For even Manetho who wrote the Egyptian hiftory, and Berofus, who collected the Chaldean monuments, and Mochus, and Heftiæus, and befides thefe, Hieronymus the Egyptian, and that thofe compofed the Phenician hiftory, agree to what I here fay Hefiod alfo, and Hecatæus and Hellanicus, and Acufilaus; and befides thefe, Ephorus and Nicolaus relate, that the ancients lived a thousand years. But as to these matters, let every one look upon them as they think fit.

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CHAP. IV.

Concerning the Tower of Babylon, and the confufion of Tongues.

1.

Now the fons of Noah were three, Shem, and Japhet, and Ham, born one hundred years before the deluge. Thefe firft of all defcended from the mountains into the plains, and fixed their habitation there; and perfuaded others who were greatly afraid of the lower grounds on account of the flood, and fo were very loth to come down from their higher places, to venture to follow their examples. Now the plain in which they firft dwelt was called Shinar. God alfo commanded them to fend colonies abroad, for the thoroughpeopling of the earth, that they might not raife feditions among themfelves, but might cultivate a great part of the earth, and enjoy its fruits after a plentiful manner. But they were fo ill inftructed that they did not obey God; for which reafon they fell into calamities, and were made fenfible by experience, of what fin they had been guilty: For when they flourifhed with a numerous youth, God admonifhed them again to fend out colonies; but they imagining that the profperity they enjoyed was not derived from the favour of God, but fuppofing that their own power was the proper caufe of the plentiful condition they were in, did not obey him. Nay, they added to this their difobedience to the divine will, the fulpicion that they were therefore ordered to send out separate colonies, that being divided asunder, they might the more easily be oppreffed.

2. Now it was Nimrod who excited them to fuch an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandfon of Ham, the fon of Noah, a bold man, and of great ftrength of hand. He perfuaded them not to afcribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happinefs. He alfo gradually changed the government into tyranny, feeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a conftant dependence upon his power. He allo faid, "He would be revenged on God, if he fhould have a mind to "drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too

"high for the waters to be able to reach; and that he would avenge himself on God for deftroying their forefathers."

3 Now the multitude were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod, and to esteem it a piece of cowardi e to fubmit to God; and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: And, by reafon of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high, fooner than any one could expect; but the thicknefs of it was fo great, and it was to ftrongly built, that thereby its great height feemed, upon the view, to be lets than it really was. It was built of burnt brick, emented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. When God faw that they ated to madly, he did not refolve to deftroy them utterly, fince they were not grown wifer by the deftruction of the former fnners, but he caufed a tumult among them, by produ ing in them diverfe languages, and cauling, that through the multitude of thofe langua ges, they thould not be able to understand one another. The place wherein they built the tower, is now called Babylon, be caufe of the confufion of that language which they readily understood before; for the Hebrews mean by the word Babel, Conjufon. The Sibyl alto makes mention of this tower, and of the confufion of the language, when fhe fays thus: "When all men were of one language, fome of them built an high tower, as it they would thereby a'cend up to heaven, but "the gods fent ftorms of wind and overthrew the tower, and gave every one his peculiar language; and for this reafon it was that the city was called Babylon" But as to the plain of Shinar, in the country of Babylonia, Heftiæus mentions it; when he fays thus: "Such of the priefts as were faved, "took the facred veffels of Jupiter Enyalius, and came to "Shinar of Babylonia."

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CHAP. V.

After what manner the Pofterity of Noah fent out Colonies, and inhabited the whole Earth.

§ 1. AFTER this they were difperfed abroad, on account

of their languages, and went out by colonies every where; and each colony took poffeffion of that land which they light upon, and unto which God led them, so that the whole continent was filled with them, both the inland and maritime countries. There were fome alfo who paffed over the fea in hips, and inhabited the iflands. And fome of thofe nations do ftill retain the denominations which were given them by their first founders; but fome have loft them alfo, and fome have only admitted certain changes in them, that they might be the more intelligible to the inhabitants. And

they were the Greeks who became the authors of fuch mutations. For when in after ages they grew potent, they claimed to them elves the glory of antiquity; giving names to the nations that founded well (in Greek) that they might be better understood among themselves; and letting agreeable forms of government over them, as if they were a people derived from themselves.

$ 1.

CHAP. VI.

How every Nation was denominated from their firft

inhabitants.

NOW were were impofed on the nations

OW they were the grand-children of Noah, in ho

names.

by those that firft feized upon him. Japhet, the fon of Noah, had feven fons. They inhabited fo, that beginning at the mountains Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Afia, as far as the river Tanais, and along Europe to Cadiz; and fettling themselves on the lands they light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own For Gomer founded thoie whom the Greeks now call Galatians (Galls) but were then called Gomerites. Magog founded thofe that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians. Now as to Javan and Madai, the fons of Japhet; from Madia came the Madeans, which are called Medes by the Greeks; but from Javan, Jonia, and all the Grecians, are derived. Thobel founded the Thobelites, which are now called Iberes, and the Mofocheni were founded by Mofoch; now they are Cappadocians. There is also a mark of their ancient denomination ftill to be fhewed; for there is even now among them a city called Mazaca, which may inform thofe that are able to understand, that fo was the entire nation once called. Thiras alfo called those whom he ruled over Thirafans; but the Greeks changed the name into Thracians. And fo many were the countries that had the children of Japhet for their inhabitants. Of the three fons of Gomer, Afchanaz founded the Afchanafians, who are now called by the Greeks Rheginians. So did Riphath found the Ripheans, now called Paphlagonians; and Thrugramma the Thrugrammeans, who, as the Greeks refolved, were named Phrygians. Of the three fons of Javan alfo, the fon of Japhet, Elifa gave name to the Elifians, who were his fubjects; they are now the Eolians. Tharfus to the Tharfians; for fo was Cilicia of old called; the fign of which is this, that the nobleft city they have, and a metropolis alfo, is Tarfus, the Tau being the change put for the Theta. Cethimus polfelfed the ifland Cethima; it is now called Cyprus; and from that it is that all islands, and the greateft part of the sea coafts,

