μυρια δ' αστη
Νασσατ' εποιχομενος.
He represents him as conquering all Asia and Europe; and this in times so remote, that many of the cities which he built, were in ruins before the æra of the Argonauts.
From what has been said, we may perceive that if such a person as Sesostris had existed, his reign must have been of the earliest date. He is by some represented as succeeding Thoules: according to others he comes one degree higher, being introduced after [[898]]Orus, who in the catalogue of Panodorus is placed first of the Demigods, that reigned in Egypt; but by [[899]]Herodotus is ranked among the deities. According to Dicæarchus the reign of Sesostris was two thousand five hundred years before Nilus: and the reign of the latter was four hundred and thirty-six years before the first Olympiad. I do not place the least confidence in these computations; but would only shew from them that the person spoken of must be referred to the mythic age, to the æra of the Demigods of Egypt. Some of these evidences are taken notice of by Sir John [[900]]Marsham; who cannot extricate himself from the difficulties with which his system is attended. He has taken for granted, that Sesostris and Sesonchosis are the Sesac of the Scriptures; though every circumstance of their history is repugnant to that notion. [[901]]I know not, says he, what to make of this Sesonchosis; who is represented as five thousand years before Menes, and who is referred to the time of the Demigods. In another place: Sesostris, who is in the twelfth Dynasty of Africanus, and whose æra extends higher, than the Canon of Eusebius reaches, reigned according to Scaliger's computation in the 1392d year of the Julian Period. By this calculation Sesostris is made prior to Sesostris; and this too by no less than 2355 years: for it is manifest, as I will shew from Scripture, that Sesostris undertook his expedition into Asia, and got possession of Jerusalem in the 3747th year of the Period abovementioned. What is said in the sacred writings, I have taken notice of before. Not a word occurs about Sesostris, nor of any such Asiatic expedition. I am obliged to say, that through the whole of this learned writer's process, instead of a proof, we find nothing else but the question begged, and some inferences of his own in consequence of this assumption. He indeed quotes the authority of Manethon from Josephus to prove that the great actions of Sesostris were the same as were performed by Sesac. But Manethon says no such thing: nor does Josephus attribute any such exploits to Sesac: but expressly says more than once, that Sesac, and Sesostris were two different [[902]]persons. It is no where said of Sesac, that he made an expedition into Asia; much less that he conquered it, as is supposed of Sesostris. Sesac went up against Jerusalem, and took it, αμαχητι, without meeting with any opposition. Upon this he departed, and carried with him the treasures which he had there seized: in other words, he went home again. There is not the least mention made of his invading [[903]]Samaria, or the country about Libanus, and Sidon; or of his marching to Syria: all which made but a small part of the great Continent, called in aftertimes Asia: much less did he visit the countries of the Assyrians, and Babylonians; or the regions of Elam and the Medes. All this, and much more he must have done, to have come up to the character, to which they would fain entitle him.
I will not enter into any farther discussion of the great conquests attributed to this supposed monarch Sesostris. They are as ideal as those of Sesac, and sufficiently confute themselves. First Osiris is said to have conquered the whole earth: then Zeus, then Perseus, then [[904]]Hercules, all nearly of the same degree of antiquity, if we may believe the best Mythologists. Myrina comes in for a share of conquest in the time of Orus. After her Thoules subdues the whole from the Eastern Ocean, to the great Atlantic: and as if nothing had been performed before, Sesostris immediately succeeds, and conquers it over again. [[905]]Herodotus informs us, as a token of these victories, that Sesostris erected pillars and obelisks with emblematical inscriptions: and that he saw some of them in Phrygia, and in other countries, which had been conquered. He without doubt saw pillars: but how did he know for certain, by whom they were erected? and who taught him to interpret the symbols? Pausanias takes [[906]]notice of a colossal statue in the Thebäis, and says that the history given of it was not satisfactory. He tells us, that it stood near the Syringes, in upper Egypt; and he viewed it with great admiration. It was the figure of a man in a sitting posture; which some said was the representation of Memnon the Ethiopian: others maintained, that it was the statue of Phamenophis: and others again, that it related to Sesostris. There were here emblems, and symbols; yet a diversity of opinions. I want therefore to know, how Herodotus could interpret in Phrygia, what a native could not decypher in Egypt. The same question may be asked about the people of Syria, among whom were obelisks attributed to the same person. How came they to be so determinate about an Egyptian work; when people of that country in the same circumstances were so utterly at a loss? the whole undoubtedly was matter of surmise. I shall not therefore say any thing more of Sesostris; as I must again speak of him, when I come to the kings of Egypt.
