in the company shewing his priuy members made this aunswere wheresoeuer quoth he these be there will I finde both wyfe and children After they were come into Aethiopia and had offered themselues vnto the King of the soyle they were by him rewarded on this manner Certayne of the Aethiopians that were scarsely sound harted to the King were depriued by him of all their lands and possessions which he franckly gaue and bestowed on the Aegyptians By meanes of these the people of Aethiopia were brought from a rude and barbarous kind of demeanour to farre more ciuill and manlike behauiour being instructed and taught in the maners and customes of the Aegyptians Thus the riuer Nilus is founde still to continue the space of foure monethes iourney by lande and water lesse then in which time it is not possible for a man to come from Elephantina to the Automolians taking hys course and streame from the West part of the world and falling of the sunne Howbeit in this place I purpose to recite a story told me by certayne of the Cyraeneans who fortuning to take a voyage to y e oracle of Ammon came in talke with Etearchus King of the Ammonians where by course of speache they fell at length to discourse and common of Nilus the head whereof was vnsearchable and not to be knowne In which place Etearchus made mention of a certaine people called Namaâ—ones of the countrey of Afrike inhabiting the quicksands and all the coast that lyeth to the east Certayne of these men comming to the court of Etearchus and reporting dyuers strange and wonderfull things of the deserts and wild chases of Africa they chaunced at length to tell of certayne yong Gentlemen of theyr countrey issued of the chiefe and most noble families of all their nation who beeing at a reasonable age very youthfull and valtant determined in a brauery to go seeke straunge aduentures as well other as also this Fiue of them being assigned thereto by lot put themselues in voyage to go search and discry the wildernesse and desert places of Africa to the ende they might see more and make further report thereof then euer any that had attempted the same For the sea coast of Africa poynting to the North pole many nations do inhabite beginning from Aegypt and continuing to the promontory named Soloes wherein Africa hath his end and bound All the places aboue the sea are haunted with wilde and sauage beastes beeing altogether voyde and desolate pestered with sand and exceeding drye These gentlementrauellers hauing made sufficient prouision of water and other vyands necessary for theyr iourney first of all passed the countreys that were inhabited and next after that came into the wylde and waste regions amongst the caues and dennes of fierce and vntamed beastes through which they helde on theyr way to the west parte of the earth In which manner after they had continued many dayes iourney and trauelled ouer a great part of the sandy countreys they came at length to espy certayne fayre and goodly trees growing in a fresh and pleasaunt medowe wherevnto incontinently making repayre and tasting the fruite that grewe thereon they were suddenly surprised and taken short by a company of little dwarfes farre vnder the common pitch and stature of men whose tongue the gentlemen knew not neither was their speache vnderstoode of them Being apprehended they were lead away ouer sundry pooles and meares into a city where all the inhabitauntes were of the same stature and degree with those that had taken them and of colour swart and blacke Fast by the side of thys city ranne a swift and violent riuer flowing from the Weast to the East wherein were to be seene very hydeous and terrible serpents called Crocodyles To this ende drew the talke of Etearchus King of the Ammonians saue that he added besides how the Namasonian gentlemen returned home to theyr owne countrey as the Cyraeneans made recount and how the people also of the city whether they were broughte were all coniurers and geuen to the study of the blacke arte The floud that had his passage by the city Etearchus supposed to be the riuer Nilus euen as also reason it selfe giueth it to be For it floweth from Africa and hath a iust and direct cut through the middest of the same following as it should seeme a very like and semblable course vnto the riuer â—ster Ister beginning at the people of the Celts and the city Pyrene the Celts keepe without the pillers of Hercules being neere neighbours to the Cynesians and the last and vtmost nation of the westerne people of Europe deuideth Europe in the middest and scouring through the coast it is helde by the Istryans people so named and comming of the Milesians it lastly floweth into the sea Notwithstanding Ister is well knowne of many for that it hath a perpetuall course through countreys that are inhabited but where or in what parte of the earth Nilus hath his spring no man can tell forsomuch as Africa from whence it commeth is voyde desert and vnfurnished of people the streame and course whereof as farre as lyeth in the knowledge of men we haue set downe declared y t end of the riuer being in Aegypt where it breaketh into y e sea Aegypt is welny opposite directly set against y e mountaines of Cilicia froÌ„ whence to Synopis standing in y e Euxine sea is fiue daies iourney for a good footemaÌ„ by straight euen way The Ile Synopis lyeth iust against the riuer Ister where it beareth into the sea so that Nilus running through all the coast of Africa may in some manner be coÌ„pared to y e riuer Ister howbeit as touching y e floud Nilus be it hither to spokeÌ„ Let vs yet proceede to speake further of Aegypt both for that the countrey it selfe hath more strange wonders then any nation in the world and also because the people themselues haue wrought sundry things more worthy memory then any other nation vnder the sunne for which causes we thought meete to discourse more at large of y e region people The Aegyptians therefore as in the temperature of the ayre and nature of the riuer they dissent from all other euen so in theyr lawes and customes they are vnlike and disagreeing from all men In this countrey the women followe the trade of merchandize in buying and selling also victualing and all kinde of sale and chapmandry whereas contrarywyse the men remayne at home and play the good huswiues in spinning and weauing and such like duties In like manner the men carry their burthens on their heads the women on their shoulders Women make water standing and men crouching downe and cowring to the ground They discharge and vnburthen theyr bellies of that which nature voydeth at home and eate their meate openly in the streetes and high wayes yeelding this reason why they do it for that say they such things as be vnseemely and yet
