resting in Armenia, is circumstantially related by Abydenus, but borrowed from Berosus.

A similar account of the first kings of Babylonia is given by Apollodorus, and is taken from the same author, who begins thus: "This is the history which Berosus has transmitted to us. "He tells us that Alorus of Babylon was the first king that reigned, who was by nation a Chal"dean. He reigned ten sari: and after him Alaparus, and then Amelon, who came from "Pantibiblon. To him succeeded Amenon of Chaldea, in whose time they say that the "Musarus Oannes, the Annedotus, made his ap66 pearance from the Eruthrean sea." $ So we are told by Alexander (Polyhistor), who first took this history in hand; and mentions, that this personage shewed himself in the first year; but Apollodorus says that it was after forty sari.

6

4 Syncellus. p. 38. He styles him Abydenus; but by Eusebius the name is expressed Abidenus.

5 Eusebii Chronicon. p. 5.

So we are told.

These are the words of Eusebius; so that there

is no regular translation.

Пgoλawv, who forestalls the event, and makes the appearance of this personage to have been in the first year.

The account of Cannes is in Alexander Polyhistor, as taken from the first book of Berosus; but not a word is there of his appearing in the reign of Amenon.

From what fixed term do they reckon? to what year do they refer? and whose are these reflexions?

Abydenus, differing from both, makes the second Annedotus appear after twenty-six sari. "After "this last king Megalarus succeeded, of the city "Pantibiblon, and reigned eighteen sari: then "Daon, the shepherd, of the same city, ten sari. "In his time it is said that Annedotus appeared "again from the Eruthrean sea, in the same "form as those who had shewed themselves be"fore, having the shape of a fish blended with "that of a man. Then reigned Aedorachus of

Pantibiblon, for the term of eighteen sari. In "his days there appeared another personage from "the sea Eruthra, like those above, having the same complicated form between a fish and a "" man; his name was Odacon." All these personages, according to Apollodorus, related very particularly and circumstantially whatever Oannes had informed them. Concerning these Abyde nus has made no mention. "After the kings "above succeeded Amempsinus, a Chaldean, "from the city Larach, and reigned eighteen "sari. In his time was the great deluge." According to the sum of years above, the total of all the reigns was an hundred and twenty sari.

There seems to be some omission in the transcript given by Eusebius from Apollodorus, which is supplied by Syncellus. He mentions "Amempsinus as eighth king in order, who

"of Laranchæ in Chaldea, to whom he allows

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eight sari. His son was 8 Xisuthros, who

reigned eighteen sari; and in whose time was "the well-known deluge. So that the sum of all "the kings is ten; and of the term, which they collectively reigned, an hundred and twenty "sari."

Both these writers are supposed to copy from Berosus, yet there appears a manifest difference between them; and this not in respect to numbers only, which are easily corrupted, but in regard to events and disposition of circumstances. Of this strange variation in two short fragments I shall hereafter take further notice.

I come now to the chief extract from Berosus; as it has been transmitted to us by Eusebius, who copied it from Alexander Polyhistor. It is likewise to be found in " Syncellus. It begins in this wise.

"Berosus, in his first book concerning the "history of Babylonia, informs us that he lived

in the time of Alexander the son of Philip. "And he mentions that there were written ac"counts preserved at Babylon with the greatest

Laracha, the Larachon of Eusebius.

8 The name is expressed Xisuthrus, Sisusthrus, and Sithithrus. 9 Eusebii Chronicon. p. 5.

30

Syncelli Chronograph. p. 28.

care, comprehending a term of fifteen myriads "of years. These writings contained a history of "the heavens and the sea; of the birth of man"kind; also of those who had sovereign rule ; "and of the actions achieved by them. And in "the first place he describes "Babylonia as a

country which lay been the Tigris and Euphrates. He mentions that it abounded "with" wheat, barley, ocrus, sesamum; and in "the lakes were found the roots called gonga, "which were good to be eaten, and were in respect to nutriment like barley. " also palm trees and apples, and "of fruits; fish too and birds; "which are merely of flight, and "take to the element of water.

66

66

There were

most kinds

both those

those which The part of

.

Babylonia, which bordered upon Arabia, was "barren, and without water; but that which lay on the other side, had hills and was " fruitful. "At Babylon there was "4 in these times a great resort of people of various nations, who in"habited Chaldea, and lived without rule and

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** It is necessary to observe the arrangement of this history of Berosus; as much depends upon the disposition of these articles. Пugus aygies, wild wheat.

12

13 Euseb. apoga: Syncell. vpopa.

14 I add, in these times, for he means the first ages.

.66

16

"order like the beast of the field. In the first year there made its appearance from a part of "the Eruthrean sea, which bordered upon Baby"lonia, an animal endowed with reason, who was called Oannes. According to the accounts " of " Apollodorus the whole body of the animal was like that of a fish; and had under a fish's "head another head, and also feet below, similar to those of a man, subjoined to the fish's tail. "His voice too, and language was articulate and "human; and there was a representation of him "to be seen in the time of Berosus. This Being "in the day-time used to converse with men; "but took no food at that season; and he "them an insight into letters and science, and every kind of art. He taught them to con"struct houses, to found temples, to compile "laws, and explained to them the principles of

gave

15 In the first year, from what determined time? No data are here given; yet the meaning will, I believe, be easily arrived at. 16 Eusebius, or rather Alexander Polyhistor, mentions in the sequel his great knowledge and sagacity. In like manner he is styled Murages by Apollodorus, though represented in the original as a being of great justice and truth, and an universal benefactor. appears from hence that this is no regular translation from Berosus; the Grecian copier putting in observations of his own, and borrowing from others; though to say the truth, they seem to be the words of Eusebius.

17

7 It