Book I, part 2, section 4: the gods and their rites

THE FOURTH SECTION.

Of the Gods, and Religious worship of the Chaldaeans.

IN the last place, (as to the Explication of the Chaldaick Doctrine, especially of that part which concerned their Ashaphim) it is necessary we give accompt of the Gods of the Chaldaeans, and of their Religious worship.

And though Mr. Selden hath reduced all the Asiatick Gods under the common name of Syrian, in his Excellent Treatise upon that Subject; yet we shall take notice of such onely as were proper to Assyria, (whether as being worshipt no where else, or from thence brought into Syria and other Countries:) conceiving the rest nothing pertinent to the Chaldaeans or Babylonians.

The Religious Worship of the Chaldaeans may be reduced to three kinds; The first, a worship of the true God, but after an Idolatrous manner: The second, of Daemons, or Spirits: The third, of the Celestial Bodies, and Elements.

CHAP. I.

Of their Idolatrous Worship of the True God.

THe first kind of the Chaldaick Worship, was of the True God, though after an Idolatrous manner: The Author of the Chaldaick Summary affirms, that they held one principle of all things, and declare that it is one and good. That by this one and good they meant the true God, (to whom alone those attributes belong) may be gathered from Eusebius, who saith, (speaking doubtless of the Followers of Zoroaster) that in the first place they conceive God the Father and King ought to be ranked; for this reason the Delphian Oracle attested by Porphyrius, joyns them with the Hebrews;

Chaldees and Iews wise onely, worshipping
Purely a self-begotten God and King.

but (notwithstanding the Oracle) that this Worship, though of the True God, was Idolatrous, is beyond doubt: so as to them might be applied what St. Paul saith of the Romans, when they knew God they glorified him not as God, but changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man.

The Name and Image whereby they represented the Supreme God was that of Bel, as appears by the prohibition given by God himself not to call him so any more: Thou shalt call me no longer Baali; Bel with the Chaldaeans is the same as Baal with the Phoenicians, both derived from the Hebrew Baal, Lord; this Bel of the Babylonians is mention'd by the Prophets Esay and Ieremy: They who first translated the Eastern Learning into Greek, for the most part interpret this Bel by the word [Greek] Iupiter. So Herodotus, Diodorus, Hesychius, and others: Berosus (saith Eusebius) was Priest of Belus, whom they interpret ([non-Latin script]) Iupiter; the reason of which seems to be, for that Bel was the chief God with the Chaldaeans, as Iupiter with the Graecians, who by that name meant the true God, as the Chaldaeans by the other; for to him St. Paul applies that hemistick of Aratus, [non-Latin script], (for we are also his off-spring,) which hath reference to the first Verse, [non-Latin script]. And upon these words of St. Peter, worship ye God, but not as the Graecians, Clemens Alexandrinus observes, that he saith not, worship not the God whom the Graecians, but as the Graecians: he changed the manner of the worship, but preached not another God.

The Temple of this Iupiter Belus at Babylon, is exactly described by Herodotus an eye-witness, in whose time it was yet extant, thus; The gates were of Brass; the Temple it self square; every side two furlongs broad. In the midst of the Temple there was a solid Tower (not hollow) of the thickness and height of a Stadium; upon which there was set another, and another upon that, and so on to eight: on the outside of these were st[…]rs, by which to go up to every one of them; in the midst of the stairs were seats for such as went up, to rest themselves: in the highest Tower there was another Temple (or Chapel,) and in it a Bed sumptuously furnisht, and a Table of Gold; but neither in this was there any Statue, nor doth any personly here a-nights except one wo[…]an, a foreiner, of whom the God makes choice above all other, as the Chaldaeans who are Priests of this God averr: for they say (though I hardly credit it) that the God hi[…]self comes into this Temple, and rests in this Bed: There is moreover in this Temple another lower Chapel, in which there is a great Statue of Jupiter all of Gold, sitting; and beside it a Table and Bench all of Gold also; in so much that the Chaldaeans value it at 800 Talents: Likewise without the Chapel there is an Altar of Gold, and another Altar very great, upon which are sacrifized Sheep of full growth, for upon that of Gold it is not lawful to sacrifize any but Sucklings; On this greater Altar the Chaldaeans burn yearly Frankinsence to the value of a hundred thousand talents, in sacrifice to their Gods. There was also at the same time in this Temple a Statue 12 Cubits high, of massy Gold, which I saw not, but take upon the report of the Chaldaeans: this Statue Darius son of Hystaspes had a great mind to take, but durst not; but his son Xerxes afterwards took it, and slew the Priest who forbad him to stir it: Thus was this Temple built and beautified, besides infinite gifts and presents. Hitherto Herodotus: he terms the Priests of Belus Chaldaeans; and R. Maimonides ass[…]rts the Chaldaean Idolaters to be the same with the Prophets of Baal.

