Chap. IX of the East Indie s. 499 
with all forts of Herbs and Flowers, and fo glorious is the like the Perfians , have Rings hanging in their Ears 5 
Profpeft, that it feems to be a Paradife worthy the Habi- their Shoes are fuc-h as others wear, and of different do- 
tation of the Gods themfelves. Beffdes all thefe, there are lours. Their Soldiers, who are hired for Pay, defend 
a Multitude of Vines of all forts fpringing up on high, and the Country, and have their proper Polls, and in proper 
fo curioufly interwoven one among another, that they are Parts of the Ifland Fortrefles, the Hills being infefted with 
exceeding pleafant to the View, and greatly augment the Thieves and Robbers, who often furprife the Hm'band- 
lights of the Place. men. To conclude, thefe Priefts, for Delicacy, State, 
The Temple was built of white Marble moft artfully and Purity of Life, far exceed all the reft of the In habi- 
jointed and cemented, two hundred Yards in Length, and as tants. Their Robes are of white Linen, and fometimes 
xnany in Breadth, fupported with great and thick Pillars, of pure foft Wool. They wear like wife Mitres embroi- 
curioufly adorned with carved Work. In this Temple were dered with Gold. Their Shoes are Sandals, curioufly 
placed huge Statues of the Gods of admirable Workman- wrought with exquifite Workman fftip ; and in their Ears 
Ihio, and amazing Bulk-, round the Temple are built Apart- hang golden Ear-rings, like Womens. They attend 
ments for the Priefts that attend the Service of the Gods, chiefly upon the Service of the Gods, flnging harmonious 
bv whom every thing in that facred Place is performed. Songs in their Praife, letting forth their glorious Adis and 
All along from the Temple is an even Courfe of Ground Benefits bellowed upon Men. The Priefts, fay they, 
four Furlongs in Length, and one hundred Yards in came originally from Crete , and were brought over into 
Breadth on either Side of which are erefted vaft brazen 
Statues, with four-fquare Pedeftals ; at the End of the 
Courfe breaks forth the River from the Fountain before- 
mentioned ; from whence flows moft clear and fweet 
Water, the drinking of which conduces much to the Health 
of the Body. This River is called the Water of the Sun. 
The whole Fountain is lined on both Sides, and flagged at 
the Bottom with Stone at vaft Expence, and runs out on 
both Sides for the Space of four Furlongs : It is not lawful 
for any but the Priefts to approach the Brink of the 
Fountain. 
AH the Land about for two hundred Furlongs round, 
is confecrated to the Gods, and the Revenues bellowed in 
maintaining the publick Sacrifices and Service of thofeGods 
beyond thefe confecrated Lands, is an high Mountain de- 
dicated like wife to the Gods, which they call the Throne 
of Ccelus and Triphylus Olympus ; for they report, that 
Uranus , when he governed the whole World, pleafantly 
diverted himfelf in this Pla.ce ; and from the Mount ob- 
ferved the Motion of the Heavens and Stars ; and that he 
was called Triphylus Olympus , becaufe the Inhabitants were 
compofed of three feveral Nations, Panchteans, Oceanites , 
and Dolans , who were afterwards expelled by Ammon •, for 
it is faid, that he not only rooted out this Nation, but ut- 
terly destroyed all the Cities, and laid Doia and AJieruJia 
even with the Ground. The Priefts every Year folemnize 
a facred Feuival in this Mountain with great Devotion. 
Behind this Mount, in other Parts of Panchaia , they fay 
there are abundance of wild Beafts of all kinds, as Elephants, 
Lions, Leopards, Deer, and many other wonderful Crea- 
tures, both for Strength and Proportion. In this Ifland 
there are three chief Cities, Hipacia , Dalis , and Oceanis •, 
the whole Country is very fertile, and efpecially in the Pro- 
duction of all forts of W ine in great Plenty. 
The Men are warlike, and ufe Chariots in Battle after 
the ancient manner. The whole Nation is divided into 
three T ribes ; the nrft is compofed of the Priefts, with 
whom are joined the Artificers 5 the fecond confifts of the 
Hufbandmen * and the third of Militia and Shepherds. 
