that, "Consequently, the figures on this sphere must "have come from the same quarter; and, instead of

alluding, as Sir Isaac Newton supposes, to the Argo"nautic expedition, they must have been Egyptian hie"roglyphics." After an examination of the particulars / of the voyage, the different routes, which the Argonauts are supposed to have taken, and the inconsistencies, with which the story abounds; Mr. Bryant observes, that "The Greeks borrowed their mythology, as well ་ as- their rites, from Egypt; and that it was founded "on ancient history, transmitted by hieroglyphic repre"sentations. These, by length of time, became obscure, and the sign was taken for the reality. Hence

arose the fable about the bull of Europa, and the like. "Under all these is couched the same history, under a "different allegory or emblem. In the wanderings of "Rhea, Isis, Astarte, Ino, or Iona, and Damater, is sig"nified the separation of mankind. At the same time, "the dispersion of one particular race of men, and their "flight over the face of the earth, is principally de"scribed. Of this family were the persons, who pre"served the chief memorials of the ark in the Gentile "world. They represented it, under different emblems, "and called it-Damater, Pyrrha, Mene, Selene, Argo, "Argus, Archas, or Archaius.In the account of the "Argo, we have the history of a sacred ship; the first "that ever was constructed. This truth (its being the "first) the best writers among the Grecians confess, "though they would take the merit of the performance "to themselves. Yet, are they obliged, to betray the "truth, and show, that the history is derived to them

from Egypt.- -The Arkites, who came into Greece, "settled in many parts, but especially in Thessaly, and "Argolis; where they introduced their rites and wor"ship. In the latter of these regions; they were com"memorated,

"memorated, under the notion of the arrival of Danaus, a person, who fled from his brother Egyptus, in

66

66

a sacred ship given him by Minerva. This ship, like "the Argo, is said to have been the first construction "of the kind. And the workman was said to be as“sisted in the building of it, by the same deity-divine "wisdom.-Danaus, on his arrival, built a temple to “Iona, or Juno, and made his daughters priestesses. "The people of the place had an obscure tradition, of "a deluge, in which most of the natives perished, and "a few only escaped, the principal of whom was Deu"calion, who took refuge in the Acropolis, or temple. "Those, who settled in Thessaly, carried with them the same memorials, respecting Deucalion, and his delive66 rance, which they appropriated to their own country. "-Hence, it appears, that these people had traditions, "of the great event of the deluge, strongly impressed "on their minds; though these impressions, afterwards, 66 grew more and more faint. And it is manifest, that "by the ship, in which Danaus escaped, and the Argo, "one and the same vessel is designated-the ark-in "which Noah and his family were preserved.".

4

much for Mr. Bryant.

"

So

It must require a strong attachment to a particular system, to make us believe, that a relation, so much celebrated, and so generally received, was altogether fictitious and fabulous, as a piece of history; or had no foundation but in type and allegory. The concurring testimony, the universal acknowledgment of all the writers of antiquity, that such a transaction, as the Argonautic expedition, actually took place; the precise enumeration of personages engaged in it, the minute detail of circumstances attending it, are sufficient to satisfy us, as to the reality of the event. -With respect to the object of the voyage, some of the supposed causes,

