There are only two nations from whom circumcision could
have come to the Jews — the Egyptians and the Ethiopians — or,
more correctly, but one ; for in a religious point of view these
two are almost equivalent to one nation, and the Israelites were
in communication only with the Egyptians. Let us first col-
lect the passages which attribute a higher antiquity to circum-
cision among' the Egyptians than among the Hebrews. The
oldest statement to this effect is to be found in Plerodotus.
He says, i. ii. c. 104 : " It is of still greater significance (viz.
for the proof of the Egyptian- origin of the Colchians), that
only the Colchians, Egyptians, and Ethiopians practised cir-
. cumcision frpm the most remote times. For the Phoenicians
and Syrians in Palestine (this was the name given by Hero-
dotus and other Greeks to the Israelites, who were in reality
Ibrim, Aram^ans who had wandered into Palestine) them-
selves confess that they learnt this custom from the Egyptians.
But the Syrians dwelling on the rivers Thermodon and Par-
thenius, and their neighbours the Macrones, say that they had
only recently adopted the custom from the Colchians. These
are the only nations who practise circumcision ; and all appear
to have done it in imitation of the Egyptians. Respecting
the Egyptians and Ethiopians themselves, however, I cannot
say which of the two nations learnt circumcision from the



218 FIRST PEEIOD.
