under those titles. The Sun, or Orus, is likewise described by Iamblichus as sitting upon the lotus, and sailing in a vessel.

61

60

It is said of Sesostris, that he constructed a

ship, which was two hundred and eighty cubits in length. It was of cedar; plated without with gold, and inlaid with silver: and it was, when finished, dedicated to Osiris at Thebes. It is not credible, that there should have been a ship of this size, especially in an inland district, the most remote of any in Egypt. It was certainly a temple, and a shrine. The former was framed upon this large scale and it was the latter, on which the gold and silver were so lavishly expended. There is a remarkable circumstance relating to the Argonautic expedition; that the dragon slain by Jason was of the dimensions of a 2 Trireme by which must be meant, that it was of the shape of a ship in general; for there were no Triremes at the time

60 Επι τε λώτῳ καθημενος, και επι πλοις ναυτιλλομενος (Θεός). Iamblichus de Myst. Sect. 7. p. 151.

2. Tnuavtogol vavvingar. Pind. Pyth. Od. 4.¡p. 261.

ὡς καὶ τῷ πάχει και τῳ μήκει το σώματος πεντηκόντορον ναυν κατειχεν η, ὡς ἔνιοι, εμβληθεις επληρε ναυν πεντηκοντορον. Schol. ibid.

alluded to. And I have moreover shewn, that all these dragons, as they have been represented by the poets, were in reality temples, Dracontia; where, among other rites, the worship of the serpent was instituted. There is therefore reason to think, that this temple, as well as that of Sesostris, was fashioned in respect to its superficial contents after the model of a ship: and as to the latter, it was probably intended in its outlines to be the exact representation of the ark, in commemoration of which it was certainly built. It was a temple sacred to Osiris at Theba; or, to say the truth, it was itself called Theba: and both the city, said to be one of the most antient in Egypt, as well as the Province, was undoubtedly 3 denominated from it. Now Theba was the very name of the ark. When Noah was ordered to construct a vessel, in which he and his family were to be preserved; he was directed in express terms to build, nan, Theba, an ark. It is the very 4 word made use of by the

13 Το αρχαίον ή Αιγυπτος Θηβαι καλεμενη. Aristot. Meteorol. v. 1. 1. 1. p. 771.

Theba and Diospolis the same: Τας Θήβας και Διοσπολιν την BUTη irage. Diodorus Sicul. 1. 1. p.

88.

Theba now called Minio, according to Sanson.

Θηβα πόλις Βοιωτιας, και Κιβωτιον. Hesych.

64 According to the Grecian mode of allegorizing, Theba was said to have been the daughter of Prometheus, who gave name to

I

sacred writer: so that we may, I think, be assured of the prototype, after which this temple was fashioned. It is said, indeed, to have been only two hundred and eighty cubits in length: whereas 'the 65 ark of Noah was three hundred. But this is a variation of only one fifteenth in the whole: and, as the antient cubit was not in all countries the same; we may suppose that this disparity arose rather from the manner of measuring, than from any real difference in the extent of the building. It was an idolatrous temple; said to have been built by Sesostris in honour of Osiris.. have been repeatedly obliged to take notice of the ignorance of the Greeks in respect to antient titles; and have shewn their misapplication of terms in many instances: especially in their supposing temples to have been erected by persons, to whom they were in reality sacred. Sesostris was Osiris; the same as Dionusus, Menes, and Noah. He is called Seisithrus by Abydenus, Xixouthros by Berosus and Apollodorus; and is represented by them as a prince, in whose time the Deluge happened. He was called Zuth, Xuth, and Zeus and had certainly divine honours paid to him.

४

the place: Απο Θήβης της Προμηθέως. Steph. Βyzant. Γαμει δὲ Ζήθος Me On env, ap' is modis Onßai. Apollodor. 1. 3. p. 145..

65 Genes. c. 6. v. 15. .

The same memorial is to be observed in other countries, where an ark, or ship, was introduced in their mysteries, and often carried about upon their festivals. Pausanias gives a remarkable account of a temple of Hercules at Eruthra in Ionia; which he mentions as of the highest antiquity, and very like those in Egypt. The Deity was represented upon a float; and was supposed to have come thither in this manner from Phenicia. 66 Σχεδια γαρ ξυλων, και επ αυτης θεος. 67 Aristides mentions, that at Smyrna, upon the feast called Dionusia, a ship used to be carried in procession, The same custom prevailed among the Athenians at the Panathenæa; when what was termed the sacred ship was borne with great reverence through the city to the temple of Damater of Elusis. At Phalerus near Athens there were honours paid to an unknown hero, who was represented in the stern of a ship: 68 Τιμαται δε της Φαληροι κατα πρύμναν

67 Orat. Smyrn. v. 1. p. 402. He speaks of the custom as of late date but the festival of Dionusus warrants the antiquity. See Dio. 1. 89. p. 62. Εν τε γαρ Αλβανῳ Ήρας νεως. κτλ. a similar

rite.

:

See Aristophan. I. v. 563. of the ship at the Panathenæa. Το δε Αρειος παγο πλησιον δεικνυται ΝΑΥΣ ποιηθεισα εις την των Παναθηναιων πομπην. Pausan. 1. 1, p. 79.

ήρως. At Olympia, the most sacred place in Greece, was a representation of the like nature, It was a building like the fore part of a ship, which stood facing the end of the Hippodromus ; and towards the middle of it was an altar, upon which at the renewal of each Olympiad particular rites were performed : " Επι έκασης Ολυμπιάδος ποιείται κατά την πρώραν μάλιςα πε μέσην.

It is said of Lamech, that he received great consolation at the birth of his son; and that he prophetically called his name Noah; saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work, and toil of our hands; because of the ground, which the Lord hath cursed. Agreeably to this the name of Noah was by the Grecians interpreted rest and comfort: 71 Nwe avaπaucis. This seems to have been alluded to at the Eleusinian mysteries. Part of the ceremony was a night scene; attended with tears and lamentations, on account of some person, who was supposed to have been lost: but at the close a priest used

Νωε αναπαυσις.

Of the ship sent to Delos, see Callimach. Hymn. in Delum. not. ad v. 314. p. 204.

Νως Εβραίοι ὡς διερμηνεύεται τη Ελλαδι γλώσση ΑΝΑΠΑΥΣΙΣ, Theoph. ad Autolyc. 1. 3. p. 391.