Pilgrimage, Book 7 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Of Aethiopia Superior, and the Antiquities thereof.
OVT of Nubia we needed neither Palinurus helpe, nor Char…n, to set vsus on the Aethiopian Territorie: the Sea is farre distant, and the Riuer Nilus which parteth them, (whether loth to mixe his fresh waters, with the Seas saltnesse, or fearing to fall downe those dreadfull *The falls of Nilus downe from steepe Rocks.Cataracts, or dreading the multitude of pits, which the Aegyptians make in his way to intrap him) here sheweth his vnwillingnesse to passe further forward, and distracted with these passions, hath almost lost his channell, diffusing himselfe in such lingring and heartlesse manner, as man and beast dare here insult on his waters, and I also hauehave aduentured to take the aduantage of these shallowes, and wade ouer into this anciently renowned Aethiopia. The name Aethiopia came from Aethiops, aAethiopia dicta à Coryneta, Aethiope Vulcani, F.N. Com. l. 2.the sonne of Vulcan: before, it had beene called Aetheria, and after that Atlantia. bLidyat.in emend. Temp.Lydiat deriueth Aethiopia of Ai, and Thebets, the land of, or beyond Thebais, which was called Aegyptus Superior, next to Aethiopia. Chytraeus saith, it is deriued of foreign splendeo, and … visus; of the Sunnes burning presence. Two Aethiopia's are found in Afrikes as Pl…ie cPlim. l.5.c.8.witnesseth out of Homer (so ancient is the diuision) the Easterne and Westerne. And this partition is by some still followed, as namely by dOsor.de rebut gest.Emanuelis.lib 4.Osorius. Others diuide the same into the Asiatike and African: Author here of is Heredotus eHerodot.l.7.in his Polymnis, which reckoneth two sorts of Aethiopians in Xerxes huge Armie; the Easterne, mustered vnderunder the Indian Standards; the other, of Africa by themselues, differing from the former in language, and their curled haire. Eusebius fEuseb. Chron. in A. hl. 3580.mentioneth Aethiopians neare the Riuer Indus. And to let passe Pausanias gPausan. l.6.in fine.his search among the Seres, or Philostratus hPhilostrat.l.3. devit. Ap.at Ganges, for some Asian Aethiopians; the Scriptures seeme to mention an Aethiopia in Asia. For Cush, the Sonne of Cham, (of whom Iosephus iIoseph. Antiq.I.c.6saith the Aethiopians called themselues, and were called by others, Chusaei) was Author, not only of the Ethiopians in Africa, but of many peoples of Arabia also in Asia, as Moses kGen. 10 Vide Annot. Tremel. & Iun.…relateth. And hence perhaps it was that Miriam lNum.12.& Exod.2.and Aaron contended with Moses for his wife Zippora, because shee was an Ethiopian. And yet was shee a Midianite: but called an Ethiopian, in respect of the Neighbour-hood which Midian had to Aethiopia Orientalis, as mF. Vatablus. in Num. 12.Vatablus obserueth out of the Iewish writers, or for that Midian is also assigned to Ethiopia, taken in larger sense, as saith *Genebr. Chron. Pag. 71.Genebrard. Iunius saith, because the Midianites dwelt in that Region which was assigned to Cush.
Saint Augustine nAug. de Mirabil.sac.Scripture.l.1.affirmeth, that the Region Northwards from the red Sea, and so euen to India was called Aethiopia Orientalis. This distinction is still acknowledged by later oF Ribera.… in sophon.c.3. Lira n Postill. Calui… in Cō ment. Num. 12. Chiraeus in Onoviastico.Writers. And therefore it is needlesse to fetch Moses a Wife out of Ethiopia beneath Egypt, to interprete that place. For so Iosephus pIosep.Ant.l.2, as we shall after see, telleth of a Wife which Moses in his prosperitie, before his flight, married from thence.
This obseruation is very necessary, because the Scriptures often mention Ethiopia, when no part of Africa can be vnderstood qGibbins. in Gen. 2.q.6. v.5., as Genes. 2. 13. where one of the Riuers of Paradise is sayd to compasse the whole land of Cush, or Ethiopia. And so in other places, Cush, or Aethiopia. Learned Iunius rIun.in Gen.2 Praelectionib.obserueth, that Cush is either a proper name as Genes. 10. or common to the people that came of him: It is also a name attributed to the three Arabia's, to the two (African) Ethiopia's, and to all the Southerne tract by the Persian Gulfe.
