BY EUGENE W PLAWIUK M.M.

PRESENTED TO NORWOOD LGDGE No.90 A.F.& A.M.  G.R.A.

SEPTEMBER 3 1991 C.E.

Our first experience upon entering the Lodge as apprentices is to

be warned about the Goat.  Even before we are informed of 'in whom

we should put our trust', we are given knowing looks followed by

such comments as; " he's going to get the goat" or " you are going

to ride the goat" or even "look out for the goat". It is a good

thing that we are informed that we place our trust in God, since

some poor unfortunate entered apprentice could understandably be

forgiven for replying; " In the Goat".

The origin of this humourous initiatory jest about the Goat is

shrouded by the veils of time. Several Older brethern I have

conferred with seem to have no idea of where or when it originated.

It could have originally been imported from America by that

practical joker and fellow Mason; Benjamin Franklin. Or it could

be a unique recent development of post World War II Masonry.

Certainly I can find no references to the Goat or even "riding the

Goat" in Mackay's Masonic Encyclopedia, Duncan's Ritual, Morals and

Dogma by Albert Pike or even FreeMasonry and its Etiquette by

William Preston Campbell-Everden.  Even such anti-Masonic writers

as Walton Hannah (Darkness Visible and Christian by Degree) make no

reference to it, and it would certainly be something he would not

be loathe to use to slander the Craft.

Thus with such sparse reference sources available we could easily

dismiss our Goat as a simple joke, a hangover from those other

fraternities that abound on college and university campuses across

this great nation. In fact a bit of school boy prank amongst pals.

Thus dismissed as a bit of tom-foolery I wouldn't have much of a

paper to present this evening. Yet can we dismiss our ancient

friend who has played such a great role in the myths and legends,

of all religions and cultures of Western Europe? The Goat dates

back to the very earliest primordial memories of Man.  And perhaps

even used as a joke within the Lodge it would do us well to look at

him as a totem or symbol of the Great Work.  In fact if you will

bear with me I think I shall be able to prove to you that, using

the training we are recommended as Fellow Craft Masons, we can find

that the humble Goat too reflects the truth of Masonry "veiled in

allegory and illustrated by symbols".

The Goat is known to all of us through the ancient science of

Astrology first developed by the Chaldeans, or as they are commonly

known; Babylonians.  The Goat symbolizes male fertility, and is

known, to even those who peruse the daily astrology columns of the

local newspaper, as representing the astrological sign of

Capricorn; Dec. 22 to January 22.  Capricorn is a combination of

both a Goat and and a fish.  According to J.E.. Cirlot in his

Dictionary of Symbols; this dual aspect refers to the dual

tendencies of life towards the abyss ( or water) " or chaos of the

beginning of time, and " the heights or mountains " or order and

malkuth (the earth) as symbolized by the goat aspect.

In fact the very same Babylonians who gave us this symbol of

Capricorn and the science of Astrology were the first Temple

builders, and the goat for them symbolised the essence of the

Temple or Lodge. An animal usually found climbing in the

mountains. Thus from the first ziggurats to the Temple of Solomon

even to later Churches the Goat was seen as symbol of Man striving

to reach God through his building of Temples that represented

mountains. Since in all religions Gods abode is symbolized by

mountains.

What a better symbol to atribute to our own striving to understand

the G.A.O.T.U. then a Goat.  And here too we find an anagram for

Goat.

According to a research monograph on the Dionysian Artificers and

Early Masonry edited by Manly P. Hall, the symbolism of the goat

relates to the prechristian God Pan, Dionysius.  The Goat-God was

accepted by the later Greek Mystery Schools as the symbol of the

Temple Builders. In fact the Dionysian Artificers was such a

mystery school.  They viewed practical Temple Construction as a

source of understanding the mystery of Nature and God; thus being

one of the early esoteric schools from which Masonry has inherited

certain symbols and teachings. Most specifically this Greek

Mystery School developed the Ionic Column which are introduced to

us in the Fellow Craft degree. Once again this column which acted

as the corner stone of Greek Architecture literally holds up the

temple; the very support for the Mountain or home of God.

The Ionic Column is a later development over the Doric, having

developed in the 7th Century B.C., it allowed for more filagree

work in its base and at its top. It is seen as being more feminine

than the masculine Doric Column.

"The Dionysian Artificers or architects were an association of

scientific men, who were incorporated by command of the Kings of

Pergamus into a corporate body.  They had the city of Teas given to

them. The members of this association were intimately connected

with the Dionysian mysteries, were distinguished from the

uninitiated inhabitants of Teos by their Science and by words and

signs by which they could recognize their Brethern of the Order.

Like Freemasons they were divided into Lodges which were

characterized by different names.  Such is the nature of that

association of architects, who erected those splendid edifices in

Ionia, whose ruins even afford us instructions, while they excite

our surprise.  If it be possible to prove the identity of any two

societies, from the coincidence of their external forms, we are

authorized to conclude that the Fraternity of Ionian architects and

the Fraternity of Freemasons are exactly the same" says Dr. R.

Swineburne Clymer in his book: Ancient Mystic Oriental Masonry.

Besides representing the Temple or Home of the gods, the goat

represents the active male sexual or fertility aspect of nature.

