THE MERMAID. 9 



but all the rest of the body a fish's." And this very same 

 image at Ascalon, which Diodorus calls Derceto, or 

 Atergatis, is denominated by Herodotus* "the celestial 

 Aphrodite," who was identical with the Cyprian and Roman 

 Venus. Of all the sacred buildings erected to the goddess, 

 this temple was by far the most ancient ; and the Cyprians 



FIG. 8. — VENUS RISING FROM THE SEA, SUPPORTED BY TRITONS. 

 After Calvict. 



themselves acknowledged that their temple was built after 

 the model of it by certain Phoenicians who came from 

 that part of Syria, 



Thus the worship of Noah, as the second father of man- 

 kind, the repopulator of the earth, passed through various 



* Lib. i. cap. cv. 



