where they for a long time resided: and, upon inquiry, we shall find this to have been the case. Chus was by the Babylonians styled Cuth, and the country of his posterity Cutha.

10

His sons

were the first rebels upon record. The building of the Tower called Babel is supposed to have been effected under their direction: for Babel was the place of habitation, where their imperious prince Nimrod, who was called Alorus and Orion, resided. The be ginning of his kingdom, we are told by Moses, was Babel. In consequence of this it may be urged, that if the Cutheans of Catchis or Greece are styled Exular, the same name should be sometimes' found attributed to those of Babylonia and Chaldea. It is no more than we ought to expect; and we shall find that the natives of these countries are expressly so called. Epiphanius, who has transmitted to us a most curious epitome of the whole Scythic history, gives them this very appellation. * Απο δε τα κλιματος τε προς Ευρωπην εις Ασίαν κεκλικοτες επωνομάσθησαν παντες κατά την χρονο επικλησιν ΣΚΥΘΑΙ κτίζεσι δε την Πυργοποιΐαν, και οικοδομεσι την Βαβυλωνα, Those nations, which reach southward from that part of the world, where the two great continents of Europe and Asia incline to each other, and are

To Genes. c. 10. v. 10.

"Epiphauius adversus Hæres. 1. 1. p. 6.

connected, were universally styled "Scythæ, according to an appellation of long standing. These were of that family who of old erected the great tower (called Babel), and who built the city Babylon. This is the plain purport of the history, from whence we learn expressly that the Scythians were the Cuthians, and came from Babylonia. The works in which they were engaged, and the person from whom they were denominated, in short the whole of their history, past all controversy, prove it. They were the same as the Chaldaic Iönim under a different name. 13 Ιωνες δε τέτων αρχηγοι γεγενηνται, ὡς ὁ ακριβης έχει λόγος, από τε Ιωναν, ένος ανδρος των τον Πύργον οικοδομησαντων, ὅτε οι γλώσσαι διεμερίσθησαν των ανθρωπων. The Tones were the leaders of this people according to the best information. They were descendants of one Ion ́or Ionah, who was concerned in the building of the tower when the language of mankind was confounded. Thus we may observe what light the histories of

12

The author supposes that all mankind were occupied in the building of the tower; and hence seems to think that all families were Scythic. But this is a great mistake. The Cuthites were the people principally engaged in that work; and they are the family who are alluded to under the name of Exubai. It was a particular and national appellation, and could not be appropriated to all mankind.

23 Chron. Paschale. p. 49. Eusebii Chron. p. 7.

different nations, if duly compared, reflect upon each other. Like evidence may be obtained from other parts of Epiphanius, where it is manifest that the term Scuthic is a misnomer for Cuthic. In describing the first ages of the world he tells us that, to the time of Serug, the seventh from Noah, there continued a Scythian succession, and that the Scythian name was prevalent. 14 'Ews τότε (Σερυχ) έμενε Σκυθικη τις διαδοχη και επίκλησις; meaning that this period was esteemed the Scythian age. The same piece of history is to be found in Eusebius, and other writers, some of whom were prior to " Epiphanius. Now I think it cannot be doubted, but that in the original history, whence this was taken, it was Kun vis διαδοχη α Cuthic succession; και Κυθικη επίκλησις, and it was the Cuthic name by which that period was marked. Σκυθισμός, says this author in another place, απο τε κατακλυσμε αχρι τα Πυργε; from the deluge to the erecting of the tower Scuthism prevailed. This notation is perhaps carried too far back; but the meaning is plain; and what he alludes to is certainly Cuthismus, Kubicos. The purport of the passage teaches, that from the time

14

Epiphanius adv. Hæres. 1. 1. p. 8. also 1. 1. p. 9. See also his Respons. ad Achaium et Paulum. p. 8. 9.

5 Eusebii Chronicon. p. 13.

of the deluge to the construction of the tower was esteemed the Cuthic age. It was for the most part a period of usurpation and tyranny under the sons of Chus, which was in a great degree put a stop to at the dispersion; at least the intention of keeping mankind together, and constituting one great empire was prevented: for this seems to have been the design of the Cuthians and their leader.

Some of the antient fathers, from terms ill understood, divided the first ages into three or more epochas, and have distinguished them by as many characteristics: " Bagbagoμos, Barbarismus, which is supposed to have preceded the flood; Exubiouos, Scuthismus, of which I have been speaking; and

16

Exλnvios, Hellenismus, or the Grecian period. This last must appear as extraordinary as any.

86 Αι δε των αιρεσεων πασων μητέρες τε και πρόκριτοι και ονόματοι είσιν αυται, Βαρβαρισμός, Σκυθισμός, Ελληνισμος, Ιεδαϊσμος. Chron. Paschale. p. 23. This author makes Barbarismus precede the deluge: Scythismus comes after. ΣΚΥΘΙΣΜΟΣ από των ήμερων τε Νωε μετα τον κατακλυσμον αχρι της τε Πυργο οικοδομης και Βαβυλωνος και μετα τον χρόνον της το Πυργο οικοδομης επ' ολίγοις ετεσιν, τοτ' εςιν ἕως Pa γαμ' ύσερον δε Ελληνισμος κ.τ.λ. Chron. Pasch. p. 49.

37 Απο δε τα Σεριχ έως το Αβρααμ και δεύρο, Ελληνισμος. Epiphan. 1. 1. p. 9. Σεράχ, όςις πρωτος ηρξατο τα Ελληνισμό. Euseb. Chron. p. 13. In like manner, a fourth heresy is supposed to have arisen, styled Judaïsmus, before the time of either Jews or Israelites.

VOL. IV.

For how was it possible for an Hellenic æra to have existed before the name of Hellas was known, or the nation in being? This arose, like the preceding, from a mistake in terms, the word being warped from its original purport and direction. The Cuseans, or Cuthites, were the first apostates from the truth; of which defection I have before taken notice. They introduced the worship of the sun, that great fountain of light; and paid the like reverence to the stars, and all the host of heaven. They looked upon them as fountains, from whence were derived to men the most salutary 18 emanations. This worship was styled the fountain worship. The Grecians, just as they styled the Bay of Fountains on the Red Sea Elanites, from El Ain, might have called this characteristic of the times Exavopos, Elanismus. But such a change would not satisfy them. They made some farther alteration, and rendered it, according to the Ionic dialect, Eaλnuoμos, Hellenismus with an aspirate, and made it, by these means, relate to their own country. One of the titles of the Cusean shepherds, who came into Egypt, was taken from this worship, and derived

18

Concerning fountain worship, or derivative virtues, see Psellus and Jamblichus; and Stanley upon the Chaldaic Religion. El-ain, Sólis fons; the fountain of the sun.