The history of the Chaldaick philosophy by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. II.

That there were several Zoroasters.

THe invention of Arts among the Chaldaeans is generally ascri∣bed to Zoroaster. The name Zoroaster (to omit those who give it a Greek Etymology from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Dinon cited bya 1.1 Laertius interprets 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, rendred by his Translators, a Worshipper of the Stars.b 1.2 Kircher finds fault with this Etymology, as being compounded out of two several Languages from the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and the Chaldee Zor, and therefore endeavours to duduce it fromc 1.3 tsura, a figure, ord 1.4 ••sajar, to fashion, ande 1.5 as andf 1.6 ster, hidden fire, as if it wereg 1.7 Zairaster, fashioning images of hidden fire, orh 1.8 ••suraster, the image of secret things; with which the Persi∣an Zarast agreeth. But it hath been observed, that Ester in the Persian Language signifieth a Star. The former particle Zork 1.9 Bochartus de∣rives from the Hebrew Schur, to contemplate, and thereupon, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (in Laertius) reads 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a contemplator of the Stars. But we find Zor used amongst other words (by composition) in the name Zorobabel, which we interpret, born at Babylon: Zoroaster therefore properly signifies the Son of the Stars.

The same name it is which some call Zabratas, others Nazaratas, others Zares, others Zaran, others Zaratus, others Zaradas; all which are but several corruptions from the Chaldee or Persian word which the Greeks most generally render Zoroaster.

That there were several Zoroasters (except Goropius, who para∣doxically maintains there was not any one) none deny: but in reckoning them up, there is no small disagreement amongst Writers, grounded chiefly uponl 1.10 Arnobius, whom they differently interpret; his words these, Age nunc veniat quis super igneam zonam Magus in∣teriore ab orbe Zoroastres, Hermippo ut assentiamur Authori: Bactrianus et ille conveniat, cujus ••tesias res gestas historiarum exponit in primo; Armenius, Hostanis nepos, & familiaris Pamphilius Cyr••.m 1.11 Patricius, n 1.12 Naudaeus,o 1.13 Kirch••r, and others, conceive that Arnobius here men∣tions four Zoroasters; the first a Chaldean, the second a Bactrian, the

third a Pamphylian (named also Erus,) the fourth an Armenian, son (as Kircher would have it) of Hostanes.p 1.14 Salmasius alters the Text thus, Age nunc veniat quaeso per igneam Zonam Magus interiore ab orbe Zoroasters, Hermippo ut assentiamur Auctori, Bactrianus. Et ille conveniat, cujus Ctesias res gestas historiarum exponit in primo, Armenius, Hostanis nepos, & familiaris Pamphilus Cyri. Which words thus al∣tered by himself, imply, as he pretends, but three Zoroasters; the first, according to some, an Aethiopian (a Country neer the torrid Zone) but, according to Hermippus, a Bactrian; the second, Armenius, Nephew of Hostanes, of whose actions Ctesias gives account in the first Book of his Histories; the third named Pamphilus, friend to Cyrus,q 1.15 Ursinus, from the same reading of the words, infers that Arnobius mentions only two, that he manifestly explodes the Bractrian Zoroaster of Hermip∣pus, and that Ctesias confuting the fabulous relation of Eudoxus, pro∣ved Zoroaster to have lived in the times of Cyrus. But the words of Arnobius seem not to require such alteration; which will appear more, if we mention particularly all those on whom the name of Zoroaster was conferr'd.

The first a Chaldaean, the same whomr 1.16 Suidas calls the Assyrian, adding that he died by fire from Heaven; to which story perhaps Arnobius alludes, or to that other relation mention'd bys 1.17 Dion Chrysostome, that Zoroaster the Persian (for their stories are confound∣ed) came to the people out of a fiery mountain; or else, by fiery zone, he means the seat of the zoned Deities just above the Empyreal or corporeal Heaven, according to the doctrine of the Chaldaeans; for I find not any where that Zoroaster was esteem'd an Aethiopian, or of interiour Lybia, as Salmasius expounds, Concerning this Zoroaster, Arnobius cites Hermippus: who, ast 1.18 Pliny saith, wrote in explication of his Verses, and added Tables to his Volumes.

