A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

ISIS,

Queen of Egypt: 'Tis certain by the testimony of many Writers, that the Goddess called by the Greeks Io, and the Egyp∣tians Isis, is the same whom the Romans honoured by the name of Cybele, viz. the Earth, or Nature herself, married by the Egyp∣tians to Osiris, who was the Sun, to make her fruitful, and Mother of all productions, which are formed in her bosom. 'Tis both Plutarch and Apuleius's opinion, who introduces Isis speaking thus, Rerum natura, parens sum omnium elementorum. Macrobius says also, that Osiris is nothing else but the Sun, and Isis the Earth and Nature.

And truly, there is such likeness between the Pictures and Representations, that the

Ancients have given of these two Divinities, viz. Isis among the Egyptians, and Cybele among the Romans, that 'tis easily to be perceived that both were the same Cybele, as we see by the reverse of many Medals. Cybele wore a Turret on her head, and was attended by Lions, holding in her hand a musical Instru∣ment like a Tabor, with this Title Mater Magna, the Great Mother, viz. Nature. Isis had also a Turret on her head, as it appears by a great many of her Statues, and parti∣cularly in that which was found at Rome in the time of Leo the tenth. She is also accom∣panied with many Lions, as we may observe in that famous piece of Cardinal Bembo, re∣presenting Isis, which Kircher caus'd to be en∣graven. She holds a Sistrum in her hand, which is a musical Instrument, and in fine, she is called Earth and Nature herself. Wherefore she is often represented with ma∣ny Breasts.

Apuleius reports, that this Goddess was had in veneration all over the World, but under several names and representations, for she is named Diana, Ceres, Venus and Proserpina. And it must be observ'd that Isis was a Queen of Egypt, who reigned there with King Osiris her Husband in the time of the first Israelites; for Tacitus tells us, that during the reign of Isis, the multitude of Jews being extraordina∣rily augmented, they went to settle themselves in the neighbouring Country, under the command of Jerusalem and Juda.

And as Isis was a woman of great wit, and courage to undertake the most difficult things, she ordered a Ship to be built, and fitted out for her to travel; and went into the most re∣mote and barbarous Countries, such as Gaul and Germany; and Tacitus assures us, that she penetrated into the Country of Suabia; and having met there but very gross and wild Nations, she taught them to honour the Dei∣ties, to till the Ground, and sow Corn. And thereby she was in so great esteem among these Nations, that they took her for the Goddess of the Earth, to whom they were much obliged, for having taught them Agri∣culture and Religion, which were at that time unknown to them.

Tacitus observes also in this place, that the Germans of Suabia ador'd her under the fi∣gure of a Ship, in commemoration, doubt∣less, of the Ship that had brought this Queen into their Country to do them so good an Office.

We have some Egyptian Medals of Julian the Apostate, wherein he is represented in a Ship; and there are some of her. Figures found in Kircher and others, wherein she car∣ries a Ship in her hand. Diodorus and Apulei∣•••••• assures us, that she govern'd over the Sea; and the last ascribes these words to her: Na∣vigabili jam pelage facto, rudem dedicantes cari∣nam, primitias commeatûs libant mei Sacerdotes: as if she had been the first who found the Art of Navigation, or at least the use of Sails.

Some Authors, not being able to discover from whence the Arms of the City of Paris are derived, which is a Ship, ascend as far as Isis to find the origine thereof, and the name of that City. For many were of opi∣nion that the name of Paris was a Greek word, and came from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, near the fa∣mous Temple of Isis, since we must suppose, that a Temple was dedicated to this Goddess, in the compass of the ground that belongs now to the Abbey of St Germain in the Fields; and this Temple remained till the establishment of Christianity in France: And when it was demolished, they kept out of curiosity the Idol Isis, who was there ador'd, and laid it in a corner of the Church of St Germain in the Field, when it was built by Childebert, and dedicated to St Vincent. This Idol was kept there till the year 1514, that Cardinal Briconnet, who was then Abbot of that Church, being inform'd that some good old Woman, out of simplicity and supersti∣tion, had offered some Candles to the Idol, caused it to be removed from that place, and broke in pieces.

