Eusebius of Caesarea, Praeparatio Evangelica

Ἱστορεῖ δὲ ταῦτα Σαγχουνιάθων, ἀνὴρ παλαίτατος καὶ τῶν Τρωικῶν χρόνων, ὥς φασι, πρεσβύτερος, ὃν καὶ ἐπ’ ἀκριβείᾳ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ τῆς Φοινικικῆς ἱστορίας ἀποδεχθῆναι μαρτυροῦσι. Φίλων δὲ τούτου πᾶσαν τὴν συγγραφὴν ὁ Βύβλιος, οὐχ ὁ Ἑβραῖος, μεταβαλὼν ἀπὸ τῆς Φοινίκων γλώττης ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν ἐξέδωκε. μέμνηται τούτων ὁ καθ’ ἡμᾶς τὴν καθ’ ἡμῶν πεποιημένος συσκευὴν ἐν τετάρτῳ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὑποθέσεως, ὧδε τῷ ἀνδρὶ μαρτυρῶν πρὸς λέξιν

These things are recorded by Sanchuniathon, a man of great antiquity and older, as they say, than the times of Troy, who, they testify, was approved for the accuracy and truth of his Phoenician history. Philo of Byblos, not the Hebrew, translated his whole work from the Phoenician tongue into the Greek language and published it. The man who in our own day composed the attack against us mentions these things in the fourth [book] of his work against us, bearing witness to the man word for word as follows:

“ἱστορεῖ δὲ τὰ περὶ Ἰουδαίων ἀληθέστατα, ὅτι καὶ τοῖς τόποις καὶ τοῖς ὀνόμασιν αὐτῶν τὰ συμφωνότατα, Σαγχουνιάθων ὁ Βηρύτιος, εἰληφὼς τὰ ὑπομνήματα παρὰ Ἱερομβάλου τοῦ ἱερέως θεοῦ τοῦ Ἰευώ· ὃς Ἀβιβάλῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ Βηρυτίων τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀναθεὶς ὑπ’ ἐκείνου καὶ τῶν κατ’ αὐτὸν ἐξεταστῶν τῆς ἀληθείας παρεδέχθη. οἱ δὲ τούτων χρόνοι καὶ πρὸ τῶν Τρωïκῶν πίπτουσι χρόνων, καὶ σχεδὸν τοῖς Μώσεως πλησιάζουσιν, ὡς αἶ τῶν Φοινίκης βασιλέων σιλέων μηνύουσι διαδοχαί. Σαγχουνιάθων δὲ κατὰ τὴν Φοινίκων διάλεκτον φιλαληθῶς πᾶσαν τὴν παλαιὰν ἱστορίαν ἐκ τῶν κατὰ πόλιν ὑπομνημάτων καὶ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς ἀναγραφῶν συναγαγὼν δὴ καὶ συγγράψας ἐπὶ Σεμιράμεως γέγονε τῆς Ἀσσυρίων βασιλίδος, ἣ πρὸ τῶν Ἰλιακῶν, ἢ κατ’ αὐτούς γε τοὺς χρόνους γενέσθαι ἀναγέγραπται. τὰ δὲ τοῦ Σαγχουνιάθωνος εἰς Ἑλλάδα γλῶσσαν ἡρμήνευσε Φίλων ὁ Βύβλιος.”

“Sanchuniathon of Berytus records the history of the Jews most truthfully, since it agrees most closely with their places and their names; he received the records from Hierombalus, the priest of the god Ieuo; and having dedicated his history to Abibalus, king of the Berytians, he was approved by him and by those who examined the truth in his time. The times of these men fall even before the Trojan times, and come close to those of Moses, as the successions of the kings of Phoenicia show. Sanchuniathon, who in the Phoenician language, with love of truth, collected and wrote out all the ancient history from the records of each city and the registers in the temples, lived under Semiramis, queen of the Assyrians, who is recorded to have lived before the Trojan war or at those very times. The works of Sanchuniathon were translated into the Greek tongue by Philo of Byblos.”

“ Τὴν τῶν ὅλων ἀρχὴν ὑποτίθεται ἀέρα ζο c φώδη καὶ πνευματώδη, ἢ πνοὴν ἀέρος ζοφώδους, καὶ χάος θολερὸν, ἐρεβῶδες. ταῦτα δὲ εἶναι ἄπειρα καὶ διὰ πολὺν αἰῶνα μὴ ἔχειν πέρας. ὅτε δὲ, φησὶν, ἠράσθη τὸ πνεῦμα τῶν ἰδίων ἀρχῶν καὶ ἐγένετο σύγκρασις, ἡ πλοκὴ ἐκείνη ἐκλήθη πόθος. αὕτη δὲ ἀρχὴ κτίσεως ἁπάντων. αὐτὸ δὲ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκε τὴν αὐτοῦ κτίσιν, καὶ ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ συμπλοκῆς τοῦ πνεύματος ἐγένετο Μώτ.

“He posits as the beginning of all things a dark and windy air, or a blast of dark air, and a turbid chaos, black as Erebus. These were boundless, and for a long age had no limit. But when, he says, the wind fell in love with its own first principles and a mingling took place, that entanglement was called Desire. This was the beginning of the creation of all things. But it did not know its own creation; and from the wind's own entanglement Mot came into being.

τοῦτό τινές φασιν ἰλὺν, οἷ δὲ ὑδατώδους μίξεως σῆψιν. καὶ ἐκ ταύτης ἐγένετο πᾶσα σπορὰ κτίσεως καὶ γένεσις τῶν ὅλων. ἦν δέ τινα ζῷα οὐκ ἔχοντα αἴσθησιν, ἐξ ὧν ἐγένετο ζῷα νοερὰ, καὶ ἐκλήθη Ζωφασημὶν, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν οὐρανοῦ κατόπται. καὶ ἀνεπλάσθη ὁμοίως ᾠοῦ σχήματι, καὶ ἐξέλαμψε Μὼτ, ἥλιός τε καὶ σελήνη ἀστέρες τε καὶ ἄστρα μεγάλα.”

This some call mud, others the putrefaction of a watery mixture. And from it came every seed of creation and the generation of all things. There were certain living creatures that had no sensation, and from them came intelligent creatures, and they were called Zophasemin, that is, watchers of heaven. And it was shaped in the form of an egg; and Mot shone forth, and sun and moon, and stars and the great constellations.”

“Καὶ τοῦ ἀέρος διαυγάσαντος, διὰ πύρωσιν καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῆς γῆς ἐγένετο πνεύματα καὶ νέφη καὶ οὐρανίων ὑδάτων μέγισται καταφοραὶ καὶ χύσεις. καὶ ἐπειδὴ διεκρίθη, καὶ τοῦ ἰδίου τόπου διεχωρίσθη διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου πύρωσιν, καὶ πάντα συνήντησε πάλιν ἐν ἀέρι τάδε τοῖσδε, καὶ συνέρραξαν, βρονταί τε ἀπετελέσθησαν καὶ ἀστραπαὶ, καὶ πρὸς τὸν πάταγον τῶν βροντῶν τὰ πριγεγραννέβα νοερὰ ζῷα ἐγρηγόρησεν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἦχον ἐπτύρη, καὶ ἐκινήθη ἔν τε γῇ καὶ θαλάσσῃ ἄρρεν καὶ θῆλυ.”

