按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
house of the goddess； stretching along the whole wall of it； and in the
sacred enclosure stand great obelisks of stone； and near them is a lake
adorned with an edging of stone and fairly made in a circle； being in size；
as it seemed to me； equal to that which is called the 〃Round Pool〃 in Delos。
On this lake they perform by night the show of his sufferings； and this the
Egyptians call Mysteries。 Of these things I know more fully in detail how
they take place； but I shall leave this unspoken； and of the mystic rites of
Demeter； which the Hellenes call /thesmophoria/； of these also； although I
know； I shall leave unspoken all except so much as piety permits me to tell。
The daughters of Danaos were they who brought this rite out of Egypt and
taught it to the women of the Pelasgians； then afterwards when all the
inhabitants of Peloponnese were driven out by the Dorians； the rite was
lost； and only those who were left behind of the Peloponnesians and not
driven out； that is to say the Arcadians； preserved it。
Apries having thus been overthrown； Amasis became king； being of
the district of Sais； and the name of the city whence he was is Siuph。 Now
at the first the Egyptians despised Amasis and held him in no great regard；
because he had been a man of the people and was of no distinguished
family； but afterwards Amasis won them over to himself by wisdom and
not wilfulness。 Among innumerable other things of price which he had；
there was a foot…basin of gold in which both Amasis himself and all his
guests were wont always to wash their feet。 This he broke up； and of it he
caused to be made the image of a god； and set it up in the city； where it
was most convenient； and the Egyptians went continually to visit the
image and did great reverence to it。 Then Amasis； having learnt that which
80
… Page 81…
AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
was done by the men of the city； called together the Egyptians and made
known to them the matter； saying that the image had been produced from
the foot…basin； into which formerly the Egyptians used to vomit and make
water； and in which they washed their feet； whereas now they did to it
great reverence； and just so； he continued； had he himself now fared； as
the foot…basin； for though formerly he was a man of the people； yet now
he was their king； and he bade them accordingly honour him and have
regard for him。 In such manner he won the Egyptians to himself； so that
they consented to be his subjects； and his ordering of affairs was this：In
the early morning； and until the time of the filling of the market he did
with a good will the business which was brought before him； but after this
he passed the time in drinking and in jesting at his boon…companions； and
was frivolous and playful。 And his friends being troubled at it admonished
him in some such words as these： 〃O king； thou dost not rightly govern
thyself in thus letting thyself descend to behaviour so trifling； for thou
oughtest rather to have been sitting throughout the day stately upon a
stately throne and administering thy business； and so the Egyptians would
have been assured that they were ruled by a great man； and thou wouldest
have had a better report： but as it is； thou art acting by no means in a
kingly fashion。〃 And he answered them thus： 〃They who have bows
stretch them at such time as they wish to use them； and when they have
finished using them they loose them again； for if they were stretched tight
always they would break； so that the men would not be able to use them
when they needed them。 So also is the state of man： if he should always be
in earnest and not relax himself for sport at the due time； he would either
go mad or be struck with stupor before he was aware； and knowing this
well； I distribute a portion of the time to each of the two ways of living。〃
Thus he replied to his friends。 It is said however that Amasis； even when
he was in a private station； was a lover of drinking and of jesting； and not
at all seriously disposed； and whenever his means of livelihood failed him
through his drinking and luxurious living； he would go about and steal；
and they from whom he stole would charge him with having their property；
and when he denied it would bring him before the judgment of an Oracle；
whenever there was one in their place； and many times he was convicted
81
… Page 82…
AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
by the Oracles and many times he was absolved： and then when finally he
became king he did as follows：as many of the gods as had absolved him
and pronounced him not to be a thief； to their temples he paid no regard；
nor gave anything for the further adornment of them； nor even visited
them to offer sacrifice； considering them to be worth nothing and to
possess lying Oracles； but as many as had convicted him of being a thief；
to these he paid very great regard； considering them to be truly gods； and
to present Oracles which did not lie。 First in Sais he built and completed
for Athene a temple…gateway which is a great marvel； and he far surpassed
herein all who had done the like before； both in regard to height and
greatness； so large are the stones and of such quality。 Then secondly he
dedicated great colossal statues and man…headed sphinxes very large； and
for restoration he caused to be brought from the stone…quarries which are
opposite Memphis； others of very great size from the city of Elephantine；
distant a voyage of not less than twenty days from Sais： and of them all I
marvel most at this； namely a monolith chamber which he brought from
the city of Elephantine； and they were three years engaged in bringing this；
and two thousand men were appointed to convey it； who all were of the
class of boatmen。 Of this house the length outside is one…and…twenty cubits；
the breadth is fourteen cubits； and the height eight。 These are the measures
of the monolith house outside； but the length inside is eighteen cubits and
five…sixths of a cubit； the breadth twelve cubits； and the height five cubits。
This lies by the side of the entrance to the temple； for within the temple
they did not draw it； because； as it is said； while the house was being
drawn along； the chief artificer of it groaned aloud； seeing that much time
had been spent and he was wearied by the work； and Amasis took it to
heart as a warning and did not allow them to draw it further onwards。
Some say on the other hand that a man was killed by it； of those who were
heaving it with levers； and that it was not drawn in for that reason。 Amasis
also dedicated in all the other temples which were of repute； works which
are worth seeing for their size； and among them also at Memphis the
colossal statue which lies on its back in front of the temple of Hephaistos；
whose length is five…and…seventy feet； and on the same base made of the
same stone are set two colossal statues； each of twenty feet in length； one
82
… Page 83…
AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
on this side and the other on that side of the large statue。 There is also
another of stone of the same size in Sais； lying in the same manner as that
at Memphis。 Moreover Amasis was he who built and finished for Isis her
temple at Memphis； which is of great size and very worthy to be seen。
In the reign of Amasis it is said that Egypt became more prosperous
than at any other time before； both in regard to that which comes to the
land from the river and in regard to that which comes from the land to its
inhabitants； and that at this time the inhabited towns in it numbered in all
twenty thousand。 It was Amasis too who established the law that every
year each one of the Egyptians should declare to the ruler of his district；
from what source he got his livelihood； and if any man did not do this or
did not make declaration of an honest way of living； he should be
punished with death。 Now Solon the Athenian received from Egypt this
law and had it enacted for the Athenians； and they have continued to
ob