418 THE COPTIC ELEMENT IN 



mytliology, we find tlie lotus, a sacred plant, dedicated to Lakslimi 

 or Sri, the Indian Ceres, who is called Padma-Devi, or the goddess of 

 the lotus, Padma being one of the names of this plant. ®^ Another 

 name for it is Tamara. I have no hesitation in identifying Padam 

 with PiTHOM or P-ATHOM, and Tamara with Thaom-ra, names of the 

 Egyptian solar god. Not only does the plough of Athom suit a 

 connection with Ceres or Sri, but we also find in Arabian tradition 

 that the brother of the YODHAM or ETHAM, who gave his name 

 to a portion of the stony peninsula, is LAKHM, a form holding 

 the same relation to Lakshmi that Lokman does to Lakshman.®* 

 One of the most interesting geographical connections of the word 

 under consideration is furnished by the geography of Palestine, to 

 which, in its southern region, I have attributed the beginnings of 

 civilization. Near BETHLEHEM, which is the H(ms& of LACHM 

 or bread, are found, according to Josephus, the springs of ETHAM, 

 whence flows the TAAMIREH river.^^* It is not at all improbable 

 that Tamara may be the same word as the Hebrew TAMAR, a palm 

 tree, the connection being found in the Ehamnus Lotus of the 

 ancients, the Zizyphus lotus of botanists.^ The fruit of these 

 trees and the seeds of the Nymphsea and Nelumbo were very early 

 important articles of food, and might well be classed among the 

 chief gifts of Ceres. The lotus, again, is the favourite plant of 

 Isis, who is the same as Lakshmi or Padma, since she stands to 

 Osiris in the same relation as the latter bears to Iswara. The child 

 of Isis is Harpocrates or Semphucrates, who is generally represented 

 sitting upon the lotus leaf ^ This Semphtj-crates is identical with 

 the Indian Swayambhuva, and Swayambhuva is Adima, Yotma, or 



83 Researches concerning the laws, theology, learning, commerce, &c. of Ancient and Modem 

 India, by Q. Crawford, Esq,, Lond. 1817. Vol. i., 145, &c. 



83 Sale's Koran. Genealogical Table of the Descendants of Kahtan. The name Lakhm or 

 Lakshmi is the Hebrew LACHAM, eat, LECHEM, hread, frmt of a tree, Arabic food; and 

 is thus a fitting name to connect with Ceres. 



83* The Birthplace of Ancient Religions and Civilization. Canadian Journal, Aug. 1871,. 

 p. 171, seq. 



Joseph. Antiq. viii., 7, 3. Eitter's Comparative Geography of Palestine. Translat., Edta., 

 1866, iii. 81, 93-4, 333-40. 



Vide Psalm Ixxiv, 15, where the same name in the Septuagint is rendered in our English, 

 version by the word mighty. 



8* Lindley's Vegetable Kingdom, 582. 



85 Guigniaut, Religions de 1' Antiquite. Tom. i. , 161. 



86 Id., iv., 46. 



Banier, La Mythologie et les Fables expliqueea par rhistoire. Tom. i.,, 493. 



