[744] Αλφειονιας Αρτεμιδος, η Αλφειουσης αλσος. Strabo. l. 8. p. 528. [745] Plutarch de Fluminibus--Αλφειος. Alpheus, said to be one of the twelve principal and most antient Deities, called συμβωμοι; who are enumerated by the Scholiast upon Pindar. Βωμοι διδυμοι, πρωτος Διος και Ποσειδωνος--κτλ. Olymp. Ode. 5. [746] Stephanus Byzant. Ομφαλιον. It was properly in Epirus, where was the oracle of Dodona, and whose people were styled Ομφαλιηεις above. [747] Ομφαλιον, τοπος Κρητης·-- Steph. Byzant. Εστι δε εν Κρητικοις ορεσι και κατ' εμε ετι Ελωρος πολις. Strabo. l. 10. p. 834. Eluros--אל אור. [748] Diodorus Siculus. l. 5. p. 337. [749] Callimachus. Hymn to Jupiter. v. 42. [750] Quintus Curtius. l. 4. c. 7. p. 154. Varior. [751] Hyde of the Umbilicus. Relig. vet. Persarum. Appendix 3. p. 527. [752] That Olympus and Olympia were of Egyptian original, is manifest from Eusebius; who tells us, that in Egypt the moon was called Olympias; and that the Zodiac in the heavens had antiently the name of Olympus. Ἡ γαρ Σεληνη παρ' Αιγυπτιοις κυριος Ολυμπιας καλειται, δια το κατα μηνα περιπολειν τον Ζωδιακον κυκλον, ον ὁι παλαιοι αυτων ΟΛYΜΠΟΝ εκαλουν. Chronicon. p. 45. l. 9. The reason given is idle: but the fact is worth attending to. Olympus was the supposed præceptor of Jupiter. Diodorus. l. 3. p. 206. [753] Pindar. Pyth. Ode 4. p. 241. [754] Επι νεως περιφερεται χρυσης ὑπο Ἱερων ογδοηκοντα (ὁ Θεος). Ὁυτοι δε επι των ωμων φεροντες τον θεον προαγουσιν αυτοματως, ὁπου αγοι το του θεου νευμα τον πορειαν. Diodorus. l. 17. p. 528. It is observable, that this historian does not mention an omphalus: but says, that it was a statue, ξοανον, which was carried about. [755] Bochart. Canaan. l. 1. c. 40. [756] Ομφη, θεια κληδων, ὁ εστιν οναρ. Schol. on Homer. Iliad. Β. v. 41. [757] Eusebius. Præp. Evang. l. 5. p. 194. One title of Jupiter was Πανομφαιος. Ενθα Πανομφαιῳ Ζηνι ῥηζεσκον Αχαιοι. Homer. Iliad. Θ. v. 250. Ara Panomphæo vetus est sacrata Tonanti. Ovid. Metamorph. l. 11. v. 198. [758] Pocock's Egypt. p. 108. Plate xlii. [759] Pocock. Plate xxxix. p. 105. [760] He sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor. Numbers. c. 22. v. 5. [761] We learn from Numbers. c. 22. v. 36. and c. 31. v. 8. that the residence of Balaam was in Midian, on the other side of the river to the south, beyond the borders of Moab. This seems to have been the situation of Petra; which was either in Midian or upon the borders of it: so that Pethor, and Petra, were probably the same place. Petra is by the English traveller, Sandys, said to be called now Rath Alilat. Petra by some is called a city of Palestine: Πετρα πολις Παλαιστινης. Suidas. But it was properly in Arabia, not far from Idume, or Edom. See Relandi Palæstina. p. 930. and Strabo. l. 16. [762] The Ammonites were a mixed race; being both of Egyptian and Ethiopic original: Αιγυπτιων και Αιθιοπων αποικοι. Herod. l. 2. c. 42. [763] Pocock's Egypt. vol. 1. plate xlii.