The Mysteries of All Nations | Page 2

Consulters with familiar Spirits,
and Necromancers proved a Snare to Nations--Charms worn by the
Jews--Singular Customs and Belief--Prognostication--Allegorical
Emblems--Marriage Customs--Ceremonies at Death and
Burials--Divination among all Nations--Observers of Times--Opinion
concerning the Celestial Bodies--Power of
Witches--Wizards--Necromancers' Power to call up the Dead 1
CHAPTER II.
Men endowed with Prophetic Spirits--The Jews forbidden to consult
the Oracles of the Heathen--Schools of Prophets--Influence of
Music--The Prophetic Mantle--Way Revelations were made--Bath
Kol--Urim and Thummim--False Prophets Strangled or
Stoned--Diabolical Art--Moloch--Seething a Kid in its Mother's
Milk--The Smooth Stones mentioned by Isaiah--Sheep-head and
Sheep-head Broth--Casting Sins into the Sea--Fasting among the

Pharisees--Dust of Heathen Countries--The number 10--Angels that
had the Care of Men--Predictions by Hebrew Women--Punishment in
the Grave 10
CHAPTER III.
Egypt steeped in Superstition--Power of Magicians--Obtaining
Visions--Demons--Departed Heroes--Gods and Demi-gods--Altars or
Living Stones--Sacred Animals--Isis searching for Osiris--Leeks and
Onions--Priests, Physicians, and Interpreters of Oracles--Sacrificing
Human Victims--Wax Figures--Magic--Teaching of the Egyptian
Priests--Transmigration 14
CHAPTER IV.
Babylon--The Chaldeans--Downfall of Babylon predicted--Worship of
the Medes and Persians--Sacred Fire--The Gaures--Births and Deaths
in Early Times--A Narrow Bridge--An Immense Tree--Creation of
Prophets--A Stone to which Abraham tied his Camel--Adam and Eve's
Trysting Place--Black Art--Ways of discovering whether a supposed
Criminal was Guilty or Innocent--Looking into Futurity--Canaanites,
Syrians, and Arabians--Strange Fables--Abraham breaking Heathen
Idols--Altars--Religion of the Carthagenians and Tyrians--Supremacy
of the Gods 20
CHAPTER V.
Greek Religion and Superstition--Jupiter regarded as the President of
the Law and Protector of Cities--Dreams and Charms--Sacred
Stones--Omens of Evil--Sacrificing the Hair--Flight of
Birds--Compassing the Altar to the Right--Love secured by
Magic--Marriage Ceremonies--Way of protecting a Child from Evil
Spirits--Divers Magical Ceremonies--Laws as to Dead Bodies--Fingers
and Toes of Dead Men worn as Charms--Preparing a Body for
Burial--Swine and Swine's Flesh--Drinking Toasts--Prophets consulted
before Armies marched to Battle--Certain Words
avoided--Sneezing--Evil Omens--Throwing a Person overboard to save

a Ship 26
CHAPTER VI.
Roman Delusions and Customs--Tokens of Futurity--Drawing of
Lots--Events foretold by reading the first passage that turned up on
opening a Book--Lucky and Unlucky
Stars--Fortune-tellers--Dreams--Omens drawn from the Appearance of
parts of Animals offered in Sacrifice--Sibylline Books, Charms, and
Incantations--Spirits observers of Men's Actions--Unlucky Days--Dress
of a Bride--Anointing Door-posts and crossing the Threshold--Fire and
Water--Bridal Feast and Nuptial Songs--Funeral Rites--Souls of
Unburied Persons--Customs at a Deathbed, and Funeral
Observances--Hobgoblins--Purifying with Water and Fire--Appeasing
the Manes--Dead Bodies used for Magical purposes 34
CHAPTER VII.
Ethiopian Superstition--Heathen Indian Gods--Superstitious
Observances at Marriages--Disposal of Dead Bodies--Different
Degrees of Glory after Death--Reverence for the Cow--Detecting
Criminals--Addressing Oracles--Astronomy--Eclipse of the
Moon--Magic--John Gondalez 39
CHAPTER VIII.
Wizard and Man-tiger--Man-lion--Sacrificing Children--Offerings to
the Ganges--A Rajah offering himself as a Sacrifice--Various
Superstitious Ceremonies--King's Wives and Retainers going with the
Dead Monarch into another World--An eternal Succession of
Worlds--Apes supposed to have Human Souls--Worshipping
Demons--Drinking Blood--Prognosticating from the Cries of
Beasts--Witchcraft and Magic--Singular Opinions and
Customs--Foretelling Future Events at the New Moon--Discovering a
False Swearer--Offerings to the Sea and Winds--Superstition in
China--Superstition in Japan 48