This Temple, so famous, was served by a Chapter of Priests, who lived, according to the common opinion, at the Village of Issy, in a Castle, the Ruins whereof were yet seen at the beginning of this Age. Plutarch speaks of these Priests of Isis, they observed, says he, Chastity; their Head was shaved, and they went about bare foot, and cloathed with a linnen Habit: Wherefore Juvenal calls them Linigeri.

Nunc Dea Linigerâ colitur celeberrima turbâ. Qui grege Linigero circundatus, & grege calvo.

Isis had many Temples at Rome; one near the Baths of Caracalla at the end of the new Street, with this Title upon an old Marble, Saeculo Felici Isias Sacerdos Isidi Salutaris Consecra∣tio: Another at the Garden of St Mary the new, with this Title, Templum Isidis Exoratae. P. Victor and Sextus Rufus mentions another by the name of Patrician Isis, near Mount Esquilinus, and Lampridius in the Life of Alex∣ander Severus tells us, that this Emperor has adorned the Temple of Isis and Seraphis, Isim & Saraphim decenter Ornavit. Josephus writes, that the Emperor Tiberius ordered, that the Temple of this Goddess should be levelled to the Ground, her Statues cast into the Tri∣ber, and her Priests hang'd, fo•• having been

too favourable to the amours of a young Gentleman, with a Lady called Paulina.

The Emperor Commodus had a singular vene∣ration for Isis, as Lampridius has observ'd in his Life, Sacra Isis coluit, ut & caput raderet & Anubin portaret; because of the Debaucheries committed in her Sacrifices.

Here is an Encomium of Isis related by Diodorus, as it is ingraven on a Column.

I am Isis the Queen of Egypt, instructed by Mercury. No body can abolish what I have esta∣blished by my Ordinances. I am the Wife of Osi∣ris, I have first invented the use of Corn. I am the Mother of King Horus. I shine in the Dog-star. By me the City of Bubasti was founded: Where∣fore rejoyce thou, Egypt, reioyce thou, thou hast brought me up and fed me.

The Egyptians ascribed the overflowings of the Nile, to the tears that she shed for the death of her Husband Osiris.

We have a statue of Isis habited like a Ro∣man Matron, having a Half Moon on the top of her Head, her right Hand turned towards Heaven, and her left towards the Earth, to inform us, that she receives the influences of Heaven. We have also a Medal of the Em∣peror Commodus, where Isis is represented with a Half Moon, holding a Sphere with her right hand, and a Vessel full of Fruits with her left. The Sphere denotes Astrology, wherein the Egyptians excelled; and the Fruits the fecundity of Egypt.

For the Egyptians were the first who made Gods of the Sun and Moon, calling the Sun Osiris, and the Moon Isis, holding a Sphere in her Hand, as the Mother of Arts and Sciences, and an Amphora full of ears of Corn, to re∣present the fertility of the Country.

The Egyptians adored the Earth, by the name of the Goddess Isis. Servius and Isidorus after him, speak thus of her, Isis liuguâ Egyptiorum est Terra; quam Isim volunt esse. They ascrib'd many Breasts to Isis, wherefore she was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to shew that the Moon or the sub∣lunary world affords food to all Creatures. The opinion of Julius Firmicus is, that ac∣cording the Egyptian Poetry, Isis was the Earth.

Isis was also the same with Ceres, as Herodotus says Isis secundum linguam Graecorum est Ceres, &c. ut Aegyptia linguâ Isis est Ceres. St Austin declares that this was the opinion of the Egyptians: Isis invenit hordei segetem, atque inde spicas marito Regi, & ejus conciliario Mercurio demon, travit: un∣de eandem & cererem volunt.