The Festival of Bel is mention'd 2 Kings 10. 20. his Oracle by Arrian; the same which Step[…]anus means saying, The Chaldaeans had an Oracle which was no less in esteem with them, than that at Delphi was with the Graecians.

CHAP. II.

Worship of other Gods, Angels and Daemons.

THe second kind of their Religious Worship, was that of other Gods, Angels and Daemons; Next the Supreme God (saith Eusebius, delivering their opinion) there followeth a multitude of other Gods; Angels and Daemons. These Gods they distinguish'd into several Orders, Intelligibles; Intelligibles and Intellectuals; Intellectuals; Fountains; Principles; Unzoned Gods; Zoned Gods; Angels and Daemons. To the Worship of these belongs what we have already delivered concerning their Theurgy.

CHAP. III.

The Chaldaean Worship of the Caelestial Bodies.

THe third kind of Idolatrous Worship used by the Chaldaeans and Babylonians was of the Celestial Bodies; into which, Maimonides saith, they fell soon after the Floud: perhaps occasion'd by their continual addiction to Contemplation of them; and grounded upon Observation of the great Benefits communicated to Man-kind by their Influence.

The Levitical Law, in prohibiting this Idolatry, sets down the particulars of of it, Lest thou lift up thine eyes unto Heaven, and when thou seest the Sun, and the Moon, and the Stars, even all the Host of Heaven, shouldst be driven to Worship them and serve them. And of the Jewish Idolaters put down by Iosiah (besides those that burnt Incense to Baal, of whom already) are reckon'd those that burnt Incense to the Sun and to the Moon, and to the Planets (or Signs, Mazaloth) and to all the Host of Heaven. This doubtless they learned of their Nighbours the Assyrians, of whom the Prophet Ezekiel complains that they doted.

CHAP. IV.

Of the Sun.

THe Sun and Moon are first named and distinguished from the rest; with them perhaps this kind of Idolatry began, before it came to be applied to any of the other Stars; for in the most antient mention of it, (which is by Iob a Neighbour to the Chaldaeans) we find these two only named: That the Chaldaeans esteemed these the principal is confirm'd by R. Maimonides, who saith, They held the rest of the seven Planets to be Gods, but the two Luminaries the greatest.

But of these (adds Maimonides) they held the Sun to be the greatest God. What he further relates in confirmation hereof, out of the Books of the Sabaeans concerning Abraham and the like, was delivered formerly. Of the Assyrian Idols dedicated to the Sun, Macrobius mentions three, Adad, Adonis and Iupiter Heliopolites.

Adad (saith he) signifieth one; this God they adore as the most powerful, but they joyn with him a Goddess named Atargatis, ascribing to these two an absolute power over all things; by these they mean the Sun and the Earth; that hereby they understand the Sun, is manifest, for the Image of Adad is very fair, and hath beams bending downwards, to shew that the power of Heaven consists in the beams of the Sun, sent down upon the Earth. The Image of Atargates hath beams erected; to shew that the Earth produceth all things by the power of the beames sent from above: Thus Macrobius; but whereas he saith that Adad signifieth one, either he himself is mistaken, or his Text depraved, for (as Mr. Selden observes) with the Syrians, and Chaldaeans or Assyrians, Chad, from the Hebrew Achad, signifieth one; but Adad or Adod which in the Scripture is Hhadad is of a different spelling; Drusius reads (in Macrobius) Hhada, which signifieth One in Syriack. Of this Idol perhaps is the Prophet Isaiah to be understood, They that sanctify and purify themselves after One in the midst of the gardens, dedicated to that Idol behind the Temple; Subintelligendum enim Templum, pone Templum saith Ioseph Scaliger.

