A

NEW SYSTEM;

OR, AN

ANALYSIS

OF

ANTIENT MYTHOLOGY:

WHEREIN AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DIVEST TRADITION OF FABLE;

AND TO REDUCE THE TRUTH TO ITS ORIGINAL PURITY.

BY JACOB BRYANT, ESQ.

THE THIRD EDITION.

IN SIX VOLUMES.

WITH A PORTRAIT AND

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR;

À VINDICATION OF THE APAMEAN MEDAL;

Observations and Inquiries relating to various

Parts of Antient History;

A COMPLETE INDEX,

AND FORTY-ONE PLATES, NEATLY ENGRAVED.

VOL. II.

PRINTED FOR J.

LONDON:

WALKER; W. J. AND J. RICHARDSON;
R. FAULDER AND SON; R. LEA; J. NUNN; CUTHELL AND
MARTIN; H. D. SYMONDS; VERNOR, HOOD, AND SHARPE;
E. JEFFERY; LACKINGTON, ALLEN AND CO.; J. BOOKER;
BLACK, PARRY, AND KINGSBURY; J. ASPERNE;
J. MURRAY; AND J.. HARRIS.

Α

NEW SYSTEM;

OR, AN

ANALYSIS

OF

ANTIENT MYTHOLOGY.

PHOENIX AND PHOENICES.

As there has been much uncertainty about the

purport and extent of these terms; and they are

of

great consequence in the course of history; I will endeavour to state their true meaning. Phoinic, or Poinic, was an Egyptian and Canaanitish term of honour; from whence were formed Φοινιξ, Φοίνικες, Φοινικοεις of the Greeks, and Phoinic, Poinicus, Poinicius of the Romans; which were afterwards changed to Phoenix, Punicus, and

2

'Puniceus. It was originally a title, which the Greeks made use of as a provincial name: but it was never admitted as such by the people, to whom it was thus appropriated, till the Greeks were in possession of the country. And even then it was but partially received: for though mention is made of the coast of Phoenice, yet we find the natives called Sidonians, Tyrians, and Canaanites, as late as the days of the Apostles. It was an honorary term, compounded of Anac with the Egyptian prefix; and rendered at times both Phoinic and Poinic. It signified a lord or prince and was particularly assumed by the sons of Chus and Canaan. The Mysians seem to have kept nearest to the original pronunciation, who gave this title to the God Dionusus, and called him Ph'anac.

3 Ogygia me Bacchum vocat,
Osirin Ægyptus putat,
Mysi Phanacem.

In all antient accounts of the Romans the term was expressed -Poini, and Poinicus. Poinei stipendia pendunt. Poinei sunt solitei sos sacrificare puellos. Ennius. Annal. vii. Afterwards it was changed to Pœnus, and Punicus.

2 Simon the Canaanite. Matth. c. 10. v, 4. Also the woman of Canaan. Matthew. c. 15. v. 22.

3 Ausonius. Epigram. 25. Ph'Anac, the Great Lord.

It was also conferred upon many things, which were esteemed princely and noble. Hence the red, or scarlet, a colour appropriated to great and honourable personages, was styled Phoinic. The palm was also styled Phoinic, Dog: and the antients always speak of it as a stately and noble tree. It was esteemed an emblem of honour; and made use of as a reward of victory. Plurimarum palmarum homo, was a proverbial expression among the Romans, for a soldier of merit. Pliny speaks of the various species of palms; and of the great repute in which they were held by the Babylonians. He says, that the noblest of them were styled the royal Palms; and supposes that they were so called from their being set apart for the king's use. But they were very early an emblem of royalty and it is a circumstance included in their original name. We find from Apuleius, that Mercury, the 4 Hermes of Egypt, was represented with a palm branch in his hand and his priests at Hermopolis used to have them stuck in their 5 sandals, on the outside. The Goddess ́ Isis

*Apuleius. 1. xi. p. 246.

Zachlas adest Ægyptius, propheta primarius,- -et cum dicto juvenem quempiam linteïs amiculis intectum, pedesque palmeis baxeïs indutum, et adusque deraso capite, producit in medium. Apuleius. 1. 2. p. 39.

'Pedes ambrosios tegebant soleæ, palmæ victricis foliis intextæ. Ibid. 1. 11. p. 241.