“And when the air became bright, through the burning both of the sea and of the earth there arose winds and clouds and very great downpours and floods of heavenly waters. And when they had been separated, and parted from their own place through the burning of the sun, and all met again in the air, these with those, and dashed together, thunders and lightnings were produced; and at the crash of the thunders the aforementioned intelligent creatures awoke, and were startled at the sound, and male and female moved, on earth and in the sea.”

“Αὗται δ᾿ ἦσαν αἱ ἐπίνοιαι τῆς προσκυνήσεως ὅμοιαι τῇ αὐτῶν ἀσθενείᾳ καὶ ψυχῆς ἀτολμίᾳ. εἶτά φησι γεγενῆσθαι ἐκ τοῦ Κολπία ἀνέμου καὶ γυναικὸς Βάαυτ, τοῦτο δὲ νύκτα ἑρμηνεύει, Αἰῶνα καὶ Πρωτόγονον, θνητοὺς ἄνδρας, οὕτω καλουμένους· εὑρεῖν δὲ τὸν Αἰῶνα τὴν ἀπὸ δένδρων τροφήν. ἐκ τούτων τοὺς γενομένους κληθῆναι Γένος καὶ Γενεὰν, καὶ οἰκῆσαι τὴν Φοινίκην· αὐχμῶν δὲ γενομένων τὰς χεῖρας εἰς οὐρανὸν ὀρέγειν πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον. τοῦτον γὰρ (φησὶ) θεὸν ἐνόμιζον μόνον οὐρανοῦ κύριον. Βεελσάμην καλοῦντες, ὅ ἐστι παρὰ Φοίνιξι κύριος οὐρανοῦ, Ζεὺς δὲ παρ᾿ Ἕλλησι.”

“These, then, were their notions of worship, matching their own weakness and timidity of soul. Then he says that from the wind Colpias and his wife Baau (this he interprets as Night) were born Aeon and Protogonus, mortal men, so called; and that Aeon discovered food from trees. Those born from these were called Genos and Genea, and they inhabited Phoenicia; and when droughts came they stretched out their hands to heaven, towards the sun. For him alone (he says) they held to be god, lord of heaven, calling him Beelsamen, which among the Phoenicians is lord of heaven, and among the Greeks Zeus.”

“Ἀπὸ Γένους Αἰῶνος καὶ Πρωτογόνου γεννηθῆναι αὖθις παῖδας θνητοὺς, οἷς εἶναι ὀνόματα Φῶς καὶ Πύρ καὶ Φλόξ. οὗτοι (φησὶν) ἐκ παρατριβῆς ξύλων εὗρον πῦρ καὶ τὴν χρῆσιν ἐδίδαξαν. υἱοὺς δὲ ἐγέννησαν οὗτοι μεγέθει τε καὶ ὑπεροχῇ κρείσσονας, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα τοῖς ὄρεσιν ἐπετέθη ὧν ἐκράτησαν, ὡς ἐξ αὐτῶν κληθῆναι τὸ Κάσσιον, καὶ τὸν Λίβανον, καὶ τὸν Ἀντιλίβανον, καὶ τὸ Βραθύ. ἐκ τούτων (φησὶν) ἐγεννήθη Σαμημροῦμος, ὁ καὶ Ὑψου- ράνιος, καὶ Οὔσωος· ἀπὸ μητέρων δὲ (φησὶν) ἐχρη- μάτιζον, τῶν τότε γυναικῶν ἀνέδην μισγομένων οἷς ἀν’ ἐντύχοιεν.

“From Genos, [son] of Aeon and Protogonus, mortal children were born in turn, whose names were Phos, Pyr and Phlox [Light, Fire and Flame]. These (he says) discovered fire by rubbing sticks together, and taught its use. They begot sons surpassing in size and stature, whose names were given to the mountains they held, so that from them Casius was named, and Lebanon, and Antilebanon, and Brathy. From these (he says) were born Samemroumus, who is also Hypsuranius, and Usous; and they were named (he says) after their mothers, since the women of that time had intercourse freely with whomever they met.

“Τὸν Ὑψουράνιον οἰκῆσαι Τυρὸν, καλύβας τε ἐπινοῆσαι ἀπὸ καλάμων καὶ θρύων καὶ παπύρου, στασιάσαι δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν Οὔσωνον, ὃς τῷ σώματι ·πρῶτος ἐκ δερμάτων ὧν ἴσχυσε συλλαβεῖν θηρίων εὗρε. ῥαγδαίων δὲ γενομένων ὄμβρων καὶ πνευμάτων παρατριβέντα τὰ ἐν τῇ Τυρῷ δένδρα πῦρ ἀνάψαι καὶ τὴν αὐτόθι ὕλην καταφλέξαι. δένδρου δὲ λαβόμενον τὸν Οὒσωον καὶ καὶ ἀποκλαδεσαντα πρῶτον τολμῆσαι εἰς θάλατταν ἐμβῆναι· ἀνιερῶσαι δὲ δύο στήλας πυρὶ καὶ πνεύματι, καὶ προσκυνῆσαι, αἷμά τε σπένδειν αὐταῖς ἐξ ὧν ἤγρευε θηρίων.

“Hypsuranius dwelt in Tyre, and devised huts of reeds and rushes and papyrus; and he quarrelled with his brother Usous, who first devised [a covering] for the body from the skins of the beasts he was able to catch. When violent rains and winds came, the trees in Tyre rubbed together and kindled fire, and burned up the forest there. And Usous took hold of a tree, stripped off its branches, and was the first to dare to go out on the sea; and he consecrated two pillars to fire and wind, and worshipped [them], and poured out to them libations of blood from the beasts he hunted.

τούτων δὲ τελευτησάντων τοὺς ἀπολειφθέντας φησὶ ῥάβδους αὐτοῖς ἀφιερῶσαι, καὶ τὰς στήλας προσκυνεῖν, καὶ τούτοις ἑορτὰς ἄγειν κατ’ ἔτος. χρόνοις δὲ ὕστερον πολλοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς Ὑψουρανίου γενεᾶς γενέσθαι Ἀγρέα καὶ Ἁλιέα, τοὺς ἄγρας καὶ ἁλείας εὑρετᾶς, ἐξ ὧν κληθῆναι ἀγρευτὰς καὶ ἁλιεῖς· ἐξ ὧν γενέσθαι δύο ἀδελφοὺς σιδήρου εὑρετὰς καὶ τῆς τούτου ἐργασίας, ὧν θάτερον τὸν Χρυσὼρ λόγους ἀσκῆσαι καὶ ἐπῳδὰς καὶ μαντείας· εἶναι δὲ τοῦτον Ἣφαιστον, εὑρεῖν δὲ καὶ ἄγκιστρον καὶ δέλεαρ καὶ ὁρμιὰν καὶ σχεδίαν, πρῶτόν τε πάντων ἀνθρώπων πλεῦσαι· διὸ καὶ ὡς θεὸν αὐτὸν μετὰ θάνατον ἐσεβάσθησαν.

