mentionem agitant. The antient Armenians in their poems and hymns, which are accompanied with cymbals and dances, afford a far more copious account of these events than any other nation. The place where mankind first resided, was undoubtedly the region of the Minya, at the bottom of Mount Baris, or Luban, which was the Ararat of Moses. Here I imagine, that the Patriarch resided; and 4 Berosus mentions, that in this place he gave instructions to his children, and vanished from the sight of men. But the sacred writings are upon this head silent: they only mention his planting the vine, and seemingly taking up his abode for a long time upon the spot. Indeed, they do not afford us any reason to infer that he ever departed from it. The very plantation of the vine seems to imply a purpose

of residence. Not a word is said of the Patriarch's ever quitting the place; nor of any of his sons departing from it, till the general migration. Many of the fathers were of opinion, that they did not for some ages quit this region. According to Epiphanius, they remained in the vicinity of Ararat for five generations, during the space of six hundred and fifty-nine years. ός Μετα δε τον

“Apud Euseb. Chron. p. 8.

Hæres. 1. 1. p. 5.

κατακλυσμον, επίσασης της λάρνακος τε Νώε εν τοις ορεσι τοις Αραράτ, ανα μέσον Αρμενιων και Καρδύεων, εν τῷ Λε Εαρ ορει καλεμένη, εκείσε πρωτον οικησις γίνεται μετα τον κατακλυσμον των ανθρωπων· κακει φυτεύει αμπελώνα Νωε Γινονται δε τοις

προφητης, οικιςης τε γίνεται τα τοπ8.

αυτε παισι-παίδες, και παίδων παίδες, έως πεμπτης γενέας, ετων εξακοσίων πεντήκοντα εννεα. After the Ark upon the decrease of the waters had rested upon the mountains of Ararat, upon that particular eminence called Lubar, which bounds the countries of the Armenians and the Cardueans; the region where it settled became the first place occupied by mankind. Here the Patriarch Noah took up his residence, and planted the vine. In this place he saw a large progeny descend from him, children after children-to the " fifth generation, for the space of six hundred and fifty-nine years.

66

During the residence of mankind in these parts, we may imagine, that there was a season of great happiness. They for a long time lived under the mild rule of the great Patriarch, before laws were enacted or penalties known. When they multiplied, and were become very numerous,

* The same is mentioned by this writer in another place. Πέμπτη γενιά μετα τον κατακλυσμον, πληθυνόντων άρτι των ανθρωπων απο το Λεβας της Αρμενίας, τοτ' εσιν Αραρατ της χώρας, γίνονται εν ιδια Σινααρ. 1. 1. p. 6.

it pleased God to allot to the various families different regions, to which they were to retire: and they accordingly, in the days of Peleg, did remove, and betake themselves to their different departments. But the sons of Chus would not obey. They went off under the conduct of the arch-rebel Nimrod; and seem to have been for a long time in a roving state; but at last they arrived at the plains of Shinar. These they found occupied by Assur and his sons: for he had been placed there by divine appointment. But they ejected him, and seized upon his dominions; which they immediately fortified with cities, and laid the foundation of a great monarchy. Their leader is often mentioned by the Gentile writers, who call him Belus. He was a person of great impiety; who finding that the earth had been divided among the sons of men by a divine decree, thought proper to counteract the ordinance of God, and to make a different distribution. This is often alluded to in the Ethnic writings; and Abydenus particularly mentions, that " Belus appointed to the people their place of habitation. Dionysius refers to this Belus and his associates, when he is speaking of the deities, who were the ance tors of the Indo-Cuthites.

67

Xwgar ixasy azoviμavra. Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 9. p. 457.

68 εκληρώσαντο δ ̓ ἑκαςῳ

Μοιραν έχειν ποντοιο, και ηπείροιο βαθείης.

They first alloted to each roving tribe
Their share of sea, and land.

This is the beginning of that period, which, upon account of the rebellion then first known, was by the Greek writers alluded to under the title of Exvius, Scuthismus. This ejectment of Assur seems to shew, that these transactions were after the general migration; for he was in possession of the province allotted to him, till he was ejected by this lawless people.

In the beginning of this history it is said, that they journeyed from the east, when they came to the land of Shinar. This was the latter part of their rout and the reason of their coming in this direction may, I think, be plainly shewn. The Ark, according to the best accounts, both sacred and profane, rested upon a mountain of Armenia, called Minyas, Baris, Lubar, and Ararat. Many families of the emigrants went probably directly east or west, in consequence of the situation to which they were appointed. But those who were

es V. 1173.

destined to the southern parts of the great continents, which they were to inhabit, could not so easily and uniformly proceed; there being but few outlets to their place of destination. For the high Tauric ridge and the " Gordyean mountains came between, and intercepted their due course. How difficult these mountains were, even in later times, to be passed, may be known from the retreat of the ten thousand Greeks, who had served under Cyrus the younger. They came from these very plains of Shinar; and passing to the east of the Tigris, they arrived at these mountains, which with great peril they got over. But in the times of which we are treating, they must have been still more difficult to be " surmounted: for after the deluge, the hollows and valleys between these hills, and all other mountainous places, must have been full of slime and mud; and for a great while have abounded with stagnant waters. We know from ancient history, that it was a long time before passages were opened, and roads made through places of this nature. I should therefore

7°

9 Strabo. 1. 11. p. 798.

70 In later times there were only two passages southward. Armenia orientales Cilicia fines attingit, atque ad Taurum montem patet atque ex eâ duo aditus in Syriam patent. Moses Choreneus. Geog. p. 354.