Adonis is derived from Adon, Lord. That Adonis is the Sun (saith Macrobius) is not doubted, upon view of the Religion of the Assyrians, with whom Venus Architis (now worshipt by the Phoenicians) and Adonis were held in great veneration: For the Naturalists worshipped the Superio[…]r Hemisphear of the Earth, in part whereof we dwell, by the name of Venus; the inferiour they called Pro[…]erpina. Hereupon amongst the Assyrians or Phoenicians the Godd[…]ss is introduced mourning, because the Sun in performing his Annual Course passeth through the twelve Signs of the Inferiour Hemisphear; for of the Signs of the Zodiack six are esteemed superiour, six inferiour; And when he is in the inferiour, and consequently makes the dayes shorter, the Goddess is believ'd to mourn, as if the Sun were snatch'd away by Death for a time, and detained by Proserpina the Goddess of the inferiour part, and of the Antipodes; Again they conceive that Adonis is restor'd to Venus when the Sun surmounting the six stars of the inferiour Order begins to illuminate our Hemisphear, and lengthen the light and dayes.

The last is Iupiter Heliopolites; The Assyrians (saith the same Author) under the name of Jupiter worship the Sun (whom they style [non-Latin script]) with extraordinary ceremonies: The Image of this God was taken from a Town in Aegypt, named Heliopolis also, at what time Senemus, perhaps the same as Senepos, reigned over the Aegyptians; it was brought thither by Oppias Ambassador of Delebois King of the Assyrians, and by the Aegyptian Priests, the chief of whom was Parmetis; and having been a long time kept by the Assyrians, was afterwards removed to Heliopolis (in Aegypt) the reason of which, and why being caried out of Aegypt it was brought back into the place where now it is, and where it is worshipt with Rites that are more Assyrian than Aegyptian, I forbear to relate, as being nothing pertinent to our purpose. That this Jupiter is the same with the Sun, appears as well by their Religious Rites, as by the fashion of the Image, for it's being of Gold (of which Metall Maimonides describes those Telesmes to have been which the Chaldaeans made to the Sun) and without a Beard, is sufficient argument hereof. The right hand is lifted up, holding a Whip like a Charioteer, the left holds a Thunderbold and some ears of Corn, all which denote the consociate powers of Jupiter and the Sun. Moreover the Religion of this Temple is excellent for Divination, which is ascribed to the power of Apollo, who is the same with the Sun: Likewise the Image of the Heliopolitane God is caried on a Beer, as the Images of the Gods are caried at the Solemnity of the Games of the Circensian Gods; Many Nobles of that Countrey follow, their heads shaved, they themselves pure by a long Chastity; they are driven by Divine Inspiration, not as they will themselves, but whither the God caries them. This God they consult even absent, by sending Table[…]books sealed up, and he writes back in Order to the questions inserted in them: Thus the Emperour Trajan being to go out of that Countrey into Parthia with his Army, at the request of his Friends zealous in this Religion, and who having had great experiments in this kind, perswaded him to inquire concerning the successe of his expedition, proceeded with Romane prudence, lest there might be some deceit of man it, and first sent the Table-books sealed up, requiring an answer in writing: The God commanded paper to be brought, and ordered that it should be sent to him, blank: to the astonishment of the Priests. Trajan received it with admiration, for that he also had sent a blanck Table-book to the God. Then he took another Table-book, and wrote in it this question, whether having finished this War, he should return to Rome; […]his he sealed up: The God commanded a Centurial Vine, one of those gifts that were in the Temple, to be brought, and to be cut into two pieces, and wrapt up in a Napkin and sent. The event appeared manifest in the death of Trajan, his bones being brought back to Rome: for by the fragments, the kind of Reliques (his bones,) […]y the token of the Vine, the future chance was declared. Hitherto Macrobius.

