with the statement that they equal 727 solar years, and that the whole duration of the reigns of the gods was 11,985 lunar years (months); that is, lunar periods of 30 days each, according to the early Christian chronographers. But Syncellus (p. 41) gives additional statements, apparently on the authority of Panodorus, that the 11,985 month-years of the gods are equal to 969 solar years, and that the duration of the reigns of the "two dynasties of nine demigods" was 214 solar years, deduced from 858 & or 107, i. e., tri-monthly periods, the whole amounting to 1183 solar years. These critical points and computations would not deserve the prominent notice we have given them but for the fact that the result, 11831 solar years, is an important number with the early chronographers, since by adding it to another number, viz., 1058, the number of years from the creation of Adam to the commencement of the reign of the gods, according to their computation (Sync. Chron. p. 41, c.), they make out the sum of 2242 years, the length of the period from the creation to the flood, according to the Septuagint. And this result we regard as worthy of notice.

The ante-historic reigns in Egypt are given by Eusebius, in his Chronology, lib. I, chap. xx. 1. The chapter is headed, "Ex Ægyptiacis Manethonis monumentis, qui in tres libros historian suam tribuit. De diis, et de heroibus, de manibus et de mortalibus regibus qui in Ægypto præfuerunt usque ad regem Persarum Darium."

"The first god of the Egyptians was Vulcan, who is celebrated as the inventor of fire. After him was Sol, then Agathodæmon, then Saturn, then Osiris, then Typhon, brother of Osiris, and

- lastly Horus, son of Osiris and Isis; these first ruled over the Egyptians. Afterwards, the royal authority continued in regular succession to Bytis, through a period of 13.900 years. But I understand the year to be lunar, consisting of thirty days; for what we call a month the Egyptians formerly indicated by the name of year.

years, which are lunar, that is, monthly. But, in truth, the rule of gods, heroes, and manes, which the Egyptians narrate, is supposed to be a period of 24,900 lunar years, which make only 2206 solar years."

Eusebius then, after some remarks to the import that Mizraim of the Holy Scriptures was the founder of the Egyptian race, and that the foregoing chronology can be made to harmonize essentially with that of the Hebrew Scriptures by regarding the year as equal to a lunai month, proceeds to give, in detail, the thirty dynasties.

*

plane æquum est, ut hi anni in menses convertantur quot ab Hebræis memorati anni; nempe ut qui menses continentur in memoratis apud Hebræos annis, ii totidem intelligantur Ægyptiorum lunares anni, pro ea temporum summa quæ a primo condito homine ad Mezraim usque colligitur. Etenim Mezraimus Ægyptiaci auctor fuit ab eaque prima Ægyptiorum dynastia credenda est. Quod si temporum copia adhuc exuberet, reputandum sedulo est plures fortasse Ægyptiorum reges una eademque ætate exstitisse: namque Thinitas regnavisse aiunt et Memphitas et Saitas et Ethiopes eodemque tempore alios. Videntur præterea alii quoque alibi imperium tenuisse, ctc. Lat. transl. of the Armenian, etc., B. I ch. xx. 3.

THE THIRTY DYNASTIES.

ACCORDING TO AFRICANUS.

DYNASTY I.

After the manes and demigods, the first dynasty is reckoned of eight kings, of whom the first was Menes, who reigned 62 years. He was destroyed by a hippopotamus.

2. Athothis, his son, 57 years. He established the kingdom in Memphis. He is said to have been the author of books on anatomy, for he was cian.

physi

ACCORDING TO EUSEBIUS.

DYNASTY I.

After the manes and heroes, they reckon the first dynasty of eight kings; of whom the first was Menes, remarkable for his glorious administration. Commencing from him, we carefully record the families reigning in succession, of which the series is as follows:

1. Menes, the Thinite, and his seven successors, whom Herodotus calls Mina. He reigned 30

3. Kenkenes, his son, 31 (60) years. He went, with his

army, beyond the limits of his own country; became illustrious for his exploits. He was destroyed by a hippopotamus.

2. Athothis, his son, enjoyed the regal power 27 years. He cultivated the art of medicine, and wrote books on surgery.

3. Cencenes, his son, 39 years. 4. Vanenephis, 42 years. In his time a famine afflicted the land. He erected the pyramid near Kochome.

ACCORDING TO AFRICANUS.

ACCORDING TO EUSEBIUS.

DYNASTY II.

OF NINE THINITE KINGS.

1. Boethos, 38 years. In his time a chasm opened in the earth, in Bubastus, and many perished.

DYNASTY II.

OF NINE KINGS.

1. Bochus.* In his time a great chasm opened in the earth at Bubastus, and many persons perished.

2. After him Cechous; in which time Apis, and Mnevis, and the Mendesian goat are re

2. Kæachos, 39 years. In his time the bulls Apis, in Memphis, Mnevis, in Heliopolis, and the Mendesian goat, were de-garded as gods. clared to be gods.

3. Binothris, 47 years. In his time it was decreed that women might exercise regal power. 4. Tlas, 17 years. 5. Sethenes, 44 years. 6. Chæres, 17 years. 7. Nephercheres, 25 years. In his time the Nile is fabled to have flowed, mingled with honey, for eleven days.

3. Then Biophis, under whom it was enacted by law that women might exercise regal power.

4, 5, 6. Then three others, in whose time no wonderful acts were performed.

7. Under the seventh, the fabulists say the Nile flowed with honey and water for 11 days.

8. Afterward Sesochris, 48 years, whose height, they say, was five cubits and three handbreadths.

[Both Routh (Rel. Soc. vol. ii. p. 248) and Cory (Anc. Frag. p. 98) add the 8th and 9. Under the ninth, nothing 9th kings, according to Euse-worthy of mention occurred.

bius, or as Eusebius has them, but they are not in the text. Thèse writers likewise give the sum of the years of this dynasty as 302 years.]

These reigned 297 years.

* In the orthography of the names I follow the Latin of the

· Armenian version of Eusebius.

OF EIGHT MEMPHITE KINGS OF OF