GENESIS X. 5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. The Greeks have some tradition of this partition of the earth, which they suppose to have been by lot, and between Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. Japetus was regarded by them as the ancestor of the human race. Neptune says "We are from Cronus and from Rhea sprung, Three brothers; who the world have parted out Into three lots; and each enjoys his share."-Hoм. Il. 1. xv. v. 187. "The gods of old obtained the dominion of the whole earth, according to their allotments. This was effected without any contention, for they took possession of their several provinces in an amicable and fair way, by lot."-PLAT. Critias, c. 3 6. "The sons of Cronus ascertained by lot their several realms on earth." The sons of Ham, Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. the Ammonians are called by that name.”—HDT. 1. 11. c. 42. "Chemmis is a place of considerable note in the Thebaid."-IBID. c. 91. "The priests of Egypt, in the mysteries of Isis, call their country Chemia." PLUT. de Isid, et Osirid. c. 33. Many think that the proper name of Jupiter, in the Egyptian language, is Ammoun."-IBID. c. 9. "The people of Ethiopia, of Arabia, and of India, adore the same Jupiter Ammon."-LUCAN. Phars. 1. IX. v. 517. 8. And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord. 10. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. The author of the Chronicon Paschale calls Nimrod, or Nebrod, "the hunter, the giant, the Ethiopian, whom the sacred writings made king of Babylon after the deluge." He was deified after his death, and called Orion. Homer introduces him as a giant and a hunter in the shades below : "The huge Orion, of portentous size, Swift through the gloom a giant-hunter flies; Aratus thus describes the constellation Orion : HOм. Odyss. 1. XI. v. 572. "Athwart the bull first rise, majestic sight! ARAT. Phan. v. 322. GENESIS XI. 2. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. "Babylon is situated in a large plain."-HDT. 1. 1. c. 178. 3. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. Herodotus thus describes the construction of the Walls of Babylon : "The earth of the trench was first of all laid in heaps, and when a sufficient quantity was obtained, made into square bricks, and baked in a furnace. They used as cement a composition of heated bitumen, which, mixed with the tops of reeds, was placed between every thirtieth course of bricks. "Within an eight days' journey from Babylon is a city called Is; near which flows a river of the same name, which empties itself into the Euphrates. With the current of this river particles of bitumen descend towards Babylon, by means of which its walls were constructed."-HDT. 1. 1. c. 179. "The wall of Media was built of burned bricks laid in bitumen.". XEN. Anab. 1. II. c. 4. "The liquid asphaltus which is called naphtha, is found in Susiana; the dry kind which can be made solid, in Babylonia. There is a spring of it near the Euphrates. Others say that the liquid kind also is found in Babylonia."-STRAB. 1. xvI. c. 1. "There is a chasm from whence a vast quantity of bitumen is poured forth; and it is evident that the walls of Babylon, extensive as they are, were constructed with this bitamen."-Q. CURT. 1. v. c. 1. "Semiramis is said to have surrounded the city (Babylon) with baked bricks."Ov. Met. 1. IV. v. 58. "The city that the brickmakers fortified."-Juv. Sat. 10. v. 171. 4. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. "The temple of Jupiter Belus, is a square building, each side of which is of the length of two furlongs. In the midst a tower rises, of the solid depth and height of one furlong; on which, resting as a base, seven other turrets are built in regular succession. The ascent, which is on the outside, winds upward from the ground, and is continued to the highest tower. In the middle of the whole structure there is a convenient resting place."-HDT. 1. I. c. 181. "The tomb of Belus at present is in ruins; having been demolished, as it is said, by Xerxes. It was a quadrangular pyramid of baked brick, a stadium in height, and each of the sides a stadium in length. Alexander intended to repair it. It was a great undertaking, and required a long time for its completion (for 10,000 men were occupied two months in clearing away the mound of earth), so that he was not able to execute what he had attempted, before disease hurried him rapidly to his end."STRAB. 1. XVI. c. 1. 4. Whose top may reach to heaven. This is a common hyperbole in the sacred writings, to signify any great and lofty building It occurs frequently in profane writers also. "On the lone island's utmost verge there stood HOм. Odyss. 1. v. v. 238. "Oh Queen! whose far-resounding fame Is bounded only by the starry frame."-IBID. 1. xix. v. 107. "A poplar, a large tree reaching to heaven."-CALLIM. H. in Cerer. v. 38. "Pines reaching to the skies."-VIRG. En. 1. xi. v. 136. "This mountain [Atlas] raises its head to the heavens."-PLIN. Hist. Nat. 1. v. c. 1. "Though this palace, Augustus, whose summit touches the stars, rivals heaven, it is not so great as its Lord."-MART. 1. VIII. Epig. 36. 5. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. Maximus Tyrius says that the stories related by Homer, of Jove coming down from heaven, do not signify a literal and local descent; but only an exercise of providence and causality. "Not as leaving his own heaven; but as bringing to pass and preserving by his interference."-MAX. TYR. Diss. 36. 6. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth and they left off to build the city. The tower of Babel was probably a rude mound of earth raised to a great height, and cased with bricks. Ancient writers are unanimous that it was overthrown, and many add that Nimrod, its founder, perished in it. The history of this building and its overthrow doubtless gave rise to the fable of the war of the giants against heaven, and their destruction. Vulcan is said to have been cast down from heaven by Juno; but Homer, who was thoroughly versed in ancient mythology, says he was thrown down åñò Beλôv from Belos. This is generally rendered from the threshold (i. e. of heaven); but Bryant supposes that the tower of Belos is intended. "He seized him by the foot, and headlong threw From the high tower of Belos."-HOм I. 1. 1. v. 591. Jove reminds Juno how, when the gods opposed his will,— Headlong I hurled them from the Olympian wall, Stunned in the whirl, and breathless with the fall."—IBID. 11. 1.15. v. 23 It is said of Otus and Ephialtes, "Proud of their strength, and more than mortal size, The gods they challenge and affect the skies: Heaved on Olympus tottering Ossa stood, On Ossa Pelion nods with all its wood. Such were thy youths! Had they to manhood grown, His shafts Apollo aim'd; at once they sound, IBID. Odyss. 1. xi. v. 308. "Such ardent bolts as flew that wondrous day, And huge Enceladus was hurled to hell."--IBID. Batrach. v. 281. Hesiod, after describing the giant Typhoeus, says:- O'er mortals and immortals: but the Sire He thunder'd. Instantaneous all around Trembled Olympus, groan'd the steadfast earth. Now when the god, the fulness of his might HES. Theog. v. 836. "We ought not to describe in fables.........the battles of the giants, and other many and various feuds, both of gods and heroes."-PLAT. de rep. 1. 1. c. 17. "The so-called Titanic contest."-IBID. 1. III. c. 16. "Vain of strength that heav'n itself had giv'n, APOL. RHOD. Arg. 11. v. 481. "Tow'ring in horrid strength the monarch stood, Produc'd, to wage presumptuous war with Jove."-IBID. 1. II. v. 38. "Attend to the Syrian story, and the battle of the gods."-MAX. TYR. diss. 29. "'Gainst Zeus in vain proud Salmoneus strove; Struck by the smoking bolt he headlong fell, And scorching lightning hurl'd him down to hell; Who dared to imitate the gods above."-LUCIAN. Tragopod. v. 312. "The Titans, who rebelled against the heavenly deities."-Cic. de leg. 1. 1. c. 2. "Here (in Tartarus) I beheld the ancient offspring of the earth, the Titan race, cast down by bolts from heaven."-VIRG. Æn. 1. VI. v. 582. "Our folly would attempt the skies, And with gigantic boldness, impious rise."-HOR. 1. 1. carm. 3. And shook the throne of Jove, and bade the Thunderer fear." "Nor were the gods themselves secure above; IBID. 1. III. carm. 4. D Hills piled on hills, on mountains mountains lie, Till Jove, no longer patient, took his time T' avenge with thunder their audacious crime."-Ov. Metam. 1. 1. v.151. "The earth brought forth her savage offspring, huge monsters, giants who would dare to attempt an entrance into the palace of Jove. A thousand hands she gave them, and serpents instead of legs; and she said, 'Take up your arms against the great gods.' These were preparing to pile up the mountains to the highest stars, and to provoke the mighty Jupiter to battle. Jove, hurling his thunderbolts from the heights of heaven, overturned the vast piles on those who had formed them."-IBID. Fast. 1. v. v. 35. 9. "Eternal realms are provided for the gods at a costly price, and heaven could only obey its own Thunderer after the wars of the raging giants."-LUCAN. Phars. 1. 1. v. 35. Therefore is the name of it called Babel, because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. Epiphanius and other writers say that at Babel there was an universal change of language, and that seventy-two new tongues arose, according to the number of mankind, or of families, at that period. On this account, he says, they had the name of Meropes (from μepiw I divide, and oy the voice), because their speech was divided. The author of the Chronicon Paschale also, and many other writers who take notice of the name Meropes, and its origin, suppose that it related to the dispersion. Troy, the city of Meropian, or voice-dividing men."-Hoм. I. 1. xx. v. 217. "Cos, the city of Meropian men."-IBID. Hymn. in Apoll. v. 42. "The deity overthrew the family of the Meropes and destroyed the giant shepherd Alcyon at Phlegra, who was in size equal to a mountain." PIND. Isth. VI. v. 46. IBID. Nem. IV. v. 42. "A Titanian damsel, a daughter of Merops."-EURIP. Helena. v. 387. "Latona turns to Merops' ancient seat, The Coan isle."-CALLIM. Hymn. in Delon. v. 160. แ Euripides, in his Phaeton, says that Clymene was given 'To Merops, sovereign of that land, Which from his four-horse chariot first The rising sun strikes with his golden rays; And which its swarthy neighbours call The radiant stable of the Morn and Sun.' Here the poet merely describes them as the common stables of the morning and of the sun; but further on he tells us they were near to the dwellings of the Merops." Elian says there is in Mauritania STRAB. 1. I. c. 2. "A race of people called Meropians.”—ÆL. Var. Hist. 1. ш. c. 18. The above quotations will show how widely the Meropes or Titanians were driven. A distinction is made by many ancient writers between their language and that of the nations among whom they were scattered. The Titanian or Amonian tongue is called the language of the gods; and is opposed to that of men, which was the language of Japhet or of Javan. "The hundred-handed, Whom the gods called Briareus; but "The gods call this the tomb of Myrinna; but men call it Bateia." IBID. 1. II. v. 813. IBID. 1. XIV. v. 291. "This bird is called Chalcis by the gods; but Kumindis by men." |