An historico-geographical description of the north and eastern parts of Europe and Asia; but more particularly of Russia, Siberia, and Great Tartary both in their ancient and modern state: together with an entire new polyglot-table of the dialects of 32 Tartarian nations: and a vocabulary of the Kalmuck-Mungalian tongue / Written originally in High German by Mr. Philip John von Stralenberg. Now faithfully translated into English.

  • Philip Johan von Strahlenberg
Date:
1738
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An historico-geographical description of the north and eastern parts of Europe and Asia; but more particularly of Russia, Siberia, and Great Tartary both in their ancient and modern state: together with an entire new polyglot-table of the dialects of 32 Tartarian nations: and a vocabulary of the Kalmuck-Mungalian tongue / Written originally in High German by Mr. Philip John von Stralenberg. Now faithfully translated into English. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    XLI. F arther towards the North-Pole, the cold and impe¬ tuous North Winds are reprefented, in the Air, and above thefe appear two flying Angels, holding, with one Hand, the Ribbon by which the Efcutcheons are faften’d together, and fupporting the whole Efcutcheon, and having, in the other Hand, a Trumpet, thro’ which they blow, and give Intelligence to Wefl andEaß. XLII. The Mountains I have mention'd, and the outward Ornaments of the Efcutcheons, being an Atlufion to the prefent exteriour State of thofe Countries, the Pi&ures on the Infide are the fame, with Regard to certain fabulous Stories of Antiqui¬ ty; viz. upon the Wefi Efcutcheon is Prometheus, who, as the Story feigns, was, by Jupiter s Command, chain’d down to Mount Caucafus, where a Vulture was continually devouring his Liver, which grew again as fail as it was confumed, ’till Vulcan or Hercules came, and deliver’d him from his Torture (13). XLIII. Several learned Men have given us their Opinions concerning the Mythology of the Ancients: And, among others, the late Baron Leibnitz, (in his Miß ell. p. 133.) has exprefs’d his Thoughts about it, to Mr. Spanheim, in thefe Words; Nous appren- 710nspar votre Calimachus, ce qu on doit juger de i’Origine de laMytho- logie ancienne; 11 y a de /’Appareiice, que desHißoires y font cachees, &c. And as well Eckart, Bochart, and that great Philofopher, Leibnitz himfelf, have judged this Fable to be an ancient Allu- fion to a real Hiftory; fee his Miß ell. p. 122. where he fays>$ Semper credidi, hello Titanum aut Gigantum cum DUs, indieari vel Scytharum vel Celtarum irruptiones in Afiam & Graeciam Us fubj.eStam regibus, qui inter Decs funt relati 3 Promethea, qui inter Titanes habetur, Scytham fuijfe, indicat alligatio ad Caucafum jußu Jovis, quod nihil aliud defignare putem, quam exclujionem Scy- thicorum Populorum excubiis ad Cafpias collatis, &c. I, for my Part, fltall prove, in its proper Place, that this has a farther Allufion than that of Mr. Leibnitz; and has Relation to an In^- cident which really happen’d, on Mount Caucafus, of which not only a Defcription is to be found, in feveral Purkifo and Tarta¬ rian Writers, but, like wife, all the Inhabitants of thefe North- Eaßern (13) Here the Reader may confult Anonytnus allerneueßen Staat von Cafan, Aßracan, &c. p. 238. who has collected aJl that has been laid of this Allufion from other Authors/and has given a very good Defcription of it; likewife the Szvedijb Library, Part I. in 4/0 Stockholm, 1728. p. 21. not. 3.