DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0122
106
"both because it is evidently a Greek appellation, and the wor-
ship of animals was an abuse only introduced at a late period
into the superstitions of Egypt: and as there no where occurs
among the sculptures any representation that can allude to the
deification of this animal in particular; neither is it easy to as-
certain with precision what the species of fish called Latus pro-
perly was. Pliny is supposed to have confounded it with the
Silurus or Sturgeon, a fish very common in the large rivers of
Europe, reported to be extremely voracious, (Pausanias in his
Messeniacs calling it even dfyoQuyos,) and believed by the antients
to have the power of driving away evil spirits by the effect of its
breath. Ausonius calls it the Dolphin of the rivers; and the
terms in which it is mentioned by Juvenal attest it to have been
very common in Egypt, and sold in Rome by the lowest chapmen.
It is here, however, confounded with the Silurus. The Latus
itself is mentioned no where but in Strabo, who merely alludes to
it, as dividing with Minerva the devotions of the Latopolitans.
And as for the Goddess of Wisdom, I cannot say with any cer-
tainty, under what characteristics of Isis she is to be looked for.
The ingenious and easy eredulity of the Greeks might perhaps
discern the offspring of the brain of Jove in the figure of the
sister and wife of Osiris equally well, whether she were disguised
with the head of a lioness, or clothed in a lion's skin, a star and
lunar horns above her head ; and either cudgelling with a priest,
or with a bow and quiver in her hand. The sculptures in this
portico are equally mysterious and unintelligible with those of
oilier similar buildings in Egypt; but their variety is such as
seems to offer to posterity the amplest field for the study of
the whole range of the learning, mythology and superstitions
of the antient Egyptians. The most conspicuous figure overthe
entrance into the Adytum of the Temple is Osiris with a ram's
head
"both because it is evidently a Greek appellation, and the wor-
ship of animals was an abuse only introduced at a late period
into the superstitions of Egypt: and as there no where occurs
among the sculptures any representation that can allude to the
deification of this animal in particular; neither is it easy to as-
certain with precision what the species of fish called Latus pro-
perly was. Pliny is supposed to have confounded it with the
Silurus or Sturgeon, a fish very common in the large rivers of
Europe, reported to be extremely voracious, (Pausanias in his
Messeniacs calling it even dfyoQuyos,) and believed by the antients
to have the power of driving away evil spirits by the effect of its
breath. Ausonius calls it the Dolphin of the rivers; and the
terms in which it is mentioned by Juvenal attest it to have been
very common in Egypt, and sold in Rome by the lowest chapmen.
It is here, however, confounded with the Silurus. The Latus
itself is mentioned no where but in Strabo, who merely alludes to
it, as dividing with Minerva the devotions of the Latopolitans.
And as for the Goddess of Wisdom, I cannot say with any cer-
tainty, under what characteristics of Isis she is to be looked for.
The ingenious and easy eredulity of the Greeks might perhaps
discern the offspring of the brain of Jove in the figure of the
sister and wife of Osiris equally well, whether she were disguised
with the head of a lioness, or clothed in a lion's skin, a star and
lunar horns above her head ; and either cudgelling with a priest,
or with a bow and quiver in her hand. The sculptures in this
portico are equally mysterious and unintelligible with those of
oilier similar buildings in Egypt; but their variety is such as
seems to offer to posterity the amplest field for the study of
the whole range of the learning, mythology and superstitions
of the antient Egyptians. The most conspicuous figure overthe
entrance into the Adytum of the Temple is Osiris with a ram's
head