When these had died, he says, those who were left consecrated staves to them, and worshipped the pillars, and held festivals for them every year. Many ages later, from the line of Hypsuranius were born Agreus [Hunter] and Halieus [Fisher], the discoverers of hunting and fishing, after whom hunters and fishermen were named; and from them were born two brothers, discoverers of iron and of its working, one of whom, Chrysor, practised words and incantations and divinations; and this was Hephaestus, and he also discovered the hook and bait and line and raft, and was the first of all men to sail; wherefore they also revered him as a god after his death.

καλεῖσθαι δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ Δία μειλίχιον· οἶ δὲ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοίχους φασὶν ἐπινοῆσαι ἐκ πλίνθων. μετὰ ταῦτ’ ἐκ τοῦ γένους τούτων γενέσθαι νεανίας δύο, καλεῖσθαι δὲ αὐτῶν τὸν μὲν Τεχνίτην, τὸν δὲ Γήινον αὐτόχθονα οὗτοι ἐπενόησαν τῷ πηλῷ τῆς πλίνθου συμμιγνύειν φορυτὸν καὶ τῷ ἡλίῳ αὐτὰς τερσαίνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ στέγας ἐξεῦρον. ἀπὸ τούτων ἐγένοντο ἕτεροι, ὧν ὁ μὲν Ἀλρὸς ἐκαλεῖτο, ὁ δὲ Ἀγρούηρος ἢ Ἀγρότης, οὗ καὶ ξόανον εἷναι μάλα σεβάσμιον καὶ ναὸν ζυγοφορούμενον ἐν Φοινίκῃ· παρὰ δὲ Βυβλίοις ἐξαιρέτως θεῶν ὁ μέγιστος ὀνομάζεται.

He was also called Zeus Meilichius; and some say that his brothers devised walls of brick. After this, from their race were born two youths, one called Technites [Craftsman], the other Geinus Autochthon [Earthly Native]. These devised mixing chaff with the clay of bricks and drying them in the sun, and they also invented roofs. From them were born others, one of whom was called Agrus, the other Agrueros or Agrotes, who has a much-revered wooden image and a shrine drawn by yoked [beasts] in Phoenicia; and among the people of Byblos he is called, above all, the greatest of the gods.

ἀπὸ Μισὼρ Τάαυτος, ὃς εὗρε τὴν τῶν πρώτων στοιχείων γραφήν· ὃν Αἰγύπτιοι μὲν Θωὺθ, Ἀλεξανδρεῖς δὲ Θὼθ, Ἓλληνες δὲ Ἑρμῆν ἐκάλεσαν. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Συδὺκ Διόσκουροι, ἢ Κάβειροι, ἢ Κορύβαντες, ἢ Σαμοθρᾷκες. οὗτοι φησὶ) πρῶτοι πλοῖον εὗρον. ἐκ τούτων γεγόνασιν ἕτεροι, οἳ καὶ βοτάνας εὗρον καὶ τὴν τῶν δακετῶν ἴασιν καὶ ἐπῳδάς. κατὰ τούτους γίνεταί τις Ἐλιοῦν καλούμενος Ὕψιστος, καὶ Θήλεια λεγομένη Βηρούθ· οἱ καὶ κατῴκουν περὶ Βύβλον.

From Misor [was born] Taautus, who discovered the writing of the first letters; the Egyptians called him Thouth, the Alexandrians Thoth, and the Greeks Hermes. From Sydyk [were born] the Dioscuri, or Cabiri, or Corybantes, or Samothracians. These (he says) were the first to discover the ship. From them were born others, who discovered herbs, and the cure of [the bites of] venomous creatures, and incantations. In their time there is born a certain Elioun, called the Most High, and a female called Berouth; and they dwelt around Byblos.

ἐξ ὧν γεννᾶται Ἐπίγειος αὐτόχθων, ὃν ὕστερον ἐκάλεσαν Οὐρανόν· ὡς ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς στοιχεῖον δι’ ὑπερβολὴν τοῦ κάλλους ὀνομάζειν οὐρανόν. γεννᾶται δὲ τούτῳ ἀδελφὴ ἐκ τῶν προειρημένων, ἣ καὶ ἐκλήθη Γῆ. καὶ διὰ τὸ κάλλος αὐτῆς φησὶν) ἐκάλεσαν τὴν ὁμώνυμον γῆν. ὁ δὲ τούτων πατὴρ ὁ Ὕψιστος ἐν συμβολῇ θηρίων τελευτήσας ἀφιερώθη, ᾧ χοὰς καὶ θυσίας οἱ παῖδες ἐτέλεσαν.

From them is born Epigeius, a son of the soil, whom they later called Uranus [Heaven]; so that from him they also name the element above us heaven, on account of [his] surpassing beauty. And a sister is born to him from the aforementioned [parents], who was called Ge [Earth]; and because of her beauty (he says) they gave the earth the same name. Their father, the Most High, having died in an encounter with wild beasts, was consecrated, and his children performed libations and sacrifices to him.

παραλαβὼν δὲ ὁ Οὐρανὸς τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ἀρχὴν ἄγεται πρὸς γάμον τὴν ἀδελφὴν Γῆν, καὶ ποιεῖται ἐξ αὐτῆς παῖδας τέσσαρας, Ἦλον, τὸν καὶ Κρόνον, καὶ Βαίτυλον καὶ Δαγὼν, ὅς ἐστι Σιτὼν, καὶ Ἂτλαντα. καὶ ἐξ ἄλλων δὲ γαμετῶν ὁ Οὐρανὸς πολλὴν ἔσχε γενεάν. διὸ χαλεπαίνουσα ἡ Γῆ τὸν Οὐρανὸν ζηλοτυποῦσα ἐκάκιζεν, ὡς καὶ διαστῆναι ἀλλήλω.

Uranus, having taken over his father's rule, takes his sister Ge in marriage, and has by her four children: Elus, who is also Cronus, and Baetylus, and Dagon, who is Siton [Grain], and Atlas. And from other wives too Uranus had numerous offspring. For this reason Ge, angered and jealous, reviled Uranus, so that they even parted from each other.

ὁ δὲ Οὐρανὸς ἀποχωρήσας αὐτῆς, μετὰ βίας ὅτε καὶ ἐβούλετο ἐπιὼν καὶ πλησιάζων αὐτῇ, πάλιν ἀπηλλάττετο· ἐπεχείρει δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς παῖδας διαφθείρειν· τὴν δὲ Γῆν ἀμύνασθαι πολλάκις, συμμαχίαν αὐτῇ συλλεξαμένην· εἰς ἄνδρας δὲ προελθὼν ὁ Κρόνος Ἑρμῇ τῷ τρισμεγίστῳ συμβούλῳ καὶ βοηθῷ χρώμενος, οὕτος γὰρ ἣν αὐτῷ γραμμα- τεὺς, τὸν πατέρα Οὐρανὸν ἀμύνεται, τιμωρῶν τῇ μητρί.

