By Water & Blood

Chapter 1

What notions they had of the gods—who first instituted divine worship, and what is fabulously related of every one of the deities, (because the subject requires much to be said), we shall distinctly set forth: and whatever we conceive to be pertinent to the present history, we shall discourse of severally and distinctly, that nothing worth observation may be omitted. And we shall here give an accurate account (as far as the antiquity of the matters will admit) of the generation and original of mankind, and of the affairs and transactions of all parts of the known world, drawing down our history from the most ancient times.

Of the origin, therefore, of men, there are two opinions amongst the most famous and authentic naturalists and historians.

Some of these are of the opinion, that the world had neither beginning nor ever shall have end; and likewise say, that mankind was from eternity, and that there never was a time when we first began to be. Others, on the contrary, conceive both the world to be made, and to be corruptible, and that there was a certain time when men had first a being.

For wherwas all things at the first were jumbled together, heaven and earth were in one mass, and had one and the same form: but afterwards, (they say), when corporeal beings appeared one after another, the world at length presented itself in the order we now see; and that the air was in continual agitation, whose fiery part ascended together to the highest place, its nature (by reason of its levity) tending always upwards; for which reason both the sun, and that vast number of stars, are contained within that orb. That the gross and earthy matter, (clotted together by moisture), by reason of its weight, sunk down below into one place, and continually whirling about; the sea was made of the humid parts; and the muddy earth of the more solid, as yet very moorish and soft, which by degrees at first was made crusty by the heat of the sun; and then, after the face of the earth was parched, and, as it were, fermented, to moisture afterwards, in many places, bubbled up, and appeared as so many pustules wrapt up in thin and slender coats and skins, which may be even seen in standing ponds and marish places; when, after the earth had been pierced with cold, the air grows hot on a sudden, without a gradual alteration. And whereas moisture generates creatures from heat, as from a seminal principle, things so generated, by being inwrapt in the dewy mists of the night, grew and increased, and in the day solidated, and were made hard by the heat of the sun; and when the births included in those ventricles had received their due proportion, then those slender skins, being burst asunder by the heat, the forms of all sorts of living creatures were brought forth into the light, of which those that had most of heat mounted aloft, and were fowl, and birds of the air; but those that were drossy, and had more of earth, were numbered in the order of creeping things, and other creatures altogether used to the earth. Then those beasts that were naturally watery and moist, (called fishes), presently hastened to the place connatural to them; and when the earth afterwards became more dry and solid by the heat of the sun, and the drying winds, it had not power at length to produce any more of the greater living creatures; but each that had an animal life began to increase their kind by mutual copulation. And Euripides, the scholar of Anaxagoras, seems to be of the same opinion concerning the first generation of all things; for in his Menalippe he has these verses:

A mass confus'd, heaven and earth once were Of one form; but after separation, Then men, trees, beasts of th'earth, with fowls of th'air First sprung up in their generation.

But if this power of the earth to produce living creatures at the first origin of all things seem credible to any, the Egyptians do bring testimonies of this energy of the earth, by the same things done there at this day. For they say, that about Thebes in Egypt, after the overflowing of the river Nile, the earth being thereby being covered with mud and slime, many places putrify through the heat of the sun, and thence are bred multitudes of mice. It is certain, therefore, that out of the earth, when it is hardened, and the air changed from its due and natural temperament, animals are generated; by which means it came to pass, that in the first beginning of all things, various living creatures proceeded from the earth. And these are the opinions touching on the original of things.The wiser ancients have here asked this pertinent question—Grant that heat unfolds and draws forth the seminal principle—Who first formed that seminal principle; that is, who inclosed the future full grown form in the seed? The fact of the mice is as ridiculous as it is false.

But men they say, at first, led a rude and brutish sort of life, and wandered up and down in the fields, and fed upon herbs, and the natural fruits of the trees. Their words were confused, without any certain signification; but by degrees they spoke articulately, and making signs, and giving proper terms to every thing upon occasion. At length their discourse became intelligible to one another: but being dispersed into several parts of the world, they spoke not all the same language, every one using that dialect proper to the place, as his lot fell: upon which account there were various, and all sorts of languages in the world; and these associations of men first planted all the nations of the world.

