The Court of the Gentiles, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
The Hiſtory of the Floud imitated by Pagan writers. Solons conference with the Egyptian Prieſt, touching Deucalion's Floud. The ſeveral Aſſumings of Diverſe Nations in aſſcribing Noahs Floud to ſome one of their own Nation. The Egyptians aſcribe Noahs Floud to Prometheus; the Aſſyrians aſcribe it to Xiſuthrus; the Theſſalians to Deucalion; the Athenians to Ogyges. Mention made of Noahs Floud by Abydenus, Beroſus, Polyhiſtor, Mnaſeus, Damaſcenus, &c.
§. 1. ANother great piece of Scripture Hiſtory relates to the Floud, and the Deluge of man kind thereby, whereof we find many broken Fragments in Pagan Hiſtorians and Writers. Plato, in his Timaeus fol. 22, 23. gives us an excellent explication of Deucalions Floud; as alſo of ſome other pieces of Antiquity; and that, in imitation of Sacred Hiſtorie. The occaſion of this Diſcourſe was this; Solons conference with the Egyptian Prieſt, about the chief pieces of Archaeologie.he brings in his kinſman Solon travailing to Egypt, to informe himſelfe in the Wiſdome of the Ancients. His words are as followes: When Solon came to Egypt, he ſaid, he was greatly eſteemed and honored by them: but when he inquired of the Inhabitants and Priests who were moſt skilfull in Antiquity, touching ancient Matters; he found that neither he, nor any other of the Grecians knew any thing of true Antiquity. VVherefore he deſigning to draw the Egyptians, to diſcourſe of theſe ancient Affaires, rather then to give his own thoughts of them, propoſeth certain Questions; with endeavours to reduce the Series and account of times, to a certain number of years: and firſt he demands foreign, of Phoroneus the firſt ſo called, and of Niobe; and after the floud again, concerning Deucalion and Pyrrha, of whom men are wont to Mythologize and Genealogize, &c. Then one of the Egyptian Prieſts ſaies, foreign Solon Solon, you Grecians are alwaies Children: There is no Grecian ancient. Solon demanding the Reaſon why he ſpake thus; the Prieſt anſwered, foreign. Ye are all ſaid to be young in regard of your ſouls: for ye have therein no ancient opinions, flowing from firſt Tradition, nor any Chronologick ſcience. But the cauſe of theſe things is, There have been, and ſhall again be many Deſtructions of men, in many places; and thoſe very great, by reaſon of the Fire and Water, &c.
Thus Plato concerning Solons conference with the Egyptian Prieſt, about ancient Mythologie: which ſeems evidently but corrupt broken Imitations of Sacred Records, as may be demonſtrated from the particulars here mentioned. Firſt Plato here mentions the words of a certain Egyptian Prieſt, telling Solon, that the Grecians were ignorant of the account of true Archeologie or Antiquitie; having only ſome Fables or ſhadows of thoſe real ſtories, which were lodged amongſt the Egyptians: Proclus conjectures that this Satick Prieſt was, in the Egyptian tongue called Pateneit, as Selden de Iure Natur. Heb. lib. 1. cap. 2. fol. 27. 'Tis poſſible that this Prieſt, whom Plato terms Egyptian, was really … ▪ For 'tis certain, that there were multitudes of Iews in Egypt, at, or about the time of Solons being there; who living amongſt the Egyptians, paſſed under the ſame name, at leaſt with Plato, who knew full well that the name of a Iew was odious to his countrey men; whence he ſtiles them Egyptians, as elſe where Phenicans and Chaldeans, on the like account. 2. But what ever this Egyptian Prieſt was; that the ancient Traditions, he here gives us, were originally ſacred, we doubt not but to prove even from his own explication, as it follows.
