A New System; or, an Analysis of Ancient Mythology. Volume II
By Jacob Bryant
OF MYRINA, AND THE AMAZONIANS OF LIBYA.
From a notion that the Amazons were a community of women, historians have represented the chief personage of their nation as a [819]female. She is mentioned by some as having flourished long before the æra of [820]Troy: and it is by others said more precisely, that she lived in the time of Orus, the son of Isis and Osiris. This removes her history far back; so as to make it coeval with the first annals of time. Her dominions lay in the most western parts of [821]Africa, at the extremity of Atlas; where the mountain terminated in the ocean, to which it gave name. This country was called Mauritania; and was supposed to have been possessed by the Atlantes and Gorgons. The Grecian writers, who did not know that the same family went under different titles, have often made the same nation at variance with itself. And as they imagined every migration to have been a warlike expedition, they have represented Myrina as making great conquests; and what is extraordinary, going over the same ground, only in a retrograde direction, which Osiris had just passed before. Her first engagement was with the Atlantes of Cercene: against whom she marched with an army of 30,000 foot, and 2,000 horse; whom she completely armed with the skins of serpents. Having defeated the Atlantes, she marched against the Gorgons, whom she likewise [822]conquered; and proceeding forward, subdued the greater part of Africa, till she arrived at the borders of Egypt. Having entered into an alliance with Orus, she passed the Nile, and invaded the Arabians, whom she defeated. She then conquered the Syrians, and Cilicians, and all the nations about Mount Taurus; till she arrived at Phrygia, and the regions about the river Caïcus. Here she built many cities, particularly Cuma, Pitane, and Priene. She also got possession of several islands; and among others, of Lesbos and Samothracia, in which last she founded an asylum. After these transactions, Myrina, accompanied with Mopsus the diviner, made an expedition into Thrace, which was the ultimate of her progress; for she was supposed to have been here slain. According to Homer she died in Phrygia: for he takes notice of her tomb in the plains of Troas; and represents it as a notable performance.
[823]Εστι δε τις προπαροιθε πολεως αιπεια κολωνη,
Εν πεδιῳ απανευθε, περιδρομος ενθα και ενθα·
Την ητοι ανδρες Βατιειαν κικλησκουσιν,
Αθανατοι δε τε σημα πολυσκαρθμοιο Μυρινης.
The tomb of this heroïne was in reality a sacred mound, or high altar; and Myrina a Gentile divinity. In her supposed conquests we may in great measure see the history of Osiris, and Perseus, reversed, and in some degree abridged; yet not so far varied, but that the purport may be plainly discerned. Indeed there is no other way to obtain the hidden meaning, but by collating the different histories, and bringing them in one view under the eye of the reader.
[819] Diodorus Sicul. l. 3. p. 185.
[820] Πολλαις γενεαις προτερον των Τρωικων. Ibid.
[821] Της Λιβυης εν τοις προς ἑσπεραν μερεσιν επι του περατος της οικουμενης. Diodorus Sic. l. 3. p. 186.
She likewise was in possession of the νησοι ευδαιμονες, or Islands of the blessed, which lay opposite to her dominions in Africa.
[822] Writers mention that she raised over the slain three large mounds of earth, which were called ταφοι Αμαζωνων, the tombs of the Amazons. This shews that the Gorgons and Amazons were the same people, however separated, and represented in a state of warfare.