OF

EGYPTIAN RITES

AND

OF THE COLONIES BY WHICH THEY WERE INTRODUCED VERY EARLY INTO GREECE.

As some of the evidences, concerning the religion and customs of Egypt, are taken from those which prevailed in Greece; it may be proper to prove, that these customs of the Grecians were certainly borrowed from the former country: and at the same time to shew, at what intervals, and by what persons, they were introduced. For if the rites alluded to were of late date, or doubtful origin, their duthority would be of little weight: and no just inference could be made from them. But it will be found, that a near relation subsisted of old between the two nations: that the one was in a great degree constituted by colonies from the other: that these emigrants came over to Hellas in times of very high anB

tiquity most of them long before, the supposed æra of Troy, and became superior to the original inhabitants. They brought with them the religion and rites of the people, from whence they came. We may therefore from the stream judge of the fountain.

Of some early and particular
MIGRATIONS.

I

First, then, it will be proper to shew that Greece, according to the traditions of the natives, was in great measure peopled from Egypt. Diodorus Siculus tells us, that some of the principal persons upon record among the Athenians were from this country: and that the Athenians in general were from * Egypt. The Peloponnese was for the most part peopled by Dorians: and the ancient leaders of these Dorians, according to 3 Herodotus, were of the same original, and came from the same part of the world. The Lele

* Γεγονέναι δε και των Ηγεμόνων τινας Αιγυπτιες παρα τοις Αθήν Diodor. Sic. 1. 1. p. 25. Rhodo̟manni.

ναιοις.

* Και τις Αθηναίες δη φασιν αποικες ειναι Σαΐτων των εξ Αιγυπτε. Ibid. p. 24.

3 Φαινοίατο αν εαυτες οι των Δωριέων Ηγεμονες Αιγυπτιοι ιθαγενείς. Herod. 1. 6. c. 54. p. 461.

2

I

ges were a very ancient, and a very large, body of people. They spread over the coast of Asia Minor: and occupied many of the islands. They settled likewise in Greece, as Megara. Lelex, supposed to be the chief conductor, is represented as king of that place; and is said to have migrated from Egypt. The same people were possessed of a large part of Laconia: and a Lelex is mentioned as the first 3 king of that region; which for a time had the name of Lelegia. Erectheus was an ancient king of Athens, but of Egyptian extraction. As he was acquainted with the fertility of that country, he in a time of scarcity is said to have imported from thence corn for the support of his people. Some time before him Cecrops is said to have come over; who, according to tradition, was the

5

I Λεγεσιν οι Μεγαρεις Λέλεγα αφικομενον ἐξ Αιγυπτε βασιλεύσαι. Pausan. 1. 1. p. 95.

Λελέγω, όν αφικομενον λεγεσιν βασίλευσαι ἐξ Αιγύπτε.

Pausan. 1. 1. p. 106.

2 Ibid. 1. 4. p. 280.

3 Pausan. 1. 3. p. 203.

4 Τον Ερέχθεα λεγεσιν το γένος Αιγυπτίον οντα βασίλευσαι των

3

4

1

first king in Attica. He came from Saïs in Lower Egypt: all the Athenians were reputed to have been originally Saïtes. After him another colony was brought by Danaus, and Lynceus: both of whom, as the priests at Thebes told Herodotus, were from a city of that Name, called Chemmis. Diodorus, speaking of some very early persons, and occurrences, says, that in those times 5 Danaus came from Egypt: and that Cadmus arrived soon after. Some make Cadmus rather prior and place Danaus third. Danaus tertiam duxit coloniam. Marsham. Chron. sec. The place, from which Cadmus

IX.

P. 125.

6

led his colony, is said to have been Thebes

1 Ως δε απο της Σαέως πολεως Αιγυπτιας, ὁ Κέκροψ παραγέγονεν Abnvais Tns Exλados. Joh. Tzetzes. Chil. 5. Hist. 18. p. 91. Ελθων γαρ απο Σαεως πολεως Αίγυπτο, τας Αθήνας συνῳκισε. Is. Tzetzes. Schol. in Lycoph. v. 111.

Κέκροψ, Αιγυπτιος ων το γενος, σκησε τας Αθήνας. Suidas.

* Αθηναίες αποικες Σαΐτων Diodor. 1. 1.

p. 24.

3 Τον γαρ Δαναον και τον Λυγκέα (εφασαν) έοντας Χεμμιτας εκπλών σαι ες την Ελλαδα. Herod. 1. 2. c. 91. p. 144.

4 Εστι δε Χεμμις πολις μεγαλη νομ8 τε Θηβαϊκε. Ibid.

5 Κατα δε τέτες τις χρονες Δαναος εφυγεν εξ Αιγυπτο. Diodor.

1. 5. p. 329.

6

Ο Μίκρον σερον τατων των χρόνων (Δανικά, Λίνδο, Ιαλυσε) Καδμος. fbid.

7 Φοινιξ και Καδμος -αποθήσων των Αιγυπτίων. κ. τ. λ. Syncellus, p. 158.

in Upper Egypt.

Melampus came from the

2

same part of the world: whose companions and posterity were stiled Melampodes: and resided in the region of Argos.

Of the Rites and Customs imported.

These emigrants from Egypt brought with them into Greece the rites and ceremonies of the country which they left. Melampus introduced the Dionusiaca, and all those obscenities with which they were accompanied. He is likewise said to have first taught the Grecians the mysteries of Ceres; which were equally base and impure. To him were attributed the rites of lustration and expiation; together with the science of physic and the

'Herod. 1. 2. c. 49. p. 127. Diodorus Sic. 1. 1. p. 87. 2 Pausan. 1. 8. P. 636.

3 Herod. 1. 2. c. 43. p. 124.-c. 48, 49. p. 127.-c. 50. p. 128.-c. 58. p. 131. See also Diodorus, l. 1. p. 20, 21. also p. 62, 63. and 86.

Ελλησι γας

δη Μελαμπες εσι ὁ ἡγησάμενος του Διονυσε το τε όνομα, και την θυσίην, και την πομπην τε φαλλό..

-Τον δ' ων

φαλλον -Μελαμπος εςι ὁ κατηγησαμενος. Herod. 1. 2. c. 49,

p.

ти

127.

5 Μελαμποδα δε τον Αμυθάονος αλλοι φασιν εξ Αιγυπτε μετακόμισαι Ελλαδι της Δηες ἑορτας πενθος ὑμνουμενον. Clemens Cohort.

P. 12.