It ran through Chusistan, and was a branch of the Tigris: whence that river, of which the former was a branch, must have been Indian. This is rendered certain from the Cuthite Ethiopians, who came under the title of shepherds into Egypt. They came from Chaldea upon the river Tigris: and they are said expressly to have come from the Indus. Αιθίοπες απο Ινδε ποταμε αναςανα τες προς Αιγυπτῳ ᾤκησαν. About this time, says Eu 8 9 sebius, some Ethiopians, taking leave of their country upon the river Indus, came and settled in Egypt. Hence it is that Bacchus has been represented as the son of the river Indus. Hence also arose the true notion that the Indian Dionusos was the most antient: Διονυσον αρχαιοτατον ΙΝΔΟΝ γεγονέναι. The genuine and most antient person of this title must be referred to Babylonia. This is the country to which Phylarchus alluded, when he said that Bacchus first brought the worship of the two bulls, which were called Apis and Osiris, from India into Egypt. Πρωτος εις Αιγυπτον εξ Ινδών Διονυσος ηγαγε δυω βες, τῷ of the Sun. Κυρος, Sol. Hesych. Τον μεν ήλιον Περσαι Κύρον λεγεσι. Κύρος δεσποτης. Hesychius. μεν Απις ονομα, τῳ δε Οσιρις. It was a true history though Plutarch would not allow it. This worship was common in Egypt before the Exodus: for it was copied by the Israelites in the wilderness near Mount Sinai. It was of too early date to have been brought from the country near the Ganges: and was introduced from Chaldea, and the Tigris, the original Indus. The Africans, who had the management of elephants in war, were called Indi, as being of Ethiopic original. Polybius says in the passing of the Rhone; " της μεν Ινδός απολέθαι σύνεβη παντας, τες δε ελέφαντας διασωθηναι : it happened that Hannibal lost all the Indi; but the elephants were preserved, The same author says of the consul Cæcilius Metellus in the battle against Asdrubal: 12 θηρια συν αυτοις Ινδοις έλαβε δεκα. The fable of Perseus and Andromeda, whatever it may mean, is an Ethiopic story : and it is said of that hero; "Andromeden Perseus nigris portavit ab Indis. Virgil, speaking to Augustus of the people of this family, calls them by the same name; "Polyb. 1. 3. p.200. 12 Ibid. 1. 1. p. 42. 13 Ovid. de Arte Amandi. 1. 1. v. 53. 14 Imbellem avertis Romanis arcibus Indum. 16 15 If we change the scene, and betake ourselves to Colchis, we shall meet with Indians here too. The city Asterusia, upon Mount Caucasus, is styled Indica. Ασερεσία Ινδικη πολις. I have mentioned from Jerom, that St. Matthias preached the gospel at Colchis, near the Phasis and Apsarus; which country is called Ethiopia, Socrates, in his Ecclesiastical History, mentions the same and adds, that St. Bartholomew was in these parts; and that his particular province was India; which India joined to Colchis, and to the region upon the Phasis, where Matthias resided. Βαρθολομαιος δε εκλήρετο την συνημμένην ταύτη ΙΝΔΙΑΝ, την ενδοτερω He calls it the innermost India, to distinguish it from that which was not mediterranean, but lay on the Southern Ocean. The country here mentioned was a part of Iberia Colchica: and as some of the same family settled in Iberia Hispaniæ, we find 14 Virg. Georg. 1. 2. v. 173. The poet means here the Parthians, who were in possession of Persis and Babylonia. 15 Stephan. Byzantinus. 26 Socratis Hist. Ecclesiast. 1. 1. c. 19. See also 1. 1. c. 20. p. 50. and 51. Ινδών των ενδοτερω και Ιβήρων τα εθνη. p. 49. there too an Indic city; " ΙΝΔΙΚΗ, πόλις Ιβηρίας, wansion Hugnvos. The author adds, what is very remarkable, τινες δε Βλαβερέραν αυτην καλεσι; Some call it Blaberoura. Is not Blaberoura ill expressed? I think that there is a transposition of a single letter: and that it was originally Bebel-Oura; so denominated from the two chief cities of the Cuthites, Babel and Our, in Babylonia, and Chaldea. The river Indus was often called the Sindus: and nations of the family, whereof I am treating, were called Sindi. There were people of this name and family in Thrace, mentioned by Hesychius: Edo (TAS Oggxins) evos Iudxov. The Sindi (of Thrace) are an Indian nation. Some would alter it to Endxov, Sindicum: but both terms are of the same purport. He mentions in the same part of the world, πολις, Σινδικος λιμην λεγομενη; a city, which was denominated the Sindic, or Indian, harbour. #8 Herodotus speaks of a regio Sindica upon the Pontus Euxinus, opposite to the river Thermodon. This some would alter to Sindica; but both terms are of the same amount. This Indica was the country of the Mootiæ, a Cuthic tribe. The Ind, or Indus, of the east, is at this day called the Sind; and was called so in the time of Pliny: "Indus, incolis Sindus appellatus, iņ jugo Caucasi montis, quod Paropamisus vocatur, adversus solis ortum effusus, &c. If this title be peculiar to the Cuthite Ethiopians, we may well expect those above Egypt, among whom the Nile took its rise, to be so called. We accordingly find that river distinguished for being derived from the country of the Indi; 20 Usque coloratis amnis devexus ab Indis : and the same poet, in another place, speaking of Augustus, says, 21 -super et Garamantas et Indos Proferet imperium. Nor is this a poetical rant, but a just appellation. 19 Plin. Nat. Hist. 1. 6. c. 20. p. 319. Eudos worapos. Arriani Peripl. apud Geogr. Vet. Græc. v. 1, p. 21. 20 28 Virgil. Georg. 1. 4. v. 293, Virgil. Æn. 1.6. v. 794. The like occurs in another place, Omnis Arabs, omnes verterunt terga Sabæi. Eneid. 1. 8. v. 75. By the Indi are meant the Ethiopians above Egypt. |