the history-第38章

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　men　whose　city　they　had　reached　were　a　nation　of　sorcerers。　With　respect　to　the　river　which　ran　by　their　town；　Etearchus　conjectured　it　to　be　the　Nile；　and　reason　favours　that　view。　For　the　Nile　certainly　flows　out　of　Libya；　dividing　it　down　the　middle；　and　as　I　conceive；　judging　the　unknown　from　the　known；　rises　at　the　same　distance　from　its　mouth　as　the　Ister。　This　latter　river　has　its　source　in　the　country　of　the　Celts　near　the　city　Pyrene；　and　runs　through　the　middle　of　Europe；　dividing　it　into　two　portions。　The　Celts　live　beyond　the　pillars　of　Hercules；　and　border　on　the　Cynesians；　who　dwell　at　the　extreme　west　of　Europe。　Thus　the　Ister　flows　through　the　whole　of　Europe　before　it　finally　empties　itself　into　the　Euxine　at　Istria；　one　of　the　colonies　of　the　Milesians。　　　　　Now　as　this　river　flows　through　regions　that　are　inhabited；　its　course　is　perfectly　well　known；　but　of　the　sources　of　the　Nile　no　one　can　give　any　account；　since　Libya；　the　country　through　which　it　passes；　is　desert　and　without　inhabitants。　As　far　as　it　was　possible　to　get　information　by　inquiry；　I　have　given　a　description　of　the　stream。　It　enters　Egypt　from　the　parts　beyond。　Egypt　lies　almost　exactly　opposite　the　mountainous　portion　of　Cilicia；　whence　a　lightly…equipped　traveller　may　reach　Sinope　on　the　Euxine　in　five　days　by　the　direct　route。　Sinope　lies　opposite　the　place　where　the　Ister　falls　into　the　sea。　My　opinion　therefore　is　that　the　Nile；　as　it　traverses　the　whole　of　Libya；　is　of　equal　length　with　the　Ister。　And　here　I　take　my　leave　of　this　subject。　　　　　Concerning　Egypt　itself　I　shall　extend　my　remarks　to　a　great　length；　because　there　is　no　country　that　possesses　so　many　wonders；　nor　any　that　has　such　a　number　of　works　which　defy　description。　Not　only　is　the　climate　different　from　that　of　the　rest　of　the　world；　and　the　rivers　unlike　any　other　rivers；　but　the　people　also；　in　most　of　their　manners　and　customs；　exactly　reverse　the　common　practice　of　mankind。　The　women　attend　the　markets　and　trade；　while　the　men　sit　at　home　at　the　loom；　and　here；　while　the　rest　of　the　world　works　the　woof　up　the　warp；　the　Egyptians　work　it　down；　the　women　likewise　carry　burthens　upon　their　shoulders；　while　the　men　carry　them　upon　their　heads。　They　eat　their　food　out　of　doors　in　the　streets；　but　retire　for　private　purposes　to　their　houses；　giving　as　a　reason　that　what　is　unseemly；　but　necessary；　ought　to　be　done　in　secret；　but　what　has　nothing　unseemly　about　it；　should　be　done　openly。　A　woman　cannot　serve　the　priestly　office；　either　for　god　or　goddess；　but　men　are　priests　to　both；　sons　need　not　support　their　parents　unless　they　choose；　but　daughters　must；　whether　they　choose　or　no。　　　　　In　other　countries　the　priests　have　long　hair；　in　Egypt　their　heads　are　shaven；　elsewhere　it　is　customary；　in　mourning；　for　near　relations　to　cut　their　hair　close：　the　Egyptians；　who　wear　no　hair　at　any　other　time；　when　they　lose　a　relative；　let　their　beards　and　the　hair　of　their　heads　grow　long。　All　other　men　pass　their　lives　separate　from　animals；　the　Egyptians　have　animals　always　living　with　them；　others　make　barley　and　wheat　their　food；　it　is　a　disgrace　to　do　so　in　Egypt；　where　the　grain　they　live　on　is　spelt；　which　some　call　zea。　Dough　they　knead　with　their　feet；　but　they　mix　mud；　and　even　take　up　dirt；　with　their　hands。　They　are　the　only　people　in　the　world…　they　at　least；　and　such　as　have　learnt　the　practice　from　them…　who　use　circumcision。　Their　men　wear　two　garments　apiece；　their　women　but　one。　They　put　on　the　rings　and　fasten　the　ropes　to　sails　inside；　others　put　them　outside。　