and decease of Myris whereas at these dayes vnlesse it swell and increase 15. or 16. cubits high it cōmeth not at all into y t coast which aforesaid coast if accordingly to y e fall of y e riuer it grow still in loftynesse and become higher the earth receyuinge no moysture by the sloude I feare y e Aegyptians themselues that dwell beneath y e lake Myris both other also the inhabitants of the lande of Delta will euermore be annoyed with the same plague and inconuenience whych the Gretians by their accounte are sometimes like to abyde For the people of Aegypt hearing that the whole countrey of Greece was moystned and watered by the seasonable fall of rayne and showers not by floudes and ryuers lyke vnto their owne they prophecy that y e day would come when as the Greekes being deceyued of their hope would all pearishe through famine and hunger meaning that if y e gods did not vouchsafe to send thē raine in due season from whome alone they haue their moysture the whole nation shoulde goe to wracke for want of sustenaunce Thus farre is pleased them to descant of the fortune of Greece Let vs nowe consider in what estate and condition they stand them selues if then as we sayd before the lowe countrey of Memphis for in these is the gayne and increase of grounde seene waxe augment accordingely as in former times our friendes of Aegypt shall shew vs the way what it is to be famished and dye by hunger if neyther theyr land be moystened by the sweete and timely showres of rayne nor by the swelling and rysing of the riuer For as now they haue an especiall aduauntage aswell of all men els as of the rest of their countreymen y t dwell higher in that they receiue the fruite and increase of the ground without eyther tilling or weeding the earth or doing ought els belonging to husbandry wherefore immediately after the ryseing of y e waters y e earth being moyste and supple the ryuer returned agayne to his olde course they sowe scatter their seede euery one vpon his owne ground territory wherinto hauing driuē great heards of Swine that roote and tread the grayne and moulds together they stay till the time of haruest attending the increase and gaine of their seede Being full growne and ripened they send in their hogges afresh to muzle and stampe the corne from out the eares which done they sweepe it together and gather it If we follow the opinion of the people of Ionia as touching the land of Aegypt who affirme that the true countrey of Aegypt is in very deede nothing else saue the prouince of Delta which taketh his name of the watchtowre or Castle of espiall made by Perseus testifying besides that by the sea coast to the salt waters of Pelusium it stretcheth forty scheanes in length and reacheth from the sea toward the hart of the region to the city of the Cercasians neere vnto which y e riuer Nilus parteth it selfe into two seueral mouthes the one whereof is called Pelusium the other Canobus and that all the other partes of Aegypt are belonging to Arabia and Africa we might very well inferre and prooue heereof that the countrey of Aegypt in former times was none at all For the land of Delta as they say and we easily beleeue was grounde lif◠voyde and naked by the water and that of late yeares also and not long ago wherefore if they had no countrey at all what caused them so curiously to labour in the searching out and blazing of their auncienty supposing themselues to be the chiefe of all people the knowledge and intelligence whereof was not worth the two yeares triall and experiment which they wrought in the children I my selfe am fully perswaded that the Aegyptians tooke not their beginning together with the place of Delta but were alwayes since the first beginning and originall of mankinde whose countrey gayning ground and increasing by the chaunge and alteration of the riuer many of them went downe from the high countrey and inhabited the low places for which cause the City Thebes and the countrey belonging thereto was heeretofore called Aegypt the circuite and compasse whereof is 6120. furlongs Be it so then that our opinion accord and consent wyth truth the Graecian writers are in a wrong boxe but if they speake truely yet in other matters they recken without theyr hoste making but three partes of the whole earth Europa Asia and Africa whereas of necessity Delta in Aegypt should be accounted for the fourth sithens by their owne bookes it is neyther ioyned with Asia nor yet with Africa For by this account it is not the riuer Nilus that diuides Asia from Africa which at the poynt and sharpe angle of Delta cutting it selfe into two sundry streames that which lyes in y e middes should equally pertayne both to Asia and Africa But to leaue the iudgement and opinion of the Greekes we say and affyrme that all that countrey is rightly tearmed Aegypt whiche is held and possessed by the Aegyptians euen as also we make no doubt to call those places Cilicia and Assyria where the Cilicians and Assyrians do dwell In like manner according to truth Asia and Africa are disseuered and parted betweene themselues by none other borders then by the limits and boundes of Aegypt Howbeit if we followe the Graecians all Aegypt beginning at the places called Catadupae and the city Elephantina is to be diuided into two partes which draw their names of the regions wherevnto they are adioyned the one belonging to Africa the other to Asia For the riuer Nilus taking his beginning from the Catadupae so called and flowing through the middes of Aegypt breaketh into the sea running in one streame til it come to the city of the Cercasians and afterwards leuering it selfe into three sundry chanels The first of these chanels turneth to the East and is called Pelusium the second Canobus the third streame flowing directly in a straight line kepeth this course first of all scouring through the vpper coastes of the countrey it beateth full vpon the point of Delta through the middest whereof it hath a straight and direct streame euen vnto the sea being the fayrest and most famous of all the rest of the chanels and is called Sebennyticum From this streame are deriued two other armes also leading to the salt waters the one being called Saiticum the other Mendesium For as touching those braunches and streames of Nilus which they tearme Bolbitinum and Bucolicum they are not naturally made by course of the water but drawne out and digged by the labour of men I followe not the fantasies of mine owne brayne nor imagine any thing of my selfe for that the countrey of Aegypt is so wyde and of such amplitude as we haue described it I appeale to the oracle of the god Hammon which came into my minde beeyng in study and meditation
