The history of the world

§. II. Of the Floud in the time of 〈◊〉〈◊〉: and that this was not NOAHS Floud.

BVT from the vanitie of the Greekes, the Corrupters of all truth, (sayth [unspec 10] Lactantius) who without all ground of certaintie vaunt their Antiqui∣tie, came the errour first of all: who therein flattering themselues al∣so, sought to perswade the World, that there was no Floud preceded the Floud of Ogyges, King of the Thebans in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or rather of Attica; and therefore sayth Rhodoginus; OGYGVM id appellant Poëtae, tanquàm peruetus dixeris,* 1.1 ab OGYGE vetustissimo: The Poets gaue the name of OGYGIA to things exceeding an∣cient, as of OGYGES the most ancient.

But let Ogyges be as ancient as those men can make him, yet it is manifest, that hee liued but in Iacobs time (though Eusebius makes him later, and in Moses time) and [unspec 20] * 1.2 was borne 67. yeeres after him. There is also an opinion, that Ogyges was Cadmus (and then was he farre later) as Rhodoginus in the ninth Booke of his Antiquities re∣membreth: Sunt tamen qui in Aegyptoregnâsse autument 〈◊〉〈◊〉: vnde sit CADMVS qui in Graeciam profectus Thebas condidit, à boue iugulato sic nuncupatas; quontam Syrorum lingua bos dicitur Thebe. There are (sayth he) who thinke that this OGYGES did raigne in Aegypt, whereby he should be CADMVS, who trauailing into Greece built Thebes, so na∣med of a Beefe slaine: because in the Syrian Language, a Beefe is called Thebe.

But this Floud of Ogyges fell in the yeere of the World 3440. according to Euse∣bius, who followed the account of the Septuagint: and the Floud of Noah in the yeere 2242. after the same account; and so there came 1200. yeeres betweene these Flouds, [unspec 30] wanting but two, though heerein Eusebius was much mistaken, and corrected this o∣pinion in his Chronologie. Now although the verie yeere and time of this ouerflowing in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or rather Attica, be not precisely set downe, but that there is a great diffe∣rence among Writers, yet whosoeuer makes it most ancient, finds aboue 500. yeeres difference betweene that and the generall Floud.

For Paulus Orosius affirmes, that this tempest fell vpon the Athenians, but 1040.* 1.3 yeeres before Rome built. Bucholzerus sayth it was 1043. elder then Rome; which was founded (according to the same Bucholzerus) in the Worlds yeere 3219. though after the account which I follow (and whereof I will giue my reasons in the Story of Abraham) it was built in the Worlds yeere 3280. Now the generall Floud prece∣ded the building of Rome (sayth Bucholzerus) 1563. yeeres: and the Floud of Ogyges (as before) 1043. Hence it followeth by easie calculation, that (if he place Ogyges [unspec 40] in his true age) the difference betweene these two Flouds must bee 520. yeeres, to which we (allowing 60. more) find 580. And that this of Ogyges was not the same of Noah (except we call Noah, Ogyges priscus, as some doe) it appeares by this, that* 1.4 the Floud of Ogyges then King of Attica or Ogygia, did not extend it selfe any fur∣ther then the bankes of Archi-pelago, or the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Sea. For whereas Mela, Plinie, and* 1.5 Solinus witnesse, that the Citie of Ioppe in Iudaea was founded before the Floud; and that (notwithstanding the waight of Waters) there remained on certaine Altars* 1.6 of stone the Title of the King, and of his Brother PHINEVS, with many of the [unspec 50] grounds of their Religion: sure, it is no where found among prophane Historians nor in the Scriptures, that euer the Floud of Ogyges spred it selfe ouer any part of Sy∣ria, much lesse ouer all the Earth. But that it drowned both the Regions of Attica about Athens, and that of Achaia in Peloponnesus, it is very probable. For it see∣meth

that at that time it was, when Helice and Bura were swallowed vp (Cities sea∣ted on the North part of Peloponnesus) of which Ouid:

Si quaeras Helicoen, & Buran, Achaidos vrbes,* 1.7 Inuenies sub aquis.

Bura and Helice on Achaian ground Are sought in vaine, but vnder Sea are found.

