Plutarchus; Squire, Samuel [Hrsg.]; Xylander, Wilhelm [Bearb.]; Baxter, William [Bearb.]; Bentley, Richard [Bearb.]; Markland, Jeremiah [Bearb.]: Plutarchu Peri Isidos kai Osiridos: Graece et Anglice (Cantabrigiae, 1744)

i PLOTARCH’S Treatife of
he tells us, that “ both were descended from the same
<£ parents, and born in the same region, but that^^’&r
“ was the elder and knew moll” ; plainly intimating
hereby, that the empire of the former was more au-
gust and honourable than that of his brother, as by
means of his age he was his superior and more ad-
vanced in wisdom and science: nay, ’tis my opinion,
I own, that even the blessedness of that eternity which
is the portion of the Deity himself, consiits in that
universal knowledge of all nature which accompanies
it: for abstradfing from this, eternity might be more
properly silled an endless duration, than an enjoyment
of existence.
2. To desire therefore and covet after truth, those
truths more especially, which respedl the divine na-
ture, is to aspire to be partakers of that nature it self,
and to profess that all our studies and enquiries are de-
voted to the acquisition of holiness; an employment
surely more truly religious than any external purifi-
cations, or mere service of the temple can be-But
more particularly mull such a diiposition of mind be
highly acceptable to that Goddess to whose service you
are dedicated; whose efpecial charadteristics are wis-
dom and meditation, and whose name it self seems to
express the peculiar relation which she bears to science.
For Ips, according to the greek interpretation of the
word, signifies knowledge; as does the name of her
professed adversary Typho, Infolence and Pride, a name
therefore extremely well adapted to one, who, full of
ignorance and error, tears in pieces and conceals that
holy dodlrine, which the Goddess collects, compiles and
deli-