Chinese Tartary ed mat Mauritania Tisigitana .... Morocco, ...Tripod. Egypt. Biledilgerid, Zaara, or the Desert. Negy oland. Upper Ethiopia v Athiopia pars............ Lower Ethiopia, N. B. For other particulars, consult Dr. Robinson' Grammar of History, and his Ancient and Modern His ⚫tories. XXXI.. Mythology. 054, MYTHOLOGY, Fable or Fiction, is the ereature of the imagination, and derives its ori gin from a love of the marvellous and wonderful a passion, of which legislators and teachers, in early ages of society, took advantage. „Obs,→ These tales of ignorance, barbarism, and supertition, fill a large portion of many books of education i *but these few pages will suffice on this subject. 455. As a means of civilizing the world, the priest and the poet, among ancient nations, made use of the same means to convey their maxims and instructions to the vulgar. It was often, also, a mode of honouring whatever was useful or honourable, in'nations; the Chinese having their Fohi; the Hindoos, their t Brahma, the Greeks and Romans, their Jupiter; and the Scandinavians, their Woden. เม 656. Mythology was first reduced to a system by the Hindoos; aud afterwards, by the priests of Egypt, who were the depositories of Eastern learning, as well as religion, and who monopolized all the arts and sciences. 657. Fables are the tales of former times, when there existed neither records nor chronology. By the Chinese mythology, Fo or Fohi, pro bably (the Noah of holy writ), the founder o their empire, was born in a supernatural man. ner, and was inspired by heaven with know ledge which qualified him to teach all arts and sciences, and compose their laws. Of their Confucius, they believe, that he was not born as other men; but able to reason pro. foundly from his childhood 3658. The mythology of the Hindoos is much connected with their casts or tribes; into which The Indian nations are divided. Some of their fables relate to the creation, te the general deluge, and to Vishnu or Brahmawho, they say, was miraculously born; (in Sweta, the White Island, or Britain!) and that at thirty, he began to promulgate his doctrines. which have since spread all over India, and a great part of Asia. His principal dogma, was that of the transmigration of souls, after death, into the bodies of other animals;-a doctrine which gave rise to idols in the shape of monsters, quadrupeds, &c. 659. The Persians supposed the world to have been repeatedly destroyed; but re-peopled by creatures of different formation, who had been successively annihilated for disobeying the Supreme Being Their mythology related to the exploits of Tahmuras, one of their ancient kings, who at tacked and vanquished the dæmon that opposed the happiness of the country; and also to the labours and adventures of Rostan, another Persian chief, similar in character to the Hercules of Greece and Rome. 660. In the Egyptian mythology, the revolu tions of the heavenly bodies, are referred to the reigns of their carly monarchs. Hence, the number of years included in the reigns of the superior gods who filled the Egyp tian throne; and to these, they say, succeeded twelve demi-gods. The imaginary exploits and absurd adventures of the gods and demi-gods, furnished an inexhaustible fund of mythological romance, 661. The adventures and exploits of Osiris, Oris, Typhon, and Isis, and the transformation of the gods into various animals, are the foundations of the Egyptian mythology. Objects animate and inanimate were, at first, created as emblems of the deities, and were worshipped as deities. Thus, Jupiter Ammon was worshipped under the figure of a ram; Apis, as a cow; Osiris, as a built; Pan, as a goat Thoth, or Mercury, as an ibis, &c. 662. Thoth, or Mercury Trismegistus, was also represented as the inventor of letters, geomietry, astronomy, music, architecture, and all the branches of science and philosophy, in which there is no doubt the Egyptians greatly excelled. 663. The mythology of Greece is partly founded on that of Egypt; and is furnished chiefly by the adventures of Jupiter, Juno, Minerva, Neptune, Venus, Mars, Vulcan, Vesta, Apollo, Diana, Ceres, and Mercury. Besides these twelve deities, called the superior gods, there were second and third classes of gods, and a multitude of others, of inferior dignity, but connected with thein. 664. Jupiter, or the Thunderer, was esteemed the most powerful of the Grecian gods, and was son of Saturn and Rhea. After delivering his father from the tyranny of the Titans, he became master of the universe, which he divided with his brothers; reserving heaven for himself, giving the sea to Neptune, and the infernal regions to Pluto. Having overcome his enemies, he gave himself over to all kinds of pleasure; but notwithstanding, obtained universal homage and worship. He was the king and father of gods and men; his power extended over all the deities, and every thing but the Fates was subservient to him. 7 He was the Vishnu of the Hindoos, the Osiris of Egypt, the Ammon of Ethiopia, and the Belus of Babylon. 005. Juna, the sister and wife of Jupiter, was famous for her jealousy, her implacable rege, and her quarrels with Jupiter. She preed over empires and riches; and was worpped with solemnity, as the protectress of married women. She had three children, viz. Hebe, Mars, and Vulcan. Iris, the rainbow, was her chief attendant. 666. Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, sprung from the head of Jupiter; she was the patron of the arts, and an emblem of wisdom and prudence. The cock and the owl are emblems of of her valour and wisdom. 667. Neptune was worshipped as the god of he ocean. He was ruler of the seas, and held dominion over all maritime affairs. Polyphemus, one of the Cyclops, was his child, and a giant who devoured all who fell into his hands. 688. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, said to have sprung from the froth of the sea on the surface of which, she was wafted in a shell to the island of Cythera. On the sea, she was surrounded by Cupids, Nereids, and Dolphins; and in the heavens, her chariot was drawn by doves and swans. 669. Mars was represented as a warrior riding in a chariot drawn by horses, driven by a Fury: Discord preceded them, and Distraction, Rage, Fear, and Terror, attended his progress. The dog for his vigilance, the wolf for his fierceness, the raven for feasting on the bodies |