The second, a Bractrian;u 1.19 Iustine mentions Zoroastres King of Bractria contemporary with Ninus the Assyrian, by whom he was subdu'd and slain; adding, He was said to be the first that invented Magical Arts, and observed the beginnings of the World, and the motions of the Stars. Arnobius saith,x 1.20 he contested with Ninus, not only by steel and strength, but likewise by the Magical and abstruse disciplines of the Chaldeans. The actions of this Zoroaster, Ctesias re∣corded in the first Book of his Persica; for so Arnobius,y 1.21 Bactrianus & ille conveniat, cujus Ctesias res gestas historiarum exponit in primo. The first six Books of that Work, treated (asz 1.22 Photius shews) only of the Assyrian History, and passages that preceded the Persian affairs. Whereupon, I cannot assent to the conjecture of Salmasius, who applies the citation of Ctesias to the Nephew of Hostanes, since Hostanes (asa 1.23 Pliny affirms) lived under Darius. Butb 1.24 Diodorus names the King of Bactria whom Ninus conquered, Oxyartes; and some old Mss. of Iustine (attested by Ligerius) Oxyatres, others Zeorastes: perhaps the neerness of the names and times (the Chaldae∣an living also under Ninus, asc 1.25 Suidas relates) gave occasion to some

to confound them, and to ascribe to the Bactrian what was proper to the Chaldaean; since it cannot be imagined, that the Bactrian was Inventor of those Arts, in which the Chaldaean, who lived contem∣porary with him, was so well skil'd. Elichmannus, a Persian Wri∣ter, affirms the Arabians and Persians to hold, that Zoroaster was not King of the Bactrians, but a Magus or Prophet; who by perswasions ha∣ving wrought upon their King, first introduced a new form of superstition amongst them, whereof t••ere are some remainders at this day.

The third a Persian, so termed byd 1.26 Laertius and others; the same whom Clemens Alexandrinus styles a Mede; Suidas, a Perso-Mede; Institutor of the Magi, and Introductor of the Chaldaick Sciences amongst the Persians. Some confound this Zoroaster with the Chal∣daean, and both of them (ase 1.27 Kircher doth) with Cham the Son of Noah, not without a very great anachronism: for we find the Word Persian no where mentioned before the Prophet Ezekiel, nei∣ther did it come to be of note till the time of Cyrus. The occasion of which mistake seems to have been for that Zoroaster the Persian, is by Pliny, Laer••ius, and others, styled Institutor of Mag••ck, and of the Magi, which is to be understood no otherwise then that he first introduced them into Persia. Forf 1.28 Plutarch acknowledgeth, Zoroaster instituted Magi amongst the Chaldaeans, in imitation of whom the Persians had theirs also: And theg 1.29 Arabick History, that Zara∣dussit not first instituted, but reformed, the religion of the Persians and Magi, being divided into many Sects.

The fourth a Pamphylian, commonly called Er, or Erus Armeniu••. That he also had the Name of Zoroaster,h 1.30 Clemens witnesseth: The same Author, (saith he, meaning Plato) in the 10. of his Politicks, mentioneth Erus Armenius, by descent a Pamphylian, who is Zoroaster; now this Zoroaster writes thus,i 1.31

This wrote I, Zoroaster Arme∣nius, by descent a Pamphylian, dying in Warre; and being in Hades, I Learned of the Gods.

This Zoroaster,k 1.32 Plato affirmeth to have been raised again to Life, after he had been Dead ten dayes, and laid on the Funeral pyre, repeated byl 1.33 Valerius Maximus, and m 1.34 Macrobius. To this Zoroaster, doubtlesse the latter part of Ar∣nobius's Words, with which Interpreters are so much perplexed, ought to be referred, Armenius Hostanis nepos, & familiaris Pam∣phylius Cyri. Some conjecture he mentions two Zoroasters; I rather conceive, the Words relate only to this one, and perhaps are cor∣rupt, thus to be restored and distinguished, Armenius Hostanis nepos & familiaris, Phamphylius Erus: Armenius, Nephew and Disciple (in which sense 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is usually taken) of Hostanes, Erus Pam∣phylius.

