Page 41 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

3. The Egyptians Were the First to Civilize the Greeks

Greece was first civilized by colonies from Egypt, then from Phoenicia and Thrace. These were
under the government of wise men, who not only subdued the ferocity of an ignorant populace
by civil institutions, but also cast about them the strong chain of religion and the fear of the gods.
Whatever dogmas they had been taught in their respective countries, concerning things divine
and human, they delivered to these newly formed societies, with the object of bringing them
under the restraint of virtuous discipline. Phoroneus and Cecrops were Egyptians, Cadmus a
Phoenician and Orpheus a Thracian, and each of them, through their colonies carried into Greece
the religious and philosophical tenets of his respective country.

The practice of teaching the doctrines of religion to people under the guise of myths originated
from the Egyptians and was adopted by the Phoenicians and Thracians, and subsequently
introduced to the Greeks.

According to Strabo, it was not possible in ancient times to lead a promiscuous multitude to
religion and virtue by philosophical harangues. This could be effected only by the aid of
superstition, by prodigies and fables. The thunder bolt, the aegis, the trident, the spear, torches
and snakes were the instruments made use of by the founders of States, to terrify the ignorant and
vulgar into subjection. These references must speak for themselves.

Cheops and Cecrops were the names which the Greeks used for the Egyptian Khufu, who
belonged to the 4th Dynasty of the Egyptians or the pyramid age, i.e., 2800 B.C. (Strabo Bk. I;
Brucker's Historia Critica Philosophiae with translation by Wm. Enfield: Bk. II p. 62).

4. Alexander Visits the Oracle of Ammon in the Oasis of Siwah

No discussion on Alexander's invasion of Egypt would be complete without reference to his
famous visit to the Oracle of Ammon, situated in the Oasis of Siwah. Alexander had placed a
garrison in Pelusium, whence he marched through the desert along the eastern bank of the Nile to
Heliopolis where he crossed the river to Memphis, where his fleet had been awaiting him, and
where he was welcomed by the Egyptians and crowned as Pharaoh. Having sacrificed to Apis
and other Gods, Alexander descended the Nile by the Canopic branch and set out on his journey
to the Oracle of Ammon in the Oasis of Siwah. His route was along the coast of Libya, as far as
Paraetonium, whence he marched through the desert to the Oasis of Siwah. What do we suppose
was Alexander's motive for visiting the Temple of Ammon? Perhaps a brief description of the
religious and economic importance of Heliopolis, Memphis, Thebes and Ammonium might help
us to determine what it was.

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook