accompt of Suidas therefore falls on the 3030. that of Xanthus on the 3634. of the Julian Period The latest of these seemeth to me most Historical and agreeable to Truth Of his Birth Life and Death there is little to be found and even that uncertain whether appliable to him or to the Persian Plato styles Zoroaster the Son of Oromases but Oromases as Plutarch and others shew was a Name given to God by Zoroaster the Persian and his Followers whence I conceive that Plato is to be understood of the Persian Zoroaster who perhaps in regard of his extraordinary knowledge was either Allegorically styled or fabulously reported to be the â—on of God or of some good Genius as Pythagoras Plato and many other Excellent Persons were Pliny reports that Zoroaster not particularizing which of them laughed the same day he was Born and that his brain did beat so hard that it heaved up the hand laid upon it a presage of his future science and that he lived in the Deserts twenty years upon Cheese so tempered as that it became not old â—he Assyrian Zoroaster saith Suidas pray'd he might dye by fire from Heaven and advised the Assyrians to preserve his ashes assuring that as long as they kept them their Kingdome should never fail but Cedrenus attributes the same to the Perâ—â—an Of Writings attributed to him are mentioned Verses two millions upon which Hermippus wrote a Comment and added â—ables to them Oracles perhaps part of the foresaid Verses upon these Syrianus wrote a Comment in twelve Books Of Agriculture or Mechanicks Pliny alledgeth a rule for sowing and the Author of the Geoponicks many Experiments under his Name but this was either spurious or written by some other Zoroaster Revelations supposititious also forged as Porphyrius professeth by some Gnosticks To these adde cited by the Arabians a Treatise of Magick and another of Dreams and their Interpretation cited by Gelaldin frequently Inventions doubtlesse of latter times Some ascribe the Treatises of the Persian Zoroaster to the Chaldaean but of those hereafter CHAP. IV. Of Belus another reputed Inventor of Sciences amongst the Chaldaeans SOme there are who ascribe the Invention of Astronomy to Belus of which Name there were two Persons one a Tyrian the other an Assyrian who reigned in Babylonia next after the Arabians about the 2682. year of the World according to the accompt of Africanus for whose Inventions the Babylonians honoured him as a God There is yet standing saâ—th Pliny the Temple of Iupiter Belus he was the Inventor of the science of the Stars and Diodorus speaking of the Aegyptians They affirm that afterwards many Colonies went out of Aegypt and were dispersed over the Earth and that Belus reputed to be Son of Neptune and Lybia carried one to Babylon and making choice of the River Euphrates to settle it instituted Priests after the manner of those in Aegypt exempt from all publique Charges and Duties which the Babylonians call Chaldaeans these observed the Staâ—s imitating the Aegyptian Priests Naturalists and Astrologers Thus Diodorus But that Belus was son of Neptune and Lybia is nothing but Greek Mythologie that he brought a Colony out of Aegypt into Babylon is fabulous For the Aegyptians had not any Correspondence with forreigners for a long time after But to confirm that he was skilful in those Sciences Aelian gives this Relatâ—on Xerxes son of Darius breaking up the Monument of antient Belus found an Urn of Glass in which his dead Body lay in Oyle but the Urn was not full it wanted a hand-â—readth of the Topp next the Urn there was a little Pillar on which it was written â—hat whosoever should open the Sepulcher and did not fill up the Urn should have ill fortune Which Xerxes reading grew afraid and commanded that they should powre Oyl into it with all speed notwithstanding it was not filled Then he commanded to powre into it the second time but neither did it increase at all thereby So that at last failing of success he gave over and shutting up the Monument departed very sad Nor did the Event foretold by the Pillar deceive him for he led an Army of 50 Myriads against Greece where he received a great defeat and returning home died miserably being murthered by his own Son in the Night-time a-bed To this Belus Semiramis his Daughter erected a Temple in the middle of Babylon which was exceeding high and by the help thereof the Chaldaeans who addicted themselves there to Contemplation of the Stars did exactly observe their risings and settings CHAP. V. Other Chaldaean Philosophers FRom Zoroaster were derived the Chaldaean Magi and Philosophers