Uranus, having left her, would come upon her by force whenever he wished and lie with her, and then go off again; he also attempted to destroy the children he had by her; and Ge often defended herself, having gathered allies for herself. But Cronus, having reached manhood, and using Hermes Trismegistus as counsellor and helper (for he was his secretary), repels his father Uranus, avenging his mother.

Κρόνῳ δὲ γίνονται παῖδες Περσεφόνη καὶ Ἀθηνᾶ. ἡ μὲν οὖν πρώτη παρθένος ἐτελεύτα, τῆς δὲ Ἀθηνᾶς γνώμῃ καὶ Ἑρμοῦ κατεσκεύασε Κρόνος ἐκ σιδήρου ἅρπην καὶ δόρυ. εἶτα ὁ Ἑρμῆς τοῖς τοῦ Κρόνου συμμάχοις λόγους μαγείας διαλεχθεὶς πόθον ἐνεποίησε τῆς κατὰ τοῦ Οὐρανοῦ μάχης ὑπὲρ τῆς Γῆς. καὶ οὕτω Κρόνος τὸν Οὐρανὸν πολέμῳ συμβαλὼν τῆς ἀρχῆς ἤλασε καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν διεδέξατο. ἑάλω δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ μάχῃ ἡ ἐπέραστος τοῦ Οὐρανοῦ σύγκοιτος ἐγκύμων οὖσα, ἣν ἐκδίδωσιν ὁ Κρόνος Δαγῶνι πρὸς γάμον.

To Cronus are born children, Persephone and Athena. The first died a virgin; and on the advice of Athena and Hermes, Cronus made a sickle and a spear of iron. Then Hermes, speaking words of magic to Cronus's allies, filled them with longing for battle against Uranus on behalf of Ge. And so Cronus, engaging Uranus in war, drove him from his rule and succeeded to the kingship. In the battle there was captured also the beloved concubine of Uranus, who was pregnant; and Cronus gives her in marriage to Dagon.

τίκτει δὲ τούτῳ ὃ κατὰ γαστρὸς ἐξ Οὐρανοῦ ἔφερεν, ὅ καὶ ἐκάεσε Δημαροῦν. ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ Κρόνος τεῖχος περιβάλει τῇ ἑαυτοῦ οἰκήσει, καὶ πόλιν πρώτην κτίζει τὴν ἐπὶ Φοινίκης Βύβλον.

And she bears to him the child she carried in her womb by Uranus, and she called it Demarus. After this Cronus throws a wall around his own dwelling, and founds the first city, Byblos in Phoenicia.

μετὰ ταῦτα τὸν ἀδελὸ τὸν ἴδιον Ἄτλαντα ὑπονοήσας ὁ Κρόνος μετὰ γνώμης τοῦ Ἑρμοῦ εἰς βάθος γῆς ἐμβαλὼν κατέχωσε κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον οἶ ἀπὸ τῶν Διοσκούρων σχεδίας καὶ πλοῖα συνθέντες ἒπλευσαν, καὶ ἐκριφέντες περὶ τὸ Κάσσιον ὅρος ναὸν αὐτόθι ἀφιέρωσαν. οἱ δὲ σύμμαχοι Ἣλου τοῦ Κρόνου Ἐλωεὶμ ἐπεκλήθησαν, ὡς ἂν Κρόνιοι οὗτοι ἦσαν οἶ λεγόμενοι ἐπὶ Κρόνου,

After this Cronus, having come to suspect his own brother Atlas, on the advice of Hermes cast him into the depths of the earth and buried him. At this time the descendants of the Dioscuri, having put together rafts and ships, set sail, and being cast ashore near Mount Casius they dedicated a temple there. And the allies of Elus, that is Cronus, were called Eloeim, as these would be the Cronians, those named after Cronus,

χρόνου δὲ προἰ·όντος Οὐρανὸς ἐν φυγῇ τυγχάνων θυγατέρα αὐτοῦ παρθένον Ἀστάρτην μεθ’ ἑτέρων ἀδελφῶν αὐτῆς δύο, Ῥέας καὶ Διώνης, δόλῳ τὸν Κρόνον ἀνελεῖν ὑπομέμπει· ἃς καὶ ἑλὼν ὁ Κρόνος κουριδίας γαμετὰς ἀδελφὰς οὔσας ἐποιήσατο.

As time went on, Uranus, being in exile, secretly sends his virgin daughter Astarte, with two other sisters of hers, Rhea and Dione, to kill Cronus by guile; but Cronus captured them and made them his wedded wives, though they were his sisters.

γνοὺς δὲ Οὐρανὸς ἐπιστρατεύει κατὰ τοῦ Κρόνου Εἱμαρμένην καὶ Ὥραν μεθ’ ἑτέρων συμμάχων, καὶ ταύτας ἐξοικειωσάμενος ὁ Κρόνος παρ’ ἑαυτῷ κατέσχεν. ἔτι δὲ φησὶν) ἐπενόησε θεὸς Οὐρανὸς βαιτύλια, λίθους ἐμψύχους μηχανησάμενος. Κρόνῳ δὲ ἐγένοντο ἀπὸ Ἀστάρης θυγατέρες ἑπτὰ Τιτανίδες ἢ Αρτέμιδες.

When Uranus learned of this, he sent Heimarmene [Destiny] and Hora [Season] with other allies to make war on Cronus; and Cronus won these over too and kept them with him. Further (he says), the god Uranus devised baitylia, contriving stones endowed with life. And to Cronus were born from Astarte seven daughters, Titanides or Artemides.

καὶ πάλιν τῷ αὐτῷ γίνονται ἀπὸ Ῥέας παῖδες ἑπτὰ, ὧν ὁ νεώτατος ἅμα τῇ γενέσει ἀφιερώθη· καὶ ἀπὸ Διώνης θήλειαι, καὶ ἀπὸ Ἀστάρτης πάλιν ἂρρενες δύο, Πόθος καὶ Ἒρως.

And again to the same were born from Rhea seven children, of whom the youngest was consecrated at his very birth; and from Dione daughters; and from Astarte again two sons, Pothos [Longing] and Eros [Love].

ὁ δὲ Δαγὼν, ἐπειδὴ εὗρε σῖτον καὶ ἄροτρον, ἐκλήθη Ζεὺς Ἀρότρις. Συδύκῳ δὲ, τῷ λεγομένῳ δικαίῳ, μία τῶν Τιτανίδων συνελθοῦσα γεννᾷ τὸν Ἀσκληπιόν.

Dagon, since he discovered grain and the plough, was called Zeus Arotrius [of the Plough]. And one of the Titanides, uniting with Sydyk, who is called the Just, bears Asclepius.

ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Πόντου γίνεται Σιδῶν, ἣ καθ’ ὑπερβολὴν εὐφωνίας πρώτη ὕμνον ᾠδῆς εὗρε, κα; Ποσειδῶν. τῷ δὲ Δημαροῦντι γίνεται Μέλκαθρος, ὁ καὶ Ἡρακλῆς.

From Pontus is born Sidon, who by the surpassing sweetness of her voice was the first to discover the sung hymn; and Poseidon. And to Demarus is born Melcathrus, who is also Heracles.