But forasmuch as what was useful for man's life, was not at the beginning found out, this first race of mankind lived a laborious and troublesome life, as being as yet naked, not inured to houses, nor acquainted with the use of fire, and altogether destitute of delicacies for their food. But not knowing as yet how to house and lay up their food, they had no barns or granaries where to deposit the fruits of the earth; and therefore many, through hunger and cold, perished in the winter: but being at length taught by experience, they fled into caves in the winter, and laid up such fruits as were fit to keep; and coming by degrees to the knowledge of the usefulness of fire, and of other conveniences, they began to invent many arts and other things beneficial for man's life. What shall we say? Necessity was man's instructor, which made him skilful in every thing, being an ingenious creature, assisted (as with so many servants) with hands, speech, and a rational soul, ready to put every thing in execution. But what we have here said concerning the first generation of mankind, and his way of living in old time, may suffice, designing to keep within due bounds.

And now we shall apply ourselves to recount those things that have been done in all the known parts of the world, whereof there is any memorial handed down to us.

Who were the first kings, we ourselves can neither assert, nor agree with those historians who affirm they know; for it is not possible that the account given of affairs should be so ancient as to be contemporary with the first kings; and if any should admit any such thing, yet it is apparent, that all the historians extant lived long after those times. For the Greeks themselves are not only in the dark concerning the antiquity of nations, but many of the barbarians also, who call themselves natural inhabitants, and boast themselves to be the first of all other men who have found out things beneficial to mankind, and to have committed to writing, things done among them many ages before. And as for us, we determine nothing certainly of the antiquity of particular nations, nor which nation is more ancient than another, or how many years one was before another. But, that we may attain the scope and end we have before designed, we shall distinctly set forth in these chapters, what is reported concerning things done in the several nations, and the antiquity of them.

We shall first speak of the barbarians; not that we judge them more ancient than the Grecians, (as Ephorus affirms), but that we are willing, in the first place, to relate many considerable things of them; that, when we come afterwards to the history of the Greeks, we may not confound their antiquity with the other, which are of a foreign nature to them. And because the gods are fabulously reported to be born in Egypt; and the first observation of the motion of the stars being attributed to them, and that there are many remarkble and famous actions of renowned men recorded to be done amongst them, we shall begin with the affairs of Egypt.

The Egyptians report, that, at the beginning of the world, the first men were created in Egypt, both by reason of the happy climate of the country, and the nature of the river Nile. For this river being very fruitful, and apt to bring forth many animals, yields, of itself, likewise food and nourishment for the things produced. For it yields the roots of canes, the fruit of the lote-tree, the Egyptian bean, that which they call Corseon, and such like rarities for man's food, always ready at hand.

And that all living creatures were first produced among them, they use this argument—that even at this day, at Thebes, at certain times, such vast mice are bred, that it causes admiration to the beholders; some of which, to the breast and fore-feet, are animated, and begin to move, and the rest of the body (which yet retains the nature of the soil) appears without form. Whence it is manifest, that in the beginning of the world, through the fertileness of the soil, the first men were formed in Egypt, being that in no other part of the world any of these creatures are produced; only in Egypt these supernatural births may be seen.

And that we may sum up all in a word: if in the time of Deuclaion's flood, the greatest part only of all living creatures were destroyed, then of such as were so preserved, it is very probable that those in Egypt, especially, were of the number, whose inhabitants lie under the south pole, and the country for the most part without rain: of, if all that had life generally perished, (as some affirm), and that the earth produced animals anew, yet they say, that notwithstanding this, the chief production of things animated is to be ascribed to this country. For they affirm, that if the showers which fall in any other places were warmed by the same heat that is in Egypt, the air would be of that temperature, as that it would aptly conduce to the generation of animals, as at first, in the beginning of the world. For even at this day, such births may be seen (in the waters that have lain long) over all the watered country of Egypt. For they affirm, that when the river returns into its channel, and the sun dries the mud, living creatures are generated, some perfect, others half formed, wven cleaving to the soil whence they are produced.