Leauing now that Asian Ethiopia, which alreadie wee hauehave handled vnderunder other names, wee will now proceede in our African iourney, where wee finde in Ptolomie sPtol.l.4.c.6.& 7.not so exact description thereof, as in later Geographers, being then in the greatest part vnknowne. Maginus tMaginus.maketh Ethiopia to containe two of those seuen parts, whereinto he diuideth Africa: one of which he calleth Aethiopia Superior, and Interior, which for the most part is subiect vntounto the Christian Prince, called in Europe Priest or Prester Iohn: the other, Inferior and Exterior, is all that Southerly part of Africa, which was not knowne to the Ancients.
This doth not altogether agree with Homers uHom.Odys. in initio.diuision, (whose Geographi… Strabo xStrabo.l.1.Pertotum.hath so largely trauersed and admired.) For how could Homer, or any in his time attaine to the knowledge of those remote parts? Neyther yet may we reiect that renowned Poet, seeing this partition may serue vsus now in the better discouerie of places, where wee may reckon all that to the Westerly Ethiopia, which from Guinea stretcheth to the Cape of Good hope: and thence to the Red Sea Northwards, to the Easterly; Nilus, and a line from the head thereof vntounto the aforesaid Cape, being the Arbiter in this diuision. But to let passe this curiositie in caruing, when all is like to be eaten, we will beginne at Ethiopia vnderunder Egypt, and so take the Country in our way, going from the Red Sea, till hauing doubled the Cape, we come from the Abassine Christians to those of Congo on the Ethiopian Ocean. Aethiopia sub Aegypto, (so the Geographers yPtol.l.4.c.7. Dom. Niger. Aphric.com.4.call this part) hath on the North, Egypt; on the West, Libya Interior; on the South, Aethiopia Agisimba; on the East, the Red and Barbarian Seas, to the Promontory Raeptum, which Ortelius zOrtel. Thesau.placeth about Quiloa, Porie aMercat.Tab.Vniuersalis. Porie before Leo.calls it Quilimanci: Mercater bOrtel. Theat. Moginus. Description of the World.interpretes Magala. The Abissine Empire, is by our late Writers entended further, receiuing for the Southerne limits, the mountaines of the Moone; and for the Westerne, the Kingdome of Congo, the Riuer Niger, and Nubia: and therefore containeth Aethiopia sub Aegypt…, and besides Trogloditica, Cinnamomifera Regio, and part of the inner Libya.
True it is, that the Great Neguz his titles comprehend thus much, yet rather (say some) as a monument of what hee hath had, then an euidence of what he hath: The Turkes in the North, the Moores on the West, and others otherwhere circumcising this circumcised Abissine: and now according to cG.Bo.Ben.Io.di Barros.Boterus and Barrius, the Lake Barcena is the center of his Dominion. But euen still Friar dF.I.…ys. hist.or. de Etiopia.Luys de Vrreta, giues him both all before named and more. The name Abissine or Abassine, which is giuen to this Region, Niger eD….Niger.deriueth from the Egyptian word Abases, which (Strabo fStrabo.l.17.reporteth) they gaue to all inhabited places compassed with great Deserts, and situate therein, in manner as the Ilands in the Sea: three of which Abases, he saith, were subiect to the Egyptians.
To take now some exacter view of these parts; leauing gVide Munster. in fine 6.lib.those Iewish monstrous fables of Monsters of threescore and ten cubits, & their great lies of the little PigmeyChristians, with such other stuffe, fit for them to write, who are iustly credulous of h2.Thes.2.12.lies because they beleeued not the Truth: let vsus see what others hauehave written, both of the people and place, and first of the first, and most ancient Relations.
The Cataracts or falls of Nilus, which separate Aethiopia from Egypt, are by the most Authors reckoned two, the greater & the lesse: Stephanus addeth a third at Bonchis, an Aethiopian Citie. These are Mountaines which encroch vponupon the Riuer, and with their lostie loobes and vndermining trecherie, hauing drawne vp the earth, which should afford him a channell, into their swelling and ioynt conspiracie, as with a mixt passion of feare and disdaine, make the waters in their hast and strife ouerthrow themselues downe those steepe passages: the billowes bellowing and roaring so terribly with the fall, that the inhabitants (as some iThis reporateth Cicero in So… scip. & cals these falls Catadupe.affirme) which dwell neare, are thereby made deafe: and the Riuer amazed and dizzie, whirles it selfe about, forgetting his tribute to Neptune, till forced by his owne following waters, he sets, or rather is set forward on his iourney.
