[[74]]Εν ἁισι προς κυνουρα καμπυλους σχασας
Πευκης οδοντας.
Προς κυνουρα, προς τραχειας πετρας. Scholiast. ibid.
We find the same mistake occur in the account transmitted to us concerning the first discovery of purple. The antients very gratefully gave the merit of every useful and salutary invention to the Gods. Ceres was supposed to have discovered to men corn, and bread: Osiris shewed them the use of the plough; Cinyras of the harp: Vesta taught them to build. Every Deity was looked up to as the cause of some blessing. The Tyrians and Sidonians were famous for the manufacture of purple: the die of which was very exquisite, and the discovery of it was attributed to Hercules of Tyre; the same who by Palæphatus is styled Hercules [[75]]Philosophus. But some will not allow him this honour; but say, that the dog of Hercules was the discoverer. For accidentally feeding upon the Murex, with which the coast abounded, the dog stained his mouth with the ichor of the fish; and from hence the first hint of dying was [[76]]taken. This gave birth to the proverbial expression, [[77]]Ἑυρημα κυνος ην ἡ σεβαστη πορφυρα. Nonnus mentions the particular circumstance of the dog's staining his mouth:
[[78]]Χιονεας πορφυρε παρηϊδας ἁιματι κοχλου.
Such is the story, which at first sight is too childish to admit of credit. It is not likely that a dog would feed upon shell-fish: and if this may at any time have happened, yet whoever is at all conversant in natural history, must know, that the murex is of the turbinated kind, and particularly aculeated; having strong and sharp protuberances, with which a dog would hardly engage. The story is founded upon the same misconception, of which so many instances have been produced. Hercules of Tyre, like all other oriental divinities, was styled Cahen, and Cohen; as was allowed by the Greeks themselves. [[79]]Τον Ἡρακλην φασι κατα την Αιγυπτιων διαλεκτον ΧΩΝΑ λεγεσθαι. We are told, that Hercules in the language of the Egyptians is called Chon. This intelligence, however, they could not abide by; but changed this sacred title to [[80]]κυων, a dog, which they described as an attendant upon the Deity.
The Grecians tell us, that the Egyptians styled Hermes a dog: but they seem to have been aware, that they were guilty of an undue representation. Hence Plutarch tries to soften, and qualify what is mentioned, by saying, [[81]]Ου γαρ κυριως τον Ἑρμην ΚYΝΑ λεγουσιν (ὁι Αιγυπτιοι): by which this learned writer would insinuate, that it was not so much the name of a dog, as the qualities of that animal, to which the Egyptians alluded. Plutarch thought by this refinement to take off the impropriety of conferring so base a name upon a Deity. But the truth is, that the Egyptians neither bestowed it nominally; nor alluded to it in any degree. The title which they gave to Hermes was the same that they bestowed upon Hercules: they expressed it Cahen, and Cohen; and it was very properly represented above by the Greek term Χων, Chon. It is said of Socrates, that he sometimes made use of an uncommon oath, μα τον κυνα, και τον χηνα by the dog and the goose: which at first does not seem consistent with the gravity of his character. But we are informed by Porphyry, that this was not done by way of ridicule: for Socrates esteemed it a very serious and religious mode of attestation: and under these terms made a solemn appeal to the son of [[82]]Zeus. The purport of the words is obvious: and whatever hidden meaning there may have been, the oath was made ridiculous by the absurdity of the terms. Besides, what possible connection could there have subsisted between a dog and a Deity; a goose and the son of Jove? There was certainly none: yet Socrates, like the rest of his fraternity, having an antipathy to foreign terms, chose to represent his ideas through this false medium; by which means the very essence of his invocation was lost. The son of Zeus, to whom he appealed, was the Egyptian Cahen abovementioned; but this sacred title was idly changed to κυνα και χηνα, a dog and a goose, from a similitude in sound. That he referred to the Egyptian Deity, is manifest from Plato, who acknowledges that he swore, [[83]]μα τον κυνα τον Αιγυπτιων θεον. By which we are to understand a Cahen of Egypt. Porphyry expressly says, that it was the God Hermes the son of Zeus, and Maia: [[84]]Κατα τον του Διος και Μαιας παιδα εποιειτο τον ὁρκον.
I cannot account upon any other principle than that upon which I have proceeded, for the strange representation of Apollo, and Bacchus, gaping with open mouths. So it seems they were in some places described. Clemens of Alexandria mentions from Polemon, that Apollo was thus exhibited: [[85]]Πολεμων δε κεχηνοτος Απολλωνος οιδεν αγαλμα. And we are told that a gaping[[86]] Bacchus was particularly worshipped at Samos. They were both the same as the Egyptian Orus; who was styled Cahen-On, Rex, vel Deus Sol; out of which Cahen-On the Grecians seem to have formed the word Χαινων: and in consequence of it, these two Deities were represented with their jaws widely extended. This term was sometimes changed to κοινος, communis: hence it is that we so often meet with κοινοι Θεοι, and κοινοι βωμοι, upon coins and marbles: also κοινος Ἑρμης. And as Hermes was the reputed God of gain, every thing found was adjudged to be κοινος, or common.
[[87]]Αλλ' εσιδουσα
Εξαπινης, Ἑρμης κοινος, εφη θυγατηρ.