The Court of the Gentiles, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 2 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Theogonie of Juno &c. of Hebrew origination.
Juno the ſame with Jana from foreign Jah, Gods name. Juno called Diana, Urania, Beliſama, Aſtarte &c. The original of Aſtarte, 1 Kings 11.5,33. Why ſhe is ſaid to have on her head a Buls Head. Jo the ſame with Juno. Iſis the ſame with Juno. Venus, among the Phenicians, the ſame with Juno. The Britiſh Adraſte, and Saxon Eaſter from Aſtarte. Iuno ſtiled Baaltis, Ier: 7.18. and 44.17,18. Iuno ſtiled by the Arabians Chiun Amos 5.26. Which is the ſame with the Egyptian Rephan Act. 7.43. whereby Bochart underſtands Saturne. Juno Nabo, Eſa. 46.1. Juno Anitis, Here, Eſa. 34.12. Chora, Libera, Proſerpine.
§. 1. The Theogonie of Juno.HAving given the Genealogie of Saturne and Jupiter, with their parallel in ſacred ſtorie; we now proceed to Juno (whom the Mythologiſts make to be the ſiſter and wife of Iupiter) with indeavors to demonſtrate, that the chief Names and Fables given to this Goddeſse, were of Hebrew origination. And to give a general key to this, foreign, Theogonie, or Generation of the Gods, we muſt know, that the two chief Gods amongſt the Heathens, were the Sun and Moon: to which they attributed moſt of thoſe ſacred Names, Attributes, and Stories, (which really belonged to the true God, or ſome one of the Patriarchs) traduced to them by broken Traditions. Thus they applied the chief names of God to the Sun; which ſome termed Saturne, others Iupiter, others Apollo, others Ianus, &c. 1. Juno the ſame with Jana, from foreign, the name of God.So in like manner they ſtiled the Moon Urania, Iuno, Iana, Diana Venus, &c. And as the Sun was called Iupiter from foreign ja foreign, and Ianus, from the ſame foreign Jah; ſo alſo the Moon was called firſt Iana, and thence Iuno, from foreign jah, the proper name of God. So Voſſius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 26. Juno (ſaies he) is referred to the Moon; which Grammarians derive from juvo: but this is not more likely, than that Jupiter ſhould be derived from the ſame root. I conceive that Juno is of the ſame origination with Janus and Jana, which comes, not from Javan, but from foreign jah, the proper name of God; (as Iacchus from foreign ja Chus) ſo amongſt the ancient Romans Jana and Juno were the ſame. But O in women is the Grecanick termination; as Dido &c. A is no leſſe Roman than Greek. But the change of A into V is very ordinary, as Calamus into Culmus &c. Thus Voſſius: the like he mentions before lib. 2. cap. 16.
§. 2 Juno called Diana.Hence ſome make Juno to be the ſame with Diana, which they ſuppoſe to be the contract of Dea Jana. So Voſſius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 25. The Latin Diana (ſaies he) is the contract of Diva Jana, or Dea Jana, and both the ſame with the Moon; which, according to the diverſity of its influences, was ſtiled by the Romans Diana or Juno. For when the Moon was conſidered with regard to her illumihation, ſhe was ſtiled Diana: thence the Roman-hunters, who needed light by night called upon Diana, not on Juno. But when the calefactive or generative influence of the Moon came under conſideration, ſhe was called, not Diana, but Juno: whence perſons with child invocated Iuno, not Diana. Thus Voſsius.
