MIRACLES AT BANIAS-SPRINGS OF THE JORDAN. 347

The same author thus discourses about the cave and the fountain: "At Cæsarea Philippi, which is called Panias by the Phoenicians, they say there are springs that are shown. there at the foot of the mountain called Panias, from which the Jordan rises, and that on a certain festival day there was usually a victim thrown into these, and that this, by the power of the demon, in some wonderful manner entirely disappeared. The thing was a famous wonder to all that were there to see it. Astyrius (a pious Roman of senatorial rank) happening to be once present at these rites, and seeing the multitude astonished at the affair, pitied their delusion. Then, raising his eyes to heaven, he implored the God over all through Christ to refute the seducing demon, and to restrain the delusion of the people. As soon as he prayed, it is said that the victim floated on the stream, and that thus this miracle vanished, no wonder ever more occurring in this place." The latter remark is probably true, whatever we may think of the rest of the story. These passages, however, are curious, as showing what the traditions concerning this place were at the close of the third century, when Eusebius visited it. Josephus thus describes this locality in Ant., b. xv. ch. x. v. 3: he calls it Panium: "This is a very fine cave in a mountain, under which there is a great cavity in the earth, and the cavern is abrupt, and prodigiously deep, and full of still water. Over it hangs a vast mountain, and under the cavern arise the springs of the River Jordan. Herod adorned this place, which was already a very remarkable one, still farther by the erection of this temple, which he dedicated to Cæsar." There is a close resemblance between these stories of this fountain and that of Josephus in his Wars of the Jews, book i. ch. xxi. v. 3: "And when Cæsar had farther bestowed on him (Herod) another additional country, he built there also a temple of white marble, hard by the fountains of the Jordan. The place is called Panium, where is the top of a mountain that is raised to an immense height, and at its side, beneath, or at its bottom, a dark cave opens itself, within which there is a horrible precipice that descends abruptly to a vast depth. It contains a

mighty quantity of water, which is immovable, and when any body lets down any thing to measure the depth of the earth beneath the water, no length of cord is sufficient to reach it." Making all due allowance for subsequent changes, it is still impossible to clear our author of great exaggeration. He probably never saw Banias himself, and took the extravagant stories of others for truth.

It is evident that Banias was a remarkable place before the age of Augustus. Philip the Tetrarch called it Cæsarea in honor of Tiberius, and Philippi in his own and to distinguish it from Cæsarea Palestina. Herod Agrippa beautified it, and complimented that monster Nero by giving it the name of Neroneas. But all these foreign titles soon fell off, and it resumed its old name, Banias, by which alone it is now known. For its history during the Roman empire, and under the Saracens, Crusaders, and Turks, you must consult more authors than I can now mention. Reland's Palestina and Robinson's Researches will serve as guides to the original sources of information.

Great changes have happened to the cave since these authors wrote about it. Probably the earthquake which overthrew the temple may have filled up the depths spoken of. It was here that Titus, after the destruction of Jerusalem, was feasted by Agrippa for twenty days, and in this temple he "returned public thanks to God for the good success he had in his undertakings."

If all that is recorded in the 16th and 17th of Matthew in immediate connection with the visit of our Saviour actually occurred in this neighborhood, it has been the scene of some very remarkable transactions. Among them was the Transfiguration, and this Panium may have been that high mountain apart into which our Lord took Peter, James, and John, and was transfigured before them. I have supposed, ever since my first visit to Tabor, that that could scarcely have been the place, for the whole summit was covered by a vast castle, which we know was occupied, if not then, yet shortly after, by soldiers. It is true that Josephus

Matt. xvii, 1-13.

TRANSFIGURATION-HEATHEN TEMPLES.

349

says he built the castle, the only foundation for which assertion being that he repaired one that had been there for ages. Moreover, that locality does not suit the accounts. given of events immediately connected with the Transfiguration as recorded by the Evangelists, though it must be confessed that these are not definite or very decisive. I would not, therefore, contend with those who prefer the old tradition in favor of Tabor, and yet I think it probable that it was somewhere in this direction, and see no good reason why it may not have been on this lofty and lonely Panium, or rather Hermon, of which it forms the southern termination.

Here also occurred that remarkable discourse with the disciples, in which Simon Peter answered our Lord's question by the solemn assertion, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, and received in reply, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church. Could the claims of Banias to this wonderful discourse be established, it might vastly enhance the interest of the place in the eyes of those who have made so much capital out of the power of the keys here conferred. We leave the hint for those whom it more immediately concerns.

There must be something about this Upper Jordan and its surroundings particularly calculated to call out and foster the religious or the superstitious propensities of our nature. Tell el Kady, four miles west, was the great seat of false worship, from the days when the Danites conquered it, and there set up their teraphim, a graven image and a molten image.2 Long after this, Jeroboam placed golden calves in Dan, which thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.3

Then this Banias itself was always celebrated for its worship of Pan, and as we follow up the country we meet with heathen temples all over these mountains. There are ruins of several at a place called Bustra, not far from Kefr Shûbah; another on the high point of Mûtaleîh, above Rashaiet el Fukhār; and one at Sed Dan, farther in the mountains. Matt. xvi. 16, 17. Judg. xviii. 14-20. ' 1 Kings xii. 29, 30.

A short distance northeast of Rashaiet el Fukhār is the fine temple of Hibbarîyeh, with a Greek inscription, much defaced. Two miles farther north are the ruins of another, and higher up still is the temple of Ain Hershah, with Greek inscriptions. Then come those of 'Aihah, Kefr Kûk, Rakhleh, Deir 'Asheîr, Burkûsh, Bekkeh, Munseh, and several others; and across Wady et Teim, west of Rashaiet el Fokah, is the fine temple at Tilthatha, called Neby Sufah. Certainly no part of Syria was so given to idolatry as this region round the head-waters of the Jordan. These temples fronted the east, and were probably devoted to the worship of Baal. A description of one or two will answer for all. That at Hibbarîyeh is a fair specimen. It is fifty-eight feet long, thirty-one wide, and to the top of the frieze on the west side is thirty-two feet. It is built of large, well-cut stone, some of them fifteen feet long. The interior, as usual in such edifices, was divided into three parts: that of the altar, at the west end, considerably raised, and eleven feet deep; that of the temple, nave, or body of the edifice, twenty-three feet; and the portico, nearly sixteen feet, with columns in front. The temple at Rakhleh is eighty-two feet eight inches long and fifty-seven wide. The altar is semicircular, like that of ancient churches, and with apses on either side. A double row of Ionic columns extended from the altar to the entrance. This edifice is thrown down nearly to the ground. On the southeast corner is a stone belonging to the original wall, about six feet square, and having a circular wreath on the face of it five feet in diameter. Within this is another circle four feet in diameter, and this surrounds the colossal face of an image handsomely carved in bold relief. The length of the face, from the chin to the top of the hair, is three feet four inches, the width two feet four inches. It has been purposely disfigured, but the features are still very distinct and striking. It is probably an image of the god of the temple, perhaps the face of old Baal himself.

The temple at Deir 'Asheîr stands upon an elevated platform, ornamented with a frieze and cornice of its own. It is one hundred and twenty-six feet long and sixty-nine