From hence we may be assured, that he was of old the real Deity of the place.

I have mentioned, that in the sacred processions in early times the Deity used to be carried about in a shrine; which circumstance was always attended with shouts, and exclamations, and the whole was accompanied with a great concourse of people. The antient Greeks styled these celebrities the procession of the ^[787]P'omphi, and from hence were derived the words πομπη, and pompa. These originally related to a procession of the oracle: but were afterwards made use of to describe any cavalcade or show. In the time of Herodotus the word seems in some degree to have retained its true meaning, being by him used for the oracular influence. He informs us that Amphilutus was a diviner of Acharnan; and that he came to Pisistratus with a commission from heaven. By this he induced that prince to prosecute a scheme which he recommended. ^[788] Ενταυθα θειῃ πομπῃ χρεωμενος παρισταται Πεισιστρατῳ Αμφιλυτος.—Θειη πομπη is a divine revelation, or commission. Ham was the Hermes of the Egyptians, and his oracle, as I have shewn, was styled Omphi: and when particularly spoken of as the oracle, it was expressed P'omphi, and P'ompi, the πομπη of the Greeks. Hence Hermes had the name of πομπαιος, which was misinterpreted the messenger, and conductor: and the Deity was in consequence of it made the servant of the Gods, and attendant upon the dead. But πομπαιος related properly to divine influence; and πομπη was an oracle. An ox, or cow, was by the Amonians esteemed very sacred, and oracular: Cadmus was accordingly said to have been directed πομπῃ βοος.

Many places were from the oracle styled P'ompean: and supposed by the Romans to have been so named from Pompeius Magnus; but they were too numerous, and too remote to have been denominated from him, or any other Roman. There was indeed Pompeiæ in Campania: but even that was of too high antiquity to have received its name from Rome. We read of Pompeiæ among the Pyrenees, Pompion in Athens, Pompelon in Spain, Pompeditha in Babylonia, Pomponiana in Gaul. There were some cities in Cilicia and Cappadocia, to which that Roman gave the name of Pompeipolis: but upon, inquiry they will be found to have been Zeleian cities, which were oracular: go that the Romans only gave a turn to the name in honour of their own countryman, by whom these cities were taken.

Besides the cities styled Pompean, there were pillars named in like manner; which by many have been referred to the same person. But they could not have been built by him, nor were they erected to his memory: as I think we may learn from their history. There are two of this denomination still remaining at a great distance from each other: both which seem to have been raised for a religious purpose. The one stands in Egypt at ^[790]Alexandria; the other at the extreme point of the Thracian Bosporus, where is a communication between the Propontis and the antient Euxine sea. They seem to be of great antiquity, as their basis witnesses at this day: the shaft and superstructure is of later date. The pillar at the Bosporus stands upon one of the Cyanean rocks: and its parts, as we may judge from ^[791]Wheeler, betray a difference in their æra. It was repaired in the time of Augustus: and an inscription was added by the person who erected the column, and who dedicated the whole to that Emperor.

^[792]DIVO. CAESARI. AUGUSTO.
E.. CL... ANDIDIUS...
L. F CL. ARGENTO...

We may learn from the inscription, however mutilated, that this pillar was not the work of Pompeius Magnus; nor could it at all relate to his history: for the time of its being rebuilt was but little removed from the age in which he lived. The original work must have therefore been far prior. The pillar in Egypt is doubtless the same which was built upon the ruins of a former, by Sostratus of Cnidos, before the time of Pompeius: so that the name must have been given on another account. The inscription is preserved by ^[793]Strabo.

ΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ ΚΝΙΔΙΟΣ
ΔΕΞΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ
ΘΕΟΙΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΣΙΝ
YΠΕΡ ΤΩΝ
ΠΛΩΙΖΟΜΕΝΩΝ.

