Pilgrimage, Book 6 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of the Oracle of Iupiter Anmon; and of Cyrene: and the Regions adioyning.
ALl that lieth betweene Africa Minor and Egypt, aLi. t.ca 3.Pomponius Mela doth call Cyrenaica, including vnderunder that title Marmarica, which Pliny bPlin.li.5.c.5.reckoneth by it selfe: who also calleth the former Pentapolitana, and saith it is renowned by the Oracle of Hammon, which is fiftie miles distant from Cyrene, by the fountaine of the Sunne, and those fiue cities, Berenice, Arsinoe, P…ol…mais, Apollonia, Cyrene. This is now called Barca and Mesrata cLcoli. 6. lo. Bocinof which, this is inhabited, and rich: the other is most-what desert, and poore: Their religion was like the Egyptians in times past. The Arabians, that liue there now, attend on their purchase, being the greatest theeues in Afrike. Berenice dDom.Nig.was sometime sacred, famous for the garden of the Hesperides, neare to which is that riuer of Lethe so much chaunted by the Poets. Nigh to this place also are the Psylli, a people terrible to Serpents, and medicinable against their poysons both by touching the wounded party, and by sucking out the poyson, and by enchaunting the Serpent.
The Oracle of Iupiter Ammon is famous among the auncient. The place, where this Temple was, hath on eueryevery side vast and sandy Desarts, in which they which trauelled, as we find in Arrianus eArrian.l.b.3. ….lib.4.and Curtius seemed to warre with Nature. For the Earth was couered with sand, which yeelded an vnstable footing, and sometime was blowne about with the windy motions of the Aire: Water was hence banished, neither clouds nor springs ordinarily affording it. A fiery heate did possesse and tyrannize ouer the place, which the sands and Sunne much encreased. Neither was here tree, or hill, or other marke for Trauellers, to discerne their way, but the starres. In the middle of this Desart, was that sacred Groue (which Silius Italicus calleth The fortunetelling Groue.Lucus fatidicus) not aboue fiftie furlongs in circuite, full of fruit bearing trees, watered with wholesome springs, seasoned with temperate aire, and a continuall spring. The Inhabitants, called Ammonians, are dispersed in cottages, and hauehave the middest of the Groue fortified with a triple wall. The first munition containeth the Kings Pallace; the second, the Serail or lodgings for his women, where is also the Oracle; the third the Courtiers inhabite. Before the Oracle is a fountaine, in which the Offerings were washed before they were offered. The forme of this God was deformed with rammes hornes crooked, as some paint him: But according to Curtius, without forme of any Creature, but like a *Vmbilicus.round Bosse, bes…t with Iewells. This, when they consult with the Oracles, is carried by the Priests in a gilded shippe, with many siluer Bells on both sides of the ship. The matrons follow: and the Virgins singing their dis…tuned Procession, by which they prouoke their GOD to manifest what they seeke. These Priests were about foure score in number. Rammes hornes are said to bee ascribed to him, because Bacchus wandering in these Desarts with his army, was guided to this place by a seelie Ramme. Likewise Pausanias fPausan. lib. 4.in his Messenica saith, that one Ammon (which built the Temple) a shepheard, was Author of this name to their God. Plutarchs gDe O…reason of Amus we hauehave before shewed. Gthers deriue this name from foreign the sand; which may well agree with all Idol-deuotion, as being a sandy foundation, although it is here intended to the situation. hDrusius addeth another reason of the name Ha…, the Aegyptian name of the Sunne: Iup…ter idem qu… …l, saith Arnobius, & Minutius Faelix quest he…. l.3.But that which I hauehave before noted of Ham, the sonne of Noab, soundeth more probable, as being Progenitor of all these Nations, and of this mind also is iPeucer.de Diuinat.Pencerus. This Strabo kStrabo 17.in his time saith was not in request. as no other Oracles besides. For the Romans contented themselues with their Sibills and other diuinations. This Oracle was not giuen by word, but by signes. This defect of Oracles in generall, and especially of this, occasioned that treatise of Plutarch lPlut.de dese…. Orac.of this subiect, enquiring the cause of the Oracles failing. Neuer had he read that m…. 10.11the Gods which had not made heauen & earth should perish out of the earth: nor had he eyes to see that Sun of Righteousnes, the light of the world, whose pure beames chased and dispersed the mists of darkenesse. And therefore are his coniectures so farre from the marke, as notable with a naturall eye to see the things of God. The nDtod Stc.li.3 ca.5.antiquitie of this Oracle appeareth, in that Semiramis came to it, and inquired of her death; after which, the Oracle promised to her diuine honours. Besides this Groue, oC…vt ibidem. Pom…on mela. plin. solu…. &c.there is another of Ammon, which hath in the midst a well, they call it the fountaine of the Sunne, whose water at Sunne-rising is luke warme, and cooleth more and more till noone, at which time it is very cold: and from thence till midnight, by degrees exchangeth that coldnesse with heate, holding a kinde of naturall Antipathv with the Sunne, hotest in his furthest absence, coldest in his nearest presence. Plinie and Solinus place this fountaine in Debris, a Towne not very farre from those parts amongst the Garamants. The Ammoman women hauehave such great breasts, that they suckle their children ouer their shoulder; the breast not lesse, if Inuenal be beleeued, then the childe;
In Meroe crasso maiorem infante mamillam.
