egypt, account is great oath and by no means to be violated if a man swear by Osiris that lies buried at Phile. The several parts therefore of Osiris being found, they report were buried in this manner before related. His privy members, they say, were thrown into the river by Typhon, because none of his partners would receive them, and yet that they were divinely honored by Isis, for she commanded an image of this very part to be set up in the temples and to be religiously adored, and in all their ceremonies and sacrifices to this God, she ordered that part to be held in divine veneration and honor. And therefore Grecians after they learned the rites and ceremonies of the Feast of Bacchus and the origin soundies, the Egyptians and all their mysteries and sacrifice to this God, they adored the member of the phallus, and the growing of corn is the growing of the phallus of Osiris.
[Music] From Osiris and Isis to a reign of Alexander the Great, who built a city after his own name, the Egyptian priests reckoned above 10,000 years. They affirm that those that say this god Osiris was born at Thebes in Boeotia of Jupiter and Semele were late, that which is false. For they say that Orpheus, after he came into Egypt, was initiated into the sacred mysteries of Bacchus or Dionysus, and being special friend to the Thebans in Boeotia and of great esteem among them, to manifest his gratitude transferred the birth of Bacchus or Osiris over into Greece. And the common people, partly out of ignorance and partly out of desire they had about this God should be a Greek, readily receive these mysteries and sacred rites among them. And that Orpheus took the occasion following to fix the birth of the God and his rites and ceremonies among the Greeks. And thus Cadmus, they say, was born at Thebes in Egypt, and amongst other children begot Semele, that she was got with child by one unknown and was delivered at seven months' end of a child very like to Osiris, as the Egyptians describe him. But such births are not used to live, either because it is not the pleasure of the gods it should be, or that the law of nature will not admit it. Semele was not with a man and was miraculously pregnant with Dionysus, who the Egyptians know as Osiris. This is the second birth of Osiris. The matter coming to Cadmus, being before worn by the Oracle to protect the laws of his country, he wrapped the infant in gold and in situated sacrifices to be offered to him, as if Osiris had appeared again in this shape, and caused it to be spread abroad that it was begotten with Jupiter, thereby both to honor Osiris and to cover his daughter's shame. And therefore it is a common report among the Greeks that Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, was with child by no other than Jupiter, and by him had Osiris. And after times, Orpheus, by reason of his excellent art and skill in music and knowledge in theology, and institution of sacred rites and sacrifices to the gods, was greatly esteemed among the Greeks, and his specially was received and entertained by the Thebans and by them highly honored above all others, who, being accidentally learned in the Egyptian theology, brought down to the birth of the ancient Osiris to a far later time, and to gratify the Cadmians or Thebans, instituted new rites and ceremonies, at which he ordered that it should be declared to all that were admitted to those mysteries that Dionysus or Osiris was begotten by a virgin assembly by Jupiter. People therefore, partly through ignorance and partly by being deceived with their dazzling lust of Orpheus or reputation and with their good opinion of his truth and faithfulness in this matter, especially to have this God reputed a Greek, being to the use of these rites as it before declared, and with these stories the mythologists and poets have filled all the theaters, and now it is generally received as truth, not in the least to be questioned. To conclude, the priests say that the Greeks have arrogated themselves both their gods and demigods or heroes, and say that the divers colonies were transported over to them out of Egypt. For Hercules was an Egyptian, and by his valor made his way into most parts of the world and set up a pillar in Africa. And this they endeavor to make proof that the Greeks themselves, for whereas it is owned by all that Hercules assisted the gods and the Giants' War, it is plain that at the time when the Greeks say Hercules was born, the Earth had not the stand the strength to produce giants, neither were there any in those days, that is to say, in the next before the Trojan War. But rather, as Egyptians affirm, the first generation, beginning of mankind, from which the Egyptians account above ten thousand years. But the Trojan War not 1200, and according to this computation of the Egyptians, a club and lion skin may agree well enough with the ancient Hercules, for the use of arms not being at the time found out, men fought with clubs and staves and covered their bodies with beasts of skins, with skins of beasts. This ancient Hercules, they say, was the son of Jupiter, but no not who was mother. He who was the son of Alcmena, they affirm, was born above ten thousand years after the other, and was called at first Alcaeus, but afterwards Heracles, not that he had honorable surname from Juno, as Matrix says, but assumed to himself the name of emulation, desirous to do as great as the ancient Hercules, and so to inherit as well his fame and glory as his name. Moreover, the Greeks have very ancient tradition which agrees with the Egyptians that Hercules freed the Earth from wild beasts, which cannot possibly be applied to him who flourished about the time of the Trojans, when most parts of the world were free from such annoyances by improvement of lands and multitudes of populous cities, by the reduction of the world to a more civil course of