causeth it to ascend into the superiour regions where the windes receiuing it dispearse the vapours and resolue them againe which is chiefely done by the South and Southwest winde that blowe from these countreys beeing stormy and full of rayne Now the water drawne out of Nilus by the sunne doth not in this sort fall downe agayne in showres and drops of rayne but is quite spent and consumed by the heate Toward the ende of winter the sunne drawing towards the middest of the skye in like manner as before sucketh the water out of other riuers which is the cause that being thus drawne vntill much rayne and showres increase them agayne they become fleete and almost drie Wherefore the riuer Nilus into whome alone no showres fall at any time is for iust cause lowest in winter and bighest in sommer forasmuch as in sommer the sunne draweth moysture equally out of all riuers but in winter out of Nilus alone this I take to be the cause of the diuers and changeable course of the riuer Heereof also I suppose to proceede the drynesse of the ayre in that region at such time as the sunne deuideth his course equally so that in the high countreys of Africke it is alwayes sommer whereas if it were possible for the placing and situation of the heauens to be altered that where North is there were South where South is North the sunne towardes the comming and approach of winter departing from the middest of heauen would haue his passage in like sort ouer Europe as now it hath ouer Africke and worke the same effects as I iudge in the riuer Ister as now it doth in Nilus In like maner the cause why Nilus hath no mist or cloude arising from it according as we see in other flouds I deeme to be this because the countrey is exceeding hote and parching being altogether vnfit to sende vp any vapours which vsually breathe and arise out of cold places But let these things be as they are and haue bene alwayes The head and fountayne of Nilus where it is or frō whence it cōmeth none of the Aegyptians Graecians or Africans that euer I talked with could tell me any thing besides a certaine scribe of Mineruas treasury in the city Sais who seemed to me to speake merily saying that vndoubtedly he knewe the place describing the same in this manner There be two mountaines quoth he arising into sharpe and spindled tops situate betweene Syêne a city of Thebais and Elephantina the one called Crophi the other Mophi from the vale betweene the two hilles doth issue out the head of the riuer Nilus being of an vnsearchable deapth and without bottome halfe of the water running towardes Aegypt and the North the other halfe towardes Aethiopia and the South Of the immeasurable deapth of the fountayne the scribe affirmed that Psammetichus King of the Aegyptians had taken triall who sounding the waters with a rope of many miles in length was vnable to feele any ground or bottome whose tale if any suche thyng were done as he sayde made me thinke that in those places whereof he spake were certayne gulfes or whirlepooles very swift violente and raging whiche by reason of the fall of the water from the hilles would not suffer the line with the sounding leade to sinke to the bottome for which cause they were supposed to be bottomlesse Besides this I coulde learne nothing of any man Neuerthelesse trauelling to Elephantina to behold the thing with mine owne eyes and making diligent inquiry to knowe the truth I vnderstoode this that takyng our iourney from thence Southward to y e countreys aboue at lēgth we shall come to a steepe bending shelfe where y e ryuer falleth with great violēce so y t we must be forced to fasten two gables to each side of y e ship in that sort to hale and draw her forward which if they chaunce either to slip or breake y e vessell is by and by driuē backwards by y e intollerable rage violēce of y e waters To this place frō y e city Elephantina is four daies saile whereaboutes y e riuer is ful of windings turnings like the floud Meander and in lēgth so cōtinuing twelue scheanes all which way the ship of necessity must be drawne After this we shall arriue at a place very smooth and caulme wherein is standing an Iland incompassed rounde by the ryuer by name Tachampso The one halfe heereof is inhabited by the Aegyptians the other halfe by the Aethiopians whose countrey is adioyning to the Southside of the Ile Not farre from the Iland is a poole of woonderfull and incredible bignesse about the which the Shepheards of Aethiopia haue their dwelling whereinto after we are declined out of the mayne streame we shall come to a riuer directly running into the poole where going on shore we must take our voyage on foote the space of forty dayes by the waters side the riuer Nilus it selfe beeyng very full of sharpe rockes and craggy stones by the which it is not possible for a vessell to passe Hauing finished forty dayes iourney along the riuer take shipping againe and passe by water twelue dayes voyage till such time as you arriue at a great city called Meroe which is reputed for the chiefe and Metropolitane city of the countrey the people whereof only of all the gods worship Iupiter and Bacchus whome they reuerence with exceeding zeale and deuotion Likewise to Iupiter they haue planted an oracle by whose counsayle and voyce they rule their martiall affayres making warre how oft soeuer or against whomesoeuer they are mooued by the same From this city Meroe by as many dayes trauell as yee take from Elephantina to y e same you shall come to a kind of people named Automoly which is to say traytours or runnagates the same also in like manner being called Asmach which emporteth in the greeke tongue such as stande and attende at the Kings left hand These men being whilome souldyers in Aegypt to the number of eyght thousand and two hundred they reuolted from their owne countreymen and fled ouer to the Aethiopians for this occasion Being in y e time of King Psammetichus dispersed and diuided into sundry garrisons some at the city of Elephantina and Daplinae Pelusiae against the Aethiopians other against the Arabians and Syrians and thirdly at Marea against the Africans in which places agreeably to the order and institution of Psammetichus the Persian garrisons also did lie in munition hauing continued the space of three yeares in perpetuall gard and defence of the lande without shift or release they fell to agreement amongst themselues to leaue their King and countrey and flye into Aethiopia which their intente Psammetichus hearing made after them incontinently and hauing ouertaken the army humbly besought them with many teares not to forsake by suche vnkind and vnnaturall wise their wiues children and countrey gods vnto whose plaint and intreaty a rude roystrell
