Chap. VI Of Astaroth, Ammonia, Juno, the Queen of Heaven, Diana of the Ephesians
As the Sun was worshipped under many names, so likewise the Moon. Astaroth was the Idol chiefly of the Zidonians, 1 King. 11. 5. 2 King. 23. 13. she had her Temple, called the house of Astaroth, in which the Philistims hanged up Saul’s Armor458 after his death, 1 Sam. 31. 10. That the Moon was worshipped under these names needs not proof;459 only some say,460 that Astarte was Juno: and why may we not say, that Juno was often used to express the Moon? Both the Moon and Juno are often called by the name of Urania.461 And as the Moon in respect of her light is called Urania; so in regard of the lesser lights in the heaven, she is called Astroarche that is, the Queen of the Planets;462 or as Horace speaketh of the Moon, Siderum Regina, the Queen of the Stars: Or lastly, as Virgil speaketh of Juno; Divum incedo regina, the Queen of the Gods. It seemeth very probable, that this is that Queen of Heaven, of which the Prophet speaketh, Jer. 7. 18. Jer. 44. 17. Again, unto whom may we imagine those ancient Heathens to have performed that solemn worship, which they did on the Calends, or first day of every month (was it not to the Moon?) And yet notwithstanding it is ascribed to Juno whence she is called Juno Calendaris.463 Lastly, As Jupiter Ammon was no other than the Sun,464 and worshipped him in form of a Ram; so for ought I see, the Moon might be called Juno Ammonia, and worshipped in the form of a sheep.465 Sure I am, that the Hebrew Doctors466 describe the Images of Astaroth, to have been made in the form of sheep; and the word Astaroth, in the Original, signifieth a flock of sheep, and the Moon might as well be called Ammonia, as the Sun Ammon, both being so called from their heat, which in the Holy Tongue is called Hammah,467 and from thence likewise those Images (of which we read, Levit. 26. 30. Isa. 17. 8. Isa. 27. 9.) are called Hammianim,468 because they were certain Idols placed upon the house top, and so alwayes exposed to the Sun. Furthermore, as Jupiter Ammon was painted with horns,469 so likewise was the Moon:470 why they should be thus painted, many reasons might be produced, but chiefly three; the first peculiar to the Sun, the other common both to Sun and Moon. First, the Sun was painted with Rams horns, because with the Astronomers the sign Aries in the Zodiack is the beginning of the year.471 Secondly, because as the strength of horned beasts consists in their horns, so the virtue and influence of the Sun and Moon is derived into sublunary creatures by their beams. Thirdly, because the light of the Sun and Moon makes the reflection cornute, or horn-like. When Moses came down from God, Aaron and the people saw that his face shined, Exod. 34. the Latine reads it, Facies ejus erat cornuta: and hence it is, that Moses is painted with horns, which some of the Rabbines have interpreted472 horns of magnificence. The errour grew from the doubtful signification of the Hebrew word signifying splendor or brightness and also horns.
The Moon was also worshipped under the name of Diana,473 who although she were worshipped thorowout all Asia, yet she was had in principal esteem among the Ephesians, whence arose that cry, Great is Diana of the Ephesians, Act. 19. 28. Her greatness among the Ephesians appeareth partly by her Temple; which in one place Pliny saith474 was two hundred and twenty years abuilding, but elsewhere475 he saith 400 years: partly from the great gain procured unto the Silver-smiths in making and selling silver Temples of Diana. Act. 19. 24. It is much disputed what those silver Temples were; some think them to be little houses, or shrines (such as were for their smallness portable) in form representing the Temple of Diana, and within having the Image of Diana inclosed, and in this sense ναίδια is sometimes used, to signifie closets or shrines wherein Images were kept: Others think, certain coyns or pieces of money to be called by the name of Diana’s Temple, from the similitude of Diana’s Temple engraven or stamped upon those coyns: as in England we call some pieces of gold the George, others the Angel, others the Thistle, from the impression which they bear. The like custom of naming coyns from their Sculpture or impression was not unusual among the Ancients;476 neither were such coyns unusual on which the Temple of Diana was engraven, and these capital letters added, DIAN. EPHE. Theodorus Beza in his major Annotations upon the Acts, reporteth that he hath seen two of these himself.
We read477 of another kind of Idolatrous Worship towards the Moon, to have been that men sacrificed to her in womans apparel, and women in mens apparel, because they thought the Moon to be both male and female, whence the Moon is called by old Authors as well Lunus as Luna: And Venus, whom Philocorus affirms to be the Moon, is termed Deus Venus, as well as Dea Venus. Some have thought478 that God had respect unto this kind of Idolatry, Deut. 22. 5. Where men are forbidden to wear womens apparel, & è contra; but it is more generally, and upon better grounds thought, that the promiscuous use of apparel (whereby the distinction of sex is taken away) is there forbidden.
Notes
458 Horum Anathematum oblationem primo didicerunt ab Israelitis, Num. 7. 1 Sam. 21.
459 Ἀστάρτην δὲ ἐγὼ δοκέω σεληναίαν ἔμμεναι. Astarten lunam esse opinor. Lucian. de dea Syria.
460 August. super. Judic. quæst. 16.
461 Astarte Urania idem omnino valet apud Phœnicas, quod Juno Lucina apud Latinos. Deducitur, Urania ab Hebræo אור Nun in fine adjecto aut per se solum, aut cum Jod quod passim fit Syris, quasi אורן vel אורני in fœminino vero אורניא (i.) Lucidus & Lucida, aut Lucinus & Lucina. Et hinc Græci suum ὀυρανὸν mutuati sunt.
462 Αστροάρχη dicitur, παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἄστρων ἀρχὴν ab imperio quod in astra exercet. vid. Herodian. l. 5.
463 Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 15.
464 Macrob. Sat. l. 1. c. 21.
465 Cœl. Rhodig. l. 18. c. 58.
466 D. Kimchi. 1 Sam. 31. 10. It. Jud. 2. 13.
467 המה Calor. Sol.
468 R. Solomon in Levit. 26. 30.
469 … stat corniger illis Jupiter. Lucan, l. 9. v. 514.
470 Syderum regina bicornis, audi, Luna, puellas. Horat. car. sæcular.
471 Pier. hierogl. l. 10.
472 קרני ההוד cornua magnificentiæ, R. Solom. porro Hebraicum קרן (unde Κέρας & cornu emanarunt) significat in morem cornuum splendorem radiosq; emittere.
473 Macrob. Saturn. l. 1. c. 15.
474 Plin. l. 36. 14.
475 Plin. l. 16. 40.
476 Simili prorsus ratione Atheniensium nummos quosdam, boves: eorundem Atheniensium alios quosdam Κόρας (i.) puellas, alios Corinthiorum πώλους pullos: alios Peloponnesiorum χελώνας testudines; alios Romanorum naves vocabant.
477 Macrob. Saturn. l. 3. c. 8. Non absimilem idololatriam in cultu Veneris prodidit Julius Firmicus de errore profan. religion. c. 4.
478 Maimonid. in more Nebochim part. 3. cap. 38.