Of this Floud of Ogyges was inuented the Fable of Apollo and Diana. For Latona [unspec 10] * 1.8 the Daughter of Coeus, the Son of Titan, being beloued and forced by IVPITER, and by him gotten with childe, IVNO thereat enraged, permitted her (as they say) no part of the Earth to bee deliuerd on; and withall caused the monstrous Serpent Python to follow and affright her, wheresoeuer shee trauailed, till at length arriuing at the Ile of Ortygia she was there receiued: in which she was deliuered, first of Diana, and then of APOLLO, being Twins; whereof BARLAAM makes this exposition: That at such time as the Deluge (which happened in Ogyges his Raigne) ceased, out of the abundant moisture of the Earth (heat by putrefaction being thereto mixed) there were exhaled such thicke mists and fogges, that in Attica, and along the Coasts of the Aegaean Sea, neyther the beames of the Sunne by day, nor of the Moone by [unspec 20] night could pierce the Ayre, or be perceiued by the inhabitants: so as when at length (the Earth being dryed, and these vapours dissipated) the Ayre began to be cleere, and the people of Ortygia espied the light of the Moone somewhat before day, and in the same morning the Sunne also appeared: fabulously (because DIANA re∣presented* 1.9 the Moone, and APOLLO the Sunne) they were reported to bee borne in the Ile of Ortygia, thereof afterwardes called Delos: which signifieth ma∣nifestation.

And surely it is not improbable, that the Floud of Ogyges, being so great, as Hi∣stories haue reported it, was accompanied with much alteration of the Ayre sensibly discerned in those parts, and some vnusuall face of the Skies. Varro in his Bookes, De [unspec 30] gente populi Romani (as he is cited by Saint AVGVSTINE) reporteth out of CASTOR,* 1.10 that so great a Miracle happened in the Starre of Venus, as neuer was seene before, nor in after-times: For the colour, the greatnesse, the figure, and the course of it, were changed. This fell out as ADRASTVS CYZICENVS, and Dion Neapolites, fa∣mous Mathematicians affirmed in the time of Ogyges.

Now concerning the course of that or any other Planet, I doe not remember, that I haue any where read, of so good Astrologers flourishing among the Greekes, or else where in those dayes as were likely to make any calculation of the reuolutions of the Planets so exact, that it should need no reformation. Of the colour and magni∣tude. I see no reason why the difference found in the Starre of Venus should bee [unspec 40] held miraculous; considering that lesser mists and fogges, than those which couered Greece with so long darknesse, doe familiarly present our senses with as great altera∣tions in the Sunne and Moone. That the figure should varie, questionlesse it was very strange: Yet I cannot hold it any prodigie: for it stands well with good reason, that the side of Venus which the Sunne beholds, being enlightned by him, the opposite halfe should remaine shadowed; whereby that Planet would, vnto our eyes, descrying onely that part whereon the light falleth, appeare to bee horned, as the Moone doth seeme; if distance (as in other things) did not hinder the apprehension of our 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

GALILAEVS, a worthy Astrologer now liuing, who by the helpe of perspectiue [unspec 50] Glasses hath found in the Starres many things vnknowne to the Ancients, affirmeth so much to haue beene discouered in Venus by his late obseruations. Whether some waterie disposition of the Ayre might present as much to them that liued with Ogy∣ges, as Galilaeus hath seene through his Instrument; I cannot tel: sure I am, that the dis∣couerie

of a truth formerly vnknowne, doth rather conuince man of ignorance, then nature of errour. One thing herein is worthy to be noted, that this great, but par∣ticular Floud of Ogyges, was (as appeareth by this of Saint AVGVSTINE) accom∣panied with such vnusuall (and therefore the more dreadfull, though naturall) signes testifying the concurrence of causes with effects in that inundation; whereas the Floud of Noah which was generall and altogether miraculous, may seeme to haue had no other token, or foreshewing, then the long preaching of Noah himselfe, which was not regarded: for they were eating and drinking, when the Floud came sodain∣ly,* 1.11 and tooke them all away. [unspec 10]

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 15. c. 33.
• * 1.2

  Euseb. de 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. l. 10. c. 3. Ca. 22.
• * 1.3

  Lib. 1. c. 7.
• * 1.4

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. An∣nianus.
• * 1.5

  Mela. lib. 3. Plin. lib. 5. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. cap. 47.
• * 1.6

  Ioppe 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 orbe toto, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ante inundatio∣nem terrarum 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ibid.
• * 1.7

  Ouid. Metam. lib. 15. 303.
• * 1.8

  Nat. Com. l. 1. c. 6
• * 1.9

  Plin. l. 4. c. 11.
• * 1.10

  Aug de Ciuit. 〈◊〉〈◊〉, l. 21. cap. 8.
• * 1.11

  Luke 17. v. 27.