his Disciples amongst whom Pliny mentions one Azonaces Master of Zoroaster which doubtless must have been meant of some later Zoroaster there being many of that name as we shewed formerly By the same Author are mentioned of the antient Magi Marmaridius a Babylonian and Zarmocenidas an Assyrian of whom nothing is left but their names no monuments extant of them To these add Zoromasdres a Chaldaean Philosopher who wrote Mathematicks and Physicks and Teucer a Babylonian an ancient Author who wrote concerning the Decanates The Mathematicians also saith Strabo mention some of these as Cidenas and Naburianus and Sudinus and Seleucus of Seleucia a Chaldaean and many other eminent persons CHAP. VI. Of Berosus who first introduced the Chaldaick Learning into Greece AFter these flourished Berosus or as the Greeks call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which name some interpret the Son of Oseas for as is manifest from Elias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Chaldees is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Syraicâ— whence Bar-ptolemaeus as if the Son of Ptolemy Bar-timaeus and the like Gorionides and other Rabbins call him Bar-Hosea The Arabians Barasa so Abenephi and others Barthius saith that there are some who assert him contemporary with Moses which opinion justly he condemns as ridiculous Claudius Verderius in his Censure upon the Annian Berosus affirms he lived a litle before the reign of Alexander the Great upon what authority I know not That he lived in the time of Alexander we find in the Oration of Tatian against the Gentiles but the same Tatian adds he dedicated his History to that Antiochus who was the third from Alexander But neither is this reading unquestionable for Eusebius cites the same place of Tatian thus Berosus the Babylonian Priest of Belus at Babylon who lived in the time of Alexander and dedicated to Antiochus the third after Seuleucus a History of the Chaldaeans in three Books and relates the actions of their Kings mentions one of them named Nabuchodonosor c. Here we find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in the Text of Tatian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after Alexander And indeed this reading seems most consonant to the story The next to Alexander was Seleucus Nicator the next to him Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The third
Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who began his reign sixty one years after the death of Alexander Now it is possible that Berosus at the time of Alexander's taking Babylon might be thirty years old or lesse and at his 90th year or somewhat younger might dedicate his History to Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or we may say that by Antiochus the third from Alexander is meant Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reckoning Alexander himself inclusively for one Seleucus the second Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the third to whom from the death of Alexander are but 44 years And in approving this Accompt we may retain the reading of Eusebius supposing the first to be Seleucus the second Antiochus Soter the third Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither is this inconsistent with Gesner's Translation of the words of Tatian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Stephens edition of Eusebius or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Tatian himself qui Alexandri aetate vixit which interpretation Oâ—â—phrius Panuinus also follows But considering these words more intently it came into my mind saith Vossius that it might better be rendred qui Alexandri aetate natus est whereby all scruple may be taken away supposing Berosus to have been born but two years before Alexanders death By which accompt he must have been but 64 years old when Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom he dedicated his Book began to reign which way soever it is Berosus published his History in the time of Ptolemaeus Philadelphus for he reigned 38 years and in the sixth year of his reign Antiochus Soter began to reign in Syria in the 22d of Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to one of whom Antiochus dedicated his Book But by no means can we assent to the Learned â—onradus Gesâ—erus who by Alexander conceives to be meant not he who was sirnamed the Great son of Philip but that Alexander who succeded Demetrius Soter in the Kingdome of Syria and was succeeded by Demetrius Nicanor by Antiochus understanding Antiochus Sedetes who Reigned next after Demetrius