Part 4 (1/2)
Among the Swedes he was wors.h.i.+ped under the name of Fricco, and a statue of him at Upsala represented him in the characteristic att.i.tude of the G.o.d of procreation. ”_Tertius est Fricco, pacem voluptatemque largiens mortalibus, cujus etiam simulachrum fingunt ingenti priapo._”[70] From this G.o.d a vulgar word for copulation had its origin. This word is in use to-day among the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons, thus proving that the wors.h.i.+p of the generative principle was in vogue among our own immediate ancestors.
[70] Bremens: _De Situ Daniae_, p. 23; quoted, also, by the author of _The Wors.h.i.+p of the Generative Powers_, p. 126.
Statuettes of Priapus, bronzes representing the s.e.xual organs, and pottery covered with phallic scenes have been found all over England.
These relics are remembrances of the Roman occupation when the wors.h.i.+p of Priapus prevailed. In the parish of Adel, Yorks.h.i.+re, was found an altar erected to Priapus, who seems to be called in this instance Mentula. At this place were found many other priapic relics, such as lamps, bracelets, amulets, etc., etc.[71] Several images of the triple phallus, as well as the single phallus, have been brought to light in London; also phallic lamps, bracelets, etc.
[71] _The Wors.h.i.+p of the Generative Powers_, p. 124.
All over England the Anglo-Saxon Frea, or Friga, has left remembrances of his or her wors.h.i.+p in place-names. Fridaythorpe in Yorks.h.i.+re, and Friston (Frea's stone), which occurs in several parts of England, are examples. ”We seem justified in supposing that this and other names commencing with the syllable Fri or Fry, are so many monuments of the existence of phallic wors.h.i.+p among our Anglo-Saxon forefathers.”[72]
There are other words in the English language which point directly to this ancient religion; for instance, _fascinate_ and _fascination_.
These words were derivede directly from the Latin word _fascinum_, which was one of the names of the male organ of generation. The fascinum was worn suspended from the necks of women, and was supposed to possess magical powers; hence, to _fascinate_. Horace makes use of the word in Priapeia:
[72] _The Wors.h.i.+p of the Generative Powers_, p. 127.
”_Placet, Priape? Qui sunt arboris coma Sotes, sacrum revinct pampino caput, Ruber sedere c.u.m rubente fascino._”[73]
[73] Horace: _Priap. Carm._, lx.x.xiv.
That the wors.h.i.+p of the fascinum was in vogue during the eighth century[Y] in Italy and in other countries under the religious jurisdiction of the Pope, the following from the _Judicia Sacerdotalia Criminibus_, clearly indicates: ”If any one has performed incantation to the _fascinum_, or any incantation whatever, except one who chaunts the Creed or the Lord's Prayer, let him do penance on bread and water during three Lents.”[74][Z]
[Y] A well informed Jesuit priest once told me that several laws had been made about this time forbidding the wors.h.i.+p of the female s.e.xual organ, under the name of _abricot_ or _apricot_. Rabelais used the word _abricot fendu_ when speaking of the female genital organs. See his works. Was this term derived from the Biblical narrative of the genesis of the human race (the apple), or was it taken from the phallic symbol, the pomegranate? Did Moses get it from the a.s.syrians in the first place? I think he did.
[74] Martene and Durand: _Veterum Scriptorum Amplissima Collectio_, tom. vii, p. 35. _Si quis praecantaverit ad fascinum, vel qualesc.u.mque praecantationes excepto symbolum sanctum aut orationem dominicam qui cantat et cui cantatur, tres quadrigesimas in pane et aqua poeniteat._
[Z] As has been pointed out elsewhere in this work, ancient peoples were essentially symbolical and materialistically symbolical at that; they were very apt to typify nature, s.e.xually, by some object or objects which bore a resemblance real or fancied, to the s.e.xual organs. The red halves of the ripe apricot at the insertion of the stem, look very much like the external genitalia of the human female. The significance and importance of the pomegranate in the mixed religion of the Ancient Hebrews are well brought out in rules laid down for the ornamentations and embroidery of the robes of the priests, etc., etc., _Vid. Old Testament_.
