OF THE
Term CAHEN:
THE
COHEN,
כהן
, OF THE HEBREWS.
I have before taken notice that the term Cahen denoted a Priest, or President; and that it was a title often conferred upon princes and kings. Nor was it confined to men only: we find it frequently annexed to the names of Deities, to signify their rule and superintendency over the earth. From them it was derived to their attendants, and to all persons of a prophetical or sacred character. The meaning of the term was so obvious, that one would imagine no mistake could have ensued: yet such is the perverseness of human wit, that we find it by the Greeks and Romans constantly misapplied. They could not help imagining, from the sound of the word, which approached nearly to that of κυων and canis, that it had some reference to that animal: and, in consequence of this unlucky resemblance, they continually misconstrued it a dog. Hence we are told by [[37]]Ælian and [[38]]Plutarch, not only of the great veneration paid to dogs in Egypt, and of their being maintained in many cities and temples; in which they certainly exceed the truth; but we are moreover assured, that the people of Ethiopia had a dog for their king: that he was kept in great state, being surrounded with a numerous body of officers and guards, and in all respects royally treated. Plutarch speaks of him as being [[39]]σεμνως προσκυνομενος, worshipped with a degree of religious reverence. The whole of this notion took its rise from a misinterpretation of the title above. I have mentioned, that in early times Cahen was a title universally conferred upon priests and prophets: hence Lycophron, who has continually allusions to obsolete terms, calls the two diviners, Mopsus and Amphilochus, Κυνας.
[[40]]Δοιαιδε ῥειθρων Πυραμου προς εκβολαις
Αυτοκτονοις σφαγαισι Δηραινου ΚYΝΕΣ
Δμηθεντες αιχμαζουσι λοισθιον βοαν.