indeed rather dying, and whether that which is styled dying be
not rather living?"

To one who has given attention to the various legends relative to
the destruction of the world by a flood, and a storm-tossed
mariner saved in an ark or boat, it is plain that they all have
the same significance, all are but different versions of the same
myth, which in an early age was used to conceal the philosophical
doctrines of an ancient people.

That the early historic nations understood little concerning the
origin and true meaning of the legends which they had inherited
from an older race is quite evident. The ignorance of the Greeks
regarding the significance of these legends is shown by the
following: When Solon, wishing to acquaint himself with the
history of the oldest times, inquired of an Egyptian priest
concerning the time of the flood, and the age of Deucalion or
Phroneous or Noah, this functionary replied:

"O Solon, Solon, you Greeks are always children, nor is there an
old man among you! Having no ancient traditions nor any
acquaintance with chronology, you are as yet in a state of
intellectual infancy. The true origin of such mutilated fables
as you possess is this. There have been and shall again be in
the course of many revolving ages, numerous destructions of the
human race; the greatest of them by fire and water, but others in
an almost endless succession of shorter intervals."[47]

[47] Quoted by Plato; also by Clement of Alexandria.