They are kIean. Bermudesius in Legat. Aethiopica.now called Catadhi, which signifieth Noise, of those dreadfull and hideous out-cries which there are caused. Betwixt these falls and Meroe, Strabo lStrabo.l.17.placeth the Troglodytae, of which we hauehave alreadie spoken: and the Blemmyes, Nubae, and Megabari. They are Nomades, without Towne or habitation, and addicted to robbery. Procopius mProcop.de Bello Persico.l.1testifieth, that these were accustomed to doe much damage on the Roman consines: and therefore Dioclesian brought them out of their barren Territories, and gaue them Elephantina, and the Region adioyning for habitation, communicating to them the Roman rites and superstitions, and built the City Philas, in hope of future friendship. Caelum non animum; they changed the soile not the soule, but were no lesse iniurious to Oasis, and other the Roman subiects. They worshipped some Gods, borrowed of the Grecians; Isis, and Os…is, of the Egyptians; and Priapus. The Blemmyes also offered humane sacrifices, with cruell inhumanity, to the Sunne, till Iustinians time, who tooke away those bloudy deuotions. As for the tale that those Blemmyes wanted heads, and had their eyes and mouths in their breasts, the Authors had either no eyes to see the truth, or more head then they should to deuise lyes: as we may say of other shapelesse and monstrous shapes of people, which nPlin.l.5.c.8.& 6.c.29. Solinus, cap.39.Plinie and Solinus, out of other Authors report, to inhabite these vnknowne parts: some wanting lips, some nostrills, some tongues, or mouthes, &c. indeede all wanting truth. Rather would I counsaile the studious of Geographie, to learne the names of the Peoples and Nations of these Regions, of Plinie and Solinus: which because we hauehave but names of them, I forbeare to name.
Meroe doth inuite me to a longer entertainement, being an Iland which Nilus with louely embraces claspeth about, according to Iosephus and Cedrenus, sometimes called Saba, as now also the Abissines name it; the Egyptians call it Naule Babe; the inhabitants, Neube; our Maps, Guegere; to which Theuet addeth more oIovy, Girave, … &c. Opiniones: ege… pad O…tilium in Thes…, if not more then truth. The Iland, after pHelindor.hist.Aethiopica, l.10.Porie describes this Hād in his notes before Leo.Heliodorus (the Bishop of Tricca) his description, is three square, each of which triangle limits are made by three Riuers, Astaboras, and Asasoba; (Strabo calls it Astapus, & Astosabus) this from the South, that from the East) drowning their names & waters with Nilus; it is in length 3000. furlōgs, in bredth 1000 plentifull of Elephants, Lyons, Rhinocerotes, Corne, and Trees, besides her hidden treasures, and mines of yron, brasse, siluer, gold, and salt. It hath also Heben wood, as Lucan qLuca…ussingeth, Laetacomis Hebeni. It receiued that name rNiger. com. Aph.….of Meroe, sister of Cambyses, or after sEusebiusEusebius, of Merida, the mother of Chenphris, King of Egypt. They worshipped a Barbarian God, and besides Pan, Hercules. and Isis. tStrabo l.17. It was before called Saba, …th Ioseph. Ant. l.2.They cast their dead into the Riuer, others reserued them at home in glasse shrines, others in earthen receptacles buried them neare to their Temples. They esteemed them for Gods, and sware by them. They ordayned him King, who excelled in strength, or in person, or in husbandrie of cattell, or in wealth. Their Priests enioyed the chiefe ranke of honour, who sending their Herald or Messenger, enioyned the King his death, and set vp an other in his roome. At length a certaine King abolished this custome, and rushing with his armed Souldiers into their Temple, where was a golden Chappell, slew all those Priests. This was at Meroe the head City of the Iland, where (Pausanias uPusanias.l.1saith) they shewed the Table of the Sunne, and that they were the iustest men of all the Aethiopians.