Nicanor for if it were so Berosus must have been a whole age later than Maâ—etho but Maâ—etho flourished under Philadelphus as Vossius elsewhere proves Philadelphus died in the third year of the 133d Olympiad but Antiochus Sedetes invaded Syria in the first of the 16â—th Olympiad How then could Berosus live so late who was a little precedent to Manetho as Syncellus expressely affirms Again we may assert the time of Berosus another way Pliny saâ—th he gave accompt of 480 years which doubtless were years of Nabonassar now the aera of Nabonassar begun in the second year of the 8th Olympâ—ad from which if we reckon 480 it will fall upon the later end of Soter's reign wherefore Berosâ—s dedicated his Book either to him or to Antiochus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his son These Arguments will not suffer us to doubt of the time of Berosus This Berosus is mention'd by many of the Antients Vitruvius saith he first setled in the Island Coos and there opened Learning Iosephus that he introduced the Writings of the Chaldaeans concerning Astronomy and Philosophy among the Grecians Pliny that the Athenians for his divine Praedictions dedicated to him publiquely in their Gymnasium a Statue with a golden Tongue He is mention'd likewise by Tertullian and the Author of the Chronicon Alexandrinum He wrote Babylonicks or Chaldaicks in three Books for they are cited promiscuously under both these Titles The Babylonicks of Berosus Athenaeus cites but Tatian saith he wrote the Chaldaick History in three Books And Clemens Alexandrinus cites Berosus his third of Chaldaicks and elsewhere simply his Chaldaick Histories And Agathias affirms he wrote the antiquities of the Assyrians and Medes for those Books contained not only the Assyrian or Chaldaean affairs but also the Median Agathias as somewhere Berosus the Babylonian and Athenocles and Simacus relate who have Recorded the antiquities of Assyrians and Medes Out of this work Iosephus hath preserved some excellent fragments But the supposititious Berosus of Annius is most trivial and foolish of the same kind as his Megasthenes and Archilochus many Kings are there reckon'd which are no where to be found and scarce is there any of those fragments which Iosephus cites out of the true Berosus on the contrary some things are plainly repugnant as when he saith Semiramis built Babylon whereas Iosephus saith Berosus wrote that it was not built by Semiramis A daughter of this Berosus is mention'd by Iustin Martyr a Babylonian Sibyl who prophesied at Cumae This cannot be understood of that Cumaean Sibyl who lived in the â—ime of Tarquinius Priscus for betwixt Tarquinius Priscus and the first Pontick war in which time Berosus lived are 245 years but of some other Cumaean Sibyl of much later time That there were several Sibyls who prophesied at Cumae Onuphrius hath already proved out of the Treatise of wonderful things ascribed to Aristotle and out of Martianus Capella and other Writers Berosus being the person who introduced the Chaldaick Learning into Greece we shall with him close the History of the Learned Persons or Philosophers amongst the Chaldaeans SECT II. The Chaldaick Institution and Sects CHAP. I. That all Professors of Learning were more peculiarly termed Chaldaeans PHilosophy or Learning was not taught and propagated by the Chaldaeans after the Grecian manner communicated by publick Professors indifferently to all sorts of Auditors but restrained to certain Families These were by a more peculiar compellat on termed Chaldeans addicted themselves wholly to study â—ad a proper habitation allotted for them and lived exempt from all publick charges and duties Of these is Diodorus to be understood who relates that Belus instituted Priests exempt from all publick charges and duties whom the Babylonians call Chaldaeans Strabo adds that there was a peculiar habitation in Babylonia allotted for the Philosophers of that Country who were termed Chaldaeans and that they inhabited a certain Tribe of the Chaldaeans and a portion of Babylonia adjoyning to the Arabians and the Persian-Gulf There were those Chaldaeans who as b Cicero saith were named not from the Art but Nation And of whom he is elsewhere to be understood when he affirms thatc in Syria the Chaldaeans excel for knowledge of the Stars and acuteness of Wit and Q. Curtius who describing the solemnity of those who went out of Babylon to meet Alexander saith Then went the Magi after their manner next whom the Chaldaeans Non vates modo sed artifices Babyloniorum Where though some interpret artifices those Astrologers who made Instruments for the practise of their Art yet Curtius seems to intend no more then the Chaldaeans of both sorts the Plebeian Tradesmen and the Learned Of these Chaldaeans peculiarly so termed is Laertius likewise to be understood when he cites as Authors of Philosophy amongst the Persians the Magi amongst the
