Page:The Mythology of the Aryan Nations.djvu/383

Rh As such the symbol was from the first venerated as a protecting CHAP. power, and the Palladion thus acquired its made virtue.^ So guarded, "- Rods and Jacob IS content to he down to sleep m his weary journey to the pillars, 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,^ the forms of which in most cases tell their own story, is common throughout the East, some of the most elaborate being found near Ghizni.^ The wooden emblem carries us, however, more directly to the natural mythology of the subject. The rod acquired an inherent vitality, and put forth leaves and branches in the Thyrsoi of the Dionysiac worshippers and the Seistron* of Egyptian priests. It became the tree of life, and reappeared as the rod of wealth and happiness given by ApoUon to Hermes,* the mystic spear which Abaris received from the Hyper- borean 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

1 The word denotes simply a figure of Pallas, and Pallas is but another form of Phallos. To the same class belong the names of Pales, the Latin god of flocks and shepherds, and of the Sicilian Palikoi. The former is con- nected wth the Roman Palatium, the spot doubtless where the emblem was supposed to have been first set up. The latter are Dioskouroi, twin sons of Zeus and Thaleia, although they have rather the character of demons. For the de- scription of an ancient Egyptian amulet illustrating the expression " Phallos of the sun," see Brown, The Unicorn, 80. Here the Phallos is placed before the horizon, as showing the secret power of the sun in the renewal of the face of the world, and is winged in order to identify it with the solar orbs. ' They are the columns of Herakles, Dionysos, Osiris, and Sesostris. The statements of Herodotos about the pillars set up by this last-named god are singularly significant. They are distinctly connected with virile strength, although he supposes that they were erected to receive inscriptions. The names of those nations, who had won a reputation for bravery, were carved on them without further marks ; b-riaiv 5e a^aXT?!"! Kal €67r€T€'&)STrap€'o)3€ rasirdAis, TOvToicri 5€ 4vfypape iv rfjcri ffT-fiAyai Kara ravTO. Kal ro7cn avBpri'ioiai rwv i6v4uu •yivojjLiVoiai, koX St] koI aiSoTa yvvaiKiis trpocrevfypa-ipf, iBrja ^ovfifvos ■Koteeiv ais etris'av avaKKSiS, ii. I02. In short, they exhibited, like the representa- tions of Vishnu, the two emblems com- bined; and they might be combined in many ways. " Das Zeichen Schiba's ein Triangel, mit der Spitze nach oben (A), das aufwarts strebende, Feuer ver- sinnlichend, wie umgekehrt, des feuchten Wischnu Symbol das (v), das abwarts fliessende Wasser versinnlichend. Da- mit die Welt geschaffen werde, musste Wischnu einst dem Schiba die Dienste des Weibes leisten. Der monotheist- ische Israelit gab beide Zeichen dem Jehovah, wie der Jiidische Talisman I Y_X ) Scutum Davidis genannt, be- weist." — Nork, s.v. Schiba. We can- nothesitate to connectwiththesecolumns the pillared Saints whether of the East or the West. The Stylite did not choose thus to exalt himself without any rea- son. He found the column or pillar, Phallos, an object of idolatrous reve- rence, and he wished doubtless to con- nect the emblem with more spiritual associations. symbols in combination. the Manichean myths prevalent among the Albigenses was one preserved to us by the troubadour Pierre de St. Cloud. When Adam was driven out of paradise, God in mercy gave him a mira- culous rod, which possessed creative powers." — Baring-Gould, Legends of Old Testament Characters, i. 44.
 * Fergusson, ///s/. of Arch., ii. 642.
 * This instrument exhibits both the
 * Hymn to Hermes, 529. "Among