the most part of hir nobles to a banquet such as shee knew to haue bene y â— authors and workers of hir brothers death who being all assembled and set together in an inner Parlour expectinge their cheere the water was let in at a priuy grate and ouerwhelmed them all These thinges they spake of Nitocris adding besids that hauing wrought this feate shee cast hir selfe into an house full of Ashes to escape vnpunished By the rest of the kinges of Aegypt the priestes coulde recyte no glorious acte that shoulde bee accomplished sauing by the noble king Moeris the last and latest of all this crewe To whom they attribute y â— building of y â— great porches belonging to Vulcans temple standing on the North parte of y â— Pallace By the same also was a certaine fenne delued and cast vp wherein were builded certaine mighty Towers called Pyramides of whose bygnesse as also of y â— large coÌ„passe and amplitude of the Poole wee will ioyntely intreate in another place These thinges were done by Moeris the last king The rest consuminge the time of their raygne in silence and obscurity whom for the same cause I will passe ouer and addresse my speache to him who came after them in time and went before them in Dignity namely the worthy Prynce Sesostris Him the Pryestes recounte firste of all the kings of Aegypt to haue passed the narrow Seas of Arabia in longe Ships or Gallyes and brought in subiection to the Crowne all those People that marche a longe the redde Sea From whence retyringe backe againe the same way hee came and gathered a greate power of men and tooke his passage otter the waters into the mayne lande conquering and subduing all Countreyes whether so euer hee went Such as hee founde valiaunte and hardye not refusinge to icoparde their safety in the defence and maynetenaunâ—e of their liberty after the victory obtayned hee fired in theyr countrey certayne smale pyllers or Crosses of stone wherein were ingrauen the names of the kinge and the countrey and how by his owne proper force and puissaunce he had made them yelde Contrarywyse such as without controuersie gaue themselues into his handes or with litle stryfe and lesse bloudshed were brought to relent with them also and in their region he planted Pillers and builte vp litle crosses as before wherein were carued and importrayed the secret partes of women to signifie to the posterity the base and effeminate courage of the people there abyding In this sorte hee trauayled with his at my vp and downe the mayne passing out of Asia into Europe where he made conquest of the Scythians and Thracians which seemeth to haue bene the farthest poynt of his voyage for so much as in their land also his titles marks are apparantly seene and not beyonde Herefro hee began to measure his steps back agayne incamping his powre at the ryuer Phasis where I am not able to discusse whether king Sesostris him selfe planted any parte of his army in that place euer after to possesse y â— countrey or whether some of his souldiers wearyed with continuall perigrination and trauayle toke vp their maÌ„sion place rested there For the people named Colchi seeme to be Aegyptians which I speake rather of myne owne gathering then of any other mans information Howveit for tryall sake coÌ„moninge w t the inhabitants of either nation the Colchans seemed rather to acknowledge remember y â— Aegyptians then y â— Aegyptians theÌ„ affyrming that the Colchans were a remnante of Sesostris army My selfe haue drawne a coÌ„iecture hereof y â— both people are in couÌ„tenance a like black in hayre a like fryzled albeit it may seeme a very feeble gesse the same being also in other nations A better surmise may be gathered of this that y â— people of Aethyopia Aegypt and Colchis only of all men circumcyse cut of the foreskin from their hidden partes reteyning the custome time out of minde For the Phoenicians and Syrians y â— dwell in Palaestina confesse themselues to haue borrowed the maner of circumsicion from the Aegypt 〈…〉 And as for those Syrians y â— dwell neere vnto the ryuers Thermodon and Parthemus and the people called Macrones their next neighbours they tooke the selfe same vse and custome of y â— Colchans Howbeit the Aegyptians and Aethyopians which of them learned it of others it is hard to discerne forasmuch as the custome in both Countryes is of great antiquity Neuerthelesse very good occasion of coniecture is offred vnto vs that it came fyrst from y â— Aegyptians at such time as the Aethyopians had exchaunge of marchaundise with them For the Phoenicians that in like maner haue mutuall trafique which the Grecians leaue of to circumcysse them selues and refuse in that poynte to be conformable to the lawes and statutes of their countrey One thinge more may be alleaged wherein the people of Colchis doe very narrowly resemble y â— customes of Aegypt in so much as these two nations alone work their lynnen dresse theyr flax after y e same sorte in all poyntes respecting each other both in order of lyfe maner of laÌ„guage The flaxe which is brought from Colchis y e Grecians call Sardonick the other coÌ„ming out of Aegypt they terme after the name of the countrey Aegyptian flaxe But to returne to the tytles and emblems that king Sesostris lefte behind him in all regions through y t which he passed many thereof are fallen to decay NotwithstaÌ„ding certaine of them in Syria and Paloestina I beheld with myne own eyes intayled with such posyes as we spake of before and the pictures of womens secretes ingrauen in them Likewise in Iönia are to bee seene two sundry Images of Sesostris himselfe carued in pillers one as we passe from Ephesus to Phocoea another in the way from Sardis to Smyrna Eyther of these haue the forme and figure of a man fiue hands breadth in bignesse bearing in his righte hand a Darte in his left a vowe his harnesse and furniture after the manner of the Aegyptians and Aethyopians Crosse his backe from the one shoulder to the other went a sentence ingrauen in the holy letter of Aegypt hauing this meaning By my owne force did I vanquishe this region Notwithstandinge it is not there specified what he should be albeit els where it is to be seene Some haue deemed this monument to haue bene the image of Memnon not a litle deceyued in opinion This noble and victorious prince Sesostris making his returne to Aegypt came by report of y e priests to a place named Daphnoe pelusiae with an infinite trayne of forraine people out of al Nations by him subdued where being very curteously met welcomed by his brother whom in his absence he had lefte for Viceroy and protectour of the countrey he was also by y e same inuited to a princely banquet him selfe his wife and his children The house where into they were entered
