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
Ees, rendered As and Is, like אש of the Hebrews, related to light and fire;
and was one of the titles of the Sun. It is sometimes compounded Ad-Ees,
and Ad-Is; whence came the Hades of the Greeks, and Atis and Attis of the
Asiatics; which were names of the same Deity, the Sun. Many places were
hence denominated: particularly a city in Africa, mentioned by
[96]Polybius. There was a river [97]Adesa, which passed by the city Choma
in Asia minor. It was, moreover, the name of one of the chief and most
antient cities in Syria, said to have been built by Nimrod. It was,
undoubtedly, the work of some of his brotherhood, the sons of Chus, who
introduced there the rites of fire, and the worship of the Sun; whence it
was styled Adesa, rendered by the Greeks Edessa. One of the names of fire,
among those in the East, who worship it, is [98]Atesh at this day. The term
_As_, like Adad, before mentioned, is sometimes compounded with itself, and
rendered Asas, and Azaz; by the Greeks expressed Αζαζος and [99]Αζιζος. In
the very place spoken of above, the Deity was worshipped under the name of
Azizus. The Emperor Julian acquaints us, in his hymn to the [100]Sun, that
the people of Edessa possessed a region, which, from time immemorial, had
been sacred to that luminary: that there were two subordinate Deities,
Monimus and Azizus, who were esteemed coadjutors, and assessors to the
chief God. He supposes them to have been the same as Mars and Mercury: but
herein this zealous emperor failed; and did not understand the theology
which he was recommending. Monimus and Azizus were both names of the same
God, the Deity of Edessa, and [101]Syria. The former is, undoubtedly, a
translation of Adad, which signifies μονας, or [102]unitas: though, as I
have before shewn, more properly primus. Azizus is a reduplication of a
like term, being compounded with itself; and was of the same purport as
Ades, or Ad Ees, from whence the place was named. It was a title not
unknown in Greece: for Ceres was, of old, called Azazia; by the Ionians,
Azesia. Hesychius observes, Αζησια, ἡ Δημητηρ. Proserpine, also, had this
name. In the same author we learn that αζα, aza, signified ασβολος, or
sun-burnt: which shews plainly to what the primitive word [103]related.
This word is often found combined with Or; as in Asorus, and Esorus, under
which titles the Deity was worshipped in [104]Syria, [105]Sicily, and
Carthage: of the last city he was supposed to have been the founder. It is
often compounded with El and Il; and many places were from thence
denominated Alesia, Elysa, Eleusa, Halesus, Elysus, Eleusis, by apocope
Las, Lasa, Læsa, Lasaia; also, Lissa, Lissus, Lissia. Sometimes we meet
with these terms reversed; and, instead of El Ees, they are rendered Ees
El: hence we have places named Azilis, Azila, Asyla, contracted Zelis,
Zela, Zeleia, Zelitis; also Sele, Sela, Sala, Salis, Sillas, Silis, Soli.
All these places were founded or denominated by people of the Amonian
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