Your culture and you will community of one’s old Khaldeans were used is beyond doubt
They sing furthermore he did fight with this new dragons, and overcame him or her; and lots of point out that their valiant deeds were such as for example unto Hercules
Their really ancient metropolitan areas,
How following you can expect to Semiramis previously have come to help you Van in quest regarding an enthusiastic Armenian queen, whilst appears that the Scythians had currently defeated Assyria prior to the great increase from Armenian hordes? Nor can it look the city of Van are founded because of the Assyrian king, with the inscriptions build zero reference to the lady name. Queen Memas exactly who, on the view of Lynch, created the well-known tunnel, was in every chances the author of the backyard area. The belief, based on Lynch, as the currently mentioned, is that which legend is the Armenian brand of the outdated Hellenic misconception of Aphrodite and Adonis, bought out within the domination of the Seleucid dynasty and this then followed the new conquest from Alexander regarding the 325 B.C.fourteen
But this is certainly unrealistic. That a misconception can be taken over from the a subject somebody as well as the characters rechristened is straightforward understand, but that the label of 1 of them will be applied into ancient area is extremely not likely to put it mildly. Furthermore, new legend are tasting alternatively highly with Persian voluptuousness, and that is definitely not effective regarding Greek delicacy and subtlety. Neither is the fact that horde took over the country once the damage of Assyria at all conclusive, to possess when the there are one assimilation whatsoever, as there need to definitely have been, the Khaldean people and record would be to you to extent the actual hands of one’s Armenians. Actually intermarriage perform possibly getting too many, for what Irishman that has been in america a couple days cannot talk about Benjamin Franklin and you can George Arizona since the his ancestors? It’s become listed along with that to this day the newest canal mentioned is named “Shamiram-Su” otherwise river out of Semiramis, by every Armenians.15 Overall it appears to be in my experience conclusive, ergo, your legend out of Semiramis and Ara has its roots during the Armenian record, and that is not at all a version of the fresh Hellenic misconception.
Part 4. The new Legend out of Vahakn
The brand new legend regarding Vahakn, king and you will jesus out-of Armenians, is extremely demonstrably attributable to brand new Greek months, and that adopted brand new Persian conquest less than Xerxes. Vahakn is deified due to their higher valor and made the newest fire-jesus of your own Armenian someone.sixteen He had been entitled “Vishapakagh,” uprooter off dragons, since the guy removed Armenia from beasts and you will saved they of worst affects. His exploits was basically understood in the abode of one’s gods due to the fact well such as Armenia. The most popular of these is the brand new theft off corn regarding the fresh barns out of King Barsham off Assyria, out of whom the guy ran out and you will made an effort to cover up from inside the paradise. From the ears the guy fell in the fast airline, indeed there emerged the fresh new Milky Method which is called in Armenian the “tabs on the brand new corn stealer.”17
With these very own ears did i hear these types of conditions sung so you’re able to this new accompaniment of your own harp. Others point out that he had been a jesus, which an excellent picture of your endured throughout the property regarding Georgia, in which it actually was worshipped, which have sacrifices.19
The partner out-of Vahakn try Astghik, the fresh goddess from beauty, good personification of your moonlight, equal to the fresh Phoenician and you can Sidonian Astarte. This will be effective away from Greek dictate, having Venus, the Greek deity off charm, was also new spouse out of a flames-goodness, Vulcan.20