Concerning that Table, and the expedition of Cambyses into these parts, Herodotus xHerod-Thalia. l.3.relateth: He affirmeth, that Cambyses designed at once three inuasions; against the Carthaginians, the Ammonians, and Macrobians (all in Africa.) These last hauehave their names of their long liues, which they draw forth farre beyond the vsuall course. Hee placeth them on the South shores of Africa, but Mela yPomp.Mel. l.3.c.10.in Meroe: Seneca, Plinie, and Solinus beyond. That Table of the Sunne, Herodotus and Mela, thus describe. Neare to the Citie was a place alwaies furnished with variety of rosted meates, there set in the night by the Magistrates, and eaten on the day by such as listed, and therefore of this open feasting, called the Sunnes table: whom the ignorant people also thought to be the Cater of these dainties. Cambyses sent an Embassage vntounto the King with presents, but principally to espie the Country: whom the Aethiopian requited with a Bow, and bad that the Persians should then inuade the Macrobians, when they were able to shoote in such bowes: thanking GOD that hee was contented with his owne. And because he had sent him golden chaines, hee asked to what vse they were, they said, for ornaments; he answered with smiling, thinking them to bee chaines for punishment, That he had stronger fetters then those. The like account hee made of his purple Robes, ointments, and wine: and asked further what the Persians eate, and when they told him bread made of wheat, (the nature whereof they declared) and withall, that the oldest Persians exceeded not fourescore yeares; hee said, that it was no maruell of their short life, that fed vponupon dung: neither could they liue so long, were it not for that drinke of wine which they vsed; It was not extraordinarie zValer. Max.l.3.c.14.there to attayne to a hundred and twentie yeares, their meat was boiled flesh, and their drinke milke. He brought them to a Fountaine, wherein being bathed they smelled as of Violets, it was so subtle that nothing could swimme thereon, not wood, or other lighter matter: this water was supposed to lengthen their liues. He brought them also to the Prisons, where they saw many manacled and bound with chaines of gold.
Lastly, he shewed them their Sepulchres made of glasse, in this manner. After they hauehave embalmed the dead corps, they annoynt it with a kinde of pargetting mortar, and then put it in a case or coffin of glasse, through which it shineth, and is apparant without any ill sauour. This they keepe one yeare in the house, offering thereto Sacrifices, and the first fruits of all thinges: and then carrie it out of the Citie. Thus farre Herodotus.
Wherein, that which some penny-father would most admire, their golden fetters, how common and rife is it in an other sort with vsus? eueryevery couetous miser, manacling, fettering, strangling himselfe with his gold, in shew his ornament, in affect his God, in effect his Deuill, Iaylour, chaines, and hell. The Macrobiy (Mela addeth) vsed brasse for honour, gold for punishments.
Of the table of the Sunne before mentioned, thus writeth Frier Luys de Vrreta, aLuys de Vr.Hist. de la Etiopiae.l.prime.c.2.in that his large historie, which he hath composed in Spanish, of Aethiopia: that the King in a curious brauerie & sumptuous vanitie, caused there to be set by night in a certaine field store of white bread, and the choisest wines, hanged also on the trees; great varietie of Fowles, rost and boiled, and set on the ground, Mutton, Lamb, Veale, Beefe, with many other dainties ready dressed. Trauellers and hungrie persons which came hither and found this abundance, seeing no body which prepared, or which kept the same, ascribed it to Iupiter Hospitalis his bountie & hospitality, shewing himselfe a Protector of poore trauellers: and called this field the Table of the Sunne. The report hereof passed through the world, and brought many Pilgrims from farre Countries, to visit the same. King Cambyses sent his Embassadors to see it: Plato, the Prince of Philosophers hauing trauelled through Asia as farre as Caucasus, and gone also to the Brachmanes, to see and heare Hiarchas in a Throne of gold, amongst a few Disciples, disputing of Natures mysteries, and discoursing of the Starres and Planets, & returned by the Persians, Babylonians, Arabians, and other Nations, entred into Aethiopia, led with desire to see this renowned Table, and to eate of those delicacies. The Aethiopians, since their Christianitie in zealous detestation of Idolatrie, will not so much as name this field, and these ancient rites, and giuegive in charge to the Priests at this day, that they handle not, or treat of the like vanities, because they were inuentions of Idolaters. Caelius bCael. Rhod.l.10.Rhodiginus affirmeth, That this Table of the Sunne grew into a prouerbe to signifie a house well furnished and prouided. Thus farre Frier Luys.
Of the Pillar of Semiramis is before spoken out of the relation of Xenophon de Aequivocis: concerning which, and his other Companions, and Brethren, howsoeuer Posseninus, Goropius, and others, doe reproue Annius for abusing the world with those glorious Titles cBeros.Metasthencs. Cato, Mar.c…,&c.and ancient names, and proue them to be counterfait: yet, in my minde that of Xenophon seemeth to sauour of some true antiquitie, and that more then others of the same edition. In that pillar, consecrated to the memorie of Ninus, the inscription testifieth, that Cush or Cuz was the Aethiopian Saturne; as Cham, the Egyptian; and Nimrod, the Babylonian. When Cush was dead dF.Luys l.x.c.3, they say, Regma his sonne succeeded in the Aethiopian Kingdome, and after him Dodan: after whose time is no record of certaine succession. Diodorus saith, they chose him which was most comely of Personage for their King. Memnon is chanted by Homer and the Poets, which lost his life at Troy in defence of Priamus and was (some say) King of Aethiopia. Of the speaking image of Memnon, yee hauehave seene in our Egyptian relations. As for the wife of Moses. whereof Iosephus eIos.Ant.l.2. Zon.Annal.to.1.saith, that the Aethiopians hauing ouer-runne, and almost subdued Egypt, and none daring to make head against them, Moses (whom Thermutis, Pharaeohs Daughter, had brought vp) was chosen Generall of the Egyptian Armie, which he conducted into Aethiopia, and cōming to the siege of Saba, Tharbis the Aethiopian Kings, daughter fell in louelove with him, and sent her seruants to entreat of a marriage with him: which he accepted, vponupon condition of deliuering the Towne vntounto him; and that being done, married her: all this seemeth rather to be a Iewish fable, thinking hereby to credit their Law-giuer, then agreeing to Moses, the Truth, and Scripture; and might happily arise from that speech, that Moses fNum.12.1.his wife was an Aethiopian; of which we hauehave spoken alreadie. Neither is it likely that Moses would accept of Treason for the dowrie with his wife, sealed with the bloud and ouerthrow of her Countrey and Citizens. And yet from hence doe some deriue the originall of their Nation. After the father of this supposed Tharbis, Derianus is said to raigne, who valiantly withstood Bacchus (which is thought to be Osiris, the Aegyptian King, and after, their God) when he inuaded Aegypt with an Armie. Diodorus mentioneth Actisanes, a King of Aethiopia. Cepheus also is numbred in that royall Catalogue: but of all, Ganges gSuidas.was most famous, who with his Aethiopian Armie passed into Asia, and conquered all as farre as the Riuer Ganges, to which he left that name, being hPlut.de Flum.before called Chliaros. He conquered as farre also to the West, vntounto the Atlantike Ocean, and gaue name to the Countrey of Guinea; which name, some iF. Luys.say, is corrupted of Gangina, the name it had receiued of Ganges. These things are written by some, and I will not sweare for the truth, as safely we may doe for that which the Scripture mentioneth of some of their Kings, in the daies of Asa and Hozekiab, Kings of Iuda: whose puissance then was such, that k2. Chron. 14.9…Zerah brought into the field a million of men: and Tirrha…a was corriuall vntounto proude and l2.King.19.blasphemous Sennacherib, in sute for the Monarchie of the world. Before that time the Aethiopians had warred vnderunder Shishak King of Egypt, whom somem take for Sesostris. The Babylonians in Nabuckodonosors time conquered Egypt and Aethiopia, as mLauat.in Ez. 300 Est.8.some expound the prophecie of Ezechiel. And the Persian Empire extended from India to Aethiopia. Of the historie of the Queene of Saba, we shall hauehave more cause to speake afterwards. Some thinke nP.Mart in …. R.g.that shee came from Arabia where the Sabeans inhabite: Others oIosep. G…ssa, comestor, Iunis, &c.bring her from hence, and say, that shee was an Aethiopian. The mention of her and of Candace (which name Plinie pPlin.l.6.c.29.saith continued to the Aethiopian Queenes in many successions) hath made some qMat Drisse.…atio Lipsie bauita.thinke (as it seemeth) that Aethiopia was gouerned only by Queenes. But let vsus obserue further concerning their rites and ancient customes, as diuers Authors hauehave related the same.