The narrow streight into the Euxine sea was a passage of difficult navigation. This was the reason, that upon each side there were temples and sacred columns erected to the Deity of the country, in order to obtain his assistance. And there is room to think, that the pillars and obelisks were made use of for beacons, and that every temple was a Pharos. They seem to have been erected at the entrance of harbours; and upon eminences along the coasts in most countries. The pillars of Hercules were of this sort, and undoubtedly for the same purpose. They were not built by him; but erected to his honour by people who worshipped him, and who were called Herculeans. ^[794]Εθος γαρ παλαιον ὑπηρξε το τιθεσθαι τοιουτους ορους, καθαπερ ὁι Ρηγινοι την στηλιδα εθεσαν, την επι τῳ πορθμῳ κειμενην, πυργον τι. Και ο Πελωρος λεγομενος πυργος αντικειται τῃ ταυτῃ στηλιδι. For it was a custom, says Strabo, among the antients, to erect this kind of land-marks, such as the pillar at Rhegium, near the foot of Italy: which is a kind of tower, and was raised by the people of Rhegium at the streight where the passage was to Sicily. Directly opposite stood another building of the same sort, called the tower of Pelorus. Such Pillars were by the Iberians styled Herculean, because they were sacred to Hercules; under which title they worshipped the chief Deity. Some of these were near Gades, and Onoba^[795], Κατ' Ονοβαν της Ιβηριας: others were erected still higher, on the coast of Lusitania. This caused an idle dispute between Eratosthenes, Dicæarchus, and ^[796]others, in order to determine which were the genuine pillars of Hercules: as if they were not all equally genuine; all denominated from the Deity of the country. Two of the most celebrated stood upon each side of the Mediterranean at the noted passage called fretum Gaditanum—κατα τα ακρα του πορθμου. That on the Mauritanian side was called Abyla, from Ab-El, parens Sol: the other in Iberia had the name of^[797] Calpe. This was an obelisk or tower, and a compound of Ca-Alpe, and signifies the house, or cavern of the same oracular God: for it was built near a cave; and all such recesses were esteemed to be oracular. At places of this sort mariners used to come on shore to make their offerings; and to inquire about the success of their voyage. They more especially resorted to those towers, and pillars, which stood at the entrance of their own havens. Nobody, says ^[798]Arrian, will venture to quit his harbour without paying due offerings to the Gods, and invoking their favour. Helenus in Virgil charges Æneas, whatever may be the consequence, not to neglect consulting the oracle at Cuma.

The island Delos was particularly frequented upon this account; and the sailors seem to have undergone some severe discipline at the altar of the God, in order to obtain his favour.

This island was greatly esteemed for its sanctity, and there used to be a wonderful concourse of people from all nations continually resorting to its temple. The priests, in consequence of it, had hymns composed in almost all languages. It is moreover said of the female attendants, that they could imitate the speech of various people; and were well versed in the histories of foreign parts, and of antient times. Homer speaks of these extraordinary qualifications as if he had been an eye-witness:

The offerings made at these places used to be of various kinds, but particularly of liba, or cakes, which were generally denominated from the temple where they were presented. A curious inscription to this purpose has been preserved by Spon and Wheeler, which belonged to some obelisk or temple upon the Thracian Bosporus. It was found on the Asiatic side, nearly opposite to the Pompean pillar, of which I before took notice. The Deity to whom it was inscribed was the same as that above, but called by another title, Aur, and Our, אור; rendered by the Greeks ^[802]Ουριος; and changed in acceptation so as to refer to another element.

The Iapygian promontory had a temple to the same God, whose name by Dionysius is rendered Ὑριος.

The more difficult the navigation was, the more places of sanctity were erected upon the coast. The Bosporus was esteemed a dangerous pass; and, upon that account, abounded with Cippi, and altars. These were originally mounds of earth, and sacred to the Sun: upon which account they were called Col-On, or altars of that Deity. From hence is derived the term Colona, and Κολωνη. It came at last to denote any ness or foreland; but was originally the name of a sacred hill, and of the pillar which was placed upon it. To say the truth, there was of old hardly any headland but what had its temple or altar. The Bosporus, in particular, had numbers of them by way of sea-marks, as well as for sacred purposes: and there were many upon the coast of Greece. Hence Apollonius says of the Argonauts:

In another place of the Bosporus—

The like occurs in the Orphic Argonauts, where Beleus is pointing out the habitation of the Centaur Chiron:

These Colonæ were sacred to the Apollo of Greece; and, as they were sea-marks and beacons, which stood on eminences near the mouths of rivers, and at the entrances of harbours, it caused them to be called ωρια, ουρεα, and ὁρμοι. Homer gives a beautiful description of such hills and headlands, and of the sea-coast projected in a beautiful landscape beneath, when, in some ravishing poetry, he makes all these places rejoice at the birth of Apollo:

Apollo, from this circumstance, was often called επακτιος, or the tutelary God of the coast; and had particular offerings upon that account.

