CHAPTER XI

Of Pigmies.

By _Pigmies_ we understand a dwarfish race of people, or lowest diminution of mankind, comprehended in one cubit, or as some will have it, in two foot or three spans; not taking them single, but nationally considering them, and as they make up an aggregated habitation. Whereof although affirmations be many, and testimonies more frequent then in any other point which wise men have cast into the list of fables, yet that there is, or ever was such a race or Nation, upon exact and confirmed testimonies, our strictest enquiry receives no satisfaction.

I say, exact testimonies, first, In regard of the Authors, from whom we derive the account, for though we meet herewith in _Herodotus_, _Philostratus_, _Mela_, _Pliny_, _Solinus_, and many more; yet were they derivative Relators, and the primitive Author was _Homer_; who, using often similies, as well to delight the ear, as to illustrate his matter, in the third of his Iliads, compareth the _Trojans_ unto _Cranes_, when they descend against the _Pigmies_; which was more largely set out by _Oppian_, _Juvenal_, _Mantuan_, and many Poets since, and being only a pleasant figment in the fountain, became a solemn story in the stream, and current still among us.

Again, Many professed enquirers have rejected it; _Strabo_ an exact and judicious Geographer, hath largely condemned it as a fabulous story, _Julius Scaliger_ a diligent enquirer, accounts thereof, but as a Poetical fiction; _Ulysses Aldrovandus_ a most exact Zoographer in an express discourse hereon, concludes the story fabulous, and a Poetical account of _Homer_; and the same was formerly conceived by _Eustathius_, his excellent Commentator. _Albertus Magnus_ a man ofttimes too credulous, herein was more then dubious; for he affirmeth, if any such dwarfs were ever extant, they were surely some kind of _Apes_: which is a conceit allowed by _Cardan_, and not esteemed improbable by many others.

There are I confess two testimonies, which from their authority admit of consideration. The first of _Aristotle_[SN: _Hist. animal. lib. 3._], whose words are these, ἐστὶ dὲ ὁ τόπος, etc. That is, _Hic locus est quem incolunt Pygmæi, non enim id fabula est, sed pusillum genus ut aiunt._ Wherein indeed _Aristotle_ plaies the _Aristotle_, that is, the wary and evading assertor; For though with _non est fabula_, he seems at first to confirm it, yet at the last he claps in _Sciunt aiunt_, and shakes the belief he put before upon it. And therefore I observe _Scaliger_ hath not translated the first; perhaps supposing it surreptitious or unworthy so great an assertor. And truly for those books of animals, or work of eight hundred talents, as _Athenæus_ terms it, although ever to be admired, as containing most excellent truths; yet are many things therein delivered upon relation, and some repugnant unto the history of our senses; as we are able to make out in some, and _Scaliger_ hath observed in many more, as he hath freely declared in his Comment upon that piece.

The second testimony is deduced from holy Scripture; [SN: Ezek. 27. 12.] thus rendered in the vulgar translation, _Sed et Pygmæi qui erant in turribus tuis, pharetras suas suspenderunt in muris tuis per gyrum_: from whence notwithstanding we cannot infer this assertion, for first the Translators accord not, and the Hebrew word _Gammadim_ is very variously rendered. Though _Aquila_, _Vetablus_ and _Lyra_ will have it _Pygmæi_, yet in the Septuagint, it is no more then Watchmen; and so in the _Arabick_ and high _Dutch_. In the _Chalde_, _Cappadocians_, in _Symmachus_, _Medes_, and in the _French_, those of _Gamad_. _Theodotian_ of old, and _Tremellius_ of late, have retained the Textuary word; and so have the _Italian_, Low _Dutch_ and _English_ Translators, that is, the Men of _Arvad_ were upon thy walls round about, and the _Gammadims_ were in thy Towers.

Nor do men only dissent in the Translation of the word, but in the Exposition of the sense and meaning thereof; for some by _Gammadims_ understand a people of _Syria_, so called from the City _Gamala_; some hereby understand the _Cappadocians_, many the _Medes_ [SN: _See Mr._ Fullers _excellent description of_ Palestine.]: and hereof _Forerius_ hath a singular Exposition, conceiving the Watchmen of _Tyre_ might well be called _Pigmies_, the Towers of that City being so high, that unto Men below, they appeared in a cubital stature. Others expounded it quite contrary to common acception, that is not Men of the least, but of the largest size; so doth _Cornelius_ construe _Pygmæi_, or _viri cubitales_, that is, not Men of a cubit high, but of the largest stature, whose height like that of Giants, is rather to be taken by the cubit then the foot; in which phrase we read the measure of _Goliah_, whose height is said to be six cubits and a span. Of affinity hereto is also the Exposition of _Jerom_; not taking _Pigmies_ for dwarfs, but stout and valiant Champions; not taking the sense of πυγμὴ, which signifies the cubit measure, but that which expresseth Pugils; that is, Men fit for combat and the exercise of the fist. Thus can there be no satisfying illation from this Text, the diversity or rather contrariety of Expositions and interpretations, distracting more then confirming the truth of the story.

Again, I say, exact testimonies; in reference unto circumstantial relations so diversly or contrarily delivered. Thus the Relation of _Aristotle_ placeth them above _Egypt_ towards the head of _Nyle_ in _Africa_; _Philostratus_ affirms they are about _Ganges_ in _Asia_, and _Pliny_ in a third place, that is, _Gerania_ in _Scythia_: some write they fight with Cranes, but _Menecles_ in _Athenæus_ affirms they fight with _Partridges_, some say they ride on _Partridges_, and some on the backs of _Rams_.

Lastly, I say, confirmed testimonies; for though _Paulus Jovius_ delivers there are _Pigmies_ beyond _Japan_; _Pigafeta_, about the _Molucca's_; and _Olaus Magnus_ placeth them in _Greenland_; yet wanting frequent confirmation in a matter so confirmable, their affirmation carrieth but slow perswasion;[2] and wise men may think there is as much reality in the [3]_Pigmies_ of _Paracelsus_; that is, his non-Adamical men, or middle natures betwixt men and spirits.

There being thus no sufficient confirmation of their verity, some doubt may arise concerning their possibility, wherein, since it is not defined in what dimensions the soul may exercise her faculties, we shall not conclude impossibility; or that there might not be a race of _Pigmies_, as there is sometimes of Giants. So may we take in the opinion of _Austin_, and his Comment _Ludovicus_, but to believe they should be in the stature of a foot or span, requires the preaspection of such a one as _Philetas_ the Poet in _Athenæus_: who was fain to fasten lead unto his feet lest the wind should blow him away. Or that other in the same Author, who was so little _ut ad obolum accederet_; a story so strange, that we might herein excuse the PRINTER, did not the account of _Ælian_ accord unto it, as _Causabone_ hath observed in his learned Animadversions.

Lastly, If any such Nation there were, yet is it ridiculous what Men have delivered of them; that they fight with _Cranes_ upon the backs of _Rams_ or _Partridges_: or what is delivered by _Ctesias_, that they are _Negroes_ in the middest of _India_; whereof the King of that Country entertaineth three thousand Archers for his guard. Which is a relation below the tale of _Oberon_; nor could they better defend him, then the Emblem saith, they offended _Hercules_ whilest he slept; that is, to wound him no deeper, then to awake him.

[2] _The story of Pigmies rejected._

[3] _By Pigmies intending Fairies and other spirits about the earth as by Nymphs and Salamanders, spirits of fire and water._ Lib. De Pigmæis, Nymphis, _etc._