The first generation of men in Egypt, therefore, contemplating the beauty of the superior world, and admiring with astonishment the frame and order of the universe, supposed that there were two chief gods that were eternal, that is to say, the sun and the moon, the first of which they called Osiris, and the other Isis, both names having proper etymologies; for Osiris, in the Greek language, signifies a thing with many eyes, which may be very properly applied to the sun, darting his rays into every corner, and, as it were, with so many eyes, viewing and surveying the whole land and sea; with which agrees the poet—

The sun from's lofty sphere, all sees and hears.

Some, also, of the ancient Greek mythologists call Osiris Dionysius, and surname him Sirius, amongst whom Eumolpus in his Bacchanal verses—

Some likewise set him forth clothed with the spotted skin of a fawn, (called Nebris), from the variety of stars that surround him.

Isis likewise, being interpreted, signifies ancient, that name being ascribed to the moon from eternal generations. They add, likewise, to her, horns, because her aspect is such in her increase, and in her decrease, representing a sickle; and because an ox, among the Egyptians, is offered to her in sacrifice. They fold that these gods govern the whole world, cherishing and increasing all things; and divide the year into three parts, (that is to say, spring, summer, and winter), by an invisible motion, perfecting their constant course in that time: and though they are in their natures very differing one from another, yet they complete the whole year with a most excellent harmony and consent. They say that these gods in their natuures do contribute much to the generation of all things, the one being of a hot and active nature, the other moist and cold, but both having something of the air; and that by these, all things are both brought forth and nourished: and therefore that every particular being in the universe is perfected and completed by the sun and moon, whose qualities, as before decalred, are five; a spirit or quickening efficacy, heat or fire, dryness or earth, moisture or water, and air, of which the world does consist, as a man made up of head, hands, feet, and other parts. These five they reputed for gods; and the people of Egypt, who were the first that spoke articulately, gave names proper to their several natures, according to the language they then spake. And therefore they called the spirit Jupiter, which is such by interpretation, because a quickening influence is derived from this into all living creatures, as from the original principle; and upon that account he is esteemed the common parent of all things. And to this the most famous poet of the Greeks gives testimony, where speaking of this god he says—

Fire they called by interpretation Vulcan, and him they had in veneration as a great god, as he that greatly contributed to the generation and perfection of all things whatsoever.

The earth, as the common womb of all productions, they called Metera, as the Greeks in process of time, by a small alteration of one letter, and an omission of two letters, called the earth Demetra, which was anciently called Gen Metera, or the mother earth, as Orpheus attests in this verse—

The mother earth, Demeter also called, Brings forth most richly—

Water or moisture, the ancients called Oceanus; which by interpretation is a nourishing mother, and so taken by some of the Grecians, of which the poet says thus—

The father of the gods the ocean is, Tethys the mother call'd—

But the Egyptians account their Nile to be Oceanus, at which all the gods were born. For in Egypt only, among all the countries in the world, are many cities built by the ancient gods, as by Jupiter, Sol, Mercury, Apollo, Pan, Elithia, and many others.

To the air they gave the name of Minerva, signifying something proper to the nature thereof, and called her the daughter of Jupiter, and counted a virgin, because the air naturally is not subject to corruption, and is in the highest part of the universe; whence rises the fable that she was the issue of Jupiter's brain: they say she is called also Tritogeneia, or thrice begotten, because she changes her natural qualities thrice in the year, the spring, summer, and winter; and that she was called Galucopis, not that she hath grey eyes, (as some of the Greeks have supposed, for that is a weak conceit), but because the air seems to be of a grey colour, to the view. They report, likewise, that these five gods travel through the wole world, representing themselves to men sometimes in the shapes of sacred living creatures, and sometimes in the form of men, or some other representation. And this is not a fable, but very possible, if it be true, that these generate all things: and the poet who travelled into Egypt, in some part of his works, affirms this appearance as he learnt it from theur priests—

