MS. of the then unpublished chronography of Syncellus, availed himself of it for the above object, which accordingly, by his inexhaustible treasure of learning, and exuberant faculty of combination, he carried into effect. It was but just that he should retaliate upon Syncellus his own sarcasms; but we agree with Bredow158 in lamenting that he did not also publish his works. The text was afterwards edited by Goar, a Greek monk resident in Paris, with a translation and restoration of the canon or synchronistic tables. This work, in a philological point of view, is pitiable in the last degree, disingenuous, and interlarded with disgraceful attacks upon Scaliger. It is much to be lamented that in the new edition of the Byzantine writers, where the text of Syncellus has been, as might be expected, restored after the MSS.-Goar's utterly worthless translation has been retained-a real blot in that publication.

We must here remind our readers that we are indebted to Syncellus for the preservation of the invaluable labours of Eratosthenes and Apollodorus, although but in the form of a miserable epitome. The compilation of records relating to Egyptian chronology · is in fact the most valuable part of the whole work. The best authorities on Egyptian history were of course the most perplexing to the absurd system of synchronisms adopted by the Byzantine Church, and therefore the most useless to Syncellus. But he has also given certain Egyptian computations, which the Christians had already cut down to their own measure, and which it is here proper to mention, not on account of their

158 Prize Essay de Georgii Syncelli Chronographia. Whatever is valuable in Dindorf's edition, excepting the strictly philological emendations, is contained in this treatise on a very appropriate question proposed by the French Academy, in the Epistola Parisienses. The first volume ought to be completely reprinted.

intrinsic value, for they possess none whatever, but of the use which Syncellus made of the worst of them, and the influence they have had, down to our own times, in perplexing the judgment of the Western world.

V. THE PSEUDO-MANETHO'S BOOK OF SOTHIS, OR THE DOG-star.

SYNCELLUS mentions this work in two passages. In the first 159, with reference to his assertion that the antediluvian race dwelt between the sea and Paradise, and that neither the primeval empire of the Chaldees, so greatly vaunted by Berosus and his followers, nor that of the Egyptian Gods, of which so much had been said by the lying and braggart Manetho, were then in existence. After endeavouring to prove this according to his own fashion160, he returns to Berosus and Manetho, and sneers at "some of our historical critics"-evidently Anianus and Panodorus-who have attempted to get rid of the endless myriads of years by reducing the Chaldee Sari to days, as if those periods had any claim whatever to substantial reality. He then quotes to the point two passages of Africanus. In the first, that author denies all credit to the Egyptian astrological dates, which, even when reduced to months, make up still 8000 or 9000 years. In the second, he ridicules the three myriads of the Phoenicians, and the forty-eight of the Chaldees, and substitutes in their stead the Scriptural number of 6500 years B.C. Then follows the Chaldee computation from Alorus to Xisuthus, "the Man of the Flood," which is evidently taken from Berosus, or one of his copyists. Syncellus then goes on to say: "Manetho, the Sebennyte, High Priest of the detestable Egyptian mysteries, who, according to Berosus, lived under Ptolemy Philadelphus, as great a liar as Berosus

159 Syncelli Chronographia, p. 15.

160 Ibid. p. 17. seqq.

himself, writes to this monarch concerning six dynasties, constituting the reigns of seven imaginary Gods, in 11,985 years. The first, Vulcan, reigned, according to him, 9000 years. These 9000 years, again, some of our historical critics have reckoned as months, and thus reduced to 7273 years, in their absurd attempts to extract truth out of falsehood."

We have here given the entire context of the passage, in order more clearly to show that this citation of the real work of Manetho belongs entirely to Syncellus, and in no respect to the quotation from Africanus. Routh, therefore, has very properly entertained scruples as to inserting anything more than these two passages in his collection. We have already shown, in our remarks on his extract from the genuine Manetho, that Eusebius was not aware of the fraud.

Then follows, in Syncellus, the list of dynasties of Gods and Heroes, also already quoted on the occasion above referred to. Afterwards161, however, reverting to the work in question, he says: Manetho, the High Priest of the Egyptian Idols, wrote a fabulous work on the Dog-star162 under Philadelphus, and dedicated it to that King in the following words-To the great King Ptolemy Philadelphus, Semper Augustus (BaσT!), Manetho, High Priest and Scribe of the Mysteries of the Temple, by birth a Sebennyte, dwelling in Heliopolis, to my Lord, Ptolemy, hail! All attention is due, greatest of Kings, to whatever thou mayest inquire of us. As thou hast questioned me concerning the future destinies of the world, it shall be declared to thee, as thou hast commanded, what the Holy Books, written by your ancestor, Hermes Trismegistus, have instructed. Farewell, King, my Lord.'"

Syncellus further describes him as having declared

161 Syncelli Chronographia, p. 40. 162 Η βίβλος τῆς Σώθεος.

that certain Stelæ, still existing in the Syriadic land, were his authorities. His account of the inscriptions on these supposed Stela was in the following words"They are in the Sacred Dialect, engraved in Hieroglyphics by Thoth, the first Hermes; but, after the Flood, they were transcribed from the Sacred Dialect into the Greek tongue (sic), in Hieroglyphic characters, and deposited by Agathodæmon, the Son of the second Hermes, and father of Tat, in the shrines of the Egyptian Temples."

The book so pompously announced began with the history "of five Egyptian races, under the titles of Gods, Demigods, Manes, and Mortals."163

24,925 years,

36,910

We have already seen that the sum of the reigns of Gods and Heroes, according to the Book of Sothis (of the Dog-star), embraces 11,985 years. If we add to that the number of the genuine Manetho, which, according to Eusebius, comprises the reigns of Gods, Heroes, and Manes, as = the sum total will make consequently only 385 years more than the 36,525 years, which constitute the great Sothiac Cycle (25 × 1461), and which it was the impostor's object to make up. It is clear, therefore, that he introduced the cyclical element into the calculation, although wholly foreign to the method of the real Manetho.

It were but a waste of time to enter upon any further proof of the spuriousness of this production. Zoëga164 has remarked that the mention of a second Hermes indicates a late period. But this is a trifle compared with the effrontery of the dedication, and the folly of the introduction. In the former, the false Manetho announces to his Lord and Master, that he

163 Θεοί, ἡμίθεοι, νέκυες, θνητοί. Ημίθεοι and νέκυες are therefore distinct here as well as in the extract in Eusebius.

164 Zoëga de Obelisc. p. 881.

VOL. I.

will, as requested by him, unfold the mysteries of the future: instead of which, the genuine Manetho described the Past and the Antiquities of his nation. The latter derived his information from records and monuments, by the testimony of which his own authority is now again vindicated in the most triumphant manner. The former appeals to "Stelæ in the Syriadic country," to which our attention has already been turned in the introduction of the Egyptian traditions. The first Hermes had engraven the lore of primeval ages on those monuments in the Sacred Dialect with Hieroglyphic characters. After the Flood, Agathodæmon, the father of Thoth, translated them from that sacred language into Greek-but still in Hieroglyphic characters! No less fabulous are the "five Races," which he makes to consist of Gods, Demigods, Manes, Mortals, and probably the historical Kings (of Egypt). Lastly, the language is purely Hellenistic, no trace of which is found in the fragments of the genuine Manetho.

This book therefore is clearly a very contemptible counterfeit of a late period, compiled for astrological purposes.

But the credit of the genuine work of Manetho was exposed to still severer assaults- according to the same Syncellus.

VI. THE SO-CALLED OLD EGYPTIAN CHRONICLE.

"THE Egyptians," says Syncellus165, "BOAST of a certain old chronicle, by which also, in my opinion, Manetho” (the impostor) "was led astray." It comprises an immeasurable period, different from that of Manetho, of 30 Dynasties, in 113 generations, and 36,525 years-first of Gods, then of Demigods, thirdly of Egyptians; such are its terms, almost literally "word for word."

165 Chronog. p. 51. See Appendix of Authorities, A. III.