1

legs. He is placed over the car of the Sun-god, and the four horses, salient, stand two on either side: in the field are the sun and moon; below is his name [ABAW, Sabas or Sabaoth. 'The reverse bears his name IaoAbraxas, contained in a cartouche formed by a coiled serpent.' Abraxas, or rather Abrasax, which latter is the more correct form, appears to signify in Coptic 'Holy name.' 2 A Hebrew derivation, Ab-rahak, fallen spirit,' has also been suggested. Mr. King quotes S. Jerome in his commentary on Amos III. showing that Abraxas was the Sun-god, and he is at times styled the 'Eternal Sun.' In this Mansel agrees, observing 'there can be no doubt that the personified Abraxas was meant as a symbol of the Sun.' 4 Abraxas is a comparatively modern and Mithraik representation of the Iao-Uasar-Dionysos or kosmogonical Sun-god.

XXXV. The ass-headed Abraxas, with shield in right hand and dagger in the left.5

XXXVI. The leonto-kephalic Serpent, its head encircled with nine rays above an altar, with the inscription, "I am Chnoubis the Eternal Sun.' 6

XXXVII. Leonto-kephalic human figure, holding a serpent in the right hand, and a 'lustral vase' in the left, its head crowned with the solar sphere and apparently horned. 'Inscribed on the reverse with PHN [i.e. 'Pera, le Soleil, phra,'], Egyptian name of the sun.'

XXXVIII. Leonto-kephalic serpent Chnuphis-Abraxas, erect, with the seven-rayed nimbus.8 Montfaucon gives nearly twenty varieties of this familiar type.

XXXIX. Radiate solar serpent, holding phallic club or

1 Vide sup. V. ii.; inf. VIII. i. Sabazios.

2 King, The Gnostics and their Remains, 80.

3 S. M. Drach, apud W. R. Cooper, Serpent Myths of Ancient Egypt, 71.

E E

7 Chabas.

4 Gnostic Heresies, 153. 5 Vide inf. VIII. ii. Ass. 6 Vide No. XXXVIII. 8 Cooper, Serpent Myths of Anct. Egypt. Fig. 122. Vide inf. IX. iii. Khnum; VIII. ii. Lion. Serpent.

tree, and erect, on wheel,' a solar emblem.2 The radiate solar serpent also appears before a blazing altar on a coin said to be Phoenician.3

XL. Leonto-kephalic serpent, erect, his head surrounded by a nimbus, from which stream seven rays.1

Into the abyss of Gnosticism it is unnecessary here to plunge. Its chief constituents and formative elements were: (1) The religion of the Euphrates Valley, as reflected in the Phoiniko-Aramaic systems. (2) The Kamic system. (3) Judaism. (4) Medo-Persic ideas, tinctured also with importations from India and the far East. (5) Neo-Platonism; and (6) Christianity. A partial fusion of these heterogeneous ingredients, in unequal proportions, like parts of different animals joined together in a single form, produced a symbolic monster and a corresponding creed. The chief features to be noticed in a Dionysiak point of view are the derivative connection of the solar Abraxas with Iao-Sabazios, asinine symbolism, and the rôle played by the serpent and lion in reference to the sun.

XLI. Symbolic figure, consisting of horned and bearded head of the Pan type joined to a ram's head, the two being attached to the body of a cock, above whose head is a solar star. The combination represents the prolific potentiality of the world under the influence of the sun.

XLII. Symbolic figure, consisting of a Seilenos-head, bald and bearded, a ram's head, and above, a horse's head and neck, the whole on a bird's legs; in the field, the

