From what has been said, it seems probable, that the fable of the hero finding out the spring in the sandy desarts of Africa, by the help of a ram sent from Jupiter, means the travelling over those immense plains by the help of a compass, which they call’d by the name of a ram, or a golden ram. And that the possessors of the antient oracle of Ammon had such a secret, which they cunningly applied to the sacreds of their deity. Probably, in that most early age, they had not improv’d the use of it to the pitch and manner that we enjoy, with a needle; and that set upon a central pin: but having found out the veracity of the magnet, they put it into a boat, which was to swim on water, and therein it would have liberty to turn itself to its proper direction. And this is the sentiment of the learned Dr. Wallis, in the Philosophical Transactions, No. 278. This boat was the better a handle for the mythologists to call Hercules’s vessel a golden cup, because cups were made in the shape of a boat, and had the same denomination, cymbium.
Those learned commentators upon Curtius abovementioned agree, there was a stone along with the statue of Ammon, carried about in the golden ship; and perhaps, hence the antient navigators took the hint of applying the figure of the ram to their compasses, however form’d, and gave it the name of the ram, or golden fleece, which the Greek fables, their most antient history, ring of: and hence their ships deriv’d their oracular quality. Phrixus’s ship, the golden ram, being said to speak on occasion, as well as the ship argos. The stupendous properties of this stone, without difficulty, would persuade even those above the vulgar, that there was a divine principle in it, quite metaphysical, consequently oracular. And in the dawnings of idolatry, the evil agent who was vigilant to pervert every thing to his own purpose, would not fail to make great use of the secrets of the magnet. The intire notion of oracles among the heathen, is caused by the devil’s mimickry of God’s transactions among the patriarchs and the Jews. But I believe the Egyptians took their notion of carrying a boat in all their religious processions, from this magnetic boat, of which both Herodotus and Plutarch inform us. For they intended it to signify the movement and descent of the divine ideas from the supreme mind; especially the very fountain and principal of those ideas: and it must be own’d to be admirably well chose. Hence the top and the bottom of the verge or limbus of the celebrated Isiac tablet, is adorn’d with a boat. In one a ram, in the other a bull. Meaning the origin of the chain of ideas flowing from the divine mind. ’Tis highly probable, that with the ram is the copy of Jupiter Ammon’s boat, mention’d by Curtius. And I suppose this is Herwart’s opinion, but I have not yet seen his book. Of this I shall discourse larger in my explication of the Bembin table. However Herodotus tells us in his II. book, that the temple of Jupiter Ammon took its rise from Phœnicia. I only mention this for the sake of those that are over acting the credit of antiquities in Egypt.
We learn in Plutarch’s discourse de Isid. & Osir, that the ship argos of the Greeks, was in reality the ship that our Hercules sail’d round the world in. Further, this oracular ship has its name argos, says my friend Mr. Baxter, gloss. ant. rom. from the Hebrew and Syrian word argan, an ark. Which confirms what I said above, concerning the carrying about the ship of Ammon on the shoulders of the priests. Strabo in II. of his geography, mentions the temple of Leucothea, built by Phrixus at Colchos; that there was an oracle there; and that the sheep was never slain at the place. This shews its relation to that of Jupiter Ammon. Leucothea is the name of consecration of Hercules his mother, Hercules himself being call’d Palæmon; both made sea deities: from the extraordinary fame of Hercules, the first and great sea captain. Pausanias in Atticis says, he was buried in the Corinthian Isthmus; where the Isthmian games were kept to his memory. But Mela writes, that his remains were at Gades. It’s probable there was only an honorary monument of him at the Isthmus, as founder: as the honorary monument of Jolaus mention’d to be among the Thebans, by the Stadium, p. 42.
Mr. Baxter in gloss. ant. rom. v. ascania makes Phrixus to be Aphricus, and the same person as Jupiter Ammon, or the founder of the temple of Jupiter Ammon; rather, of that prior to Jupiter Ammon. We are not to regard the little artifices of the Greeks, who draw all celebrated events and persons of antiquity, into their own country. Aphricus, no doubt, is the Aphre before-mentioned, son of Midian, son of Abraham; whom Cleodemus makes an associate of Hercules, in his Lybian wars. Josephus makes him the conqueror of Lybia, and that he gave name to Africa. ’Tis not unlikely but that he is the hero that travell’d over these barren sands by the help of the compass, as his countrymen the Arabians have from times immemorial practised, in travelling over their own desarts. And might probably erect a patriarchal temple there; and in times of his posterity it degenerated into the idolatrous temple of Jupiter Ammon. And there the compass box of the hero remain’d, and was converted into part of the heathen sacreds.
’Tis no very strange matter, if they at another time call this same hero Bacchus, therein confounding him with the like travels of the Israelites, through the Arabian desarts. We are not to expert these histories of old times involv’d in fable, absolutely consistent. But if this account be agreeable to truth or near it; then we may imagine the same Aphre, by the Greeks call’d Phrixus, according to Mr. Baxter, pass’d the Hellespont, made the expedition into Colchis, and built a like temple there. And a compass box called the golden ram, was made alike part of the object of their adoration. This is exceedingly confirm’d by the report of Herodotus and Diodorus S. who say, the Colchi practised the rite of circumcision, a matter which the learned cannot account for; but appears plain from hence: these being the descendants of Abraham. They say, at the same time, that the Ethiopians practise the like: and that ’tis no recent custom among them, but from the beginning. I apprehend by Ethiopians are meant Arabians, who are people descended from Abraham. Herodotus says likewise the Egyptians circumcis’d, which must be accounted for in this same manner; some Arabian or Ethiopian nation bringing the custom among them. As a further confirmation of Phrixus being Aphricus, Bochart shews the Colchic and Hebrew tongue is much a-kin. And thus we may account for what Mr. Toland, p. 133. says, that the idiom of the Irish language (which we suppose the remnant of the most antient oriental,) has a mixture of Arabic in it.
I saw a book in Dr. Mead’s library, Museo de las medallas desconocidas Espanolas, p. 35. No. 82, 83. are two ancient unknown medals, such as they often find in Spain. The first a head (not of the best workmanship) on the obverse, young, but heroical enough, a necklace on. Behind it Α Φ Ρ Α in the old Phœnician character, like the Samaritan. Reverse a horseman, and under the exergue another word in like Punic character. The other No. 83. has the same head in the obverse, but without the necklace: and Α Φ Ρ Α before, in plain Greek, behind a dolphin. The reverse as the last. There is another such coin in the same book, no difference, but the name and dolphin transpos’d. I verily believe this is our Aphra, or Apher in our English translation call’d Epher, Gen. xxv. 4. struck by some city in Spain, who acknowledged him their founder.
P. 62. TAB. XXXII.
Female Celtic ornaments found in a barrow north of Stonehenge which I open’d 5 July 1723. among burnt bones, all drawn as big as the Life.
It is remarkable enough, what Mr. Norden writes, in his history of Cornwall. The Cornish men universally suppose that the Jews are the people who first work’t in their rocks, for tin: and in old neglected tin-works, they find some of their tools. The workmen call them attal sarazin, the Jews cast off works, in their Hebrew speech, says Norden. Now I apprehend he means our Arabians: and it is a circumstance confirming the former notions. And to it we may refer the origin of the odd reports, of our Stonehenge coming from Africa and the like. By the Greeks, Hercules Melcartus or Melicerta, and Phrixus or Apricus are made half brothers: by Josephus, Hercules is son-in-law to Aphricus. The Phœnicians paid tythe. So the Arabians, in Pliny, the like: being patriarchal customs.