regular migration of families from Araratia in Armenia. The sons of Chus seem to have gone off in a disorderly manner: and having for a long time roved eastward, they at last changed their direction, and came to the plains of Shinar. Here they seized upon the particular region which had fallen to the lot of Assur. He was therefore obliged to retreat, and to betake himself to the higher regions of Mesopotamia. In process of time the Cuthites seem to have increased greatly in strength and numbers; and to have formed a plan for a mighty empire. People of other families flocked in unto them: and many of the line of Shem put themselves under their dominion. They were probably captivated with their plausible refinements in religion, and no less seduced by their ingenuity, and by the arts, which they introduced. For they must certainly be esteemed great in science, if we consider the times in which they lived. The tower of Babel, which their imperious leader had erected, seems to have been both a temple, and landmark, from which they had formed a resolution never to recede. therefore seemed good to divine Providence to put a stop to this growing confederacy: and, as they had refused to retire regularly, to force them by judgments to flee away, and to scatter them into different parts. The Ethnic writers, as I

It

have before mentioned, speak of many fearful

events which attended the dispersion, particularly of earthquakes, and hurricanes, and fiery meteors, which the apostates could not withstand. Many of the sacred writers, though they do not speak determinately, yet seem to allude to some violent and præternatural commotions which happened at this season. Whatever may have been the nature of the catastrophe, it appears to have been confined solely to the region of Babylonia.

Upon the dispersion, the country about Babel was entirely evacuated. A very large body of the fugitives betook themselves to Egypt, and are commemorated under the name of the Shepherds. Some of them went no farther than 81 Shinar; a city, which lay between Nineve and Babylon, to the north of the region which they had quitted. Others came into Syria and Canaan, and into the Arabian provinces, which bordered upon these countries. Those who fled to Shinar resided there some time but being in the vicinity of Elam and Nineve, they raised the jealousy of the sons of Ashur, and the Elamites, who made a confederacy against them, and after a dispute of some time drove them from their neighbourhood. And not contented with this, they carried their arms still farther, and

1 It gave name to the whole region, of which Babylonia was only a part.

invaded all those of the line of Ham westward, as far as the confines of Egypt. This was the first part of the great Titanic war, in which the king of Elam was principal. We are informed by Moses, that they served him twelve years; and in the thirteenth they rebelled: and in the fourteenth year the king of Elam attacked them, in conjunction with the kings of Aram, Ashur, and Shinar: for Shinar was now regained, and in the hands of the Shemites.

This invasion happened, when Abraham had resided some time in Canaan; in which he first sojourned, when he was seventy-five years old. It happened also after his return from Egypt; but was antecedent to the birth of Ishmael, who was born in the eighty-sixth year of Abraham's life. We may therefore venture to refer this event to the eightieth year of the Patriarch's age. And as the first war is said by the Gentile writers to have lasted ten or 2 eleven years; if we add these to the fourteen mentioned by Moses, which intervened between that war, and the invasion made by the confederates, it will be found to amount to

82

82

Συνεχεως δ' εμάχοντο δεκα πλειός ενιαυτές.

Hesiod. Theog.

v.636.

Μαχομένων δε αυτών ενιαυτες δέκα ή Γη έχρησε τῳ Δεν την νίκην. Apollod. 1. 1. p. 4.

twenty-four years. And these being deducted from the eightieth year of Abraham, will give us the fifty-sixth of his life, and the first year of the Titanian war. At this time, or near it, I should imagine that it commenced. I have supposed, that the Cuthite Shepherds came into Egypt immediately upon the dispersion: and it is very plain from Manethon, that their coming was five hundred and eleven years before the Exodus. The call of "Abraham was only four hundred and thirty, and his birth five hundred and five, years before that æra: therefore the dispersion must have been about six years prior to his birth. According to this computation, the first Titanian war was about sixty-two years after the dispersion. 4 Abydenus, 5 Cedrenus, and other writers, who take notice of the dispersion, mention this war as the next great event.

84

85

As the Cuthite Shepherds were in possession of Egypt at the time of this war; it may seem extraordinary, that they did not take a share in it, and assist those of their family who were invaded, There is an obscure tradition of their being so

83 Abraham was seventy-five years old, when he left Haran; and eighty-six at the birth of Ishmael.

84 Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 9. c. 15. Syncellus. p. 44.

85 Ρ. 29. Γίνεται δὲ καὶ ὁ Τιτάνων προς τον Δια πολεμος.

88

licited to interfere: but as they were not themselves attacked, nor injured, they did not listen, to the proposals. This is intimated in a history given of Oceanus, who was one of the "Titans. It is also a name of the Nile, which was called both 97 Oceanus, and Egyptus: and in this account, that country and its inhabitants are alluded to. The history is, that " when the Titans entered into a conspiracy against their father, Oceanus withstood the solicitations, which were made to him though he was some time in doubt, whether he should not take a part in the commotion. Proclus, who gives this account, has preserved some Orphic fragments to this purpose. The same is to be found in Apollodorus; who mentions the Titans engaging in war, and says, that Oceanus would not join them. 89 Οι δε χωρίς Ωκεανο επιτιθενται. By Oceanus is meant in the language

86 Diodorus. 1. 3. p. 195.

87

88

Νείλος Ωκεανος. Νείλος Αιγυπτος. Ibid. p. 17.

Των άλλων Τιτάνων εις την κατα το πατρος επιβολην ξεμένων, ὃ Ωκεανος απαγορεύει τε προς τας της Μητρος επιτάξεις, και ενδοιάζει περι της τάξεως.

Ενθ' ων Ωκεανος μεν ενί μεγάροισιν εμίμνεν,

Ορμαίνων, προτέρωσε νοον τραπόν, κτλ.

Πολλά δε πορφυρών μενεν ἡμερος εν μεγάροισιν.

39 L. 1. p. 2.

Proclus in Timæum Platonis. 4. p. 296.