Taphoi wrote:Paralus wrote:I’m not at all certain that we could describe Marduk as a “bull-god”.
Marduk... may appear as a winged bull centaur (who must not be confounded with the winged bull temple and palace guardians), or in colossal human form, with multiple eyes and ears. Essentially, in all aspects, Marduk is a god of healing, regeneration, light, shimmering in rainbow colors, in whose glory His form is scarcely visible.
You can find the above at this website (with which I have no connection):
http://www.gatewaystobabylon.com/gods/l ... rduk1.html
A rather interesting site I must say. The capitalised "His" intrigues. Written by one
"Lishtar" who explains her methods:
For at least five years now I have read and worked deeply with Mesopotamian mythology and religion. The study, nevertheless, was focused from the start, because at that point I had already some training in High Magic, having been initiated and ordained priestess of Inanna and later consecrated priestess hierophant by two world class Celtic scholars and mystics, Caitlin and John Matthews. I think the world, the stars and the universe of them, and could not have asked the gods for more brilliant companions along the path […]
Very intuitively first, although always with a strong basis of mythology, comparative religion, history, Junguian Psychology and archaeology, I started weaving the threads of High Magical Arts and Alchemy to retrieve the religious legacy of Ancient Mesopotamia here and now. The technique I have always used from the start in my magickal training is described by Junguian analyst Marie-Louise von Franz as imaginatio vera, or true imagination. Medieval alchemists used it, and it consists in living a myth by placing oneself on the shoes of the most difficult character, in an attempt to heal the character and the myth itself. I came to it intuitively as well, via the Tarot. Very simply, I said to myself that I was going to "meet the High Beings of my Tarot pack and see what They had to teach me". At that time I knew almost nothing of meditation, visualisation, creative imagination etc., so all these age-old techniques came to me very naturally […]
In the last five years I have used this technique mostly to try and understand the great myths of Ancient Mesopotamia. How do I work? Basically, by attempting to heal the most difficut characters of a myth or by attempting to solve the riddle contained in the sacred narrative one heals oneself too. It is both a carefully researched and intuitive process, because it starts with learning the text almost by heart, placing it in its historical context […]
Then it is just wait for the signs that do manifest in real life. The healing, as I like to call it, occurs out of the blue after some time, because it comes from deep insight. Many times it also comes with tears. But wisdom is the smile beyond the tears, and I prefer to know always, no matter how hard truth can be most of the times. I never know who long it will take me to work with a myth.
I have no doubt that you would not be connected with such a website: I believe your scholarship to be substantially more rigorous than the above indicates of the site.
“Lishtar” is big on “healing” and so it no surprise to me that she sees Marduk as “all healing” (she seems to seek “healing” in most anything). Again, as to “bull god”, the only representations (from Mesopotamia) that I have seen are human in form.
I take the point of syncretism but I don’t think the Greeks (or Macedonians) necessarily equated Marduk with Apis. They had not been in Egypt for some eight years or more and had resided in Babylon for the last months of Alexander’s life. The Esigala and Marduk’s temple – the most important in Babylon – will have surely been familiar to them.
Yes, I agree, “Serapis” existed before Alexander’s death but it was Egyptian. I doubt strongly any currency outside of Egypt until Soter decided that it would make a fine focus for native and Greek worship.
Taphoi wrote:Paralus wrote:In the instance under discussion the Chaldeans simply noted the death of the king: this was the king of Babylon (Alexander) and needed little elaboration. They were finicky buggers and I doubt they'd have the date incorrect.
But I agree with you that they were not mistaken. I have only said that they (very correctly) recorded the date of the public announcement of Alexander's death.
The point was more to do with the Astronomical Diaries themselves. When you mention them it is always qualified (“grandly named notes” or “imprecise”). The information I posted was more to do with the fact they do provide accurate historical information and are quite reliable.
As well, as Agesilaos noted, it is highly likely that Chaldeans were in attendance upon the king. He took such religious matters seriously – and remember he was warned by same prior to entry into Babylon if we can believe the tradition – and is likely to have had the Chaldeans consulted.