Part 132 (1/2)

This is seen in Fig. No. 39, taken from an ancient medal, which represents the serpent with rays of glory surrounding his head.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. No. 38]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. No. 39]

The Ophites, who venerated the serpent as an emblem of Christ Jesus, are said to have maintained that the serpent of Genesis--who brought _wisdom_ into the world--was Christ Jesus. The brazen serpent was called the WORD by the Chaldee paraphrast. The Word, or Logos, was _Divine Wisdom_, which was crucified; thus we have the cross, or Linga, or Phallus, with the serpent upon it. Besides considering the serpent as the emblem of Christ Jesus, or of the Logos, the Ophites are said to have revered it as the cause of all the arts of civilized life. In Chapter XII. we saw that several ill.u.s.trious females were believed to have been selected and impregnated by the Holy Ghost. In some cases, a serpent was supposed to be the form which it a.s.sumed. This was the incarnation of the Logos.

The serpent was held in great veneration by the ancients, who, as we have seen, considered it as the symbol of the beneficent Deity, and an emblem of eternity. As such it has been variously expressed on ancient sculptures and medals in various parts of the globe.

Although generally, it did not always, symbolize the G.o.d _Sun_, or the power of which the Sun is an emblem; but, invested with various meanings, it entered widely into the primitive mythologies. As Mr.

Squire observes:

”It typified wisdom, power, duration, the _good_ and _evil_ principles, life, reproduction--in short, in Egypt, Syria, Greece, India, China, Scandinavia, America, everywhere on the globe, it has been a prominent emblem.”[491:1]

The serpent was the symbol of Vishnu, the preserving G.o.d, the Saviour, the _Sun_.[491:2] It was an emblem of the _Sun_-G.o.d Buddha, the Angel-Messiah.[491:3] The Egyptian _Sun_-G.o.d Osiris, the Saviour, is a.s.sociated with the snake.[491:4] The Persian Mithra, the Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour, was symbolized by the serpent.[491:5] The Phenicians represented their beneficent _Sun_-G.o.d Agathodemon, by a serpent.[491:6] The serpent was, among the Greeks and Romans, the emblem of a _beneficent genius_. Antipator of Sidon, calls the G.o.d Ammon, the ”Renowned Serpent.”[491:7] The Grecian Hercules--the Sun-G.o.d--was symbolized as a serpent; and so was aesculapius and Apollo. The Hebrews, who, as we have seen in Chapter XI., wors.h.i.+ped the G.o.d Sol, represented him in the form of a serpent. This is the _seraph_--spoken of above--as set up by Moses (Num. xxi. 3) and wors.h.i.+ped by the children of Israel.

SE RA PH is the singular of seraphim, meaning _Semilice_--_splendor_, _fire_, _light_--emblematic of the fiery disk of the Sun, and which, under the name of _Nehush-tan_, ”Serpent-dragon,” was broken up by the reforming Hezekiah.

The princ.i.p.al G.o.d of the _Aztecs_ was _Tonac_-atlcoatl, which means the _Serpent Sun_.[491:8]

The Mexican virgin-born Lord and Saviour, Quetzalcoatle, was represented in the form of a serpent. In fact, his name signifies ”_Feathered Serpent_.” Quetzalcoatle was a personification of the _Sun_.[491:9]

Under the aspect of the _active principle_, we may rationally connect the _Serpent_ and the _Sun_, as corresponding symbols of the _reproductive_ or _creative power_. Figure No. 40 is a symbolical sign, representing the disk of the _Sun_ encircled by the serpent _Uraeus_, meaning the ”KING SUN,” or ”ROYAL SUN,” as it often surmounts the persons of Egyptian monarchs, confirmed by the _emblem of_ LIFE depending from the serpent's neck.[492:1]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. No. 40]

The mysteries of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, in _Egypt_; Atys and Cybele, in _Phrygia_; Ceres and Proserpine, at _Eleusis_; of Venus and Adonis, in _Phenicia_; of Bona Dea and Priapus, in _Rome_, are all susceptible of one explanation. They all set forth and ill.u.s.trated, by solemn and impressive rites, and _mystical symbols_, the grand phenomenon of _nature_, especially as connected with the creation of things and the perpetuation of life. In all, it is worthy of remark, the SERPENT was more or less conspicuously introduced, and always as symbolical of the invigorating or active energy of nature, the SUN.

We have seen (in Chapter XX.) that in early Christian art Christ Jesus also was represented as a _crucified Lamb_. This crucified lamb is ”the Lamb of G.o.d taking away the sins of the world, and slain from the foundation of the world.”[492:2] In other words, the crucified lamb typifies the _crucified Sun_, for the lamb was another symbol of the Sun, as we shall presently see.

We find, then, that the stories of the crucifixions of the different so-called SAVIOURS of mankind _all melt into ONE_, and that they are _allegorical_, for ”_Saviour_” was only a t.i.tle of the _Sun_,[492:3] and his being put to death on the cross, signifies no more than the restriction of the power of the Sun in the winter quarter. With Justin Martyr, then, we can say:

”There exists not a people, whether Greek or barbarian, or any other race of men, by whatsoever appellation or manners they may be distinguished, however ignorant of arts or agriculture, whether they dwell under the tents, or wander about in crowded wagons, among whom prayers are not offered up in the name of A CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR[493:1] to the Father and creator of all things.”[493:2]

9. ”_And many women were there beholding afar off._”[493:3] The tender mother who had watched over him at his birth, and the fair maidens whom he has loved, will never forsake him. They yet remain with him, and while their tears drop on his feet, which they kiss, their voices cheer him in his last hour. In these we have the _Dawn_, who bore him, and the fair and beautiful lights which flush the Eastern sky as the Sun sinks or dies in the West.[493:4] Their tears are the tears of dew, such as Eos weeps at the death of her child.

All the Sun-G.o.ds forsake their homes and virgin mothers, and wander through different countries doing marvellous things. Finally, at the end of their career, the mother, from whom they were parted long ago, is by their side to cheer them in their last hours.[493:5]

The ever-faithful women were to be found at the last scene in the life of _Buddha_. Kasyapa having found the departed master's feet soiled and wet, asked Nanda the cause of it. ”He was told that a weeping woman had embraced Gautama's feet shortly before his death, and that her tears had fallen on his feet and left the marks on them.”[493:6]

In his last hours, _dipous_ (the Sun) has been cheered by the presence of Antigone.[493:7]

At the death of _Hercules_, Iole (_the fair-haired Dawn_) stands by his side, cheering him to the last. With her gentle hands she sought to soothe his pain, and with pitying words to cheer him in his woe. Then once more the face of Hercules flushed with a deep joy, and he said:

”Ah, Iole, brightest of maidens, thy voice shall cheer me as I sink down in the sleep of death. I saw and loved thee in the bright _morning time_, and now again thou hast come, _in the evening_, fair as the soft clouds which gather around the _dying Sun_.”

The _black mists_ were spreading over the sky, but still Hercules sought to gaze on the fair face of Iole, and to comfort her in her sorrow.

”Weep not, Iole,” he said, ”my toil is done, and now is the time for rest. I shall see thee again in the bright land which is never trodden by the feet of night.”

The same story is related in the legend of _Apollo_. The Dawn, from whom he parted in the early part of his career, comes to his side at _eventide_, and again meets him when his journey on earth has well nigh come to an end.[494:1]