[848]Cicero, did Greece ever send into AEtolia, Ionia,
Asia, Sicily or Italy, without having first consulted about every
circumstance relative to it, either at Delphi, or Dodona, or at the oracle
of Ammon. And Lucian speaks to the same purpose. [849][Greek: Oute poleas
oikizon, oude teichea perieballonto--prin an de para Manteon akousai
hekasta.] _People would not venture to build cities, nor even raise the
walls, till they had made proper inquiry among those, who were
prophetically gifted, about the success of their operations_.

* * * * *

PATOR AND PATRA.

I cannot help thinking that the word [Greek: pater], pater, when used in
the religious addresses of the Greeks and Romans, meant not, as is
supposed, a father, or parent; but related to the divine influence of the
Deity, called, by the people of the east, Pator, as I have [850]shewn. From
hence I should infer, that two words, originally very distinct, have been
rendered one and the [851]same. The word pater, in the common acceptation,
might be applicable to Saturn; for he was supposed to have been the father
of all the Gods, and was therefore so entitled by the antient poet
Sulpitius.

[852]Jane pater, Jane tuens, Dive biceps, biformis,
O! cate rerum sator; O! principium Deorum.

But, when it became a title, which was bestowed upon Gods of every
denomination, it made Jupiter animadvert with some warmth upon the
impropriety, if we may credit Lucilius:

[853]Ut nemo sit nostrum, quin pater optimus Divom est:
Ut Neptunus pater, Liber, Saturnus pater, Mars,
Janus, Quirinus, pater, omnes dicamur ad unum.

And not only the Gods, but the Hierophantae, in most temples; and those
priests, in particular, who were occupied in the celebration of mysteries,
were styled Patres: so that it was undoubtedly a religious term imported
from Egypt, the same as Pator, and Patora, before mentioned. I have taken
notice, that the Paterae of Curtius were the priests of Hamon: but that
writer was unacquainted with the true meaning of the word, as well as with
the pronunciation, which seems to have been penultima producta. The worship
of Ham, or the Sun, as it was the most antient, so it was the most
universal, of any in the world. It was at first the prevailing religion of
Greece, and was propagated over all the sea coast of Europe; whence it
extended itself into the inland provinces. It was established in Gaul and
Britain; and was the orig