Cox, George - Aryan Mythology Vol 2.pdf

114 MYTHOLOGY OF THE ARYAN NATIONS.
BOOK virtue. 1
II
So guarded, Jacob is content to lie down to sleep^
in his weary journey to the house of Laban ;
;
and according
to later Jewish tradition the stone so set up was carried to
Jerusalem, and there reverenced. But the erection of these
stone columns or pillars, 2 the forms of which in most cases
tell their own story, are common throughout the East, some
of the most elaborate being found near Ghizni. 3 The
wooden emblem carries us, however, more directly to the
natural mythology of the subject. The rod acquired an in-
herent vitality, and put forth leaves and branches in the
Thyrsoi of the Dionysiac worshippers and the Seistron 4 of
Egyptian priests. It became the tree of life, and reappeared
as the rod of wealth and happiness given by Apollon to
Hermes, 5 the mystic spear which Abaris received from the
Hyperborean Sun-god, and which came daily to Phoibos in
his exile laden with all good things. It was seen as the
lituus of the augur, the crooked staff of the shepherd, the
sceptre of the king, and the divining rod which pointed out
hidden springs or treasure to modern conjurors. 6 In a form
1 The word denotes simply a figure and they might he combined in many
of Pallas, and Pallas is but another ways. Das Zeichen Schiba's ein Triform
of Phallos. To the same class angel, mit der Spitze nach oben (A),
belong the names of Pales, the Latin das aufwarts strebende, Feuer versinngod
of flocks and shepherds, and of the lichend, wie umgekehrt, des feuchten
Sicilian Palikoi. The former is con- Wischnu Symbol das (v). das abwarts
nected with the Roman Palatium, the fliessende Wasser versinnlichend. Daspot
doubtless where the emblem was mit die Welt geschaffen werde, musste
supposed to have been first set up. The "Wischnu einst dem Schiba die Dienste
latter are Dioskouroi, twin sons of Zeus des Weibes leisten. Der monotheistand
Thaleia, although they have rather ische Israelit gab beide Zeichen dem
the character of demons. Jehovah, wie der Judische Talisman
2 They are the columns of Herakles, /v_
Dionysos, Osiris and Sesostris. The ( V Y ) Scutum Davidis genannt, bestatements
of Herodotos about the v
pillars set up by this last-named god weist.'—Nork, s. v. Schiba. We cannot
are singularly significant. They are hesitate to connect with these columns
distinctly connected with virile strength, the pillared Saints whether of the East
although he supposes that they were or the West. The Stylite did not choose
erectedtoreceiveinscriptions. Thenames thus to exalt himself without any rea-
of those nations, who had won a reputa- son. He found the column or pillar,
tion for bravery, were carved on them Phallos, an object of idolatrous reverence,
without further marks: otcW 5e d/uaxyrl and he wished doubtless to connect the
koI 6U7reTe'a>s TrapeKafie rds irdMs, tovtokti emblem with more spiritual associations.
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