sun and moon.1 It is not correct to regard these designs, commonly styled Grylli or comic figures, as merely arbitrary and fantastic productions of sportive art. They are frequently deeply significant and representative. This particular gem has been explained by Böttiger as uniting the influences of all the elements for the benefit of the wearer. But the only difference between it and No. XLI. is that the horse's head is here introduced instead of a cock's. The horse, in the abstract, is as much connected with the Sun-god as the cock, and is equivalent to the bird in the symbolism, in which case the two concepts embody exactly the same idea. When speaking of equine symbolism, the remarkable statue, described by Pausanias as dedicated by the inhabitants of Phigaleia in Arkadia, deserves attention. The legend, one of peculiar difficulty and intricacy, is as follows: Near the river Ladon, in western Arkadia, was a place called Onkeion, at one time ruled over by Onkos, son of Apollon, and noted for a temple of Demeter, called Erinys the Angry, because when searching for her daughter she was pursued by Poseidon, and having changed herself into a mare he likewise changed himself into a horse and joined her amongst the horses at. Onkeion. By Poseidon she became the mother of Despoina-Persephone and of the wondrous horse Areion, whose matchless swiftness saved Adrastos at the ill-omened siege of Thebai, and who was lent by Onkos to Herakles, when the latter warred against the Eleans. At Phigaleia Demeter was not described as the mother of a horse; but the tale agreed in other particulars with that told at Thelpouse, near Onkeion; and it was also said that the goddess, enraged with Poseidon and sorrowing for her daughther, clad he self in black and concealed herself in a cave, where she was 1 Antique Gems and Rings, ii. Pl. vi. Figs. 4 and 5.

2 Ibid. 72.

ultimately found by Pan, but not until the fruits of the earth were withered and the greater part of the human race had died of famine. Zeus sent the Fates to the goddess, who at length persuaded her to lay aside her anger and come forth. A cave near Phigaleia was considered the scene of the circumstance, and was therefore sacred to Demeter; and a wooden statue, the maker of which was unknown, and which had been destroyed by fire ages before the time of Pausanias, had been dedicated to her. This peculiar statue was said to be of a female figure with the head and mane of a horse; around the head were shapes of dragons and other wild beasts: a long black garment clad her to the feet, whence she was called Melainis; in one hand she held a dolphin and in the other a dove.1 I first will give Professor Max Müller's explication of the myth. If the name of Erinys is sometimes applied to Dêmêtêr, this is because Dêô was Dyâvâ, and Dêmêtêr, Dyâvâ mâtar, the Dawn, the mother. Erinys Demeter, like Saranyû, was changed into a mare, she was followed by Poseidon, as a horse. Poseidon, if he expressed the sun rising from the sea, would approach to Varuna, who was called the father of the horse.'2 The Vedic myth alluded to is as follows:- Saranyû3 had twins from Vivasvat, the She placed another like her in her place, changed her form into that of a horse, and ran off. Vivasat, the likewise assumed the form of a horse, followed her, and embraced her. Hence the two Asvins, or horsemen, were born.'4 The horse, whose name is the same in many Aryan languages, is the runner,' the rapid animal.' The Sun is the race-horse of the heavens, and

sun.

sun,

1 Paus. viii. 25, 37, 42.

2 Lects. on the Science of Language, ii. 564-5.

3 As to Saranyu, vide sun. VI. 3.

4 Lects. on the Science of Language, ii. 528.

5 Ibid. 68; Lenormant, Les Premières Civilisations, i. 318.

Cf. Psal xix. 5.

6

catches the Dawn, Saranyu-Erinys, and from their union spring the states of morning and evening. The parallel between parts of these two myths is most singular, and the Vedic tale might, in the absence of certain difficulties, be at once accepted as the elegant and appropriate explanation of the Hellenik. It is, however, to be observed that Professors Roth, Kuhn, and Schwartz, who are supporters of the meteorological theory,' which gives more prominence to clouds and tempests than to sun and dawn, discern in Saranyu the dark and impetuous storm-cloud," and there is, therefore, far from being a consensus of authority on her character. But to pass on; what is there of a dawn-character about the concept of Demeter ? Mr. Cox apparently hesitates to follow his usual guide here, remarking Professor Max Müller seems to see in Demeter, not the Earth, but the Dawn-mother;' and he has laid down the judicious rule, that identification of personages is not to be made, unless their names, their general character, and their special features, carry us to this conclusion.'2 But the general character of Demeter is undoubtedly not that of a dawn-goddess. Next as to Poseidon: If he expressed the sun rising from the sea-.' Now unfortunately for this view, Poseidon, who does not appear at all in Vedic mythology, has nothing solar about him, and we, therefore, are not justified in linking him in any way with the sun. Had the personages in the Hellenik legend been Helios and Athene, for instance, anything more satisfactory than the Vedic explanation could hardly be imagined; but as it is, they are Poseidon and Demeter, and we must make the best of the facts. Creuzer deals with the tale at some length, but not happily, giving one of those explanations which leave all the chief difficulties unexplained. Waiving all dogmatism 1 Mythology of the Aryan Nations, i. 423.

2 Ibid. 210.