returned to Iolcus; and the whole is faid to have been performed in Four, or as fome defcribe it, in Two Months. If there were any truth in this history, as applied by the Græcians, there should be found fome confiftency in their writers: but there is fcarce a circumftance, in which they are agreed. The Grecks borrowed their mythology and rites from Egypt; which were founded on ancient hiftories, and which, by length of time, became obfcure, being tranfmitted in hieroglyphical reprefentations. Hence the fable of the bull of Europa, the ram of Helle, &c. in all these is the fame history under a different allegory, and emblem. In these fables is figured the feparation of mankind by their families, and their journeying to their places of allotment. At the fame time the difperfion of one particular race of men, and their flight over the face of the earth, is principally defcribed. Of this family were the perfons, who preferved the chief memorials of the Ark in the Gentile world. In the account of the Argo we have undeniably the history of a facred fhip, the firft that was ever constructed, and faid to have been originally framed by divine wifdom: this was no other than the Ark. The Græcians took the hiftory to themselves; and in consequence of this affumption, wherever they heard that any people under the title of Arcades, or Argæi, had fettled, they supposed that their Argo had been. Hence they made it pass not only through the most diftant feas, but over hills and mountains, and through the midst of both Europe and Afia: there being no difficulty that could ftop it. The chief title, by which the Argonauts were distinguished, was that of Minya. II. 475. E ARIMAS ARIMASPIANS Were Hyperborean Cyclopians; and had temples named Charis, or Charifia, in the top of which was preferved a perpetual fire. They were of the fame family as thofe of Sicily, and had the fame rites, and particularly worshiped the Ophite deity under the name of Opis. Αριμασπιους άνδρας μουνοφθαλμους. ARION, Herod. L. 4. c. 13. Who was fuppofed to have been faved by a Cetus, or dolphin, feems to have been the fish itself, and was thence named Hippos. Ιππος Αρειων. Paufan. L. S. II. 411. v. Palæmon. ARK. Theophilus (Ad Autol. 1. 3.) exprefsly fays, that the remains of it were to be feen upon the mountains of Aram, or Armenia. Chryfoftom (De perfecta Charit.) afferts the fame. II. 217. The name of the fhip of Ifis, and of all the navicular fhrines was Baris, and this was the very name of the mountain on which the Ark of Noah refted. 219. It was alfo called Theba. Gen. vi. 15. 222. In other countries befides Egypt, an Ark or Ship was introduced in their mysteries, and often carried about upon their feftivals: at Eruthra in Ionia-at Smyrna-Athens at the Panathenæa— at Phalerus near Athens-Olympia, &c. Ενθεν αείζωοντα Θεωρίδος ἱερα Φοιβῳ Callim. H. in Delum. v. 314. 223. Probably in early times moft fhrines among the Mizraim were formed under the resemblance of a ship, in memory of the Deluge. It was alfo called called by the Greeks Aapra, Kibalos, &c. Most of the principal perfons in the Græcian history are faid to have been preferved in an Ark. 227. . As the ancients defcribed the Ark, the vaus aμpiπpuμvais, like a Lunette; it was in confequence of it called Mn and Eλnn, which fignify a Moon; and a Crefcent became its common fymbol. 242. The principal terms, by which the ancients diftinguished the Ark, were Theba, Baris, Arguz, Argus, Aren, Arene, Arne, Laris, Boutus, Baotus, Cibotus, (and also seems to have been sometimes called Centaurus, from whence many of the Arkites had the name of Centauri. II. 440.) Out of these they formed different perfonages: and as there was apparently a correfpondence in these terms, they in confequence of it invented different degrees of relation (of this innumerable inftances occur among the Greeks). Hence a large family has arifen from a few antiquated words, which related to the fame hiftory, and of which many were nearly fynonymous. 