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those of darkness by means of webs. Therefore the builders of the cosmic system who
held the embryonic universe together with threads of invisible force were sometimes
referred to as the Spider Gods and their ruler was designated The Great Spider.

The beehive is found in Masonry as a reminder that in diligence and labor for a common
good true happiness and prosperity are found. The bee is a symbol of wisdom, for as this
tiny insect collects pollen from the flowers, so men may extract wisdom from the
experiences of daily life. The bee is sacred to the goddess Venus and, according to
mystics, it is one of several forms of life which came to the earth from the planet Venus
millions of years ago. Wheat and bananas are said to be of similar origin. This is the
reason why the origin of these three forms of life cannot be traced. The fact that bees are
ruled by queens is one reason why this insect is considered a sacred feminine symbol.

In India the god Prana--the personification of the universal life force--is sometimes
shown surrounded by a circle of bees. Because of its importance in pollenizing flowers,
the bee is the accepted symbol of the generative power. At one time the bee was the
emblem of the French kings. The rulers of France wore robes embroidered with bees, and
the canopies of their thrones were decorated with gigantic figures of these insects.

The fly symbolizes the tormentor, because of the annoyance it causes to animals. The
Chaldean god Baal was often called Baal-Zebul, or the god of the dwelling place. The
word zebub, or zabab, means a fly, and Baal-Zebul became Baalzebub, or Beelzebub, a
word which was loosely translated to mean Jupiter's fly. The fly was looked upon as a
form of the divine power, because of its ability to destroy decaying substances and thus
promote health. The fly may have obtained its name Zebub from its peculiar buzzing or
humming. Inman believes that Baalzebub, which the Jews ridiculed as My Lord of Flies,
really means My Lord Who Hums or Murmurs.

Inman recalls the singing Memnon on the Egyptian desert, a tremendous figure with an
Æolian harp on the top of its head. When the wind blows strongly this great Statue sighs,
or hums. The Jews changed Baalzebub into Beelzebub, and made him their prince of
devils by interpreting dæmon as "demon." Naudæus, in defending Virgil from
accusations of sorcery, attempted a wholesale denial of the miracles supposedly
performed by Virgil and produced enough evidence to convict the poet on all counts.
Among other strange fears, Virgil fashioned a fly out of brass, and after certain
mysterious ceremonies, placed it over one of the gates of Naples. As a result, no flies
entered the city for more than eight years.

REPTILES

The serpent was chosen as the head of the reptilian family. Serpent worship in some form
has permeated nearly all parts of the