1 94 UNIVERSAL ERUDITION. 



name was given to thofe philofophers who taught 

 morality and natural theology, founded on the 

 adoration and worfhip of a Divinity, as Arno- 

 bius has remarked. This natural religion, how- 

 ever, was not either very pure or very rational ; 

 for the magi laid down two imaginary principles, 

 which were, that light was the fource of good, 

 and darknefs the origin of evil. Thefe philofo- 

 phers, however, were in high eftimation with the 

 kings of Perfia, who acknowledged their wifdom, 

 and honoured them with the name of Sages ; 

 frequently confulted them in the affairs of go- 

 vernment, and charged them with all that re- 

 garded the religion and policy of their kingdoms; 

 fo that they were at once priefts, politicians and 

 philofophers, It is eafy to conceive what im- 

 portance this triple employ gave them in their 

 country ; and the more, as by the ftudy of na- 

 tural philofophy thefe magi were enabled to pre- 

 dict appearances in nature, and fometimes toper- 

 form operations that appeared fupernatural to 

 the people, and which thefe fubtle priefts caufed 

 to pafs for conjurations, prodigies and miracles. 

 When Cambyfes had determined to carry the 

 war into Egypt, he appointed one of thefe, 

 named Patizithcs, governor in his abfcence. But 

 that minifter attempting to place his brother 

 Smerdis on the throne, in the room of the fon 

 of Cyrus, whom Cambyfes had (lain, the prin- 

 cipal fatrapes or nobles, perceiving his fraduluent 

 defign, maflacred, at once, him and all the reft of 

 the magi. From the time of this cataftrophe, the 



feel: 