εἶτα πάλιν Οὐρανὸς πολεμεῖ Πόντῳ, καὶ ἀποστὰς Δημαροῦντι προστίθεται , ἔπεισί τε Πόντῳ ὁ Δημαροῦς, τροποῦταί τε αὐτὸν ὁ Πόντος, ὁ δὲ Δημαροῦς φυγῆς θυσίαν ηὔξατο.

Then again Uranus makes war on Pontus, and, revolting, attaches himself to Demarus; and Demarus attacks Pontus, and Pontus puts him to flight; and Demarus vowed a sacrifice for his escape.

ἔτει δὲ τριακοστῷ δευτέρῳ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κρατήσεως καὶ βασιλείας ὁ Ἦλος, τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν ὁ Κρόνος, Οὐρανὸν τὸν πατέρα λοχήσας ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ μεσογείῳ καὶ λαβὼν ὑποχείριον ἐκτέμνει αὐτοῦ τὰ αἰδοῖα, σύνεγγυς πηγῶν τε καὶ ποταμῶν. ἔνθα ἀφιερώθη Οὐρανὸς, καὶ ἀπηρτίσθη αὐτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα, καὶ ἀπέσταξεν αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα τῶν αἰδοίων εἰς τὰς πηγὰς καὶ τῶν ποταμῶν τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ μέχρι τούτου δείκνυται τὸ χωρίον.”

In the thirty-second year of his power and kingship, Elus, that is Cronus, ambushed his father Uranus in a certain inland place, and having got him into his hands cuts off his genitals, near springs and rivers. There Uranus was consecrated, and his breath came to an end, and the blood of his genitals dripped into the springs and the waters of the rivers; and the place is shown to this day.”

“Ἀστάρτη δὲ ἡ μεγίστη καὶ Ζεὺς Δημαροῦς καὶ Ἄδωδος βασιλεὺς θεῶν ἐβασίλευον τῆς χώρας Κρόνου γνώμῃ. ἡ δὲ Ἀστάρτη ἐπέθηκε τῇ ἰδίᾳ κεφαλῇ βασιλείας παράσημον κεφαλὴν ταύρου· περινοστοῦσα δὲ τὴν οἰκουμένην εὗρεν ἀεροπετῆ ἀστέρα, ὃν καὶ ἀνελομένη ἐν Τύρῳ τῇ ἁγίᾳ νήσῳ ἀφιέρωσε.

“Astarte the greatest, and Zeus Demarus, and Adodus king of gods, reigned over the land with the consent of Cronus. Astarte set on her own head the head of a bull as an emblem of kingship; and travelling about the inhabited world she found a star that had fallen through the air, and she took it up and consecrated it in Tyre, the holy island.

τὴν δὲ Ἀστάρτην Φοίνικες τὴν Ἀφροδίτην εἶναι λέγουσι. καὶ ὁ Κρόνος δὲ περιιὼν τὴν οἰκουμένην Ἀθηνᾷ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ θυγατρὶ δίδωσι τῆς Ἄττικῆς τὴν βασιλείαν.

Astarte, the Phoenicians say, is Aphrodite. And Cronus, going about the inhabited world, gives his daughter Athena the kingship of Attica.

καὶ μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ ἕτερον αὐτοῦ παῖδα ἀπὸ ῾Ρέας ὀνομαζό- μένον Μοὐθ ἀποθανόντα ἀφιεροῖ. Θάνατον δὲ καὶ Πλούτωνα Φοίνικες ὀνομάζουσι.

And not long after he consecrates another son of his by Rhea, named Muth, who had died; the Phoenicians call him Death and Pluto.

καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ Κρόνος Βύβλον μὲν τὴν πόλιν θεᾷ Βααλτίδι, τῇ καὶ Διώνῃ, δίδωσι, Βηρυτὸν δὲ Ποσειδῶνι καὶ Καβείροις Ἀγρόταις τε καὶ Ἁλιεῦσιν, οἱ καὶ τὰ τοῦ Πόντου λείψανα εἰς τὴν Βηρυτὸν ἀφιέρωσαν.

And after this Cronus gives the city of Byblos to the goddess Baaltis, who is also Dione, and Berytus to Poseidon and to the Cabiri, the Husbandmen and the Fishers, who also consecrated the remains of Pontus at Berytus.

ἐλθὼν δὲ ὁ Κρόνος εἰς νότου χώραν ἅπασαν τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἔδωκε θεῷ Ταυθῷ, ὅπως βασίλειον αὐτῷ γένηται. ταῦτα δὲ (φησὶ) πρῶτοι πάντων ὑπεμνηματίσαντο οἶ ἑπτὰ παῖδες Κάβειροι, καὶ ὁ ἴδιος αὐτῶν ἀδελφὸς Ἀσκληπιὸς, ὡς αὐτοῖς ἐνετείλατο θεὸς Ταυθός.

And Cronus, having come to the land of the south, gave all Egypt to the god Tauthus, to be his kingdom. These things (he says) were recorded first of all by the seven sons, the Cabiri, and their own brother Asclepius, as the god Tauthus commanded them.

‟Ἔθος ἔθος ἦν τοῖς παλαιοῖς ἐν ταῖς μεγάλαις συμφοραῖς τῶν κινδύνων ἀντὶ τῆς πάντων φθορᾶς τὸ ἠγαπημένον τῶν τέκνων τοὺς κρατοῦντας ἢ πόλεως ἢ ἔθνους εἰς σφαγὴν ἐπιδιδόναι, λύτρον τοῖς τιμωροῖς δαίμοσι· κατεσφάττοντο δὲ οἱ διδόμενοι μυστικῶς. Κρόνος τοίνυν, ὃν οἱ Φοίνικες Ἠλον προσαγορεύουσι, βασιλεύων τῆς χώρας, καὶ ὕστερον μετὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου τελευτὴν εἰς τὸν τοῦ Κρόνου ἀστέρα καθιερωθεὶς , ἐξ ἐπιχωρίας νύμφης Ἀνωβρὲτ λεγομένης υἱὸν ἔχων μονογενῆ, ὃν διὰ τοῦτο Ἰεδοὺδ ἐκάλουν, τοῦ μονογενοῦς οὕτως ἔτι καὶ νῦν καλουμένου παρὰ τοῖς Φοίνιξι) κινδύνων ἐκ πολέμου μεγίστων κατειληφότων τὴν χώραν, βασιλικῷ κοσμήσας σχήματι τὸν υἱὸν βωμόν τε κατασκευάσας ἄσμενος κατέθυσεν. "

“It was the custom among the ancients, in great calamities and dangers, that instead of the destruction of all, those who ruled a city or a nation gave up the best-loved of their children for slaughter, as a ransom to the avenging daimones [divine powers]; and those who were given up were slaughtered with mystic rites. Cronus, then, whom the Phoenicians call Elus, being king of the land, and afterwards, at the end of his life, consecrated to the star of Cronus, had by a nymph of the country called Anobret an only son, whom for this reason they called Ieoud (the only son is still so called even now among the Phoenicians); and when the greatest dangers from war had seized the land, he adorned his son in royal dress, prepared an altar, and sacrificed him gladly.”

