OF SERPENTS. 235 



Wh E R E the Country abounded with Wood, a Dog was fixt 

 in the Governor's Standard, to which the Egyptians gave no httle 

 Veneration, efpecially Sportfmen .... as the Poet obferves *. 



That which gives fbme colour to this Partition of Ofirh\ 

 Kingdom, is, " that God ordained very near the fame thing to be 

 " obferved in the Encampments of the Ifraelifes, when he divided 

 " the twelve Tribes into four Bodies, and allotted to one of the 

 " three Tribes, belonging to each Body, the Figure of an Ajiimal 

 '■'■to be placed iii the Banner: Thus, that of Reuben carried the 

 " Figure of a Man ; that of yudah, a Lion ; that of Dan, an 

 " Eagle ; and that of Ephraim, an Ox -f-". 



After this manner the Egyptian Monarch did place in their 

 Banners the Figures of certain Animals, which, by degrees were 

 uflier'd into their Religion and Temples. 



N. B. These Banners thus painted with different Animals, 

 were fixt upon Poles, between their feveral Provinces, by which 

 their Bounds were determined. Semiramis, being conquered by 

 Staurobates, Antiquity feign'd flie was changed by the Gods irito 

 a Dove, the Bird of Venus, which is the reafon why the Do'ue 

 was worfhipped by the Babyloniajts, and why they gave it in their 

 cEnfign . 



I Conclude this Part with fome Inftances, that are given of 

 the Sottifhnefs of Pagans in what they called religious Worfhip, 

 which indeed is almoft incredible, if they were not common, and 



well attefted. The Egyptians did not only worfhip variety of 



Beafls, but alfo the Figures of them, as the Reprefentatives of 

 their Gods : Each City and Diftrid entertain'd a peculiar Devo- 

 tion for fome particular Beaft or other, in honour of which they 

 .built Temples ; yea, every one of the Pagan Deities had his own 

 Beaft, Tree and Plant confecrated to him. Thus the Pigeon was 

 confecrated to Venus ; the Dragon and Owl to Minerva ; the Eagle 

 to 'Jupiter j the Cock to JEJadapius and the Sun. This, fays Ju- 

 rieu, is the true Origin of the Egyptian Idolatry. Ibid. Who 

 adds, The Egyptians afTign'd to their Gods certain Animals, as 

 their Reprefentatives, and being introduced into the Temples, 

 as the Images were in fome Chriftian Churches, they at laft be- 



H h 2 gan 



* Oppida tot a canein 'venerantnr, iiemo TJianam. Juvenal. Satir. xv. 

 The Dog whole Towns, BiaiM none implore. 

 f Jurkth Crit. Hiji. vol. ii. 