To these adde Bel or Belus, a name though more peculiar to the Supreme Deity, yet common to many of the Chaldaean Gods, and amongst others to the Sun, as Servius witnesseth. In Punick language (saith he) God is named Bal; but amongst the Assyrians he is called Bel, and by a certain mystical reason, Saturn and the Sun.

CHAP. V.

The Chaldaean Worship of the Moon.

THe Moon was worshiped by the Chaldaeans under many names, all which are Feminine; and the greater part answerable to those of the Sun (last mentioned) which seems to confirm what R. Maimonides delivers of them, that they held the seven Planets to be Gods and Goddesses, Male and Femal, maried to one another.

Now as the Chaldaeans (or rather They who first translated the Chaldaick Learning into Greek) amongst other names applyed to the Sun those of Iupiter and Adonis, in like manner did they give to the Moon the correspondent attributes of Iuno and Venus.

To Iuno belong Ada and Belta, for so interpreted by Hesychius; Ada, Iuno, with the Babylonians; Belthes, Iuno or Venus. Both which are doubtlesse no other than the Feminine names answerable to Adad and Bel, two names of the Sun. That by Iuno Mythologists sometimes understand the Moon, the Learned Mr. Selden confirms by the old form of incalation which the Roman Priests used at the Nones of every Moneth, dies te quin q; calo Iuno novella (or covella, Caelestis.) To this Iuno perhaps may more properly be referred what Iulius Firmicus applies to the Air; The Assyrians (saith he) ascribed the principality of the Elements, to the Air, the Image whereof they worshipped, styling it by the name of Juno or Venus the Virgin; Whom the Quires of their Priests worshipped with effeminate Voices and Gestures, their skin smoothed, and their habit after the fashion of Women; thus he; But that the Assyrians worshipped the Element of Air is not else where easily found; what de adds concerning their immodest Rites, seems rather of affinity with those of Venus, as described by other Authors.

To Venus (taken for the Moon) belong the names Mylitta and Alilat. They learnt (saith Herodotus speaking of the Persians) of the Assyrians and Arabians to Sacrifize to Urania: the Assyrians call Venus Mylitta, the Arabians (our Sabaeans) Alilat. Thus Herodotus; who indeed seems to make this Mylitta distinct from the Moon; (of whom he had spoken a little before) but that by Alilat was meant no other, is evident from it's Etymology from Lail Night. The Antients (saith Sihal Assemon) amongst many other false Gods, served one whom they called Alilath, and affirmed that she is the Moon, as being the Mistriss and Queen of the Night.

CHAP. VI.

The Chaldaean worship of the Planets.

THe rest of the Seven Planets (as Maimonides saith) they held to be Gods also. To Saturn, whom Diodorus (if the Text be not depraved, which I suspect) affirms they held to be the chiefest of the five, they gave the common name of Bel. Eusebius, in the 28th year of Thara; Belus the first King of the Assyrians died; whom the Assyrians styled a God; others call him Saturn; and Servius, cited elsewhere, In the Punick language God is named Bal; but amongst the Assyrians he is called Bel, and by a certain Mystical reason, Saturn and the Sun. Whence Theophilus Patriarch of Antioch, Some worship Saturn as a God; and call him Bel, and Bal; this is done chiefly by those who dwell in the Eastern Climates, not knowing who Saturn is, and who Belus.

Some conceive that the more particular name of this Planet was Chiun or Remphan: of which the Prophet Amos, But ye have born the Tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your Images, the Stars of your God which ye made to yourselves: Which text St. Stephan renders thus, Yea, ye took up the Tabernacle of your God Remphan, Figures which ye made, to worship them; What is in the Hebrew Chiun, the Greek renders Remphan. By Chiun Aben Ezra understands the Planet Saturn, whom Plautus also, as Petitus observes, calls Chiun: Rephan (as Kircher attests) is used in the Coptick language for the same Planet.

Of Iupiter (having spoken already in treating of Bel and the Sun, to both which this name was applied,) there is little more to be said.

