seemed an emblem of nature, pleading for her offspring, who were to be destroyed. The history, which the Tegeatæ gave, was unsatisfactory. The principal circumstances were, that Halius had promised his daughter to Nauplius; but had given private orders to the persons, who conducted her, that she should be drowned in the sea. They had other traditions, but very imperfect. Hard by was an altar of earth.

I cannot conclude without introducing again that memorable passage in Plutarch concerning Osiris going into his Ark. He says, that it was to avoid the fury of Typhon: and that it happened on the seventeenth day of the month "Athyr, when the sun was in Scorpio. Now it is to be observed, that there were two festivals, at opposite parts of the year, established by the Egyptians on account of Osiris being thus inclosed: one in the month Phamenoth, which they termed εμβασιν Οσίριδος εις την Σελήνην, the entrance of Osiris into the moon: the other, of which I am here speaking, was on the same account, but in autumn. This was the ceremony, Ayo❤ μένη καθείρξις εις την σορον Οσίριδος, the inclosing and

* Ταύτα δε πραχθηναι λέγεσιν ἑβδομη επι δεκα μηνος Αθυς, ἐν ᾧ τον Σκορπιον ὁ ἥλιος διεξεισιν. Plutarch. Isis et Osiris. P. 356.

fastening of Osiris in his tomb or ark, in memory of his having been in his life-time thus concealed: which ark they termed Σnn, and other nations 72 Minoa, the moon. Plutarch describes the season very precisely, when Osiris was supposed to have been thus confined. It was in the month Athyr, upon the seventeenth day of that month; when the Etesian winds were passed; when the overflowing of the Nile had ceased, and the country became dry 73 μηκυνομένης δε νυκτος αύξεται το σκοτος, at the time of year when the nights grow long, and the days are upon the decline, darkness now increasing. It was in short upon the seventeenth day of the second 74 month after the autumnal equinox, εν ᾧ τον Σκορπιον ὁ Ἡλιος διέξεισιν : when the sun passes through Scorpio: This, if I mistake not, was the precise month, and day of the month, on which Noah entered the Ark, and

72 See before, the account of Mur Enλnvn.

73 Ἡ δὲ το φωτος μαραίνεται, και κρατείται δυναμις. Plut. Isis et Osiris. p. 366.

74 Δύο μηνος Αθὺς ἀφανισθηναι τον Οσιριν λεγεσι. Plut. Isis et Osiris. p. 366. Εβδομη επι δεκα την Οσιριδος γενεσθαι τελευτην Αιγυπτίοι podoreyson. Ibid. p. 367. The Egyptians varied in their rites, as we learn from several passages in Herodotus. They differed also in particular places about the commencement of the year. Hence we find the same history of Osiris commemorated both in autumn, and in spring.

the floods came. 75 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, IN THE SECOND MONTH, THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up -In the self same day entered Noah-into the Ark. Hence, I think, there can be no doubt, but in this history of Osiris we have a memorial of the Patriarch and Deluge. As this event happened, according to the Egyptian traditions, when the Sun was in Scorpio; that sign is continually commemorated in the Diluvian hieroglyphics.

DA, PARTICULA CHALDAICA.

IN treating of Danaus, and Danae, I surmised, that they were not the names of persons: but antient terms, which related to the sacred ship; and to the rites, which were introduced by the Ionim, and Dorians from Egypt. I mentioned, that they were each of them compounded of DaNaue, and Da-Nauos, by which is meant the ship xar1 εoxnv. For the term Da is a Chaldaïc particle, equivalent to De, Die, and The, of the Saxon, Teutonic, and other languages. It occurs in the prophet 76 Daniel, and is taken notice

75 Genesis. c. 7. v. 11.

76 Daniel. c. 4. v. 27. and c. 7. v. 3. 8.