ANCIENT HISTORY. 105 



XIII. America remaining undifcovered till 

 the beginning of the fifteenth century, the know- 

 ledge of its firft inhabitants cannot make any 

 part of ancient hiflory. For the reft, we muft 

 here obferve again, that as the fecond part of an- 

 cient hiftory, which is called profane, includes fo 

 many obfcurities and fables, which preceded the 

 real facts, Varro has divided time into three 

 parts. The firft comprehends obfcure and un- 

 certain time, which is, from the origin of the 

 human race to the deluge of Ogyges, about the 

 year of the world 2208 , 1796 years before the 

 common era, and 1020 before the firft Olym- 

 piad. The fecond includes the fabulous time, 

 and begins with the deluge of Ogyges, and con- 

 tinues to the Olympiads, that is, to the year of 

 the world 3228, and 776 before the common 

 era : this continued 1020 years. The third 

 comprehends the hiftoric time, and begins 

 with the Olympiads, that is, in the year of the 

 workl 3228, and 776 before the vulgar era. It 

 is called Hiftoric, becaufe, fince the Olympiads, 

 the truth of facts that have occurred has bee* 

 confirmed by hiftory. 



XIV. The poets have alfo divided hiftory 

 after their manner, that is to fay, by fictions. 



v diftinguifh, firft, the golden age, which 

 they attribute to Saturn and Uhe.i-, thr iccond 

 is the filvcr age, afcribed to the reign of Jupi- 

 ter, 'to the time that ty- 

 rants ..c human race j wh 



render 



