θείσης δε της γης, ὁ Ζευς εκέλευσε τῳ Προμήθει και τη Αθηνα είδωλα διαπλασαι ἐκ τε πηλά, και προσκαλεσάμενος τις ανεμές εμφυσήσαι πασιν εκέλευσε, και ζωντα αποτέλεσαι. The tradition is, that there was formerly a king named Annacus, the extent of whose life was above 18 three hundred years. The people, who were of his neighbourhood and acquaintance, had inquired of an oracle how long he was to live. And there was an answer given, that when Annacus died, all mankind would be destroyed. The Phrygians, upon this account, made great lamentations: from whence arose the proverb, το επι Αννακε xxxvσ, the lamentation for Annacus; made use of for people or circumstances highly calamitous. When the flood of Deucalion came, all mankind was destroyed, according as the oracle had foretold. Afterwards, when the surface of the earth began to be again dry, Zeus ordered Prometheus and Minerva to make images of clay in the form of men: and when they were finished, he called the winds, and made them breathe into each, and ren 18 Noah lived above three hundred years after the flood; which this writer has supposed to have been his term of life when the flood came. The antients estimated the former life of Noah, or Osiris, to his entrance into the ark: this interval in the ark was esteemed a state of death: and what ensued was looked upon as a second life, and the renewal of nature. This will appear all through the Gentile history of the deluge, der them vital. However the story may have been varied, the principal outlines plainly point out the person who is alluded to in these histories. Many personages having been formed out of one has been the cause of great confusion, both in these instances, and in numberless others. Indeed, the whole mythology of the antients has, by these means, been sadly clouded. It is, I think, manifest, that Annacus and Nannacus, and even Inacus, relate to Noachus, or Noah. And not only these, but the histories of Deucalion and Prometheus have a like reference to the Patriarch, in the 19 six hundredth year (and not the three hundredth), of whose life the waters prevailed upon the earth. He was the father of mankind, who were renewed in him. Hence he is represented by another author under the character of Prometheus, as a great artist, by whom men were formed anew, and were instructed in all that was good. He makes * Minerva co-operate with him in making images of clay, according to the history before given: but he additionally gives to her the province of inspiring them with a living 20 19 Genes. c. 7. v. 11. 2ο Και το μεν όλον, αρχιτεκτων αυτος (ὁ Προμηθευς) ην συνεργάζετα δε τοι και ἡ Αθηνα, ΙΜΠΝΕΟΥΣΑ τον πηλον, και έμψυχα που σα divai ta kλaopata. Lucian. Prometh. in Verbis. vol. 1. p. 16. soul, instead of calling the winds together for, that purpose. Hence the soul of man, according to Lucian, is an emanation of Divine Wisdom. Noah was the original Cornus, and Zeus; though the latter is a title conferred sometimes upon his son, Ham. 21 Πρωτιςος μεν ανασσεν επιχθονίων Κρονος ανδρων. 23 καταπινειν τα There is a very particular expression recorded by Clemens of Alexandria, and attributed to Pythagoras; who is said to have called the sea 22 Koove Sangvov, the tear of Cronus: and there was a farther tradition concerning this person, TEXVα, that he drank, or swallowed up, all his children. The tears of Isis are represented as very mysterious. They are said to have flowed, whenever the Nile began to rise, and to flood the country. The overflowing of that river was the great source of affluence to the people: and they 21 Lactant. de Fals. Relig. v. 1. c. 13. p. 61. 22 Τοιαυτα και οι Πυθαγοριοι ηνίσσοντο, Περσεφονης μεν κύνας τες πλανητας, Κρονε δε δάκρυον την θαλασσαν, αλληγορουντες και μυρία επι μυρίοις εύροιμεν αν ὑπο τε φιλοσοφων, ὑπο τε ποιητων αινιγματωδως signueva. Clemens, of the wilful obscurity of the antient Greek writers. Strom. 1.5. p. 676. 23 Etymolog. Magnum. looked upon it as their chief blessing; yet it was ever attended with mystical tears, and lamentations. This was particularly observable at Coptos, where the principal Deity was Isis. 4 Coptos est civitas Mareotica Ægypti, in quâ Iö versa in Isidem colitur: cujus sacris sistro celebratis Nilus exæstuat.—Proventum fructuum Ægyptii quærunt usque ad veros planctus: namque irrigatio Nili supradictorum fletibus imploratur. This writer imagines, that the tears, and lamentations of the people were to implore an inundation: and the tears of Isis, according to " Pausanias, were supposed to make the river swell. But all this was certainly said, and done, in memorial of a former flood, of which they made the overflowing of the Nile a type. 25 As the Patriarch was by some represented as a king called Naachus and Nauachus; so by others he was styled Inachus, and supposed to have reigned at Argos. For colonies, wherever they came, in process of time superadded the traditions, which they brought, to the histories of the countries, where they settled. Hence Inachus was made a king of Greece; and Phoroneus, and Apis brought in succession after him. But I have more than once taken notice, that Inachus was 24 Lutatius Placidus in Stat. Theb. 1. 1. v. 265, 25 L. 10. p. 881. VOL. III. 26 not a name of Grecian original. It is mentioned by Eusebius in his account of the first ages, that there reigned in Egypt Telegonus, a prince of foreign extraction: who was the son of Orus the shepherd, and the seventh in descent from Inachus. And in the same author we read, that a colony went forth from that country into Syria, where they founded the antient city Antioch: and that they were conducted by 7 Casus and Belus, who were sons of Inachus. These events were far more early than any history of Greece; let it be removed as far back as tradition can be carried. But otherwise, what relation can a prince of Egypt, or Casus and Belus, who came originally from Babylonia, have with a supposed king of Argos? By Inachus is certainly meant Noah: and the history relates to some of the more early descendants of the Patriarch. His name has been rendered very unlike itself, by having been lengthened with terminations; and otherwise fashioned according to the idiom of different nations. But the circumstances of the history are so precise and particular, that we cannot miss of the truth. He seems in the East to have been called Noas, 26 In Egypto regnavit Telegonus Oris pastoris filius, septimus ab Inacho. Euseb. Chron. Vers. Lat. p. . 14. 27 Κασος και Βηλος, Ιναχε παιδες, προς τῳ Οροντει ποταμῳ κτλ. Euseb. Chron. p. 24. See also Zonaras. 1. 1. p. 21. |