living. Agrees best with ancient Hercules when men were yet vexed and plagued with wild beasts, and especially in Egypt, whose upper part is wilderness and full of wild beasts at this very day. And it is but very reasonable to think that Hercules should mind the prosperity, the prosperity and welfare of Egypt and his own country, and free the land from wild beasts, and so deliver it into the hands of husbandmen and improved by tillage, that upon his account was honored as a god. The report likewise that Perseus was born in Egypt, and that the Greeks say transferred from thence the birth of Isis into Argos, inventing a story that she was the same with Io, who was metamorphosed into a bull. And indeed, there are great differences in disputes discerning these gods, for some call the same Goddess Isis, others call her Ceres, some Themosphorus, others Luna, and some other names, like the Great Mother and Demeter. They term Osiris sometimes with Serapis, sometimes Dionysus, sometimes Pluto, and also Amon, sometimes Jupiter, often Pan. There are some likewise that say Serapis is the same as the Greek Pluto. Also some who identify Ashman, definition God, as Osiris or Bel. The Egyptians report that Isis found many medicines for the recovery of men's health, being very expert in the art of physic, and contrived many remedies for that purpose. And therefore, even now, when she is advanced to an immortal state, she takes pleasure in curing men's bodies, and that those that desire her assistance in their sleep can clearly manifest your presence and affords ready and effectual relief to them that stand in need of it. For clear proof of all this, they say they have not only usual fables of the Greeks, but the undoubted evidence, and that almost the whole world bears testimony to this by the respect and honor they pay to this goddess, the account of her great fame in curing diseases, for in sleep she is present with persons and applies remedies to the sick and wonderfully cures those that are her votaries, that many that have been given up by the physicians are incurable have been restored by Isis, and that many who have been blind and lame were restored by Isis, many who have sought to her help have been perfectly restored to their former sight and soundness of body. They say that she found out a medicine that would raise the dead to life.
[Music] The Sumerians tell a story about Isis and Osiris, and Isis going down into the underworld, bringing Osiris up, and raising the dead among them. At the Spring Equinox, she not only raised her son Horus, that was killed by the Titans and found dead in the water, but that the application made him immortal. This Horus was the last of the gods that reigned in Egypt after the translation of Osiris, his father. This Horus, they say, by interpretation is Apollo, who, being taught by his mother Isis, the art of psychic and divination, and very beneficial to mankind in these respects.
[Music] The Egyptian priests, in their computation of time, do reckon above 23,000 years for the reign of Sol to the passage of Alexander the Great into Asia. And their fabulous stories, they say the most ancient of their gods reigned 1200 years, and the latter no less than 300 years apiece. Whereas this great number of years seems incredible, some have not stuck to a firm that the motion of the Sun, not being then known, the year was reckoned according to the course of the Moon, and therefore the solar year consisting then but of 300 days. Some of them were sure to live 1200 lunar years, and even in this day, now that there are 12 months in the year, many live 100 solar years. The like they say of them that reigned 300 years, for in their time, they say the year was made up of four months, every four applicable to each of the three seasons of the solar year, that is to say, spring, summer, and winter, which is the reason that some of the Greeks call the year Horus seasons and historical nails horography. The Egyptians moreover, among their fables, report that is the fame of Isis, there were men of vast bodies, whom the Greeks called Giants, and whom they place in their temples prodigious shapes, who were whipped and scourged by them that sacrificed to Osiris. Some idly give forth that they sprang from the Earth when it first being the living creatures, others report that from many extraordinary things done by men of strong bodies, the fables and stories of giants arose. But in the most degree, that for the war they raised against the gods Jupiter and Osiris, they were all destroyed. It was a law likewise, they say, in Egypt against a caution of other nations, the brothers and sisters might marry one another, which accordingly was preposterous and successful in the marriage of Isis, who married her brother Osiris, and after his death made a vow never to marry another man. After she had revenged her husband's death upon his murderers, she governed the kingdom and reigned justly all her days, and did good universally to all sorts of people, obliging them with many and extraordinary benefits and advantages. And for her sake, it is accustomed among them that they honor a queen and allow her more power and authority than a king, and in their contracts of marriage, authority is given to the wife over her husband, at which time the husbands promised to be obedient in their wives and all things. Isis was buried at Memphis, where at this day her shrine is to be seen in the Grove of Vulcan, although some affirm that these gods lie buried in the Nile and Phile, as this said before. Neither am I ignorant that some writers say their sepultures are at Nisa in Arabia, whence Dionysus is called Nysaeus, where they say a pillar is erected to each of these deities with inscriptions and sacred letters upon them, and one which that belonging to Isis are these words: "I am Isis, queen of all this country, scholar of Mercury. What