OF EGYPTIAN RITES AND OF THE COLONIES BY WHICH THEY WERE INTRODUCED VERY EARLY INTO GREECE. As some of the evidences, concerning the religion and customs of Egypt, are taken from those which prevailed in Greece; it may be proper to prove, that these customs of the Grecians were certainly borrowed from the former country: and at the same time to shew, at what intervals, and by what persons, they were introduced. For if the rites alluded to were of late date, or doubtful origin, their authority would be of little weight: and no just inference could be made from them. But it will be found, that a near relation subsisted of old between the two nations: that the one was in a great degree constituted by colo-nies from the other: that these emigrants came over to Hellas in times of very high anB tiquity most of them long before the supposed æra of Troy, and became superior to the original inhabitants. They brought with them the religion and rites of the people, from whence they came. We may therefore from the stream judge of the fountain. Of some early and particular First, then, it will be proper to shew that Greece, according to the traditions of the natives, was in great measure peopled from Egypt. Diodorus Siculus tells us, that some of the principal persons upon record among the Athenians were from this country: and that the Athenians in general were from Egypt. The Peloponnese was for the most part peopled by Dorians: and the ancient leaders of these Dorians, according to 3 Herodotus, were of the same original, and came from the same part of the world. The Lele I I Γεγονεναι δε και των Ηγεμόνων τινας Αιγυπτιες παρα τοις Αθη321015. Diodor. Sic. 1. 1. p. 25. Rhodomanni. 2 Και τες Αθηναίες δη φασιν αποικες ειναι Σαΐτων των εξ Αιγύπτε. Ibid. p. 24. 3 Φαινοιατο αν εοντες οι των Δωρίων Ηγεμονες Αιγυπτιοι ιθαγενείς. Herod. 1. 6. c. 54. p. 461. 2 ges were a very ancient, and a very large, body of people. They spread over the coast of Asia Minor: and occupied many of the islands. They settled likewise in Greece, as Megara. Lelex, supposed to be the chief conductor, is represented as king of that place; and is said to have migrated from ' Egypt. The same people were possessed of a large part of Laconia: and a Lelex is mentioned as the first 3 king of that region; which for a time had the name of Lelegia. Erectheus was an ancient king of Athens, but of ✦ Egyptian extraction. As he was acquainted with the fertility of that country, he in a time of scarcity is said to have imported from thence corn for the support of his people. Some time before him Cecrops is said to have come over; who, according to tradition, was the 3 5 Λεγεσιν οι Μεγαρεις Λέλεγα αφικομενον ἐξ Αιγυπτε βασιλευσαι. Pausan. 1. 1. p. 95. -Λελέγος, ὃν ἀφικόμενον λεγεσιν βασίλευσαι έξ Αιγύπτε. I Pausan. 1. 1. p. 106. 2 Ibid. 1. 4. P. 280. 3 Pausan. 1. 3. p. 203. 4 Τον Ερεχθεα λεγεσιν το γένος Αιγυπτίον οντα βασίλευσαι των Anvatav. Diodor. 1. 1. p. 25. 5 Diodor. 1. 1. p. 25. 3 3 first king in Attica. He came from 'Saïs in Lower Egypt: all the Athenians were reputed to have been originally Saïtes. After him another colony was brought by Danaus, and Lynceus: both of whom, as the priests at Thebes told Herodotus, were from a city of that Name, called Chemmis. Diodorus, speaking of some very early persons, and occurrences, says, that in those times Danaus came from Egypt: and that Cadmus arrived soon after. Some make Cadmus rather prior and place Danaus third. Danaus tertiam duxit coloniam. Marsham. Chron. sec. IX. P. 125. The place, from which Cadmus led his colony, is said to have been Thebes 1 Ως δε απο της Σαΐως πολεως Αιγυπτίας, ὁ Κέκροψ παραγεγονεν Abnvais ans "Errados. Joh. Tzetzes. Chil. 5. Hist. 18. p. 91. Ελθων γαρ απο Σαεως πολεως Αίγυπτε, τας Αθήνας συνῳκισε. Is. Tzetzes. Schol. in Lycoph. v. 111. Κέκροψ, Αιγύπτιος ων το γένος, ρκησε τας Αθήνας. Suidas. Δαναον και τον Λυγκια (εφασαν) εοντας Χεμμιτας εκπλω σαι ες την Ελλαδα. Herod. 1. 2. c. 91. p. 144. 6 4 Εστι δε Χεμμις πολις μεγαλη νομε τε Θηβαϊκε. Ibid. S Κατα δε τέτες τες χρονες Δαναος εφυγεν εξ Αιγυπτε. Diodor. 1. 5. p. 329. 6 Μικρον σερον τέτων των χρόνων (Δανας, Λινδε, Ιαλυσα) Καδμος. -απο Θήβων των Αιγυπτίων. κ. τ. λ. Syn fbid. 1 Φοινιξ και Καδμος. cellus, p. 158. Melampus came from the in Upper Egypt. same part of the world: whose companions and posterity were stiled Melampodes: and resided in the region of Argos. I 2 Of the Rites and Customs imported. These emigrants from Egypt brought with them into Greece the rites and ceremonies of the country which they left. Melampus introduced the * Dionusiaca, and all those obscenities with which they were accompanied. He is likewise said to have first taught the Grecians the mysteries of Ceres; which were equally base and impure. To him were attributed the rites of lustration and expiation; together with the science of physic and the 5 'Herod. 1. 2. c. 49. p. 127. Diodorus Sic. 1. 1. p. 87. 2 Pausan. 1. 8. p. 636. 3 Herod. 1. 2. c. 43. p. 124.--c. 48, 49. p. 127.-c. 50. p. 128.-c. 58. p. 131. See also Diodorus, l. 1. p. 20, 21. also p. 62, 63. and 86. 4 Ελλησι γαζ δη Μέλαμπες εξὶ ὁ ἡγησάμενος του Διονυσε το τε όνομα, και την θυσίαν, και την πομπην τε φαλλε.. -Toy d WV φαλλον-Μελαμπες εςι ὁ κατηγησαμενος. Herod. 1. 2. c. 49. p. 127. 5 Μελαμποδα de τον Αμυθάονος αλλοι φασιν εξ Αιγυπτε μετακομίσαι τη Ελλαδι της Δηως ἑορτας πενθος ὑμνούμενον. Clemens Cohort. P. 12. |