The gods also, like strangers come from far, In divers shapes within the towns appears, Viewing men's good and wicked acts—

And these are the stories told by the Egyptians of the heavenly and immortal gods. And besides these, they say there are others that are terrestrial, which were begotten of these former gods, and were originally mortal men, but by reason of their wisdom and benificence to all mankind, have obtained immortality, of which some have been kings of Egypt: some of whom, by interpretation, have had the same names with the celestial gods, others have kept their own proper names. For they report that Sol, Saturn, Rhea, Jupiter, (surnamed by some Ammon), Juno, Vulcan, Vesta, and lastly, Mercury, reigned in Egypt; and that Sol was the first king of Egypt, whose name was the same with the celestial planet called Sol.

But there are some priests who affirm Vulcan to be the first of their kings, and that he was advanced to that dignity upon the account of being the first that found out the use of fire, which was so beneficial to all mankind. For a tree in the mountains happening to be set on fire by lightning, the wood next adjoining was presently all in a flame; and Vulcan thereupon coming to the place, was mightily refreshed by the heat of it, being then winter-season; and when the fire began to fail, he added more combustible matter to it, and by that means preserving it, called in other men to enjoy the benefit of that which he himself was the first inventor, as he gave out.

Afterwards they say SaturnThis Saturn is judged upon good grounds to be Noah. Boccard, Phaleg. lib. i. c. 1. f. 1. Stilling Orig. Sacr. lib. 5. c. 5. sect. 8. reigned, and married his sister Rhea, and that he begat of her Osiris and Isis; but others say, Jupiter and Juno, who for their great virtues, ruled over all the world. That of Jupiter and Juno were born five gods, one upon every day of the five Egyptian intercalary days.These were five days added to the end of every year, to make up their former year, to consist of 365 days. See the reason, Orig. Sacr. 90, 91. The names of these gods are Osiris, Isis, Typhon, Apollo, and Venus. That Osiris was interpreted Bacchus, and Isis plainly Ceres. That Osiris married Isis, and after he came to the kingdom, did much, and performed many things for the benefit and advantage of mankind. For he was the first that forbade men eating one another; and at the same time Isis found out the way of making of bread of wheat and barley, which before grew here and there in the fields, amongst other common herbs and grass, and the use of it unknown: and Osiris teaching the way and manner of tillage, and well management of the fruits of the earth, this change of food became grateful; both because it was naturally sweet and delicious, and men where thereby restrained from the mutual butcheries one of another: for an evidence of this first finding out the use of hese fruits, they alledge an ancient custom among them: for even at this day, at the time of harvest, the inhabitants offer the first fruits of the ears of corn, howling and wailing about the handfuls they offer, and invoking this goddess Isis: and this they do in return of due honour to her for that invention at the first. In some cities also, when they celebrate the feast of Isis, in a pompous procession, they carry about vessels of wheat and barley, in memory of the first invention, by the care and industry of this goddess. They say, likewise, that Isis made many laws for the good of human society, whereby men were retrained from lawless force and violence one upon another, out of fear of punishment. And therefore Ceres was called by the ancient Greeks, Themophorus, that is, lawgiver, being the princess that first constituted laws for the better government of her people.

Osiris moreover built Thebes, in Egypt, with an hundred gates, and called it after his mother's name: but in following times, it was caleld Diospolis, and Thebes; of whose first founder not only historians, but the priests of Egypt themselves, are much in doubt. For some say that it was not built by Osiris, but many years after, by a king of Egypt, whose history we shall treat of hereafter, in its proper place. They report, likewise, that he built two magnificent temples, and dedicated them to his parents, Jupiter and Juno; and likewise two golden altars, the greater to the great god Jupiter; the other to his father Jupiter, who had formerly reigned there, whom they call Ammon. That he also erected golden altars to other gods, and instituted their several rites of worship, and appointed priests to have the oversight and care of the holy things. In the time of Osiris and Isis, projectors and ingenious artists were in great honour and esteem; and therefore in Thebes there were then goldsmiths and braziers, who made arms and weapons for the killing of wild beasts, and other instruments for the husbanding of of the ground, and improvement of tillage; besides images of the gods, and altars in gold. They say that Osiris was much given to husbandry, that he was the son of Jupiter, brought up in Nysa, a town of Arabia the happy, near to Egypt, called by the Greeks Dionysius, from his father, and the place of his education. The poet in his hymns makes mention of Nysa, as bordering upon Egypt, where he says—