which

which I have already stated, would imply a degree of refinement, and speculation, unknown, in that age, to the gallant but uninstructed youth of Thessaly.-The real object of the expedition may be discovered, by its consequences. It was one of the first and greatest of the predatory expeditions, usual in that age. The Argonauts fought, conquered, and plundered; they settled a colony, on the shores of the Euxine sea, and carried off with them Medea, the daughter of the king.—Diodorus Siculus, who, in his fourth book, gives an account of the Argonautic expedition, as an essential part of ancient history; in addition to the desire of possessing themselves of the treasures of Eetes, seems to ascribe a more noble and chivalrous motive to the Argonauts, a wish to punish the savage cruelty of Æetes, and put an end to his practice of sacrificing all strangers, who were so unfortunate, as to visit his shores, or the neighbouring region of Taurica. This writer, by resorting to the similarity of sounds, endeavours to explain, what seems most improbable in the Argonautic legend. For instance, he tells us, that Phryxus took refuge, with his tutor, in the court of Eetes; that the name of this tutor was Crius, which signifies a ram, whence arose the fable of his being preserved by a ram-that the treasures of Æetes were deposited in a fortress, and guarded by a person of the name of Draco, which gave rise to the poetical representation of a golden fleece, guarded by a dragon; the Tauric soldiers, under the command of this personage, suggested the idea of the bulls breathing smoke and flames. It puts the Argonautic expedition in a new, and favourable point of view, if we suppose, that it was undertaken, for the benevolent purpose of putting an end to the cruel and inhospitable custom which prevailed, on the coasts of Colchis and Tauris, of putting to death all strangers, who arrived there; and of re

straining

straining the detestable frequency of human sacrifices. Sorcery and cruelty reigned without controul, in those regions; and to put a stop to their dominion, was an enterprise worthy of the gallant adventurers; suitable, indeed, to the maxims of modern chivalry.

It appears, that many other expeditions, similar to that of the Argonauts, took place from the coasts of Greece.* The state of society and manners led to it, the nature of the country, which the Greeks inhabited, must have early induced them to turn their thoughts to maritime affairs; (even at this day,) the Greeks are the best sailors in the Turkish navy, indeed, the only sailors.The exuberant population of the country, must have produced a multitude of emigrations, and piratical expeditions.-Greece abounds in numberless islands, and the whole continent is deeply indented by gulfs and bays, presenting, in every part, safe and commodious ports and havens; and exhibits, perhaps, a greater extent of sea coast, than any other country in the world of the same dimensions. Hence, the profession of piracy was then so generally practised, that it was not considered as reproachful.-Homer, who gives a picture of the manners of those times, introduces his heroes, as asking each other, without hesitation, or any design of insult, whether they were pirates. Among the expeditions similar to that of the Argonauts, were the unsuccessful enterprise of Theseus, and his friend Pirithous, to carry off the wife of Aidoneus, the king of the Molossi, and the elopement of Paris with Helen.

Thucydides, in the commencement of his history, says, that all the Greeks and Barbarians exercised piracy; partly to supply their absolute necessities, partly to acquire riches; and that such acts were considered

*See Thucydides.

as

as glorious and honourable: and thence he deduces the origin of cities, which, he says, began to be fortified on the sea coasts, for the sake of carrying on merchandize, and maintaining power; and that, as the Phenicians and Carians chiefly infested the seas, with their piracies; and not only the seas, but the maritime regions; that Minos fitted out a fleet, to repress their depredations. Then, descending to the Trojan war, after showing how much the people of Greece had increased, at that time, in strength and wealth, he observes, that even the famous expedition to Troy, bore much of the form of ancient piracy. Παλαιω τρόπω λησικώτερον παρεσκευα

σε ασμενα.

Herodotus, in the beginning of his first book, proposing to derive the history of his countrymen, with certain deduction, from the most remote antiquity downwards, through the dark ages, to the period properly to be called historical, shows, that all the subject matter of controversy, and causes of the wars, which engaged Europe and Asia in conflict, originated in mutual acts of aggression, committed in a long series of naval and piratical expeditions, and acts of spoil and rapine, which, in those early times, were considered as themes of applause, and a source of glory. He then proceeds to particular instances; and relates, that as the Phenicians were the first, who tempted the seas to merchandise, and to carry on commerce, and brought their commodities for sale into Greece; so, he adds, they were the first aggressors, in the course of piracy, by carrying off Io, the daughter of Inachus, king of Argos, whom they conveyed with other captives, to Egypt. Greeks, whose names are not preserved,

Certain of the

(but they were

Cretans by birth,) by way of retaliation, sailed to Tyre, and bore away Europa, the daughter of the king. A second and more formidable act of reprisal took place;

when