_Æsculapius_, the Son of God, the Saviour, after being put to death, _rose from the dead_. His history is portrayed in the following lines of _Ovid's_, which are prophecies foretelling his life and actions: "Once, as the sacred infant she surveyed, The god was kindled in the raving maid; And thus she uttered her prophetic tale: Hail, great Physician of the world! all hail! Hail, mighty infant, who in years to come Shalt heal the nations, and defraud the tomb! Swift be thy growth, thy triumphs unconfined, Make kingdoms thicker, and increase mankind. Thy daring art shall animate the dead, And draw the thunder on thy guilty head; _Then shalt thou die, but from the dark abode Shalt rise victorious, and be twice a god_."[217:1] The Saviour _Adonis_ or _Tammuz_, after being put to death, _rose from the dead_. The following is an account given of the rites of Tammuz or of Adonis by Julius Firmicius (who lived during the reign of Constantine): "On a certain night (while the ceremony of the Adonia, or religious rites in honor of Adonis, lasted), an image was laid upon a bed (or bier) and bewailed in doleful ditties. After they had satiated themselves with fictitious lamentations, light was brought in: then the mouths of all the mourners were anointed by the priests (_with oil_), upon which he, with a gentle murmur, whispered: 'Trust, ye Saints, your God restored. Trust ye, _in your risen Lord_; For the pains which he endured Our salvation have procured.' "Literally, 'Trust, ye _communicants_: the God having been saved, there shall be to us out of pain, _Salvation_.'"[217:2] Upon which their sorrow was turned into joy. Godwyn renders it: "_Trust ye in God, for out of pains, Salvation is come unto us._"[217:3] Dr. Prichard, in his "_Egyptian Mythology_," tells us that the Syrians celebrated, _in the early spring_, this ceremony in honor of _the resurrection of Adonis_. After lamentations, his restoration was commemorated with joy and festivity.[217:4] Mons. Dupuis says: "The obsequies of _Adonis_ were celebrated at _Alexandria_ (in Egypt) with the utmost display. His image was carried with great solemnity to a tomb, which served the purpose of rendering him the last honors. Before singing his return to life, there were mournful rites celebrated in honor of his suffering and his death. The large wound he had received was shown, just as the wound was shown which was made to Christ by the thrust of the spear. _The feast of his resurrection was fixed at the 25th of March._"[218:1] In Calmet's "Fragments," the resurrection of _Adonis_ is referred to as follows: