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CHAPTÉR TIÍ.

OF POLYTHEISM, OR TRADITIONAL RELIGION, AND FIRST

OF THE POLYTHEISM OF THE GREEKS.

THERE were two kinds of Polytheism which prevailed on the borders of the Mediterranean, differing considerably in their character and origin. I shall denominate them Polytheism of the Greeks, and Polytheism of the Egyptians, though both appear to have originated in the same country, Egypt, but in later times, the former prevailed most in Greece, and the latter among the Egyptians.

Of the Polytheism of the Greeks.-The Greek word. theoi, which is translated Gods, being derived from a word which signified to order, place, establish, or regulate, was originally used to denote the regulators of the affairs of the human race, or those things on which the state and condition of mankind depended. Among these were included, 1st. The laws of nature. 2d. Objects which produce very important effects, whether they exist on earth, or in heaven, as the sun, the moon, the earth and the ocean. 3d. Heroes, statesmen, and philosophers, who have possessed a great influence over mankind. 4th. Important arts and institutions. 5th. The most important virtues and vices. These were afterwards changed, in the opinion of the people, into Gods or intelligent beings. The causes which contributed to this change, were, 1st. The figurative language, used always by man, but more fre

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quently in early ages, by which inanimate things were personified, and qualities attributed to them, which belong to mind alone. 2d. The festivals that were held, and the temples that were created to their honor. 3d. The fictions and allegories of the poets. 4th. The relation of parent and child, brother and sister, husband and wife, in which they were said to stand towards one another. 5th. Traditions concerning their power, the punishment which they had inflicted on those who had offended them, and the benefits which they had confered on their favorites. 6th. The honor which it was to a man, to be numbered among them. 7th. State policy and priestcraft.

1. Mankind in all ages, have made free use of figures of speech, in expressing their ideas; but the use of them was much the most frequent in the early ages of society, when words were few, and great liberty in the use of them was necessary, personification was a favorite figure. By this inanimate things, and particularly the inanimate theoi, were converted into beings governed by mind and reason, qualities being attributed to them, which exist in mind alone. They were represented as acting, contriving, and willing, and as their acts were of the most important kind, men began to regard them as beings of a superior order, actually possessing mind and thoughts, and a power far above their own. Instances of personification, which tend to produce this effect, are frequent in all authors. It is unnecessary, that examples should be mentioned, but I will give one from a celebrated modern poet : "Oh love, how perfect is thy mystic art,

"Strengthening the weak, and trampling on the strong," Says Lord Byron. Art, we know, is an attribute of mind alone, and such a figure has a tendency to make love regarded as an intellectual being.

But nothing would be more frequently personified

than nature, the greatest, or rather the sum total of all the theoi, united; all others being but branches of nature, or of the love of nature, or objects which are dependant on it for their existence and influence. Of this, in fact, we can scarcely speak, except in such language as would excite a belief that we regarded it as intelligent. We call nature the governor of the uni verse, because on her depends its condition. We represent her as powerful, because man cannot resist her operations, but must submit to them, or endeavor to turn them to his advantage. We say that she directs the conduct of man, because as the constitution of his mind is dependant on, or rather forms a branch of nature, she does in fact govern his will. The order and regularity which we observe in her operations, the adaptation by her hand of every object to the purpose for which it is formed, we indicate by calling her wise, and by asserting that her contrivances are ingen. ious. We assert that she punishes the guilty for their crimes, because it is she that arms and unites men against those who have injured them, because when a man has dared to take the life of a fellow being, she not only commands others, through a regard for their own safety, to spill his blood, but she torments him eternally, by the fear of his fate. These figurative expressions, without which it would be impossible to speak of nature, and her operations, would all contribute to make her regarded as intelligent. Whenever philosophers spoke of her in these terms, they would be understood to mean, not the order in which events succeed each other, but a superior being, who produces that order, and controuled the world, agreeably to the philosophy of the Pantheists.

II. The good of society, and the inclination of mankind, requires that they should often meet together, that their acquaintance and connection with one another may be extended, should no such meetings exist, among the people of the lower orders, they would

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have little knowledge of one another, and for the wane of acquaintance their manners would become corrupt. Virtue, which is supported chiefly by the fear of disgrace, would rapidly decline, for who would fear disgrace, if they had the friendship of none, or few, to lose. The legislator, therefore, who would consult the good of the people, would encourage meetings as mong them, and in this he would find himself seconded by the inclinations of mankind, because every one delights in society, from which the greater part of our happiness is derived. Among christians every seventh day is devoted to religious meetings, besides other festivals. These meetings. serve, in some measure, to extend acquaintance among the people, nor are they too frequent for that purpose. But in a state where no religion existed, meetings of some other kind, would be necessary which might produce the same effect, the extension of acquaintance among the people, and the gratification of their love of society. For this purpose festivals would be established, which would be held usually in honor of some man, who had benefitted his species, of some principle of nature, or of some art or institution, which was regarded as beneficial to mankind. For the benefit and utility of an art might be taught to the people, by a festival dedicated to it, nor would there be any more impropriety in dedicating a festival to a law of nature, or a beneficial inanimate theos, than to the celebration of events which have been beneficial to a nation, in commemoration of which festivals are established among us..

But the state would in a short time proceed farther, and erect temples to the honor of the theoi, in which the festivals already established might be celebrated. Every people, as soon as they have arrived to any considerable degree of civilization, have some spare labor, which they are willing should be devoted to works of architecture, for the ornament of their cities. But in order that they might unite more cheerfully. in

this, it would be necessary that the edifices erected, should be of such a kind, that all might feel equally interested in their con.pletion, and equally gratified by their magnitude and splendor. They would never, or seldom, be erected by individuals, because few persons could bear so great an expense. If they were erected by the people, they must be dedicated to some purpose, in which the people might all be interested, or if they were built by associations of individuals, they must be adapted to the common benefit of the persons by whom they were erected. But this union of interest, could be produced in no manner, better than by dedicating the edifices erected to the honor of the theoi, excepting the few which might be required for the transaction of public business, since the power of celebrating the established festivals, in a convenient manner, would be desirable to all.

It is natural for man to express his sense of the benefit which he derives from an inanimate object, by prayers addressed to it, beseeching it to continue its favors; though he knows that such a petition must be destitute of effect. Hence there would be no ceremony more appropriate to the established festivals, than prayer addressed to that object, or law of nature, or art, to the honor of which the festival was dedicated, requesting that its favor might not be withheld.

At every festival, among other ceremonies, objects would be exhibited, which were produced by, or otherwise connected with the principles of nature or art, in honor of which the festival was held. When philosophers had discovered remote and intricate connexions between the various principles of nature, which compose the chief of the theoi, ceremonies would be adopted, which would be mysterious to the common people, and which could be comprehended only by those who were acquainted with the most abstruse branches of physics. Among these ceremonies we

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