If we take the history of Semiramis, as it is given us by Ctesias and others; nothing can be more inconsistent. Some make her the wife of Ninus: others say that she was his [[917]]daughter: and about the time of her birth they vary beyond measure. She is sometimes made cöeval with the city Nineve: at other times she is brought down within a few centuries of [[918]]Herodotus. She invades the Babylonians before the city was [[919]]built, from whence they were denominated: and makes sumptuous gardens at Ecbatana. Hence that city is introduced as coëval with Nineve: though, if the least credit may be given to [[920]]Herodotus, it was built many ages after by Deïoces the Mede. The city Nineve itself is by Ctesias placed upon the [[921]]Euphrates; though every other writer agrees, that it lay far to the east, and was situated upon the Tigris. This shews how little credit is to be paid to Ctesias. The whole account of the fleet of ships built in Bactria, and carried upon camels to the Indus, is a childish forgery. How can we suppose, that there were no woods to construct such vessels, but in the most inland regions of Asia? The story of the fictitious elephants, made out of the hides of black oxen, which put to flight the real elephants, is another silly fable. Megasthenes, who wrote of India, would not allow that Semiramis was ever in those [[922]]parts. Arrian seems to speak of it as a groundless [[923]]surmise. Her building of Babylon was by [[924]]Berosus treated as a fable. Herennius Philo maintained, that it was built by a son of Belus the wise, two thousand years before her [[925]]birth. Suidas says, that she called Nineve [[926]]Babylon: so uncertain is every circumstance about this Heroine. She is supposed to have sent to Cyprus, and Phenicia, for artists to construct and manage the ships abovementioned; as if there had been people in those parts famous for navigation before the foundation of Nineve. They sometimes give to Semiramis herself the merit of building the [[927]]first ship; and likewise the invention of weaving cotton: and another invention more extraordinary, which was that of emasculating [[928]]men, that they might be guardians, and overseers in her service. Yet, it is said of her, that she took a man to her bed every night, whom she put to death in the morning. How can it be imagined, if she was a woman of such unbridled [[929]]lust, that she would admit such spies upon her actions? We may as well suppose, that a felon would forge his own gyves, and construct his own prison. Claudian thinks, that she did it to conceal her own sex, by having a set of beardless people about her.
[[930]]Seu prima Semiramis astu
Assyriis mentita virum, ne vocis acutæ
Mollities, levesque genæ se prodere possent,
Hos sibi junxisset socios: seu Parthica ferro
Luxuries nasci vetuit lanuginis umbram;
Servatosque diu puerili flore coegit
Arte retardatam Veneri servire juventam.
In respect to Semiramis I do not see how this expedient could avail. She might just as well have dressed up her maids in mens clothes, and with less trouble. In short the whole of these histories in their common acceptation is to the last degree absurd, and improbable: but if we make use of an expedient, which I have often recommended, and for a person substitute a people, we shall find, when it is stripped of its false colouring, that there is much truth in the narration.
It was a common mode of expression to call a tribe or family by the name of its founder: and a nation by the head of the line. People are often spoken of collectively in the singular under such a patronymic. Hence we read in Scripture, that Israel abode in tents; that Judah was put to the worst in battle; that Dan abode in ships; and Asher remained on the sea-coast. The same manner of speaking undoubtedly prevailed both in Egypt, and in other countries: and Chus must have been often put for the Cuthites, or Cuseans; Amon for the Amonians; and Asur, or the Assyrian, for the people of Assyria. Hence, when it was said, that the Ninevite performed any great action, it has been ascribed to a person Ninus, the supposed founder of Nineve. And as none of the Assyrian conquests were antecedent to Pul, and Assur Adon, writers have been guilty of an unpardonable anticipation, in ascribing those conquests to the first king of the country. A like anticipation, amounting to a great many centuries, is to be found in the annals of the Babylonians. Every thing that was done in later times, has been attributed to Belus, Semiramis, and other, imaginary princes, who are represented as the founders of the kingdom. We may, I think, be assured, that under the character of Ninus, and Ninyas, we are to understand the Ninevites; as by Semiramis is meant a people called Samarim: and the great actions of these two nations are in the histories of these personages recorded. But writers have rendered the account inconsistent by limiting, what was an historical series of many ages, to the life of a single person. The Ninevites and Samarim did perform all that is attributed to Semiramis, and Ninus. They did conquer the Medes, and Bactrians; and extended their dominions westward as far as Phrygia, and the river Tanais, and to the Southward as far as Arabia, and Egypt. But these events were many ages after the foundation of the two kingdoms. They began under Pul of Nineve; and were carried on by Assur Adon, Salmanassur, Sennacherib, and other of his successors. Nineve was at last ruined, and the kingdom of Assyria was united with that of [[931]]Babylonia. This is probably alluded to in the supposed marriage of Semiramis and Ninus. Then it was, that the Samarim performed the great works attributed to them. For, exclusive of what was performed at Babylon; There are, says [[932]]Strabo, almost over the face of the whole earth, vast [[933]]mounds of earth, and walls, and ramparts, attributed to Semiramis; and in these are subterraneous passages of communication, and tanks for water, with staircases of stone. There are also vast canals to divert the course of rivers, and lakes to receive them; together with highways and bridges of a wonderful structure. They built the famous terraces at [[934]]Babylon; and those beautiful gardens at Egbatana, after that city had fallen into their hands. To them was owing that cruel device of emasculating their slaves, that their numerous wives, and concubines might be more securely guarded: an invention, which cannot consistently be attributed to a woman. They found out the art of weaving cotton: which discovery has by some been assigned to those of their family, who went into Egypt: for there were Samarim here too. In consequence of this, the invention has been attributed to a Semiramis, who is here represented as a man, and a king of the country: at least it is referred to his reign. [[935]]Επι τε Σεμιραμεως βασιλεως Αιγυπτιων τα βυσσινα ἱματια ἑυρησθαι ἱστορουσιν. The Samarim of Egypt and Babylonia, were of the same family, the sons of Chus. They came and settled among the Mizraim, under the name of the shepherds, of whose history I have often spoken. The reason of their being called Semarim, and Samarim, I shall hereafter disclose, together with the purport of the name, and the history, with which it is attended.