A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology | Page 9

hominibus, in impios ferocientes. In the
celebrated gardens of Electra there was a golden dog, which shewed the
same regard to good men, and was as inveterate to others.
[92][Greek: Chruseos oidainonti kuôn sunulaktee laimôi] [Greek:
Sainôn êthada phôta.]
What is more remarkable, there were many gaping dogs in this temple;
which are represented as so many statues, yet were endowed with life.
[93][Greek: Chasmasi poiêtoisi sesêirotes anthereônes] [Greek:
Pseudaleôn skulakôn stiches emphrones.]
Homer describes something of the same nature in the gardens of
Alcinous.
[94][Greek: Chruseioi d' hekaterthe kai argureoi kunes êsan,] [Greek:
Hous Hêphaistos eteuxen iduiêisi prapidessin,] [Greek: Athanatous
ontas, kai agêrôs êmata panta.]
All this relates to the Cusean priests of Vulcan or Hephaistos, and to
the priesthood established in his temple: which priesthood was kept up
by succession, and never became extinct. What was Cusean, the Greeks

often rendered [Greek: Chruseion], as I shall hereafter shew. The same
people were also styled Cuthim; and this word likewise among the
antients signified gold: from hence these priests were styled [Greek:
Chruseioi kunes]. We find the like history in Crete: here too was a
golden dog, which Zeus had appointed to be the guardian of his
temple[95]. By comparing these histories, I think we cannot fail of
arriving at the latent meaning. The God of light among other titles was
styled Cahen, or Chan-Ades: but the term being taken in the same
acceptation here, as in the instances above, the Deity was changed to a
dog, and said to reside in the infernal regions. From hence he was
supposed to have been dragged to light by Hercules of Thebes. The
notion both of Cerberus and Hades being subterraneous Deities took its
rise from the temples of old being situated near vast caverns, which
were esteemed passages to the realms below. Such were in Messenia, in
Argolis, in Bithynia, and at Enna in Sicily; not to mention divers other
places. These temples were often named Kir-Abor; and the Deity
Chan-Ades; out of which terms the Greeks formed [Greek: Ton
Kerberon kuna hadou]; and fabled, that he was forced into upper air by
Hercules, through these infernal inlets. And as temples similar in name
and situation were built in various parts, the like history was told of
them all. Pausanias takes notice of this event, among other places,
being ascribed to the cavern at [96]Tænarus; as well as to one at
[97]Troezen, and to a third near the city [98]Hermione. The Poet
Dionysius speaks of the feat being performed in the country of the
Marianduni, near Colchis.
[99][Greek: Kai Mariandunôn hieron pedon, enth' enepousin] [Greek:
Oudaiou Kronidao megan kuna Chalkeophônon] [Greek: Chersin
anelkomenon megalêtoros Hêraklêos,] [Greek: Deinon apo stomatôn
baleein sialôdea chulon.]
But however the Deity in all these instances may have been degraded to
the regions of darkness, yet he was the God of light, [Greek:
Kun-hadês]; and such was the purport of that name. He was the same as
Apollo, as may be proved from the Cunidæ at Athens, who were a
family set apart for his service. [Greek: Kunnidai, genos Athênêisin, ex
hou ho hiereus tou Kunniou Apollônos.] Hesychius. The Cunnidai are

a family at Athens, out of which the priest of Apollo Cunnius is chosen.
He styles him Apollo Cunnius: but the Cunidai were more properly
denominated from Apollo Cunides, the same as Cun-Ades. Poseidon
was expressly styled Cun-Ades; and he was the same Deity as Apollo,
only under a different title, as I have shewn. [Greek: Kunadês Poseidôn
Athênêisin etimaito.] Hesychius. Poseidon was worshipped at Athens
under the title of Cun-Ades.
Though I have endeavoured to shew, that the term of which I have been
treating was greatly misapplied, in being so uniformly referred to dogs,
yet I do not mean to insinuate that it did not sometimes relate to them.
They were distinguished by this sacred title, and were held in some
degree of [100]veneration; but how far they were reverenced is not easy
to determine. Herodotus,[101] speaking of the sanctity of some animals
in Egypt, says, that the people in every family, where a dog died,
shaved themselves all over: and he mentions it as a custom still
subsisting in his own time. Plutarch[102] differs from him. He allows
that these animals were, at one time, esteemed holy; but it was before
the time of Cambyses: from the æra of his reign they were held in
another light: for when this king killed the sacred Apis, the dogs fed so
liberally upon his entrails, without making a proper distinction, that
they lost all their sanctity. It is of little consequence whichever account
be the truest. They were certainly of old looked upon as sacred; and
esteemed emblems of the Deity. And it was, perhaps, with a view to
this, and to prevent the Israelites retaining