It is very certain, that the people of Colchis, who were a colony from Egypt, had charts of this sort, with written descriptions of the seas and shores, whithersoever they traded: and they at one time carried on a most extensive commerce. We are told, says the [200]Scholiast upon Apollonius, that the Colchians still retain the laws and customs of their forefathers: and they have pillars of stone, upon which are engraved maps of the continent, and of the ocean: Εισι δε, φησι, και νομοι παρ' αυτοις των Προγωνον, και Στηλαι, εν ἁις γης και θαλασσης αναγραφαι εισι. The poet, upon whom the above writer has commented, calls these pillars, κυρβεις: which, we are told, were of a square figure, like obelisks: and on these, he says, were delineated all the passages of the sea; and the boundaries of every country upon the earth. [201]Ὁι δη τοι γραπτας πατερων ἑθεν ειρυονται Κυρβεας, ὁις ενι πασαι ὁδοι, και πειρατ' εασιν Ὑγρης τε, τραφερης τε, περιξ επινεισσομενοισιν. These delineations had been made of old, and transmitted to the Colchians by their forefathers; which forefathers were from [202]Egypt. If then the Colchians had this science, we may presume that their mother country possessed it in as eminent a degree: and we are assured, that they were very knowing in this article. Clemens Alexandrinus [203]mentions, that there were maps of Egypt, and charts of the Nile very early. And we are moreover told, that Sesostris (by which is meant the Sethosians) drew upon boards schemes of all the countries, which he had traversed: and copies of these were given both to [204]the Egyptians, and to the Scythians, who held them in high estimation. This is a curious account of the first delineation of countries, and origin of maps; which were first described upon [205]pillars. We may from hence be enabled to solve the enigma concerning Atlas, who is said to have supported the heavens upon his shoulders. This took its rise from some verses in Homer, which have been strangely misconstrued. The passage is in the Odyssey; where the poet is speaking of Calypso, who is said to be the daughter of Atlas, ολοοφρονος, a person of deep and recondite knowledge: [206]Ατλαντος θυγατηρ ολοοφρονος, ὁστε θαλασσης Πασης βενθεα οιδεν, εχει δε τε ΚΙΟΝΑΣ αυτος Μακρας, ἁι Γαιαν τε και Ουρανον αμφις εχουσιν. It is to be observed, that when the antients speak of the feats of Hercules, we are to understand the Herculeans; under the name of Cadmus is meant the Cadmians; under that of Atlas, the Atlantians. With this allowance how plain are the words of Homer! The [207]Atlantians settled in Phrygia and Mauritania; and, like the Colchians, were of the family of Ham. They had great experience in sea affairs: and the poet tells us, that they knew all the soundings in the great deep. Εχει δε τε Κιονας αυτος Μακρας, ἁι Γαιην τε και Ουρανον αμφις εχουσιν.