As Capricorn he rules the returning sun, from the darkness of

winter solstice. In the sign of the Goat/Capricorn the sun begins

to resume its ascent towards the spring Equinox. As well the goat

horn is a hallow phallic symbol, represented even today as the cup

of plenty or cornucopia which we see represented in the Lodge.

Says J. E. Cirlot; " In mythology it was the goat Almathea who fed

the infant Jupiter an milk.  Given that the general symbolism of

the horn is strength, and that the goat has maternal implications,

and in addition that the shape of the horn (phallic outside and

hollow inside) endows it with complex symbolism (including that of

the lingam or symbol of generation) it is easy to understand its

allegorical use as the horn of abundance.  Plobb points out also

that the cornucopia is an expression of prosperity deriving from

its association with the Zodiacal sign of Capricorn."

The androgenous symbolism of the horn of plenty is typical of the

symbolism of the goat in general.  While the Greek Goat Gods Pan

and Dionysius were male, we look at the goat as an animal in

masculine terms while it is both male and female.  The

identification of the the male goat in by his beard, since both

genders have horns.  The phrase " by my beard, or " he pulled my

beard " as well as the style of beard called a 'goatee' all relate

to the goat.

The goat-Gods Pan and Dionysius in Greek mythology represent the

forest and unbridled nature; lust in the case of Pan and Drinking,

and fertility in the case of Dionysius.  Hence from the OED we have

the term for a lecherous older man; "you old Goat".  Pan is

represented as being half human, half goat with horns, and would

later be used in medieval times to represent the devil.

Ironically the horns on the head of Michalangelos statue of Moses

are also Goat horns, symbolising not the devil but the power of

nature and natures God; Fiat Lux.  For in the bible it states that

Moses was beheld by his people as having two rays of Light

springing forth from his head.

"Hark! My Beloved! here he comes, bounding over the mountains,

leaping over the hills.  My beloved is like a gazelle or a young

wild goat."

"My beloved is mine and I am his; he delights in the lilies. While

the day is cool and shadows are dispersing, turn my beloved, and

show yourself a gazelle or a young wild goat on the hills where

cinnamon grows."

" How beautiful you are my dearest, how beautiful! Your eyes behind

your veil are like doves, your hair like a flock of goats streaming

down Mount Gilead."

The Song of Songs (Which is Solomons).

Herein as well in the Old Testament we find the beautiful love poem

which views the goat as symbolizing nature, and fertility as it did

in prechristian times. In the Song of Songs both lovers refer to

each other as goats. As to be expected since the lovers in this

poem are a shepherd and shepherdess herding goats!!! And we have

the symbolism of the goats in relationship to sacred mountains or

temples. It is enough to mention that this song is known as

Solomons who plays such an important role in Freemasonry.

In medieval times clerical knights and military orders made up of

priests during the crusades differentiated themselves from regular

knights by riding upon goats rather than horses. This tradition

can be seen in the Knights Templer who would ride horses but two

knights to one horse, thus representing their clerical origins.

Need I relate the most obvious use of the goat known to all Master

Masons? The Scapegoat. An animal who leads the others to slaughter

now commonly used to reier to the unwitting victim of some malice.

It is obvious that the initiate stands in for Hiram Abiff and takes

his blows accordingly. In referring to the goat perhaps we are

unconsciously warning the entered apprentice of his ultimate end in

his soujourn through the Degrees.

As I mentioned earlier the Boat and the Goat-God Pan became equated

with the devil in medieval christianity. But to medieval

occultists especially Rosicrucians the goat symbolized the

elemental energies of the earth, the sign of Saturn and the

alchemical element derived therefrom.

In the Tarat it is the Major Arcana card #15 the Devil, who shows

a goat headed deity with a man and women chained to him. The

symbolism is that of people who strive for material rather than

spiritual gain.

The Goat of Mendes or Baphomet whom the Templars were accused of

worshipping is a Goat Headed deity, being formed of both male and

female principles, with a Caduceus of Mercury for its phallus. One

arm points up and one down , with the latin ' Solve et Coagula'

written on them. This is not the christian devil but a symbol of

the ancient alchemists representing the fact that nature and

natures God is a combination and balance of male and female forces,

light and darkness, moisture and dryness.  The very principle of

Hermes Trismegitus; As Above So Below" is what is symbolized by

Baphomet.

Another Goat headed deity worship by the ancient pagan Celtic

peoples was Cernnunos the horned god of the Wood.  Today in

witchcraft covens the goat head is seen to symbolize this ancient

deity.

Unfortunately to the those who remain in the dark, these goat

deities are seen as something evil rather than as the symbol of the

earth, fertility, the prima mater, and the first principle.

Freemasonry in its past like its predecessor the Knights Templar

have been accused of being in league with the Devil, being a

satanic tool etc.  That has arisen from the fact that FreeMasons by

their initiation into the Light have been eager to research and

study the Mystical symbols of the past and present, without fear or

irrational prejudice.  In times past of religious persecution and

superstition the Mystical Mason has treaded the path of heresy in

search of the Light of Truth.

I hope that this paper has afforded us all a broader view of

meaning and depth of the symbolism of even something as simple as

"our little joke", about the Goat.

BIBLIOGRPPHY

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