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
The Sun was styled El-Uc, which the Grecians changed to Λυκος, Lucos; as we
learn from [302]Macrobius. He was also styled El-Uc-Or, which was changed
to Λυκωρευς; and El-Uc-Aon, rendered Lycaon[303], Λυκαων. As this personage
was the same as El-Uc, Λυκος, it was fabled of him that he was turned into
a wolf. The cause of this absurd notion arose from hence: every sacred
animal in Egypt was distinguished by some title of the Deity. But the
Greeks never considered whether the term was to be taken in its primary, or
in its secondary acceptation; whence they referred the history to an
animal, when it related to the God from whom the animal was denominated.
Λυκος, Lucos, was, as I have shewn, the name of the Sun: hence, wherever
this term occurs in composition, there will be commonly found some
reference to that Deity, or to his substitute Apollo. We read of
[304]Λυκιου Απολλωνος ἱερον: of [305]Lycorus, a supposed son of Apollo: of
[306]Lycomedes, another son: of [307]Lycosura, the first city which the Sun
beheld. The people of Delphi were, of old, called [308]Lycorians: and the
summit of Parnassus, [309]Lycorea. Near it was a [310]town of the same
name; and both were sacred to the God of light. From Lucos, in this sense,
came lux, luceo, lucidus, and Jupiter Lucetius, of the Latines; and λυχνος,
λυχνια, λυχνευω, of the Greeks; also Λυκαβας, and αμφιλυκος, though
differently expressed. Hence it was that so many places sacred to Apollo
were styled Leuce, Leuca, Λυκια, Leucas, Leucate.
Mox et Leucatæ nimbosa cacumina montis,
Et formidatus nautis aperitur [311]Apollo.
Hence also inscriptions [312]DEO LEUCANIÆ: which term seems to denote,
Sol-Fons, the fountain of day. The name Lycophron, Λυκοφρων, which some
would derive from Λυκος, a wolf, signifies a person of an enlightened mind.
Groves were held very sacred: hence lucus, which some would absurdly derive
a non lucendo, was so named from the Deity there worshipped: as was Ἁιμος,
a word of the same purport among the Greeks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account