248 BIOGRAPHY. 



CHAPTER I. 



EUCLASSIC BIOGRAPHY. 



IN the branch of Euclassic Biography, we include the lives of all 

 the distinguished persons of antiquity, who were known to the ancient 

 Greeks and Romans. It extends therefore to the Jews, Egyptians, 

 Assyrians, and Persians, who flourished before or during the Roman 

 conquest and dominion ; as well as to the Greeks and Romans them- 

 selves. Of the name Euclassic, we have already spoken, in the 

 preceding department, (p. 201). Euclassic Biography is necessarily 

 very imperfectly known to us ; owing to the remoteness of the period, 

 and the scantiness of the records, which have been preserved, in any 

 form, to the present day Enough however remains to prove that 

 human nature was essentially the same, in ancient times, as in our 

 own ; though influenced then by a less perfect system of society, 

 laws, and religion. The want of greater personal security, and the 

 comparative instability of states and governments in those times, 

 tended perhaps to produce more self-dependence, and more originality 

 of character, than is common at the present day ; though to this remark 

 we have frequent exceptions, especially in cases of great emergencies. 

 The spirit of the ancient heroes is now unemployed, or otherwise 

 occupied ; but by no means extinct. 



1. Of Jewish Biography, our principal records are the Bible, 

 and the writings of Josephus. The following is the series of Ante- 

 diluvian Patriarchs, with the dates of their birth and death, according 

 to the common chronology. Mam, 40043074 B. C. ; Seth, (or 

 Sheth), 38742962; Enos, (or Enoch), 37692864; Cainan, 

 (or Kenan), 36792769; Mahalaleel, (or Malaleel), 36092714; 

 Jared, (or Jered), 35442582 ; Enoch, (or Henoch), born 3382, 

 translated to heaven 3017; Methuselah, (or Mathusela), 3317 

 2348; Lantech, 31302353; and Noah, (or Noe), 29481998 

 B. C. Of Noah's three sons we have already spoken; (p. 201); 

 and we have farther room to continue the genealogy only down to 

 Jacob, as follows : She.m, (or Sem), 24461846 B. C.; Arphaxad, 

 23461908 ;* Salah, (or Shelah), 23111878 ; Eber, (or Heber 

 22811817; Peleg, (or Phalec), 22472008 ; Reu, (or Ragau 

 22171978; Serug, (or Saruch), 2185 1955; Nahor, (or Nachor 

 [1552007; Terah, (or Tharah), 2126 1922 ; Abraham, 1996 

 1821 ; Isaac, 18961716; and Jacob, 18361689 B. C. 



The twelve sons of Jacob, heads of the twelve tribes of Israel, we 

 have already named; (p. 140): and will only add that Joseph died 

 1635 B. C., aged 110 years. From Levi, through Kohath and 

 Amram, was descended Moses, the leader of the Israelites, and their 

 divinely appointed lawgiver and historian. Moses died 1452 B. C., 

 or, according to Hales, 1609 B. C. ; and his brother Aaron, the first 

 Jewish high-priest, died in the same year. Joshua, the successor of 



* The Septuagint mentions Cainan as next after Arphaxad ; but in the Hebrew 

 text his name is omitted. 



