35 



The word Cabiri, in Celto-Phcenician, literally means the 

 confederacy or brotherhood of science. Cabar is a confede- 

 racy or secret society, i, of science. The four degrees or 

 steps of initiation into this order, were named Axieros, Ax- 

 iochersa, Axiochersus, and Camillus, or Casmillos. These 

 were made deities by the Greeks, the Phoenicians themselves 

 encouraging or perhaps propagating an error, the explana- 

 tion of which was part of the secrets of the confederacy. 

 The confederacy itself originated at a very early period of 

 Phoenician history, and seems to have partaken of the es- 

 sence of the policy by which that people aimed to keep the 

 world in ignorance, and to carry on in secret their extensive 

 operations in commerce, navigation, and mining; the se- 

 crets of these arts being enveloped in terrible mysteries, 

 which deterred the ignorant and unenlightened from inter- 

 ference. By these means they succeeded in securing to 

 themselves for ages the exclusive sovereignty of the seas, 

 the entire commerce, and the greater part of the wealth of 

 the world. 



The discovery of the identity of the Celtic and Phoenician 

 tongues has led to the exposition of the true meaning of the 

 names and nature of these imaginary Cabiric deities, which 

 the author explained as follows : — 



Axieros. — The first step. — The initiation by the shedding 

 of blood. 



Axiochersa. — The second degree. — The communication 

 to the ear of the more important secret of silence. 



Axiochersus. — The third degree. — The communication to 

 the ear of the silent secrecy of experience. 



Camillus, or Casmillos. — The fourth degree. — The per- 

 fection of all knowledge. 



Vulcan is said to have been the father or founder of the 

 Cabiri. This name in Celtic signifies the profound metallur- 

 gist, smith, or worker in metals ; Fol Gaun, or Bal Gaun, the 

 lord smith. It is also worthy of remark, that in Sanconia- 



v2 



