[172]Thammuz came next behind, Whose annual wound in Lebanon allur'd The Syrian damsels to lament his fate In amorous ditties all a summer's day: While smooth Adonis from his native rock Ran purple to the sea; suppos'd with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded. It is said that the Eridanus was so called first by [173]Pherecydes Syrus: and that my etymology is true, may in great measure be proved from the [174]Scholiast upon Aratus. He shews that the name was of Egyptian original, at least consonant to the language of Egypt; for it was the same as the Nile. It is certain that it occurred in the antient sphere of Egypt, whence the Grecians received it. The great effusion of water in the celestial sphere, which, Aratus says, was the Nile, is still called the Eridanus: and, as the name was of oriental original, the purport of it must be looked for among the people of those parts. The river Strymon, in Thrace, was supposed to abound with swans, as much as the Eridanus; and the antient name of this river was Palaestinus. It was so called from the Amonians, who settled here under the name of Adonians, and who founded the city Adonis. They were by the later Greeks styled, after the Iönic manner, Edonians, and their city Edonis. [175]Στρυμων ποταμος εστι της Θρακης κατα πολιν Ηδωνιδα, προσηγορευετο δε προτερον Παλαιστινος. _The Strymon is a river of Thrace, which runs by the city Edonis: it was of old called the river Palæstinus_. In these places, and in all others where any of the Canaanites settled, the Grecians have introduced some story about swans. Some of them seem to have gained access at Delphi; as did likewise others from Egypt: and by such was that oracle first founded. Egypt, among other names, was called Ait, and Ai Ait, by the Greeks expressed Αετια: [176]Εκληθη δε--και ΑΕΤΙΑ. The natives, in consequence of it, were called Αετιοι, and Αεται; which was interpreted eagles. Hence, we are told by Plutarch, that some of the feathered kind, either eagles or swans, came from the remote parts of the earth, and settled at Delphi. [177]Αετους τινας, η Κυκνους, ω Τερεντιανε Πρισκε, μυθολογουσιν απο των ακρων της γης επι το μεσον φερομενους εις ταυτο συμπεσειν Πυθοι περι τον καλουμενον ομφαλον. These eagles and swans undoubtedly relate to colonies from Egypt and Canaan. I recollect but one philosopher styled Cygnus; and, what is remarkable, he was of Canaan. Antiochus, the Academic, mentioned by Cicero in his philosophical works, and also by [178]Strabo, was of Ascaloun, in Palestine; and he was surnamed Cygnus, the Swan: which name, as it is so circumstanced, must, I think, necessarily allude to this country.