The Babylonian story of Izdubar, the lion-killer, who wandered to _the regions of the blessed_ (the Grecian Elysium), who crossed _a great waste of land_ (the desert of _Lybia_, according to the Grecian mythos), and arrived at a region _where splendid trees were laden with jewels_ (the Grecian Garden of the Hesperides), is probably the foundation for the Hercules and other corresponding myths. This conclusion is drawn from the fact that, although the story of Hercules was known in the island of Thasus, by the _Phenician_ colony settled there, _five centuries before he was known in Greece_,[105:1] yet _its antiquity among the Babylonians antedates that_. The age of the legends of Izdubar among the Babylonians cannot be placed with certainty, yet, the cuneiform inscriptions relating to this hero, which have been found, may be placed at about 2000 years B. C.[105:2] "As these stories were _traditions_," says Mr. Smith, the discoverer of the cylinders, "before they were committed to writing, their antiquity as tradition is probably much greater than that."[105:3] With these legends before them, the Jewish priests in Babylon had no difficulty in arranging the story of Samson, and adding it to their already fabulous history. As the Rev. Dr. Isaac M. Wise remarks, in speaking of the ancient Hebrews: "They adopted forms, terms, ideas and myths of all nations with whom they came in contact, and, like the Greeks, in their way, _cast them all in a peculiar Jewish religious mold_." We have seen, in the chapter which treats of this legend, that it is recorded in the book of Judges. _This book was not written till after the first set of Israelites had been carried into captivity, and perhaps still later._[105:4] After this we have "_Jonah swallowed by a Big Fish_," which is the last legend treated. We saw that it was a _solar myth_, known to many nations of antiquity. The writer of the book--whoever he may have been--_lived in the fifth century before Christ_--after the Jews had become acquainted and had mixed with other nations. The writer of this wholly fictitious story, taking the prophet Jonah--who was evidently an historical personage--for his hero, was perhaps intending to show the loving-kindness of Jehovah.[105:5] We have now examined all the _principal_ Old Testament legends, and, after what has been seen, we think that no _impartial_ person can still consider them _historical facts_. That so great a number of educated persons still do so seems astonishing, in our way of thinking. They have repudiated Greek and Roman mythology with disdain; why then admit with respect the mythology of the Jews? Ought the miracles of Jehovah to impress us more than those of Jupiter? We think not; they should all be looked upon as _relics of the past_.