It was therefore idle in the antients to make a disquisition about the identity of any God, as compared with another; and to adjudge him to Jupiter rather than to Mars, to Venus rather than Diana. [927]Τον Οσιριν ὁι μεν Σεραπιν, ὁιδε Διονυσον, ὁιδε Πλουτωνα, τινες δε Δια, πολλοιδε Πανα νενομικασι. _Some_, says Diodorus, _think that Osiris is Serapis; others that he is Dionusus; others still, that he is Pluto: many take him for Zeus, or Jupiter, and not a few for Pan_. This was an unnecessary embarrassment: for they were all titles of the same God, there being originally by no means that diversity which is imagined, as Sir John Marsham has very justly observed. [928]Neque enim tanta πολυθεοτης Gentium, quanta fuit Deorum πολυωνυμια. It is said, above, that Osiris was by some thought to be Jupiter, and by others to be Pluto. But Pluto, among the best theologists, was esteemed the same as Jupiter; and indeed the same as Proserpine, Ceres, Hermes, Apollo, and every other Deity. [929]Πλουτων, Περσεφονη, Δημητηρ, Κυπρις, Ερωτες, Τριτωνες, Νηρευς, Τηθυς και Κυανοχαιτης, Ἑρμης θ', Ἡφαιστος τε κλυτος, Παν, Ζευς τε, και Ἑρη, Αρτεμις, ηδ' Ἑκαεργος Απολλων, ἑις Θεος εστιν. There were to be sure a number of strange attributes, which by some of the poets were delegated to different personages; but there were other writers who went deeper in their researches, and made them all centre in one. They sometimes represented this sovereign Deity as Dionusus; who, according to Ausonius, was worshipped in various parts under different titles, and comprehended all the Gods under one character. [930]Ogygia me Bacchum vocat; Osyrin Ægyptus putat: Mysi Phanacem nominant: Dionyson Indi existimant: Romana Sacra Liberum; Arabica Gens Adoneum; Lucanianus Pantheon. Sometimes the supremacy was given to Pan, who was esteemed Lord of all the elements. [931]Πανα καλω, κρατερον Νομιον, κοσμοιο τε συμπαν, Ουρανον, ηδε θαλασσαν, ιδε χθονα παμβασιλειαν, Και πυρ αθανατον, ταδε γαρ μελη εστι τα Πανος. Κοσμοκρατωρ, αυξητα, φαεσφορε, καρπιμε Παιαν, Αντροχαρες, βαρυμηνις, ΑΛΗΘΗΣ ΖΕΥΣ Ὁ ΚΕΡΑΣΤΗΣ. More generally it was conferred upon Jupiter: [932]Ζευς εστιν αιθηρ, Ζευς δε γη, Ζευς δ' Ουρανος· Ζευς τοι τα παντα. Poseidon, God of the sea, was also reputed the chief God, the Deity of Fire. This we may infer from his priest. He was styled a Purcon, and denominated from him, and served in his oracular temples; as we learn from Pausanias, who says, [933]Ποσειδωνι δ' ὑπηρετην ες τα μαντευματα ειναι Πυρκωνα. He mentions a verse to the same purpose. Συν δε τε Πυρκων αμφιπολος κλυτου Εννοσιγαιου. P'urcon is Ignis vel lucis dominus: and we may know the department of the God from the name of the priest. He was no other than the supreme Deity, the Sun: from whom all were supposed to be derived. Hence Poseidon or Neptune, in the Orphic verses, is, like Zeus, styled the father of Gods and men.