Part 20

It may be asked, if there were no such man as Cadmus, what did the antients allude to under this character? and what is the true purport of these histories? The travels of Cadmus, like the expeditions of Perseus, Sesostris, and Osiris, relate to colonies, which at different times went abroad, and were distinguished by this title. But what was the work of many, and performed at various seasons, has been attributed to one person. Cadmus was one of the names of Osiris, the chief Deity of Egypt. Both Europa, and Harmonia are of the like nature. They were titles of the Deity: but assumed by colonies, who went out, and settled under these denominations. The native Egyptians seldom left their country, but by force. This necessity however did occur: for Egypt at times underwent great [1101]revolutions. It was likewise in some parts inhabited by people of a different cast; particularly by the sons of Chus. These were obliged to retire: in consequence of which they spread themselves over various parts of the earth. All, who embarked under the same name, or title, were in aftertimes supposed to have been under the same leader: and to him was attributed the honour of every thing performed. And as colonies of the same denomination went to parts of the world widely distant; their ideal chieftain, whether Cadmus, or Bacchus, or Hercules, was supposed to have traversed the same ground: and the achievements of different ages were conferred upon a fancied hero of a day. This has been the cause of great inconsistency throughout the mythology of the antients. To this they added largely, by being so lavish of titles, out of reverence to their gods. Wherever they came they built temples to them, and cities, under various denominations; all which were taken from some supposed attribute. These titles and attributes, though they belonged originally to one God, the Sun; yet being [1102]manifold, and misapplied, gave rise to a multitude of Deities, whose æra never could be settled, nor their history rendered consistent. Cadmus was one of these. He was the same as Hermes of Egypt, called also Thoth, Athoth, and Canathoth: and was supposed to have been the inventor of letters. He was sometimes styled Cadmilus, another name for Hermes; under which he was worshipped in Samothracia, and Hetruria. Lycophron speaking of the prophet Prulis, in Lesbos, tells us, that he was the son of Cadmus, and of the race of Atlas. And he was the person, who was supposed to give information to the Greeks, when they were upon their expedition towards Troy.

[1103][Greek: Hôs mê se Kadmos ôphel' en perirrhutôi] [Greek: Issêi phuteusai dusmenôn podêgetên.]

These are the words of Cassandra: upon which the Scholiast observes; [Greek: Prulis, huios tou Kadmilou, kai Kadmou, êtoi Hermou:] _Prulis of Lesbos was the son of Cadmilus, or Cadmus, the same as Hermes_. And afterwards he mentions, [1104][Greek: ho Kadmos, êtoi Hermês,] _Cadmus, who is the same as Hermes_. In another place he takes notice, that the name of Hermes among the Hetrurians was [1105]Cadmilus: and it has been shewn, that Cadmilus, and Cadmus, are the same. To close the whole, we have this further evidence from Phavorinus, that Cadmus was certainly an epithet or title of Hermes. [1106][Greek: Kadmos, ou kurion monon, alla kai Hermou epitheton.]

Harmonia, the wife of Cadmus, who has been esteemed a mere woman, seems to have been an emblem of nature, and the fostering nurse of all things. She is from hence styled [1107][Greek: pantrophos Harmonia.] And when Venus is represented in the allegory as making her a visit, she is said to go [1108][Greek: eis domon Harmonias pammêtoros], _to the house of the all-productive parent_. In some of the Orphic verses she is represented not only as a Deity, but as the light of the world.

[1109][Greek: Harmoniê, kosmoio phaesphore, kai sophe Daimon.]

Harmonia was supposed to have been a personage, from whom all knowledge was derived. On this account the books of science were styled [1110][Greek: kurbias Harmonias], the books of Harmonia, as well as the books of Hermes. These were four in number, of which Nonnus gives a curious account, and says, that they contained matter of wonderful antiquity.

[1111][Greek: Ein heni thesphata panta, taper peprômena kosmôi] [Greek: Prôtogonoio Phanêtos epigraphe mantipolos cheir.]

The first of them is said to have been coeval with the world.

[1112][Greek: Prôtên kurbin opôpen atermonos hêlika kosmou,] [Greek: Ein heni panta pherousan, hosa skêptouchos Ophiôn] [Greek: Ênusen.]

From hence we find, that Hermon, or Harmonia, was a Deity, to whom the first writing is ascribed. The same is said of Hermes. [1113][Greek: Hermês legetai Theôn en Aiguptôi grammata prôtos heurein.] The invention is also attributed to Taut, or Thoth. [1114][Greek: Prôtos esti Taautos, ho tôn grammatôn tên heuresin epinoêsas,--hon Aiguptioi men ekalesan Thôuth, Alexandreis de Thôth, Hermên de Hellênes metephrasan.] Cadmus is said not only to have brought letters into Greece, but to have been the inventor of them: from whence we may fairly conclude, that under the characters of Hermon, Hermes, Taut, Thoth, and Cadmus, one person is alluded to. The Deity called by the Greeks Harmonia, was introduced among the Canaanites very early by people from Egypt: and was worshipped in Sidon, and the adjacent country, by the name of [1115]Baal Hermon.

