PYGMIES. Mention is made of the Pygmies in the Latin Translation of Ezekiel. Every one knows what the Meaning of Pygmies is. They were extreamly little Men, from whence the Word Pygmy comes, which Eze. xxvii. גמדים Gamadim. 70. Φύλακες. Custod. Theodot. Sym. Καὶ Μῆδοι. Et Medi.signifies a Man of the Stature of a Cubit.
Quorum tota cohors cubito non altior uno. And these were at continual War with the Cranes, from whom they had much ado to defend themselves. But it is believed, that these People never existed any where else, but in the Imagination and Writings of the Poets. The Hebrew Word Gamadim, Plin. l. 2. c. 91.dim, has some Relation to Pymæi, since literally it may signify Men of the Stature of a Cubit. But what should Pygmies do upon the Walls of Tyre, in order to defend them? for there they are placed by Ezekiel, as being good Warriors. The Seventy have rendered Gamadim by Guards, as if they had read Somerim. Symmachus has rendered it by the Medes; as if he had read Gam Madai, and the Medes. The Chaldee makes it the Cappadocians. By a slight Alteration, one might read Gomarim instead of Gamadim. But the Gomerim are well known in Gen. x. 4. among the Children of Japheth; and in Ezek. xxxviii. 6. where he mentions them as a very war-like People. Pliny speaks of a City of Phenicia called Gamade; unless there is some Fault in the Text, and instead of Gamade should be read Gamale.