251. When the ark was conftructed, Noah made alfo a door in its fide; a circumftance continually commemorated by the Gentile writers. The entrance through it they esteemed a paffage to death and darkness; but the egrefs from it was reprefented as a return to life: hence the opening and fhutting of it were religiously recorded. II. 257. The hiftory of the Ark was preferved in all countries, as far as we can obtain evidence, with the greatest care and veneration. 443. v. Пpolupara. ARKITE DEITY, (Noah) was called deus Lunus, Luna, and Selene; and by different nations Meen, Man, Menes, and Manes. The word is fometimes exhibited Archæus; which may be referred to a different idea. Theffaly was faid to have been originally named Purrha, E 2 Purrha, from the wife of Deucalion, called by the ancient poet Rhianus Αρχαια αλοχος. Archæa may fignify ancient; but it often feems to be the fame as Archia, and Architis, from the Ark, from which both people and places were indifferently filed Apxaio, and Apxaio, Arkites, and Archites. II. 244. There were innumerable colonies of Arkites, who went abroad, and made various fettlements: but the Græcians have afcribed the whole to the Arcades, Argæi, and Argonautæ of their own country. When we read of people of Argos performing fuch and fuch things, we should underfland Argoï, and Arkitæ, or as it is fometimes rendered Architæ. People of these denominations did fettle in Paleftine; and occupied a great part of Syria. From thence they came to Greece and Italy: though the Græcians have reverfed the hiftory; and would perfuade us, that they proceeded from Hellas, and more particularly from Argos. Yet even among the Græcians the term Argivus was not of old confined to Argos. Apyɛio, ‘Exanves. Hefych. It is ufed in this fenfe continually by Homer. 505. Eufebius, in defcribing the people to the caft of Babylonia, among others, mentions the Apxaios, by whom, I am perfuaded, were meant an Arkite nation, who were worthipers of the Lunar god. 310. Apaos, Archaius, is alfo another term for the Ark; and although, as the hiftory is of the highest antiquity, it might be applicable to any part of it in the common acceptation; yet it will be found to be induftrioufly introduced, and to have a more immediate reference to the Ark. For it is found continually annexed to the hiftory of Pyrrha, Pelias, Aimonia, and the concomitant circumftances of the Ark, and Deluge. It was ufed alfo for a title. Αρχή,πολις Φοινίκης το εθνικόν Αρχαιος. Steph. Byzant. in Paruta Sicilia. p. 104. is the reprefentation of the a the Sicilian Tauro-Men; with this infcription, Ax Apxatos, which is literally deus Arkitis; and the term Agxaos is of the fame purport, an Archite. II. 493 ARLES, The city in Provence, was famed for its medicinal waters; the true name was Ar-Ales, the city of Ales. It was also called Ar-El-Ait, or Arelate. I. 33. n. ARMENIA. This region feems to have been particularly well calculated for the reception of the Patriarch's family, and for the re-peopling of the world. Strabo, who was a native of Afia Minor, (L. 11. p. 800.) fpeaks of the fertility of Armenia, and efpecially of the region of Gogarene, which he particularly mentions as productive of the olive. Arene was one name of the Ark. It is to be obferved, that there is fcarcely any eaftern name, which begins with a vowel or common afpirate, but is at times found with a guttural. Thus Ham was expreffed Cham; Habor Chabor; Arene Carene (hence the Carina of the Romans); the term GoCarene (гw-rapnvn) fignifies literally the place or region of the Ark. Armenia, for the most part, feems to have been of a very high fituation. One province was ftyled, on this account, Armenia Alta; of which Mofes Choren. Geogr. p. 358. gives the following account: "inter omnes regiones revera altiffima eft; quippe quæ ad quatuor coeli partes fluvios emittit. Habet præterea montes tres, feras plurimas, aves utiles, thermas, falinas, atque aliarum rerum ubertatem, et urbem Carinam." A country of this nature and fituation muft, after the flood, have been fooneft dried, and confequently the fooneft habi E3 table. |