tice of offering human sacrifices prevailed among the Scythians and Thracians.24 These particulars concerning the Scythians are sufficient to prove, that their wisdom was rather practical than speculative, consistent with rude manners, and adapted to the military character. From all that we have been able to collect concerning the state of knowledge in the several nations which have passed under our notice, we must conclude, that the Barbaric philosophy was very different, in its leading characters, from the philosophy afterwards studied and taught among the Greeks. It was indeed employed upon important subjects, both Divine and human; but, instead of investigating truth from clear principles, and by legitimate methods of reasoning, it relied chiefly upon tradition, and gave its simple and easy assent to doctrines and fables transmitted to posterity by the priests. In the midst of every appearance of ignorance, superstition, and imposture, it is, however, an important fact, that the doctrines of a Supreme Deity, and the immortality of the soul, were universally received. "Who does not admire (says Ælian 25) the wisdom of the Barbarians, none of whom ever fell into the atheistical absurdities of Eumerus, Diagoras, Epicurus, and other philosophers? No Indian, Celt, or Egyptian, ever questioned, whether there were gods, or whether they concerned themselves in the affairs of men."6 * Laert. l. viii. § 2. Julian in Cæsaribus. Jambl. Vit. Pyth. p. 146. 25 Var. Hist. 1. ii. c. 31. 26 Vidend. Rudbeck in Atlantid. p. 62. Voss. de Sect. Phil. c. iii. § 1. Jornandes de Rebus Geticis. Cluverius Germ. Ant. I. i. c. 34. Burnet Arch. 1. i. c. 2. BOOK II. OF THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE GREEKS. CHAP. I. OF THE FABULOUS PHILOSOPHY OF THE GREEKS. FROM the Barbaric nations, we now pass on to the Greeks; a people distinguished, almost from the infancy of their civilization, by the pursuit of wisdom and learning; among whom, after they had received the elements of knowledge from Barbarians, philosophy found a settled habitation. Greece was first civilized by colonies from Egypt, Phenicia, Thrace, and other countries. These were under the government of wise men, who not only subdued the ferocity of an ignorant populace by civil institutions, but cast about them the strong chain of religion, and the fear of the gods. Whatever dogmas they had been taught, in their respective countries, concerning things Divine and human, they delivered to these new-formed societies, with the design of bringing them under the restraint of virtuous discipline. Hence the aspect of sacred philosophy was very different in different parts of Greece. Phoroneus and Cecrops being Egyptians,1 Cadmus a Phenician, and Orpheus, a Thracian, each of these would, of course, bring inte Greece, with their several colonies, the religious and philosophical tenets of their respective nations, and thus lay the foundation of diversity of opinion. The practice of delivering the doctrines of religion to the people under the disguise of fable, which universally prevailed in Egypt, and was not unknown to the Phenicians, 1 Clem. Alex. Admon. ad Gent. p. 28. Herod. 1. ii. Pausanias in Arcad. Euseb in Chron. 2 Aristoph. in Ranis. Earip. in Rhæso. Nonni Collect. i. ad calc. Na Thracians, and other barbarous nations, was introduced among the Greeks by the first founders of their states. They had seen the effect of this mode of instruction in countries already settled, and they judged it particularly suitable to their design of bringing new-formed states under the yoke of authority. "It was not possible," says Strabo,3 "to lead a promiscuous multitude to religion and virtue, by philosophical harangues; this could only be effected by the aid of superstition, by prodigies and fables. The thunderbolt, the ægis, the trident, the spear, torches and snakes, were the instruments made use of by the founders of states to terrify the ignorant vulgar into subjection." That the first authors of the Grecian fables meant them as vehicles of instruction, cannot be doubted. But it is now become exceedingly difficult, if not impracticable, to decipher their meaning. And it will be easily perceived, that this must be the case, by any one who recollects how imperfectly we are acquainted with the history, opinions, manners, and other circumstances of the times when the Grecian mythology was formed, and from what a variety of sources it was derived. Of these the two principal were the custom of ranking public benefactors, after their death, among the gods; and the practice of applying allegories and fables to natural objects and appearances. The origin of the world, and the production of natural bodies, were very early clothed in fable, in the cosmogonies of the Egyptians, Phenicians, Thracians, and other nations: and these were afterwards imitated by the Greeks. 