Upon which the Scholiast observes: Κυνες ὁι Μαντεις: by Cunes are meant Diviners: and again, Κυνας Απολλωνος τους μαντεις ειπειν. The Poet, by Κυνας, means the ministers and prophets of Apollo. Upon this the learned [[41]]Meursius observes, that Lycophron had here made use of a term imported from Egypt: so that, I think, we cannot be mistaken about the purport of the word, however it may have been perverted.
The name of the Deity, Canouphis, expressed also Canuphis, and Cnuphis, was compounded with this term. He was represented by the Egyptians as a princely person, with a serpent entwined round his middle, and embellished with other characteristics, relating to time and duration, of which the serpent was an emblem. Oph, and Ouph, signified a serpent in the Amonian language; and the Deity was termed Can-uph, from his serpentine representation. The whole species, in consequence of this, were made sacred to him, and styled Canyphian. To this Lucan alludes, when, in speaking of the Seps, he calls all the tribe of serpents Cinyphias pestes:
[[42]]Cinyphias inter pestes tibi palma nocendi.
Canuphis was sometimes expressed Anuphis and Anubis; and, however rendered, was by the Greeks and Romans continually spoken of as a dog; at least they supposed him to have had a dog's head, and often mention his [[43]]barking. But they were misled by the title, which they did not understand. The Egyptians had many emblematical personages, set off with heads of various animals, to represent particular virtues and affections, as well as to denote the various attributes of their Gods. Among others was this canine figure, which I have no reason to think was appropriated to Canuph, or Cneph. And though upon gems and marbles his name may be sometimes found annexed to this character, yet it must be looked upon as a Grecian work, and so denominated in consequence of their mistaken notion. For we must make a material distinction between the hieroglyphics of old, when Egypt was under her own kings; and those of later date, when that country was under the government of the Greeks: at which time their learning was greatly impaired, and their antient theology ruined. Horus Apollo assures us, if any credit may be given to what he says, that this canine figure was an emblem of the earth: [[44]]Οικουμενην γραφοντες κυνοκεφαλον ζωγραφουσι. When they would describe the earth, they paint a Cunocephalus. It could not, therefore, I should think, in any degree relate to Canuphis. The same[[45]] writer informs us, that under the figure of a dog they represented a priest, or sacred scribe, and a prophet; and all such as had the chief management of funerals: also the spleen, the smell, sneezing; rule and government, and a magistrate, or judge: which is a circumstance hardly to be believed. For, as hieroglyphics were designed to distinguish, it is scarce credible that the Egyptians should crowd together so many different and opposite ideas under one character, whence nothing could well ensue but doubt and confusion. Besides, I do not remember, that in any group of antient hieroglyphics the figure of a dog occurs. The meaning of this history, I think, may be with a little attention made out. The Egyptians were refined in their superstitions, above all the nations in the world; and conferred the names and titles of their Deities upon vegetables and animals of every species; and not only upon these, but also upon the parts of the human body, and the very passions of the mind. Whatever they deemed salutary, or of great value, they distinguished by the title of Sacred, and consecrated it to some [[46]]God. This will appear from words borrowed from Egypt. The Laurel, Laurus, was denominated from Al-Orus: the berry was termed bacca, from Bacchus; Myrrh, Μυῤῥα was from Ham-Ourah; Casia, from Chus. The Crocodile was called Caimin and Campsa; the Lion, El-Eon; the Wolf, El-Uc; the Cat, Al-Ourah: whence the Greeks formed λεων, λυκος, αιλουρος. The Egyptians styled Myrrh, Baal; balsam, baal-samen; Camphire, Cham-phour, καμφουρα of Greece; Opium, Ophion. The sweet reed of Egypt was named [[47]]Canah, and Conah, by way of eminence; also, [[48]]Can-Osiris. Cinnamon was denominated from Chan-Amon; Cinnabar, κινναβαρις, from Chan-Abor; the sacred beetle, Cantharus, from Chan-Athur. The harp was styled Cinnor, and was supposed to have been found out by Cinaras; which terms are compounded of Chan-Or, and Chan-Arez; and relate to the Sun, or Apollo, the supposed inventor of the lyre. Priests and magistrates were particularly honoured with the additional title of Cahen; and many things held sacred were liable to have it in their composition. Hence arose the error of Horus Apollo; who, having been informed that the antient Egyptians distinguished many things which were esteemed holy by this sacred title, referred the whole to hieroglyphics, and gave out that they were all represented under the figure of a dog. And it is possible, that in later times the Grecian artists, and the mixed tribes of Egypt, may have expressed them in this manner; for they were led by the ear; and did not inquire into the latent purport of the [[49]]theology transmitted to them. From hence we may perceive how little, in later times, even the native Egyptians knew of their rites and history.
