Idolatry and Philosophy of the Zabians. 211 
Cause; they scarcely remembered Ormusd and Ahriman, adoring 
Mithras* the sun, in every possible shape and personification. The 
priesthood and philosophers were the depositories of what otherwise 
was out of recollection. . 
It has been said that the eastern sky represented Ormusd,—the 
western Ahriman, or in other words, the enlightened hemisphere 
represented the former,—the hemisphere of night the latter. Mi- 
thras, the sun, who continually appears in his great character of Me- 
diator, by his rising dispelled the darkness, and was swallowed up in 
the night. This circumstance furnished a beautiful personification of 
those powers. Ormusd was painted fair and bright, Ahriman was 
black, and clothed in a sable mantle studded with stars. 
That Pentheistic belief which was then prevalent, joined to the 
discovery of five erring stars, which revolved round the sun, and the 
‘supposed magical influence of the moon, all which were instinct with 
spirit, and rolled in their courses by angels, emanations from Mitbras 
the invigorator, directed these idolaters to offer to each one a day,t 
and thus the week of seven days, of still more ancient institution, 
“was parted out by the Zabians. The day consecrated to Mithras, 
‘was the Sabbath. 
The Zodiac was divided into twelve signs, six summer, six winter. 
The six summer ones were of course the representatives of Ormusd, 
the winter ones of Ahriman, for Mithras voyaged alternately through 
them, and furnished personifications of the Great Angels. Ormusd 
_ like the Seraphim and sphynxes of Egypt, had a form shaped“from 
the summer constellations; Ahriman such as might be formed out of 
Capricorn, Scorpio, and other dreary signs; cloven feet, horns, &c. 
- When Mithras the intercessor entered Aries, he was denominated the 
- Lamb of Ormusd, and so of his other personifications. His entrance 
upon these two distinct courses was celebrated throughout the world 
by grand festivals, one at the commencement of Spring, the other 
at the commencement of Autumn; of these, the May day festival 
actually still exists in those nations of Europe which are descendants 
of the Goths. 
Every fixed and regular astronomical occurrence was thus per- 
sonified or furnished personifications. It will hereafter be shewn 
* The Colossus of Rhodes was an image of thesun. The sacred rites of Osiris 
were commemorative of his half yearly course. 
+ Gibbon Decl. and Fall, v. 9, p. 244. Sale prelim. Disc. 14—24, Asiat. Res. v. 
2, p.59. Assemani Bib. Orient. b. 4, p. 580. 
