pagan and christian creeds-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


rently　the　Paschal　lamb；　〃is　roasted　and　dressed　up　in　the　form　of　a　cross。　For　one　spit　is　transfixed　right　through　the　lower　parts　up　to　the　head；　and　one　across　the　back；　to　which　are　attached　the　legs　＇forelegs＇　of　the　lamb。〃

＇1＇　Ch。　xl。


To…day　in　Morocco　at　the　festival　of　Eid…el…Kebir；　corresponding　to　the　Christian　Easter；　the　Mohammedans　sacrifice　a　young　ram　and　hurry　it　still　bleeding　to　the　precincts　of　the　Mosque；　while　at　the　same　time　every　household　slays　a　lamb；　as　in　the　Biblical　institution；　for　its　family　feast。

But　it　will　perhaps　be　said；　〃You　are　going　too　fast　and　proving　too　much。　In　the　anxiety　to　show　that　the　Lamb…god　and　the　sacrifice　of　the　Lamb　were　honored　by　the　devotees　of　Mithra　and　Cybele　in　the　Rome　of　the　Christian　era；　you　are　forgetting　that　the　sacrifice　of　the　Bull　and　the　baptism　in　bull's　blood　were　the　salient　features　of　the　Persian　and　Phrygian　ceremonials；　some　centuries　earlier。　How　can　you　reconcile　the　existence　side　by　side　of　divinities　belonging　to　such　different　periods；　or　ascribe　them　both　to　an　astronomical　origin？〃　The　answer　is　simple　enough。　As　I　have　explained　before；　the　Precession　of　the　Equinoxes　caused　the　Sun；　at　its　moment　of　triumph　over　the　powers　of　darkness；　to　stand　at　one　period　in　the　constellation　of　the　Bull；　and　at　a　period　some　two　thousand　years　later　in　the　constellation　of　the　Ram。　It　was　perfectly　natural　therefore　that　a　change　in　the　sacred　symbols　should；　in　the　course　of　time；　take　place；　yet　perfectly　natural　also　that　these　symbols；　having　once　been　consecrated　and　adopted；　should　continue　to　be　honored　and　clung　to　long　after　the　time　of　their　astronomical　appropriateness　had　passed；　and　so　to　be　found　side　by　side　in　later　centuries。　The　devotee　of　Mithra　or　Attis　on　the　Vatican　Hill　at　Rome　in　the　year　200　A。D。　probably　had　as　little　notion　or　comprehension　of　the　real　origin　of　the　sacred　Bull　or　Ram　which　he　adored；　as　the　Christian　in　St。　Peter's　to…day　has　of　the　origin　of　the　Lamb…god　whose　vicegerent　on　earth　is　the　Pope。

It　is　indeed　easy　to　imagine　that　the　change　from　the　worship　of　the　Bull　to　the　worship　of　the　Lamb　which　undoubtedly　took　place　among　various　peoples　as　time　went　on；　was　only　a　ritual　change　initiated　by　the　priests　in　order　to　put　on　record　and　harmonize　with　the　astronomical　alteration。　Anyhow　it　is　curious　that　while　Mithra　in　the　early　times　was　specially　associated　with　the　bull；　his　association　with　the　lamb　belonged　more　to　the　Roman　period。　Somewhat　the　same　happened　in　the　case　of　Attis。　In　the　Bible　we　read　of　the　indignation　of　Moses　at　the　setting　up　by　the　Israelites　of　a　Golden　Calf；　AFTER　the　sacrifice　of　the　ram…lamb　had　been　institutedas　if　indeed　the　rebellious　people　were　returning　to　the　earlier　cult　of　Apis　which　they　ought　to　have　left　behind　them　in　Egypt。　In　Egypt　itself；　too；　we　find　the　worship　of　Apis；　as　time　went　on；　yielding　place　to　that　of　the　Ram…　headed　god　Amun；　or　Jupiter　Ammon。＇1＇　So　that　both　from　the　Bible　and　from　Egyptian　history　we　may　conclude　that　the　worship　of　the　Lamb　or　Ram　succeeded　to　the　worship　of　the　Bull。

＇1＇　Tacitus　（Hist。　v。　4）　speaks　of　ram…sacrifice　by　the　Jews　in　honor　of　Jupiter　Ammon。　See　also　Herodotus　（ii。　42）　on　the　same　in　Egypt。


Finally　it　has　been　pointed　out；　and　there　may　be　some　real　connection　in　the　coincidence；　that　in　the　quite　early　years　of　Christianity　the　FISH　came　in　as　an　accepted　symbol　of　Jesus　Christ。　Considering　that　after　the　domination　of　Taurus　and　Aries；　the　Fish　（Pisces）　comes　next　in　succession　as　the　Zodiacal　sign　for　the　Vernal　Equinox；　and　is　now　the　constellation　in　which　the　Sun　stands　at　that　period；　it　seems　not　impossible　that　the　astronomical　change　has　been　the　cause　of　the　adoption　of　this　new　symbol。

