Deluge, and the conservation of one family in the ark. I have before taken notice, that this history was pretty recent when these works were executed in Egypt, and when these rites were first established and there is reason to think, that in early times most shrines among the Mizraim were formed under the resemblance of a ship, in memory of this great event. Nay, farther, both ships and temples received their names from hence; being styled by the Greeks, who borrowed largely from Egypt, Navs and Naos, and Mariners Naura, Nautæ, in reference to the Patriarch, who was variously styled Noas, Naus, and Noah. 77 However the Greeks may, in their mysteries, have sometimes introduced a ship as a symbol, yet, in their references to the Deluge itself, and to the persons preserved, they always speak of an ark, which they call " Aagua, Larnax, K.ßwros, and the like. And though they were apt to mention the same person under various titles, and by these means different people seem to be made principals in the same history; yet they were so far uniform 77 Plato of Deucalion and his wife; T8r8 v AAPNAKI diaσεσώσθαι. See also Nonnus. l. 6. p. 200. λάρναξ αυτοπόρος. Theophil. ad Autolic. 1. 3. p. 391. K.Bury. Ασει δ ̓ ὡς ποκ' εδεκτο τον Αιπόλον ευρέα λάρναξ in their accounts of this particular event, that they made each of them to be preserved in an ark. Thus it is said of Deucalion, Perseus, and Diopusus, that they were exposed upon the waters in a machine of this fabric. Adonis was hid in an 78 ark by Venus; and was supposed to have been in a state of death for a year. 79 Οιον τος τον Αδωνιν απ' αενας Αχέροντος Theocritus introduces a pastoral personage Comates, who was exposed in an ark for the same term, and wonderfully preserved. 8ο Ω μακαρισε Κοματα, τυ θην ταδε τερπνα πεπονθας, Και το κατεκλασθης εν λαρνακι, και το μελισσαν Κυρια φερβόμενος ενος ωριον εξετελεσσας. Of Osiris being exposed in an ark, we have a very remarkable account in " Plutarch; who mentions, 81 78 Apollodorus. 1. 3. p. 194. 79 Theocrit. Idyll. 15. v. 102. so Ibid. 7. v. 85. Com-Ait: two titles of Helius. 81 Isis and Osir. v. 1. p. 366, 367. See Lightfoot of the antient year beginning in Autumn. vol. 1. p. 707. 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 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 See, the Account of the Flood, when Prometheus reigned in Egypt, as it is mentioned by Diodor. Sicul. 1. 1. p. 16. 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. Καίτοι της γε περι Ποντον οικοντας παλαι Θηβεις προσαγορευομενες isoger Dinagxos, 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 Kßwtos, Cibotus; which, however, I do not imagine to have been a word of Grecian original: as both an 84 haven in Egypt, and a 3 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, Kiẞwros. 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 84 One of the havens at Alexandria. Strab. 1. 17. p. 1145. 85 Пgos Araμeia τy Kibwrw. Strab. 1. 12. p. 854. Κιβωτος" λάρναξ ξυλινη. Hesych. 86 Ποίησον εν σεαυτῷ Κιβωτον εκ ξυλων τετραγώνων· νοσσιας ποιήσεις nata τny KibwToy. Genes. c. 6. v. 14. Edit. Ald. 87 Hebr. č. 11. v. 7. 1 Pet. c. 3. v. 20. 88 also called Apamea; Απάμεια, η 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. And in 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 89 Falconerius has a cu 4 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 Apamea nomen inditum ab Apameâ sorore Seleuci Regis. Liv. 38. c. 13. Tertius Apameam vadit, ante appellatam Celænas, deinde Ciboton. Plin. 1. 5. c. 29. 1 89 Octav. Falconerii Dissertatio de nummo Apameensi. 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 Apameenses. 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 MAFNHTON are upon the blank space of the ark. |