but from the province of Säit, in 19 Upper Egypt, which is by interpretation the Land of the Olive. 20 22 21 Φασι τες Αθηνάιες αποικές είναι Σαιτων των εξ Αιγύπτε. The building of Babel is in " Scripture attributed to Nimrod, the first tyrant upon earth; and it was carried on by his associates the Cuthite Iönim. They were the first innovators in religion; and introduced idolatry wherever they came. We accordingly find, that they were the persons, who first infected Greece. Ιωνες δε οι εκ της 18ς των Ελληνων αρχηγοι γεγονότες τοις ξοάνοις προσεκύνεν. The Ionians, who were denominated from Iön (or Tönah), and who were the heads of the Hellenic families, were the first worshippers of idols. I render the verb, goσεxuvoυv, the first worshippers: for so much is certainly implied. The tower of Babel was probably designed for an observatory; and at the same time for a temple to the host of heaven. For it is said of Chus, that he was the 19 Of Säit in Upper Egypt, see Observations and Inquiries relating to various Parts, &c. in Vol. VI. of this edition. 20 Diodor. Sic. l. 1. p. 24. Πλην των μετοίκησαντων ύσερον εκει Σάντων, και κατοικησαντων την της Ελλαδος μητροπολιν Αθηνάς, και τας Onas. See Euseb. Chron. p. 12. See also the account from Theopompus of the Athenians from Egypt, in Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 10. c. 10. p. 491. 21 Genes. c. 10. v. 8. &c. 22 Euseb. Chron. p. 13. . first observer of the stars: and his descendents 23 the Chaldeans were famous in their day. Some attribute the invention of it to Ham, styled "Ionichus. 24 Hic Ionichus accepit á Domino donum sapientiæ, et invenit astronomiam. Hic Gigantem Nimrod decem cubitorum proceritate, et nepotem Sem ad se venientem erudivit, docuitque quibus in locis regnare deberet. Multa etiam prævidit et prædixit. The author of the "5 Fasciculus Temporum mentions Ionichus as the son of Noah. Ionichus fuit filius Noe (de quo Moyses tacet) sapiens. Primò post Diluvium astronomiam invenit: et quædam futura prævidit; maximè de ortu quatuor regnorum, et eorum occasu. Cumque pater dedisset ei munera, ivit in terram Etham; et hahitavit ibi, gentem constituens. Hic fertur consilium dedisse Nimroth, quomodo regnare possit. 26 Iste The same history is to be found in the " Nurenberg Chronicle, printed in the year 1483: the author of which says, that Ionichus went to the land of Etham, and founded there a kingdom: and adds, hæc enim Heliopolis, id est, Solis terra. This, if attended to, will appear a curious and precise 23 Centesimo anno tertiæ chiliadis genuit Noe filium ad similitudinem suam, quem appellavit Ionichum. Ex Method. Martyre Comest. Hist, Schol. c. 37. 24 Methodius Martyr. 25 Fasciculus Temporum impress. A. D. 1474. 26 P. 14. 27 history. The antients continually give to one person, what belonged to many. Under the character of Ionichus are meant the Amonians; those sons of Ham, who came into Egypt; but particularly the Cuthites, the Iönim from Chaldea. They came to the land of Etham, and built the city, named Heliopolis, in the province of Zoan. Etham is mentioned by Moses; and was the first place in the " desert, at which the Israelites halted, after they had left Succoth. The author of the Fascicu→ lus says, that Ionichus was a son of Noah, of whom Moses makes no mention. The truth is, it was only a different name for a person often mentioned: for Ionichus was Ham: and as titles were not us formly confined to one person, it is probable that Chus also was included under this characteristic. Ionichus seems to be a compound of Iön-Nechus; and is undoubtedly a term, by which the head of the Iönim was distinguished. From hence, I think, we may be assured, that the Ionians were not of the race of Javan, as has been generally imagined. The latter were the original inhabitants of Greece: and to them the Ionians succeeded; who were a colony from Babylonia first, and afterwards from Egypt, and Syria. There is a passage in Cedrenus, similar to that quoted above; shewing that the Iönim, the descendents 27 Exod. c. 13. v. 20. 28 of Iönah, were the first idolaters upon earth; and that they were upbraided by Plutarch for their defection from the purer worship. Ιωνες δε, δι εκ της Ias (it should be Ιωνας), οιστισι μέμφεται ὁ Χαιρωνησιος Πλετάρχος, ὡς πλάνην αγαλματων τινων εισαγεσι, τας κατ' ἔρανον φωςπρας θεοποιημενοι, τον Ήλιον και την Σε ληνην. The Ionians are the descendents of Iöna; and are the people, with whom Plutarch of Charonea is so offended, for being the first, who seduced mankind to idolatry, by introducing the sun and moon, and all the stars of heaven, as deities: They were the authors of that species of idolatry, styled Hellenismus, of which I have before treated. whese histories, backed with many other evidences shew, I think, manifestly, that the Ionians were Iönim, a colony from Babylonia. They seem therefore to have been distinguished from the sons of Javan, by being styled Ives, Iones; whereas the others were styled Iaoves though this distinction is not, I believe, uniformly kept up. The people of Boeotia in the time of Homer were Iönim, and the Täones seem by that poet to be mentioned as a different race: 19 Ενθα δε Βοιωτοι και Ιαονες έλκεχίτωνες, 28 Cedren. vol. I. p. 46. See also Euseb. Chron. p. 29 Homer. Iliad. N. v. 685. 14. And Attica is said by Strabo to have been called both Ionia, and Ias: 30 yag Αττικη το παλαιον Ιωνια και Ιας εκαλείτο. We find from hence, that it had two names; the latter of which, I should imagine, was that by which the primitive inhabitants were called. The Grecians continually changed the final into sigma: whence "", Ian, or Javan, has been rendered Ias. It was originally expressed, Iav, and Iaw and this was the antient name of Hellas, and the Helladians; as we may infer from its being so called by people of other countries: for foreigners abide long by antient terms. And according to the Scholiast upon Aristophanes, the Grecians in every country but their own were styled Iäones; by which undoubtedly is meant the sons of Javan. 3 Πάντας τες Έλληνας Ιαονας οι Βαρβαροι εκαλεν. The like evidence is to be found in Hesychius : 32 επιεικώς. DE οι Βαρβαροι τες Έλληνας Ιαννας λεγεσιν. All foreigners very justly call the Grecians Iannes. He had before mentioned, Ιαννα-Ελληνίκη, επει Ιαννας της Ελε Anvas λyv. Ianna is certainly the land of Javan : ληνας λεγεσιν. and the purport of what this writer here mentions is, that Hellas was of old called Ian, or Javan; because the natives were esteemed Iannes, or Javanes; being the posterity of the person so named. Ste 31 3o Strabo. 1. 9. p. 600. 31 Schol: in Acharn. v. 106. |