The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

NOTES EGYPT. 235
tained that these threats were addressed to demons; how
ever, he was well aware that the Egyptians did not distinguish
clearly between incantations and prayers (VI, 7, 5).
55. Cf. G. Hock, Griechische Weihegebrduche, 1905, pp. 65 ff.
Ps.-Apul., Asclep., 23 : "Homo fictor est deorum qui in templis
sunt et non solum inluminatur, verum etiam inluminat" ; c. 37 :
"Proavi invenerunt artem qua efficerent deos." Cf. George
Foucart, loc. cit. [n. 61] : "La statuaire egyptienne a, avant
tout autre, le caractere de creer des etres vivants."
56. Maspero, Sur la toute-puissance de la parole (Recueil de
travaux, XXIV), 1902, pp. 163-175; cf. my Rechcrches sur le
manicheisme, p. 24, n. 2. The parallelism between the divine
and the sacerdotal influence is established in Ps.-Apul., As
clep ius, 23.
57. lamblichtis, Myst., VI, 6; cf. G. Foucart, La mcthodc
comparative et I liistoirc des religions, 1909, p. 131, 141, 149 ff.
and infra, n. 66. The Egyptians prided themselves on having
been the first "to know the sacred names and to use the sacred
speech" (Luc., DC Dea Syr., i).
58. This has been proven by Otto, Pricstcr und Tempel, I,
pp. 114 ff. Cf. supra, chap. II, n. 35. Certain busts have re
cently inspired Mr. Dennison to give his attention to the
tonsure of the votaries of Isis (American Journ. of Archcol-
gy> V, 1905, p. 341). The Pompeian frescoes representing
priests and ceremonies of the Isis cult are particularly impor
tant for otii* knowledge of the liturgy (Guimet, C. R. Acad. des
Inscr., 1896, pis. VII-IX. Cf. von Bissing, Transact, congr.
relig. Oxford, 1908, I, pp. 225 ff.).
59. CIL, XII, 3061
: "Ornatrix fani."
60. Cf. Kan, De love Dolicheno, 1901, p. 33.
61. Cf. Moret, Le ritucl du culte divin journalicr en Egypte,
Paris, 1902. Just as the ritual of consecration brought the
statue to life (supra, n. 55), the repeated sacrifices sustained
life and made it longa durare per tcmpora (Ps.-Apul., Asclep.,
38). The epithet of de^wos, given to several divinities (CIG,
4598; Griech. Urkundcn of Berlin, I, No. 124), expresses it
exactly. All this is in conformity with the old ideas prevailing
in the valley of the Nile (see George Foucart, Revue des