5 oS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Meropius, a philofopher at Tyre, a Greek by nation and 

 by religion, had taken a pafTage in a ihip on the Red Sea tcx 

 India, and' had with him two young -men, Erumentiijs and 

 (Edefius, whom he intended to bring up to trade, after ha- 

 ving given them a very liberal' education. It happened' 

 their veflet was- caft away on a rock, upon the coaft of A- 

 byiilnia. Meropius, defending himfelf) was flain by the 

 natives-, and the two boys carried: to Axum, the capital of 

 Abyffinia, where the Court then refided. Though young, 

 they foon began to fliew the advantages attending a liberal 

 education. They acquired the language very fpeedily; 

 and, as that country is naturally inclined to admire Gran- 

 gers, thefe were' foon looked upon as two prodigies. (Ede-*- 

 fms, probably the dulleft of the two, was fet over, the king's 

 houfehold and wardrobe^ a place that has been filled con- 

 itantly by a ftranger of that nation to this very day. Fru^ 

 mentius was judged worthy by the queen to have the care 

 of the young prince's education, to which, he dedicated 

 himfelf entirely. 



After having inftructed his pupil in all forts of learning, 

 he ftrongly impreffed him with a love and veneration for 

 the Chriftian religion; after which he himfelf fet out for 

 Alexandria, where, as has been already faid, he found St. 

 Athanafius* newly elected to. that See.. 



He related to him briefly what had palled in Ethiopia^ 

 and the great hopes of the converiion of that nation, if pro- 

 per pallors were fent to inftrucT: them.. Athanafius embraced 

 that opportunity with all the earneftnefs that became his 



nation 



* Vid. Baron, torn. 4. p. 331. et alibi paflim. 



