Here ends the succession of the Egyptian kings. From this æra the history of this nation, as was before observed, will be blended with that of the Persians and Greeks, till the death of Alexander. At that period, a new monarchy will arise in Egypt, founded by Ptolemy the son of Lagus, which will continue to Cleopatra, that is, for about three hundred years. I shall treat each of these subjects, in the several periods to which they belong. BOOK THE SECOND. THE HISTORY OF THE CARTHAGINIANS. Part The First. Character, Manners, Religion, And Government Of The Carthaginians. SECT. I. CARTHAGE FORMED AFTER THE MODEL OF TYRE, OF WHICH THAT CITY WAS A COLONY. The Carthaginians were indebted to the Tyrians, not only for their origin, but for their manners, language, customs, laws, religion, and their great application to commerce, as will appear from every part of the sequel. They spoke the same language with the Tyrians, and these the same with the Canaanites and Israelites, that is, the Hebrew tongue, or at least a language which was entirely derived from it. Their names had commonly some particular meaning:(504) thus _Hanno_ signified _gracious_, _bountiful_; Dido, _amiable_, or _well-beloved_; Sophonisba, _one who keeps faithfully her husband’s secrets_. From a spirit of religion, they likewise joined the name of God to their own, conformably to the genius of the Hebrews. Hannibal, which answers to Hananias, signifies _Baal_, [or _the Lord_] _has been gracious to me_. Asdrubal, answering to Azarias, implies, _the Lord will be our succour_. It is the same with other names, Adherbal, Maharbal, Mastanabal, &c. The word Pœni, from which Punic is derived, is the same with Phœni, or Phœnicians, because they came originally from Phœnicia. In the _Pœnulus_ of Plautus, is a scene written in the Punic tongue, which has very much exercised the learned.(505)