§. 3. Ʋrania.Whence alſo Juno was ſtiled by the Greeks foreign, and by the Phenicians, Beliſama. As for foreign Urania, it evidently received its origination from the Hebrew foreign Or or Ur; which ſignifies Light, as Gen. 1.5. foreign Or: whence the Greek foreign. Heaven &c. Beliſama.Of the ſame import alſo is the Hebrew or Phenician Beliſama, from foreign the Queen of Heaven, which was the Title the Phenicians gave the Moon; as they ſtiled the Sun foreign the Lord of Heaven; or, in one word, foreign Molech, the King. All which ſeems borrowed from Gen. 1.16. Gen. 1.16.This name Beliſama was not confined to the Phenicians, but by them communicated to theſe Weſterne parts, as Bochart Can. lib. 1. c. 42. Beliſama, a Gallick name, in the Punick ſignifies the Queen of Heaven, and therefore ſeems to appertain to the Moon, or Urania, which in Jeremiah is frequently ſtiled the Queen of Heaven, foreign. The Moon is the ſame alſo with Diana, which the Gauls greatly idolized. Thus Bochart: who here joyns Beliſama, Urania, and Diana, as one and the ſame.
§. 4. Aſtarte.The ſame Juno was alſo ſtiled by the Phenicians foreign Aſtarte, which is evidently of Hebrew origination. So Auguſt. lib. 7. locut. cap. 16. Juno (ſaies he) was without doubt called by the Phenicians Aſtarte. Why Aſtartewas ſaid to impoſe on her head a Buls head.Thus Bochart Can. lib. 1. cap. 33. Sanchoniathon in Euſebius praepar. lib. 1. calls Aſtarte the daughter of Heaven; of whom he ſaies, foreign: She put on her own head, as an Enſigne of Empire, the head of a Bull. This gives us a good account of her origination, which Veſſius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 21. thus draws forth. The Moon (ſaies he) is here called Aſtarte. Now the Buls-head is a good Embleme of the Moon, which has her hornes like thoſe of a Bull: whence alſo the Egyptian Iſis, which was the ſame with the Moon, had hornes in like manner. Thus Voſsius. Who again de Idololatr. lib. 1. cap. 22. tels us, that this Aſtarte was, according to Sanchoniathon, a Phenician. And that ſhe was worſhipt by the Phenicians as a Goddeſſe, we are taught out of the Scripture, 1 King. 11.5. 1 King. 11.5.And Solomon went after Aſtoreth, the Goddeſse of the Sidonians; where tis in the ſingular foreign Aſhtoreth. Chald: foreign Aſtarata, whence contractedly, foreign, or Aſtarta. And becauſe foreign ſignifies a flock, or, as ſome of the Rabbines think, femal ſheep, therefore Rabbi D. Kimchi ſuppoſeth, that her Image was the figure of a Sheep. Others more likely judge, that ſhe was called Aſtarte, becauſe ſheep were ſacrificed to her. But theſe opinions are not repugnant. This Aſtarte, as an Animal Goddeſſe, was the daughter of Agenor, King of Phenicia, who, after ſhe was made a Goddeſſe, was called Aſtarte by the Phenician Prieſts, as Lucian. lib. de Dea Syria relates. &c. But Bochart Can. lib. 2. cap. 2. fol. 787. following Kimchi and other of the Hebrews, draws the original of Aſtarie, as alſo of this Fable touching her wearing a Buls head, from the ſignification of the Hebrew foreign Aſtoreth, which ſignifies herds of ſheep, or Kine; thus Aſtarte, in the Syriack foreign Aſtarta, amongſt the Hebrews is foreign Aſtoret, 1 King. 11.5.33. 1 King. 11.5.33.hence the plural foreign Aſtaroth, herds. So Deut. 7.13. Deut. 7.13.foreign the herds of thy ſheep. Thus all the Hebrews explain it, and will, that the Idol Aſtarte have the figure of a ſheep. I conceive the word foreign Aſtaret may be taken in a more extenſive notion, and ſignifie as well herds of Kine, as of Sheep. Truely the Chaldee on Deut. 7.13. renders the Hebr. foreign by foreign, and the Arabick by foreign, which are words common, and ſignifie as well herds of cattel, as of ſheep. So Joel 1.18. and Gen. 32.16. Thus there being included in the name Aſtarte the ſignification of a Bull, as well as that of a Sheep, thou maieſt with eaſe underſtand, why ſhe is ſaid to impoſe on her head, the head of a Bull, as the Enſigne of her Empire, i.e. a kind of Crown made in the faſhion of a Buls head: in which habit ſhe is deſcribed by Sanchoniathon, as foreign, traverſing the whole Earth: Aſtarte the ſame with Io.ſo that ſhe ſeems to be the ſame with the Greek Io, who, being changed into a Cow, is feigned to have viewed many countreys. To which concurres that in Euripides Phaeniſſis, how the Thebans and Phenicians account Io the ſame with the common mother. Thus Bochart. By which we underſtand the full origination of Aſtarte, as alſo why ſhe was ſaid to impoſe on her head, as a Crown, the Buls head: namely becauſe foreign ſignifies a herd of Cattel.
