date; such as were in time much inferior to the age of Athenagoras; and still farther removed from the era of Josephus. Upon this account I pay a greater deference to these verses than I do to those which are subsequent; for these contain a very interesting history, and are tolerably precise, if we consider the remoteness of the times spoken of. We have here an accurate account of the confusion of speech, and demolition of the tower of Babel, and of the Titanian war, which ensued. And we are moreover told, that the war commenced in the tenth generation after the deluge; and that it lasted ten years; and that it was the first war in which mankind were engaged. The author, whoever he may have been, seems to allude to two quarrels. The one was with the head of the family, and proceeded from a jealousy and fear lest he should have any more children; as that would be a detriment in possession to those whom he already 20 had. Something of this nature runs through the whole of the Pagan mythology. The other quarrel was upon a similar account. It began through ambition, and a desire of rule among the Titans; and terminated in their ruin. Abydenus, conformably to the account given above, mentions, that soon after the demo

20 See Sibylline Verses. 1. 3. p. 227.

lition of the tower commenced the war between Cronus and Titan; and that it was carried on by people of uncommon strength and stature. Eupolemus also, whom I have before quoted, calls them "Giants; and says, that they were scattered over the face of the earth. Upon this dispersion Babylonia was quite evacuated, and the city left unfinished. Some of the fugitives betook themselves to Shinar, a city which lay between Nineve and Babylon, to the north of the region, which, they had quitted. Others

came into Syria, and into the Arabian provinces, which bordered upon Canaan. Those who fled to Shinar, the Senaar of Hestiæus Milesius, resided there some time. But being in the vicinity of Elam, and Nineve, they raised the jealousy of the sons of Ashur, and of the Elamites, who formed a confederacy against them; and, after a dispute of some time, drove them from that neighbourhood. And, not contented with this, they prosecuted their vengeance still farther, and invaded all those of the line of Ham westward;

21 Ηδη δε ασσον είναι το Ουρανs (την Τυνριν), και τις ανεμες ανατρέψαι μετα δε Κρονῳ τε και Τιτηνι συςηναι πολεμον. Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 19. c. 14. p. 416. Syncel. p. 44. ZEUS weg! The Ζευς περί της agxns wopos Tiravas εñoλɛμnoɛ. Athenag. Legatio. p. 325. 22 Είναι δε autas Tigartas. Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 9. c. 17.

p. 418.

2

23

and made them tributaries as far as the confines of Egypt. The sacred writings take notice of the conclusion of the war, which ended almost in the extirpation of some families in these parts; especially of those which were properly Titanian. And that this was the same war which happened in the time of Abraham, is manifest from its being in the tenth generation from the deluge: for Abraham was tenth in descent from Noah; and consequently from the deluge. Cedrenus is very particular in his account of these times. He says, that in the days of Abraham, * τες παίδας τας Ουρανε ακμάσαι; the sons of Calus flourished. And having before spoken of the Patriarch's retiring upon account of a famine into Egypt, he adds, " γίνεται δε και ὁ Τιτάνων προς τον Δια πολεμος : about this time was the war of the Titans against Jupiter. Theophilus also gives an account of this war from the historian Phallus. * Και γαρ Βηλε του Ασσυρίων βασιλευσαν της, και Κρονε, και Τιτανος, Φαλλος μεμνηται, φάσκων, τον Βηλον πεπολεμηκεναι συν τοις Τιτασι προς τον Δία, και της συν αυτῳ Θεος λεγομένες. Ενθα φησι, και ὁ Γύγης ήττηθεις έφυγεν εις Ταρτησσον. Phallus takes notice of

23 P. 29.

2+ Ibid.

25 L. 3. p. 399. He makes the Titans war against the Gods; but they were properly the persons esteemed immortal. He also makes Belus an Assyrian, instead of a Babylonian,

the Assyrian monarch Belus; likewise of Cronus and Titan: and he says, that Belus and the Titans made war upon Jupiter and the Gods; and that Gyges being worsted in battle fled from those parts to Tartessus. Instead of Cronus, he mentions Jupiter, as the person engaged on the opposite side; but it is of little consequence by what title the leaders be called, for the history of the war is very plain. In Moses we read only of the conclusion; but the Gentile writers give a detail of the whole procedure from the beginning of the quarrel. We accordingly find, that there were three brothers, and three families, one of which was the Titanian: that they had early great jealousies; which their father, a just man, foresaw would, if not prevented, become fatal. He therefore appointed to each a particular portion in the earth, and made them swear that they would not invade each others right. This kept them during his lifetime in order: but after his demise the Titans commenced hostilities, and entered into an association against the family of Shem. When they first formed themselves into this confederacy they are said to have raised an altar; and upon

26

26

Τούτο εςιν, ἐν ᾧ πρωτον οι Θεοι την συνωμοσίαν εθέντο, ότε επι Κρόνον ὁ Ζευς εσρατεύσιν. Eratosth. Aster. θυσιαςηριον. p. 14.

Hyginus supposes that the Gods swore upon this altar when they were going to oppose the Titans; and he says that it was

this they swore never to abandon the league, nor to give up their pretensions. This altar was the work of the Cyclopians, a people who seem to have been wonderfully ingenious and it is thought that the Chaldeans, in memorial of this transaction, inserted an altar in their antient 7 sphere.

From the sacred historian we may infer, that there were two periods of this war: the first, when the king of Elam and his associates laid the Rephaïm, Emim, Horites, and Amalekites, under contribution: the other, when upon their rebellion they reduced them a second time to obedience, The first part is mentioned by several antient writers; and is said to have lasted ten years.

the work of the Cyclopians. But the Cyclopians were Titanians; and the altar was for the use of their brotherhood, who were called Τιτηνες Θεοί.

Τιτηνες τε θεοι-των εξ άνδρες τε θεοι τε,

Homer. Hymn. in Apol. v. 335. Juno, in Homer, swears by the Titans as the original Deities. θεες δια ονομήνεν ἅπαντας

Τους ὑποτάρταρεις, οι Τιτηνες καλεονται. Iliad. . v. 279.

In this we have a short, but true, history of dæmon-worship, and its origin.

27

Εθηκαν και αυτο εν τῷ Ουρανῳ εις μνημοσυνον.

Eratosthenes

supra. Some however think, that it was placed there upon another account; in memorial of the first altar that was raised after the flood.