The goddess Atargatis in Hierapolis (2)

Text
pseudo-Lucian, De Dea Syria 39:
The objects within the temple are arrayed in the way we have described. Outside stands a large bronze altar. Also there are myriads of other bronze statues of kings and priests. I will enumerate the especially memorable ones. On the left of the temple stands a statue of Semiramis indicating the temple on her right. She was set up for this reason: She established a law for the inhabitants of Syria that they should worship her as a goddess and that they should ignore the other deities, even Hera herself, and this they did. Later, when the diseases, disasters, and sorrows sent by the gods came upon them, she ceased from her madness, admitted her mortality, and ordered her subjects to turn once again to Hera. Therefore she still stands like this, demonstrating to those who come that they should worship Hera, and confessing that she is no longer a goddess but that the other is.

Source (list of abbreviations) (source links will open in a new browser window)
pseudo-Lucian, De Dea Syria 39

Bibliography

Amar Annus

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