‟ Τὴν μὲν οὖν τοῦ δράκοντος φύσιν καὶ τῶν ὄφενω αὐτὸς ἐξεθείασεν ὁ Ταυθὸς, καὶ μετ’ αὐτὸν αὖθις Φοίνικές τε καὶ Αἰγύπτιοι· πνευματικώτατον γὰρ τὸ ζῷον πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν καὶ πυρῶδες ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ παρεδόθη· παρ’ ὃ καὶ τάχος ἀνυπέρβλητον διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος παρίστησι , χωρὶς ποδῶν τε καὶ χειρῶν ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν ἔκτοσθεν, δι’ ὧν τὰ λοιπὰ ζῷα τὰς κινήσεις ποιεῖται· καὶ ποικίλων σχημάτων τύπους ἀποτελεῖ, καὶ κατὰ τὴν πορείαν ἑλικοειδεῖς ἔχει τὰς ὁρμὰς ἐφ’ ὃ βούλεται τάχος.

“Now the nature of the dragon and of serpents Tauthus himself deified, and after him the Phoenicians and Egyptians in turn; for he handed down that this creature is the most full of breath of all creeping things, and fiery; for which reason it also shows an unsurpassable speed by means of its breath, without feet or hands or any other external [members] by which the other animals make their movements; and it forms the shapes of varied figures, and as it goes it makes its darts in coils, at whatever speed it wishes.

καὶ Ζωροάστρης δὲ ὁ μάγος ἐν τῇ ἱερᾷ συναγωγῇ τῶν Περσικῶν φησι κατὰ λέξιν ῾ ὁ δὲ θεός ἐστι κεφαλὴν ἔχων ἱέρακος. οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πρῶτος ἄφθαρτος, ἀίδιος, ἀγένητος, ἀμερὴς, ἀνομοιότατος, ἡνίοχος παντὸς καλοῦ, ἀδωροδόκητος , ἀγαθῶν ἀγαθώτατος, φρονίμων φρονιμώτατος · ἔστι δὲ καὶ πατὴρ εὐνομίας καὶ δικαιοσύνης, αὐτοδίδακτος , φυσικὸς, καὶ τέλειος, καὶ σοφὸς, καὶ ἱεροῦ φυσικοῦ μόνος εὑρετής.᾿ τὰ δ’ αὐτὰ καὶ Ὀστάνης φησὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐπιγραφομένῃ Ὀκτατεύχῳ."

And Zoroaster the Magus, in the Sacred Collection of Persian [records], says word for word: ‘The god is he who has the head of a hawk. He is the first, incorruptible, everlasting, unbegotten, without parts, most unlike [all else], charioteer of everything good, not to be bribed, best of the good, wisest of the wise; he is also father of good order and justice, self-taught, natural, and perfect, and wise, and sole discoverer of the sacred [science] of nature.’ Ostanes too says the same about him in the [book] entitled Octateuch.”

ἄλλος μὲν οὖν τάχα ἂν ἴσως τὸν περὶ τούτων ἐφοδεύων λόγον πλάνην εἶναι τὸ πᾶν καὶ γοήτων ἀνδρῶν τεχνάσματά τε καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίας ὑπεστήσατο, καθόλου περιγράφων τὴν δόξαν, ὡς μὴ ὅτι θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ πονηροῦ δαίμονος εἶναι νομίζειν τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ θρυλούμενα. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ποιήματα καὶ τὰς τῶν χρησμῶν συνθέσεις οὐκ ἀφυῶν ἀνδρῶν, εὖ μάλα δὲ πρὸς ἀπάτην ἐσκευωρημένων πλάσματα τυγχάνειν, μέσῳ καὶ ἀμφιβόλῳ συγκείμενα τρόπῳ, πρὸς ἑκάτερά τε τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως προσδοκωμένων οὐκ ἀφυῶς ἐφαρμόζειν· τὰ δὲ τὸν πολὺν ἀπατῶντα διά τινων τερατειῶν θαύματα φυσικαῖς αἰτίαις ἀνῆφθαι.

Another, perhaps, going through the account of these things, might well suppose the whole to be deception, the contrivances and knavery of sorcerers, dismissing the belief altogether, so as to think that what is noised abroad about it belongs not to a god, nor even to an evil demon. For [he would say] the verses and the compositions of the oracles are fictions of men not without talent, and very well devised for deceit, framed in a middle and ambiguous manner, and fitted not unskilfully to either of the outcomes expected; and the marvels that deceive the multitude by certain prodigies depend on natural causes.

ὃ δὴ καὶ μάλιστα θρυ- λοῦντας ἂν ἴδοις καὶ στήλαις ἐγχαράττοντας καὶ παν- ταχόσε γῆς βοῶντας, ὅτι μὲν, εἰ τύχοι, τοσοίδε τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀπεσφάλησαν , μηδαμῆ μηδενὸς ἐθέλοντας μνημονεύειν, ὅτι δὲ τῷδε ἀπὸ μυρίων συνέτυχέ τι τῶν χρησθέντων ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφέροντας· ὡς εἴ τις καὶ ἐπὶ δύο λαγχάνουσιν ἀπὸ μυρίων, εἰ ἄρα ποτὲ εἰς ἅπαξ αὐτοὺς κατὰ τῶν αὐτῶν συμπεσεῖν ἔτυχε, θαυμάζοι ὡς κατὰ μαντείαν χαἲ πρόγνωσιν ἔνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀμφοτέροις συνέβη περιελθεῖν ἀριθμόν.

And this, indeed, is what you would see them harping on most of all, engraving on pillars and proclaiming to every part of the earth: that so many in number, it may be, were disappointed, they are quite unwilling ever to mention, but that for this one man out of ten thousand some one of the oracles came true, they carry up and down; just as if, when two people draw lots out of ten thousand, and it happened that just once they both fell on the same, someone should marvel that by divination and foreknowledge one and the same number had chanced to come round to both.

καὶ πάλιν ἀλλ’ οἱ μὲν καθύπερθε μετήοροι Οὐρανίωνες σπερχόμενοι κούφαισι μεθ’ Ἁρπυίαισι φέρονται ·ῥίμφα δὲ θειοδάμοισιν ἐπημύσαντες ἀνάγκαις εἰς χθόν’ ἐπειγόμενοι Δηώϊον ἀίσσουσι,θνητοῖς ἐσσομένων ὑποφήτορες. καὶ πάλιν ἄλλος ἀναγκαζόμενος ἔφη κλῦθί μευ οὐκ ἐθέλοντος, ἐπεί μ’ ἐπέδησας ἀνάγκῃ.

And again: ‘But the Heavenly Ones, aloft on high, are borne along in haste with the light Harpies; and swiftly, bowing beneath god-compelling constraints, they speed, hurrying to the earth of Deo, interpreters to mortals of what is to come.’ And again another, under compulsion, said: ‘Hear me, unwilling as I am, since you have bound me with compulsion.’