Moon and to the Planets or Signs Mazaloth and to all the Host of Heaven This doubtless they learned of their Nighbours the Assyrians of whom the Prophet Ezekiel complains that they doted CHAP. IV. Of the Sun THe Sun and Moon are first named and distinguished from the rest with them perhaps this kind of Idolatry began before it came to be applied to any of the other Stars for in the most antient mention of it which is by Iob a Neighbour to the Chaldaeans we find these two only named That the Chaldaeans esteemed these the principal is confirm'd by R. Maimonides who saith They held the rest of the seven Planets to be Gods but the two Luminaries the greatest But of these adds Maimonides they held the Sun to be the greatest God What he further relates in confirmation hereof out of the Books of the Sabaeans concerning Abraham and the like was delivered formerly Of the Assyrian Idols dedicated to the Sun Macrobius mentions three Adad Adonis and Iupiter Heliopolites Adad saith he signifieth one this God they adore as the most powerful but they joyn with him a Goddess named Atargatis ascribing to these two an absolute power over all things by these they mean the Sun and the Earth that hereby they understand the Sun is manifest for the Image of Adad is very fair and hath beams bending downwards to shew that the power of Heaven consists in the beams of the Sun sent down upon the Earth The Image of Atargates hath beams erected to shew that the Earth produceth all things by the power of the beames sent from above Thus Macrobius but whereas he saith that Adad signifieth one either he himself is mistaken or his Text depraved for as Mr. Selden observes with the Syrians and Chaldaeans or Assyrians Chad from the Hebrew Achad signifieth one but Adad or Adod which in the Scripture is Hhadad is of a different spelling Drusius reads in Macrobius Hhada which signifieth One in Syriack Of this Idol perhaps is the Prophet Isaiah to be understood They that sanctify and purify themselves after One in the midst of the gardens dedicated to that Idol behind the Temple Subintelligendum enim Templum pone Templum saith Ioseph Scaliger Adonis is derived from Adon Lord. That Adonis is the Sun saith Macrobius is not doubted upon view of the Religion of the Assyrians with whom Venus Architis now worshipt by the Phoenicians and Adonis were held in great veneration For the Naturalists worshipped the Superioâ—r Hemisphear of the Earth in part whereof we dwell by the name of Venus the inferiour they called Proâ—erpina Hereupon amongst the Assyrians or Phoenicians the Goddâ—ss is introduced mourning because the Sun in performing his Annual Course passeth through the twelve Signs of the Inferiour Hemisphear for of the Signs of the Zodiack six are esteemed superiour six inferiour And when he is in the inferiour and consequently makes the dayes shorter the Goddess is believ'd to mourn as if the Sun were snatch'd away by Death for a time and detained by Proserpina the Goddess of the inferiour part and of the Antipodes Again they conceive that Adonis is restor'd to Venus when the Sun surmounting the six stars of the inferiour Order begins to illuminate our Hemisphear and lengthen the light and dayes The last is Iupiter Heliopolites The Assyrians saith the same Author under the name of Jupiter worship the Sun whom they style 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with extraordinary ceremonies The Image of this God was taken from a Town in Aegypt named Heliopolis also at what time Senemus perhaps the same as Senepos reigned over the Aegyptians it was brought thither by Oppias Ambassador of Delebois King of the Assyrians and by the Aegyptian Priests the chief of whom was Parmetis and having been a long time kept by the Assyrians was afterwards removed to Heliopolis in Aegypt the reason of which and why being caried out of Aegypt it was brought back into the place where now it is and where it is worshipt with Rites that are more Assyrian than Aegyptian I forbear to relate as being nothing pertinent to our purpose That this Jupiter is the same with the Sun appears as well by their Religious Rites as by the fashion of the Image for it 's being of Gold of which Metall Maimonides describes those Telesmes to have