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Moreover, the ivy, which the Greeks use to consecrate to Bacchus, is called by the Egyptians chenosiris,
which word (as they tell us) signifies in their language
Osiris's tree. Ariston therefore, who wrote of the colony
of the Athenians, lighted upon a certain epistle of Alexarchus,
[p. 98]
in which it is related that Bacchus, the son of Jupiter and Isis, is not called Osiris by the Egyptians, but
Arsaphes, which denotes valiant. This is hinted at by Hermaeus also, in his first book about the Egyptians; for he
saith, the name of Osiris is to be interpreted stout. I shall
now pass by Mnaseas, who joins Bacchus, Osiris, and Serapis together, and makes them the same with Epaphus.
I shall also omit Anticlides, who saith that Isis was the
daughter of Prometheus, and that she was married to Bacchus. For the fore-mentioned proprieties of their festivals
and sacrifices afford us a much more clear evidence than
the authorities of writers.
Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals. Translated from the Greek by several hands. Corrected and revised by. William W. Goodwin, PH. D. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company. Cambridge. Press Of John Wilson and son. 1874. 4.
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