The court of the Gentiles: or A discourse touching the original of human literature, both philologie and philosophie, from the Scriptures, and Jewish church in order to a demonstration, of 1. The perfection of Gods vvord, and church light. 2: The imperfection of natures light, and mischief of vain pholosophie. 3. The right use of human learning, and especially sound philosophie. / By T.G.

§. 10 * 1.1 We now come to the Persick Language, with endea∣vors to demonstrate its original derivation from the Hebrew. This seems manifest from many fragments of Persian Names and Titles scattered in sacred and prophane Historie. Strabo lib. 11. makes mention of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Amanus, the chief Persian God (whereby they understood the Sun) which received its origina∣tion from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ama the Sun or fire: From whence also sprang the Persian 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 amanim, which the Greeks called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the sacred Hearths whereon their sacred Fire was wor∣shipped, as a Symbol of the Sun. This Amanus was called also by the Persians Mithras, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mither, Great, as hereaf∣ter. We find farther notices of the cognation 'twixt the Hebrew and Persick Languages, in those many Persick words, extant in the books of Daniel, Ezra, and Esther; which contain stories of things done under the Persians. So Esther 3.9. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ginze (or as the ancients read it Ganze) hammelec, the Kings Treasuries, is of an Hebrew root, (as Bochart Phal: lib. 1. c. 15. will have it) which the Persians at this day sound 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ceniz. Thus likewise 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 paradise Nehem: 2.8. is supposed to be a Persick word, as well as Hebrew. Also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Pur a lot, so often repeted in the book of Esther, (whence the solemne feast of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 purim amongst the Jews) as I am apt to conjecture, had its origination from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ur. That Ur of Caldea had its derivation from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Or, or Ur, we doubt not but to demonstrate in its place. Now its confessed by the Learned, that most of the Persian Sacreds were traduced by their Magi, from the Chaldaick Zabii. Herodotus l. 9. cap. 85. makes mention of a custome a∣mong

the Persians,

when they went to sight, to cast a rope, with a gin at the top of it, on their enimies, whereby, they be∣ing entangled, were drawn into their hands.

* 1.2 From these gins or snares Bochart supposeth the Sagartii, for Saragtii, a people of Persia, were so called, from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sarag, which signifies both in the Syriack, Chaldee, and Arabick, as well as Hebrew, to implicate and entangle. Thence the Syri∣ack 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Serig, the Arabick 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sarga, and the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2 Cor. 11.33. signifying a basquet and net, had their derivation. So in like manner from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Illustrious, Magnificent, the Persick 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the same signification, had its origination; whence the compounds 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ardschir Artaxerxes, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Ardovan Artapanus &c. which Hesychius expounds Great Il∣lustrious: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. So Herodotus Musa 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Whence their ancient Heroes were called Artaei. He∣sychius, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Such were Artabazus, and Ar∣banus, and Artaphernis, and Artaxerxes &c. Yea the very name Persa seems to be of Hebrew, and Arabick origination. For the Arabick 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pharas signifies an horse; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 pharis an horseman, from the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: whence the Countrey was cal∣led 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Paras, Persia: and the Inhabitants 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Persae i:e: Horsemen: they being taught, even from their childhood, to ride the horse; which was their Glorie. So Xenophon lib. 4. Cy∣ropaediae.

The Persians of footmen being made horsemen, they so accustomed themselves to horses, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 no good man among the Persians would willingly be seen to go afoot.

This Art of riding the horse, was first brought in fashion by Cyrus: for (as the same Xenophon tels us lib. 1.) before Cyrus's time, it was very rare to see an horse in Persia; it being a Countrey unfit for the breeding, as also for the riding of horses, by reason of the mountains there. This Bochart gives as a reason, why Moses, with the rest of the Penmen of Scripture, before Daniel and E∣zechiel, make no mention of the Persians under this name, but

call Persia Cuth and Elam: namely, because this name Persia was given it after Cyrus's bringing up the Discipline of Horse∣manship, whence the name 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 paras had its origination, as Bo∣chart Phal: lib. 4. cap. 10. Concerning the Persian Tongue, its original, and use; together with the Persian versions of the Scripture, see VValton, in Bibl: Polyglot: Proleg: 16. De Lingua Persica.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Persick from the Hebrew
• * 1.2

  Bochart Phal. 4. c. 10.