Europa likewise was a Deity; according to Lucian the same as Astarte, who was worshipped at Hierapolis in Syria. He visited the temple, and had this information from the priests: [1116][Greek: hôs de moi tis tôn Hireôn apêgeto, Eurôpês esti (to agalma) tês Kadmou adelpheês.] He is speaking of the statue in the temple, which the priests told him belonged to a Goddess, the same as Europa, the sister of Cadmus. She was also esteemed the same as Rhea; which Rhea we know was the reputed mother of the gods, and

## particularly the mother of Jupiter.

[1117][Greek: Est' an Rheia tekoi paida Kronôi en philotêti.]

Pindar speaks of Europa, as the [1118]daughter of Tityus: and by Herodotus she is made the mother of [1119]Sarpedon and Minos.

I have mentioned, that Cadmus was the same as the Egyptian Thoth; and it is manifest from his being Hermes, and from the invention of letters being attributed to him. Similar to the account given of Cadmus is the history of a personage called by the Greeks Caanthus; this history contains an epitome of the voyage undertaken by Cadmus, though with some small variation. Caanthus is said to have been the son of Oceanus; which in the language of Egypt is the same as the son of Ogus, and Oguges; a different name for the same [1120]person. Ogus, and with the reduplication Ogugus, was the same as Ogyges, in whose time the flood was supposed to have happened. Ogyges is represented both as a king of Thebes in Egypt, and of Thebes in Boeotia: and in his time Cadmus is said to have left the former country, and to have come to the latter, being sent in quest of his sister Europa by his father. Caanthus was sent by his father with a like commission. His sister Melia had been stolen away; and he was ordered to search every country, till he found her. He accordingly traversed many seas, and at last lauded in Greece, and passed into Boeotia. Here he found, that his sister was detained by Apollo in the grove of Ismenus. There was a fountain [1121]of the same name near the grove, which was guarded by a dragon. Caanthus is said to have cast fire into this sacred recess; on which account he was slain by Apollo. His [Greek: taphos], or tomb, was in aftertimes shewn by the Thebans. We may perceive, that the main part of this relation agrees with that of Cadmus. Melie, the sister of Caanthus, is by some spoken of as the mother of [1122]Europa: which shews, that there is a correspondence between the two histories. The person also, who sent these two adventurers, the sister, of whom they went in quest, and the precise place, to which they both came, exhibit a series of circumstances so similar, that we need not doubt, but that it is one and the same history. It is said, that Caanthus threw fire into the sacred [1123]grove: which legend, however misconstrued, relates to the first establishment of fire-worship at Thebes in the grove of Apollo Ismenius. The term Ismenius is compounded of Is-Men, ignis Menis. Meen, Menes, Manes, was one of the most antient titles of the Egyptian God Osiris, the same as Apollo, and Caanthus. What has been mentioned about Cadmus and Caanthus, is repeated under the character of a person named Curnus; who is said to have been sent by his father Inachus in search of his sister [1124]Io. Inachus, Oceanus, Ogugus, and Agenor, are all the same personages under different names; and the histories are all the same.

That Cadmus was of old esteemed a Deity may be farther proved from his being worshipped at Gortyna in Crete, as we learn from [1125]Solinus. Iidem Gortynii et Cadmum colunt, Europæ fratrem. He had moreover an Heroum at Sparta, which was erected by people styled the sons of [1126]Huræus. We learn from Palæphatus, that according to some of the antient mythologists, Cadmus was the person, who slew the serpent [1127]at Lerna. And according to Nonnus he contended with the giant Typhasus, and restored to Jupiter his lost [1128]thunder. By this is meant, that he renewed the rites, and worship of the Deity, which had been abolished. These are circumstances, which sufficiently shew, that Cadmus was a different personage, from what he is generally imagined. There was a hill in Phrygia of his name, and probably sacred to him; in which were the fountains of the river [1129]Lycus. There was also a river Cadmus, which rose in the same mountain, and was lost underground. It soon afterwards burst forth again, and joined the principal stream. Mountains and rivers were not denominated from ordinary personages. In short Cadmus was the same as Hermes, Thoth, and Osiris: under which characters more than one person is alluded to, for all theology of the antients is of a mixed nature. He may principally be esteemed Ham, who by his posterity was looked up to as the Sun, and worshipped under his titles: a circumstance, however, which was common to all, who were styled Baalim. That he was the same as Ham, will appear from the etymology of his name. I have before shewn, that the Sun was styled [1130]Achad, Achon, and Achor: and the name, of which we are treating, is a compound of [1131]Achad-Ham, rendered by the Greeks Acadamus and Academus, and contracted Cadmus. Many learned men have thought, that the place at Athens called Academia was founded by Cadmus, and denominated from him: and of the latter circumstance I make no doubt. [1132]Ab hoc Cadmo Eruditi Academiam, quasi Cadmiam deducunt: quo nomine indigitari locum musis studiisque sacratum notissimum est. The true name of Cadmus, according to this supposition, must have been, as I have represented, Acadamus; or, as the Ionians expressed it, Academus, to have Academia formed from it. Herodotus informs us, that, when the Cadmians came to Attica, they introduced a new system of [1133]Architecture; and built temples in a style different from that to which the natives had been used. And he describes these buildings as erected at some distance from those of the country. This was the situation of the place called Academia, which stood at the distance of a few furlongs from [1134]Athens. It was a place of exercise and science; and by all accounts finely disposed: being planted with a variety of trees, but particularly Olives, called here ([Greek: Moriai]) Moriæ. There were likewise springs, and baths for the convenience of those who here took their exercise. The tradition among the Athenians was, that one Ecademus, or Academus, founded it in antient times; from whom it received its name. Laërtius styles him the hero Ecademus: [1135][Greek: Apo tinos Hêrôos ônomasthê Ekadêmou]. And Suidas to the same purpose; [Greek: Apo Ekadêmou tinos Hêrôos onomasthen.] But Eupolis, the comic writer, who was far prior, speaks of him as a Deity: [1136][Greek: En euskiois drumoisin Akadêmou Theou]. The trees, which grew within the precincts, were looked upon as very sacred, [1137][Greek: ontôs hierai], and the place itself in antient times was of so great sanctity, that it was a profanation to laugh there; [1138][Greek: proteron en Akadêmiai mêde gelasai exousian einai].

The Ceramicus at Athens had the same name; and it was undoubtedly given from the same personage. [Greek: Akadêmia. kaleitai de houtôs ho Keramikos]. Hesych. The common notion was, that it was denominated from the hero [1139]Ceramus, the son of Dionusus. This arose from the common mistake; by which the place was put for the person, to whom it was sacred, and whose name it bore. Ham was the supposed hero: and Ceramus was Cer-Ham, the tower or temple of Ham, which gave name to the inclosure. This abuse of terms is no where more apparent than in an inscription mentioned by Gruter; where there is a mixed title of the Deity formed from his place of worship.

[1140]Malacæ Hispaniæ. MARTI CIRADINO TEMPLUM COMMUNI VOTO ERECTUM.

Cir-Adon was the temple of Adon, or Adonis; the Amonian title of the chief God. In like manner near mount Laphystium in Boeotia, the God [1141]Charops was worshipped, and styled Hercules Charops. But Char-Ops, or Char-Opis, signified the temple of the serpent Deity: and was undoubtedly built of old by the people named Charopians, and Cyclopians; who were no other than the antient Cadmians. Ceramicus was an Egyptian name; and one of the gates or towers of the gates at [1142]Naucratis in that country was so called. It was also the name of an harbour in Caria, probably denominated from some building at the [1143]entrance.

I may possibly be thought to proceed too far in abridging history of so many heroic personages, upon whose names antiquity has impressed a reverence; and whose mighty actions have never been disputed. For though the dress and colouring may have been thought the work of fancy, yet the substance of their history has been looked upon as undeniably true. To which I answer, that it was undoubtedly founded in truth: and the only way to ascertain what is genuine, must be by stripping history of this unnatural veil, with which it has been obscured; and to reduce the whole to its original appearance. This may be effected upon the principles which I have laid down; for if instead of Perseus, or Hercules, we substitute bodies of men, who went under such titles, the history will be rendered very probable, and consistent. If instead of one person, Cadmus traversing so much ground, and introducing the rites of his country at Rhodes, Samos, Thera, Thasus, Samothrace, and building so many cities in Libya, we suppose these things to have been done by colonies, who were styled Cadmians, all will be very right, and the credibility of the history not disputed. Many difficulties may by these means be solved, which cannot otherwise be explained: and great light will be thrown upon the mythology of the antients.

The story then of Cadmus, and Europa, relates to people from Egypt, and Syria, who went abroad at different times, and settled in various parts. They are said to have been determined in their place of residence by an ox, or cow: by which this only is meant, that they were directed by an oracle: for without such previous inquiry no colonies went abroad. An oracle by the Amonians was termed Alphi, and Alpha, the voice of God. In Egypt the principal oracular temples were those of the sacred animals Apis and Mneuis. These animals were highly reverenced at Heliopolis, and Memphis, and in other cities of that country. They were of the male kind; but the honours were not confined to them; for the cow and heifer were held in the like veneration, and they were esteemed equally prophetic. Hence it was, that they were in common with the Apis and Mneuis styled Alphi, and Alpha: which name was likewise current among the Tyrians, and Sidonians. In consequence of this, Plutarch, speaking of the letter Alpha, says, [1144][Greek: Phoinikas houtô kalein ton Boun.] _The Phenicians call an ox Alpha_. And Hesychius speaks to the same purpose. [Greek: Alpha, bous.] Thus we find that Alpha was both an oracle, and an oracular animal. The Grecians took it in the latter acceptation; and instead of saying that the Cadmians acted in obedience to an oracle, they gave out, that Cadmus followed a cow. What is alluded to in the animal, which was supposed to have been his guide, may be known by the description given of it by Pausanias: [1145][Greek: Epi de hekateras tês boos pleuras sêmeion epeinai leukon, eikasmenon kuklôi tês Selênês.] _There was a white mark on each side of the cow like the figure of the moon_. The poet quoted by the Scholiast upon Aristophanes speaks to the same purpose. [1146][Greek: Leukon schêm' hekaterthe periplokon, êute Mênês.] This is an exact description of the [1147]Apis, and other sacred kine in Egypt: and the history relates to an oracle given to the Cadmians in that country. This the Grecians have represented, as if Cadmus had been conducted by a cow: the term Alphi, and Alpha, being liable to be taken in either of these acceptations. Nonnus speaks of Cadmus as bringing the rites of [1148]Dionusus, and Osiris, from Egypt to Greece: and describes him according to the common notion as going in quest of a bull, and as being determined in his place of residence by a [1149]cow. Yet he afterwards seems to allude to the true purport of the history; and says, that the animal spoken of was of a nature very different from that, which was imagined: that it was not one of the herd, but of divine original.

[1150][Greek: Kadme matên periphoite, poluplanon ichnos helisseis;] [Greek: Masteueis tina Tauron, hon ou boeê teke gastêr.]

Under the character of Europa are to be understood people styled Europians from their particular mode of worship. The first variation from the purer Zabaism consisted in the Ophiolatria, or worship of the serpent. This innovation spread wonderfully; so that the chief Deity of the Gentile world was almost universally worshipped under this symbolical representation. The serpent among the Amonians was styled Oph, Eph, and Ope: by the Greeks expressed [Greek: Ophis, Opis, Oupis]: which terms were continually combined with the different titles of the Deity. This worship prevailed in Babylonia, Egypt, and Syria: from which countries it was brought by the Cadmians into Greece. Serpentis eam venerationem acceperunt Græci a Cadmo. [1151]Vossius. It made a part in all their [1152]mysteries; and was attended with some wonderful circumstances: of which I have before made some mention in the treatise de Ophiolatriâ. Colonies, which went abroad, not only went under the patronage, but under some title of their God: and this Deity was in aftertimes supposed to have been the real conductor. As the Cadmians, and Europians, were Ophitæ, both their temples, and cities, also the hills, and rivers, where they settled, were often denominated from this circumstance. We read of Anopus Asopus, Oropus, Europus, Charopus, Ellopis, Ellopia; all nearly of the same purport, and named from the same object of worship. Europa was a [1153]Deity: and the name is a compound Eur-Ope, analogous to Canope, Canophis, and Cnuphis of Egypt; and signifies Orus Pytho. It is rendered by the Greeks as a feminine, upon a supposition, that it was the name of a woman; but it related properly to a country; and we find many places of the like etymology in Media, Syria, and Babylonia: which were expressed in the masculine Europos, and Oropus. The same also is observable in Greece.

I have shewn, that Cadmus was Taut, or Thoth; the Taautes of Sanchoniathon. It is said of this person, that he first introduced the worship of the serpent: and this so early, that not only the Tyrians and Sidonians, but the Egyptians received it from him. From hence we may infer, that it came from [1154]Babylonia, [1155][Greek: Tên men oun tou Drakontos phusin, kai tôn opheôn, autos exetheiasen ho Taautos, kai met' auton authis Phoinikes te, kai Aiguptioi].

The learned writers, who have treated of the Cadmians, have failed in nothing more, than in not considering, that they were a twofold colony, which came both from Egypt, and Syria: from Egypt first; and then from Syria, and Canaan. In their progress westward they settled in Cyprus, Crete, Rhodes, Samos, Lesbos, Thrace: also in Euboea, Attica, and Boeotia. In process of time they were enabled to make settlements in other parts,

## particularly in Epirus and Illyria: and to occupy some considerable