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！
the unclouded open air and the dew。 Of all the mortal creatures of which
we have knowledge this grows to the greatest bulk from the smallest
beginning； for the eggs which she produces are not much larger than those
33
… Page 34…
AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
of geese and the newly…hatched young one is in proportion to the egg； but
as he grows he becomes as much as seventeen cubits long and sometimes
yet larger。 He has eyes like those of a pig and teeth large and tusky； in
proportion to the size of his body； but unlike all other beasts he grows no
tongue； neither does he move his lower jaw； but brings the upper jaw
towards the lower； being in this too unlike all other beasts。 He has
moreover strong claws and a scaly hide upon his back which cannot be
pierced； and he is blind in the water； but in the air he is of a very keen
sight。 Since he has his living in the water he keeps his mouth all full
within of leeches； and whereas all other birds and beasts fly from him； the
trochilus is a creature which is at peace with him； seeing that from her he
receives benefit； for the crocodile having come out of the water to the land
and then having opened his mouth （this he is wont to do generally towards
the West Wind）； the trochilus upon that enters into his mouth and swallows
down the leeches； and he being benefited is pleased and does no harm to
the trochilus。 Now for some of the Egyptians the crocodiles are sacred
animals； and for others not so； but they treat them on the contrary as
enemies： those however who dwell about Thebes and about the lake of
Moiris hold them to be most sacred； and each of these two peoples keeps
one crocodile selected from the whole number； which has been trained to
tameness； and they put hanging ornaments of molten stone and of gold
into the ears of these and anklets round the front feet； and they give them
food appointed and victims of sacrifices and treat them as well as possible
while they live； and after they are dead they bury them in sacred tombs；
embalming them： but those who dwell about the city of Elephantine even
eat them； not holding them to be sacred。 They are called not crocodiles but
/champsai/； and the Ionians gave them the name of crocodile； comparing
their form to that of the crocodiles （lizards） which appear in their country
in the stone walls。 There are many ways in use of catching them and of
various kinds： I shall describe that which to me seems the most worthy of
being told。 A man puts the back of a pig upon a hook as bait； and lets it go
into the middle of the river； while he himself upon the bank of the river
has a young live pig； which he beats； and the crocodile hearing its cries
makes for the direction of the sound； and when he finds the pig's back he
34
… Page 35…
AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
swallows it down： then they pull； and when he is drawn out to land； first of
all the hunter forthwith plasters up his eyes with mud； and having done so
he very easily gets the mastery of him； but if he does not do so he has
much trouble。
The river…horse is sacred in the district of Papremis； but for the other
Egyptians he is not sacred； and this is the appearance which he presents：
he is four…footed； cloven…hoofed like an ox； flat…nosed； with a mane like a
horse and showing teeth like tusks； with a tail and voice like a horse and in
size as large as the largest ox； and his hide is so exceedingly thick that
when it has been dried shafts of javelins are made of it。 There are
moreover otters in the river； which they consider to be sacred： and of fish
also they esteem that which is called the /lepidotos/ to be sacred； and also
the eel； and these they say are sacred to the Nile： and of birds the fox…
goose。
There is also another sacred bird called the phoenix which I did not
myself see except in painting； for in truth he comes to them very rarely； at
intervals； as the people of Heliopolis say； of five hundred years； and these
say that he comes regularly when his father dies； and if he be like the
painting he is of this size and nature； that is to say； some of his feathers are
of gold colour and others red； and in outline and size he is as nearly as
possible like an eagle。 This bird they say （but I cannot believe the story）
contrives as follows： setting forth from Arabia he conveys his father；
they say； to the temple of the Sun （Helios） plastered up in myrrh； and
buries him in the temple of the Sun； and he conveys him thus：he forms
first an egg of myrrh as large as he is able to carry； and then he makes trial
of carrying it； and when he has made trial sufficiently； then he hollows out
the egg and places his father within it and plasters over with other myrrh
that part of the egg where he hollowed it out to put his father in； and when
his father is laid in it； it proves （they say） to be of the same weight as it
was； and after he has plastered it up； he conveys the whole to Egypt to the
temple of the Sun。 Thus they say that this bird does。
There are also about Thebes sacred serpents； not at all harmful to men；
which are small in size and have two horns growing from the top of the
head： these they bury when they die in the temple of Zeus； for to this god
35
… Page 36…
AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT
they say that they are sacred。 There is a region moreover in Arabia；
situated nearly over against the city of Buto； to which place I came to
inquire about the winged serpents： and when I came thither I saw bones of
serpents and spines in quantity so great that it is impossible to make report
of the number； and there were heaps of spines； some heaps large and
others less large and others smaller still than these； and these heaps were
many in number。 This region in which the spines are scattered upon the
ground is of the nature of an entrance from a narrow mountain pass to a
great plain； which plain adjoins the plain in Egypt； and the story goes that
at the beginning of spring winged serpents from Arabia fly towards Egypt；
and the birds called ibises meet them at the entrance to this country and do
not suffer the serpents to go by but kill them。 On account of this d