To Tuppos. The horse was of a Palm colour, which is a bright red. We call such horses bays, which probably is a term of the same original. The branch of a Palm tree was called Bai in Egypt; and it had the same name in other places. Baia, Baia, are used for Paim-branches by St. John. 3* Τα βαια των Φοινίκων. And it is mentioned by the author of the book of Maccabees, that the Jews, upon a solemn occasion, entered the temple. 33 Μετα αινέσεως και βαΐων. And Demetrius writes to the high priest, Simon, * Τον σεφανον τον χρυσουν και την Βαΐνην, ά απεςείλατε, κεκομισμεθα. Coronam auream et Baïnem, quæ misistis, accepimus. The Greeks formed the word bain from the Egyptian Bai. The Romans called the same colour Badius. "Varro, speaking of horses, mentions, 34 Hic badius, ille gilvus, ille Murinus. As the Palm tree was supposed to be immortal; or, at least, if it did die, to revive, and enjoy a second life, the Egyptians gave the name of Bai to the soul : 3 Ει μεν γαρ το βαι ψυχη. 32 John. c. 12. v. 13. 33 1 Maccab. c. 13. v. 51. 34 Ibidem. c. 13. v. 37. 35 Varro apud Nonium Marcellum. 36 Horapollo. 1. 1. c. 7. p. 11. OF THE TERM CAHEN: ΤΗΣ COHEN, 1, OF THE HEBREWS. I HAVE before taken notice that the term Cahen denoted a Priest, or President; and that it was a title often conferred upon princes and kings. Nor was it confined to men only: we find it frequently annexed to the names of Deities, to signify their rule and superintendency over the earth. From them it was derived to their attendants, and to all persons of a prophetical or sacred character. The meaning of the term was so obvious, that one would imagine no mistake could have ensued: yet such is the perverseness of human wit, that we find it by the Greeks and Romans constantly misapplied. They could not help imagining, from the sound of the word, which approached nearly to that of xuw and canis, that it had some refe 2 rence to that animal: and, in consequence of this unlucky resemblance, they continually misconstrued it a dog. Hence we are told by 'Elian and Plutarch, not only of the great veneration paid to dogs in Egypt, and of their being maintained in many cities and temples; in which they certainly exceed the truth; but we are moreover assured, that the people of Ethiopia had a dog for their king that he was kept in great state, being surrounded with a numerous body of officers and guards, and in all respects royally treated. Plutarch speaks of him as being 3 σεμνως προσκυνομε 05, worshipped with a degree of religious reverence. The whole of this notion took its rise from a misinterpretation of the title above. I have mentioned, that in early times Cahen was a title universally conferred upon priests and prophets : hence Lycophron, who has continually allusions to obsolete terms, calls the two diviners, Mopsus and Amphilochus, Kuvas. Ælian de Animalibus. 1. 7. c. 60. He cites Hermippus and Aristotle for vouchers. 2 Εθνος είναι φασιν Αιθιοπων, όπε, κτων βασιλευεν, και βασιλευς προσ αγορευται, και ίερα και τιμας έχει βασιλεων. Ανδρες δε πράσσουσιν, ἅπερ ἡγεμόσι πολεων προσήχει, και αρχεσιν. Plutarch adversus Stoicos. vol. 2. p. 1064. 3 Ibid. * Δοικίδε ρείθρων Πυραμε προς εκβολαις 5 Upon which the Scholiast observes: Κυνες δι Μαντεις: by Cunes are meant Diviners: and again, Kuvas Απολλωνος τες μάντεις είπειν. The Poet, by Kuvas, means the ministers and prophets of Apollo. Upon this the learned Meursius observes, that Lycophron had here made use of a term imported from Egypt: so that, I think, we cannot be mistaken about the purport of the word, however it may have been perverted. The name of the Deity, Canouphis, expressed also Canuphis, and Cnuphis, was compounded with this term. He was represented by the Egyptians as a princely person, with a serpent entwined round his middle, and embellished with other characteristics, relating to time and duration, of which the serpent was an emblem. Oph, and Ouph, signified a serpent in the Amonian language; and the Deity was termed Can-uph, from his serpentine representation. The whole species, in consequence of this, were made sacred to him, 4 Lycophron. v. 439. 5 Comment. upon Lycophron. p. 68. and styled Canyphian. To this Lucan alludes, when, in speaking of the Seps, he calls all the tribe of serpents Cinyphias pestes: 6 Cinyphias inter pestes tibi palma nocendi. Canuphis was sometimes expressed Anuphis and Anubis; and, however rendered, was by the Greeks and Romans continually spoken of as a dog; at least they supposed him to have had a dog's head, and often mention his 7 barking. But they were misled by the title, which they did not understand. The Egyptians had many emblematical personages, set off with heads of various animals, to represent particular virtues and affections, as well as to denote the various attributes of their Gods. Among others was this canine figure, which I have no reason to think was appropriated to Canuph, or Cneph. And though upon gems and marbles his name may be sometimes found annexed to this character, yet it must be looked upon as a Grecian work, and so denominated in conse 6 Lucan. Pharsalia. 1.9. v. 787. 7 Ausa Jovi nostro latrantem opponere Anubim. Propert. 1.3. El. 11. Εξης δε εςιν ὁ κυνοπολιτες νόμος, και Κυνων πολις, εν ᾗ Ανουβις τιμαται, και τοις κυσι τιμη, και σιτις τετακται τις ἱερα. Strabo. 1. 17. p. 1166. 1 . |