ed to the female deities at the two epochs mentioned. Athene
who in an earlier age had represented Wisdom had in the age of Solon
degenerated into a patroness of heroes; but even as a Goddess of war her
patronage was as nought compared with that of the courtesan Venus, at
whose shrine "every man in Greece worshipped."

The extent to which women, in the name of religion, have been degraded,
and the part which in the past they have been compelled to assume in the
worship of passion may not at the present time be disguised, as facts
concerning this subject are well authenticated. In a former work,(105)
attention has been directed to the religious rites of Babylon, the city
in which it will be remembered the Tower of Belus was situated. Here
women of all conditions and ranks were obliged, once in their life, to
prostitute themselves in the temple for hire to any stranger who might
demand such service, which revenue was appropriated by the priests to be
applied to sacred uses. This act it will be remembered was a religious
obligation imposed by religious teachers and enforced by priestly rule.
It was a sacrifice to the god of passion. A similar custom prevailed in
Cyprus.

105) See Evolution of Woman, p. 228.

Most of the temples of the later Hindoos had bands of consecrated
women called the "Women of the Idol." These victims of the priests were
selected in their infancy by Brahmins for the beauty of their persons,
and were trained to every elegant accomplishment that could render them
attractive and which would insure success in the profession which they
exercised at once for the pleasure and profit of the priesthood. They
were never allowed to desert the temple; and the offspring of their
promiscuous embraces were, if males, consecrated to the service of the
Deity in the ceremonies of this worship, and, if females, educated in
the profession of their mothers.(106)

106) Maurice, Indian Antiquities, vol. i.

That prostitution was a religious observance, which was practiced in
Eastern temples, cannot in the face of accessible facts be doubted.
Regarding this subject, Inman says:

"To us it is inconceivable, that the indulgence of passion could
be associated with religion, but so it was. The words expressive
of 'sanctuary,' 'consecrated,' and 'sodomites' are in the Hebrew
essentially the same. It is amongst the Hindoos of to-day as it was in
the Greece and Italy of classic times; and we find that 'holy