I. Name
Adonis (originally ‘Lord’, see Hesychius s.v.) is a hero of classical mythology, beloved by Aphrodite and Persephone. He has been identified with a Phoenician god in Byblos who is referred to as d da.mu in the Amarna letters. The divine name Adonis occurs in Vulg Version of Ezek. 8.14 instead of VL and LXX Thammuz. As ḥemdat nāšîm, ‘Darling of women’, Adonis occurs possibly in Dan. 11.37. References to his cult are perhaps also to be found in some chapters of Isaiah.
II. Identity
According to classic…