CAMILLUS, or CASMILLUS,
was the Minister of the Gods Cabiri: Thus Plutarch says, that the Romans and Greeks gave this Name to a young Man, who served in the Temple of Jupiter, as the Greeks gave it to Mercury: Mi¦nistrantem in ade Jovis puerum in flore aetatis dici Camillum; ut & Mercurium Graecorum nonnulli Camillum à ministerio appellavêre. Varro thinks that this Name comes from the Mysteries of the Samothracians. Macrobius informs us, that the young Boys and Maids, who ministred to the Priests and Priestesses of the Pagan Deities were call'd Camilli and Camillae: Romani quoque pueros puellasve nobiles & investes, Camillos & Camillas appellant, Flaminicarum & Flaminum praeministros. Servius says, that in the Tuscan Tongue Mer∣cury was call'd Camillus, as being the Minister of the Gods. This Word Camillus obtained among the Tuscans, Romans, Greeks, Samothracians, and the Egyptians; and came from the East into the West. Bochart thinks that this Word might be deriv'd from the Arabick chadamae, i. e. ministrare: And 'tis well known, that the Arabick has much Affinity with the Phoenician and Hebrew Tongues. Grotius derives Camillus from Chamarim Writings wherein this Term signifies Priests or Augurs.