6 Another custom which has very much contributed to cast a veil of obscurity over the fabulous philosophy of the Greeks, is that, which in early times prevailed among them, of giving their mythological doctrines a poetical dress. These were commonly chosen as subjects of verse, and every poet enlarged and moulded the ancient fables, according to the fertility or luxuriancy of his own fancy; so that they were not only increased from time to time without limit, but so altered, that their original features could scarcely be perceived. 3 L. i. 4 Verulam. de Sap. Vct. Pref. 7 Dionys. Halic. Antiq. I. i. 5 Vid. Bocharti Geogr. Sac. Clerici. Not. ad Hesiodam. Plin. Hist. Nat. 1. ii. c. 17. VOL. 1. The fabulous philosophy of the Greeks being from these and other causes involved in great obscurity, we shall pass with all possible expedition through this dark and unprofitable region; leaving the solution of those mythological enigmas, which have so long amused the learned, to more fertile imaginations. The first of the Greeks, who is said to have taught philosophy and the arts, is Prometheus. It is unnecessary to repeat his well-known story. Various conjectures have been framed concerning it. Some have imagined, that in the person and fable of Prometheus they have found the history of Adam; others have applied them to Noah ; others to Moses :9 they might, with as much appearance of probability, have applied them to the Chinese Fohi. Perhaps the truth is, that Prometheus was an Egyptian, or a Scythian, who instructed the Greeks in several necessary arts, particularly in the use of fire, for the purpose of melting metals, and who afterwards suffering captivity was rescued by Hercules.10 This account of the fable is at least as probable as those philosophical explanations, which suppose a kind of refinement, unknown at the early period when this fable was first received. Linus, who lived before the time of Homer, is celebrated among the first authors of Grecian verse, and is said to have invented Lyric poetry. He wrote a cosmogony, the beginning of which is preserved by Laertius." He was an eminent master of music and verse, and is said to have instructed Hercules, Thamyris, and Orpheus. Orpheus, the most celebrated of all the Greeks in the fabulous ages, distinguished himself as a teacher of religion and philosophy. His name is as illustrious among the Greeks, as that of Zoroaster among the Persians, of Buddas among the Indians, or of Thoth or Hermes, among the Egyptians. But we cannot rely with certainty upon the remaining re • Hesiod. Oper. v. 46. Theog. v. 520. Ovid. Met. 1. i. Natalis Comis Mythol. 1. iv. c. 6. › Hueti Dem. Ev. pr. iv. c. 8. § 7. Bochart. Geog. l. i. c. 2. Fabricii Cod. Ps. t. i. 261. 10 Conf. Æschyli Prometh. vinct. Natalis Comes, p 328. Herod. 11 L. i. § 4. Sextus Emp. adv. Math. 1. i. § 204. Died. Sic. l. iii. p. 140. Suidas. Pausan in Bœoticis, p. 767. cords of his life and opinions. For it has happened to Orpheus, as to many other wise men of antiquity, that spurious writings have been ascribed to him, and modern tenets have been obtruded upon the world under the sanc.tion of his name.1 It has even been questioned, whether Orpheus ever existed. Cicero asserts,13 on the authority of Aristotle, that there was no such person as the poet Orpheus. But no passage of this kind is at present to be found in the works of Aristotle; and the opinion is contradicted by the general testimony of the ancients, who relate, that Orpheus was a native of Thrace, who flourished before the Trojan war, and passed the greater part of his life in Greece.14 Diodorus Siculus relates, 15 that, "having been instructed in the religious tenets and ceremonies of his own country, he travelled into Egypt, where he acquired a knowledge of the mysteries of religion, and became an eminent master of philosophy, poetry, and music." Thus qualified, he came among the Greeks, who were at that time a rude and unenlightened people, and by the united powers of poetry, religion, and philosophy, civilized their manners. Such were the wonderful effects produced by his genius and wisdom, that, in the language of fable, his music is said to have captivated the attention of birds and beasts, and even to have commanded rocks, woods, and rivers : Quem Deum, cujus recinet jocosa Aut in umbrosis Heliconis oris, Aut super Pindo, gelidove in Hæmo, Arte materna rapidos morantem 12 Fabric. Bibl. Gr. v. i. p. 110. 13 De Nat. Deor. 1. i. 14 Diod. Sic. 1. iv. c. 25. Plato de Rep. I. x. 16 Hor. Carm. 1. i. Od. xii. -What God, whose hallowed name 15 Ibid. |