The fifth a Proconnesian, mentioned byn 1.35 Pliny; Such as are more diligent (saith he) place another Zoroaster, a Proconnesian, a little b••fore Hostanes. This Zoroaster might probably be Aristeas the Pro∣connesian, who, according too 1.36 Suidas, lived in the time of Cyrus and Croesus. He adds, that his soul could go out of his Body, and return as

often as he pleased.p 1.37 Herodotus relates an instance hereof, not unlike that of Erus Armenius, that he died suddenly in a Fuller's shop at Pro∣connesus, and was seen at the same time at Cyzicus: his Friends coming to fetch away his Body, could not find it. Seven years after he returned home, and published the Verses which were afterwards called Arimas∣pean; a Poem describing a Happy Life, or rather an Imaginary civill Government after such a manner as he conceived most perfect. This we may gather fromq 1.38 (lemens Alexandrinus, who saith, that the Hyperborean and Arimaspian Cities, and the Elyzian fields are forms of civill Governments of just Persons; of which kind is Plato's Common∣wealth.

To these may be added a sixth Zoroaster, (for sor 1.39 Apuleius calls him) who lived at Babylon, at what time Pythagoras was carried Prisoner thither by Cambyses. The same Author terms him, omnis divini arcanum Antistitem, adding, that he was the chief Person whom Pythagoras had for Master; probably, therefore; the same with Zabratas, by whoms 1.40 Diogenes affirms, he was clea••sed from the pollu∣tions of his Life past, and instructed from what things vertuous Persons ought to be free; and learnt the Discourse concerning Nature (Physick), and what are the Principles of the Universe; The same with Naza∣ratas the Assyrian, whom Alexander in his Book of Pythagorick Symbols, affirms to have been Master to Pythagoras; the same whom Suidas calls Zares; Cyril, Zaran; Plutarch, Zaratas.

That there should be so many Zoroasters, and so much confusion amongst Authors that write of them, by mistaking one for ano∣ther, is nothing strange; for, from extraordinary Persons, Authors of some publick benefit, they who afterwards were Eminent in the same Kind, were usually called by the same Name. Hence is it, that there were so many Belusses, Saturns, Iupiters; and, consequent∣ly, so much confusion in their Stories. The like may be said of Zoroaster the Chaldaean, who being the Inventer of Magical and A∣stronomical Sciences, they who introduced the same into other Countries, as Zoroaster the Persian did, in imitation (as Plutarch saith) of the Chaldaeans, and such likewise as were eminently skil∣full in those Sciences, as the Bactrian, the Pamphylian, and the Pro∣connesian, are described to have been, were called by the same Name.

Notes

• a 1.1

  in Prooem.
• b 1.2

  Obelisc, Pamphil. l. 1. c. 2. §. 1.
• c 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• e 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• f 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• g 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• h 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• k 1.9

  Geogr. Sacr. l. 1. c. 1.
• l 1.10

  cont. gent.
• m 1.11

  Mag. Phil.
• n 1.12

  Apol. Mag. 8.
• o 1.13

  Obelisc. Pamphil.
• p 1.14

  Plin. exer∣cit.
• q 1.15

  in Zor.
• r 1.16

  in Zor.
• s 1.17

  Orat. Bo∣risth.
• t 1.18

  lib. 36. c. 1.
• u 1.19

  lib. 1.
• x 1.20

  cont. gent.
• y 1.21

  loc. cit.
• z 1.22

  Biblioth.
• a 1.23

  lib. 36. c. 1.
• b 1.24

  lib.
• c 1.25

  in Zor.
• d 1.26

  in Pro∣oem.
• e 1.27

  Obel. Pamphil. lib. 1. cap. 2. sect. 1.
• f 1.28

  de Isid. & Osirid.
• g 1.29

  Set forth by Erpeni∣us.
• h 1.30

  Strom. lib.
• i 1.31

  reading 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• k 1.32

  loc. cit.
• l 1.33

  lib. 1. c. 8.
• m 1.34

  in somn. Scip.
• n 1.35

  lib. 36. c. 1.
• o 1.36

  in Ariste∣as.
• p 1.37

  lib.
• q 1.38

  Strom. lib.
• r 1.39

  Flor.
• s 1.40

  Porphyr. ••it. Pythag.