THE SCENE: When Moses crushed the Egyptian army with the Red Sea, he introduced change and turmoil into the Egyptian populace. According to the 14th Century historian John of Fordun, some of that turmoil had unexpected positive dividends.
THE TEXT: It is maintained that many Egyptians as well as Greek foreigners, panic-stricken, not through fear of man only, but rather by dread of the gods, fled far from Egypt and their native country. Seeing the terrible plagues and wonders with which they had been afflicted, through Moses, they feared exceedingly, neither durst they remain there longer. This is also evident from the Historia Scholastica, where it is said: “Many of the Egyptians, indeed, fearing that Egypt would be destroyed, went forth; of whom Cecrops, crossing over into Greece, built the town of Athens, which was afterwards called Athens. It is believed, also, the Dionysian Bacchus, in that season, going forth out of Egypt, built the city of Argos, in Greece, and gave to Greece the use of the vine.
John of Fordun, Chronica Gentis Scotorum, 14th Century AD