οὗτος ἔφη ποτὲ πλέων εἰς Ἰταλίαν ἐπιβῆναι νεὼς ἐμπορικὰ χρήματα καὶ συχνοὺς ἐπιβάτας ἀγούσης· ἐσπέρας δ᾿ ἤδη περὶ τὰς Ἐχινάδας νήσους ἀποσβῆναι τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ τὴν ναῦν διαφερομένην πλησίον γενέσθαι Παξῶν· ἐγρηγορέναι δὲ τοὺς πλείστους καὶ πίνειν, ἐπεὶ δεδειπνηκότες ἦσαν· ἐξαίφνης δὲ φωνῆς ἀπὸ τῆς νήσου τῶν Παξῶν ἀκουσθῆναι, Θαμνοῦν τινὸς βοῇ καλοῦντος, ὥστε θαυμάζειν· ὁ γὰρ Θαμνοῦς Αἰγύπτιος ἦν κυβερνήτης, οὐδὲ τῶν ἐμπλεόντων γνώριμος πολλοῖς ἀπ᾿ ὀνόματος. δὶς μὲν οὖν κληθέντα σιωπῆσαι, τὸ δὲ τρίτον ὑπακοῦσαι τῷ καλοῦντι, κἀκεῖνον ἐπιτείναντα τὴν φωνὴν εἰπεῖν, ὁπόταν γένῃ κατὰ τὸ Παλῶδες, ἀπάγγειλον ὅτι Πὰν ὁ μέγας τέθνηκεν.

He said that once, sailing to Italy, he boarded a ship carrying merchandise and a good many passengers; that in the evening, when they were already near the Echinades islands, the wind died, and the ship, drifting, came near Paxi; that most of them were awake and drinking, since they had dined; and that suddenly a voice was heard from the island of Paxi, someone loudly calling for Thamus, so that they were amazed; for Thamus was an Egyptian pilot, not known by name even to many of those on board. Twice he was called and kept silent, but the third time he answered the caller, and the caller, raising his voice, said: “When you come opposite Palodes, announce that Great Pan is dead.”

τοῦτο ἀκούσαντας ὁ Ἐπιθέρσης ἔφη πάντας ἐκπλαγῆναι, καὶ διδόντας ἑαυτοῖς λόγον, εἴτε ποιῆσαι βέλ- τίον εἴη τὸ προστεταγμένον, εἴτε μὴ πολυπραγμονεῖν, ἀλλ’ ἐὰν, οὕτω γνῶναι τὸν Θαμνοῦν, εἰ μὲν εἴη πνεῦμα, παραπλεῖν ἡσυχίαν ἔχοντα, νηνεμίας δὲ καὶ γαλήνης περὶ τὸν τόπον γενομένης ἀνειπεῖν ἃ ἤκουσεν.

Epitherses said that on hearing this they were all astounded, and as they debated among themselves whether it was better to do what had been ordered or not to meddle but to let it be, Thamus decided thus: if there was a wind, to sail past and keep quiet, but if there was a lull and calm about the place, to proclaim what he had heard.

ὡς οὖν ἐγένετο κατὰ τὸ Παλῶδες, οὔτε πνεύματος ὄντος οὔτε κλύδωνος, ἐκ πρύμνης βλέποντα τὸν Θαμονῦν πρὸς τὴν γῆν εἰπεῖν, ὥσπερ ἤκουσεν, ὅτι Πὰν ὁ μέγας τέθνηκεν, οὐ φθῆναι δὲ παυσάμενον αὐτὸν, καὶ γενέσθαι μέγαν οὐχ ἑνὸς, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν στεναγμὸν, ἅμα θαυμασμῷ μεμιγμένον.

So when he came opposite Palodes, there being neither wind nor swell, Thamus, looking from the stern towards the land, said, just as he had heard it, “Great Pan is dead”; and he had not yet finished when there arose a great groaning, not of one but of many, mingled with amazement.

οἶα δὲ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων παρόντων ταχὺ τὸν λόγον ἐν τῇ Ρώμῃ σκεδασθῆναι καὶ Θαμνοῦν γενέσθαι μετάπεμπτον ὑπὸ Τιβερίου Καίσαρος · οὕτω δὲ πιστεῦσαι τῷ λόγῳ τὸν Τιβέριον ὥστε διαπυνθάνεσθαι καὶ ζητεῖν περὶ τοῦ Πανός· εἰκάζειν δὲ τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν φιλολόγους συχνοὺς ὄντας τὸν ἐξ Ἑρμοῦ καὶ Πηνελόπης γεγενημένον.

And since many people had been present, the story was quickly spread about in Rome, and Thamus was sent for by Tiberius Caesar; and Tiberius so far believed the story that he made inquiries and searched into the matter of Pan; and the scholars around him, who were numerous, conjectured [that he was] the one born of Hermes and Penelope.

ὁ μὲν οὑν Φίλιππος εἶχε τῶν παρόντων ἐνίους μάρτυρας, Αἰμιλιανοῦ τοῦ γέροντος ἀκηκοότας ὁ δὲ Δημήτριος ἔφη τῶν περὶ τὴν Βρεττανίαν νήσων εἶναι πολλὰς ἐρήμους σποράδας , ὧν ἐνίας δαιμόνων καὶ ἡρώων ὀνομάζεσθαι · πλεῦσαι δὲ αὐτὸς ἱστορίας καὶ θέας ἕνεκα πομπῇ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τὴν ἔγγιστα κειμένην τῶν ἐρήμων, ἔχουσαν οὐ πολ- λοὺς ἐποικοῦντας, ἱεροὺς δὲ καὶ ἀσύλους πάντας ὑπὸ τῶν Βρεττανῶν ὄντας.

Now Philip had some of those present as witnesses, men who had heard [it] from the old man Aemilianus. And Demetrius said that among the islands around Britain there are many deserted ones, scattered about, some of which are named after daimones [spirits] and heroes; and that he himself, for the sake of inquiry and sightseeing, sailed on a mission from the emperor to the nearest of the deserted ones, which had only a few inhabitants, all of them held by the Britons to be sacred and inviolable.

ἀφιγμένου δὲ αὐτοῦ νεωστὶ στὶ σύγχυσιν μεγάλην περὶ τὸν ἀέρα καὶ διοσημίας πολλὰς γενέσθαι, καὶ πνεύματα καταρραγῆναι, καὶ πεσεῖν πρηστῆρας. ἐπεὶ δ’ ἐλώφησε, λέγειν τοὺς νησιώτας ὅτι τῶν κρειττόνων τινὸς ἔκλειψις γέγονεν · ὡς γὰρ λύχνος ἀναπτόμενος, φάναι, δεινὸν οὐδὲν ἔχει, σβεννύμενος δὲ πολλοῖς λυπηρός ἐστιν, οὕτως αἶ μεγάλαι ψυχαὶ τὰς μὲν ἀναλάμψεις εὐμενεῖς καὶ ἀλύπους ἔχουσιν, αἱ δὲ σβέσεις αὐτῶν καὶ φθοραὶ πολλάκις μὲν, ὡς νῦν, πνεύματα καὶ χαλάζας τρέφουσι, πολλάκις δὲ λοιμικοῖς πάθεσι τὸν ἀέρα φαρμάττουσιν.