It was not only upon rocks and eminences that these Cippi and Obelisks were placed by the antients: they were to be found in their temples, where for many ages a rude stock or stone served for a representation of the Deity. They were sometimes quite shapeless, but generally of a conical figure; of which we meet with many instances. Clemens Alexandrinus takes notice of this kind of ^[810]worship: and Pausanias, in describing the temple of Hercules at Hyettus in ^[811]Bœotia, tells us, that there was no statue in it, nor any work of art, but merely a rude stone, after the manner of the first ages. Tertullian gives a like description of Ceres and Pallas. Pallas Attica, et Ceres ^[812]Phrygia—quæ sine effigie, rudi palo, et informi specie prostant. Juno of Samos was little better than a ^[813]post. It sometimes happens that aged trees bear a faint likeness to the human fabric: roots, likewise, and sprays, are often so fantastic in their evolutions, as to betray a remote resemblance. The antients seem to have taken advantage of this fancied similitude, which they improved by a little art; and their first effort towards imagery was from these rude and rotten materials. Apollonius Rhodius, in his account of the Argonauts, gives a description of a monument of this sort, which was by them erected in a dark grove, upon a mountainous part of ^[814]Bithynia. They raised an altar of rough stones, and placed near it an image of Rhea, which they formed from an arm or stump of an old vine.

The same circumstance is mentioned in the Orphic Argonautics^[815]; where the poet speaks of Argus, and the vine branch:

The Amazonians were a very antient people, who worshipped their provincial Deity under the character of a female, and by the titles of Artemis, Oupis, Hippa. They first built a temple at Ephesus; and according to Callimachus ^[816]the image of the Goddess was formed of the stump of a beech tree.

Instead of an image made of a stump, the poet Dionysius supposes a temple to have been built beneath the trunk of a decayed tree.

It is observable, that the Chinese, as well as the people of Japan, still retain something of this custom. When they meet with an uncouth root, or spray of a tree, they humour the extravagance: and, by the addition of a face, give it the look of a Joss or Bonzee, just as fancy directs them.

The vine was esteemed sacred both to Dionusus, and Bacchus; for they were two different personages, though confounded by the Grecians: indeed the titles of all those, who were originally styled Baalim, are blended together. This tree had therefore the name of Ampel, which the Greeks rendered Αμπελος, from the Sun, Ham, whose peculiar plant it was. This title is the same as Omphel before mentioned, and relates to the oracular Deity of the Pagan world; under which character Ham was principally alluded to. The Egyptian and Asiatic Greeks had some imperfect traditions about Ham, and Chus: the latter of which they esteemed Bacchus. And as the term Ampelus did not primarily relate to the vine, but was a sacred name transferred from the Deity, they had some notion of this circumstance: but as it was their custom out of every title to form a new personage, they have supposed Ampelus to have been a youth of great beauty, and one whom Bacchus particularly favoured. Hence Nonnus introduces the former begging of Selene not to envy him this happiness.

The worship of Ham was introduced by the Amonians in Phrygia and Asia Minor: and in those parts the Poet makes Ampelus chiefly conversant.

He speaks of his bathing in the waters, and rising with fresh beauty from the stream, like the morning star from the ocean.