shovvre of rained deliuered Craesus from the fire A reason vvhy peace is more to be desired then vvarre Craesus seynge to vvhat passe the oracle had brought him desireth leaue of Cyrus to chide vvith the deuil Apollo his ansvvere to Craesus his accusation Craesus is punished for the fact of Gyges that slue Candaules his mayster Applye to this place theoracle geuen fol. 25. PantaleoÌ„ Craelus his brother by the fathers syde sought to defeat him of the kingdome Of the couÌ„trey of Lydia a briefe narratioÌ„ of such things as therin are vvorthy memory Halyattes his tombe in Lydia The maydes in Lydia get their ovvne dovâ—â—ye by continuall vvhoredome The lavves of the people of Lydia The first coyners of siluer gold A famine in Lydiacontinuing the space of 18 yeares Chesse play dice and teâ—â—se deuised by the Lydians A colonye dravvne sene into Hetruria The people Tyrrheni in Vmbria sproÌ„g of the Lydians The genology of the kinges of Media from Deioces to Cyrus Media held by the Assyrians The pollicy of of Deioces to get the kingdome of Media Nothingvvinâ—e heredite so sonne asiustice and vpright dealyng The buildinge of the famous city Ecbatana The reason vvhy no man might haue accesse to the king of the Medes The seuerall countries of Media are these 6. Deioces raiged â—3 yeares Phraoâ—â—es the 2. King The Persians made subiect to the Medes by Phâ—aortes restored to their liberty by Cyrus Phraortes slayne by the Assyrianâ— the 22 yeare of his raygne Câ—axares 3. The day turned into night The most auncient temple of Venus Asia held by the Scythians 28. yeares Cyaxaresraigned 40. yeares Astyages 4. vn der vvhose raygne is conteyned the famous story of Cyrus The 2. dreams of Astyages conceâ—ning his daughter Harpagus deliuereth the child to the kinges neatheard to lay out in the desert Mitradates moued by his vvife laid out a dead child of his ovvne in sâ—eed of Cyrus Cyrus brought vp by the grasiers vvife Cyrus descryeth his progeni and causeth himselfe to be knovven Cyrus his bold ansvveare to Astiages Harpagus examined about Cyrus Harpagus his sonne slayne â— dressed in a barket Harpagus feeding of his ovvne childe Cyrus by the counsayle of the vvisemen vvas senthome to his parentes Cyrus receiued of his parentes The cause of the fable that Cyrus vvas said to be brought vp of a Bytch Harpaguâ—conuayghed a letter to Cyrus in the belly of an hare The letter The deuyce of lying to moue the Persians to rebellion The Persians rebell Harpagus leading the army of the Medes ioyneth his vvhole povver vvith Cyrus agaynst Astyageâ— Astyages hangeth the vvise men for counsayling him to let Cyrus goe Astyages takeÌ„ captiue Astyages raygned 35. yeares The celebration of their birth day in Persia The regard of good maners The maner of their consultation The people of Greece offer themselues to Cyrus todohomage The difference of speach in Ionia Of the cityes of Aeolia The losse of Smyrna Mazares dyiÌ„g Harpagusvvas made generall in his steed The counsai of Byas to th people of Ionia A discourse the Carians The people of Gâ—ydus their originall An experience vvrought for the tryall of antiquitie It vvere a question if a man should bee taught no language in vvhat tongue hee vvould speake Heliopolis the city of the Sunne The vvisest people in AEgypt The 12 monethes of the yeare first fouÌ„d out by the Aegyptians The names of the 12 gods Aulters Images and Temples inuented by the Aegyptians Menes the first kinge that euer raygned A Egypte for the most parte couered vvith vvater The maner of the Aegyptians measures AEgypt nexte the sea coaste 3600. furlonges The description of the countrey of AEgypt A mountaine The straunge effects of certayne ryuers By vvhat proofeâ— the couÌ„trey of Aegypt is argued to haue bene couered by vvaters In AEgypt it neuer rayneth but their lande is vvatered by the ouerflovve of Nilus The maner of husbandry amongst the AEgyptians Hogs be the best husbands in Aegypt and the vvorst in England A confutation of the opinion of the Iones concerning Aegypt The course of the riuer Nilus The names of the chanels of Nilus Pelusium Canobus Sebennyticum Saïticum Menedesium Bolbitinum Buâ—olicum A story touching the description of Aegypt An oracle in Afrike Hovv much of the land Nilus ouerflovveth The cause and time of the rising of the riuer Nilus sendeth foorth no miste A refutation of the Grecians as touching the same things vvithin fiue dayes after snovve falleth rayne That there is no sea called Ocean The true opinion of these things The cause vvhy the South and Southvveast vvind bring rayne Ister a great riuer in Europe The spring of the riuer Nilus vnsearchable The tvvo mountaynes Crophi and Mophi The City Meroe The souldiers of Aegypt forsooke theyr ovvne countrey The tricke of a knaue A slory touching the spring of Nilus A voyage vndertaken by certayne yong gentlemen A City inhabited by Necromancers The description of the riuer Ister Aegypt the most vvonderfull nation in the vvorld The lavves and customes of the people of Aegypt The daughter bound to nourish her parents in need The good felovvship in Aegypt vvher the good man and his hogs dine together The vse of grayne is very â—lender in Aegypt The manner of casting of account Their letters or charecters Cleannesse in auyre vvithout pride The custome of the priests Their dyer The orders of priesthood The manner of trying the bullocks that are sacrificed vvhether they be cleane or othervvise The order of sacrificing The head of the beast that is sacrificed is accursed A lavv greatly honoured in Aegypt The maner of burying kyne vvheÌ„ they dy The cause vvhy some of the Agyptians vvill kill no sheepe Whence the Ammonians drevv theyr name The name of Hercules taken from the Aegyptians The Kings of Aegypt could make at their pleasure gods The tvvo temples of Hercules in Greece The reason vvhy in some partes of Aegypt they vvil kill no goates A Goate closing vvith a vvoman Hogs of all beasts vvurst accounted of Hogheards of basest account Svvine sacrificed to Liber and Luna Superstition oft times runneth into most filthy deuises Melampus the first founder of this ceremonie in Greece In the time of Herodotus the name of Philosophers vvas straunge The beastly deuises of the paganes Cabiri the three sonnes of Vulcane Dodona somtime the chiefe oracle in Greece The beginning of the pagans gods The beginning of the oracles in Africke and Greece A tale of tvvo pigeons Inuentions of the Aegyptians The feastes of Diana Isis and Minerua The feast of the Sunne The celebration of Latonas feast and Mars The maner of such as repaire to the festiuall of Diana The feast of lampes A combate of priests The cause of this combate The feast of broken pates A reason dravvne from the vse of beastes to defend the maners of men The manner of the Aegyptians touching the beastes of the land The great regard of haukes The nature of catsin Aegypt Mourning for