§. 5. Io the ſame with Juno.Hence alſo the fable of Io her being turned into a Cow. For Io was the ſame with Junno, it being a contract thereof, if not of foreign the name of God, as before. And 'tis poſſible, that this whole fable of Juno, here called Aſtarte, her having a buls head for a crown; as alſo of her being changed-into the forme of a Cow, under the name Io, had all the ſame original with that of Iſis, (who paſſed for Io, and had alſo the forme of an Oxe, Bull, or Cow,) namely from Joſephs fat and lean kine, which were the means of preſerving Egypt from famine, and therefore made the Hieroglyphick of their chiefeſt Gods, Apis and Io, i.e. Jupiter and Juno. Iſis the ſame with Io and Juno.That Io is the ſame with Juno, appears farther from the deſcription of the Egyptian Iſis, which they make to be the ſame with the Greek Io, and therefore give her the ſame forme, as Herodotus, in Euterpe: foreign, The image of Iſis is feminine, formed with buls hornes, as the Greeks deſcribe Io. By which tis evident, that the Greek Io, was the ſame with the Egyptian Iſis, and both theſe the ſame with the Phenician Aſtarte; they having all one and the ſame image and forme, namely a crown, after the faſhion of a buls head; which was an Hieroglyphick repreſenting the Moon, but originally taken, as tis conceived, from Joſephs kine; as Joſeph himſelf paſſed amongſt them for Apis, from foreign Ab, father, as he is ſtiled a father to Pharaoh, Gen. 45.8. whence Serapis from foreign a Bull.
§. 6. But to returne again to Aſtarte, and her identitie with Iuno or the Moon; which may farther be proved from that of Lucian, de Dea Syria: foreign: There is alſo another Temple in Phenicia, which the Sidonians have, and, as they ſay, belongs to Aſtarte. And I conceive Aſtarte to be the Moon. But here occurs a difficulty ariſing from the opinion of many Ancients, that Aſtarte is the ſame with Venus. So Philo Byblius out of Sanchoniathon, foreign: But the Phenicians ſay, that Aſtarte is Venus. So alſo Suidas, foreign; Aſtarte, which is called by the Grecians, Venus. Venus amongſt the Phenicians the ſame with Juno.This difficulty is reſolved by Voſsius Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 21. thus. In the oriental parts Venus and Iuno ſignifie one and the ſame Planet, viz. the Moon, which has the government of moiſt bodies. So that hereby its eaſie to reconcile the differences, ſo oppoſite, touching the Goddeſſe of Hieropolis, which we find joyned together by Plutarch in M. Craſsus, foreign. The firſt omen was given to him by this Goddeſſe, whom ſome call Venus, ſome Iuno, others that Goddeſſe which affords the principles and ſeeds for all things out of moiſture. By which deſcription its apparent, that this Hieropolitan Goddeſſe (I ſuppoſe Iſis) was no other than the Moon, which, by reaſon of its moiſture, was eſteemed to be the