*

ANTIENT HEROES.

[Greek: Katholou de phasin (hoi Aiguptioi) tous Hellenas exidiazesthai
tous epiphanestatous Heroas te, kai Theous, eti de kai apoikias tas
par' heauton.] Diodorus Sicul. l. 1. p. 21.

It has been my uniform purpose, during the whole process, which I have made
in my system, to shew, that the Grecians formed Deities out of titles; and
that they often attributed to one person, what belonged to a people. And
when they had completed the history, they generally took the merit of it to
themselves. By means of this clue we may obtain an insight into some of the
most remote, and the most obscure parts of antiquity. For many and great
achievements have been attributed to heroes of the first ages, which it was
not possible for them singly to have performed. And these actions, though
in some degree diversified, and given to different personages, yet upon
examination will be found to relate to one people or family; and to be at
bottom one and the same history.

OSIRIS.

If we consider the history of Osiris, he will appear a wonderful conqueror,
who travelled over the face of the whole [776]earth, winning new
territories, wherever he came; yet always to the advantage of those whom he
subdued. He is said to have been the son of Rhea: and his chief attendants
in his peregrinations were Pan, Anubis, Macedo, with Maro, a great planter
of vines; also Triptolemus much skilled in husbandry. The people of India
claimed Osiris, as their own; and maintained, that he was born at Nusa in
their [777]country. Others supposed his birth-place to have been at Nusa in
[778]Arabia, where he first planted the vine. Many make him a native of
Egypt: and mention the rout of his travels as commencing from that country
through Arabia, and Ethiopia; and then to India, and the regions of the
east. When he was arrived at the extremities of the ocean, he turned back,
and passed through the upper provinces of Asia, till he came to the
Hellespont, which he crossed. He then entered [779]Thrace, with the King of
which he had a severe encounter: yet he is said to have persevered in his
rout westward, till he arrived at the fountains of the Ister. He was also
in Italy, and Greece: from the former of which he expelled the giants near
Phlegra in Campania. He visited many places upon the ocean: and though he
is represented as at the head of an army; and his travels were attended
with military operations; yet he is at the same time de