_Mary_, the mother of _Jesus_, was born of a woman (Anna) who was "old and stricken in years," and who had been barren all her life. _An angel appeared to Anna and her husband_ (Joachim), and told them what was about to take place. (See "The Gospel of Mary," Apoc.) Thus we see, that the idea of a wonderful child being born of a woman who had passed the age which nature had destined for her to bear children, and who had been barren all her life, was a favorite one among the Hebrews. The idea that the ancestors of a race lived to a fabulous old age, is also a familiar one among the ancients. Most ancient nations relate in their fables that their ancestors lived to be very old men. For instance; the _Persian_ patriarch Kaiomaras reigned 560 years; Jemshid reigned 300 years; Jahmurash reigned 700 years; Dahâk reigned 1000 years; Feridun reigned 120 years; Manugeher reigned 500 years; Kaikans reigned 150 years; and Bahaman reigned 112 years. (See Dunlap: Son of the Man, p. 155, _note_.) [64:1] Judges, xiv. [65:1] Judges, xv. [66:1] Judges, xvi. [66:2] Perhaps that of Izdubar. See chapter xi. [66:3] Hebrew Mythology, p. 248. [66:4] Manual of Mythology, p. 248. The Age of Fable, p. 200. [67:1] Bulfinch: The Age of Fable, p. 200. [67:2] Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 249. [67:3] Roman Antiquities, p. 124; and Montfaucon, vol. i. plate cxxvi. [67:4] Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 249. [67:5] See Ibid. Greek and Italian Mythology, p. 129, and Montfaucon, vol. i. plate cxxv. and cxxvi. [67:6] Manual of Mythology, p. 247. [67:7] "It has many heads, one being immortal, as the storm must constantly supply new clouds while the vapors are driven off by the _Sun_ into space. Hence the story went that although Herakles could burn away its mortal heads, as the _Sun_ burns up the clouds, still he can but hide away the mist or vapor itself, which at its appointed time must again darken the sky." (Cox: Aryan Mytho., vol. ii. p. 48.) [67:8] See Manual of Mytho., p. 250. [68:1] Steinthal: The Legend of Samson, p. 398. See, also, Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 240, and Volney: Researches in Anc't History, p. 42. [68:2] Ibid. [68:3] Quoted by Count de Volney: Researches in Ancient History, p. 42, _note_. [68:4] Volney: Researches in Ancient History, p. 42. [69:1] See Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 251. "The slaughter of the Centaurs by Hercules is the conquest and dispersion of the vapors by the _Sun_ as he rises in the heaven." (Cox: Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 47.) [69:2] Murray: Manual of Mythology, p. 257. [69:3] Shamgar also slew six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. (See Judges, iii. 31.)