been which the Chaldaeans made to the Sun and without a Beard is sufficient argument hereof The right hand is lifted up holding a Whip like a Charioteer the left holds a Thunderbold and some ears of Corn all which denote the consociate powers of Jupiter and the Sun Moreover the Religion of this Temple is excellent for Divination which is ascribed to the power of Apollo who is the same with the Sun Likewise the Image of the Heliopolitane God is caried on a Beer as the Images of the Gods are caried at the Solemnity of the Games of the Circensian Gods Many Nobles of that Countrey follow their heads shaved they themselves pure by a long Chastity they are driven by Divine Inspiration not as they will themselves but whither the God caries them This God they consult even absent by sending Tableâ—books sealed up and he writes back in Order to the questions inserted in them Thus the Emperour Trajan being to go out of that Countrey into Parthia with his Army at the request of his Friends zealous in this Religion and who having had great experiments in this kind perswaded him to inquire concerning the successe of his expedition proceeded with Romane prudence lest there might be some deceit of man it and first sent the table-Table-books sealed up requiring an answer in writing The God commanded paper to be brought and ordered that it should be sent to him blank to the astonishment of the Priests Trajan received it with admiration for that he also had sent a blanck Table-book to the God Then he took another Table-book and wrote in it this question whether having finished this War he should return to Rome â—his he sealed up The God commanded a Centurial Vine one of those gifts that were in the Temple to be brought and to be cut into two pieces and wrapt up in a Napkin and sent The event appeared manifest in the death of Trajan his bones being brought back to Rome for by the fragments the kind of Reliques his bones â—y the token of the Vine the future chance was declared Hitherto Macrobius To these adde Bel or Belus a name though more peculiar to the Supreme Deity yet common to many of the Chaldaean Gods and amongst others to the Sun as Servius witnesseth In Punick language saith he God is named Bal but amongst the Assyrians he is called Bel and by a certain mystical reason Saturn and the Sun CHAP. V. The Chaldaean Worship of the Moon THe Moon was worshiped by the Chaldaeans under many names all which are Feminine and the greater part answerable to those of the Sun
Gerundensis confirms the same story but R. Chain relates it otherwise Abraham saith he met with a Woman holding a Dish in her hand and the Woman asking him whether he would offer any thing to the Gods he took a staff and broke the Images which the Woman had and threw away the staff his Father coming thither at the same time demanded what was the matter Abraham answer'd that she had asked him whether he would make an offering and that upon his answering that he would first eat something there arose a dispute betwixt them but his Father urged that the businesse was otherwise and that he was heard to say many reproachful things of Nimrod The Controversy was brought before Nimrod the King of Babel he commanded Abraham to worship the Fire that was set before him Abraham answered If so then adore you the Water Water which quencheth Fire Nimrod said to him VVorship the Water Abraham answered If so worship the Clouds which distil the Water Nimrod said Then worship the Clouds whereupon Abraham If it be so then the Wind is to be worshipped which agitates and scatters the Clouds Again Nimrod VVorship the Wind but Abraham if so then is Man much more to be worshipped who understands the Wind. At length Nimrod growing angry You talk saith he idlely I worship none but the Fire into the midst of which I will cast thee Let the God whom thou worshipest come and free thee by his right hand Aran stood by and talked they asked of which opinion he was he answer'd If Abraham get the better I will be for him if Nimrod for Nimrod After Abraham had gone into the fiery Furnace and was freed they said to Aran of which side art thou he said of Abraham's then they took him and cast him into the fire and all his Bowels were burned and he was taken out dead in the presence of his Father Thus R. Chain but Cedrenus affirms that Abraham throwing his Fathers Idols into the fire his Brother Aran endeavouring to rescue them was burned The Arabians who imitate the Jews in Relations of this kind and fancy superstructures of their own upon fables of the Rabbies give a further accompt of what