Melqart (Phoenician: .., lit. Milk-qart, "King of the City"; was the tutelary god of the Phoenician city of Tyre. Melqart was often titled Ba‘l Ṣūr, "Lord of Tyre” … In Greek.. He was identified with Heracles and referred to as the Tyrian Herakles.
The historian Herodotus recorded (2.44):
In the wish to get the best information that I could on these matters, I made a voyage to Tyre in Phoenicia, hearing there was a temple of Heracles at that place, very highly venerated. I visited the temple, and found it richly adorned with a number of offerings, among which were two pillars, one of pure gold, the other of smaragdos, shining with great brilliance at night. In a conversation which I held with the priests… They said that the temple was built at the same time that the city was founded, and that the foundation of the city took place 2,300 years ago.
Josephus records (Antiquities 8.5.3), following Menander the historian, concerning King Hiram I of Tyre (c. 965–935 BCE):
He also went and cut down materials of timber out of the mountain called Lebanon, for the roof of temples; and when he had pulled down the ancient temples, he both built the temple of Heracles and that of `Ashtart; and he was the first to celebrate the awakening (egersis) of Heracles in the month Peritius.
There are connections between Phoenicia and Britain, particularly Scotland. Considered that the "grooved ware" appears in both places and both use standing stone circles. The redness (of hair) might also be in common.
Hiram, King of Tyre, is literally "high-born, King of Tyre", so does he exist in British mythology?
In my view Arthur was the heir-apparent of the NE kingdom in Atlantis. And, according to Plato, there was an Atlantean colony, Etruria, close to Phoenicia.
In my view Arthur was the heir-apparent of the NE kingdom in Atlantis. And, according to Plato, there was an Atlantean colony, Etruria, close to Phoenicia.
That is thought-provoking.
Regarding Melqart or Melkarth, Malkuth or Malchut is kingdom, now, "Melech (Arabic: ملك ) (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ ) is an Arabic, Northwest Semitic (e.g. Neo Aramaic) and Hebrew word meaning "king, chieftain". It is very similar to the Arabic name/word مالِك mālik, which in some languages means "master" or "head (of something)"." Malik Melech
so extracting Melk out of Melkarth leaves us with Arth... Is this the root of King Arthur?
so extracting Melk out of Melkarth leaves us with Arth... Is this the root of King Arthur?
It is a bit tricky taking an English adaptation of a word in a language without vowels, then taking one of the inserted vowels as leading to a hidden meaning.
The English form of Arthur probably comes from Arcturus, a star next to the Great Bear. In Hindu traditions, the 7 Rishis of the Great Bear are the husbands of the Seven Sisters (Pleiades) who hold the Grail.
Hence Arthur is probably a functional title rather than a personal name.
> then taking one of the inserted vowels as leading to a hidden meaning.
The Phoenician name spelled out is tau rosh qof kaf lambda mem
Translators have decided to place an 'a' as the second vowel in the name, for a reason, hopefully. I have only continued that. In any case the choice of vowel doesn't change the name greatly, and in my opinion does not weaken the assertion.
The main problem I see with my somewhat weakly supported 'King Arthur' as Melkart assertion is kaf and qof next to each other i.e. Milk-qart, or Melk-qarth, making M(i)lkq-(A)rth seem less likely.
>The English form of Arthur probably comes from Arcturus, a star next to the Great Bear. In Hindu traditions, the 7 Rishis of the Great Bear are the husbands of the Seven Sisters (Pleiades) who hold the Grail.
Regarding the Bear, "Arcturus in the Bible (Job ix:9 and xxxviii:32) is a mistranslation by Jerome (continued in KJV) of Hebrew 'Ayish, which refers to what we see as the "bowl" of the Big Dipper. In Israel and Arabia, the seven stars of the Great Bear seem to have been a bier (the "bowl") followed by three mourners." link
>Hence Arthur is probably a functional title rather than a personal name.
We don't have to look very far for examples of personal names that are also/derived from titles, Raj, Rex come to mind. In mythology name and function are inextricably bound, so I don't really understand the distinction you are making.
Last Edit: Feb 24, 2014 20:54:46 GMT 9.5 by Deleted
As a functional name it may be more correct to refer to "the Arthur", in the same way as some refer to "the Christ". Indeed the two are hard to distinguish in the poem Jerusalem.
And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England's mountains green? And was the holy Lamb of God On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here Among these dark Satanic Mills?
Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me my arrows of desire! Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire!
I will not cease from mental fight, Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand, Till we have built Jerusalem In England's green and pleasant land.
Josephus records (Antiquities 8.5.3), following Menander the historian, concerning King Hiram I of Tyre (c. 965– 935 BCE): He also went and cut down materials of timber out of the mountain called Lebanon, for the roof of temples; and when he had pulled down the ancient temples, he both built the temple of Heracles and that of Astarte; and he was the first to celebrate the awakening (egersis) of Heracles in the month Peritius.
(William Whiston's translation incorrectly has "first set up the temple of Heracles in ..".) The Macedonian month of Peritius corresponds to our February, indicating this annual awakening was in no way a solstitial celebration. It would have coincided with the normal ending of the winter rains. The annual observation of the revival of Melqart's egersis 'awakening' may identify Melqart as a life-death-rebirth deity.
Hercules is among the most celebrated heroes of Greek mythology. Hercules is his Roman name, the Greeks knew him as Herakles. His is a interesting story. Accounts differ, but he is generally known to have exhibited great strength and performed many amazing feats. He was semi divine having Zeus as his immortal Father and Alcemene, his earthly Mother (wife of Amphitryon). He was instructed by Zeus to submit himself for twelve years to the will of Eurystheus, the King of Argos, and told that if he fulfilled this duty, he would be translated to the Gods and become an immortal. It was at the bidding of Eurystheus that he performed the tasks known as the Twelve Labours. Of interest to us as astrologers, is that he performed each of them in one of the zodiacal signs. Classical writers have interpreted the myth of Hercules as representing the course of the sun through the twelve signs of the zodiac
-> Classical writers have interpreted the myth of Hercules as representing the course of the sun through the twelve signs of the zodiac
I am more inclined to view it as the course of the soul through the twelve great lessons of life ... which are learned gradually by repeated incarnations.
The Twelve Apostles, Twelve signs of the Zodiac (in Royal Arch), Twelve Tribes ... Is The Round Table a reference to the Zodiac?
Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting…trailing clouds of glory do we come from God, who is our home -Wordsworth
