t Cadmus was a Phenician: but Diodorus Siculus
speaks of him as assuredly of Egypt; and mentions moreover, that he was a
native of the Thebais: [1067][Greek: Kadmon ek Thebon onta ton Aiguption].
Pherecydes Syrus also, from whom most of the mythology of Greece was
borrowed, makes Cadmus an [1068]Egyptian, the son of Agenor and Argiope,
who was the daughter of Nilus. By others he is said to have been the son of
Antiope, the daughter of Belus: consequently he must originally have been
of Babylonish extraction. His father Agenor, from whom he is supposed to
have been instructed in the sciences, is represented by Nonnus as residing
at Thebes.

[1069][Greek: Patria thespesies dedaemenos orgia technes,]
[Greek: Aigupties sophies metanastios, emos Agenor]
[Greek: Memphidos ennaetes hekatompulon oikee Theben.]

We learn the same from the Scholiast upon Lycophron, who styles the king
Ogugus. [1070][Greek: Kai ho Ogugos Thebon Aiguption en Basileus, hothen ho
Kadmos huparchon, elthon en Helladi tas Heptapulous ektise.] _Moreover
Ogugus was king of Thebes in Egypt: of which country was Cadmus, who came
into Greece, and built the city styled Heptapulae_. It was from the same
part of the world, that the mysteries were imported, in which Cadmus is
represented as so knowing: and here it was, that he was taught
hieroglyphics, and the other characters, which are attributed to him. For
he is said to have been expert [1071][Greek: Cheiros opisthoporoio
charagmata loxa charasson.] These arts he carried first to the coast of
Sidon, and Syria; and from thence he is supposed to have brought them to
Greece: for, before he came to Hellas, he is said to have reigned in
conjunction with Phoenix, both at Sidon and Tyre. [1072][Greek: Phoinix kai
Kadmos, apo Thebon ton Aiguption exelthontes eis ten Surian Turou kai
Sidonos ebasileusan.] _Phoenix and Cadmus came from Thebes in Egypt, and
reigned at Tyre and Sidon._

Thus I have taken pains to shew, that Cadmus was not, as has been generally
thought, a Phenician. My next endeavour will be to prove that no such
person existed. If we consider the whole history of this celebrated hero,
we shall find, that it was impossible for one person to have effected what
he is supposed to have performed. His expeditions were various and
wonderful; and such as in those early times would not have been attempted,
nor could ever have been completed. The Helladians say little more, than
that he built Thebes, and