Farther accounts may be produced from the same writer, in confirmation of what I have been saying. He not only mentions the great veneration paid by the Egyptians to dogs, but adds, that in many temples they kept κυνοκεφαλοι, a kind of baboons, or animals with heads like those of dogs, which were wonderfully endowed. By their assistance the Egyptians found out the particular periods of the Sun and Moon. These did not, like other animals, die at once, but by piece-meal; so that one half of the animal was oftentimes buried, while the other half[[50]] survived. He moreover assures us, that they could read and write; and whenever one of them was introduced into the sacred apartments for probation, the priest presented him with a [[51]]tablet, and with a pen and ink; and by his writing could immediately find out if he were of the true intelligent breed. These animals are said to have been of infinite use to the antient Egyptians in determining times and seasons; for it seems they were, in some particular functions, the most accurate and punctual of any creatures upon earth: [[52]]Per æquinoctia enim duodecies in die urinam reddere, et in nocte[[53]] compertus (Cunocephalus), æquali interstitio servato, Trismegisto ansam dedit diem dividendi in duodecim partes æquales. Such is the history of these wonderful [[54]]animals. That Apes and Baboons were, among the Egyptians, held in veneration, is very certain. The Ape was sacred to the God Apis; and by the Greeks was rendered Capis, and [[55]]Ceipis. The Baboon was denominated from the Deity[[56]] Babon, to whom it was equally sacred. But what have these to do with the supposed Cunocephalus, which, according to the Grecian interpretation, is an animal with the head of a dog? This characteristic does not properly belong to any species of Apes, but seems to have been unduly appropriated to them. The term Cunocephalus, Κυνοκεφαλος, is an Egyptian compound: and this strange history relates to the priests of the country, styled Cahen; also to the novices in their temples; and to the examinations, which they were obliged to undergo, before they could be admitted to the priesthood. To explain this, I must take notice, that in early times they built their temples upon eminences, for many reasons; but especially for the sake of celestial observations. The Egyptians were much addicted to the study of astronomy: and they used to found their colleges in Upper Egypt upon rocks and hills, called by them Caph. These, as they were sacred to the Sun, were farther denominated Caph-El, and sometimes Caph-Aur, and Caph-Arez. The term Caph-El, which often occurs in history, the Greeks uniformly changed to Κεφαλη, Cephale: and from Cahen-Caph-El, the sacred rock of Orus, they formed Κυνοκεφαλη, and Κυνοκεφαλος; which they supposed to relate to an animal with the head of a dog. But this Cahen-Caph-El was certainly some royal seminary in Upper Egypt, whence they drafted novices to supply their colleges and temples. These young persons were, before their introduction, examined by some superior priest; and, accordingly as they answered upon their trial, they were admitted, or refused. They were denominated Caph-El, and Cahen-Caph-El, from the academy where they received their first instruction; and this place, though sacred, seems to have been of a class subordinate to others. It was a kind of inferior cloister and temple, such as Capella in the Romish church; which, as well as Capellanus, was derived from Egypt: for, the church, in its first decline, borrowed largely from that country. That there was some particular place of this sort situated upon a rock or eminence, may, I think, be proved from Martianus Capella; and, moreover, that it was a seminary well known, where the youth of Upper Egypt were educated. For, in describing the sciences, under different personages, he gives this remarkable account of Dialectica upon introducing her before his audience. [[57]]Hæc se educatam dicebat in Ægyptiorum Rupe; atque in Parmenidis exinde gymnasium, atque Atticam demeasse. And Johannes Sarisburiensis seems to intimate that Parmenides obtained his knowledge from the same quarter, when he mentions [[58]]"in Rupe vitam egisse. In this short detail we have no unpleasing account of the birth of science in Egypt, and of its progress thence to Attica. It is plain that this Rupes Ægyptiaca could be nothing else but a seminary, either the same, or at least similar to that, which I have before been describing. As the Cunocephali are said to have been sacred to Hermes, this college and temple were probably in the nome of Hermopolis. Hermes was the patron of Science, and particularly styled Cahen, or [[59]]Canis: and the Cunocephali are said to have been worshipped by the people of that [[60]]place. They were certainly there reverenced: and this history points out very plainly the particular spot alluded to. Hermopolis was in the upper region styled Thebaïs: and there was in this district a tower, such as has been [[61]]mentioned. It was in aftertimes made use of for a repository, where they laid up the tribute. This may have been the Rupes Ægyptiaca, so famed of old for science; and which was the seat of the Chancephalim, or Cunocephalians.
