The tower of Babel was probably a rude mound of earth, raised to a vast height, and cased with bricks, which were formed from the soil of the country, and cemented with asphaltus or bitumen. There are several edifices of this sort still to be seen in the region of Babylonia. They are very like the brick pyramids in Egypt: and between every ninth or tenth row of plinth they have a layer of straw, and sometimes the smaller branches of palm. Travellers have had the curiosity to put in their hands, and to extract some of the leaves, and straws: which appear wonderfully fresh, and perfect; though they have lain there for so many ages. Many have been led to think, that one or other of these buildings was the original tower of Babel. But antient writers are unanimous, that it was overthrown; and that Nimrod perished in it. This was the opinion of Syncellus. 5 Εκεινος δε εμεινεν εκει κατοίκων, και μη αφι σάμενος το Πυργο, βασιλεύων μερικα τινος πληθους, εφ' όν ; πυργος ανεμῳ βιαιῳ, ὡς ἱςορεσι, καταπεσων, θεια κρισει τατον επαταξεν. But Nimrod would still obstinately stay, and reside upon the spot: nor could he by any means be withdrawn from the tower, still having the command over no contemptible body of men. Upon this, we are informed, that the tower being 6 beat upon by violent winds gave way; and by the just judgment of God crushed him to pieces. Cedrenus also mentions it as a current notion, that Nimrod perished in the " tower. But this, I think, could not be true: for the term of Nimrod's life, extend it to the utmost of Patriarchic age after the flood, could not have sufficed for this. And though writers do assert, that the tower was overthrown, and the principal person buried in its ruins: and it must be confessed, that antient mythology has continual allusions to some such event: yet I should imagine, that this related to the overthrow of the deity there worshipped, and to the extirpation of his rites and religion, rather than to any real person. The fable of Vulcan, who was thrown down from heaven, and cast into the sea, is founded upon this story. He was supposed to have been the son of Juno, and detested by his mother, who threw him down with her own hands. 6 7 Παις εμος Ἡφαισος, ρικνος πόδας, ὁν τεκον αυτή, * Εφ ̓ ὧν ὁ Πυργος ανεμῳ, βιαίῳ, ὡς ἱσορεσι τινες, και αυτος Ιοσηπος, καταπεσων συνετρίβε. Cedrenus. p. 11. See Joseph. Ant. 1. 1. c. 4. 7 Homer. Hymn to Apollo. v. 317. It related probably to the abolition of fire-worship at the destruction of Babel. My crippled offspring Vulcan I produc'd; sea. Many writers speak of him as being thrown off from the battlements of a high tower by Jupiter: and there is a passage to this purpose in Homer, which has embarrassed commentators; though I do not think it very obscure, if we consider the history to which it relates. 8 Ριψε ποδος τεταγών απο Βηλε θεσπεσίοιο. The poet, who was a zealous copier of antient mythology, mentions, that Vulcan was cast down by Jupiter from an eminence. He says, that he was thrown awo Bλe which must certainly signify απο πυργκ Βηλε, Οι αφ' ίερε Βηλε; for the sentence is manifestly elliptical. He seiz'd him by the foot, and headlong threw From the high tower of Belus. This is the purport of the passage; and it is con-, sonant to all history. Iliad. V. A. v. 591. The Giants, whom Abydenus makes the builders of Babel, are, by other writers, represented as the Titans. They are said to have received their name from their mother Titea. 9 Kovas de Κοινως δε παντας απο της μητρος ονομαζόμενες Τιτηνας: by which we are to understand, that they were all denominated from their religion and place of worship. I have taken notice of some of the antient altars, which consisted of a conical hill of earth, styled oftentimes, from its figure, λopos pasosdns, a mound, or hill, in the shape of a woman's breast. Titæa (Tirana) was one of these. It is a term compounded of 10 Tit-aia, and signifies literally a breast of earth, analogous to TITlos alas of the Greeks. These altars were also called Tit-an, and Tit-anis, from the great fountain of light, • Diod. Sicul. I. 3. p. 190. Κυρις δ' Ουρανιωνας εγείνατο ποτνία Γαια, Ους δη και Τιτηνας επίκλησιν καλευσιν. Orphic. Frag. p. 375. 10 Tit is analogous to 'n, Tid, of the Chaldeans. So Titurus was from Tit-Ur, pasos ps. The priests, so famous for their music, were from hence styled Tituri. It was sometimes expressed Tith-Or; hence the summit of Parnassus had the name of Tithorea, being sacred to Orus, the Apollo of Greece. Pausan. 1. 10. p. 878. There were places named Titaresus, from Tit-Ares, the same as Tit-Orus. Τιταρήσιος ποταμος Ηπειρs. Hesych. styled An, and Anis. Hence many places were called Titanis and "Titana, where the worship of the Sun prevailed: for Anes, and Hanes, signified the fountain of light, or fire. Titana was sometimes expressed Tithana, by the Ionians rendered Tithena: and as Titea was supposed to have been the mother of the Titans, so Tithena was said to be their " nurse. But they were all uniformly of the same nature, altars raised of soil. That Tith-ana, the supposed nurse, was a sacred mound of earth, is plain from Nonnus, who mentions an altar of this sort in the vicinity of Tyre; and says, that it was erected by those earth-born people, the Giants. Η Αγχι 14 Τυρα παρα ποντον, ἐν αῤῥαγεεσσι δε πετραις, "At Sicyon was a place called Titana. Steph. Byzant. also a temple. Pausan. 1. 2. p. 138. Euboea called Titanis. Hesych. 12 Τίθηνας τροφες, τιτθας. Hesych. So Tith-On was like Tith-Or, pasos 2: whence was formed a personage, named Tithonus, beloved by Aurora. " Nonni Dionys. 1. 40. p. 1048. 14 Bel, and Belus, was a title bestowed upon many persons. It was particularly given to Nimrod, who built the city Babel or Babylon. Hence Dorotheus Sidonius, an antient poet, calls that city the work of Tyrian Belus. |