Mars (as the Author of Chronicon Alexandrinum relates) was first owned as a Deity by the Assyrians: the Assyrians saith he were the first who did erect a Column to Mars, and adored him as a God; They gave him the common name of Belus, whence the Babylonian Belus is by Hestiaeus interpreted [non-Latin script] Iupiter Martius.

But a more particular name of Mars was that of Azizus, under which he was worshipped together with Mercury in the Temple of the Sun at Edessa a City of Mesopo[…]omia. They who inhabit Edessa (saith Iulian) a region of a long time Sacred to the Sun, place together with him in the Temple Monimus and Azizus. That by Monimus they understood Mercury, by Azizus Mars, and that both these were assessours to the Sun, Iulian acknowledgeth to have learned of his Master Iamblicus.

Some there are who refer the Idol Negal (brought by the Samaritans out of Assyria) to this Planet, for the Rabbies fancy this Idol to have been in the form of a Cock: Now the Cock being Sacred to Mars, and styled his Bird, in regard of it's couroge, hence they infer that Mars was represented under that form, as Venus under that of the Hen by the Idol Succoth Benoth.

Venus was worshiped by the Assyrians and Chaldaeans under many names: Three of which we find in Hesychius: The first Belthes (or rather Belta) which he Interprets Iuno and Venus. This was a name common to the Moon also, and spoken of formerly.

The next, Delephat, a name more appropriate to Venus than the former, as appears by it's Etymology, from the Syriack word Delpha coition.

The last Myleta, as Hesychius reads, who adds, the Assyrians (so called) Urania. Herodotus writes it Mylitta: They Learned (saith he, speaking of the Persians) from the Assyrians and Arabians, to sacrifize to Urania: The Assyrians call Venus Mylitta, the Arabians Alilat. Of which two names, though Alilat (as was observ'd heretofore) was given to the Moon also; yet that of Mylitta seems peculiar to Venus, it being no other (as Scaliger observes) than the plain Syriack word Mylidtha, generative or prolifick: Venus genetrix. With this Etymology well suit the Rites belonging to the Idol; of which thus Herodotus: The Babylonians have one abhominable Law; every Woman of that Countrey, must once in her life sit in the Temple of Venus, and there accompany with a stranger. Some of the Richer sort not deigning to associate themselves with the rest of ordinary quality, are caried thither in covered Chariots: and stand before the Temple, a long train of attendants coming after them; the greater part do in this manner; there are many Women sitting in the Temple of Venus Crowned with Garlands of Flowers, some coming, others going: There are also several passages distinguished by cords, which guide the strangers to the Women; of whom they make choice as they best like; No Woman being once set there, returns home, untill some stranger hath cast money in her lap, and taking her aside, lain with her. The stranger who offers this money must say, I invoke the Goddess Mylitta for thee; the Assyrians call Venus Mylitta; the money she must not refuse whatever it be; for it is Sacred: Neither may the Woman deny any man, but must follow him that first offers her money, without any choice on her part. As soon as she hath lain with him, and performed the Rites of the Goddess, she returns home, nor from thence forward can be allured by any price whatsoever. Such as are handsome are the soonest dismist; but the deformed are forced to stay longer before they can satisfy the Law; sometimes it happens that they attend a whole year, or two, or three in expectation. Hitherto Herodotus, of which Custome some interpret the words of the Prophet Baruch concerning the Chaldaean Women, The Women sit in the wayes guirded (or rather surroundred [non-Latin script]) with rushes; and burn straw; and if one of them be drawn away and ly with such as come by, she casteth her Neigbour in the teeth, because she was not so worthily reputed, nor her cord broken.

To these add Succoth benoth, an Idol made by the Men of Babylon: the signification of the word being the tents of the daughters. Some conceive that hereby were meant those Tents or Partitions by Chords described by Herodotus, in which the Women sate to perform the Rites of Ve[…]us Mylitta; Venus being, as Mr. Selden is of opinion, derived from Benoth: but from the words of the Sacred Text, it is manifest, that by Succoth Benosh was meant rather an Idol, than Temple or Tents. The Rabbies fancy it to have been in form of a Hen and Chicken, For as they called a Hen Succus, that is covering, so they called Hens Succoth, as brooding and covering, and Benosh they interpreted her Chickens, which she useth to cover with her wings. Whence Kircher expounds it of Venus Mylitta.