paſſive Principle (as the Sun, called Oſiris, the active) of all Generations, and ſo called by ſome Iuno, by others Venus. Aſtarte and Venus the ſame.So learned Bochart, Can. lib. 2. cap. 16. fol. 850. With ſome Aſtarte is Venus, with others Urania and the Moon: but nothing is more uncertain than the deliries or dreams of the Mythologiſts touching their Gods. So Tertullian: Every Province has his God; as Syria Aſtartes, and Africa the Celeſtial Urania. This Goddeſſe Aſtarte, called by the Africans Ourania, and by the Grecians Iuno, was tranſported by the Phenicians, and worſhipt almoſt in all parts where ever they came. We find her worſhipped in the Iſland Erythia, betwixt the Gades and Spain, which was poſſeſſed by the Phenicians, and by them termed foreign Aſtoreth; or foreign Aſtarta, i.e. the Iland of Aſtarte: whence twas called by other foreign, as by others foreign the Iſland of Venus, or Iuno; becauſe Aſtarte paſſed ſometimes for Venus, ſometimes for Juno: as Bochart Can. lib. 1. cap. 34. fol. 679. Again the Phenicians tranſplanting a colonie into Cythera, they there erect a Temple to their God Aſtarte, then unknown to the Grecians: whence Venus was ſtiled Cytharea; becauſe, ſay the Mythologiſts, ariſing out of the Sea, (ie. Phenicia,) ſhe firſt ſate down at Cythera. The Britiſh Adraſte the ſame with Aſtarte.Yea we find ſome footſteps of this Goddeſſe Aſtarte, and her worſhip amongſt our old Britains. So Dion in Nero, brings in a Britiſh Amazon, called Bundovica, with her hands lift up to Heaven, thus praying: I give thee thanks, O Adraſte, and invocate thee, thou Mother of Mothers. Bochart Can. lib. 1. cap. 42. fol. 738. makes this Adraſte the ſame with Aſtarte, by the tranſpoſition of D and T, which are of the ſame Organ. Eaſter from Aſtarte.To which the ſame Bochart addes fol. 751. And to Aſtarte the Phenician God, alludes Aestar or Eaſter that Saxon Goddeſſe, to whom they ſacrificed in the monethmonth of April; which Bede, in his book de Temporibus, ſtiles Eaſter-monethmonth. Yea to this very day the Engliſh call their Paſchal Holy-daies, Eaſter-time. So that the Hebrews would have the Germans the progenie of the Cananites. Thus Bochart: who alſo cap. 44. proves, that the Iſland Aſtarte, in the Arabick ſinus, was ſo called from this Goddeſſe Aſtarte, to whom the Phenicians conſecrated this Iland. Aſtarte amongſt the Hebrews Aſtaroth.Laſtly this Goddeſſe Aſtarte got no ſmall footing in the Jewiſh Church, paſſing amongſt the Hebrews under the name of Aſhtaroth: as 2 King. 23.13. where Solomon is ſaid to build a Temple to Aſhtaroth, the Idol of the Sidonians: which the LXX render foreign Aſtarte. And 1 King. 31.10. the Temple of Aſtaroth is called by the LXX foreign; which the Scholiaſt expounds foreign. So Iudg: 10:6. the LXX reads it foreign, as alſo the Vulgar Latin. See Voſſius Idololatr. l. 2. c. 21.
