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At¡¡Paphos¡¡the¡¡custom¡¡of¡¡religious¡¡prostitution¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡instituted¡¡by¡¡King¡¡Cinyras£»¡¡and¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡practised¡¡by¡¡his¡¡daughters£»¡¡the¡¡sisters¡¡of¡¡Adonis£»¡¡who£»¡¡having¡¡incurred¡¡the¡¡wrath¡¡of¡¡Aphrodite£»¡¡mated¡¡with¡¡strangers¡¡and¡¡ended¡¡their¡¡days¡¡in¡¡Egypt¡£¡¡In¡¡this¡¡form¡¡of¡¡the¡¡tradition¡¡the¡¡wrath¡¡of¡¡Aphrodite¡¡is¡¡probably¡¡a¡¡feature¡¡added¡¡by¡¡a¡¡later¡¡authority£»¡¡who¡¡could¡¡only¡¡regard¡¡conduct¡¡which¡¡shocked¡¡his¡¡own¡¡moral¡¡sense¡¡as¡¡a¡¡punishment¡¡inflicted¡¡by¡¡the¡¡goddess¡¡instead¡¡of¡¡as¡¡a¡¡sacrifice¡¡regularly¡¡enjoined¡¡by¡¡her¡¡on¡¡all¡¡her¡¡devotees¡£¡¡At¡¡all¡¡events¡¡the¡¡story¡¡indicates¡¡that¡¡the¡¡princesses¡¡of¡¡Paphos¡¡had¡¡to¡¡conform¡¡to¡¡the¡¡custom¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡women¡¡of¡¡humble¡¡birth¡£
Among¡¡the¡¡stories¡¡which¡¡were¡¡told¡¡of¡¡Cinyras£»¡¡the¡¡ancestor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡priestly¡¡kings¡¡of¡¡Paphos¡¡and¡¡the¡¡father¡¡of¡¡Adonis£»¡¡there¡¡are¡¡some¡¡that¡¡deserve¡¡our¡¡attention¡£¡¡In¡¡the¡¡first¡¡place£»¡¡he¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡begotten¡¡his¡¡son¡¡Adonis¡¡in¡¡incestuous¡¡intercourse¡¡with¡¡his¡¡daughter¡¡Myrrha¡¡at¡¡a¡¡festival¡¡of¡¡the¡¡corn¡goddess£»¡¡at¡¡which¡¡women¡¡robed¡¡in¡¡white¡¡were¡¡wont¡¡to¡¡offer¡¡corn¡wreaths¡¡as¡¡first¡fruits¡¡of¡¡the¡¡harvest¡¡and¡¡to¡¡observe¡¡strict¡¡chastity¡¡for¡¡nine¡¡days¡£¡¡Similar¡¡cases¡¡of¡¡incest¡¡with¡¡a¡¡daughter¡¡are¡¡reported¡¡of¡¡many¡¡ancient¡¡kings¡£¡¡It¡¡seems¡¡unlikely¡¡that¡¡such¡¡reports¡¡are¡¡without¡¡foundation£»¡¡and¡¡perhaps¡¡equally¡¡improbable¡¡that¡¡they¡¡refer¡¡to¡¡mere¡¡fortuitous¡¡outbursts¡¡of¡¡unnatural¡¡lust¡£¡¡We¡¡may¡¡suspect¡¡that¡¡they¡¡are¡¡based¡¡on¡¡a¡¡practice¡¡actually¡¡observed¡¡for¡¡a¡¡definite¡¡reason¡¡in¡¡certain¡¡special¡¡circumstances¡£¡¡Now¡¡in¡¡countries¡¡where¡¡the¡¡royal¡¡blood¡¡was¡¡traced¡¡through¡¡women¡¡only£»¡¡and¡¡where¡¡consequently¡¡the¡¡king¡¡held¡¡office¡¡merely¡¡in¡¡virtue¡¡of¡¡his¡¡marriage¡¡with¡¡an¡¡hereditary¡¡princess£»¡¡who¡¡was¡¡the¡¡real¡¡sovereign£»¡¡it¡¡appears¡¡to¡¡have¡¡often¡¡happened¡¡that¡¡a¡¡prince¡¡married¡¡his¡¡own¡¡sister£»¡¡the¡¡princess¡¡royal£»¡¡in¡¡order¡¡to¡¡obtain¡¡with¡¡her¡¡hand¡¡the¡¡crown¡¡which¡¡otherwise¡¡would¡¡have¡¡gone¡¡to¡¡another¡¡man£»¡¡perhaps¡¡to¡¡a¡¡stranger¡£¡¡May