In Meroe, the monstrous Pappe
Is bigger then the childe in lappe.
Pausanias ppausan.lib.3.reckoneth an Ammonian Iuno among the Libyan deities, as well as this Iupiter. He addeth, the Lacedemonians had this Ammon in much request, and built to him diuers Temples, as at Gytheum one, which had no roofe: and the Aphytaeans did him no lesse worship then the Libyans.
Ortelius who hath bestowed a Description of this Temple, supposeth that his Image was painted with hornes, but that Umbilicus was accounted the Deirie it selfe, or the signe of his presence, which shapelesse sh…pe he sampleth by many like in other Nations. The shippe he coniectureth to signifie, that the Religion was brought from some other place. But if Ammon be that sonne of Noah, it might rather be a memoriall of the Arke, wherein Noah and his sonnes were preserued: as that also of Ianus, (who is imagined to be Noah) may more fitly be interpreted, then according to the Poets Glosle.
rPub.Ouidiu….Sic bona posterit as puppi…n formanit in aere,
Hospit…s aduentum testificata Dei.
So well-dispos'd Posteritie did frame
Aship, to shew which way their strange God came.
The Hammientes are not much distant in place, or differing in name, from the Ammonians: which build their houses of falt, digging the salt-stones out of the mountains, which they with morter apply to their buildings. Mela ioyneth to these aforesaid the Atlantes, which curse the Sunne at the setting and rising, as bringing damage to them and their fields. A practise not vnlike to the women of Angola at this day, who (as Andrew Battle my friend told me) salute the new Moone when they first see her, by holding vp their naked bumme against her, as the cause of their troublesome menstruous purgation.
These Atlantes hauehave no proper names, nor feed of such things as hauehave life. He afurmeth of the Garamantes, that they had no wiues, but liued in a beastly communitie. The Augilae acknowledge no other Gods but Ghosts, or soules departed, by which they sweare; with which they consult as Oracles; to which they pray at their tombs, receiuing answers by dreames. The women the first night of marriage are prostituted to all that will see them, the more the greater honour, but after, must obserue their owne husbands. The Trogloditae dwell in Caues, and feed on Serpents, and rather make a found or noyse, then humane voyce: they vsed circumcision: they named not their children by the parents names, but by the names of sheep or other beasts which yeeld thē norishment. And vntounto these doth Pliny adde the Blemmyae with faces in their breasts, the Satyres. Aegypanes Himantopodes and other monsters, scarse worthie relation or credite. These parts I hauehave thus ioyned in-one Discourse, as liuing (for the most part) a wilde life, as the Arabians and Tartars doe at this day: and for Religion hauing nothing notable that I finde, but as you hauehave heard. The Arabians which vnderunder Elc…m about the foure hundreth yeere of their Hegeira gaue a ducat a man to passe into Affricke, are Lords and Inhabitants of the deserts to this day, liuing (as wee say) a Dogges life, in hunger and ease, prosessing Mahumets Sect.
The Adrimachidae sIo. Boem. G.Draudius in Solinum Caelius Rhod. lib 18. ca.38.hued neare to the Egyptians both in situation and custome. The Nasamones had many wiues, with which they had company publikely. The first night of the marriage, all the guests had dealing with the Bride, and rewarded her with some gift. The Gnidanes had a more beastly custome, whose women glorying in their shame, ware so many fringes of leather as she had found Louers. The Machlyes ware the haire on the hinder part of their head, as the Iaponians now doe. The Auses vsed the contrary: whose Virgins in the yearely feast of Minerua, diuided themselues into two companies, and skirmished with staues and stones. If any Virgins died of the wounds, they accounted them false maides. The most martiall Virago of the company, they arme and crowne, and place in a Charriot, with great solemnitie. They vsed not marriage, but had women in common: the childe being reckoned his with whom he choosed to liue, To adde a word of the Cyrenians, they held it vnlawfull to smite a Cow, in honour of Isis, whose fasts and fea…s they solemnely obserued: and in Barca they abstained both from beefe and hogges flesh. They scared tThe like doth Villam…t report of the Turkes.the crownes or temples of their children, to preuent the distilling of the rheume. In their sacrificing, they first cut off the eare of the beast, as first fruits, and hurled it ouer the house. Their Gods were the Sunne and Moone. The Maxes shaue the left side of their heads, leauing the haire on the right side. The Zigantes feed on Apes, whereof they hauehave plenty.
The Meogauares make no account of Sepulchres, in stead wherof they couer the corps with stones, and set vp a Goats horne on the stone-heape. They hauehave many skirmishes for their pastures, which are ended by the mediation of olde women, who may safely interpose themselues, and end the fray (or battell if you will so call it.) When men are so old that they can no longer follow the heirds, they strangle him with a Cowes taile, if he will not preuent them by doing it himselfe. The like medicine they administer to such as are dangerously sicke. Of the Macae, Caelius thinks the Roman Priests borrowed their shauen Crownes. Other things which our Authors adde of these people and others adioyning, as seeming too fabulous, I list not to expresse.