§. 7 Juno ſtiled Baaltis.Juno was alſo called, by the Phenicians, Baaltis or Beltis, whom ſome make the ſame with Dione: ſo Philo Byblius out of Sanchoniathon in Euſeb: praep. Evang. l. 1. foreign And thence Saturne gave the Citie Byblius to Baaltis, who was alſo called Dione. The ſame Philo Byblius makes Baaltis ſiſter to Aſtarte: but Voſsius (de Idololat: lib. 2. cap. 21.) proves that Baaltis can agree to none ſo properly as to Juno or the Moon, called alſo Aſtarte: for as Baal or Belus, the Title which the Phenicians gave the Sun, paſſed amongſt the Grecians for Jupiter, ſo Baaltis, the Moon, for Juno, The ſame alſo may be ſaid of Beltis: namely as Saturne, or Jupiter, or Apollo were ſtiled foreign whence foreign; ſo Rhea, or Juno, or Diana foreign bela whence foreign: whence Baaltis or Beltis, from foreign Baal or foreign Bel, ſignifies Queen, anſwerable to Jeremiah foreign Queen of Heaven Ier: 7.18. and Chap. 44.17,18,19,25. Jer. 7.18. and 44.17,18.'Tis true David Kimchi, and the Chaldee Paraphraſe underſtand by this Queen of Heaven, the Sun it ſelf, i:e: Molech or Saturne, to which learned Bochart (as I had it from his own mouth) inclines. But Voſſius, following Jerom herein, ſeems to give very probable conjectures that this Queen of Heaven is the Moon; and ſo the ſame with Aſtarte, Juno and Baaltis; which appears 1. from that foreign is a Feminine. 2. Becauſe the Prophet in theſe places treats of the Idolatrie of the Gentiles; amongſt whom the Sun was not reputed a Goddeſse but God. 3. 'Tis not to be doubted but that Baal and Aſtaroth, amongſt the Sidonians, were diſtinct Gods, and that the former denoted the Sun, and the later the Moon. That this Title Baaltis is of Hebrew origination from foreign a ſacred name (as Hoſ. 2.16.) has been before ſufficiently proved. It ſeems to refer to Gen. 1.16,18.
§. 8. Juno called Chiun.Juno or the Moon was ſtiled by the Arabians Chiun, of which we find mention Amos 5.26. and Chiun. Amos. 5.26.Some by Chiun underſtand Saturne: and indeed foreign Chivvan, the name whereby the Arabians and Perſians denote Saturne, is very near akin to this foreign Chiun here, though not without ſome difference, at leaſt, in the points. Hebraeorum quidam exiſtimant Chiun ſigniſicare Saturni Stellam [foreign iis dictam] quae in Arab…ca & P…rſica lingua dicatur foreign cui voci cum foreign (mutatis modo punctis jbene convenit. Ita & Arias Montanus. Glaſſ. Gram. S. l. 4. Tract. 3. Obſerv. 17. de nomine proprio.But that Chiun here cannot be underſtood of Saturne, ſeems probable to Voſsius: becauſe there precedes the mention of Molech, who is Saturne; therefore Chiun, which follows, muſt be diſtinct from Saturne i.e. the Sun; and cannot be underſtood of any more properly, than of the Moon or Iuno. That Chiun ſignifies the Moon, the ſame Voſsius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 23. proves from the proprietie of the word, and its Identitie with Rempham Act. 7.43. Yet Bochart by Chiun underſtands Saturne: ſo Bochart Phaleg. l. 1. c. 15. The Egyptian word Rephan for Saturne, as Molech for Mars, is alſo at this day in uſe among the Coptites, whoſe tongue is compoſed partly of the Greek, partly of the old Egyptian. Whence a clear light may be given to Stephen the Martyrs words, Acts 7.43. foreign, or as others will foreign, or foreign: In the interpretation of which words, Interpreters have hitherto been puzled, not comprehending why the Hebrew word foreign Kijun ſhould be rendered Rephan. For ſo it's read in Amos 5.26. But now the reaſon is manifeſt foreign Kijun, according to the atteſtation of Aben Ezra, is Saturne, and this name he had also among the Perſians and Iſmaelites. Whence the Egyptians were perſuaded that Anubis, which the Greeks terme Cyon, was the ſame with Saturne, as Plutarch in Iſide. Alſo in Plauti Paenulo Saturne is called Ciun, as Samuel Petit Miſcellan. lib. 2. cap. 2. Therefore foreign is the ſame with the Egyptian Rephan i.e. Saturne. And the Greek Interpreters (whom Stephen follows) did the more readily uſe this Egyptian word Rephan becauſe they wrote their verſion in Egypt &c. Touching Chiun Amos 5.26. and how Remphan Acts 7.43. anſwers thereto ſee more largely Glaſſius Gram. S. lib. 4. Tract. 3. Obſerv. 17. pag. 867. &c. Edit. 2a. That Chiun was an Attribute borrowed, though not without blaſphemie, from the ſacred Oracles, was atteſted by Learned Le Moyen (Paſtor of of the Reformed Church at Roan) in a Sermon at Caen, who affirmed, that foreign Chiun in the Arabick, ſignifies the ſame with Iehovah in the Hebrew.