Far off from Phenice stands the sacred Nyse, Where streams of Egypt's Nile begin to rise, On mountains high with pleasant woods adorn'd.

Here near unto Nysa, they say he found out the use of the vine, and there planting it, was the first that drank wine; and taught others how to plant it and use it, and to gather in their vintage, and to keep and preserve it. Above all others he honoured Hermes, one of an admirable ingenuity, and quick investion, in finding out what might be useful to mankind. This Hermes was the first (as they report) that taught how to speak distinctly and articulately, and gave names to many things that had none before. He found out letters, and instituted the worship of the gods; and was the first that observed the motion of the stars, and invented music; and taught the manner of wrestling; and invented arithmetic, and the art of curious graving and cutting of statues. He first found out the harp with three strings, in resemblance of the three seasons of the year, causing three several sounds, the treble, base and mean. The treble to represent the summer; the base, the winter; and the mean, the spring. He was the first that taught the Greeks eloquence; thence he is called Hermes, a speaker or interpreter. To conclude, he was Osiris's sacred scribe, to whom he communicated all his secrets, and was chiefly steered by his advice in every thing. He (not Minerva, as the Greeks affirm) found out the use of the olive-tree, for the making of oil. It is moreover reported, that Osiris being a prince of a public spirit, and very ambitious of glory, raised a great army, with which he resolved to go through all parts of the world that were inhabited, and to teach men how to plant vines, and to sow wheat and barley. For he hoped that if he could civilize men, and take them off from their rude and beast-like course of lives, by such a public good and advantage, he should raise a foundation amongst all mankind, for his immorttal praise and honour, which happened accordingly. For not only that age, but posterity ever after honoured those among the chiefest of their gods, that first found out their proper and ordinary food. Having therefore settled his affairs in Egypt, and committed the government of his whole kingdom to his wife Isis, he joined her with Mercury, as her chief counsellor of state, because he far excelled all others in wisdom and prudence. But Hercules, his near kinsman, he left general of all his forces within his dominions, a man admired by all for his valour and strength of body. As to those parts which lay near Phoenicia, and upon the sea-coasts of them, he made Busiris lord lieutenant, and of Ethiopia and Lybia, Anteus.

Then marching out of Egypt, he began his expedition, taking along with him his brother, whom the Greeks called Apollo. This Apollo is reported to have discovered the laurel-tree, which all dedicate especially to this god. To Osiris they attribute the finding out of the ivy-tree, and dedicate it to him, as the Greeks do to Bacchus: and therefore in the Egyptian tongue, they call Ivy, Osiris's plant, which they prefer before the vine in all their sacrifices, because this loses its leaves, and the other always continues fresh and green: which rule the ancients have observed in other plants, that are always green, dedicating myrtle to Venus, laurel to Apollo, and the olive-tree to Pallas.

It is said that two of his sons accompanied their father Osiris in this expedition, one called Anubis, and the other Macedo, both valiant men: both of them wore coats of mail, that were extraordinarily remarkable, covered with the skins of such creatures as resembled them in stoutness and valour. Anubis was covered with a dog's, and Macedo with the skin of a wolf; and for this reason these beasts are religiously adored by the Egyptians. He had likewise for his companion, Pan,The same with Cham. whom the Egyptians have in great veneration; for they not only set up images and statues in every temple, but built a city in Tebides after his name, called by the inhabitants Chemmin, which by interpretation is Pan's city. There went along with them likewise, those that were skilful in husbandry, as Maro in the planting of vines, and Triptolemus in sowing of corn, and gathering in the harvest.