The celebrated Statue of the Apollo Belvidere, represents the God in the attitude of having just discharged an arrow from his "unerring bow,"—the attitude, look, and general action, embrace that moment of time during the flight of the feathered shaft,—all this is merely symbolical of the Sun,—for the Statue illustrates the triumph over the Deucalion Deluge:—as thus.—After that Deluge the stagnated waters created an enormous monster from the muddy slime, called Python; (i. e. Pestilence)—Apollo (i. e. the Sun) killed the monster with his arrows, (i. e. Sun-beams)—and the Statue of the Sun-God represents, in his triumphant look and lip, the ease and certainty of his unerring aim and victory!
Apollo, therefore, is the Sun, and as such was regarded and adored by the Tyrians; and such was their devotion to the golden Statue of their God, that at the last siege of their city (according to Plutarch), they fastened it with chains of massive gold, and even nailed the feet of the Statue, and thus doubly secured it to the Chief Altar in the Temple of Hercules-Apollo,—who being the chief object of worship by the Tyrians, (believing that it was the flame of life,)—it cannot be a matter of surprise, that such an attempt to secure their "source of existence," should have been made against their ruthless invader.
The reader need scarcely be reminded that the chief symbol of worship among the Mexican Aborigines was Apollo, as viewed by the Tyrians. There is not a schoolboy but is familiar with the fact (from the pen of Kotzebue and Sheridan,) that the chief deity of their Temple,—the Sun,—was "the God of their Idolatry!"
"The faith (i. e. worship of the Sun) we follow, teaches us to live in bonds of charity with all mankind, and die with hope of bliss beyond the grave!" [Pizarro, Act 2. Sc. "Temple of the Sun.">[ This analogy in the chief worship of the Tyrians and Mexicans, in illustrating their identity, is as powerful as a sculptured Crescent upon a gravestone,—to impress the passer-by with the belief, that a Mahommedan sleeps beneath!
There is no record of the Phœnician or Tyrian Banner,—but it may have descended to the Peruvians,—their device being an Eagle gazing upon a brilliant Sun!—it would not be an inappropriate Standard for the Tyrians, considering their watchfulness of their favourite God.
The Apollo-worship of the Tyrian and Mexican (together with that of Saturn) we might enlarge upon, did we not think, that the reader has already formed his own affirmative conclusion of their identity.
As Apollo represented the Sun,—so did Astartē—the Moon,—and she was the Chief Goddess of the Tyrians, and was worshipped by the Mexican Aborigines. Dr. Robertson distinctly states that the natives of Bogota and Natchez worshipped Apollo and Astartē,—but in so stating he did not attempt to establish any National Theory. The fact is, however, given, as will be seen in the following quotation,—viz.,
"Among the people of Bogota (South America) the Sun and Moon were, likewise, the chief objects of veneration." "The Sun was the chief object of religious worship among the Natchez," &c. [Vol. v. b. iv. p. 373-4.]
The latter, perhaps, were located upon the Mississippi, when the Tyrian-Americans coasted the Gulf of Mexico, as the Tribe of Natchez was the only one in that part of the Continent, that practised the Tyrian Customs.
Upon an emblem of this Goddess, will be established one of the strongest analogies. The reader will be startled at the following proposition,—but it is no less the fact,—and it is given with peculiar force to sustain identity—viz., that the emblem of the Cross (as seen at Palenque) proves the Mexican Aborigines to have been Tyrians!