§. 2. Firſt this Egyptian Prieſt after he had upbraided the Grecians with their childiſhnes and ignorance in true Archeologie or Antiquitie, he proceeds to the reſolution of Solon's Queſtions; and ſhews, that all thoſe great pieces of mythologie, which Solon was ſo inquiſitive into, namely touching Phoroneus, Niobe, Deucalion and Pyrrha, were but fabulous Narrations or ſymbolick Images and coverts of ſome real Storie and event, which happened to man-kind. 2. To make this good, he laies down this general Aſſertion, that all the remarkable changes which had been wrought in the world, (or ſhould be hereafter) and were the original occaſion of theſe fabulous ſtories, were wrought by Fire and Water. PhaetonHe inſtanceth firſt in the ſtorie of Phaeton who was ſuppoſed to have ſet the world on fire; which ſeems to have had its riſe either from Gods deſtroying Sodom and Gomorrha with Fire from Heaven; or elſe from the laſt Conflagration of the world by fire; Pyrrhawhereunto alſo the Fable of Pyrrha ſeems to relate: for foreign, whence it is derived, ſignifies fire; as in its proper place Niobe2. As for the Storie of Niobe mentioned here by Solon as one of the great foreign Fables, which deſerved great Remark; it ſeems clearly to refer to the ſtorie of Lots wife, her being turned into a pillar of Salt, at the deſtruction of Sodom: as elſe where. Phoroneus3. Touching the Fable of Phoroneus, it ſeems to refer to Pharaoh King of Egypt, who was drowned in the red Sea; which appears, 1. From the cognation twixt the Names; the Greek foreign being the ſame in ſound with the Hebrew foreign Pharaoh. 2. From the Matter: which according to the Prieſts application, refers to ſome Deluge: as in what follows. 4. As for Deucalions Floud, that it was but foreign a Fable, or Symbolick ſhadow of Noahs Floud, we ſhall endeavor to demonſtrate both from the explication of the Egyptian Prieſt, as alſo from other Topicks.
§. 3. This Egyptian Prieſt, having demonſtrated the many viciſſitudes that happned in Nature, from fire and water; and explicated that by fire, under that fable of Phaeton, of Deucalions Floudhe proceeds to diſcourſe of the great Deluge by water; Thus Plato (Timaeus fol. 22.23.) foreign But when again the Gods, being about to purge the earth by water, brought a deluge the herdſmen and ſhepherds were ſaved on the mountains; but thoſe that lived in the cities with us, were carried away by the Floud of waters into the Sea &c. Thus Plato of the Egyptian Prieſt. Serranus on this place obſerves, that this prieſt ſaies, that thoſe who dwelt on the mountaines, namely the Cowherds and ſhepherds, were preſerved; which is a veſtigium or Symbol of Noah with his ſons, being preſerved in the Ark, which reſted on mount Ararat. Then the prieſt goes on to deſcribe the times before the flood thus: there was in times paſt before the great Delugs of waters, a famous citie, which now belongs to the Athenians, adorned with the beſt Laws both for war, and all civil life which received its firſt ſeed from Tellus and Vulcan &c. Again Plato de leg: fol: 675. Speaks farther hereof thus: foreign &c. There hapned many Deſtructions of men by Flouds &c. where Serranus thus annotates: Plato here makes mention of a certain Floud, as if he ment not that of Deucalion, which, without doubt was in Attica only, but ſome one more univerſal, in which the whole world was immerſed &c. By which it appears that the Deluge, of which Plato makes mention was vniverſal and ſo the ſame with that of Noah. This will be farther evident by what follows.
