[18] Thus Helios also, the Greek Sun-God, the heavenly physician and saviour, annually prepared the “Sun’s Table” in nature, causing the fruit to ripen, the healing herbs to grow, and inviting mortals to the life-giving feast. “This Table of the Sun was always spread in the land of the happy and long-living Ethiopians; even the twelve Gods journeyed thither each year with Zeus for twelve days, i.e., in the last Octave of the old and new year, as though to the feast of Agape” (Sepp., op. cit., i. 275). For the rest the number twelve had throughout the whole of antiquity in connection with such ceremonial feasts a typical signification. For example, among the Athenians, whose common religious feasts were celebrated annually on the occasion of the spring sacrifices; also among the Jews at least twelve persons had to be assembled round the table of the Easter Lamb (Sepp., op. cit., ii. 313 sqq.). [↑]
[19] Ghillany, op. cit., 510 sqq. [↑]
[20] Preller, “Griech. Mythol.,” 398, 850, and his “Röm. Mythol.,” 275. [↑]
[21] Strabo, xi. 2; Justin, xlii. 3. [↑]
[22] Preller, “Griech. Mytholog.,” 110. [↑]
[23] It is worth while to observe that the High Priest Joshua returned to Jerusalem at the head of twelve elders ([Ezra ii. 2]; Nehem. vii. 7. Cf. Stade, “Gesch. d. V. Israel,” ii. 102). [↑]
[24] Cf. Movers, op. cit., 539 sqq.; Sepp., “Heidentum,” 271, 421. [↑]