46 
“Notice of a passage in Clement of Alexandria on the 
Origin of certain Arts and Customs, and their Introduction 
into Greece,” by William E. A. Axon, M.RS.L., &c. 
We know so little of the origjin of various arts that a few 
moments may not be misemployed in noticing a passage in 
Clement of Alexandria which has not, to my knowledge, 
been referred to in this connection. I have not, however, had 
an opportunity of referring to Isidore. Clement, before his 
conversion, had become familiar with the learning and 
philosophy of his age, and his interest in Christianity did 
not exclude from sight his former liberal studies. In the 
Stromata he has an essay to show the obligation of Greek 
philosophy to the despised barbarians. This he follows by 
another showing “that the inventors of other arts were 
mostly barbarians.” The passage is thus translated by the 
Rev. William Wilson, M.A. : 
“ And barbarians were inventors not only of philosophy, 
but almost of every art. The Egyptians were the first to in- 
troduce astrology among men. Similarly also the Chaldeans. 
The Egyptians first showed how to burn lamps, and divide 
the year into twelve months, prohibited intercourse with 
women in the temples, and enacted that no one should enter 
the temples from a woman without bathing. Again, they 
were the inventors of geometry. There are some who say 
that the Carians invented prognostication by the stars. The 
Phrygians were the first who attended to the flight of birds. 
And the Tuscans, neighbours of Italy, were adepts at the 
art of the Haruspex. The Isaurians and the Arabians in- 
vented augury, as the Telmesians divination by dreams. 
The Etruscans invented the trumpet, and the Phrygians 
the flute. For Olympus and Marsyas were Phrygians. And 
Cadmus, the inventor of letters among the Greeks, as 
Euphorus says, was a Phoenician ; whence also Plerodotus 
writes that they were called Phoenician letters. And they 
say that the Phoenicians and the Syrians first invented 
letters ; and that Apis, an aboriginal inhabitant of Egypt, 
invented the healing art before lo came into Egypt. But 
afterwards they say that iEsculapius improved the art. 
