a 2, as 
But this ifland, we faid, was once larger 
than Lybia and Alia, but is now a nafs of 
impervious mud, through concuffions of the 
earth; fo that thofe who are failing in the vaft 
fea, can uo longer find a paffage from hence 
thither. The courfe of our narration, 
indeed, will unfold the many barbarous 
nations and Greciaa tribes which then 
exifted, as they may happen to prefent 
themfelvés to our view: but it is necef= 
fary to relate, in the firtt place, the wars 
of the Athenians, and their-adverfaries, 
together with the power and the polities 
ef each. And in cifcourfing of thefe, we 
fhall give the preference to our own 
people. 
The gods then, once were locally al- 
lotced * the whoie earth, but not with 
contention: for it would be abfurd that 
the gods fhould be ignorant of what is 
adapted to every ong, of that knowing 
that which rather belongs to others, - 
they fhould endeavour, through ftrife, 
to pofefs that which is not their own. 
Likewile receiving places agreeable to 
them, from the allotments of juttice, 
they inhabited the various regions of the 
earth. _£n confequence of this too, like 
fhepherds, they. mourifhed us ‘as their 
polleiizons, flocks, and herds; with this 
exception, however, that they did not 
force bodies to bodies, in the fame man- 
ner as fhcpherds, who, when. feeding 
their cattle, compel thera to come to- 
gether with blows: but they confidered 
us as a docile and obedient animal ; and, 
as if piloting a pliant fhip, employed 
perfuation for the rudders, and with this 
conception as the leader, they governed 
the whole mortal race, Different gods, 
therefore, being allorted, adorned dif- 
ferent places. But Vulcan and Minervat, 
who poffefs a common nature, borh be- 
caufe they are the offspring of the fame 
father, and becaufe, through philofophy 
and the ftudy of arts, they tend to the 
fame things; thefe, [ fay, in confequence 
of this, received one allotment, viz. this 
region, as. being naturally allied and 
adapted to virtue and prudence. But 
thefe divinities having produced worthy 
earch-born men, arranged in their intel- 
le€tual part the order of a polity. Of 
thefe men, the names are prelerved, but 
their works, through the extinétion of 
thofe that received them, and length of 
time, have difappeared. For the fur- 
reed Sina ae is SE Uh BS aes SIC 
* For a copious account of divine allot- 
ments, fee my notes to Paufanias, vol. iii. p. 
259, &c. 
_‘t For an account of thefe divinities, fee 
alfy my notes to Paufanias. : 
, Athenians-gooo Years prior to Sclom. 
viving race of men, as has been obferved 
before, are always mountaineers, and 
void of difcipline, who have only heard 
the names of men that were powerful in 
the region, and who, befides this, have 
been acquainted but with few of the 
tranfaétions of the country. In confe- 
quence, therefore, of loving thefe ancient 
men, they gave the names of them to 
their children; but they were ignorant 
of the virtues and laws of thofe before 
them; for of thefe they knew nothing 
but what they gathered from certain 
obfcure rumors. But as for many gene- 
rations they were in want of neceffarics, 
borh they and their children direéted’ 
their attention to the particulars of whicty 
they were deftitute, difcourfed about 
thefe, and negleéted paft and “ancient 
tranfaétions. For mythology, and an 
inveftigation of ancient affairs, commence 
in cities, in conjunction with leifure,, 
when the neceffarics of life are procured, 
but not before. Om this account the. 
names of ancient tranfactioas were pre- 
ferved, without any account of the tranf- 
actions themfelves.. But L-infer that 
this -was the cafe. (faid» Solon) becanfe 
thofe priefts, in their nacration of the 
war at that period, inferted many names: 
fimilar to thofe that were adopted afters 
wards, fuch as Cecrops, Ereécheus, Erigh~ : 
thonius, Erifichthoo, and many other of 
thofe names, which are comm=:moratée& 
prior to Thefeus.. This was lkewife 
the cafe with the names of the women. 
The fgure too, and ftatue of Minerva, 
evinced, that at that period the ftudies 
of women and mea with refpeé to war 
were common, as an armed image was 
then dedicated to the goddefs s this ferv- 
ing-as a document, that, among animals. 
of the fame fpecies, both male and fe- 
male are naturally able to purfue, in 
common, every virtue which is adapted. 
to their {pecies. But, at that time, many 
other tribes of citizens dwelt in this re- 
gion, who were dkilled in the fabricative 
arts, ahd in agriculture. The warlike. 
tribe, however, lived from the firft fe. 
parate from divine men, and poffeffed 
every thing requifite to aliment and edu. 
cation. None of them, however, had 
any private property; for all of them 
confidered all things as common. They 
likewife did not think it worth while to 
receive from other citizens beyond a fuf- 
ficiency of nutriment; and they engaged 
in all thofe purfuits, which we related. 
yefterday as pertaining to the guardians 
of our republic. It was likewife plaufi- 
bly and truly faid of opr region, that, in 
the firft place, at that time. its boundaries. 
extended, 
Te 
