A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume 1 (of 6)Bryant, Jacob
Religion
A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume 1 (of 6)
Bryant, Jacob
History, Ancient; Mythology
Kiriath, Carta, Air, Col, Cala, Beth, Ai, Ain, Caph, and Cephas. Lastly are
to be inserted the particles Al and Pi; which were in use among the antient
Egyptians.
Of these terms I shall first treat; which I look upon as so many elements,
whence most names in antient mythology have been compounded; and into which
they may be easily resolved: and the history, with which they are attended,
will, at all times, plainly point out, and warrant the etymology.
HAM or CHAM.
The first of the terms here specified is Ham; at different times, and in
different places, expressed Cham, Chom, [8]Chamus. Many places were from
him denominated Cham Ar, Cham Ur, Chomana, Comara, Camarina. Ham, by the
Egyptians, was compounded Am-On, Αμων and Αμμων. He is to be found under
this name among many nations in the east; which was by the Greeks expressed
Amanus, and [9]Omanus. Ham, and Cham are words, which imply heat, and the
consequences of heat; and from them many words in other languages, such as
[10]Καυμα Caminus, Camera, were derived. Ham, as a Deity, was esteemed the
[11]Sun: and his priests were styled Chamin, Chaminim, and Chamerim. His
name is often found compounded with other terms, as in Cham El, Cham Ees,
Cam Ait: and was in this manner conferred both on persons and places. From
hence Camillus, Camilla, Camella Sacra, Comates, Camisium, [12]Camirus,
Chemmis, with numberless other words, are derived. Chamma was the title of
the hereditary [13]priestess of Diana: and the Puratheia, where the rites
of fire were carried on, were called Chamina, and Chaminim, whence came the
Caminus of the Latines. They were sacred hearths, on which was preserved a
perpetual fire in honour of Cham. The idols of the Sun called by the same
[14]name: for it is said of the good king Josiah, that _they brake down the
altars of Baalim--in his presence; and the Chaminim_ (or images of Cham)
_that were on high above them, he cut down_. They were also styled
Chamerim, as we learn from the prophet [15]Zephaniah. Ham was esteemed the
Zeus of Greece, and Jupiter of Latium. [16]Αμμους, ὁ Ζευς, Αριστοτελει.
[17]Αμμουν γαρ Αιγυπτιοι καλεουσι τον Δια. Plutarch says, that, of all the
Egyptian names which seemed to have any correspondence with the Zeus of
Greece, Amoun or Ammon was the most peculiar and adequate. He speaks of
many people, who were of this opinion: [18]Ετι δε των πολλων νομιζοντων
ιδιον παρ' Αιγυπτιοις ονομα του Διος ειναι τον Αμουν, ὁ παραγοντες ἡμεις
Αμμωνα λεγομεν. From Egypt his name and worship were brought into Greece;
as indeed were the names of almost all the Deities there worshipped.
[19]Σχεδον δε και παντα τα ουνοματα των Θεων εξ Αιγυπτου εληλυθε ες την
Ἑλλαδα. _Almost all the names of the Gods in Greece were adventitious,
having been brought thither from Egypt._
CHUS.
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