Ophiolatreia

-The Isaic Table-Frequency of the Serpent Symbol-Serapis-In the Temples at Luxore, etc.-Discovery at Malta-The Egyptian Basilisk-Mummies

e subject says "the serpent entered into the Egyptian religion under all his characters-of an Emblem of Divinity, a Charm or Oracle, and a God." Cneph, Thoth and Isi

called the Reformer of the Religions of Egypt, and Deane says: "He taught the Egyptians (or rather that part of his colony which was settled in Egypt) a religion, which, partaking of Zabaism and

esented as a serpent with an egg in his mouth; the serpent being his hieroglyphi

nd so became the prototype of ?sculapius. His learning appears to have been great, and he instructed the people in astronom

in every part as emblems of the goddess. The particular serpent thus employed was that small one well know as the instrument used in her suicide by the celebrated Cleopatra, the asp. This creature is pictured and carved on the priestly robes, the tiaras

bolical worship of all the Egyptian deities, and Cneph,

7, there is an engraving of Serapis with a human head and serpentine tail. Two other minor gods are also represented, the one by a serpent with a bull's head, the other by a serpent with the radiated head of the lion. Th

erpent is described as falling headlong to the ground. In the urn of Herbasia Clymene the corners are ornamented with figures of serpents. It is a singular coincidence that the creature by whom it is believed came death into the world s

ice. Thus it is found at Luxore, Komombu, Dendara, Apollinopolis and Esnay. The Pamphylian obelisk also bears it many

ing the great consideration in which he was held. There is little to be wondered at in this when we remember that he was regarded as symbolical of divine wisdom,

diameters perpendicular to each other, which diameters, according to Eus

ed snake; water, by a serpent moving in an undulated manner; air, by an erect serpent in the act of hissing; fire, by an asp standing on its tail and bearing

idolatrous was destroyed as abominable. Montfaucon says: "This plate was rolled up in a golden casket; it consists of two long rows which contain a very great number of Egyptian deities, most of which have the head of some beast or bird. Many serpents are also seen intermixed, the arms and legs of the gods terminating i

mous of all snakes, and so regarded as the king of the species and named after the oracular god of Canaan OB or OUB, was represented on coins with rays upon his head like a crown; around the coi

thinks that they were the same as the Thermuthis, or deadly asp. These creatures the Egyptian priests are said to have preserved by digging holes for the

ut whether with a view to talismanic security, or as indicative of the priesthood of Isis, is doubtful. A female

ashion: "The women are not ashamed to place about them the most manifold symbols of the evil one; for as the serpent deceived

ntfaucon, Kirchen and others, the notion that this belonged exclusively to Hermes or Mercury is erroneous, as it can be seen in the hand of Cy

imes without the wings, but never without the serpents; the varieties consisting chiefly in the number of folds made by the serpents' bodies roun

mple figure of a cross, by which its inventor, Thoth, is said to

nity, but even held in estimation as the instrument of an oracle. The priests of the temple of Isis had a silver image of a

its emblem the serpent. The senseless idolater soon bowed before the symbol its

f Ptolemy Euergetes, a very large serpent was kept in the temple of ?sculapius at Alexandria, and in another place a live one of great magnitude was kept and adored with divine honours; the name of this place he called Melité." He gives the following story:-"This serpent had priests and ministers, a table and a bowl. The priests every day carried into the sacred chamber a cake made of flour and honey and then retired. Returning the next day they always found the

s we see a priest offering adoration to a s

n his hand, and three headless victims are kneeling before an immense serpent. Isis is seen sitting under the arch made by the serpent's body, and the

ely destroyed by the advance of Christianity. The Gnostics united it with the religion of the c

the side of the rock, like a sheikh's burial-place. In it there is a large cleft in the rock out of which they say the serpent comes. There is a tomb in the mosque, in the Turkish manner, that they say is the tomb of Heredy, which would make one imagine that one of their saints is buried there, and that they suppose his soul may be in the serpent, for I observed that they went and kissed the tomb with much devotion and said their prayers at it. Opposite to this cleft there is another, which they say is the tomb of Ogli Hassan, that is of Hassan, the son of Heredy; t

f their idolatry in those parts in this respect, though the Mahometan religion seems to be very far fro

en go there once a year, he passes by and looks on them,

pers, but that worse followed. And some really believe that he works miracles, and say it i

oined by others) that the above superstiti