CHAP. VII.

Of the Other Stars.

NOr were the Planets only but the Signs and all the rest of the Stars esteemed Gods by the Chaldaeans: for they burnt Incense to the Mazaloth and to all the rest of the Host of Heaven. Mazal is a Star: they called the Signs the twelve Mazaloth: the Zodiack the Circle Mazaloth; and sometimes changing [non-Latin script] into [non-Latin script] Mazaroth; the Septuagint renders it [non-Latin script], which Suidas interprets, the Constellations called [non-Latin script] Signs. This agrees with what Diodorus reports of the Chaldaeans, that they held the principal Gods to be twelve, to each of which they attributed a Moneth, and one of the Signs of the Zodiack.

That they worshipped the rest of the fixed Stars as Gods also, is implied by the Sacred Text last cited, which adds, and to all the Host of Heaven; and is more expr[…]sly asserted (amongst others) by Diodorus, who in his account of their Doctrine affirms, that as they called the Planets Interpre[…]ers, so of the other Stars, they called some the Iudges of all things, others consiliary Gods; as we shall shew more particularly, when we come to speak of their Astrology: Neither is it to be doubted, but that as they owned some of the fix'd Stars by these common titles of dignity Iudges and Consellers, so to the principal of them they att[…]ibuted particular names and Idols, as well as to the Planets; And since the Chaldaick polytheism was not (like that of the Greeks) founded upon an Imaginary Mythology, (though later Writers treat of it after the same manner) but had reference to the Celestial Bodies, which they Worshipped under several Names and Idols; It is no less probable than consonant to the Chaldaick Doctrine, that those other Assyrian Idols, (Ashim, Nibhaz, Tartak, Adrammelek, Anammelek, Nisroch,) mention'd in the Scripture, were of the same kind with the rest, and belonged to several others of the Stars; But this conjecture is not easily evinc'd, in regard that there is little extant of those Idols more than the bare mention of their Names.

CHAP. VIII.

Of Fire.

THere are who reckon the Elements amongst the Gods which the Chaldaeans Worshipt: That they had a particular devotion to the Fire, is certain; by it as some conceive they represented the supreme God; as others, the Sun; the ground of which Analogy we delivered formerly.

Concerning this Pyrolatry of the Chaldaeans there is a memorable passage related by Ruffinus; The Chaldaeans in the time of Constantine the Great travelled all over the Earth to shew all men that their God excell'd all other Gods, for they destroyed all the Statues of other Gods by their Fire; At length coming into Aegypt, and making this challenge, the Aegyptian Priests brought forth a large Statute of Nilus, filling it (for it was hollow) with store of water, and stopping up the holes it had (which were many) with wax so artificially, that it kept in the water, but could not hold out against the fire. [ Suidas relates this something differently, as performed by a Priest of Canopus, who taking off the Head of an old Statue, put it upon a water-pot, which (stopping the holes with wax) he painted over, and set up in the room of Canopus.] The Chaldaean began the contest with much rejoycing, and put fire round about the Statue; the wax melted, the holes opened, the water gushing forth put out the fire, and the Chaldaeans were laugh'd at for their God.

CHAP. IX.

Of the Air, and Earth.

OF the Air thus Iulius Firmicus, The Assyrians ascribed the principality of the Elements to the Air, the Image whereof they worshipped, stiling it by the name Venus the Virgin; whom the Quires of their Priests worshipped with effeminate voices and gestures; their Skin smoothed, and their Habit after the fashion of Women.

As for the Earth, Macrobius saith, They worshipped the superiour Hemispear of it, in part whereof we dwell, by the name of Venus; the inferiour Hemisphear of the Earth they called Proserpina; More of this Mythology, rather Phoenician than Assyrian, and perhaps more Graecian than either, see in Macrobius. Thus much concerning the Doctrine of the Chal[…]aeans.