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
Two places occur in Scripture of this name: the one in the tribe of
Manasseh: the other in the land of the Philistines. The latter seems to
have been a city; and also a temple, where the body of Saul was exposed
after his defeat upon mount Gilboa. For it is said, that the Philistines
[140]_cut off his head, and stripped off his armour--and they put his
armour in the house of Ashtoreth, and they fastened his body to the wall of
Bethsan_. They seem to have sometimes used this term with a reduplication:
for we read of a city in Canaan called [141]Sansanah; by which is signified
a place sacred to the most illustrious Orb of day. Some antient statues
near mount Cronius in Elis were by the natives called Zanes, as we are told
by Pausanias: [142]Καλουνται δε ὑπο των επιχωριων Ζανες. They were supposed
to have been the statues of Zeus: but Zan was more properly the Sun; and
they were the statues of persons, who were denominated from him. One of
these persons, styled Zanes, and Zanim, was Chus: whose posterity sent out
large colonies to various parts of the earth. Some of them settled upon the
coast of Ausonia, called in later times Italy; where they worshipped their
great ancestor under the name of San-Chus. Silius Italicus speaking of the
march of some Sabine troops, says,
[143]Pars Sancum voce canebant
Auctorem gentis.
Lactantius takes notice of this Deity. [144]Ægyptii Isidem, Mauri Jubam,
Macedones Cabirum--Sabini _Sancum_ colunt. He was not unknown at Rome,
where they styled him Zeus Pistius, as we learn from Dionysius of
Halicarnassus: [145]Εν Ἱερῳ Διος Πιστιου, ὁν Ῥωμαιοι Σαγκον καλουσι. There
are in Gruter inscriptions, wherein he has the title of Semon prefixed, and
is also styled Sanctus.
[146]SANCTO. SANCO.
SEMONI. DEO. FIDIO.
SACRUM.
Semon (Sem-On) signifies Cœlestis Sol.
Some of the antients thought that the soul of man was a divine emanation; a
portion of light from the Sun. Hence, probably, it was called Zoan from
that luminary; for so we find it named in Macrobius. [147]Veteres nullum
animal sacrum in finibus suis esse patiebantur; sed abigebant ad fines
Deorum, quibus sacrum esset: animas vero sacratorum hominum, quos Græci
ΖΩΑΝΑΣ vocant Diis debitas æstimabant.
DI, DIO, DIS, DUS.
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