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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。
If we may judge by his name； the Semitic king who bore the name of Cinyras was； like King David； a harper； for the name of Cinyras is clearly connected with the Greek cinyra； a lyre； which in its turn comes from the Semitic kinnor； a lyre； the very word applied to the instrument on which David played before Saul。 We shall probably not err in assuming that at Paphos as at Jerusalem the music of the lyre or harp was not a mere pastime designed to while away an idle hour； but formed part of the service of religion； the moving influence of its melodies being perhaps set down； like the effect of wine； to the direct inspiration of a deity。 Certainly at Jerusalem the regular clergy of the temple prophesied to the music of harps； of psalteries； and of cymbals； and it appears that the irregular clergy also； as we may call the prophets； depended on some such stimulus for inducing the ecstatic state which they took for immediate converse with the divinity。 Thus we read of a band of prophets coming down from a high place with a psaltery； a timbrel； a pipe； and a harp before them； and prophesying as they went。 Again； when the united forces of Judah and Ephraim were traversing the wilderness of Moab in pursuit of the enemy； they could find no water for three days； and were like to die of thirst； they and the beasts of burden。 In this emergency the prophet Elisha； who was with the army； called for a minstrel and bade him play。 Under the influence of the music he ordered the soldiers to dig trenches in the sandy bed of the waterless waddy through which lay the line of march。 They did so； and next morning the trenches were full of the water that had drained down into them underground from the desolate； forbidding mountains on either hand。 The prophet's success in striking water in the wilderness resembles the reported success of modern dowsers； though his mode of procedure was different。 Incidentally he rendered another service to his countrymen。 For the skulking Moabites from their lairs among the rocks saw the red sun of the desert reflected in the water； and taking it for the blood； or perhaps rather for an omen of the blood； of their enemies； they plucked up heart to attack the camp and were defeated with great slaughter。
Again； just as the cloud of melancholy which from time to time darkened the moody mind of Saul was viewed as an evil spirit from the Lord vexing him； so on the other hand the solemn strains of the harp； which soothed and composed his troubled thoughts； may well have seemed to the hag…ridden king the very voice of God or of his good angel whispering peace。 Even in our own day a great religious writer； himself deeply sensitive to the witchery of music； has said that musical notes； with all their power to fire the blood and melt the heart； cannot be mere empty sounds and nothing more； no； they have escaped from some higher sphere； they are outpourings of eternal harmony； the voice of angels； the Magnificat of saints。 It is thus that the rude imaginings of primitive man are transfigured and his feeble lispings echoed with a rolling reverberation in the musical prose of Newman。 Indeed the influence of music on the development of religion is a subject which would repay a sympathetic study。 For we cannot doubt that this； the most intimate and affecting of all the arts； has done much to create as well as to express the religious emotions； thus modifying more or less deeply the fabric of belief to which at first sight it seems only to minister。 The musician has done his part as well as the prophet and the thinker in the making of religion。 Every faith has its appropriate music； and the difference between the creeds might almost be expressed in musical notation。 The interval； for example； which divides the wild revels of Cybele from the stately ritual of the Catholic Church is measured by the gulf which severs the dissonant clash of cymbals and tambourines from the grave harmonies of Palestrina and Handel。 A different spirit breathes in the difference of the music。
Chapter 32。 The Ritual of Adonis。
AT THE FESTIVALS of Adonis； which were held in Western Asia and in Greek lands； the death of the god was annually mourned； with a bitter wailing； chiefly by women； images of him； dressed to resemble corpses； were carried out as to burial and then thrown into the sea or into springs； and in some places his revival was celebrated on the following day。 But at different places the ceremonies varied somewhat in the manner and apparently also in the season of their celebration。 At Alexandria images of Aphrodite and Adonis were displayed on two couches； beside them were set ripe fruits of all kinds； cakes； plants growing in flower…pots； and green bowers twined with anise。 The marriage of the lovers was celebrated one day； and on the morrow women attired as mourners； with streaming hair and bared breasts； bore the image of the dead Adonis to the sea…shore and committed it to the waves。 Yet they sorrowed not without hope； for they sang that the lost one would come back again。 The date at which this Alexandrian ceremony was observed is not expressly stated； but from the mention of the ripe fruits it has been inferred that it took place in late summer。 In the great Phoenician sanctuary of Astarte at Byblus the death of Adonis was annually mourned； to the shrill wailing notes of the flute； with weeping； lamentation； and beating of the breast； but next day he was believed to come to life again and ascend up to heaven in the presence of his worshippers。 The disconsolate believers； left behind on earth； shaved their heads as the Egyptians did on the death of the divine bull Apis； women who could not bring themselves to sacrifice their beautiful tresses had to give themselves up to strangers on a certain day of the festival； and to dedicate to Astarte the wages of their shame。
This Phoenician festival appears to have been a vernal one； for its date was determined by the discoloration of the river Adonis； and this has been observed by modern travellers to occur in spring。 At that season the red earth washed down from the mountains by the rain tinges the water of the river； and even the sea； for a great way with a blood…red hue； and the crimson stain was believed to be the blood of Adonis； annually wounded to death by the boar on Mount Lebanon。 Again； the scarlet anemone is said to have sprung from the blood of Adonis； or to have been stained by it； and as the anemone blooms in Syria about Easter； this may be thought to show that the festival of Adonis； or at least one of his festivals； was held in spring。 The name of the flower is probably derived from Naaman （darling）； which seems to have been an epithet of Adonis。 The Arabs still call the anemone wounds of the Naaman。 The red rose also was said to owe its hue to the same sad occasion； for Aphrodite； hastening to her wounded lover； trod on a bush of white roses； the cruel thorns tore her tender flesh； and her sacred blood dyed the white roses for ever red。 It would be idle； perhaps； to lay much weight on evidence drawn from the c