When　they　write　or　calculate；　instead　of　going；　like　the　Greeks；　from　left　to　right；　they　move　their　hand　from　right　to　left；　and　they　insist；　notwithstanding；　that　it　is　they　who　go　to　the　right；　and　the　Greeks　who　go　to　the　left。　They　have　two　quite　different　kinds　of　writing；　one　of　which　is　called　sacred；　the　other　common。　　　　　They　are　religious　to　excess；　far　beyond　any　other　race　of　men；　and　use　the　following　ceremonies：…　They　drink　out　of　brazen　cups；　which　they　scour　every　day：　there　is　no　exception　to　this　practice。　They　wear　linen　garments；　which　they　are　specially　careful　to　have　always　fresh　washed。　They　practise　circumcision　for　the　sake　of　cleanliness；　considering　it　better　to　be　cleanly　than　comely。　The　priests　shave　their　whole　body　every　other　day；　that　no　lice　or　other　impure　thing　may　adhere　to　them　when　they　are　engaged　in　the　service　of　the　gods。　Their　dress　is　entirely　of　linen；　and　their　shoes　of　the　papyrus　plant：　it　is　not　lawful　for　them　to　wear　either　dress　or　shoes　of　any　other　material。　They　bathe　twice　every　day　in　cold　water；　and　twice　each　night；　besides　which　they　observe；　so　to　speak；　thousands　of　ceremonies。　They　enjoy；　however；　not　a　few　advantages。　They　consume　none　of　their　own　property；　and　are　at　no　expense　for　anything；　but　every　day　bread　is　baked　for　them　of　the　sacred　corn；　and　a　plentiful　supply　of　beef　and　of　goose's　flesh　is　assigned　to　each；　and　also　a　portion　of　wine　made　from　the　grape。　Fish　they　are　not　allowed　to　eat；　and　beans…　which　none　of　the　Egyptians　ever　sow；　or　eat；　if　they　come　up　of　their　own　accord；　either　raw　or　boiled…　the　priests　will　not　even　endure　to　look　on；　since　they　consider　it　an　unclean　kind　of　pulse。　Instead　of　a　single　priest；　each　god　has　the　attendance　of　a　college；　at　the　head　of　which　is　a　chief　priest；　when　one　of　these　dies；　his　son　is　appointed　in　his　room。　　　　　Male　kine　are　reckoned　to　belong　to　Epaphus；　and　are　therefore　tested　in　the　following　manner：…　One　of　the　priests　appointed　for　the　purpose　searches　to　see　if　there　is　a　single　black　hair　on　the　whole　body；　since　in　that　case　the　beast　is　unclean。　He　examines　him　all　over；　standing　on　his　legs；　and　again　laid　upon　his　back；　after　which　he　takes　the　tongue　out　of　his　mouth；　to　see　if　it　be　clean　in　respect　of　the　prescribed　marks　（what　they　are　I　will　mention　elsewhere）；　he　also　inspects　the　hairs　of　the　tail；　to　observe　if　they　grow　naturally。　If　the　animal　is　pronounced　clean　in　all　these　various　points；　the　priest　marks　him　by　twisting　a　piece　of　papyrus　round　his　horns；　and　attaching　thereto　some　sealing…clay；　which　he　then　stamps　with　his　own　signet…ring。　After　this　the　beast　is　led　away；　and　it　is　forbidden；　under　the　penalty　of　death；　to　sacrifice　an　animal　which　has　not　been　marked　in　this　way。　　　　　The　following　is　their　manner　of　sacrifice：…　They　lead　the　victim；　marked　with　their　signet；　to　the　altar　where　they　are　about　to　offer　it；　and　setting　the　wood　alight；　pour　a　libation　of　wine　upon　the　altar　in　front　of　the　victim；　and　at　the　same　time　invoke　the　god。　Then　they　slay　the　animal；　and　cutting　off　his　head；　proceed　to　flay　the　body。　Next　they　take　the　head；　and　heaping　imprecations　on　it；　if　there　is　a　market…place　and　a　body　of　Greek　traders　in　the　city；　they　carry　it　there　and　sell　it　instantly；　if；　however；　there　are　no　Greeks　among　them；　they　throw　the　head　into　the　river。　The　imprecation　is　to　this　effect：…　They　pray　that　if　any　evil　is　impending　either　over　those　who　sacrifice；　or　over　universal　Egypt；　it　may　be　made　to　fall　upon　that　head。　These　practices；　the　imprecations　upon　the　heads；　and　the　libations　of　wine；　prevail　all　over　Egypt；　and　ext