hys hand she priuely placed behynd the same dore from whence Gyges afterwardes arysing bereaued Candaules of his life and obtayned both hys wyfe and his kingdome Whereof also Archilocus Parius who was liuing at the same tyme maketh mention in a verse named lambie Trimeter To bee short Gyges proclaymed himselfe kyng and was established in the gouernment by the oracle from Delphos For when as the Lydidians greatly disdayning at the heauy lotts of Candaules arose and were all in armoure they came to agreement w t them that mayntayned the cause of Gyges that wherehe was pronouÌ„ced kyng by y e oracle he should raygne in peace if otherwyse the supreme authority should bee restored to y e bloud of Hercules Counsayle beynge demaunded of the oracle the gouernment and principall authoritye was assygned to Gyges Albeyt Pythia miÌ„gling hony w t gall threatned a reuenge to come vpon y e son of Gyges nephewes nephew or fift in line all discent from himselfe which sayng neither the Lydians nor their princes any thing regarded vntil such tyme as the end had confirmed it Gyges beynge in full possession of the kyngdome sent many giftes to Delphos to the Temple of Apollo whereof the greater part were framed of siluer and besides the siluer a mightye summe of Gold How beit amonges diuerse his presentes one is most worthy memory to wit 6 dishes of golde offred by hym wayghing thirty talentes which were safely garded in the close treasurye of the Corynthians Albeit to speake truth the treasure wee speake of was not proper to the people of Corinth but rather to Cypselus the sonne of Aetion In this manner was Gyges the first king of the Barbarians of whom we haue notice that presented any gyftes at the temple of Delphos saue only Mydas sonne to the noble Gordius and king of Phrigia For Mydas also consecrated a sumptuous chayre of estate wherin he was accustomed to sit and administer iustice very princely and beautiful to behold which was kept and coÌ„serued in the same place where y e golden dishes of Gyges lay The gold and siluer offred by Gyges was termed by the people of Delphos Gygeum or Gygades taking the name of the geuer Beyng setled in hys emperiall dignitye he warred agaynst Myletus and Smyrna and toke the city Colophon by force of armes neither any other act besides this was atchieued byhim albeithe raigned thirty eyght years we wil therfore passe froÌ„ him to hys some named Ardyis who as heire apparaunt to the crowne succeeded his father in the state royall Ardyis conquered the Prienensis and inuaded Miletus in the tyme of whose raygne the people called Cymmerians dispossessed of their owne seats by the Scithians surnamed Nomades came into Asia and adueÌ„turing vpon Sardis the seate of prince Ardyis toke the Citye excepting onely the towre and chiefe castle of defence Ardyis hauyng ruled the kingdome forty nyne yeares then left yt afterward vnto hys Sonne and Heire called Sadyattes who gouerned the same the space of twelue yeares After him the Scepter descended to Halyattes who ioyned battayle with Cyaxares sonne of Beioces and hys people the Medes banishing the Cymmerians out of Asia Moreouer by the same was the Citye Smyrna surprised lying neere vnto Colophon lykewyse the famous Citye Clazomenae valyauntlye assayled wherfore notwithstandynge his noble courage was daunted and he was forst to depart destitute of his hope other thinges also were done by hym in tyme of hys warfare verye worthye of memory which are these following In his warre with the Milesians left vnto hym by hys father he practised thys meanes in beâ—ieging the Citye In time of haruest the grayne beyng ready for the sickle he sent in his army marching with the sound of fluites and pypes which beyng comen into the fieldes of the ennemye their houses they left vntouched onely wasted the trees and fruictes of the region which done they eftsoones retyred to the place from whence they came For the Milesians hauing intelligence of their ennemyes approach forsooke theyr city and dwelling houses and fled to the Sea so that it behoued not the ennemy to stay there hys dryft and purpose in not spoyling the mansion places of his aduersaryes was onele this that the Milesians hauing place wherin to dwell might returne agayne from the Sea to till and sow the grounde which might geue him occasion to râ—enter with his power and bring their labours to none effect In this manner hee inuaded the countrey for terme of xi yeares wherein the Milesians suffred two notable foyles The first in Lemeneium a place so called in their owne countrey The second in a certayne field named Meander Sixe of these eleuen yeares did Sadyattes the sonne of Ardyis raygne in Lidya and beginning the Milesian warre troubled his enemyes by perpetuall inuasions and often conflictes For other fyue years hys sonne Halyattes main tayned the quarel receyued of his father In all the tyme of this warre none of the people of Ionia gaue succour to the Milesians saue onely the inhabitauntes of Chios who hauing before tyme bene ayded by them in the battayle which they fought with the Erythaeans shewing mutuall goodwil sent them now a supply in their like extremityes In the xii yeare Halyattes despoyling the fieldes in lyke sort as before it chaunced that whyle the corne was on fyre a great tempest arose caried the flames violently to y e temple of Minerua surnamed Assessia burnt y e pallaice of y e Goddesse welnigh to the ground Which thing at that present was lightly regarded of hym but being with his army returned to Sardis he fell sicke and beyng much enfeebled with the vehemency of his maladye whether of his owne heade or by the counsayle of others moued thervnto sent to Dephos to the God for the recouery of his health welfare when the messengers were come Pythia refused to geue them answeare before they had repaired the temple of Miuerua which the fyer had consumed at Assessum This I heard with myne owneares at Delphos whyle I there soiorned Hereunto y e Milesians adde besydes y e Periander the sonne of Cypselius hearing what answeare Haliattes had geuen hym by the oracle in all hast possible dispatched a messenger to Thrasibulus theÌ„ King of Miletus his faythful familiar frend to admonish him to workesome deuyse how to delyuer himselfe hys countrey from the perpetual molestation of his enemyes Halyattes hauing receiued these nowes sent incontinent to Miletus for composition of a truce till such tyme as the temple was renewed and erected agayn The ambassadoures being arriued Thrasibulus which knew the cause of their coÌ„ming and vnderstoode the purpose of Halyattes framed this deuise what Corne soeuer was in the city ether of his owne or in the possession of others he commaunded it all to bee brought into the Market place and there to be layed in one heape This done he gaue in especial charge to all the citye
Cilisians and Lisians all the rest were subiect to the Empire of Craesus which were these The Lidians Phrigians Mysians Mariandyns likewyse the Chalibes Paphlagonians Thrasians Oetimans lastlye the Bithynians Carians Iones Dores Aeoles Pamphylians which beyng all subdued and the Gouernement of the Lydians greatly amplified by Craesus there repayred to Sardis beyng then in y e flower of her fortune as well other wyse men out of Greece termed Sophisters as also the most famous Solon one of the citye of Athens who at the instant prayers of his citizens hauinge tempered the common wealth with good lawes vnder coloure of visittinge straunge countreyes willingly for terme of yeares abandoned his natyue soyle that hee might not be forced to break the Lawes which he before had made the Athenians them selues standing bound with a solemne and religious vowe for ten yeares space to obserue these statutes which Solon had inuented aswel then for the maintenance of his lawes as to view and see forraine nations he vndertoke a pilgrimage into Aegipt to King Amasis and from thence to Sardis to the court of Craesus where in gentle and curteous manner beynge entertayned by the Kinge at the thirde or fourth daye after his arriuall he was lead about the treasuryes to view the welth and riches of Craesus beholdyng all the inestimable and blessed iewels that were contayned in them After he had attentiuely beheld and with curious eye surueyed them at his pleasure Craesus began to borde hym on this manner You Gentleman of Athens for asmuche as we hearde greate good wordes of your wisedome beyng for knowledge and experience sake a pilgrim from your countrey wee haue deemd it conuenient to aske you a questiō whether at any time you haue seene the happiest man aliue not mistrusting but that the lotte woulde haue fallen to hym selfe to haue exceeded all others in blessednes Solō not mynding to double as one altogeather vn acquaynted with pleasing phrases deliuered his mynd in free speechin forme as followeth I haue seene O King quoth he Tellus one of my coūtriemen of Athens a man surpassing all others in happye lyfe wherat Craesus wondring earnestlye required what cause made him thinke so highlye of Tellus For as muche sayde hee as in a wel ordered common wealth heehadde children trayned vp in vnitye and honesty euery of which hadde likewyse increase of his owne bodye and yet all liuing And hauing spent the course of his age as wel as a man might Fortune crowned his end with the perpetual renowne of a most glorious death For the Athenians ioyning in battayle with their next neighbours Tellus comming with a fresh supplye and putting his ennemies to flight ended his life in the field whom y e people of Athens in the selfe same place where he had shed his bloud caused to be entombed with immortall honour Solon going forward in a large discourse as touching Tellus was cut of by Craesus with a second demaunde who asked him the second tyme whom in conscience he thoughte next vnto him in full hope that at the least his part had bene next to whom he answeared in the next degree Most mighty Prince I haue alwayes reputed Cleobis and Biton two younge menne of the Countrey of Argos of body so strong and actiue that in all games they wanne the price of whom these thinges are left to memorye The feast of Iuno beynge kept at Argos the mother of these two young men was to bee drawne to the temyle by a yoke of bullocks which whē the houre came beyng strayed and gone out of the way the two young youthes yoked thēselues and halyng the chariot forty fyue furlongs they came to the temple which after they had done in the sight view of the whole multitude in a lucky howre they dyed wherby y e Goddesse gaue vs to vnderstand how much better it was for man to die then liue For when as the people flocking about extolled them to the heauens the men praising y e good nature and intent of the sonnes the women commendinge the blessed chaunce of the mother whom nature had indued with two such children the good old mother almost out-of hyr wyttes for ioy what for the kynd deede of her sonnes and the goodly speech of the people aduauncinge their virtue as shee stoode before the ymage of Iuno besought the Goddesse with earnest prayers to rewarde the kindnes of hir children with the chiefe and most precious blessing that might happen vnto man Her prayer made and both the sacrifyce and feast ended they gaue themselues to rest in the temple but neuer after awaking in the mornīg they were founde dead whom the people of Argos by two carued monumentes placed at Delphos commended to euerlastinge memory for men of rare and excellēt vertue To these men did Solon attribute the next step to perfect happinesse Craesus now beyng throughlye warmed and beginninge to storme why then quoth he thou foolishe straunger of Athens is my wealth so base in thyne eyes that thou demest me not worthy to bee compared with two priuate men of Argos Certes 〈◊〉 king sayd he you demaund of me a question as one not altogeather ignorāt y t the hyghest clymers haue the heauiest falles the terme of mans life be threscore yeares and ten which yeares consist of twentye fyue thousande two hundred dayes omitting to speak of that moneth which is giuen to some yeares in addition for the iust compasse and reuolution of the tyme. Howbeit if in euery other yeare we increase a moneth for the due concordaunce and euen course of times to threscore and ten yeres we must adde 35 monethes conteining in themselues 1500 dayes Be it then in all these dayes which in full cōputation are twenty sixe thousand two hundred and fifty what thing do wee see lyke unto other what rather not flatly vnlike straūge disagreyng from the former so y e mā O Craelus is altogeather wretched and miserable not w tstanding thy selfe art in wealth flourishing and a prince of many people all this I deny not and yet I cannot call thee hym whom thou wouldest be til such tyme as I heare of thy fortunate death For wherein is the rych man better then a begger vnlesse the course of his happines continew to his graue Ther are many rych but few blessed and many of a meane patrimony yet very fortune Two thinges there be wherin the infortunate rich excelleth those who in meaner substaunce haue fortune their frende by whom contrariwyse they are excelled in many The wealthy hath to glutte his desires to pay for his default when it happeneth Both which though fortune haue denyed him y t in baser wealth liueth well yet in this he goeth beyond the other y e want of substaunce kepeth him from ryot care of well doyng frō security in offending the same hauing no small thankes to yeeld to Fortune y t he hath his health that hee is gauled greeued with no calamity
