FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  
the original of the name given to islands which were styled [Greek: Makaron nesoi]. They were to be found in the Pontus Euxinus, as well as in the Atlantic. The Acropolis of Thebes in Boeotia was, in like manner, called [258][Greek: Makaron nesos]. It was certainly an Amonian sacred term. The inland city, Oaesis, stood in an Egyptian province, which had the [259]same name: so that the meaning must not be sought for in Greece. This term was sometimes expressed as a feminine, Macris, and Macra: and by the Grecians was interpreted _longa_; as if it related to extent. It was certainly an antient word, and related to their theology; but was grown so obsolete that the original purport could not be retrieved. I think we may be assured that it had no relation to length. Euboea was, of old, called Macris; and may be looked upon as comparatively long: but Icarus, Rhodes, and Chios, were likewise called so; and they did not project in length more than the islands in their [260]neighbourhood. They were, therefore, not denominated from their figure. There was a cavern in the Acropolis of Athens, which was called Macrai, according to Euripides. [261][Greek: Prosborrhon antron, has Makras kikleskomen]. The same author shews, manifestly, that it was a proper name; and that the place itself was styled Macrai. This was a contraction for Macar-Ai, or the place of Macar: [262][Greek: Makrai de choros est' ekei keklemenos]. All these places were, for a religious reason, so denominated from Macar, a title of the Deity. MELECH. Melech, or, as it is sometimes expressed, Malech, and Moloch, betokens a king; as does Malecha a queen. It was a title, of old, given to many Deities in Greece; but, in after times, grew obsolete and misunderstood: whence it was often changed to [Greek: meilichos], and [Greek: meilichios], which signified the gentle, sweet, and benign Deity. Pausanias tells us that Jupiter was styled [Greek: Meilichios], both in [263]Attica and at [264]Argos: and, in another part of his work, he speaks of this Deity under the same title, in company with Artemis at Sicyon. [265][Greek: Esti de Zeus Meilichios, kai Artemis onomazomene Patroia]. He mentions that they were both of great antiquity, placed in the temple before the introduction of images: for, the one was represented by a pyramid, and the other by a bare pillar: [Greek: Puramidi de ho Meilichios, hede kioni estin eikasmene]. He also speaks of some unknown Gods
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76  
77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

called

 
Meilichios
 

styled

 
related
 

Macris

 

Macrai

 

expressed

 

Greece

 

Artemis

 

length


obsolete

 

denominated

 
speaks
 

Acropolis

 

original

 

islands

 
Makaron
 

gentle

 
signified
 

meilichos


reason
 

meilichios

 

Pausanias

 

places

 

religious

 

benign

 

unknown

 

Jupiter

 

Malecha

 

betokens


Moloch

 

Malech

 

Deities

 
misunderstood
 
MELECH
 

Melech

 

changed

 
antiquity
 

mentions

 

eikasmene


Patroia

 

temple

 

pillar

 

pyramid

 

represented

 
introduction
 

images

 
onomazomene
 

Puramidi

 

Attica