The Priefts govern all, for they give Judgment in all Con- 
troverfies, and have Authority in all publick Tranfadlions 
of State. The Huftiandmen till the Land •, but the Fruit 
is brought into the common Treafury, and who is judged 
the moft fkilful in Hufbandry, receives the largeft Share 
of the Fruits for a Reward in the firft Place, and fo the 
fecond and the reft according to that Rule, as every one 
merits in the Judgment of the Priefts. In the fame man- 
ner the Shepherds and Herdfmen carefully bring into the 
publick Stock the Victims and other things both by Num- 
ber and Weight, as the Nature of the Things are *, for it 
is not lawful for any to appropriate any thing to themfelves, 
except a Ploufe and Garden for all the young Breed of Cat- 
tle, and other things •, and all the Revenues are received 
by the Priefts, and they juftly diftributed to every one as 
their Neeeffity requires, only the Priefts have a double 
Proportion. 
They wear foft Garments, for their W r ool is much 
finer here that any where elfe ; both Men and Women 
likewife deck themfelves with golden Ornaments, Neck- 
laces of Gold, 'and Bracelets about their Arms, and. 
Panchaia, by Jupiter , when he was upon Earth, and go- 
verned all the World, and alledge their Language for a 
Confirmation of this Aflertion, inafmuch as they re- 
tain many Words of the Cretan Tongue among them ; 
and moreover fay, that they derived from their Ant eftors 
that Civility and Kindnefs wherewith they entertain the 
Cretans, the Fame and Report of their ancient Confan- 
guinity, defcending continually in a perpetual Succemon 
to their Pofterity ; they fhew likewife a Record, written, 
as they fay, by Jupiter' s own Hand, at the Time 
when he was on Earth, and laid the Foundation of the 
Temple. 
There are in this Ifland likewife Mines of Gold, 
Silver, Brafs, and Iron, but not lawful for any to ex- 
port them. Nay, it is not permitted to any of the Priefts 
to go out of the Verge of the confecrated Ground ; and 
if any do, it is lawful for any Perfon who finds them, to 
kill them. They have, under their Charge, innumerable 
Vefleis, and other confecrated Things, both of Gold and 
Silver, which have been laid up there m Honour of the 
Gods for many Ages. The Gates of the Temple are of 
admirable Workmanfhip, beautified with Gold, Silver, 
and Ivory, and Thyne-wood. The Bed of the God is. 
fix Cubits long, and four broad, of mafiy Gold, moft cu- 
rioufly wrought in every Part •, and near adjoining (lands 
the Table, as large, and of the like Materials and Work- 
manfhip with the other in every Refpecl. In the Mid- 
dle of the Bed is placed a great golden Pillar, whereon 
are Letters infcribed in that called by the Egyptians fa- 
cred Writing, exprefiing the famous Actions of Uranus, 
Jupiter, Diana , and Apollo, written, as they fay, by 
Mercury himfelf : But this may fuffice concerning the 
Elands lying in the Ocean over-againft Arabia ( . 
Such is the Account delivered to us of this Ifland by 
Diodorus Siculus, who had this Account from a mere 
ancient Writer, one Euemerus, a Mefjenian •, fo that he is 
not to be charged with inventing the Fable, but with giv- 
ing it a Stamp of Authority, by taking it into his Hiftory. 
But if the Reader fhould enquire what induced the origi- 
nal Author of the Story to frame fo circumftantial a Re- 
lation out of his own Head, and attempt therewith to 
cheat and impofe upon Pofterity, it falls out very luckily, 
that we are able to refolve this Queftion, and to let the 
Truth in the cleared Light poilible ; from whence it will 
appear, that thefe Fidlions of the Ancients w r ere not de- 
viled with a malicious Intention of impofmg Fables for 
Matters of Fa£l upon credulous Readers, tho 5 , undoubt- 
edly, they very often had this EtFedt •, but they were con- 
trived chiefly for another and better Purpofe, as appears 
plainly from the Cafe before us. 
Plutarch u not only knew that the whole of this Rela- 
tion was an abfolute Fidlion, but he likewife knew, and 
fairly informs his Reader of the End for which it was 
framed. He fays, that the Author of it was an irreligious 
Man, (X an Atheift, who, in delivering this Story of the 
Ifland Panchaa , aimed chiefly at inculcating his own Opi- 
nions without running the Hazard of being punifhed by 
Law. Now thofe Opinions of Euemerus the MeJJenian , 
which Plutarch very prudently ftiles atheiftical, were no 
other than thefe, that moft of the Deities worfhipped 
Biodor. Sz cut. lib. v. p. 22a, * Plutarch , de IJide & Opr, 
III 