§. 4. The Several Aſſumings of diverſe Nations, in aſſcribing Noahs floud to ſome one of their own nationThat the ſacred ſtorie of Noahs floud, was traduced among pagan writers, under the aſſumed names of Xiſuthrus, Deucalion, Ogyges, Prometheus and that by Tradition from the Iews or Patriarchs, is generally confeſſed by ſuch as are verst in Antiquitie. The Aſſyrians attributed the Floud to one Xiſuthrus; whom they ſuppoſed to be a King of Aſſyria, who ſent out birds to ſee if the Floud were aſſuaged. The circumſtances of which ſtories, as delivered by Abydenus and Alexander the Polyhiſtorian make it evident, that it was but a Tradition of that vniverſal Floud under Noah, as Euſebius in Chronicon (edit. 2.) fol. 5. with Scaliger thereon. Touching Noahs parallel with Janus, ſee before Book 2. chap. 6. S. 6.Thus Voſſius, de Idol. lib. 1. cap. 18. To this (ſaies he) we may refer, that, in Alexand. the Polihiſtorian, and Abydenus; who relate the ſtorie of the Vniverſal Floud. Noah is called Xiſuthrus: as in Cyril, the beginning of his book againſt Iulian the Apoſtate: 1. The Aſſyrians aſcribe it to Xiſuthrusand he addes, that the word ſeems to be Aſſyrian. Which I oppoſe not; ſeeing we find the like word foreign ziz, whence foreign mezuza the poſt of a door or threſhold, as Deut. 6.9. From ziz or zuz as it ſignifies the poſt or threſhold of a door, by an Anadiploſis, comes Xiſuthrus: and thus was Noah called being as it were the threſhold or door i.e. the beginning of all things after the floud. 2. The Egypti… to Prometheus2. The Egyptians aſcribe this general Floud of Noah, to Prometheus. So Diodor. lib. 1. tels us that whilſt Prometheus reigned in Egypt, the greateſt part of men were deſtroyed by a floud &c. That Prometheus was a ſymbol of Noah we have in Book. 2. chap. 5. S. 4 proved out of Voſsius, and others 3. The Theſſalians to Deucalion3. The Theſſalians make Deucalion to be the perſon, who eſcaped the Floud. The ſtorie whereof, as mentioned by Apollodorus, is exactly parallel with that which the Scripture gives of Noah; & with ſome tranſmutation of names viz of Deucalion into Noah, and of P…rneſſus into Ararat &c may be eaſily identified therewith. 4. The Athenians to Ogyges4. The Athenians aſſcribe the Floud to Ogyges; not that the Floud of Ogyges and Deucalion were particular Deluges, as many ſuppoſe; but as Deucalion was of Eldeſt memorie in Theſſalie, ſo was Ogyges at Athens; and ſo the Floud, as being of matter of greateſt Antiquitie, was, on the ſame account, in both places, attributed to both theſe. And who knows not, how common it was with the Grecians to attribute that to their own Countrey, Cities, and Perſons which belonged to ſome Oriental Perſons or Places. Thus did they corrupt the Traditions touching the Floud; as Stillingf. Orig. S. lib. 3 chap. 5. Sect. 5. well obſerves.
§. 5. Pagan Aſſertions touching the FloudBochart, in his preface to Phaleg about the beginning, ſpeaks fully to this purpoſe, thus: Alſo the Ethnick writers in many things agree with Moſes. To ſearch this matter a little at the bottom; the fame of the Floud wherein a few only remaining, the reſt of men periſhed, was diffuſed amongſt all Nations. The Hieropolitans (in Lucian Dea Syra) frame a large Hiſtorie thereof, and that drawn out of their own Archives, every way parallel to Moſes's Narration; excepting that, in ſtead of Noah, the name Deucalion is ſubſtituted. Plutarch makes mention of a Dove ſent forth out of the Ark &c. Abydenus, Beroſus, Polyhiſtor, Damaſcenus &c. of Noahs FloudThe ſame Abydenus. From whom alſo we learne, that the Ark reſted in Armenia; and that the Reliques thereof are yet extant there: which is alſo taught by Beroſus and Polyhiſtor, and Nicholas Damaſcenus. Epiphanius alſo affirmes, that they were to be ſeen in his time &c. The like Bochart in in his phaleg. lib. 1. cap. 4. Alſo Voſsius Iſago: Chronolog. diſſert. 4. cap. 2. and 3. And Grotius, Annotat. in lib. 1. de Verit. Relig: &c. where we have many concurring Teſtimonies of the moſt Ancients, touching the univerſal Floud and its traditional notices amongſt the Pagans. So Beroſus make mention of the Floud and Ark wherein Noah was preſerved: and Alexander the Polyhiſtorian the preſervation of Animals in the Ark. Martinius (Hiſtor: Sinic: lib. 1. pag. 12) tells us, that there is great mention of the Floud amongſt the Sinicke writers &c.