* * * * *
HEATHEN GODS AND GODDESSES.
CHAPTER IX.
Classification of Gods and Goddesses--Primeval Parent
Chaos--Creation--Influence of Ether--Celestial Fire--Birth and
Banishment of Cupid--Fate--Eternal Decrees--Throne of Jove--Fortune
and Happiness--Misfortune and Misery--Rewards and
Punishments--First Man and Woman--Pan the Emblem of all
Things--Power of Heathen Gods--Descriptions of Juno--Venus the
Goddess of Love and Beauty--Rustics turned into
Frogs--Vulcan--Æolus--Momus the Jester--The Carping God 59
CHAPTER X.
Satyrs described--Diana's Retirement--Pallas, the Goddess of
Shepherds--The vile Flora--Pomona deceived--Nymphs--River Gods
and Goddesses--Sirens--Witch Circe--Infernal Deities--Passage to
Tartarus--Palace of Pluto--Judges of Hell--Goddesses of
Destiny--Furies--Night, Death, and Sleep--Tartarian Regions--Delights
of the Elysian Fields--Festivals of Heathens--Sacrifices to
Deities--Things sacred to Gods 65
CHAPTER XI.
Achilles--Taking of Troy--Acrisius's Daughter--Danae and her son
Perseus--Ardea changed into a Bird--Pluto's Invisible
Helmet--Minerva's Buckler--Mercury's Wings--Medusa deprived of
Life--Sea Monster--A Gorgon's Head--Stheno and Euryale--Minerva's
Revenge--Serpents and Pegasus produced by Medusa's Blood--Tales by
the Daughters of Minyas--Punishment by Bacchus--The Search of
Cadmus for his sister Europa--Halcyon's
Sorrow--Transmigration--Exploits of Hercules--Love
Potion--Hymen--Jason's Adventures--Power and Cruelty of
Medea--How a Favourable Wind was procured--Manner in which

Orion came into Existence--False Swearer punished--Palladium--Deeds
of Paris--Golden Apple--Marriage of Peleus and Thetis--Impiety of
Pentheus--Rhea and her Sons--Scylla turned into a Sea Monster 71
* * * * *
MYTHOLOGY OF GERMANY, GREAT BRITAIN,
SCANDINAVIA, ETC.
CHAPTER XII.
Mythology of Germany, Great Britain, and Scandinavia--The world
Niflheim--The world Muspelheim--How Ymir was created--The cow
Aedhumla--Ymir's Offspring--Odin, the chief God--Valhalla--Queen
Frigga--How the Seas, Waters, Mountains, and Heavens were
made--Chariots and Horses in Heaven--Night and Day--Evil-disposed
Maidens--Creation of New Beings--Bridge between Midgard and
Asgard--Sacred Fountain--Roots of the ash Yggdrasil--Baldur's Dreams
and sad End--Loki, the Evil Spirit--Hel and her Brothers--Worship of
Scandinavian Gods--Norsemen and their Ancient Gods and
Goddesses--The Volsung Tale--Odin, Loki, and Hænir's
Wanderings--The Sword Gram--Sigurd's Exploits--What the
Worshippers of Odin believed--Frodi's Maidens and Quern--Gods of
the Laplanders--Sale of Winds--Lucky and Unlucky Days--Other
Superstitions 85
* * * * *
NAMES OF DAYS, WHENCE DERIVED.
CHAPTER XIII.
The Calendar--Names of Days, whence derived--The Power of
Jupiter--Influence of Zeus--The God Indra--Origin of the term
"Hours"--Hours under Planetary Control--Coronation of a Persian
King--Evils