The Chaldean Magi

Martianus Capella

Martianus Minneus Felix Capella (fl. c. 410–420) was a jurist, polymath and Latin prose writer of late antiquity, one of the earliest developers of the system of the seven liberal arts that structured early medieval education.[1][2][3][4] He was a native of Madaura. Martianus often presents philosophical views based on Neoplatonism, the Platonic school of philosophy pioneered by Plotinus and his followers. His single encyclopedic work, De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury"), also called De septem disciplinis ("On the seven disciplines"), is an elaborate didactic allegory written in a mixture of prose and elaborately allusive verse. Like his near-contemporary Macrobius, who also produced a major work on classical Roman religion, Martianus never directly identifies his own religious affiliation. Much of his work occurs in the form of dialogue, and the views of the interlocutors may not represent the author's own.

De Nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii

Book II. 85:

The Latins call thee Sol, for that in solitary splendour thou art highest in rank after the Father, and from they sacred head adorned with its twice six rays golden beams shoot forth, furnished thus, men say, to equalin number of the months and the seasons determined by thee. Four steeds they relate though guidest with reins, for thou alone dost control Nature's car. And for that thou expellest the darkness, disclosing the bright heavens with they light, therefore they name three Phoebus, revealer of the secrets of the future, or Lyaeus because thou dost unloose the hidden things of night. Thee the Nile reserves as Serapis, Memphis as Osiris, other cults as Mithras, or Dis, or savage Typhon. Thou art fair Attis too, and the gentle boy of the curved plough, Ammon also of the parched Lybian desert, and Adon of Byblos. So under various names the whole world worships thee.