April, igi? Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society 



god Achorem to kill the flies which were producing a pestilence. 

 This certainly suggests a triple etymological connection — Ekron, 

 Acheron, Achorem. For eighteen centuries, however, commen- 

 tators have been in error on this passage, pointing out Zeus 

 Apomuios and Hercules with similar epithet. True, one of the 

 attributes of Zeus and Jupiter is as a successful driver away of 

 flies. The monstrous Hercules had similar great power over in- 

 sects. When he finally settled down to live in Sicily; the Cicadas 

 disturbing his noon naps, he struck them all perpetually dumb for 

 fifty miles around. Both gods were fly killers. Beelzebub was 

 their natural father and protector. With their annoyance he hit 

 back at his Hebrew detractors. 



Two or more broods of children were born to Samael and 

 Lihth. Tradition makes plenty of mention of the second, the 

 female devils, which made Lilith a mediaeval by-word, terror of 

 women in childbirth, to be fought with amulets — an easier way 

 than by righteous living. For the first brood there is more slen- 

 der authority. Perhaps it was taken for granted that, as Beelze- 

 bub was father of flies, his wife Lilith must have been their 

 mother. Per contra, if Lilith bore this brood of flies, Samael 

 must have been the father, and hence his epithet. In very early 

 Sanscrit authority a day each year was set apart for a festival for 

 flies. They were fed and cajoled, not for themselves, but to 

 placate the evil demon who fathered their existence. Compare 

 also the Avestic account. Almost from the beginning the evil 

 author of a half of existence brought into the world insects 

 (translated as " wasps ") " which are very death to the cattle and 

 the fields." In all Egypt the wasp typified power of death over 

 humanity (cf, Bull.^. April, 1916, testimony of the Tombs, p. 1 

 et seq.). It may be noticed that in Hebrew literature the wasp 

 is just as deadly. Its name here is tsir. In Exodus, " I will send 

 hornets before thee, which will drive out the Hivite." In Deu- 

 teronomy, " Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet 

 among them, until they that are left and hide themselves from 

 thee shall be destroyed." In Joshua, " And I send the hornet 

 before you, which drave out from before you, even the two Kings 

 of the Amorites." Even kings could not withstand the hornet of 

 the Hebrews. 



