seem to have referred to him every thing, which by the Egyptians was attributed to Thoth and Hermes. He had the title of [973]Zarades, which signifies the Lord of light, and is equivalent to Orus, Oromanes, and Osiris, It was sometimes expressed [974]Zar-Atis, and supposed to belong to a feminine Deity of the Persians. Moses Chorenensis styles him [975]Zarovanus, and speaks of him as the father of the Gods. Plutarch would insinuate, that he was author of the doctrine, embraced afterwards by the Manicheans, concerning two prevailing principles, the one good, and the other evil[976]: the former of these was named Oromazes, the latter Areimanius. But these notions were of late [977]date, in comparison of the antiquity which is attributed to [978]Zoroaster. If we might credit what was delivered in the writings transmitted under his name, which were probably composed by some of the later Magi, they would afford us a much higher notion of his doctrines. Or if the account given by Ostanes were genuine, it would prove, that there had been a true notion of the Deity transmitted from [979]Zoroaster, and kept up by the Magi, when the rest of the gentile world was in darkness. But this was by no means true. It is said of Zoroaster, that he had a renewal of [980]life: for I apply to the original person of the name, what was attributed to the Magus of Pamphylia: and it is related of him, that while he was in the intermediate state of death, he was instructed by the [981]Gods. Some speak of his retiring to a mountain of Armenia, where he had an intercourse with the [982]Deity: and when the mountain burned with fire, he was preserved unhurt. The place to which he retired, according to the Persic writers, was in the region called [983]Adarbain; where in aftertimes was the greatest Puratheion in Asia. This region was in Armenia: and some make him to have been born in the same country, upon one of the Gordiæan [984]mountains. Here it was, that he first instituted sacrifices, and gave laws to his followers; which laws are supposed to be contained in the sacred book named Zandavasta. To him has been attributed the invention of Magic; which notion has arisen from a misapplication of terms. The Magi Were priests, and they called religion in general Magia. They, and their rites, grew into disrepute; in consequence of which they were by the Greeks called απατεωνες, φαρμακευται: _jugglers, and conjurers_. But the Persians of old esteemed them very highly. [985]Μαγον, τον θεοσεβη, και θεολογον, και ἱερεα, ὁι Περσαι ὁυτως λεγουσιν. _By a Magus, the Persians understand a sacred person, a professor of theology, and a Priest._ Παρα Περσαις [986]Μαγοι ὁι φιλοσοφοι, και θεοφιλοι. _Among the Persians, the Magi are persons addicted to philosophy, and to the worship of the Deity._ [987]Dion. Chrysostom, and Porphyry speak to the same purpose. By Zoroaster being the author of Magia, is meant, that he was the first promoter of religious rites, and the instructor of men in