NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. . dl 
afflicting the people; Baal-Zamen, a divinity worshipped by the Pheeni- 
cians as the god of heaven and of the sun. The discoveries made among 
the ruins of Palmyra brought to light, among other things, a temple of Baal, 
the best and most magnificent monument of antiquity found there. 
The idols of the ancient Phcenicians were as grotesque and diversified as 
those of other eastern nations, as will be seen from the procession of the 
gods (pl. 11, jigs. 5 a, 6, c), which show that animals and parts of animals 
entered largely into the composition of their forms; for everywhere we 
meet with serpents’ heads or tails, parts of fishes, or the heads of birds or 
beasts. ig. 46 represents one of the goddesses, whose name is not known ; 
she has flame-like hair, surmounted by a crown in the shape of a star, and 
before her sits an eagle, with his head and eyes uplifted, as if watching 
her countenance. 72g. 4a represents two other deities, standing by a palm 
tree. The bas-relief was found in the region of Palmyrene. One of them 
is dressed in a skirt which falls from the hips half way down to the knees; 
around the shoulders is a cloak, which appears to be thrown back; the head 
is ornamented with a flat crown, and the left hand armed with a club; 
behind the shoulders we see the crescent, which is probably a characteristic 
attribute. The other figure is that of a youth dressed in an under and upper 
garment, and holding a scroll in his left hand, which he seems to offer to his 
companion. 
V. NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY. 
To the descendant of the Anglo-Saxons, the northern mythology is pecu- 
liarly interesting. When he examines the religious poetry and the solemn 
rites of his forefathers, and enters into the peculiarities which distinguished 
their religion from that of all other nations of antiquity, he must feel proudly 
uplifted by the stern dignity that pervades their myths. Nowhere does 
he meet with the luxuriant allegories of the Grecian mythology, the adven- 
tures of Jupiter, or the intrigues of Juno; but everywhere an abundance 
of vigor, and the majesty of a deeply-rooted love of truth and honesty set 
forth in tales of surprising simplicity. It is true, the good is not entirely 
unalloyed by evil, yet the innate respect of the Northern people for virtue, 
veracity, and purity of heart, is predominant. It is evinced by the very 
simplicity and grandeur of the northern mythology, whose powerful and 
highly figurative poetry is unequalled by anything presented by other 
Pagan nations of antiquity. 
‘The religion of the Scandinavians was at one time the prevailing belief 
of all the Germanic tribes that inhabited the shores of the Baltic and the 
Rhine, as well as that of the Francs and Westphalians. But when Norway 
was conquered in the ninth century, and the countries around it acknow- 
ledged the truth of Christianity, and the freest and proudest families saved 
their liberty and their faith by taking up their abode in Iceland, this 
country became properlv the home of their religion, and Icelandic poetry is 
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