are named Cethim by the Hebrews; and one city there is in Cyprus that has been able to preserve its denomination; it is called Citius, by thofe who ufe the language of the Greeks, and has not by the ufe of that dialect, efcaped the name of Cethim. And fo many nations have the children and grandchildren of Japhet poffeffed. Now when I have premised fomewhat, which perhaps the Greeks do not know, I will return and explain what I have omitted; for fuch names are pronounced here after the manner of the Greeks, to please my readers, for our own country language does not so pronounce them. But the names in all cafes are of one and the fame ending; for the name we here pronounce Nocas, is there Noah, and in every cafe retains the fame termination.

2. The children of Ham poffeffed the land from Syria and Amanus, and the mountains of Libanus, feizing upon all that was on its fea coafts, and as far as the ocean, and keeping it as their own. Some indeed of its names are utterly vanished away; others of them being changed, and another found given them, are hardly to be difcovered, yet a few there are which have kept their denominations entire: For of the four fons of Ham, time has not at all hurt the name of Chus; for the Ethiopians, over whom he reigned, are even at this day, both by themselves, and by all men in Afia, called Chufites. The memory alfo of the Mefraities is preferved in their name; for all we who inhabit this country of Judea] call Egypt Meftre, and the Egyptians Mefireans. Phut alfo was the founder of Libya, and called the inhabitants Phutites, from himself. There is alfo a river in the country of the Moors which bear that name; whence it is that we may fee the greatest part of the Grecian hiftoriographers mention that river, and the adjoining country, by the appellation of Phut. But the name it has now has been by change given it from one of the fons of Meftraim, who was called Lybyos. We will inform you prefently what has been the occafion why it has been called Africa alle. Canaan, the fourth fon of Ham, inhabited the country now called the Judea, and called it from his own name Canaan. The children of these [four] were thefe. Sabas, who founded the Sabeans; Evilas, who founded the Evileans, who are called Getuli; Sabathes founded the Sabathens; they are now called by the Greeks Aftaborans. Sabactas fettled the Sabaftens; and Ragmus the Ragmeans. And he had two fons, the one of which, Judadas, fettled the Judadeans, a nation of the weftern Ethiopians, and left them his name; as did Sabas, to the Sabeans. But Nimrod, the fon of Chus, flaved and tyrannized at Babylon, as we have already informed you. Now all the children of Mefraim, being eight in number, poffelfed the country from Gaza to Egypt, though it retained the name of one only, the Philiflim, for the Greeks call part of that country Palefline. As for the reft, Ludiem, and Enemim, and Labim, who alone inhabited in Libya, and called the country from himself. Nedim and Phethrofim, and

Chefloim, and Cephthorim, we know nothing of them befides their names; for the Ethiopick war, which we thall defcribe hereafter, was the caule that thofe cities were ove thrown. The fons of Canaan were theie, Sidonius, who alfo built a city of the fame name; it is called by the Greeks Sidon. Amathus inhabited in Amathine, which is even now called Amathe by the inhabitants although the Macedonians named i Epiphania, from one of his pofterity. Arudeus poffeffed the illand Aradus. Arucas poffeffed Arce, which is in Libanus. But for the feven others [Eueus] Chetteus, Jehuleus, Amorreus, Gergefus, Eudeus, Sineus, Samareus, we have nothing in the facred books but their names, for the Hebrews overthrew their cities; and their calamities came upon them on the occafion following.

3. Noah, when after the deluge, the earth was refettled in its former condition, fet about its cultivation; and when he had planted it with vines, and when the fruit was ripe, and he had gathered the grapes in their feason, and the wine was ready for ufe, he offered facrifice, and feafted, and being drunk, he fell asleep, and lay naked in an unfeemly manner. When his youngest fon faw this, he came laughing, and fhewed him to his brethren; but they covered their father's nakedness. And when Noah was made fen ble of what had been done, he pray ed for pro perity to his other fons; but for Ham, he did not curfe him, by reason of his nearnefs in blood, but curied his pofterity. And when the reft of them escaped that curfe, God inflicted it on the children of Canaan. But as to these matters we shall speak more hereafter.

ocean.

4. Shem, the third fon of Noah, had five fons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Perfians. Afhur lived at the city Ninive; and named his fubjects Affyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others. Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Áramites, which the Greeks call Syrian; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four fons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damafcus; this country lies between Paleftine and Celofyria. Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians; and Mefa the Mefaneans; it is now called Charaz Spafini. Sala was the fon of Arphaxad; and his fonas Heber, from whom they originally called the Jewst Hebrews.

* One observation ought not here to be neglected, with regard to that Ethiopie war which Mofes, as general of the Egyptians. put an end to, Antiq. P II. ch x. and about which our late writer seems very much unconcerned; viz that it was a war of that confequence, as to occafion the removal or deftruction of fix or foven nations of the pofterity of Mitzraim, with their cities. Which Jofephus would not have faid, if he had not had ancient records to juftify thoie his affertis, tho' thofe records be now all loft.

+ That the Jews were called Hebrews, from this their progenitor Heber, our VOL. 1. D