[209] The Jews often took foreign names; of which we have instances in Onias, Hyrcanus, Barptolemæus, &c.
Solinus, c. 25. mentions an altar found in North-Britain, inscribed to Ulysses: but Goropius Becanus very truly supposes it to have been dedicated to the Goddess Elissa, or Eliza.
Ab Elissâ Tyriâ, quam quidam Dido autumant. Velleius Paterculus. l. 1.
Elisa, quamdiu Carthago invicta fuit, pro Deâ culta est. Justin. l. 18. c. 6.
The worship of Elisa was carried to Carthage from Canaan and Syria: in these parts she was first worshipped; and her temple from that worship was called Eliza Beth.
[210] Sarbeth or Sarabeth is of the same analogy, being put for Beth-Sar or Sara, οικος κυριου, or κυριακη; as a feminine, answering to the house of our Lady. Απο ορους Σαραβαθα. Epiphanius de vitis Prophetar. p. 248. See Relandi Palæstina. p. 984.
[211] Damascus is called by the natives Damasec, and Damakir. The latter signifies the town of Dama or Adama: by which is not meant Adam, the father of mankind; but Ad Ham, the Lord Ham, the father of the Amonians. Abulfeda styles Damascus, Damakir, p. 15. Sec or Shec is a prince. Damasec signifies principis Ad-Amæ (Civitas). From a notion however of Adama signifying Adam, a story prevailed that he was buried at Damascus. This is so far useful, as to shew that Damasec was an abbreviation of Adamasec, and Damakir of Adama-kir.
Also Κυρεσκαρτα the city of Kuros, the Sun. Stephanus Byzant. Manakarta, Δαδοκαρτα, Ζαδρακαρτα. See Bochart. notæ in Steph. Byzantinum. p. 823.
Vologesakerta. Plin. l. 6. p. 332.
There was No-Amon in Egypt, and Amon-No. Guebr-abad. Hyde. p. 363. Ghavrabad. p. 364. Atesh-chana, domus ignis. p. 359. An-Ath, whose temple in Canaan was styled Beth-Anath, is found often reversed, and styled Ath-An; whence came Athana, and Αθηνα of the Greeks. Anath signified the fountain of light, and was abbreviated Nath and Neith by the Egyptians. They worshipped under this title a divine emanation, supposed to be the Goddess of Wisdom. The Athenians, who came from Sais in Egypt, were denominated from this Deity, whom they expressed Ath-An, or Αθηνη, after the Ionian manner. Της πολεως (Σαϊτων) Θεος αρχηγος εστιν, Αιγυπτιστι μεν τ' ουνομα Νηϊθ, Ἑλληνιστι δε, ὡς ὁ εκεινων λογος, Αθηνα. Plato in Timæo. p. 21.