On the Tkeogony. 39 



of the oriental branch of these nations, the researches of our countrymen, 

 commencing with the illustrious Sir W. Jones, have thrown the fullest 

 light. The scholars of the north have equally illustrated the Scandinavian 

 systems of the Edda and Voluspa ; and in another article of the present 

 number will be found an account of the deities of the Slavonian branch, by 

 one of our contributors, who has also published a well known work on 

 Egvptian Mythology.* The circumstance just mentioned will of course 

 properly prevent the present writer, as a brother contributor, from ex- 

 pressing any opinion on its merits ; but he trusts that he shall be excused 

 for freely availing himself of its researches. 



With regard to the Phoenician mythology, the most copious information 

 preserved to us is to be found in the extracts given by Ensebius, in the 

 first book of his "Evangelical Preparation," c. 10. from the compilation of 

 Philo Byblius, a writer of the time of Hadrian, professedly derived from 

 the works of Sanchoniathon, a Phoenician, anterior to the age of the Trojan 

 war. 



Many of the names of deities here given are clearly genuine Phoenician, 

 being evidently appellations of the Semitic class of languages, e. g. EXwei/i, 

 gods, D'nV« J EXtBv, the highest, p'bi> ; I,vck, the just, pTn ; Mto-op, easy to 

 be dissolved, IWD ; Mwr, death, \D^^0, &c. 



Pliilo Byblius has given us, professedly on Phoenician authority, a version 

 slightly modified, of most of the leading features of the earlier portions of 

 the Hesiodean Theogony, viz. the Titanian descendants of Ovpai'os and 

 Ft/, Heaven and Earth, including Kpovog, the Saturnus of the Romans ; 

 the rel)ellion of the latter against his father, and the peculiar nature of 

 the injuries he inflicted on him ; but in the subsequent portions the resem- 

 blance fails. The same deities are introduced, but under very different 

 relations. We may however occasionally suspect Philo Byblius himself of 

 a few accommodations, calculated to bring his Phoenician materials nearer 

 to a Grecian type. 



Another extract from a work of his concerning the Jews, in which he 

 gravely tells us that "Israel was the Phoenician name of him who, on his 

 apotlieosis, became identified with the planet Saturn, and who had an only 

 son named lead," is assuredly calculated to shake our confidence in his 

 fidelity and judgment. But although it be certain that Philo Byblius is entirely 

 incorrect in applying these notions to the origin of the Jews, it is neverthe- 

 less not improbable that he may have been led into error by an identity of 



planted a I'hucnician colony in Bneotia, and founded Thebes. He introduced the use 

 of IctterH ; and the Semitic names and forms of the Greek alphabet fully attest the 

 truth of this history. We cannot doubt but that he likewise introdued the Saturnian 

 worship of his own country. 



• The principal original authoritieB arc the 2nd book of Herodotus, the 1st book 

 of Diodorus Siculus, (entirely occupied by a very elaborate treatise on Egyptian 

 mythology,] and the treatise of Plutarch on Isis and Osiris. 



