From what has been said, it appears plainly that the Hellenes and Iönes were the same people under different appellations. They were the descendants of Hellen and Iön, two names of the same personage, among whose sons idolatry first began in the region of Babylonia. He was styled Iön, Iönan, Iönichus, and was supposed to have been the author of magic. From him the Babylonians had the name of Iönim, as well as of Hellenes; for these terms were used as in some degree synonymous. Hence when the sacred writer mentions people's flying from the weapons of the 49 Iönim, or Babylonians, it is very truly rendered by the Seventy from the Hellenic sword:

50

Αναζωμεν, και ανατρέψωμεν προς τον λαον ήμων εις την πατρίδα ήμων, απο προσωπε μαχαιρας Ἑλληνικης. Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the HELLENIC sword. The like expression is to be found in the same version, and of the same prophet: "Amo gorwr 51 Απο προσωπο μαχαίρας Ελληνικης έκαςος εις τον λαον

και έκαςος εις την γην αυτε φεύξεται.

αυτε αποςρέψεσι, From the sword

of the HELLENES they shall turn every one to his own people, and they shall flee every one to his own

s1 Ibid. c. 50. v. 16. See vol. iii. p. 138. of this work.

land. In each instance the words in the original are the sword of, Iönah: by which are meant the Iönim or Babylonians. The same worship of which the Hellenes are said to have been the authors, is attributed to the Iönim, the sons of Iönah. 52 Ιωνες δε, δι εκ της 185, των Ελληνων αρχηγοι γεγονότες, τοις ξοάνοις προσεκύνουν. The Ionim, the reputed sons of Iönah, who became the head of the Hellenes, introduced the adoration of images. They also introduced Zabaïsm, as is mentioned by the same "author; and worshipped the celestial constellations. The person, from whom the Hellenes had their name, was Hellen, the same as Cham, the son of Noah. 54 Exλnu vios Aεuxaλivos. Hellen was the son of the person who escaped the flood. The Iönes were from the same personage, under a different title.

Such was the first heresy in the world, which was styled Hellenismus; and such the Hellenes, by whom it was propagated. They were dissipated from Babylonia, and passed into Egypt; and betook themselves to Syria, Rhodes, and Hellas; and many other countries. Many traces of them are to be found in Syria; where particularly is to

53 Ιωνες της κατ ̓ Ουρανον φωτήρας θεοποιημενοι. Ibid. See also Cedrenus. p. 46.

5+ Euseb. Chron. p. 28.

be observed a city, which from them must have had its name. Stephanus, speaking of places called Hellas, tells us, Εςι και αλλη πολις Ελλας Κοίλης Συριας· το εθνικον Έλλην. There is also another city Hellas in Coile Syria. The Gentile derivative, or possessive, is Hellen. There were Hellenes at Rhodes; the same as the Heliade, of whom " Diodorus Siculus makes mention. They seem to have been the first who peopled that island. Those Hellenes, who settled at Dodona, were the first of the name among the Helladians, and from them it became at last universal. They had also the name of Elli, and Selli, and were properly priests of the oracle, which they brought from Thebes in Egypt. 57 Ἑλλοι Έλληνες, δι εν Δωδωνη, και οι ιερεις Έλλα (it should be Ελλαν) Διος ἱερον εν Δωδώνη. The Elli are the same as the Hellenes at Dodona: and the priests of the place have the same Ellan is the name of the temple dedicated to Jupiter at Dodona. The like is said by 58 Aristotle and 59 Strabo. Of this people I shall say more when I come to the Iönah-Hellenic colonies of Greece.

name.

56 Την δε νησον ταυτην τοτε κατῳκεν Ελληνες. 1. 4. p. 26.

57 Hesych.

Elli and Selli are terms of the same purport, being derived from El and Sel, two names of the sun. What the Grecians rendered Hellas, would have been expressed more truly Hellan.

OF THE

GOLDEN

OR

AGE,

AGE OF THE CUTHIM.

I HAVE taken notice of the manner in which the first ages of the world were distinguished: and I have shewn, that Scythismus and Hellenismus were mistaken terms: that they were not the characteristics of times in succession, as many of the learned fathers have supposed; but related each to nearly one particular season, the age of Chus; and to the worship introduced by his sons. The Golden age of the poets took its rise from a mistake of the same nature: which mistake being once established, a Silver, a Brazen, and an Iron Age, were in consequence of it added. What was termed Γενος Χρυσεον and Χρύσειον, should have been expressed XooEO and XO: for it relates to the same æra, and history, as the terms before