of the Greeks which atteft that the twelve labours of the Hero allude to the Sun paffing the twelve figns of the Zodiack, during his annual revolution.

I have the honour to be, &c.

VOL. II.

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LETTER

LETTE R. XXI.

OF HORUS, A SYMBOLICAL DEITY.

The hawk was a fymbol of Horus, as well as of Ofiris, to whom fimilar attributes were frequently afcribed; his throne fupported by lions, because he reprefented the Sun at the Summer folftice: bis education at Butis, on the banks of the grand lake, denoted his power in attracting vapours, which fell in dews on the earth; bis victory over Typhon fignified the good effects the Sun produced in Summer, as inundation, the expelling the South, and bringing the Etefian, winds.

To M. L. M.

Grand Cairo.

HORUS, a famous deity of antient Egypt, was alfo, Sir, a type of the Sun. Plutarch affirms (f) the virtue refident in the Sun, while he moves through space, the Egyptians named Horus, and the Greeks Apollo. Three

i

(f) Plut. de Ifide et Ofride.

cities,

cities, named after this god (g), prove the veneration he was held in by the people (b). The hawk equally fignifies Ofiris and Horus, to which the fame attributes were sometimes afcribed. In Hermapion's interprétation of the hieroglyphics engraved on the obelisk' at Heliopolis, are thefe remarkable words. "Horus is Lord Supreme, and the Author "`of Time (i),” which are the principal attributes of Ofiris, and, to appertain to Horus, it follows Horus fignified the Sun, in certain figns: as we learn from the oracle of Apollo, at Claros. "Know that the firft

"of the gods is Iao, called the Invisible in "Winter, Jupiter in Spring (k), the Sun in "Summer, and, toward the end of Autumn, "the tender Iao." The Sun at the Summer folftice, then, by pre-eminence, called the Sun, is the fame as Horus. The Egyptians depicted him borne by lions (1) because he

(g) Horapoll. Hieroglyph. lib. 1.

(b) Their Egyptian name was Cities of Horus. The Greeks called them Cities of Apollo.

(i) Ammianus Marcellinus.

(k) i. e. Amoun. Which various denominations will

be explained in the sequel.

(7) Horapoll. Hieroglyph, lib. 1.

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2

entered

entered the fign of Leo. Those who prefided over divine things placed fphinxes, then, at the entrance of canals, and facred fountains, to inform the people of the approaching inundation. We learn from Macrobius why the Greeks called Horus Apollo, and he confirms this opinion. "In their myfteries.

they difcovered, as an inviolable fecret, "that the Sun, entering the fuperior hemif

phere, is called Apollo (m)," These are concurring proofs that this emblematic deity only fignified the Sun when in the Summer figns. This might lead to an interpretation of the facred fable which the priests invented. of Horus, for they continually enveloped their religion in mystery. Plutarch relates it at length (2): I fhall only give an abstract. They affirmed he was the fon of Ifis and Oliris; that Typhon, having killed Ofiris, his brother, feized the kingdom; but Horus, allying himself to Ifis, revenged his father's death, drove the tyrant from the throne, without taking his life, and reigned gloriously in Egypt. Whoever has travelled, but a little,

(m) Macrob. Saturnal. lib. 1. (") De Ifide et Ofiride..

throug

through this country, will obferve phyfical phænomena, concealed under the veil of fable. The wind Khamfin often is very destructive in spring, raifing vortices of fcorching fands which fuffocate travellers, cloud the air, and hide the face of the fun, fo that the earth, fometimes, remains plunged in darknefs. Here are the death of Ofiris, and the reign of Typhon. These tempefts ufually happen in the months of February, March, and April; but are diffipated when the fun approaches Leo, becaufe it changes the atmosphere, and brings the Etefan winds which difpel unwholfome vapours, and maintain coolness, and falubrity, under a fiery fky. This is the triumph of Horus over Typhon, and this his glorious reign. Naturalifts, obferving the influence of the moon on the atmosphere, allied her to the god to chase the ufurper from the throne. Confidering Ofiris as father of time, the priests gave Horus, who reigned three months in the year, the title of his fon. This I

think to be the natural way of explaining the allegory, Men of learning must have understood a language familiar to them; the populace, only, who faw not beyond the Z 3

furface,