During the ninth century the Council of Chalons promulgated a similar law, and in the twelfth century Buchardus repeats it, thus showing that the wors.h.i.+p of the generative principle was continuous throughout that time.[75] That the wors.h.i.+p of the fascinum was in vogue as late as 1247 is proven by the statutes of the Synod of Mans, which declare that he who wors.h.i.+ps the fascinum shall be seriously dealt with.[76]
[75] D. Burchardi: _Decretorum libri_, lib. x, c. 49.
Some of these clerical references are taken from the Wors.h.i.+p of Priapus, but, since this work is exceedingly rare and costly, and is not apt to come under the notice of the general reader, I have thought best to give the original authorities.
[76] Martene and Durand: _Veterum Scriptorum Collectio Amplissima_, tom. vii, col. 1377.
In Scotland, as late as 1268, according to the Chronicles of Lanercroft, the people were in the habit of rubbing two pieces of wood together until fire was produced. At the same time an image of the phallus was elevated, and certain prayers were said to Priapus. This was the famous ”need fire,” and was obtained in this way in order that it might have the power of saving the cattle from the plague. Need fire was produced in this manner in the Highlands as late as 1356, at which time a cattle plague ravaged the country side. In Inverkeithing, a Catholic priest gathered all the young girls of the village and made them dance around a statue of Priapus. He himself led the dance, carrying a large wooden image of the phallus, and excited these medieval bacchantes to licentious movements and actions by his own actions and language.
When called to account by his bishop, he excused his action by stating that such performances were common in his parish. These phallic observances occurred in Easter week, March 29-April 15, 1282.[77]
[77] _The Chronicles of Lanercroft._
In Ireland, the female s.e.xual organs seem to have been the symbol of phallic wors.h.i.+p most in use. In the arches over the doorways of churches, a female figure, with the person fully exposed, was invariably so placed that the external organs of generation at once caught the eye.
These figures were called _Shela-na-gig_, which in Irish means ”Julian the giddy.” Sometimes these images were placed on the walls and used as caryatides. From this symbol the horseshoe's power to ward off evil and bring good luck has been evolved. The people in olden times were in the habit of painting, or sketching with charcoal, drawings of the female genitalia over the doors of their houses to ward off bad luck. These drawings were necessarily rude, and probably resembled a horseshoe more than they did the object for which they were intended. In course of time, when the symbol had lost its original significance, the horseshoe entirely took the place of the phallic image.
Herodotus says that Sesostris, king of Egypt, was in the habit of erecting pillars in the countries conquered by his armies, on which he had the female genitals engraved in order to show his contempt.[78] I think that the historian misinterprets the meaning of the pillars; the Egyptians were phallic wors.h.i.+pers, and these obelisks were, in all probability, altars to Priapus.
[78] Herodotus: _Euterpe_, 102.
The beneficent influence of this particular phallic symbol has been well brought out in several cla.s.sical stories. When Ceres was wandering over the world in her search after Proserpine, she came to the house of a peasant woman, Baubo by name. Baubo saw that the G.o.ddess was heart-sick and miserable, so she offered her a drink of cyceon (???e??
[Transliteration: kykeon]). The G.o.ddess refused the refres.h.i.+ng mixture, and continued her lamentations. Fully believing in the virtue and efficacy of the symbol, Baubo lifted her robe and showed Ceres her genitals.[AA] The G.o.ddess burst into laughter and at once drank the cyceon.[79] The same superst.i.tion appears in a celebrated book of the sixteenth century, _Le Moyen de Parvenir_. The author of the ”Wors.h.i.+p of the Generative Powers” gives the following instructive extract from this work:
[AA] For an a.n.a.logous ceremony, see Herodotus, _Euterpe_, 60.