§. 6. Owen Theolog. lib. 2. cap. 3. pag. 150. Speaks expreſſely thus: That many things concerning the Floud were extracted out of the ſacred text, every one ſees: Ioſephus, Antiq. lib. 1. cap. 4. Relates like things out of Hieronymus Aegyptius, Beroſus, Mnaſeus, Nicholas, Damaſcenus. The ſame Euſebius in his Chronicon, out of Abydenus, and Alexander Polyhiſtor. But many of the firſt Mythographers confound the Vniverſal Deluge, with that particular Floud of Deucalion, or with that of Ogyges (which long preceded) ſo that Poſteritie could underſtand neither one nor 'tother. Iohan. de Laet de origin. Gent American: lib. 1. pag. 115) acquaints us that there is a conſtant Tradition of the Floud amongſt the Indians, both in New France, Peru &c. But none ſpeaks more fully on this Argument than Preſton, on the Attributes of God, Serm. 3. pag. 9. 53. Edit. 2d. The 2d. Argument (ſaies he) by which we confirme the Truth of the Scriptures, is taken from the Teſtimonies, that are given to them by our enemies, the Gentiles themſelves being Judges. As to inſtance in the Floud; there are many that have made mention of it. Thoſe Flouds, that are related by the ancient Greek Hiſtorians, come ſo near it, that they muſt needs hauehave the relation of it from the Iews. They have mingled it with many falſhoods: we have not the writings of them, but fragments in the writings of others: as of Alexander Polyhiſtor in Ioſephus, and Cyril: They ſay that there was a great floud, and that there was one Niſurus to whom Saturne reveled it; and bad him make an Ark; and he did ſo, and gathered ſome of all beaſts into it; and that the Ark was in Armenia; and that the fragments of it are in Heliopolis and thus Preſton.
§. 7. Noahs memorie preſerved under the Names Proncuus, Oannes, Xiſuthrus, Prometheus, PhoroneusAs for the memorie of Noah, it was preſerved amongſt ancient Heathens, under ſeverall aſſumed names: as among the Chinenſes, he paſſed under the name of Proncuus; who is by them ſaid to have eſcaped alone with his Familie: among the Chaldeans, under the Fable of Oannes; who had part of a Fiſh and part of Man: as alſo amongſt the Aſſyrians, under the title of Xiſuthrus, as before. Among the Egyptians and Theſſalonians, Noahs memory was preſerved under the Symbol of Prometheus; as in like manner amongſt the Peloponneſians he was ſtiled Phoroneus; whom Phoronides cals foreign, the Father of men, or the Protoplaſt. Againe, among the Grecians and Romans, Noah paſed under many fabulous titles; as of Saturne, whom Bochart (phaleg. lib. 1. cap. 1) parallels with Noah in 14 particulars as before in our Genealogie of Saturne, Book 2. chap. 1. Sect. 6. Janus.He was called alſo Ianus, as ſome think from foreign; becauſe of Noahs planting Vines: and that which confirmes the ſame is, that Janus was characterized, bifrons, one that had a double forehead looking foreign forward and backward; as Noah ſaw two Ages. Moreover Macrobius tels, us, that Janus was ſtiled Conſivius à conſerendo: becauſe he was the Seminarie of Mankind: which is parallel to Noah. aAs before Book 2. chap. 6. S. 6.Again ſome make Bacchus the ſame with Noah; in that Bacchus is ſaid to be twice borne, the Planter of Vines &c. That Deucalion and Ogyges were the ſame with Noah, we have already proved. See more of Noahs Ethnick Names in Dickinſ…n's Delphi Phaenicizantes Diatrib. de Noae nominibus Ethnicis. Stillingf. Origen. S. book 3. chap. 4. Sect. 8. and chap. 5. Sect. 5.8.
§. 8. Noahs Dove.Yea we find ſome memorie not only of Noah, but alſo of the Raven and Dove ſent forth by Noah, preſerved in ſome fragments amongſt Pagan writers. bThus Sandf. de deſcenſ. l. 1. Sect. 23. Plutarch, out of the ancient Theologie (i.e. the Jewiſh) makes mention of the Dove ſent forth out of Noah's Arke.So Bochart in his Preface to Hiſtor. de Animal, Sacris, tels us, that peradventure to the Raven ſent forth by Noah, belongs the Greek Fable of the Raven ſent forth by Apollo, which returned not 'till after the figges were ripe. But more expreſly in the ſame Preface, Bochart affirmes, that of this hiſtorie of the Dove ſent forth by Noah, there are very evident veſtigia or characters to be found in Abydenus, Plutarch, and the Arabians &c. To conclude this diſcourſe of the Floud; we have a conciſe, yet clear Hypotypoſis or Adumbration given of it by Ovid, Met. lib. 1. Fab. 7.
Fit fragor & denſi funduntur ab aethere nimbi
ſee more in Seneca lib. 3. Quaeſt. cap. 27. And Auguſt. de Civit. Dei, lib. 18. c. 12. with Ludov. Vives thereon.