Such are the expeditions of Cadmus. But is it credible that any person could have penetrated into the various regions, whither he is supposed to have gone? to have founded colonies in Phenicia, Cyprus, Rhodes, Thera, Thasus, Anaphe, Samothracia? to have twice visited the Hellespont? to have worked the mines in the Pangean mountains, and in other places? to have made settlements in Eubœa, Attica, Bœotia, and Illyria? and, above all, to have had such territories in Afric? He is represented as heir to the kingdom of Egypt: this he quitted, and obtained a kingdom in Phenicia. He leaves this too; and after much wandering arrives in Greece; where he founds several cities, and reigns sixty-two years. After this, hard to conceive! he is made king in Illyria. He must also have reigned in Afric: and his dominions seem to have been considerable, as he founded an hundred cities. He is represented as a king in Armenia; and had there too no small territory. Sure kingdoms in those times must have been very cheap, if they were so easily attainable. But the whole is certainly a mistake; at least in respect to [[1100]]Cadmus. No person could possibly have effected what is attributed to him. They were not the achievements of one person, nor of one age. And place Cadmus at any given æra, and arrange his history, as may appear most plausible; yet there will arise numberless inconsistencies from the connexions he must have in respect to time, place, and people; such as no art nor disposition can remedy.
It may be asked, if there were no such man as Cadmus, what did the antients allude to under this character? and what is the true purport of these histories? The travels of Cadmus, like the expeditions of Perseus, Sesostris, and Osiris, relate to colonies, which at different times went abroad, and were distinguished by this title. But what was the work of many, and performed at various seasons, has been attributed to one person. Cadmus was one of the names of Osiris, the chief Deity of Egypt. Both Europa, and Harmonia are of the like nature. They were titles of the Deity: but assumed by colonies, who went out, and settled under these denominations. The native Egyptians seldom left their country, but by force. This necessity however did occur: for Egypt at times underwent great [[1101]]revolutions. It was likewise in some parts inhabited by people of a different cast; particularly by the sons of Chus. These were obliged to retire: in consequence of which they spread themselves over various parts of the earth. All, who embarked under the same name, or title, were in aftertimes supposed to have been under the same leader: and to him was attributed the honour of every thing performed. And as colonies of the same denomination went to parts of the world widely distant; their ideal chieftain, whether Cadmus, or Bacchus, or Hercules, was supposed to have traversed the same ground: and the achievements of different ages were conferred upon a fancied hero of a day. This has been the cause of great inconsistency throughout the mythology of the antients. To this they added largely, by being so lavish of titles, out of reverence to their gods. Wherever they came they built temples to them, and cities, under various denominations; all which were taken from some supposed attribute. These titles and attributes, though they belonged originally to one God, the Sun; yet being [[1102]]manifold, and misapplied, gave rise to a multitude of Deities, whose æra never could be settled, nor their history rendered consistent. Cadmus was one of these. He was the same as Hermes of Egypt, called also Thoth, Athoth, and Canathoth: and was supposed to have been the inventor of letters. He was sometimes styled Cadmilus, another name for Hermes; under which he was worshipped in Samothracia, and Hetruria. Lycophron speaking of the prophet Prulis, in Lesbos, tells us, that he was the son of Cadmus, and of the race of Atlas. And he was the person, who was supposed to give information to the Greeks, when they were upon their expedition towards Troy.
[[1103]]Ὡς μη σε Καδμος ωφελ' εν περιῤῥυτῳ
Ισσῃ φυτευσαι δυσμενων ποδηγετην.
These are the words of Cassandra: upon which the Scholiast observes; Πρυλις, ὑιος του Καδμιλου, και Καδμου, ητοι Ἑρμου: Prulis of Lesbos was the son of Cadmilus, or Cadmus, the same as Hermes. And afterwards he mentions, [[1104]]ὁ Καδμος, ητοι Ἑρμης, Cadmus, who is the same as Hermes. In another place he takes notice, that the name of Hermes among the Hetrurians was [[1105]]Cadmilus: and it has been shewn, that Cadmilus, and Cadmus, are the same. To close the whole, we have this further evidence from Phavorinus, that Cadmus was certainly an epithet or title of Hermes. [[1106]]Καδμος, ου κυριον μονον, αλλα και Ἑρμου επιθετον.
Harmonia, the wife of Cadmus, who has been esteemed a mere woman, seems to have been an emblem of nature, and the fostering nurse of all things. She is from hence styled [[1107]]παντροφος Ἁρμονια. And when Venus is represented in the allegory as making her a visit, she is said to go [[1108]]εις δομον Ἁρμονιας παμμητορος, to the house of the all-productive parent. In some of the Orphic verses she is represented not only as a Deity, but as the light of the world.
[[1109]]Ἁρμονιη, κοσμοιο φαεσφορε, και σοφε Δαιμον.
Harmonia was supposed to have been a personage, from whom all knowledge was derived. On this account the books of science were styled [[1110]]κυρβιας Ἁρμονιας, the books of Harmonia, as well as the books of Hermes. These were four in number, of which Nonnus gives a curious account, and says, that they contained matter of wonderful antiquity.
[[1111]]Ειν ἑνι θεσφατα παντα, ταπερ πεπρωμενα κοσμῳ
Πρωτογονοιο Φανητος επιγραφε μαντιπολος χειρ.