§ 9. Juno Nabo.The Moon or Iuno was called alſo by the Chaldeans & Aſſyrians Nebo: ſo Eſa: 46.1. Eſa. 46.1.Bel boweth down, Nebo ſtoopeth &c. The Prophet here mentions the two chief Babylonian Idols. That Bel ſignifies the Sun, from the Hebrew foreign El, Gods name, whence foreign Hel, and foreign the Sun, has been before proved. Hence, by proportion and parity of reaſon, Nebo or Nabo ſignifies the Moon: and as from Bel came Belus, Nimrods name, ſo from Nabo came Nabuchodonoſor, Nabonaſſer, with others.
§. 10. Anitis.Amongſt the Perſians Iuno, or the Moon was called Anaitis or Anitis, whom ſome ſuppoſe to be Diana, others Venus. But Voſsius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 22. proves, that Diana, Juno, and Venus, in thoſe Oriental parts, ſignified one and the ſame Deitie; namely the Moon, called by the Perſians Anitis: according to that of Strabo, lib. 11. The Medes and Armenians religiouſly worſhip all the Sacreds of the Perſians; but the Armenians more eſpecially worſhip Anaïtis, to whom they conſecrate their Daughters, men and maid ſervants, giving her alſo Temples in Aciliſena &c.
§. 11. Juno ſtiled Here, and whence.Juno was termed by the Grecians foreign Here, which is derived by Voſſius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 26. from foreign aer, by a wonted Metatheſis or tranſpoſition of Letters: and the reaſon he gives of this origination is taken from the regence or preſidence of the Moon, called Iuno, over the Air. For as Iupiter was taken to be Lord of the Skie, and therefore ſometimes ſtiled Aether; ſo Iuno, or the Moon, was reputed as Queen, or Regent over the Air, next unto her, on which ſhe diffuſed moiſt influences, and was thence termed foreign. But I ſhould rather fetch the origination of foreign Here, from the Hebrew foreign Hore, or, as the Chaldee reads it, foreign Here, libera, a name given to Iuno, as well as to Proſerpine. For the Hebrews termed Princes foreign Horim, i.e. Liberi, free men: ſo Eſa. 34.12. Eſa. 34.32.where the Chaldee reads it foreign Herin, whence ſprang foreign Heroes, and, as I preſume, foreign Here, which ſignifies Libera, a Princeſſe, as Iuno was reputed to be.
§. 12. Juno called Chora, Libera, or Proſerpine.Hence alſo Iuno was ſtiled by the Greeks foreign Core, i.e. according to the Latins, Proſerpine, Libera: ſo Servius on Aen. 3. where having ſhew'd how Latona brought forth firſt Diana, and then Apollo, he ſubjoins concerning the firſt: for this is Diana, Iuno. Proſerpina. The Moon was called either ſupera, above, and ſo ſhe was the ſame with Ceres; or infera, beneath, and ſo ſhe was identick with Proſerpine, who was called foreign Cora, becauſe the daughter of Ceres. Which originally ſprang from foreign Hora or Kora, libera. Whence Voſſius de Idololatr. lib. 2. cap. 28. tels us, that the Moon, as ſhe inlightned the lower parts, was called Libera, or Cora, the Siſter of the Sun, (who, as he inlightned the lower parts, was called Liber) and daughter of Ceres.