In all these instances there are allusions to a history, which will hereafter be fully discussed. Ovid seems to make Ampelus a native of Thrace; and supposes him to have been the son of a satyr by one of the nymphs in that country:

But however they may have mistaken this personage, it is certain that in early times he was well known, and highly reverenced. Hence wherever the Amonians settled, the name of Ampelus will occur: and many places will be found to have been denominated from the worship of the Deity under this sacred title. We learn from Stephanus Byzantinus, ^[822]that, according to Hecatæus, in his Europa, Ampelus was the name of a city in Liguria. There was likewise a promontory in the district of Torone called Ampelus: a like promontory in Samos: another in Cyrene. Agrœtas mentions two cities there, an upper, and a lower, of that name. There was likewise a harbour in Italy so called. We read of a city ^[823]Ampeloëssa in Syria, and a nation in Lybia called Ampeliotæ: Αμπελιωται δε εθνος Λιβυης. Suidas. Also, Ampelona in Arabia; and a promontory, Ampelusia, near Tingis, in Mauritania. In all these places, however distant, the Amonians had made settlements. Over against the island Samos stood the sacred promontory, Mycale, in Ionia. This, too, was called Ampelus, according to Hesychius, as the passage is happily altered by Albertus and others. Αμπελος, μηχανη, και ακρα Μυκαλης, ηγουν ορους. From the words ηγουν ορους one might infer, that Ampelus was no uncommon name for a mountain in general: so far is certain, that many such were so denominated: which name could not relate to αμπελος, the vine; but they were so called from the Deity to whom they were ^[824]sacred. Many of these places were barren crags, and rocks of the sea, ill suited to the cultivation of the ^[825]vine. And not only eminences were so called, but the strand and shores, also, for the same reason: because here, too, were altars and pillars to this God. Hence we read in Hesychius: Αμπελος—αιγιαλος—Κυρηναιοις αιγιαλος. By Ampelus is signified the sea shore; or Ampelus, among the people of Cyrene, signifies the sea shore.

From what has been said, we may be assured that Ampelus and Omphalus were the same term originally, however varied afterwards and differently appropriated. They are each a compound from Omphe, and relate to the oracular Deity. Ampelus, at Mycale, in Ionia, was confessedly so denominated from its being a sacred^[826] place, and abounding with waters; by which, people who drank them were supposed to be inspired. They are mentioned in an antient oracle quoted by Eusebius^[827]: Εν Διδυμον γυαλοις Μυκαλησιον ΕΝΘΕΟΝ ὑδωρ. I have mentioned that all fountains were esteemed sacred, but especially those which had any præternatural quality, and abounded with exhalations. It was an universal notion that a divine energy proceeded from these effluvia, and that the persons who resided in their vicinity were gifted with a prophetic quality. Fountains of this nature, from the divine influence with which they were supposed to abound, the Amonians styled Ain Omphe, sive fontes Oraculi. These terms, which denoted the fountain of the prophetic God, the Greeks contracted to Νυμφη, a Nymph; and supposed such a person to be an inferior Goddess, who presided over waters. Hot springs were imagined to be more immediately under the inspection of the nymphs: whence Pindar styles such fountains, ^[828]Θερμα Νυμφαν λουτρα. The temple of the Nymphæ Ionides, in Arcadia, stood close to a fountain of great ^[829]efficacy. The term Nympha will be found always to have a reference to ^[830]water. There was in the same region of the Peloponnesus a place called Νυμφας, Nymphas; which was undoubtedly so named from its hot springs: ^[831]Καταῤῥειται γαρ ὑδατι—Νυμφας: for Nymphas—abounded with waters. Another name for these places was Ain-Ades, the fountain of Ades, or the Sun; which, in like manner, was changed to Ναιαδες, Naiades, a species of Deities of the same class. Fountains of bitumen, in Susiana and Babylonia, were called Ain-Aptha, the fountains of Aptha, the God of fire; which by the Greeks was rendered Naptha, a name given to ^[832]bitumen. As they changed Ain Omphe to Numpha, a Goddess, they accordingly denominated the place itself Νυμφειον, Nymphæum: and wherever a place occurs of that name, there will be found something particular in its circumstances. We are told by ^[833]Pliny that the river Tigris, being stopped in its course by the mountains of Taurus, loses itself under ground, and rises again on the other side at Nymphæum. According to Marcellinus, it seems to be at Nymphæum that it sinks into the earth. Be it as it may, this, he tells us, is the place where that fiery matter called naptha issued: from whence, undoubtedly, the place had its name. ^[834]Bitumen nascitur prope lacum Sosingitem, cujus alveo Tigris voratus, fluensque subterraneus, procursis spatiis longis, emergit. Hic et Naptha gignitur specie piceâ. In his pagis hiatus conspicitur terræ, unde halitus lethalis exsurgens, quodcunque animal prope consistit, odore gravi consumit. There was an island of the like nature at the mouth of the river Indus, which was sacred to the Sun, and styled Cubile ^[835]Nympharum: in quâ nullum non animal absumitur. In Athamania was a temple of the Nymphs, or ^[836]Nymphæum; and near it a fountain of fire, which consumed things brought near to it. Hard by Apollonia was an eruption of bituminous matter, like that in Assyria: and this too was named ^[837]Nymphæum. The same author (Strabo) mentions, that in Seleucia, styled Pieria, there was alike bituminous eruption, taken notice of by Posidonius; and that it was called Ampelitis: ^[838]Την Αμπελιτην γην ασφαλτωδη, την εν Σελευκειᾳ τη Πιεριᾳ μεταλλευομενην. The hot streams, and poisonous effluvia near Puteoli and lake Avernus are well known. It was esteemed a place of great sanctity; and people of a prophetic character are said to have here resided. Here was a ^[839]Nymphæum, supposed to have been an oracular temple. There was a method of divination at Rome, mentioned by ^[840]Dion Cassius, in which people formed their judgment of future events from the steam of lighted frankincense. The terms of inquiry were remarkable: for their curiosity was indulged in respect to every future contingency, excepting death and marriage. The place of divination was here too called ^[841]Nymphæum. Pausanias takes notice of a cavern near Platea, which was sacred to the Nymphs of Cithæron: Ὑπερ δε της κορυφης, εφ' ᾑ τον βωμον ποιουνται, πεντε που μαλιστα και δεκα ὑποκαταβαντι σταδιους ΝYΜΦΩΝ εστιν αντρον Κιθαιρωνιδων—ΜΑΝΤΕΥΕΣΘΑΙ δε τας Νυμφας το αρχαιον αυτοθι εχει λογος. We find that the Nymphs of this place had been of old prophetic. Evagrius mentions a splendid building at Antioch called Nymphæum, remarkable ^[842]Ναματων πλουτῳ, for the advantage of its waters. There was a Nymphæum at Rome mentioned by Marcellinus. ^[843]Septemzodium celebrem locum, ubi Nymphæum Marcus condidit Imperator. Here were the Thermæ Antonianæ. As from Ain Ompha came Nympha; so from Al Ompha was derived Lympha. This differed from Aqua, or common water, as being of a sacred and prophetic nature. The antients thought, that all mad persons were gifted with divination; and they were in consequence of it styled Lymphati.

