Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Pseudo-Clementine Literature/The Clementine Homilies/Homily IX/Chapter 6

Chapter VI.&#8212;Fire-Worship.

&#8220;Thus, in this fashion, there ensued many partitions of the one original kingdom.&#160; The Persians, first taking coals from the lightning which fell from heaven, preserved them by ordinary fuel, and honouring the heavenly fire as a god, were honoured by the fire itself with the first kingdom, as its first worshippers.&#160; After them the Babylonians, stealing coals from the fire that was there, and conveying it safely to their own home, and worshipping it, they themselves also reigned in order.&#160; And the Egyptians, acting in like manner, and calling the fire in their own dialect Phtha&#235;, which is translated Hephaistus or Osiris, he who first reigned amongst them is called by its name.&#160; Those also who reigned in different places, acting in this fashion, and making an image, and kindling altars in honour of fire, most of them were excluded from the kingdom.