_Siris_ by the _Greeks_, made it scarce
intelligible to the _Egyptians_.

I have now told you the original of the _Nomes_ of _Egypt_ and of the
Religions and Temples of the _Nomes_, and of the Cities built there by the
Gods, and called by their names: whence _Diodorus_ [285] tells us, that _of
all the Provinces of the World, there were in _Egypt_ only many cities
built by the ancient Gods, as by _Jupiter_, _Sol_, _Hermes_, _Apollo_,
_Pan_, _Eilithyia_, and, many others_: and _Lucian_ [286] an _Assyrian_,
who had travelled into _Phoenicia_ and _Egypt_, tells us, that _the Temples
of _Egypt_ were very old, those in _Phoenicia_ built by _Cinyras_ as old,
and those in _Assyria_ almost as old as the former, but not altogether so
old_: which shews that the Monarchy of _Assyria_ rose up after the Monarchy
of _Egypt_; as is represented in Scripture; and that the Temples of _Egypt_
then standing, were those built by _Sesostris_, about the same time that
the Temples of _Phoenicia_ and _Cyprus_ were built by _Cinyras_,
_Benhadad_, and _Hiram_. This was not the first original of Idolatry, but
only the erecting of much more sumptuous Temples than formerly to the
founders of new Kingdoms: for Temples at first were very small;

_Jupiter angusta vix totus stabat in aede._
_Ovid. Fast._ l. 1.

Altars were at first erected without Temples, and this custom continued in
_Persia_ 'till after the days of _Herodotus_: in _Phoenicia_ they had
Altars with little houses for eating the sacrifices much earlier, and these
they called High Places: such was the High Place where _Samuel_ entertained
_Saul_; such was the House of _Dagon_ at _Ashdod_, into which the
_Philistims_ brought the Ark; and the House of _Baal_, in which _Jehu_ slew
the Prophets of _Baal_; and such were the High Places of the _Canaanites_
which _Moses_ commanded _Israel_ to destroy: he [287] commanded _Israel_ to
destroy the Altars, Images, High Places, and Groves of the _Canaanites_,
but made no mention of their Temples, as he would have done had there been
any in those days. I meet with no mention of sumptuous Temples before the
days of _Solomon_: new Kingdoms begun then to build Sepulchres to their
Founders in the form of Sumptuous Temples; and such Temples _Hiram_ built
in _Tyre_, _Sesac_ in all _Egypt_, and _Benhadad_ in _Damascus_.

For when _David_ [288] smote _Hadad Ezer_ King of _Zobah_, and slew the
_Syrians_ of _Damascus_ who came to assist him, _Rezon_ _th