*86 A DISSERTATION ON SEMIRAMIS, 



the above legend; and it is ridiculous to apply it to 

 an obscure and insignificant place in Arabia Pctrea, 

 called also Moca, It may be objected, that it does not 

 appear that Mecca was ever a Roman colony. I do 

 not believe it ever was ; but at the same time it was 

 possible that some connection for commercial purpo- 

 ses might have existed between the rulers ofMtY^and 

 the Romans in Egypt. The learned are not ignorant 

 that the Romans boasted a little too much of their 

 progress in Arabia % and even medals were struck with 

 no other view, apparently, but to impose on the mul- 

 titude at Rome. It is unfortunate that we do not meet 

 in the Par anas with the necessary data to ascertain, 

 beyond doubt, the situation of Mocshea. From the 

 particulars contained in them, however, it appears to 

 have been situated a great way to the westward, with 

 respect to India, and not from Egypt and Ethiopia, as 

 has been shewn in a former dissertation on these 

 countries, and in the third volume of the Asiatic 

 Researches. 



It is declarad in the Parana's that Capo'te'swara 

 and his consort Capo'te'si, in the shape of two 

 doves, remained there for some time ; and Arabian 

 authors inform us, that in the time of Mohammed, 

 there was in the temple of Mecca a pigeon carved in 

 wood, and another above this : to destroy which, 

 Mohammed lifted Ali upon his shoulders. These 

 pigeons were most probably placed there in com- 

 memoration of the arrival of Maha'-de'va and 

 De'vi, in the shape of two doves. 



Th?; 



