contradict this notion; and to shew, that they were by no means the first, who were seized of those parts. Their best historians ingenuously own, that the whole region, called Hellas, was originally occupied by a people of another race, whom they styled Bagbago: that their own ancestors came under different denominations, which they took from their mode of worship. Among others were the Iönim, called in after times Ionians. They were supposed to have been led by one Iön, the son of Zeuth, styled by the Greeks Xuthus: but what was alluded to under the notion of that person, may be found from the history given of him. Tatian imagines, that he came into Greece about the time of Acrisius, when Pelops also arrived: "TX δε Ακρίσιον ἡ Πέλοπος απο Φρυγίας διαβασις, και Ιωνος εις Tas Almas apiers. This arrival of Iön was a memorable æra among the Grecians; and always esteemed subsequent to the first peopling of the country. Iön in the play of Euripides is men 15 Σχεδόν δε τι καὶ ἡ σύμπασα Ελλας κατοικία Βαρβαρων ύπήρξε το παλαιον. Strabo. 1. 7. p. 494. Παλαι γαρ της νυν καλεμένης Ελθεός Βαρβαροι τα πολλά ᾤκησαν. Pausan. 1. 1. p. 100. Αρκαδίαν Βαςa. Schol. in Appollon. Rhod. 1. 4. Y. 261. Ἡ δεν Butia potepor per iwo Baçõagwv wxes. Strabo. 1. 9 p. 615. See r evidences in Vol. I. p. 187, of this work: and p. 225. Salso the treatise inscribed Cadinus. Vol. H. "Tatian. p. 274. "Clem. Alexandr. Strom. 1. 1. p. 581. Herodot. 1. 7. c. 94. tioned as the son of Xuthus, but claimed by Apollo, as his offspring. In reality, both Xuthus and Apollo, as well as Dionusus and Osiris, were titles of the same person. Xuthus tells his son, that he shall-give him the name of Iön, or Iöne, from his meeting him fortunately, as he came out of the temple of the Deity: 13 Ιωνα δ' ονομάζω σε τη τύχη πρέπον, Ιχνος συνήψας πρωτος. He likewise in another place mentions, that his son was called Iön from an auspicious encounter: It is true, the poet would fain make the name of Grecian etymology, and deduce it from the word LOVT, to which it had no relation. The truth he so far accedes to, as to own that it had a reference to something auspicious; and that it signified an omen, or token of good fortune. There are some other remarkable circumstances, which are mentioned of this Iön. He was exposed in an Ark; and in the Ark said to have been crowned, not with laurel, as 13 Euripid. Iön. v. 661. 14 Ibid. v. 802. we might expect the reputed son of Apollo to have been ornamented, but with olive: 35 Στέφανον Ελαιας αμφέθηκα σοι τοτε. From these two, Xuthus and his son Iön, the Dorians, Achæans, and Ionians were said to be descended. Hence Apollo is made to prophesy in this manner of these nations to come, addressing himself to Creusa: 16 ταδε δ' ονοματος χάριν Ιωνες ονομασθέντες έξεσι κλεος. Ξεθῳ δε και σοι γίγνεται κοινον γενος Δώρος μεν, ενθεν Δωρὶς ὑμνηθήσεται Πολις, κατ' αιαν Πελοπίαν δ ̓ ὁ δεύτερος It has been a prevailing notion, that the Ionians were of the family of Javan. His sons certainly settled in Greece; but they were the original inhabitants: whereas the Dorians and Ionians confessedly succeeded to a country, which had been in the possession of others. They were therefore a 15 Euripid. Iön. v. 143d. 16 Ibid. v. 1587. different people, notwithstanding the similitude, which may subsist between the two names. There is a remarkable passage in the Chronicon Paschale, which determines very satisfactorily the history of the Ionians. The author says, that according to the most genuine accounts, they were a colony brought by Iönan from Babylonia. This Iönan was one of those, who had been engaged in the building of Babel, at the time, when the language of mankind was confounded. 17 Ιωνες δε τετων (Ελληνων) αρχηγοι γεγένηνται, ὡς ὁ ακριβης εχει λογος, απο τα Ιωναν, ένος ανδρος των τον Πυργον οικοδομησαντων, ότε αν γλώσσαι διεμερίσθησαν των ανθρωπων. He moreover says, that the Hellenes in general were denominated απο ελαίας,from theolive. It is very certain, that some of the Hellenes, and especially the 18 Athenians, were styled Säitæ : not from the city Säis, as is commonly supposed; 17 Chron. Pasch. p. 49. 18 The Athenians brought the rites of Damater from Egypt to Eleusis; which was possessed by a different race. Others say, that they were introduced by Eumolpus. Κατοικησαι δε την Ελευ σινα ίσορεσι πρώτον μεν τις αυτόχθονας, είτα Θρακας της μετ' Ευμολπα παραγενόμενες προς βοήθειαν εις τον κατ' Ερεχθέως πολεμον. Τινες δε Φασι και τον Ευμολπον έυρειν την μύησιν την συντελεμενην κατ' ενιαυτον εν Ελευσίν Δημητρι και Κόρη. Acusilaus apud Natal. Com. 1. 5. c. 14. p. 279. The Eumolpidae were originally from Egypt, and brought these rites from that country. Diodorus Sic. 1. 1, 22 but from the province of Sait, in "9 Upper Egypt, which is by interpretation the Land of the Olive. το Φασι της Αθηναίες αποικος είναι Σάντων 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 Ιες των Ελληνων αρχηγοι γεγονότες τοις ξοανοις προσεκύνεν. The Ionians, who were denominated from Tön (or Ionah), and who were the heads of the Hellenic families, were the first worshippers of idols. I render the verb, goσExuvou, 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 "Of Sait in Upper Egypt, see Observations and Inquiries relating to various Parts, &c. in Vol. VI. of this edition. ** Diodor. Sic. 1. 1. p. 24. Πλην των μετοίκησαντων ύσερον εκεί Σάντων, και κατοικησάντων την της Ελλαδος μητρόπολιν Αθήνας, και τας exas. 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. Genes. c. 10. v. 8. &c. * Euseb. Chron. p. 13. |