¡¡not¡¡the¡¡same¡¡rule¡¡of¡¡descent¡¡have¡¡furnished¡¡a¡¡motive¡¡for¡¡incest¡¡with¡¡a¡¡daughter£¿¡¡For¡¡it¡¡seems¡¡a¡¡natural¡¡corollary¡¡from¡¡such¡¡a¡¡rule¡¡that¡¡the¡¡king¡¡was¡¡bound¡¡to¡¡vacate¡¡the¡¡throne¡¡on¡¡the¡¡death¡¡of¡¡his¡¡wife£»¡¡the¡¡queen£»¡¡since¡¡he¡¡occupied¡¡it¡¡only¡¡by¡¡virtue¡¡of¡¡his¡¡marriage¡¡with¡¡her¡£¡¡When¡¡that¡¡marriage¡¡terminated£»¡¡his¡¡right¡¡to¡¡the¡¡throne¡¡terminated¡¡with¡¡it¡¡and¡¡passed¡¡at¡¡once¡¡to¡¡his¡¡daughter's¡¡husband¡£¡¡Hence¡¡if¡¡the¡¡king¡¡desired¡¡to¡¡reign¡¡after¡¡his¡¡wife's¡¡death£»¡¡the¡¡only¡¡way¡¡in¡¡which¡¡he¡¡could¡¡legitimately¡¡continue¡¡to¡¡do¡¡so¡¡was¡¡by¡¡marrying¡¡his¡¡daughter£»¡¡and¡¡thus¡¡prolonging¡¡through¡¡her¡¡the¡¡title¡¡which¡¡had¡¡formerly¡¡been¡¡his¡¡through¡¡her¡¡mother¡£
Cinyras¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡famed¡¡for¡¡his¡¡exquisite¡¡beauty¡¡and¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡wooed¡¡by¡¡Aphrodite¡¡herself¡£¡¡Thus¡¡it¡¡would¡¡appear£»¡¡as¡¡scholars¡¡have¡¡already¡¡observed£»¡¡that¡¡Cinyras¡¡was¡¡in¡¡a¡¡sense¡¡a¡¡duplicate¡¡of¡¡his¡¡handsome¡¡son¡¡Adonis£»¡¡to¡¡whom¡¡the¡¡inflammable¡¡goddess¡¡also¡¡lost¡¡her¡¡heart¡£¡¡Further£»¡¡these¡¡stories¡¡of¡¡the¡¡love¡¡of¡¡Aphrodite¡¡for¡¡two¡¡members¡¡of¡¡the¡¡royal¡¡house¡¡of¡¡Paphos¡¡can¡¡hardly¡¡be¡¡dissociated¡¡from¡¡the¡¡corresponding¡¡legend¡¡told¡¡of¡¡Pygmalion£»¡¡a¡¡Phoenician¡¡king¡¡of¡¡Cyprus£»¡¡who¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡fallen¡¡in¡¡love¡¡with¡¡an¡¡image¡¡of¡¡Aphrodite¡¡and¡¡taken¡¡it¡¡to¡¡his¡¡bed¡£¡¡When¡¡we¡¡consider¡¡that¡¡Pygmalion¡¡was¡¡the¡¡father¡in¡law¡¡of¡¡Cinyras£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡son¡¡of¡¡Cinyras¡¡was¡¡Adonis£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡all¡¡three£»¡¡in¡¡successive¡¡generations£»¡¡are¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡concerned¡¡in¡¡a¡¡love¡intrigue¡¡with¡¡Aphrodite£»¡¡we¡¡can¡¡hardly¡¡help¡¡concluding¡¡that¡¡the¡¡early¡¡Phoenician¡¡kings¡¡of¡¡Paphos£»¡¡or¡¡their¡¡sons£»¡¡regularly¡¡claimed¡¡to¡¡be¡¡not¡¡merely¡¡the¡¡priests¡¡of¡¡the¡¡goddess¡¡but¡¡also¡¡her¡¡lovers£»¡¡in¡¡other¡¡words£»¡¡that¡¡in¡¡their¡¡official¡¡capacity¡¡they¡¡personated¡¡Adonis¡£¡¡At¡¡all¡¡events¡¡Adonis¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡reigned¡¡in¡¡Cyprus£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡appears¡¡to¡¡be¡¡certain¡¡that¡¡the¡¡title¡¡of¡¡Adonis¡¡was¡¡regularly¡¡borne¡¡by¡¡the¡¡sons¡¡of¡¡all¡¡the¡¡Phoenician¡¡kings¡¡of¡¡the¡¡island¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡true¡¡that¡¡the¡¡title¡¡strictly¡¡signified¡¡no¡¡more¡¡than¡¡lord£»¡¡yet¡¡the¡¡legends¡¡which¡¡connect¡¡these¡¡Cyprian¡¡princes¡¡with¡¡the¡¡goddess¡¡of¡¡love¡¡make¡¡it¡¡probable¡¡that¡¡they¡¡claimed¡¡the¡¡divine¡¡nature¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡the¡¡human¡¡dignity¡¡of¡¡Adonis¡£¡¡The¡¡story¡¡of¡¡Pygmalion¡¡points¡¡to¡¡a¡¡ceremony¡¡of¡¡a¡¡sacred¡¡marriage¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡king¡¡wedded¡¡the¡¡image¡¡of¡¡Aphrodite£»¡¡or¡¡rather¡¡of¡¡Astarte¡£¡¡If¡¡that¡¡was¡¡so£»¡¡the¡¡tale¡¡was¡¡in¡¡a¡¡sense¡¡true£»¡¡not¡¡of¡¡a¡¡single¡¡man¡¡only£»¡¡but¡¡of¡¡a¡¡whole¡¡series¡¡of¡¡men£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡would¡¡be¡¡all¡¡the¡¡more¡¡likely¡¡to¡¡be¡¡told¡¡of¡¡Pygmalion£»¡¡if¡¡that¡¡was¡¡a¡¡common¡¡name¡¡of¡¡Semitic¡¡kings¡¡in¡¡general£»¡¡and¡¡of¡¡Cyprian¡¡kings¡¡in¡¡particular¡£¡¡Pygmalion£»¡¡at¡¡all¡¡events£»¡¡is¡¡known¡¡as¡¡the¡¡name¡¡of¡¡the¡¡king¡¡of¡¡Tyre¡¡from¡¡whom¡¡his¡¡sister¡¡Dido¡¡fled£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡king¡¡of¡¡Citium¡¡and¡¡Idalium¡¡in¡¡Cyprus£»¡¡who¡¡reigned¡¡in¡¡the¡¡time¡¡of¡¡Alexander¡¡the¡¡Great£»¡¡was¡¡also¡¡called¡¡Pygmalion£»¡¡or¡¡rather¡¡Pumiyathon£»¡¡the¡¡Phoenician¡¡name¡¡which¡¡the¡¡Greeks¡¡corrupted¡¡into¡¡Pygmalion¡£¡¡Further£»¡¡it¡¡deserves¡¡to¡¡be¡¡noted¡¡that¡¡the¡¡names¡¡Pygmalion¡¡and¡¡Astarte¡¡occur¡¡together¡¡in¡¡a¡¡Punic¡¡inscription¡¡on¡¡a¡¡gold¡¡medallion¡¡which¡¡was¡¡found¡¡in¡¡a¡¡grave¡¡at¡¡Carthage£»¡¡the¡¡characters¡¡of¡¡the¡¡inscription¡¡are¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earliest¡¡type¡£¡¡As¡¡the¡¡custom¡¡of¡¡religious¡¡prostitution¡¡at¡¡Paphos¡¡is¡¡said¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡founded¡¡by¡¡king¡¡Cinyras¡¡and¡¡observed¡¡by¡¡his¡¡daughters£»¡¡we¡¡may¡¡surmise¡¡that¡¡the¡¡kings¡¡of¡¡Paphos¡¡played¡¡the¡¡part¡¡of¡¡the¡¡divine¡¡bridegroom¡¡in¡¡a¡¡less¡¡innocent¡¡rite¡¡than¡¡the¡¡form¡¡of¡¡marriage¡¡with¡¡a¡¡statue£»¡¡in¡¡fact£»¡¡that¡¡at¡¡certain¡¡festivals¡¡each¡¡of¡¡them¡¡had¡¡to¡¡mate¡¡with¡¡one¡¡or¡¡more¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sacred¡¡harlots¡¡of¡¡the¡¡temple£»¡¡who¡¡played¡¡Astarte¡¡to¡¡his¡¡Adonis¡£¡¡If¡¡that¡¡was¡¡so£»¡¡there¡¡is¡¡more¡¡truth¡¡than¡¡has¡¡commonly¡¡been¡¡supposed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡reproach¡¡cast¡¡by¡¡the¡¡Christian¡¡fathers¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