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.

CYBELE,

is derived either from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. to make Gam∣bols, and shake the head; because the Priests of this Goddess, called Corybantes, Daetyli Idaei, Curetes and Galli, danced and shook their heads like mad men on the day of the feast; or this word comes from the place cal∣led Cybele, or in fine from a little Grove of Pine-trees consecrated to her.

She is also called Maja, i. e. Mother or Nurse. This word is common both to the Greeks and Latins: and in all likelihood is a Greek word, and signifies a Nurse, which is the Earth. But those that will have it a Latin word derive it from Majus, which is the same with Magnus, from whence comes Major and Majestas.

The Romans honoured the Earth by the names of Tellus and Tellumo, Tellus was the fe∣minine name, and Tellumo the masculine, and so it was a God and Goddess. St Austin re∣lates to this purpose what Varro says on this subject:

The same Earth has a double ver∣tue, a Masculine virtue to produce Seeds, and a Feminine vertue to receive and nourish them; from the latter she was called Tellus, and from the other Tellumo.

The Romans called also the Earth Ops, be∣cause of her power to give help. Opis is dif∣ferent from Ops, and 'tis one of the names of Diona, among the Greeks, because she helps women in labour. King T. Tatius built her a Temple under the name of the Goddess Ops.

They gave her also the name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as much as to say 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, terra mater. Plato derives this name from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, dans ut mater.

St Austin, in the 7th Book, ch. 24. de Civi∣tare Dei, relates the explanation that Varro gives of all the mysterious particulars of the worship of Cybele or the Earth.

She is cal∣led, says he, the mother of the Gods; the Drum which is ascribed to her, is the Figure of the Globe of the Earth; the Turrets that she carries over her head, re∣present the Towns; the Seats that sur∣round her, shew that she only stands still, while all things are in motion round about her; the Eunuch Priests who attend her, denote that to get Corn and Seeds the Earth must be manured, because all things are to be found in her Bosom; their agitations and motions before their Goddess, teach Husbandmen that they must not lye still, because they have always something to do; the sound of Cymbals denote the noise of

the Instrument of Husbandry; the Cymbals are made of Brass, because they were for∣merly of that Metal, before Iron was found. The tame and untied Lion gives us to un∣derstand, that there is no Land so wild and and barren, but may be manured. Besides, Tellus having many Names and Sirnames, she was taken for several Deities. They think, says he, that Tellus is the Goddess Ops, because she mends, and grows better by Labour; the Mother of the Gods, because she brings forth a great many things; the great Mo∣ther, because she produces Food; Proserpina, because Corn comes out of her Bosom; Vesta, because she cloaths herself with Grass and green Turf.

This is the Physical Explication of the most particular things Poets and Historians have feigned concerning Cybele, so much reverenc'd by the Greeks and Romans. By all these names they meant the same Goddess, viz. the most effeminate part of the world, which is like its Mother; whereas the Sun and Stars are con∣sidered as the Father thereof

Strabo informs us of the greatest part of the Ceremonies used in honour of this Goddess, which were always performed with fury and transport of mind. The fury of the Priests of Cybele was the voluntary agitation of Fana∣tick Men, who made a great noise and tumult, and cut their Bodies with Knives, so that these Sacrifices of Cybele, were like those performed by the Priests of Baal, related in the Book of Kings. Pliny tells that the Priests of Cybele used to cut off the marks of their Sex with a Knife, made of Medicinal Earth, found in the Island of Samos, and that they run in no danger of their Life, when they made use of that sort of Knives.

There is an old Marble at Rome, cut in ho∣nour of the great Mother of the Gods, with the figure of that Goddess crown'd with a Turret, holding with one hand a Drum, and with the other some Ears of Corn: She sets upon a Chariot drawn by two Lyons, attend∣ed by Atys, who holds a Ball in his Hand, and leans upon a Pine-tree, for this Tree was con∣secrated to her.

There are yet three Medals to be seen where Cybele is otherwise represented. One is of the Emperor Severus, where she is represented holding with one hand a Scepter, and with the other a Thunder-bolt, and her Head co∣vered with a Turret: She rid upon a Lyon flying through the Air. The other Medal is of the Emperor Geta, stampt after the same manner, with this Inscription Indulgentia Au∣gustorum. The third is of Julia, who represents the Mother of the Gods crown'd with Tur∣rets, attended by two Lions, and sitting upon a Throne, she holds with her right hand a branch of Pine-tree, and lays her left hand on a Drum, with this Motto Mater Deum.

This Goddess is also represented with a great many Breasts, to shew that she feeds Men and Beasts, and carries Turrot on her Head, and has two Lions under her Arms.