Anyhow；　and　allowing　for　possible　errors　or　exaggerations；　it　becomes　clear　that　the　travels　of　the　Sun　through　the　belt　of　constellations　which　forms　the　Zodiac　must　have　had；　from　earliest　times；　a　profound　influence　on　the　generation　of　religious　myths　and　legends。　To　say　that　it　was　the　only　influence　would　certainly　be　a　mistake。　Other　causes　undoubtedly　contributed。　But　it　was　a　main　and　important　influence。　The　origins　of　the　Zodiac　are　obscure；　we　do　not　know　with　any　certainty　the　reasons　why　the　various　names　were　given　to　its　component　sections；　nor　can　we　measure　the　exact　antiquity　of　these　names；　but　pre…supposing　the　names　of　the　signs　as　once　givenit　is　not　difficult　to　imagine　the　growth　of　legends　connected　with　the　Sun's　course　among　them。

Of　all　the　ancient　divinities　perhaps　Hercules　is　the　one　whose　role　as　a　Sungod　is　most　generally　admitted。　The　helper　of　gods　and　men；　a　mighty　Traveller；　and　invoked　everywhere　as　the　Saviour；　his　labors　for　the　good　of　the　world　became　ultimately　defined　and　systematized　as　twelve　and　corresponding　in　number　to　the　signs　of　the　Zodiac。　It　is　true　that　this　systematization　only　took　place　at　a　late　period；　probably　in　Alexandria；　also　that　the　identification　of　some　of　the　Labors　with　the　actual　signs　as　we　have　them　at　present　is　not　always　clear。　But　considering　the　wide　prevalence　of　the　Hercules　myth　over　the　ancient　world　and　the　very　various　astronomical　systems　it　must　have　been　connected　with　in　its　origin；　this　lack　of　exact　correspondence　is　hardly　to　be　wondered　at。

The　Labors　of　Hercules　which　chiefly　interest　us　are：　（1）　The　capture　of　the　Bull；　（2）　the　slaughter　of　the　Lion；　（3）　the　destruction　of　the　Hydra；　（4）　of　the　Boar；　（5）　the　cleansing　of　the　stables　of　Augeas；　（6）　the　descent　into　Hades　and　the　taming　of　Cerberus。　The　first　of　these　is　in　line　with　the　Mithraic　conquest　of　the　Bull；　the　Lion　is　of　course　one　of　the　most　prominent　constellations　of　the　Zodiac；　and　its　conquest　is　obviously　the　work　of　a　Saviour　of　mankind；　while　the　last　four　labors　connect　themselves　very　naturally　with　the　Solar　conflict　in　winter　against　the　powers　of　darkness。　The　Boar　（4）　we　have　seen　already　as　the　image　of　Typhon；　the　prince　of　darkness；　the　Hydra　（3）　was　said　to　be　the　offspring　of　Typhon；　the　descent　into　Hades　（6）generally　associated　with　Hercules'　struggle　with　and　victory　over　Deathlinks　on　to　the　descent　of　the　Sun　into　the　underworld；　and　its　long　and　doubtful　strife　with　the　forces　of　winter；　and　the　cleansing　of　the　stables　of　Augeas　（5）　has　the　same　signification。　It　appears　in　fact　that　the　stables　of　Augeas　was　another　name　for　the　sign　of　Capricorn　through　which　the　Sun　passes　at　the　Winter　solstice＇1＇the　stable　of　course　being　an　underground　chamberand　the　myth　was　that　there；　in　this　lowest　tract　and　backwater　of　the　Ecliptic　all　the　malarious　and　evil　influences　of　the　sky　were　collected；　and　the　Sungod　came　to　wash　them　away　（December　was　the　height　of　the　rainy　season　in　Judaea）　and　cleanse　the　year　towards　its　rebirth。

＇1＇　See　diagram　of　Zodiac。


It　should　not　be　forgotten　too　that　even　as　a　child　in　the　cradle　Hercules　slew　two　serpents　sent　for　his　destruction　the　serpent　and　the　scorpion　as　autumnal　constellations　figuring　always　as　enemies　of　the　Sungodto　which　may　be　compared　the　power　given　to　his　disciples　by　Jesus＇1＇　〃to　tread　on　serpents　and　scorpions。〃　Hercules　also　as　a　Sungod　compares　curiously　with　Samson　（mentioned　above；　ii）；　but　we　need　not　dwell　on　all　the　elaborate　analogies　that　have　been　traced＇2＇　between　these　two　heroes。