Soon after he arrived there was a great turmoil in the air and many portents, and winds burst down and fiery whirlwinds fell. When it abated, the islanders said that one of the mightier beings had passed away; “for as a lamp,” they said, “has nothing dreadful about it while it burns, but when it is put out is distressing to many, so the great souls have kindlings that are gentle and harmless, but their extinctions and perishings often, as now, breed winds and hailstorms, and often poison the air with pestilential afflictions.”

ἐκεῖ μέντοι μίαν εἶναι νῆσον, ἐν ᾗ τὸν Κρόνον καθεῖρχθαι φρουρούμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ Βριάρεω καθεύδοντα· δεσμὸν γὰρ αὐτῷ τὸν ὕπνον μεμηχανῆσθαι· πολλοὺς δὲ περὶ αὐτὸν εἶναι δαίμονας ὀπαδοὺς καὶ θεράποντας.”

There is, however, one island there in which Cronus is imprisoned, guarded by Briareus as he sleeps; for sleep has been contrived as his bond; and around him there are many daimones as his attendants and servants.”

Τοσαῦτα ὁ Πλούταρχος. ἐπιτηρῆσαι δὲ ἄξιον τὸν καιρὸν ἐν ᾧ φησι τὸν θάνατον γεγονέναι τοῦ δαίμονος. οὗτος δὲ ἦν ὁ κατὰ Τιβέριον καθ᾿ ὃν ὁ ἡμέτερος σωτὴρ τὰς σὺν ἀνθρώποις ποιούμενος διατριβὰς πᾶν γένος δαιμόνων ἐξελαύνειν τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀναγέγραπται βίου· ὥστε ἤδη τινὰς τῶν δαιμόνων γονυπετεῖν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἱκετεύειν μὴ τῷ περιμένοντι αὐτοὺς Ταρτάρῳ παραδοῦναι.

So much from Plutarch. But it is worth noting the time at which he says the death of the daimōn took place. This was the time of Tiberius, in which our Saviour, while he lived among men, is recorded to have driven every kind of daimones out of human life; so that already some of the daimones fell on their knees before him and begged him not to hand them over to the Tartarus that awaited them.

“ Μεθ’ ὃν ἄλλοι τε ἦρξαν καὶ Σείσιθρος, ᾧ δὴ Κρόνος προσημαίνει μὲν ἔσεσθαι πλῆθος ὄμβρων Δεσίου πέμπτῃ ἐπὶ δέκα, κελεύει δὲ πᾶν ὅ τι γραμμάτων ἦν ἐχόμενον ἐν Ἡλίου πόλει τῇ ἐν Σιππάροισιν ἀποκρύψαι.

“After him others ruled, and Sisithrus, to whom Cronus foretells that there will be a great quantity of rain on the fifteenth of Desius, and orders him to hide everything that had to do with writing in the City of the Sun at Sippara.

Σείσιθρος δὲ ταῦτα ἐπιτελέα ποιήσας εὐθέως ἐπ’ Ἀρμενίης ἀνέπλωε, καὶ παραυτίκα μιν κατελάμβανε τὰ ἐκ θεοῦ. τρίτῃ δὲ ἡμέρῃ ἐπεί τε ὕων ἐκόπασε, μετῄει τῶν ὀρνίθων πείρην ποιεύμενος , εἴ κου γῆν ἴδοιεν τοῦ ὕδατος ἐκδῦσαν.

Sisithrus, having carried this out, at once sailed off to Armenia, and straightway what came from the god overtook him. On the third day, when the rain had abated, he let out some of the birds, making trial whether they might see land anywhere risen out of the water.

ὡς δὲ τῇσι τρίτῃόιν εὐτύχεεν , ἀπίκατο γὰρ δὴ πηλοῦ κατάπλεοι τοὺς ταρσοὺς, θεοί μιν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀφα- νίζουσιν · τὸ δὲ πλοῖον ἐν Ἀρμενίῃ περίαπτα ξύλων ἀλεξιφάρμακα τοῖσιν ἐπιχωρίοισι παρείχετο.’’

And when he had success with the third, for they came back with their feet covered in mud, the gods make him vanish from among men; and the ship in Armenia supplied the people of the country with amulets of its wood, as charms against harm.”

“Ἐντὶ δ᾿ οἳ λέγουσι τοὺς πρώτους ἐκ γῆς ἀνασχόντας, ῥώμῃ τε καὶ μεγέθει χαυνωθέντας καὶ δὴ θεῶν καταφρονήσαντας ἀμείνονας εἶναι, τύρσιν ἠλίβατον ἀείρειν, ἵνα νῦν Βαβυλών ἐστιν· ἤδη τε ἆσσον εἶναι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ τοὺς ἀνέμους θεοῖσι βωθέοντας ἀνατρέψαι περὶ αὐτοῖσι τὸ μηχάνημα· τοῦ δὴ τὰ ἐρείπια λέγεσθαι Βαβυλῶνα. τέως δὲ ὄντας ὁμογλώσσους ἐκ θεῶν πολύθροον φωνὴν ἐνεί- κασθαι, μετὰ δὲ Κρόνῳ τε καὶ Τιτῆνι συστῆναι πόλεμον.

“There are those who say that the first men who sprang up out of the earth, made proud by their strength and size, and scorning the gods as though they were better, raised a lofty tower where Babylon now is; and they were already near heaven when the winds, coming to the help of the gods, overturned the structure upon them; and its ruins, they say, are called Babylon. Until then they had been of one tongue, but from the gods they received a speech of many sounds; and after this a war arose between Cronus and Titan.

μετὰ δὲ, λέγεται πρὸς Χαλδαίων, ὡς ἀναβὰς ἐπὶ τὰ βασιλήϊα κατασχεθείη θεῷ ὅτεῳ δὴ, φθεγξάμενος δὲ εἶπεν, οὗτος ἐγὼ Ναβουκοδρόσορος, ὦ Βαβυλώνιοι, τὴν μέλλουσαν ὑμῖν προαγγέλλω συμφορὴν, τὴν ὅ τε Βῆλος ἐμὸς πρόγονος ἥ τε βασίλεια Βῆλτις ἀποτρέψαι Μοίρας πεῖσαι ἀσθενοῦσιν.

And afterwards, it is said by the Chaldaeans, he went up onto his palace and was possessed by some god or other, and uttering aloud he said: ‘I, Nebuchadnezzar, here before you, O Babylonians, foretell to you the calamity that is coming, which Belus my forefather and queen Beltis are both too weak to persuade the Fates to turn aside.

“ Λέγεται Λέγεται δὲ πάντα μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὕδωρ εἶναι, θάλασσαν καλεομένην. Βῆλον δέ σφεα παῦσαι, χώρην ῥὴν ἑκάστῳ ἀπονείμαντα, καὶ Βαβυλῶνα τείχει περιβαλεῖν· τῷ χρόνῳ δὲ τῷ ἱκνευμένῳ ἀφανισθῆναι.

“It is said that in the beginning everything was water, called sea; and that Belus stopped them, assigning to each its own place, and surrounded Babylon with a wall; and in the course of time [the wall] vanished.