Aphrodite¡¡worshipped¡¡by¡¡Cinyras¡¡was¡¡a¡¡common¡¡whore¡£¡¡The¡¡fruit¡¡of¡¡their¡¡union¡¡would¡¡rank¡¡as¡¡sons¡¡and¡¡daughters¡¡of¡¡the¡¡deity£»¡¡and¡¡would¡¡in¡¡time¡¡become¡¡the¡¡parents¡¡of¡¡gods¡¡and¡¡goddesses£»¡¡like¡¡their¡¡fathers¡¡and¡¡mothers¡¡before¡¡them¡£¡¡In¡¡this¡¡manner¡¡Paphos£»¡¡and¡¡perhaps¡¡all¡¡sanctuaries¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡Asiatic¡¡goddess¡¡where¡¡sacred¡¡prostitution¡¡was¡¡practised£»¡¡might¡¡be¡¡well¡¡stocked¡¡with¡¡human¡¡deities£»¡¡the¡¡offspring¡¡of¡¡the¡¡divine¡¡king¡¡by¡¡his¡¡wives£»¡¡concubines£»¡¡and¡¡temple¡¡harlots¡£¡¡Any¡¡one¡¡of¡¡these¡¡might¡¡probably¡¡succeed¡¡his¡¡father¡¡on¡¡the¡¡throne¡¡or¡¡be¡¡sacrificed¡¡in¡¡his¡¡stead¡¡whenever¡¡stress¡¡of¡¡war¡¡or¡¡other¡¡grave¡¡junctures¡¡called£»¡¡as¡¡they¡¡sometimes¡¡did£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡death¡¡of¡¡a¡¡royal¡¡victim¡£¡¡Such¡¡a¡¡tax£»¡¡levied¡¡occasionally¡¡on¡¡the¡¡king's¡¡numerous¡¡progeny¡¡for¡¡the¡¡good¡¡of¡¡the¡¡country£»¡¡would¡¡neither¡¡extinguish¡¡the¡¡divine¡¡stock¡¡nor¡¡break¡¡the¡¡father's¡¡heart£»¡¡who¡¡divided¡¡his¡¡paternal¡¡affection¡¡among¡¡so¡¡many¡£¡¡At¡¡all¡¡events£»¡¡if£»¡¡as¡¡there¡¡seems¡¡reason¡¡to¡¡believe£»¡¡Semitic¡¡kings¡¡were¡¡often¡¡regarded¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡time¡¡as¡¡hereditary¡¡deities£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡easy¡¡to¡¡understand¡¡the¡¡frequency¡¡of¡¡Semitic¡¡personal¡¡names¡¡which¡¡imply¡¡that¡¡the¡¡bearers¡¡of¡¡them¡¡were¡¡the¡¡sons¡¡or¡¡daughters£»¡¡the¡¡brothers¡¡or¡¡sisters£»¡¡the¡¡fathers¡¡or¡¡mothers¡¡of¡¡a¡¡god£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡need¡¡not¡¡resort¡¡to¡¡the¡¡shifts¡¡employed¡¡by¡¡some¡¡scholars¡¡to¡¡evade¡¡the¡¡plain¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡the¡¡words¡£¡¡This¡¡interpretation¡¡is¡¡confirmed¡¡by¡¡a¡¡parallel¡¡Egyptian¡¡usage£»¡¡for¡¡in¡¡Egypt£»¡¡where¡¡the¡¡kings¡¡were¡¡worshipped¡¡as¡¡divine£»¡¡the¡¡queen¡¡was¡¡called¡¡the¡¡wife¡¡of¡¡the¡¡god¡¡or¡¡the¡¡mother¡¡of¡¡the¡¡god£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡title¡¡father¡¡of¡¡the¡¡god¡¡was¡¡borne¡¡not¡¡only¡¡by¡¡the¡¡king's¡¡real¡¡father¡¡but¡¡also¡¡by¡¡his¡¡father¡in¡law¡£¡¡Similarly£»¡¡perhaps£»¡¡among¡¡the¡¡Semites¡¡any¡¡man¡¡who¡¡sent¡¡his¡¡daughter¡¡to¡¡swell¡¡the¡¡royal¡¡harem¡¡may¡¡have¡¡been¡¡allowed¡¡to¡¡call¡¡himself¡¡the¡¡father¡¡of¡¡the¡¡god¡£
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