If we compare the above histories, we may perceive that they bear a manifest similitude to one another; though they are attributed to different persons. They contain accounts of great achievements in the first ages: in effecting which these antient heroes are represented as traversing immense regions, and carrying their arms to the very limits of the known world: the great Tartarian ocean to the east, and the Atlantic westward, being the boundaries of their travel. Some of them seem to have been of the same age; and to have carried on these conquests at nearly the same time: and those, whose æra may possibly differ, have this in common with the others; that they visit the same countries, march for the most part by the same rout; and are often joined by the same allies, and are followed by the like attendants. They are in general esteemed benefactors, wherever they go: and carry the sciences with them, as well as their religious rites; in which they instruct the natives in different parts of the world. These are to be sure noble occurrences; which however could not possibly have happened, as they are represented above. It is not to be supposed, that any person in those early ages, or in any age, could go over such a tract of country; much less that he should subdue it. It is still more improbable, that such extensive conquests should be so immediately repeated: and that they should in some instances be carried on by different people at nearly the same time. They, who speak of mighty empires being founded in those early days, know little of true history; and have formed a very wrong judgment of the politics, which then universally prevailed. The whole earth, as far as we can learn, was divided into little coördinate states: every city seems to have been subservient to its own Judge and Ruler, and independent of all others. In the land of [[907]]Canaan thirty-one kings were subdued by Joshua, between Jordan and the sea: and some were still left by him unconquered. In those days, says the learned Marsham, quot urbes, tot regna. The like was for many ages after observable in Greece, as well as in Latham, Samnium, and Hetruria. A powerful enemy made Egypt unite under one head: and the necessities of the people in a time of dearth served to complete that system. The Israelites too, when settled in Canaan, formed a large kingdom. Excepting these two nations we know of none of any considerable extent, that were thus united. The [[908]]Syrians and the Philistim were in separate states, and under different governors. The kingdoms of Nineve and Babylonia consisted each of one mighty city, with its environs; in which were perhaps included some subordinate villages. They were properly walled [[909]]Provinces; and the inhabitants were in a state of rest for ages. The Assyrian did not till about seven hundred years before Christ, begin to contend for dominion, and make acquisition of territory: and we may form a judgment, from what he then [[910]]gained, of what he was possessed before. The cities Hala, Habor, Haran in Mesopotamia, with Carchemish upon the Euphrates, were his first conquests: to these he added the puny states Ina, Iva, and Sepharvaim upon the same river. He then proceeded to Hamath, Damascus, and other cities of Syria; and at last came to Samaria. The line of conquest points out the route, which he took; and shews that there were in Mesopotamia numberless little states, independent of Babylon and Nineve, though in their immediate vicinity. Consequently the notion of the extent, dominion, and antiquity of those Monarchies, as delivered by Ctesias and others, is entirely void of truth. The conquests likewise of those Heroes and Demigods, who are made coeval with the supposed foundations of those Monarchies, must be equally groundless. To say the truth, the very personages are ideal, and have been formed out of the titles of the Deity: and the history, with which they are attended, related not to conquest, but to peregrinations of another nature; to Colonies which went abroad, and settled in the countries mentioned. The antients, as I have repeatedly said, have given to a person, what related to a people: and if we make this small allowance, the history will be found in great measure true.
NINUS and SEMIRAMIS.
