Dr. Wall on the Ufe of Symbols . 249 
to convey fome particular information, and was 
afterwards retained in the figure, though the 
intention of its firfb application was forgotten. 
The ^Egyptians, we are told,* expreffed the 
different ftages of the inundation of the Nile, 
by expofing columns or poles, with one or more 
croffes upon them : and this crofs was fometimes 
connected with other fymbols, to denote fome 
other, circumftance, either of the feafon or fitu- 
ation of the planets, which concurred with the 
inundation. Hence, we fee it annexed, not only 
to this fymbol of Jupiter, but alfo to that of 
Venus, Saturn, and Mercury. 
As Jupiter was reprefented under this form, 
it became common in after-times for great 
princes, who wifhed to be confidered as his de¬ 
fendants, or whofe ambition led them to afpire 
to deification, to affume the fame mark of dif- 
tin&ion in their medals and ftatues, as we fee 
frequently in thofe of Alexander the Great, and 
his fuccefibrs, particularly the Seleucids and 
the Ptolemies. Hence to it was adopted by 
Marc Anthony, when his extravagant attachment 
to the ^Egyptian Queen prevailed upon him, to 
relinquifh the Roman drefs and manners, and 
to affume the habits and infignia of honour, ufed 
by the eaflern nations, f As this pra&ice pre- 
* L’Hiftoire du Ciel par VAbbe Pluche, Ch. I. §. 8. 
t Cpokt r’s Medallic Hiltory of Imperial Rome, vol. I. 
ri- 7 * F'g- I h lz > 16. 
vailed 
