[471] Pier. hierogl. l. 10.
[472] קרני ההוד cornua magnificentiæ, R. Solom. porro Hebraicum קרן (unde Κέρας & cornu emanarunt) significat in morem cornuum splendorem radiosq; emittere.
The Moon was also worshipped under the name of Diana,[473] who although she were worshipped thorowout all Asia, yet she was had in principal esteem among the Ephesians, whence arose that cry, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, Act. 19. 28. Her greatness among the Ephesians appeareth partly by her Temple; which in one place Pliny saith[474] was two hundred and twenty years abuilding, but elsewhere[475] he saith 400 years: partly from the great gain procured unto the Silver-smiths in making and selling silver Temples of Diana. Act. 19. 24. It is much disputed what those silver Temples were; some think them to be little houses, or shrines (such as were for their smallness portable) in form representing the Temple of Diana, and within having the Image of Diana inclosed, and in this sense ναίδια is sometimes used, to signifie closets or shrines wherein Images were kept: Others think, certain coyns or pieces of money to be called by the name of Diana’s Temple, from the similitude of Diana’s Temple engraven or stamped upon those coyns: as in England we call some pieces of gold the George, others the Angel, others the Thistle, from the impression which they bear. The like custom of naming coyns from their Sculpture or impression was not unusual among the Ancients;[476] neither were such coyns unusual on which the Temple of Diana was engraven, and these capital letters added, DIAN. EPHE. Theodorus Beza in his major Annotations upon the Acts, reporteth that he hath seen two of these himself.
[473] Macrob. Saturn. l. 1. c. 15.
[474] Plin. l. 36. 14.
[475] Plin. l. 16. 40.
[476] Simili prorsus ratione Atheniensium nummos quosdam, boves: eorundem Atheniensium alios quosdam Κόρας (i.) puellas, alios Corinthiorum πώλους pullos: alios Peloponnesiorum χελώνας testudines; alios Romanorum naves vocabant.
We read[477] of another kind of Idolatrous Worship towards the Moon, to have been that men sacrificed to her in womans apparel, and women in mens apparel, because they thought the Moon to be both male and female, whence the Moon is called by old Authors as well Lunus as Luna: And Venus, whom Philocorus affirms to be the Moon, is termed Deus Venus, as well as Dea Venus. Some have thought[478] that God had respect unto this kind of Idolatry, Deut. 22. 5. Where men are forbidden to wear womens apparel, & è contra; but it is more generally, and upon better grounds thought, that the promiscuous use of apparel (whereby the distinction of sex is taken away) is there forbidden.
[477] Macrob. Saturn. l. 3. c. 8. Non absimilem idololatriam in cultu Veneris prodidit Julius Firmicus de errore profan. religion. c. 4.