From what has preceded, we may perceive that there once existed a wonderful resemblance in the rites, customs, and terms of worship, among nations widely separated. Of this, as I proceed, many instances will be continually produced. I have already mentioned that this similitude in terms, and the religious system, which was so widely propagated, were owing to one great family, who spread themselves almost universally. Their colonies went abroad under the sanction and direction of their priests; and carried with them both the rites and the records of their country. Celsus took notice of this; and thought that people payed too little attention to memorials of this nature. He mentions particularly the oracular temples at Dodona, at Delphi, at Claros, with those of the Branchidæ and Amonians: at the same time passing over many other places, from whose priests and votaries the whole earth seemed to have been peopled^[844]. Τα μεν ὑπο της Πυθιας, η Δωδωνιων, η Κλαριου, η εν Βραγχιδαις, η εν Αμμωνος, ὑπο μυριων τε αλλων θεοπροπων προειρημενα, ὑφ' ὡν επιεικως πασα γη κατῳκισθη, ταυτα μεν ουδενι λογῳ τιθενται. As colonies went abroad under the influence and direction of their tutelary Deities; those Deities were styled Ἡγεμονες, and Αρχηγεται: and the colony was denominated from some sacred title of the God. A colony was planted at Miletus; of which the conducting Deity was Diana. ^[845]Σε γαρ ποιησατο Νηλευς Ἡγεμονην. This Goddess is styled πολυπτολις, because this office was particularly ascribed to her: and she had many places under her patronage. Jupiter accordingly tells her: