first introduction of rites from that country; and especially the memorial of the Argo, from whence the place took its name. And that there was such an introduction of rites, appears from Hypermnestra, the supposed daughter of Danaus, being esteemed the priestess of Juño at that place. If, as I have imagined, the words vnus and vaus are derived from M, Nau, and Noah; the name of Danaus relates not to a man, but is in reality 45 da Näus, and signifies literally the ship. The æra therefore of Danaus is the era of the ship: being the precise time when some model of this sacred vessel was introduced, and the rites also and mysteries with which it was attended. The fifty daughters of Danaus were fifty priestesses of the Argo, who bore the sacred vessel on festivals.

I

æra allotted him in the Grecian history. He is said to be the son of Belus, the son of Neptune: also the brother of Sesosis, the same as Seth and Zuth.

The name of the ship was Danaïs. Δαναον διωκόμενον ὑπο Αιγυπτο πρωτον κατασκευασαι (Ναυν). όθεν και Δαναϊς εκλήθη. Schol. in Apollon. Rhod. 1. 1. v. 4.

The daughters of Danaus are supposed to have introduced the θεσμοφορια from Egypt: την τελε την ταυτην εξ Αιγύπτε εξαγαγέσαι. Herod. 1. 2. c. 171.

44 Εν Αργει ἱερατευσαν Υπερμνητρα Δαναs. Euseb. Chron. p. 29.

1. 40.

457, Da, Chaldaïcè, hæc, ista, hoc, illud. See Daniel. c. 4. v. 27, and c. 7. v. 3. Of this I shall treat hereafter at large.

have mentioned that there was a temple in Egypt, called Ca Nobus, erected to the God of seas; to whom the element of water in general was sacred. Throughout the whole history of Danaus and his daughters, there will be found allusions to the rites of this God. The Danaïdes are said to have been sent in quest of water: to have brought water to Argos: to have invented dia, or 47 vessels for water: and, lastly, were supposed to have been doomed in the shades below to draw water in buckets, which were full of holes. Every circumstance of this history is from Egypt. The natives of that country were very assiduous in conveying water from one place to another. They likewise had particular jars, which were sacred to the God, whom the Greeks called Canobus; and were formed with a representation of him. These Canobic vessels were sometimes made of 48 porous stone; át other times of earth, manufac

46 Danaus is said to have founded Argos.

Δαναος

Έλθων ες Αργος ώκισεν Ιναχε πολιν. Euripid. in Archelao apud Strabon. 1. 5. p. 339.

47

Αργος ανυδρον τον Δανααι θεσαν Αργος ενυδρον. Strab. 1. 8. p. 570. All Greeks in the time of Homer seem to have been called

Danai.

48

They were called Στακτικα-αγγεια διυλίζοντα Νείλωον ύδωρ. Hesych. Στακτίκον.

tured in such a manner, as to have small holes in the bottom, through which they used to filter the water of the Nile, when it was either turbid or saline. 49 Ύδριαι εν τοις μέρεσι της Αιγυπτε ειωθασί γινέσθαι οςρακιναι, τρήσεις έχεσαι λεπτας συνέχεις, ώςε δια των τρήσεων εκείνων το τεθολωμένον ύδωρ διυλιζομενον από didoσtas xatαgwταtov. This practice of filling vessels, which could not hold the water put into them, seemed such a paradox to the Grecians, that, when they came to consign some of their priests and deities to the infernal mansions, they made this the particular punishment of the Danäides, on account of their cruelty.

Among the various personages under which the Patriarch was represented, the principal seems to have been that of Dionusus. He was by the mythologists supposed to have had a second birth, and a renewal of life in the Theba or Ark. Hence he was termed Onaiysins; which the Greeks interpreted a Theban born, and made him a native of Boeotia: but he was originally only worshipped there; and his rites and mysteries came from Egypt. This injustice of the Greeks, in taking

49 Suidas. Karwπos.

Ipsum Canobi simulacrum, pedibus perexiguis, attracto collo, et quasi sugillato, ventre tumido, in modum hydriæ, cum dorso æqualiter tereti formatur. Ruffin. Hist. Eccles. 1. 11. c. 26.

to themselves every Deity, and hero, was come plained of by the Egyptians. "Kaboλs de paσs T85 Καθολς δε φασι τες Έλληνας εξιδιάζεσθαι της επιφανέςατες Αιγυπτίων Ήρωας τε και Θεός.

The principal terms, by which the antients distinguished the Ark, were Theba, Baris, Arguz, Argus, Aren, Arene, Arne, Laris, Boutus, Bootus, Cibotus. Out of these they formed different personages and as there was apparently a correspondence in these terms, they in consequence of it invented different degrees of "relation. Hence

50 Diodorus. Sic. l. 1. p. 21.

SI Of this turn in the Greeks innumerable instances will occur, as we proceed: some few I will here subjoin.

Onẞn xπо Onlus Tns Пgounews. Steph. Byzant.

Пgoμndews vios Aeunaλiwv. Apollon. Rhod. 1. 3. v. 1085. Sehol. Αρνη Βοιωτον εκ Ποσειδωνος εγεννησε. Diod. Sic. 1. 4.

·Agm Пoσeidaros Teopos. Lycoph. v. 644. Schol.

p. 269.

Arena Ebali, vel Bibali filia. Hygini fab. 14. p. 46.

Βοιωτον-Ιτωνε παιδα, και νύμφης Μελανιππης. Pausan. l. 9. p. 711. Niobe said to have been the daughter of Tantalus and Dione. Hyginus. fab. 9. p. 32.

Φορωνευς Απιν και Νιοβην εγεννησε. Apollodor. 1. 2. p. 39.

Νιόβης παις Αργος. Ibid.

Niobe the sister of Pelops, and wife of Amphion. Strabo. 1. 8. p. 552.

Λυκος δε εν τῳ περι Θηβων ισορεί, μετα τα κατα Δευκαλίωνα Ζευς μιγεις Ιοδάμει τη Τίθωνα, το Αμφιτρύωνος, γεννα Θηβην, ἣν δίδωσιν Ωγυγῳ, αφ' & Ωγυγιη ή Θηβη. Αλλος δὲ ἱσορικος λέγει, ὡς Ζευς Θήβη Hiysiç Alyuπtov yev xтλ. Lycoph. Schol. ad v. 1207.

a large family has arisen from a few antiquated words, which related to the same history, and ot which many were nearly synonymous. In the account given above, we may perceive that the ark, and the chief person of the ark, are often confounded; but by the light, which is here afforded, the truth, I think, may be easily discovered.