＇1＇　Luke　x。　19。

＇2＇　See　Doane's　Bible　Myths；　ch。　viii；　（New　York；　1882。）


The　Jesus…story；　it　will　now　be　seen；　has　a　great　number　of　correspondences　with　the　stories　of　former　Sungods　and　with　the　actual　career　of　the　Sun　through　the　heavensso　many　indeed　that　they　cannot　well　be　attributed　to　mere　coincidence　or　even　to　the　blasphemous　wiles　of　the　Devil！　Let　us　enumerate　some　of　these。　There　are　（1）

the　birth　from　a　Virgin　mother；　（2）　the　birth　in　a　stable　（cave　or　underground　chamber）；　and　（3）　on　the　25th　December　（just　after　the　winter　solstice）。　There　is　（4）　the　Star　in　the　East　（Sirius）　and　（5）　the　arrival　of　the　Magi　（the　〃Three　Kings〃）；　there　is　（6）　the　threatened　Massacre　of　the　Innocents；　and　the　consequent　flight　into　a　distant　country　（told　also　of　Krishna　and　other　Sungods）。　There　are　the　Church　festivals　of　（7）　Candlemas　（2nd　February）；　with　processions　of　candles　to　symbolize　the　growing　light；　of　（8）　Lent；　or　the　arrival　of　Spring；　of　（9）　Easter　Day　（normally　on　the　25th　March）　to　celebrate　the　crossing　of　the　Equator　by　the　Sun；　and　（10）　simultaneously　the　outburst　of　lights　at　the　Holy　Sepulchre　at　Jerusalem。　There　is　（11）　the　Crucifixion　and　death　of　the　Lamb…God；　on　Good　Friday；　three　days　before　Easter；　there　are　（12）　the　nailing　to　a　tree；　（13）　the　empty　grave；　（14）　the　glad　Resurrection　（as　in　the　cases　of　Osiris；　Attis　and　others）；　there　are　（15）　the　twelve　disciples　（the　Zodiacal　signs）；　and　（16）　the　betrayal　by　one　of　the　twelve。　Then　later　there　is　（17）　Midsummer　Day；　the　24th　June；　dedicated　to　the　Nativity　of　John　the　Baptist；　and　corresponding　to　Christmas　Day；　there　are　the　festivals　of　（18）　the　Assumption　of　the　Virgin　（15th　August）　and　of　（19）　the　Nativity　of　the　Virgin　（8th　September）；　corresponding　to　the　movement　of　the　god　through　Virgo；　there　is　the　conflict　of　Christ　and　his　disciples　with　the　autumnal　asterisms；　（20）　the　Serpent　and　the　Scorpion；　and　finally　there　is　the　curious　fact　that　the　Church　（21）　dedicates　the　very　day　of　the　winter　solstice　（when　any　one　may　very　naturally　doubt　the　rebirth　of　the　Sun）　to　St。　Thomas；　who　doubted　the　truth　of　the　Resurrection！

These　are　some　of；　and　by　no　means　all；　the　coincidences　in　question。　But　they　are　sufficient；　I　think；　to　prove　even　allowing　for　possible　margins　of　errorthe　truth　of　our　general　contention。　To　go　into　the　parallelism　of　the　careers　of　Krishna；　the　Indian　Sungod；　and　Jesus　would　take　too　long；　because　indeed　the　correspondence　is　so　extraordinarily　close　and　elaborate。＇1＇　I　propose；　however；　at　the　close　of　this　chapter；　to　dwell　now　for　a　moment　on　the　Christian　festival　of　the　Eucharist；　partly　on　account　of　its　connection　with　the　derivation　from　the　astronomical　rites　and　Nature…celebrations　already　alluded　to；　and　partly　on　account　of　the　light　which　the　festival　generally；　whether　Christian　or　Pagan；　throws　on　the　origins　of　Religious　Magica　subject　I　shall　have　to　deal　with　in　the　next　chapter。

＇1＇　See　Robertson's　Christianity　and　Mythology；　Part　II；　pp。　129…302；　also　Doane's　Bible　Myths；　ch。　xxviii；　p。　278。


I　have　already　（Ch。　II）　mentioned　the　Eucharistic　rite　held　in　commemoration　of　Mithra；　and　the　indignant　ascription　of　this　by　Justin　Martyr　to　the　wiles　of　the　Devil。　Justin　Martyr　clearly　had　no　doubt　about　the　resemblance　of　the　Mithraic　to　the　Christian　ceremony。　A　Sacramental　meal；　as　mentioned　a　few　pages　back；　seems　to　have　been　held　by　the　worshipers　of　Attis＇1＇　in　commemoration　of　their　god；　and　the　'mysteries'　of　the　Pagan　cults　generally　appear　to　have　included　rites　sometimes　half…savage；　sometimes　more　aestheticin　which　a　dismembered　animal　was　eaten；　or　bread　and　wine　（the　spirits　of　the　Corn　and　the　Vine）　were　consumed；　as　representing　the　body　of　the　god　whom　his　devotees　desired　to　honor。　But　the　best　example　of　this　practice　is　afforded　by　the　rites　of　Dionysus；　to　which　I　will　devote　a　few　lines。　Dionysus；　like　o