Page images
PDF
EPUB

sort we meet with in Antigonus Carystius, who mentions the like of Perseus.

[ocr errors]

Diodorus says, that they disappeared, and never returned. This is supposed to have happened in the lower part of Italy near Rhegium: and the like is mentioned to have been recorded by the people of Mount Eta. They stiled locusts zogvomas, cornopes; which the other Grecians called parnopes: and they worshipped Hercules under the title of Cornopion, for having freed their country from locusts. may suppose, that the same department was. assigned to Apollo by the Eolians of Asia; who worshipped him under the title of Parnopius and we know, that upon this coast he was esteemed for driving away flies and ' vermin. The locust, at least the species of it stiled rerri by the Greeks, was esteemed

We

1 C. 1. and c. 2. See in Photius Cononis dingnois non, p. 426.

2 και μόνον κατα το παρον αφανείς γενεσθαι άλλα και κατα τον ύσερον χρονον άπαντα μηδένα κατα την χώραν φαινεσθαι πεττιγα. 1. iv. p. 229, 230.

3 Και γαρ από των παρνόπων, ὡς ὁι Οιταίοι κορνοπας λέγαση, Κορώ νοπίωνα τιμάσθαι παρ εκείνοις Ηρακλέα απαλλαγής ακρίδων χαριν. Strabo, 1. 13. p. 912.

4 Θυσιά συντελείται Πορνοπίῳ Απολλωνι. Strabo, ibid.

5 Hence called Eμives.

Both sacred and musical.

τέττιγας ἱερες xx fix

5

6

[ocr errors]

sacred. The Athenians wore golden cicada, or grasshoppers, in their hair, to denote the antiquity of their race and particularly to shew, that they were, aprox loves mas ynysvers, the earth-born breed: a title much respected, and of long standing.

[ocr errors]

The Egyptians trusted much to the fecundity of their soil; and to the deities Isis and Sarapis, who were the conservators of all plenty. They likewise placed great confidence in other gods, who were the directors of their times and seasons. But these powers could not stand before Moses, the servant of the true God. He brought upon them an host of enemies, who laid waste the fruits of their ground; and rendered all their confidence vain. As Egypt is in great measure bounded to the east and north by seas: and is far removed from those regions in Africa where locusts particularly generate, it is not much infested with them. However, at the time

Plutarch. Sympos. viii. p. 727. Of Euromus and the Grasshopper see Clemens Alex. Cohort, p. 2.

1 These insects are common in ArabiaHasselquist, p. 233.

-scarce in Egypt.

* The grasshopper or locust is not formed for travelling over the sea. Hasselquist's Letters, p. 444. He mentions seeing a number of them coming towards his ship in the Medi

spoken of, an east wind prevailed all day and all night; and the whole country in the morning swarmed with these insects. Hence we know, that they came from Arabia and that they must have passed the Erythrean, or Redsea, which was the barrier to the east. Before them there was no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. Exod. ch. x. ver. 14. Hence Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; acknowledged his sin; and begged to be delivered from this death, v. 17. And the Lord turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red-sea. They were now filled; and not so easily buoyed up in the air: hence they were all lost in that gulph. The storm which carried them away, served to bury them in the waters.

terranean off the Spanish coast. For one that came on board, an hundred were certainly drowned, though we were within pistol-shot of the shore. P. 445.

$

THE NINTH PLAGUE.

Ver. 21.

PALPABLE DARKNESS.

EXOD. Ch. X.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.pd

V. 22. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven: and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

V. 23. They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

This judgment was very extraordinary; nor had any thing similar been ever experienced by this or any other nation. It was certainly directed with a particular view; and bore a strict analogy with the sentiments and idolatry. of the people who suffered. They were a wise and learned nation; with minds much enlightened. Hence, to shew the great extent of Solomon's knowledge, it is said, that his wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of

the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. They had traditions transmitted of the principal events from the commencement of time; and had been acquainted with the history of creation and we may, from particular traces, perceive that they knew the mode in which it was carried on; and the hand by which it was effected. But they chose to express every thing by allegory: and these allegories were again described by cymbols, and hieroglyphical representations, to which they paid an idolatrous reverence. By these means the original object became obscure; and the reality was lost in the semblance. They looked upon light and upon fire, the purest of elements, to be proper types of the most pure God. And they regarded the sun, the great fountain of light, as a just emblem of his glory; and likewise of his salutary influence upon the world. This was specious, but of a dangerous tendency; as it drew away their attention from the proper object of worship: which became by degrees obscured, and was at last totally effaced. Both the name and

1 Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Acts, ch. vii. ver. 22.

Ægyptus artium mater. Macrob. Sat. 1. 1. c. 15. p. 180.

« PreviousContinue »