Having given an account of the mythic heroes of Egypt, I think it necessary to subjoin an history of two others of the like stamp, who have made no less figure in the annals of Babylon and Assyria. The persons, to whom I allude, are Ninus and Semiramis; whose conquests, though they did not extend so far as those above, are yet alike wonderful, and equally groundless. It is said of Ninus, that he was the first king of [[911]]Assyria: and being a prince of great power, he made war on his neighbours the Babylonians, whom he conquered. He afterwards invaded the Armenians; whose king Barsanes, finding himself much inferior to his adversary, diverted his anger by great presents, and a voluntary [[912]]submission. The next object of his ambition was Media, which he soon subdued; and getting Phanius, the king of the country, into his hands, together with his wife and seven children, he condemned them all to be crucified. His hopes being greatly raised by this success, he proceeded to reduce all the nations to his obedience between the Tanaïs and the Nile: and in seventeen years he made so great a progress, that, excepting Bactria, all Asia submitted to him as far as the river Indus. In the series of conquered countries Ctesias enumerates Egypt, Phenicia, Coile Syria, Cilicia, Pamphylia, Lycia, Caria, Phrygia, Mysia, Lydia, Cappadocia, and the nations in Pontus, and those near the Tanaïs. To these are added the Dacians, Hyrcanians, Derbicians, Carmanians, Parthians, with all Persis and Susiana, and the numerous nations upon the Caspian sea. After these notable actions he laid the foundation of the great city Nineve: which by mistake is said to have been built upon the banks of the [[913]]Euphrates. His last expedition was against the Bactrians: at which time he first saw Semiramis, a woman of uncommon endowments, and great personal charms. He had an army which amounted to seven millions of foot, and two millions of horse, with two hundred thousand chariots with scythes. For the possibility of which circumstances Diodorus tries to account in favour of the historian, from whom he borrows. By the conduct of Semiramis the Bactrians are subdued; and Ninus takes the capital of the country: upon which, in return for her services, he makes Semiramis his queen. Not long after he dies, leaving only one son by this princess, who was called Ninyas.
The history of Semiramis is variously related by different authors. Some make her a native of Ascalon; and say that she was exposed in the desert, and nourished by pigeons. She was in this situation discovered by a shepherd named Simma. He bred her up, and married her to Menon; whom she deserted for Ninus. During her son's minority she assumed the regal state: and the first work which she undertook was the interment of her husband. She accordingly buried him with great splendor; and raised over him a mound of earth, no less than a mile and a quarter high, and proportionally wide at bottom: after which she built Babylon. This being finished, she made an expedition into Media; and wherever she came left memorials of her power and munificence. This was effected by erecting vast structures, forming lakes, and laying out gardens of great extent; particularly in Chaonia and Ecbatana. In short, she levelled hills, and raised [[914]]mounds of an immense height, which retained her name for ages. After this she invaded Egypt, and conquered Ethiopia, with the greater part of Lybia: and having accomplished her wish, and there being no enemy to cope with her, excepting the people of India, she resolved to direct her forces towards that quarter. She had an army of three millions of foot, five hundred thousand horse, and one hundred thousand chariots. For the passing of rivers, and engaging with the enemy by water, she had procured two thousand ships, to be so constructed as to be taken to pieces for the advantage of carriage: which ships were built in Bactria by experienced persons from Phenicia, Syria, and Cyprus. With these she entered into a naval engagement with Strabrobates king of India; and at the first encounter sunk a thousand of his ships. Upon this she built a bridge over the river Indus, and penetrated into the heart of the country. Here Strabrobates engaged her; but being deceived by the numerous appearance of her elephants, at first gave way. For being deficient in those animals, she had procured the hides of three thousand black oxen; which being properly sewed, and stuffed with straw, formed an appearance of so many elephants. All this was done so naturally, that the real animals could not stand the sight. But this stratagem being at last discovered, Semiramis was obliged to retreat, after having lost a great part of her [[915]]army. Soon after this she resigned the government to her son Ninyas, and died. According to some writers, she was slain by his hand.
The history of Ninus and Semiramis, as here represented, is in great measure founded upon terms, which have been misconstrued; and these fictions have been invented in consequence of the mistakes. Under the character of Semiramis we are certainly to understand a people styled Semarim, a title assumed by the antient Babylonians. They were called Semarim from their insigne, which was a dove, expressed Semaramas, of which I shall speak hereafter more at large. It was used as an object of worship; and esteemed the same as Rhea, the mother of the gods: [[916]]Σεμιραμιν και την Ῥεαν καλουμενην παρ' Ασσυριοις.