le founded in the extreme parts of
Africa; in which there were three priestesses of Canaanitish race; who, on
that account, are said to be in the shape of swans. The notion of their
having but one eye among them took its rise from an hieroglyphic very
common in Egypt, and probably in Canaan: this was the representation of an
eye, which was said to be engraved upon the pediment of their [182]temples.
As the land of Canaan lay so opportunely for traffic, and the emigrants
from most parts went under their conduct, their history was well known.
They navigated the seas very early, and were necessarily acquainted with
foreign regions; to which they must at one time have betaken themselves in
great numbers, when they fled before the sons of Israel. In all the places
where they settled they were famous for their hymns and music; all which
the Greeks have transferred to birds, and supposed that they were swans who
were gifted with this harmony. Yet, sweet as their notes are said to have
been, there is not, I believe, a person upon record who was ever a witness
to it. It is, certainly, all a fable. When, therefore, Plutarch tells us
that Apollo was pleased with the music of swans, [183][Greek: mousikei te
hedetai, kai kuknon phonais]; and when AEschylus mentions their singing
their own dirges; they certainly allude to Egyptian and Canaanitish
priests, who lamented the death of Adon and Osiris. And this could not be
entirely a secret to the Grecians, for they seem often to refer to some
such notion. Socrates termed swans his fellow-servants: in doing which he
alluded to the antient priests, styled Cycni. They were people of the
choir, and officiated in the temples of the same Deities; whose servant he
professed himself to be. Hence Porphyry assures us, [184][Greek: Hou paizon
homodoulous autou elegen tous kuknous (Sokrates)], _that Socrates was very
serious when he mentioned swans as his fellow-servants._ When, therefore,
Aristophanes speaks of the [185]Delian and Pythian swans, they are the
priests of those places, to whom he alludes. And when it is said by Plato,
that the soul of Orpheus, out of disgust to womankind, led the life of a
[186]swan, the meaning certainly is, that he retired from the world to some
cloister, and lived a life of celibacy, like a priest. For the priests of
many countries, but particularly of Egypt, were recluses, and devoted
themselves to [187]celibacy: hence monkery came originally from Egypt.
Lycophron,