A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume 2 (of 6)Bryant, Jacob
History
A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume 2 (of 6)
Bryant, Jacob
History, Ancient; Mythology
notification of seasons, is ascribed to them. [1207]Ὁι δε Ἡλιαδαι διαφοροι
γεγονοτες των αλλων εν παιδειᾳ διηνεγκαν, και μαλιστα εν Αστρολογιᾳ·
εισηγησαντο δε και περι της ναυτιλιας πολλα, πολλα δε και περι τας ὡρας
διεταξαν. All these arts, if we may believe Herodotus, took their rise in
[1208]Babylonia: from whence they were carried by the Oritæ into Egypt: and
from Egypt westward to Rhodes, and to various parts besides. The Oritæ, or
Auritæ, were the same as the Heliadæ, denominated from the great object of
their worship, the Sun. He was among other titles styled [1209]Orites: as
we learn from Lycophron: which is by his Scholiast interpreted the Sun.
[1210]Ωριτην θεον, τον αυτον Ἡλιον. _The Deity, which is termed Orites, is
no other than the Sun._ These Heliadæ were Ophitæ; and introduced at
Rhodes, and in other places, the worship of the serpent. Hence they occur
in Greece under various titles, such as Ellopians, Europians, Oropians,
Asopians, and the like, being so denominated from places which they
consecrated to Ops, and Opis, the serpent. The Cadmians settled in Eubœa,
which was called Ellopia from Ellops, a supposed brother of [1211]Cothus.
Plutarch gives an account of Cothus himself coming to Eubœa in company with
another named Arclus. [1212]Κοθος, και Αρκλος, ὁι Ξουθου παιδες εις Ευβοιαν
ἡκον οικησαντες. By Cothus and Arclus are meant Cuthites and Herculeans,
people of the same family, who settled in this island. The Oritæ of Egypt
were also styled Arabians; and the Arabian nome was denominated from them.
The Cadmians, who settled in Eubœa, may be traced under the same names.
Strabo calls the people, who were supposed to attend Cadmus, Arabians,
[1213]Αραβες, ὁι συν Καδμῳ. One district in the island was denominated from
them, Æthiopium: [1214]Αιθιοπιον, ονομα χωριου εν Ευβοιᾳ. This is more
particularly described by Stephanus, as the passage is happily corrected by
Salmasius. Αιθιοπιον, χωριον Ευβοιας παρα Δηλιου, πλησιον του Ευριπου.
_There is a part of Eubœa hard by Delium, and near to the Euripus, called
Ethiopium._ But the most critical mark, by which any of these islands were
distinguished, was that of [1215]Oritæ. This is the express title of the
shepherds in Egypt; which they assumed both on account of the Deity, whom
they worshipped, and in reference to the city Ur in Chaldea, from whence
they were in part derived. They founded a city of the same name in Eubœa,
which the Greeks expressed [1216]Oria: whence came the provincial title of
Oritæ. Here Orion was supposed to have been [1217]nursed, whose history we
know was from Babylonia. The natives had a tradition, that he was the son
of [1218]Urieus, and of the gigantic race: the purport of which, I think,
cannot be mistaken. They passed, as I have shewn, from Eubœa to Attica, and
Bœotia. Here also was a city [1219]Ur, like that in Chaldea, and a
tradition about Orion being born in these parts. They likewise pretended to
shew his [1220]tomb.
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