19

from El Ain, the fountain of light, which they worshipped. But the Greeks expressed this after the same manner as the above; whence they are, by many writers, styled * Ποιμενες Ελληνες, Hellenic or Grecian shepherds. They were truly El-Anes, and by race Cuthites. Many of them settled in Armenia, and at Colchis, and also upon the Palus Mæotis. They are taken notice of under this name by 20 Claudian:

patriamque bibens Mæotida Alanus.

Procopius mentions, that all the nations about Caucasus, which we know to have been Cuthites, as far as the Porta Caucaseæ, were compre hended under the name of " Alani.

21

Some have thought that this distinction of times, taken notice of by the ecclesiastical writers, was owing to some expressions of St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Colossians. 22 Ὅπε εκ ενι Ἑλλην, και Κεδαιος" περιτομη και ακροβυσια" Βαρβαρος, Σκύθης δέλος,

19 Εκκαιδεκατη δυνασεία, Ποιμενες Έλληνες. Syncellus. p. 61. 20 In Rufin. 1. 1. v. 312.

21 Ταυτην δε την χώραν, ή εξ ορες τε Καυκάσις αχρι ες τας Κασπίας κατατείνει πύλας, Αλανοί εχεσι. Procop. Goth. Hist. 1. 4. c. 3. p. 570. This comprehends all the country of Iberia, Colchis, and Circassia.

22 Coloss. c. 3. v. 11.

ελεύθερος" αλλα τα παντα, και εν πασι Χριςος, Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision; Barbarian, Scythian; bond nor free; but Christ is all and in all. The Apostle plainly

alludes to those invidious distinctions which subsisted among men; but what the fathers mention concerns the division of times, and the characters by which different epochas were distinguished. Some writers, however, have gone farther, and from the words of St. Paul have added Judaïsmus, introducing it in the first ages, to which it could not possibly belong. For how could Judaïsm subsist before there was either Jew or Israelite? In short, they have brought in succession, and at different æras, what the Apostle speaks of as subsisting together at the same time, even in the age wherein he lived.

Hellenismus, however, which led the way to these distinctions, was of antient date. The first innovation in religion was called by this name; which had no relation to Greece, being far prior to Hellas, and to the people denominated from it. Though it began among the Cuthites in Chaldea, yet it is thought to have arisen from some of the family of Shem, who resided among that people. Epiphanius accordingly tells us, that Ragem, or Ragau, had for his son Seruch, when idolatry and Hellenismus first be

23

gan among men. Ραγαμ γέννα του Σερεχ, και ηρξατο εις ανθρωπες ή ειδωλολατρεία τε, και ὁ Ἑλληνισμος. By this we are only informed that idolatry and Hellenismus began in the days of Seruch: but Eusebius and other writers mention, that he was the author of this apostasy. * Σερεχ, όςις πρωτος ήρξατο τὰ Ἑλληνισμε. Seruch was the first who introduced the false worship, called Hellenismus. Some attribute also to him the introduction of "5 images; but most give this innovation to his grandson Terah.

24

Ναχωρ δε γεννα τον Θάρρα, εντευθεν γεγονεν ανδριαντο πλασια-δια της τε Θαῤῥε τεχνης. Nachor begat Tharah; and in his time were introduced images for worship, which were first framed by his art.

It is observable that Johannes Antiochenus styles the people of Midian Hellenes; and speaking of Moses, who married the daughter of Jethro, the Cuthite, the chief priest of" Midian,

24 Eusebii Chron. p. 13. See Chron. Paschale, and Syncellus. p. 94. 95. Some suppose this innovation to have been introduced about the death of Peleg. Επι την τε Φαλεχ τελευτην στη τρισχιλια ενθεν αρχην των Ελληνικών Θεων λαμβάνεσι τα ονόματα. Cedrenus. p. 15,

25

Σεράχ δε πρώτος ήρξατο χρησθαι γλυπτοις και τήλαις, όγδοος απόγονος το Νωε το δίκαιο. Constant. Manasses. p. 21,

28

he represents the woman, την θυγατέρα Ιοθόρ το αρχιερεως των Ελληνων, as the daughter of Jother, the high-priest of the Hellenes. This is not so culpable as I have sometimes thought it. It is to be ob, served, that the people of Midian lived upon the upper and eastern recess of the Red Sea, where was a city called El Ain, the Elana of 29 Ptolemy, and Ailane of Josephus. It happens, that there are in the opposite recess fountains, which retain the name of El Ain at this day; and they are likewise called by the Arabs Ain Mosh, or the fountains of Moses. Hence each bay has been at times called Sinus Elanites, which has caused some confusion in the accounts given of these parts. The nether recess had certainly its name from the celebrated fountains of Moses, which ran into it; but the bay on the other side was denominated from the people who there 30 settled. They were Cuthites, of the same race as the Ionim and Hellenes of Babylonia, from which country they

28 P. 76. 77.

29 Ηδε Ελανα κατα μυχον κείμενῃ τῷ ὁμώνυμο κολπον. Ptolem, 1. 5. c. 17. p. 162.

Ou woppw Aiλarns woλews. Joseph. Ant. 1. 8. c. 2. p. 437. Airam @oris Apabias. Steph. Byzant. Aas. Procop. Persica.

1. 1. c. 19.

30 The bay is now called Bahhr al Akaba. See Description d'Arabie par Mons. Niebuhr. 1773. p. 345.

came. They built the city Elana, and were called Hellenes, from the great luminary which they worshipped, and to whic. their city was sacred. In the days of Moses the whole world seems to have been infected with the rites of the Zabians: and Jethro, the Cuthite, was probably high-priest of this order, whose daughter Moses 3 married. The very first idolatry consisted in worshipping the luminary El Ain, which worship was accordingly styled Hellenismus. El Ain signifies Sol Fons, the fountain of light; and Ulpian upon Demosthenes seems to have had some intimation of this etymology; for he explains the term Tatov ἑλληνικωτάτ ατον by 3 καθαρώτατον and ειλικρινέςατον, something very pure and clear, like a fountain. Hesychius also intimates, that the name related to the 34 fountain of day; and in a secondary sense to the fountain of wisdom. Έλληνες, δι απο το Διος τε Έλληνος η φρονιμοι, ήτοι σοφοί. The people styled Hellenes are the descendants of Hellen, the son of Zeuth; and by this title are denoted people of intelligent and

11 The people still retain their primitive name Ellanes. Dr. Pocock expresses it Allauni. The Arabs about Acaba are called Allauni. Pocock's Egypt. p. 138.

32 Exodus. c. 2. v. 16. Numbers. c. 12. v. 1,