It is said of the Cunocephali, that when one part was dead and buried, the other still survived. This can relate to nothing else but a society, or body politic, where there is a continual decrement, yet part still remains; and the whole is kept up by succession. It is an enigma, which particularly relates to the priesthood in Egypt: for the sacred office there was hereditary, being vested in certain families; and when part was dead, a residue still [[62]]survived, who admitted others in the room of the deceased. [[63]]Επεαν δε τις αποθανῃ, τουτου ὁ παις αντικατισταται. The sons, we find, supplied the place of their fathers: hence the body itself never became extinct, being kept up by a regular succession. As to the Cunocephali giving to Hermes the first hint of dividing the day into twelve parts from the exactness, which was observed in their [[64]]evacuations, it is a surmise almost too trifling to be discussed. I have shewn that the Cunocephali were a sacred college, whose members were persons of great learning: and their society seems to have been a very antient institution. They were particularly addicted to astronomical observations; and by contemplating the heavens, styled Ouran, they learned to distinguish the seasons, and to divide the day into parts. But the term Ouran the Greeks by a strange misconception changed to ουρειν; of which mistake they have afforded other instances: and from this abuse of terms the silly figment took its rise.
The Cunocephali are not to be found in Egypt only, but in India likewise; and in other parts of the world. Herodotus [[65]]mentions a nation of this name in Libya: and speaks of them as a race of men with the heads of dogs. Hard by in the neighbourhood of this people he places the Ακεφαλοι, men with no heads at all: to whom, out of humanity, and to obviate some very natural distresses, he gives eyes in the breast. But he seems to have forgot mouth and ears, and makes no mention of a nose: he only says, [[66]]Ακεφαλοι, ὁι εν στηθεσιν οφθαλμους εχοντες. Both these and the Cunocephali were denominated from their place of residence, and from their worship: the one from Cahen-Caph-El, the other from Ac-Caph-El: each of which appellations is of the same purport, the right noble, or sacred [[67]]rock of the Sun.
Similar to the history of the Cunocephali, and Acephali, is that of the Cunodontes. They are a people mentioned by Solinus and Isidorus, and by them are supposed to have had the teeth of dogs. Yet they were probably denominated, like those above, from the object of their worship, the Deity Chan-Adon; which the Greeks expressed Κυνοδων, and styled his votaries [[68]]Cunodontes.
The Greeks pretended, that they had the use of the sphere, and were acquainted with the zodiac, and its asterisms very early. But it is plain from their mistakes, that they received the knowledge of these things very late; at a time when the terms were obsolete, and the true purport of them not to be obtained. They borrowed all the schemes under which the stars are comprehended from the Egyptians: who had formed them of old, and named them from circumstances in their own religion and mythology. They had particularly conferred the titles of their Deities upon those stars, which appeared the brightest in their hemisphere. One of the most remarkable and brilliant they called Cahen Sehor; another they termed Purcahen; a third Cahen Ourah, or Cun Ourah. These were all misconstrued, and changed by the Greeks; Cahen-Sehor to Canis Sirius; P'urcahen to Procyon; and Cahen Ourah to Cunosoura, the dog's tail. In respect to this last name I think, from the application of it in other instances, we may be assured that it could not be in acceptation what the Greeks would persuade us: nor had it any relation to a dog. There was the summit of a hill in Arcadia of this [[69]]name: also a promontory in [[70]]Attica; and another in [[71]]Eubœa. How could it possibly in its common acceptation be applicable to these places? And as a constellation if it signified a dog's tail, how came it to be a name given to the tail of a bear? It was a term brought from [[72]]Sidon, and Egypt: and the purport was to be sought for from the language of the Amonians.
The antient Helladians used upon every promontory to raise pillars and altars to the God of light, Can-Our, the Chan-Orus of Egypt. But Can-Our, and Can-Ourah, they changed to κυνοσουρα, as I have shewn: yet notwithstanding this corruption, the true name is often to be discovered. The place which is termed Cunosoura by Lucian, in his Icaromemenippus, is called Cunoura by Stephanus Byzant, and by [[73]]Pausanias. Cunoura is also used by Lycophron, who understood antient terms full well, for any high rock or headland.