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I should be inclined to regard the Egyptian deity primarily as a Culture Hero, rather than a Vegetation God. It is also permissible to point out that in the case of Tammuz, Esmun, and Adonis, the title is not a proper name, but a vague appellative, denoting an abstract rather than a concrete origin. Proof of this will be found later.
Esmun, on the other hand, the son of Sydyk, would seem to have been an object of worship almost as much as any other deity. He was the special god of Berytus, but was honoured also in Cyprus, at Sidon, at Carthage, in Sardinia, and elsewhere. His name forms a frequent element in Phoenician names, royal and other: e.g. Esmun-azar, Esmun-nathan, Han-Esmun, Netsib-Esmun, Abd-Esmun, &c.
Baudissin, Adonis und Esmun, remarks that Adonis belongs to "einer Klasse von Wesen sehr unbestimmter Art der wohl uber den Menschen aber unter den grossen Gottern stehen, und weniger Individualitat besitzen als diese." Such a criticism applies of course equally to Attis. Mithra, on the other hand, occupies an entirely different position.
Strength of the religious sentiment among the Phoenicians Proofs First stage of the religion, monotheistic Second stage, a polytheism within narrow limits Worship of Baal of Ashtoreth of El or Kronos of Melkarth of Dagon of Hadad of Adonis of Sydyk of Esmun of the Cabeiri of Onca of Tanith of Beltis Third stage marked by introduction of foreign deities Character of the Phoenician worship Altars and sacrifice Hymns of praise, temples, and votive offerings Wide prevalence of human sacrifice and of licentious orgies Institution of the Galli Extreme corruption of the later religion Views held on the subject of a future life Piety of the great mass of the people earnest, though mistaken.
Upon this the goddess, greatly grieved, called him Paean, and by means of quickening warmth brought him back to life, and changed him from a man into a god, which he thenceforth remained. The Phoenicians called him Esmun, "the eighth," but the Greeks worshipped him as Asclepius, the god of healing, who gave life and health to mankind.
But, occasionally, we get a glimpse, beyond the mere dry facts, into the region of thought; as where the erector of a monument appends to the name of one, whom we may suppose to have been a miser, the remark, that "the reward of him who heaps up riches is contempt;" or where one who entertains the hope that his friend is happier in another world than he was upon earth, thus expresses himself "In memory of Esmun.
Sydyk, "Justice," or, the "Just One," whose name corresponds to the Hebrew Zadok or Zedek, appears in the Phoenician mythology especially as the father of Esmun and the Cabeiri. It is perhaps his name which forms the final element in Melchizedek, Adoni-zedek, and the like. We have no evidence that he was really worshipped by the Phoenicians.
The seven other Cabeiri, or "Great Ones," equally with Esmun the sons of Sydyk, were dwarfish gods who presided over navigation, and were the patrons of sailors and ships. The special seat of their worship in Phoenicia Proper was Berytus, but they were recognised also in several of the Phoenician settlements, as especially in Lemnos, Imbrus, and Samothrace.
Those at the ends are curious, but have little artistic merit. They consist, in each case, of a caryatid figure four times repeated, representations, respectively, of Astarte and of a pygmy god, who, according to some, is Bes, and, according to others, Melkarth or Esmun. The figures of Astarte are rude, as are generally her statues.
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