that it was on account of Typhon; and that it happened on the seventeenth of the month Athyr, when the Sun was in Scorpio. This, in my judgment, was the precise time when Noah entered the ark, and when the flood came; which, in the Egyptian mythology, was termed Typhon. From what has preceded, the reader will perceive, that the history of the Deluge was no secret to the Gentile world. They held the memory of it very sacred; and many colonies, which went abroad, styled themselves Thebeans, in reference to the ark. Hence there occur many cities of the name of Theba; not in Egypt only and Bootia, but in Cilicia, Ionia, Attica, Pthiotis, Cataonia, Syria, and Italy. It was sometimes expressed Thiba, a town of which name was in Pontus: Θιβα τοπος προς τῳ Πόντῳ. It is called Thibis by Pliny. He mentions a notion, which prevailed, that the people of this place could not sink in 82 83 See the Account of the Flood, when Prometheus reigned in Egypt, as it is mentioned by Diodor. Sicul. 1. 1. P. 16. 82 Steph. Byzantin. It was said to have been built by the Amazons. From the Amazons being Thebeans, we may judge of their race, and true history. 83 Plin. l. 7. c. 2. Καιτα τως γε πέρι Ποντον οικέντας παλαι Θηβεις προσαγορευομενος isogei Diλagxos, x. 7. λ. Plut. Sympos. 1. 5. c. 7. water; eosdem non posse mergi: we may see in this a remote allusion to the name of the place and people, and to the history which they had preserved. 85 There was another term besides Theba, under which the Grecians represented the ark. It was called Kẞwros, Cibotus; which, however, I do not imagine to have been a word of Grecian original: as both an 84 haven in Egypt, and a 5 city of great antiquity in Phrygia, were denominated in the same manner. The fathers of the Greek church, when they treat of the ark, interpret it in this manner, KiBwTos. It is also the term made use of by the Seventy; and even by the 7 Apostles themselves. The city Cibotus, which I mentioned to have been in Phrygia, stood far inland upon the fountains of the river Marsyas: and we may judge from its name, that it had reference to the same history. Indeed, all over this part of the world memorials of the deluge seem to have been particularly preserved. This city was 86 87 **One of the havens at Alexandria. Strab. 1. 17. p. 1143. 85 Προς Απαμένα τη Κιβωτῳ. Strab. 1. 12. p. 854. Κιβωτος· λαρναξ ξυλινη. Hesych. 86 Ποίησον εν σεαυτῷ Κιβωτόν εκ ξυλων τετραγωνων νοσσίας ποιήσεις LATA THY KICWTov. Genes. c. 6. v. 14. Edit. Ald. also called Apamea; 88 And in Απάμεια, ἡ Κιβωτος λεγομένη which name of Apamea is said to have been conferred upon it in latter times. It was undoubtedly named Cibotus in memory of the ark, and of the history, with which it is connected. proof of this, we shall find that the people had preserved more particular and authentic traditions concerning the flood, and the preservation of mankind through Noah, than are to be met with elsewhere. The learned 9 Falconerius has a cu 88 Strab. 1. 12. p. 864. It was undoubtedly the same as Celænæ, of which I have treated before; and which I have shewn to have been named from its situation. Celænæ I should imagine was the name of the city; and Cibotus was properly the temple: which distinction was not attended to in former times. Migratum inde haud procul veteribus Celænis; novæque urbi Apameæ nomen inditum ab Apameâ sorore Seleuci Regis. Liv. 38. c. 13. Tertius Apameam vadit, ante appellatam Celanas, deinde Ciboton. Plin. l. 5. c. 29. 89 Octav. Falconerii Dissertatio de nummo Apamcensi. Deucalionëi diluvii typum exhibente; ad Petr. Seguinum S. Germani Antissiodor. Paris. Decanum. Ex Libro, cui titulus, Selecta Numismata Antiqua ex Museo Petr. Seguini. Paris. 1684. He mentions another coin similar to the above, and struck by the same people, who are styled Magnetes Apamcenses. On one side is the head of Severus, crowned with laurel: on the other, the ark, with the same persons in it, and the like circumstances, described: above, ΕΠΙ ΑΓΩΝΟΘΕΤΩΝ ΑΡΤΕ ΜΑΓΝΗΤΩΝ ΑΠΑΜΕΩΝ. The two last syllables of MAгNHTON are upon the blank space of the ark. |