laws I have made, none are traditional. I am the eldest daughter of the youngest God, Saturn. I am the wife and sister of King Osiris. I am she that first found out corn for man's use. I am the mother of King Horus. I am she that arises in the dog star. The city Bubastus was built in memory of me. Farewell. Rejoice, O Egypt, that was my nurse, that brought me up." Upon Osiris's pillar, there are these that follow: "My father was Saturn, the youngest of all the gods. I am Osiris, that led an army through all the nations as far as the deserts of India, and in the countries lying to the north as far as to the head springs of the river Ister, and the other parts as far as the ocean. I am the eldest firstborn son of Saturn, a branch of a famous noble stock, cousin german to the day. There is not a place in the world where I have not been, and what I have discovered, I have imparted to all." So much of the inscriptions on the pillars, they say, may be read. The rest is defaced and worn out through the length of time. Thus, therefore, many disagree concerning the sepultures of these gods, because the priests, who were secretly instructed in the perfect knowledge of these matters, would not suffer them to be spread abroad out of fear of these punishments that such reliable unto who revealed the secrets of the gods. They reported that afterwards many colonies out of Egypt were dispersed over all parts of the world, that Belus, who was taken up to be the son of Neptune and Libra, led a colony into the province of Babylon, having fixing his seat at the river Euphrates, consecrated priests, and according to the custom of the Egyptians, freed from all public taxes and impositions. These priests the Babylonians call Chaldeans, who observed the motions of the stars in imitation of the priests, naturalists, astrologers of Egypt. That Danaus likewise from thence another colony planted them in Argos, the most ancient city of all Greece, and that the people of Cocos in Pontus and the Jews lying between Arabia and Syria were colonies of Egypt, and that therefore it is ancient custom among these nations to circumcise all their male children after the rights and customs received from the Egyptians. That the Athenians likewise are a colony of the Saints, which came out of Egypt, and are kindred. They endeavor to prove by these arguments, that is to say, that only of all the Greeks call the city from Asatu, a city among these people of the Saints, and that for the better government of the commonwealth, they divide their people into the same ranks and degrees as they do in Egypt, to wit, into three orders. The first they call Eupatridae, employed for the most part in studying liberal arts and sciences, and are advanced in the highest offices and places of performance and state, as the priests of Egypt are. The second order of men are the rustic and country people, who are the soldiers and take up arms upon occasions for the defense of the country, like to those who are called husbandmen in Egypt, who furnish out soldiers there. And the third ranked I reckoned tradesmen and artificers, who commonly bore all the necessary public offices, which agrees exactly with the orders among usage of the Egyptians. They say likewise that there are some Athenian generals that came out of Egypt, for they affirm that Pitheus, the father of Menethius, was captain in the Trojan War, an Egyptian, and afterwards a king of Athens. The Athenians had not wit enough to find out the true reason why two natures were ascribed to him, for every man knows that he was called half-beast, that is, half-man, half-beast, and the true ground was because he was a member of two several commonwealths: Greek and Barbarian. Erechtheus likewise, one of the kings of Athens, they say, was an Egyptian, which they proved by these arguments, that whereas there was a great drought, as all confess, almost over all the world except Egypt only, because of peculiar property of the place, which destroyed both men and the fruits of the earth together, Erechtheus transported a great quantity of corn to Athens out of Egypt, because they and the Egyptians were of the same kindred, which the kindness of the citizens were so affected, they advanced him into the kingdom, which after he instituted the festivals and taught the Egyptian rites and mysteries of Demeter Elusinia. They say moreover that it is reported upon good ground that the goddess herself came into Attica at the time when corn and other good fruit and her name were transported to their, and that therefore it seemed as if she had again renewed the invention of seed, she did at the beginning. Likewise the Athenians themselves confess that in the reign of Erechtheus, when the drought had burnt up all the fruits of the Earth, Ceres came hither and gave them corn, and that the rites and mysteries of this goddess were then begun in Eleusinia, and the sacrifices of ancient ceremonies both of the Athenians and Egyptians are one and the same, and that they took their original from the employed. The Egyptian priests and their heralds from the past story further, that only the Greeks swear by the name of Isis, and then all their manners and customs, they are all together like the Egyptians. These and many other such like arguments bring maintain this colony out of ambition, because of the glory and renown of that city, that any ground of truth they have for their assertion. To conclude, the Egyptians say that many parts of the world were planted by their ancestors, by colonies sent from thence, by means of the state and grandeur of their kings and their vast number of their people, which reports not to being supported with sufficient arguments nor tested by credible authors, we think them not worthy of any further account. But this much we thought fit to say of Egyptian theology.
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