according to the Egyptians. Various writers of Greece and Italy, fpeaking after Homer. and Hecatæus, make Menelaus land in Egypt, and fay that Canobus, his pilot, dying of the bite of a viper, had a temple erected to his memory, on the fhore. This fact is too well fupported to be queftioned: they add that the city of Canobus (b) was afterward built here, in honour of this pilot. Dionyfius Pericgetes, fpeaking after them, but going beyond them, fays, in the most northern bay of Egypt, is the famous temple of the Spartan Canobus. It would be aftonishing, Sir, had the Egyptians, who, as the Scripture informs us, held strangers in extreme averfion (Genefis, chap. XLIII), raised a Greek pilot to the rank of the gods, when we know they never granted that honour to any mortal. Herodotus, who lived many years among the priefts of Heliopolis and Memphis, learned from them that Menelaus, after receiving Helen from King Proteus, rewarded the fervice by depredations, and pillaged the fea

(b) In other parts of this work I have called it Canopus, in conformity to modern ufe, but the true name is Canobus.

coafts

coafts before he fet fail (c): nor does he mention Canobus. Is it credible that fuck ingratitude would have occafioned the Apotheofis of his pilot, contrary, also, to the manners and religion of the Egyptians? Let us not believe this improbable opinion of Dionyfius Periegetes, who is the only profane writer who grants the honours of a temple to the Spartan.

There were several temples at Canobus (d), the most famous was that of Serapis, the most ancient that of Hercules, built in one of the fuburbs (e), which are all antiquity mentions. Strabo (f) describes the temple of Serapis, adorned by the Ptolemies with royal magnificence. They added various

(c) We cannot doubt the teftimony of Herodotus, who, being a Greek, would not have invented a lye injurious to his nation, before whom he read his hiftory; the fact must be well known, in his time, and the love of truth only could render it supportable.

(d) Ammianus Marcellinus. lib. 22.

(e) Herod. lib. 2.

(f) Lib. 17. See Letter III. Vol. I. in which I have described, after Strabo, the ceremonies practifed here, and the concourse of people who come from Alexandria, and all parts of Egypt.

VOL. II.

F f

edifices

edifices in which an academy was formed, where the Belle Lettres, and, particularly, the mysteries of religion and the ancient language of Egypt were taught. Many of the learned flourished here; and Ptolemy (the geographer) rendered it famous. "He paffed forty years in the temple of Canobus, during which he ftudied Aftronomy. His fyftem and discoveries are there engraved "on columns (g)." Serapis was the tutelar deity, and his worship, encouraged by the Ptolemies, was propagated in Greece. Paufanias (b), travelling this fine country, faw, in the citadel of Corinth, a temple dedicated to the Canobic Serapis. The fciences, and the Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophy, were, for ages, cultivated at Canobus; but Theodofius, having deftroyed its colleges and temples, & part of human learning was buried under their ruins, and the learned difperfed.

Ariftides, the rhetorician, defirous of knowing the origin of the name Canobus, queftioned an Egyptian prieft, and gives the following account. "I was informed, by

(g) Olympiodori Comment. (b) In Corinthiacis.

"a priest,

a priest, eminent in his order, that, long "before Menelaus landed, this place was "called Canobus. He demonftrated this "word could not be properly written with "Greek characters, and that it fignified "Land of Gold."-" We may well suppose," adds Ariftides, "the Egyptians knew their own history better than Homer and HecaM. de la Croix (i) confirms this testimony. The remains of the Coptic language leave no room to doubt the fidelity of this account; Cahi, a word which, because of its afpiration, could not be written. in Greek, fignified land; and Noub, gold.

"tæus."

The Greeks, knowing that most cities of Egypt bore the name of the deities they adored, and that the tomb of Canobus was in a place called Cahinoub, deceived, no doubt, by the fimilarity of found, have affirmed this city was built in honour of him, and Dionyfius Periegetes has dedicated a temple to him, it is eafy to perceive with what truth. The primitive Chriftians, delighting to ridicule Pagan idolatry, have

(i) Differtation Philologique.

F f 2

"endea.

"Ca

endeavoured to give this error credit. "nobus (k) and his wife Eumenouth, were "buried on the fea fhore, twelve miles from Alexandria (1), and honoured with divine worship." Epiphanius is the first author who hazarded this affertion. Ruffinus is more prolix; and, in his ufual ftyle, farther from truth. "How fhall we defcribe (m) "the crimes of fuperftition at Canobus, "where, pretending to ftudy the facerdotal "letters (the ancient Egyptian language was "fo called) they publicly profeffed magic! "This place, which may be called the "fource of demons, became more celebrated,

66

among the Pagans, than Alexandria itself; nor will it be unfeasonable to reveal the origin of thefe monstrous errors. The "Chaldæans were faid to tranfport the fire, "their god, throughout the provinces ; defying the gods of other nations to combat,

"on condition, if he was victor, he fhould be "adored. The prieft of Canobus accepted

(k) Epiphan. tom. II.

(1) The exact distance from Alexandria to Aboukir, formerly Canobus.

(m) Ruffin. Hift. Ecclefiaft. lib. 2.

"the