47 



r\0T to Saturn, as it was commonly believed that he was 

 dethroned by his son Jupiter ; though probably the tradition, 

 from whence he drew his account, ascribed the creation 

 to the command of Zeiis the true God, Jussit et ambitcB 

 circundare littora terrce, v. 37. Yet in Ovid's time, the name 

 Zeus was given to Jupiter; however, he ascribes it to a 

 God : he was also at a loss to account for the origin of 

 the human race, whether to attribute it to the Creator of 

 the world, or to the earth, still impregnated with celestial 

 particles, and formed into the shape of a man by the son of 

 Japetus. This last notion was more generally received by 

 the Greeks, as they looked on Japet or Japhet as the author 

 of their race, as he in truth was, though in a less absurd 

 manner. 



Thus far we are enabled to trace the Greek cosmogony, 

 as stated by their most ancient writers ; and absurd as it 

 evidently appears, particularly that stated by Hesiod, and 

 imperfect as is that given by Ovid, yet it is sufficiently plain 

 that both, and particularly that of the latter, sprung from 

 the true Mosaic tradition, mutilated, distorted, and dis- 

 figured. 



The subsequent part of the Greek mythology, compre- 

 hending their theogony and theurgy, as stated 'by Hesiod, 

 seems a confused medley of Phenician rhapsodies, related 

 by Sanchoniatho, and alluding to feigned antediluvian trans- 

 actions, and some other events Avhich seem postdiluvian : the 

 former transactions are rendered still more absurd by the 



poet. 



