ADONIA, solemn feasts in honour of Venus, and in memory of Adonis.
They were annually celebrated, with peculiar solem nity, in the temple of Venus at Byblos in Syria, at the season when the water of the river Adonis was changed into blood. This uncommon appearance, which afforded such a strong ground for superstition, was witnessed by Maundrell on the I7th of March, and is rationally ascribed by hint to the effect of the preceding violent rains, washing down from the mountains a kind of red earth, by which the river was deeply tinged. (Travels, p. 34.) The most particular account of this festival is given by Lucian, (de Dea Syria) as follows :—" The Syrians affirm, that what the boar is reported to have done against Adonis, was transacted in their country ; and in memory of this accident they, every year, beat themselves, and wail, and celebrate frantic rites ; and great lamentations are appointed throughout the coun try. After this, they first perform funeral obsequies to Adonis, as to one dead, and on a following day, feign that he is alive, and ascended into the air or heaven ; and shave their heads, like the Egyptians at the death of Apis. Whatever women will not consent to be shaved, are obliged, by way of punishment, to prostitute them selves during one day to strangers ; and the money thus earned is consecrated to Venus." Lucian adds, that " some of the Byblians conceived these rites to be performed in honour of Osiris the Egyptian deity, and not of Adonis." At the time of this feast, the Egyptians, according to Cyril as well as Lucian conveyed a box of rushes or pa pyrus, with an enclosed letter, to the women of Byblos, informing them that their god Adonis, whom they ima gined to be lost, was discovered. The vessel was thrown into the sea, and always arrived safe at Byblos, at the end of seven days ; and on receiving it, the wo men ceased their mourning, sung his praises, and made rejoicings as if he were raised to life again. But Meur sius says, that the two ceremonies of lamentation and rejoicing, were observed at the distance of six months from each other ; Adonis being supposed to piss half the year with Proserpina, and the other half with Vetr: s.
The one they tailed disappearance, and the other lee CIS, return. These Adonia were celebrated at Alexandria in the time of Cyril ; and at Antioch in the time of Julian the apostate. They lasted two days ; ou
the first of which, certain images of Venus and Ado.lis were carried some times by the queen herself in solemn funeral procession ; and the NVOIlll 11 wept, uttered lamen tations, &c. This mourning was called According to Julius Firmicus, (See Godwin's Moses and ?laron, p. 186.) on a certain night during these solemni ties, an image was laid oil a bed, and alter great lamen tation made over it, //gin was brought in, and the priest anointing the mouths of the assistants, whispered to them with a soft voice, " Trust yr ice God, for out of distress deliverance has come to us ;" on which their sorrow was turned into joy, and the image taken as it were out of its sepulchre. Part of this ceremony is evi dently. alluded to by Theocritus, idyll. xv. 84, 85.
Mythologists and learned divines have been much divided in opinion respecting the origin of these rites. From their researches, the identity of Adonis with Osi ris seems to be as satisfactorily established as such a point can be. Plutarch says he was the same with Bac chus. (.S'ymfio.s1ac. lib. iv.) Thus also .Ausonius iden tifies him with both Ogygia me Bacclaint canit ; vocat : Arabica Bens . Mune UM,.
Proceeding on this supposition, bishop Patrick ascribes the origin of the Adonis to the slaughter of the first born in the time of Moses ; conjecturing that the name of Pharaoh's eldest son, slain on that occasion, might be Osiris. Spencer (de Leg. fhb. lib. 2. c. 37.) thinks, that the death of Osiris or Adonis, generally considered as the Sun, being the god that presided over the fruits of the earth, denoted their being separated from the earth in the time of harvest.
Macrobius says, (Saturnal. lib. 1. cap. 21.) that Adonis was undoubtedly the Sun ; and following Bryant's ety mological system, Ad-On is one of the names of this lu minary. On this principle, the two feasts in honour of Adonis, about September and March, might relate to the diminution of light during the winter months, and the increase of it during the summer months. From the resemblance between the rites of the Orphic Argonau tica, and those mentioned by Julius Firmicus, others have supposed that they relate to the rirkite ceremonies, com memorating the history of Noah and the deluge. Sec Plitt. in Nicia. .4minian. Marcel!. 22. c. 9. Bryant':. Myth. vol. i. p. 371. Calmet's Dirt. Frag. 317. (d)