[934] Κλυθι, Ποσειδαον---- Ουρανιων, Μακαρων τε Θεων πατερ, ηδε και ανδρων. In the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon the chief deity went by the name of [935]Ourchol, the same as Archel and Aides of Egypt, whence came the Ἡρακλης, and Hercules of Greece and Rome. Nonnus, who was deeply read in the mythology of these countries, makes all the various departments of the other Gods, as well as their titles, centre in him. He describes him in some good poetry as the head of all. [936]Αστροχιτων Ἡρακλες, Αναξ πυρος, Ορχαμε κοσμου, Ὑια Χρονου Λυκαβαντα δυωδεκαμηνον ἑλισσων, Ἱππευων ἑλικηδον ὁλον πολον αιθοπι δισκῳ, Κυκλον αγεις μετα κυκλον---- Ομβρον αγεις φερεκαρτον, επ' ευωδινι δε γαιῃ Ηεριης ηωον ερευγεται αρδμον εερσης.---- Βηλος επ Ευφρηταο, Λιβυς κεκλημενος Αμμων, Απις εφυς Νειλῳος Αραψ Κρονος, Ασσυριος Ζευς.---- Ειτε Σαραπις εφυς Αιγυπτιος, ανεφαλος Ζευς, Ει Χρονος, ει Φαεθων πολυωνυμος, ειτε συ Μιθρης, ΗΕΛΙΟΣ ΒΑΒYΛΩΝΟΣ, εν Ἑλλαδι ΔΕΛΦΟΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ. All the various titles, we find, are at last comprised in Apollo, or the Sun. It may appear strange, that Hercules, and Jupiter, or whomever we put for the chief Deity, should be of all ages. This must have been the case, if they were the same as the boy of love, and Bacchus ever young; and were also the representatives of Cronus, and Saturn. But the antients went farther; and described the same Deity under the same name in various stages of life: and [937]Ulpian speaking of Dionusus, says that he was represented of all ages. Και γαρ παιδα, και πρεσβυτην, και ανδρα γραφουσιν αυτον. But the most extraordinary circumstance was, that they represented the same Deity of different sexes. A bearded Apollo was uncommon; but Venus with a beard must have been very extraordinary. Yet she is said to have been thus exhibited in Cyprus, under the name of Aphroditus, Αφροδιτος: [938]πωγωνιαν ανδρος την Θεον εσχηματισθαι εν Κυπρῳ. The same is mentioned by Servius: [939]Est etiam in Cypro simulacrum _barbatæ_ Veneris, corpora et veste muliebri, cum sceptro, et naturâ virili, quod Αφροδιτον vocant. She was also looked upon as prior to Zeus, and to most other of the Gods. [940]Αφροδιτη ου μονον Αθηνας, και Ἡρας, αλλα και ΔΙΟΣ εστι πρεσβυτερα. The poet Calvus speaks of her as masculine: [941]Polientemque Deum Venerem. Valerius Soranus among other titles calls Jupiter the mother of the Gods. [942]Jupiter omnipotens, Regum Rex ipse, Deûmque Progenitor, _Genetrixque Deûm_; Deus unus et idem. Synesius speaks of him in nearly the same manner. [943]Συ πατηρ, συ δ' εσσι μητηρ, Συ δ' αρσην, συ δε θηλυς. And the like character is given to the antient Deity Μητις. [944]Αρσην μεν και θηλυς εφυς, πολυωνυμε Μητι. In one of the fragments of the Orphic poetry there is every thing, which I have been saying comprehended within a very short compass.