happened unto Abraham after his departure from Nimrod as appears by a fragment of a Mahometan Writer of which I shall cite only so much as most particularly concerns the Sabaeans Edris on whom be peace was the first who after Enoch the son of Seth the son of Adam on whom peace wrote with a pen. This thing afterwards Edris taught his sons and said to them O sons know that you are Sabaeans learn therefore to read Books in your youth Now Sabaeans are Writers of whom the High he means Mahomed said Alk. Sur. 2. The Sabaeans and the Nazarenes The Author adds that they ceased not to possess the Books of Sâ—th and Edris by hereditary right among themselves until the times of Noah and of Abraham after that the High God aided him against Nimrod on whom be malediction But in that day wherein Abraham went out of the land of Irack and would go into Syria into tâ—e laâ—d of his Fore-fathers he went to the land of Charan and Ghesira and there he found a people of the Zabaeans who read old Books and believed such things as were contained in them But Abraham said O my God I did not think that besides my self and those that are with me there had been any of the Faithful who believed thee to be one and God breathed to Abraham this Answer O Abraham the Earth is never destitute but that there are some in it that dispute for God But God commanded him to call them to his Religion and he called them but they would not saying How shall we believe thee when thou readest not a Book and God sent among them a forgetfulness of these things whicb they knew of Sciences and Books for they conceived the Books which they used to be from God and some of them believed others not Afterwards the Zabaeans were divided and some of them believed viz. the Barhameans who did not separate themselves from Abraham of blessed memory but the rest followed their own Religion very eagerly viz. those who are in the land of Charan who went not with Abraham into Syria and said we follow the Religion of Seth Edris and Noah Thus according to Kissaeus the Religion of the Sabaeans was the same with that of the Haranaeans or Mesopotamians What he relates of Abraham ' s being sent to the Sabaeans is all borrow'd from the Rabbinical Traditions But that there were antiently Learned Persons in Arabia skilful in Natural Philosophy Astronomy and other Sciences is manifest from testimonies far more authentick as particularly from the discourses betwixt Iob and his Friends of the Arabian Philosophers is it understood that Salomon's Wisdom is said to have excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the East Tacitus describing Iudaea the land and bounds to the East are terminated by Arabia And that the Jews called Arabia the East Country is evident from several places in Scripture as Gen. 10. 30. and 25. 6. 18. Iob 1. 3. Iudg. 6. 3. 1. c. Pliny also mentions the Magi of Arabia of whom he instanceth Hippocus Ptolomy the Gulf of the Magi in Arabia and Porphyrius citing Diogenes relates that Pythagoras amongst other Countries to which he travelled for Learning went also to Arabia and liv'd with the King there CHAP. III. Their Writings THe Sabaeans pretended as was lately shew'd out of Kisseus to have had the Books of Seth and Edris and not only those but some also written by Adam for the same Author continuing the story of Abraham ' s coming amongst the Sabaeans adds that afterwards Abraham opened the Chest of Adam and behold in it were the Books of Adam likewise the Books of Seth and of Edris as also the names of all the Prophets that were to be sent after Abraham But Abraham said Happy indeed are the loins out of which all tbese Prophets shall come and God breathed to him this answer Thou O Abraham art the Father of them all and they thy Children and for this reason Abraham deserv'd to be called the Father of the Prophets upon whom be peace Of the same allay Maimonides conceives the Book of Healings to have been which was hid by Ezekiel The same Maimonides cites many other Books of the Sabaeans translated into Arabick of which the chiefest is entituled of the Agriculture of the c Nabateans translated by Aben Vachaschijah full of Idololatrical extravagancies it treats of the making of Tsilmenaias of the descent of familiar spirits of conjurations of Daemons of Devils of such as dwell in Deserts as Satyrs were thought to do many other things it contained very ridiculous by which nevertheless they conceived that they could confute the manifest miracles of Moses and the Prophets Another entituled the Worship or of the worship of the Nabateans out of which Maimonides