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OF THE

SHEPHERDS IN EGYPT,

AND THE

LAND OF GOSHEN.

My endeavour has been, throughout this argument, to shew that there were no provinces of lower Egypt to the east of the Nile; which I have been obliged to prove by all possible means. As many of the antients speak of provinces in those parts; and all the moderns place the Arabian nomes there; without knowing that there were two cities of the same name; they have caused great confusion in the geography of Egypt. Ptolemy seems to speak only of one Arabian nome, Phaccusa: but, as others add to it both Heliopolis and Bubastus ; and they are all three referred alike to that part of the world; I shall join them together. It is to be observed, that these are the only provinces that have been styled Arabian. It may therefore be asked, how they came to have this particular mark of distinction; to which at first sight they seem to have little pretension? There were many prefec

tures downward upon the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, that were rather more advanced towards Arabia and there were others above, that were really situated in that country, and yet not termed Arabian. Whence then came the provinces we are speaking of, above all others, to be thus denominated, and to be continually referred to Arabia? What could be the cause of this remarkable distinction? My answer is, that they were called so from the Arabian shepherds, who had formerly settled in these parts; and held them for many years. This leads me to a very intricate piece of history, which has employed the wit of some of the most learned men; and has never been happily discussed. And I shall think myself particularly fortunate, if I can clear it up to the satisfaction of the reader.

The Arabian nomes are nothing more than the land of Goshen, called by the Seventy Teoriμ Ths Agaßias. We are told by Syncellus 26 that Egypt had been in subjection to a threefold race of kings; who are termed the Aurita, the Mestræi, and the Egyptian. Syncellus places the Auritæ first of the three, because he thought they were first in time. The Mestrai were undoubtedly the genuine descendants of Mizraim, who first gave name to the country: the traces of which are not yet "ef

26 Chronograph. edit. Parisin. 1652. pag. 51.

27 See the authors cited at pag. 49 of this Volume, noté. 7.

faced; Al Cahira, and, indeed, the whole of Egypt being called Mezré at this day. The Aurita were the Arabian shepherds, and their kings; who reigned here a considerable time, maintaining themselves by force; till, after many struggles, they were finally expelled by the natives. The original account of these people we have from Munetho; whose words I shall quote at large.

28

Εγένετο βασιλευς ήμιν, Τιμαος ονομα· επι τετε, εκ οιδ όπως, ὁ Θεος αντεπνευσεν, και παραδόξως εκ των προς ανα τολην μερων, ανθρωποι το γενος ασημοι, καταθαρσήσαντες επι την χώραν ετρατευσαν, και ῥᾳδίως αμαχητί ταυτην κατα κρατος είλον. ἑιλον. Και της ἡγεμονεύσαντας εν αυτή χειρωσα μενοι, το λοιπον τας τε πολεις ωμως ενέπρησαν, και τα ιερα των θεων κατεσκαψαν. Πασι δε τοις επιχωρίοις εχθροτατα πως εχρήσαντο, τες μεν σφάζοντες, των δε και τα τεκνα και γυναίκας εις δέλειαν αγοντες. Περας δε και βασιλεα ένα εξ Και όντος εν τη

αυτών εποίησαν, ᾧ ονομα ην Σαλατις. Μεμφίδι κατεγινετος, την τε άνω και κατω χώραν δασο μολόγων, και φρεραν εν τοις επιτηδειοτατοις καταλείπων το πως μάλιςα δε και τα προς ανατολήν ήσφαλίσατο μερη, προορωμένος, Ασσυρίων, τοτε μείζον ισχυόντων, εσομένην επιθυμίαν της αυτης βασιλείας εφόδες. Εύρων δε εν νόμῳ τῷ Σαΐτη πολιν επικαιροτάτην, κειμένην μεν προς ανατολην τε Βεβαςιτε ποταμε, καλέμενην δ' απο τινος αρχαιας θεολογίας Αυαριν ταύτην εκτισεν τε, και τοις τείχεσιν οχυρωτάτην εποίησεν, ενοικίσας αυτη και πληθος ὁπλιτων εις εικοσι και

28 Joseph. Contra Apion. lib. 1. §. 14. edit. Havercamp.

τέσσαρας μυριάδας ανδρων προς φυλακην. Ενθαδε κατα θέρειαν ηρχετο, τα μεν σιτομέτρων και μισθοφορίαν παρεχόμενος, τα δε και ταις εξοπλισιαις προς φοβον των εξωθεν επιμελώς γυμνάζων. Αρξας δ' εννεακαιδεκα ετη τον βιον ετελευτησεν. Μετα τετον δε ἑτερος εβασίλευσεν τεσσαρα και τετρακοντα έτη, καλέμενος Βηων. Μεθ' όν αλλος Απαχνας, ἓξ και τριακοντα ετη και μηνας ἑπτα. Επειτα δε και Απωφις εν και έξηκοντα, και Ιανιας πεντηκοντα και μηνα ένα. Επι πασι δε και Ασσις εννέα και τεσσαρακοντα και μηνας δυο. Και ετοι μεν ἓξ εν αυτοις εγενηθησαν πρωτοι αρχοντες, πολεμεντες αει και ποθεντες μαλλον της Αιγυπτε εξαραι την ριζαν. Εκαλείτο δε το συμπαν αυτών εθνος ΎΚΣΩΣ, τέτο δε εςι βασιλεις ποιμενες" το γαρ ΥΚ καθ' ἱεραν γλωσσαν βασιλεα σημαίνει" το δε ΣΩΣ ποιμην εςι και ποιμένες κατά την κοινην διαλεκτον, και έτω συντιθεμενον γίνεται ὙΚΣΩΣ. Τινες δε λεγεσιν αυτες Αραβας ειναι. “We had formerly a king named Timaus : in "whose reign, I know not why, but it pleased "God to visit us with a 29 blast of his displeasure:

46

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when, on a sudden, there came upon this country

a large body of obscure people from the east; “ and with great boldness invaded the land, and “ took it without opposition. The chief of our " people they reduced to their obedience; and " then in a most cruel manner set fire to their 6.6 towns, and overturned their temples. Their be

39 2 Kings. 19. v. 7. “ Thus saith the Lord-Behold, I will send a blast upon him [Sennacherib]."

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"haviour to the natives was very barbarous for 66 they slaughtered the men, and made slaves of "their wives and children. At At length they con"stituted one of their body to be their king, "whose name was Salatis. He resided at Memphis; holding all the upper and the lower Egypt tributary, and having his garrisons in every place "of consequence. He took particular care to secure every part to the east: as the Assyrians <s were then very powerful; and he foresaw that they would one time or other make an attempt

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upon his kingdom. And having observed a city, "that lay particularly commodious in the nome of "Saïs; being situated to the east of the Bubastite "river; whose name was 30 Avaris (a name that "had some relation to the antient theology of the "nation): this city he built, and strengthened "with very strong walls; placing in it a garrison "of two hundred and forty thousand men. Hither "in summer he resorted; to receive the corn

30 Avagir, vel (quod idem est) ACapıv in libris omnibus. Havercamp's note at pag. 445. Avaris and Abaris are to be sure convertible, and likely to be put one for the other, according to the Grecian manner of writing. But, in this passage, they must be carefully distinguished; being different places, and not of the same etymology: as I shall hereafter shew. Avaris was in Delta, and was a city and province: Abaris stood without in Arabia, and seems to have been only a large town. See Additional Remarks.

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