Hugo Grotius his Sophompaneas, or, Ioseph a tragedy : with annotations / by Francis Goldsmith.

Annotations upon the CHORUS.

(45) EUphrates] As in Asia by Perath or Prath, which signifies a River, is meant the River 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which the Greeks call Euphrates. So in Aegypt is Nilus called from Nachal which is in Hebrew a Ri∣ver. Voss. See the Note upon Nile.

(46) Tigris] So called from the most swift course, be∣cause it seemes to equall the swiftnesse of an arrow which the Medes in their language call Tigris.

(47) In his owne image] Not of body, but of minde, which consists in immortality, in innocency, and righteousnesse, and other gifts and endowments of the minde. Vatabl. in Gen. 1.26. And Junius upon the same place saith, That man was made in the image of God, to wit in the nature of the soule, its qualities and attributes. In the nature, for it is an eternall and spirituall, and intelligent essence; in qualities, for man was made after God in righteousnesse, and true holinesse [or holinesse of truth as Junius and the mar∣gent in our English Bible have it] Lastly in the attri∣butes, for he obtaineth a dominion or principality in these inferiour things, as it were a certain image of the divine principality. See Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10.

(48) And sleep his limbes forsake] Adam should have slept, though he had never sinn'd. For albeit that

sleep had not proceeded from a wearinesse of the ex∣teriour senses, or the spirits serving them (for neither in that happy state would labour have had place) though also it had not been to repaire the spirits in part consum'd by the naturall heat (for neither would there have bin any losse or decay of strength) yet man had not wanted the pleasure of sleep; because the vapours from the aliment had then also gone up to the brain: the spirits too had bin more inwardly allur'd to a cessation: and thence againe invited to exteriour functions. I am further perswaded to this opinion (which the great Aquinas was of) by that sleep sent by God upon Adam. I know the Septuagint tran∣slate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and it is a sure argument of an extasy, that with the eyes of his mind he saw a rib taken from him, and Eve to be framed thence: so that being a∣wake he forthwith brake out into these words; This now is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh. Bu•• though it were an extasie, yet it might bee a slee•• too; In his sleep surely Adams minde was divinel•• elevated, so as it saw what was done by God. A••••this was confirm'd by the Hebrew word Tardema, which signifies a deep sleep. Voss. l. 3. c 34.

(49) The Phaenix] Paulus Fab••us, and L. Vitellus being Consuls, after the revolution of many ages, the Bird Phaenix came into Aegypt: and afforded mat∣ter of discourse upon that miracle to the most lear∣ned both of the inhabitants, and of the Greeks. What they agree in, and many things doubtfull, but not unworthy the knowledge, I have thought sit to set downe. That this creature is sacred to the Sunne, and differing foom others in the beake and feathers, all agree, who have describ'd her forme. Of the num∣ber

of her yeeres the report is various. The most common is 500. some affirme 1461. And that the former birds, first in the reigne of Sesostris, after∣ward of Amasis, and then of Ptolomy the third of the Macedonian race, flew into the City called Heliopo∣lis, a flock of other birds accompanying them and wondering at the new shape. But antiquity indeed is herein obscure. Between Ptolomy and Tiberius were lesse then 250 yeeres. Whence some thought this a false Phaenix, and not to have come from Ara∣bia, &c. These things are uncertaine and fabulously augmented. But that this bird is sometime seen in Egypt is not to be doubted. Tac. Annal. l. 6.

The Phaenix is said to appeare against a great change in the world. And the Aegyptians paint this Bird, when they would expresse a vicissitude and re∣stauration of things. Voss. l. 2. in Addend.

(50) Of whose rare kind but one] What wise man can believe, there is a single Bird, which burnes her selfe in a fire, kindled both by the Sunne beames and the fanning of her owne wings; that from her turn'd into ashes, or at least from her marrow or blood is bred a worm, which afterwards having taken wings becomes this Bird, repair'd by her owne death, be∣cause she died that she might live, and so is made both the parent and issue: Whence and when fit for the burden, her first care is that (if she spring againe not out of the ashes but marrow or blood) shee carry her parents body to Heliopolis, and offer it upon the Altar of the Sun. To have related these things is to have confuted them. Yet that there is such a Bird hath been believ'd even by Tacitus: Yea Tertullian

thought the Scriptures made mention of the Phaenix. For in his Book de Resurrect. he hath rendred that in Psalm. 92. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The just shall flourish as a Phaenix; whereas hee should have said, as a Palme tree. With the very like error, as another in Plutarch, which Muretus observes in Variis, l. 13. cap. 12. hath translated 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the braine of a Phaenix, whereas it signifies the pith of a Palme tree. Surely that David meant a plant, is cleare, by that which there follows of the Cedar, and Plane tree. But indeed Clemens Romanus, a contemporary with the Apostles, makes mention of this Bird in his first Epistle to the Corinthians: Which a few yeeres since came forth into the light by the singular care of that famous man Patrick Young. Yet there are, who judge this Epistle to bee none of Clements, be∣cause by the nature of a Bird, which is no where, he seeks to illustrate those things, which belong to hea∣venly truth. But by what we have formerly said of Pliny and Tacitus, we plainly see that in those times wherein Clement liv'd, that opinion of the Phaenix, was common. And this is enough in a writing, ec∣clesiasticall indeed, yet not appertaining to the Ca∣non of faith, and life. For neither is it necessary that we believe, that Clement knew all things, which did concerne the secrets of nature. Nor are we bound to believe it of the Apostles; although Christ promi∣sed, John 16.13. That he would send the Holy Ghost, who should lead them into all Truth. Surely this is to be restrain'd to the truth of those things, which ap∣pertaine to the businesse of salvation. Yea not in∣deed to all them, because the Apostles themselves, 1 Corinth. 13.9. saw in part, and Prophesied in part: but of all, which it was needfull to know

for the attaining another life. Voss. Idolol. lib. 3. cap. 99.

(51) The sacred fire] Was wont to be carried before the King of the Persians, when hee came abroad in publique, in honour of the Sunne, who was adored by them; Which fire was never put out, untill the death of the King. The same ceremony our Au∣thor makes Pharaoh to use here, the Persian Mi∣thra, and the Aegyptian Osiris, being the same; that is, the Sunne.