many of them without regard of their oth returned backe to Phocaea Others lead with a greater care of theyr late â—ow leauing the Iles Onusae went strayght to Cyrnus Where beyng come on shore for terme of 5 years they ioyned felowship with other their countreymen which before tyme were shed from the city to inhabite that place making ordinaunce and appoyntment of diume seruice and honoure to the Gods Neuerthelesse beyng accustomed in manner of enimyes by open pillage to spoyle and destroy the fields of their neighbours round about the TyrrheniaÌ„s and Carthaginians determined by common consent to encounter them by power of warre hauing furnished to the same end a fleete or Nauye of threscore shippes The lyke number on the other syde beyng prouyded by the Phocaeans wel stored and replenished with souldiours they set forth to meete the enemy in the sea called Sardonium Where ioyninge in battell the Phocaeans obtayned a victory much lyke vnto that of Cadmus For of threscore vessels fourty beyng sunk and ouerwhelmed in the sea the other twenty were so mangled and torne and the noses and stemmes thereof blunted and beaten backe that they serued afterwards to small vse Retiring therfore to Aetalia they toke theyr wiues and children with the rest of their wealth asmuch as coulde wel lye aborde and remoued from Cyrnus to Rhegium The men wherewith the drowned shippes were filled loke how many escaped the water and came into the handes of their enemies which hapned to many at their coÌ„ming to land wer stoned to death Insuing which murder they cattell people of the Agilleans as manye came into that place where the men of Phocaea were stonned were ether scorched and blased all with lightning or attached with extreame furye madnes For which cause the Agylleans willing to make satisfaction for the offence sent to Delphos where Pythia commaunded them to do all those thinges which they hold and obserue to this houre annuallye perfourminge to the Phocaeans that were stayne the solemne pompe of funerall exequies with a game of wrastling and exercise of the body Such was the euent and successe of those people after they for sooke their countrey soyle Of which rout and companye they which escaped the dynt of battel and cut the Seas to Rhegium planted a city in y e Fielde of Oenotria called Hyêla beyngtherto moued by the aduyse of one Posidoniates a manne very well esteemed and thoughte of in all the lande of Phocaea In this manner did Fortune deale with those that dwelt in Ionia The very lyke thing chaunced to them that held the city Teios whose towne by meanes of a vulwarke cast vp agaynste the walles veynge at a poynte welnye vanquished and ouercome by Harpagus they passed the seas into Thracia fynishinge the citye Abdêra in the same place the fouÌ„dation and grounde whereof was fyrst layed by Temesius Clazom enius How bee it not inioyinge the fruite and due guerdon of his labour hee was driuen thence and expelled by the Thracians Albeit the menne of Teios in the selfe same citye of Abdêra haue hym in honour and reputaâ—ion of halfe a God These people onely of the whole natioÌ„ of Ionia moued with hate and disdayne of bondage left the places where they all were naturallye resyaunte and soughte forrayne and strauÌ„ge countries The rest remayninge except the Milesians tooke heart at grasse and foughte both stoutlye and valtauntlye in the behalfe of their landes and liberty But the fortune of warre proceedynge agaynst them they came into captiuitye And abydinge still in theire owne seates dyd as they were commaunded Onely the Milesias who were in league with Cyrus and the Persias as wee sayd before were quiet and voyde of trouble By this meanes was Ionia the second tyme bereaued spoiled of theire libertye The people of the Iles perceyuinge the mayne land to bee all vnder the dominion and rule of the Persians fearyng the worst yelded themselues to Cyrus to be at his pleasure Now the Ionians albeit in very miserable estate and condition yet osyng their olde haunte and accustomed meetinge at Panionium the fame is that one Bias a Prienian gaue them such counsayle as had they pursued it with diligence they had liued in the most happy and blisseful estate of all the GreciaÌ„s His aduyse was this that the people of Ionia abandoninge their owne howses places of habitation should imbarke themselues to Sardinia and there for their whole multitude to build and erect a city to be helde and inhabited by them al in general which doyng they might cast of the yoke of y e Persians and hauing in their dominion the griatest and most principall of all the Iles might also hold y e chiefe rule dominion ouer all the rest This was y e couÌ„sayl of Byas to y e pore afflicted Iones Not much inferyour to this was the graue aduise and sentence of Thales whereby he prouoked and styrred vp the people before their captiuity to the institution of one generall parliament to be coÌ„monly held at Teios both for that y e city was fixed in the midle part of the region and that the other Cityes rounde aboute mighte neurrthelesse bee reckened as tribes appertineÌ„t therto This was y e holesom doctrine wyse couÌ„sayl geuen by these 2 learned sages to y e people of Ionia Harpagus after his tryumph ouer Ionia directed hys power agaynst the Caryans Caunians and Lysians leading with him the Iones and Aeoles Of which number the Carians forsoke the Iles to come dwell in the mayne For in auncient tyme they were vnder the authority and gouernement of Minos bearyng the name of Lelages at what tyme also they were resident in the Ilandes w tout rent or pension of tribute as far as I can learne by y e diligent scrutiny hearsay of times forepast consumed onely they weare leauied at a certayne number of shyppes furnished and prepared with men of armes as often as it semed good to the Prynce Moreouer King Mynos inioying a very large ample Oilion very fortunate in the euent of warre The nation of Caâ—ia was exceedingly aduauÌ„ced aboue the rest in royall fame dignity of whom the Gretians borowed three principall thinges first found out and deuised by them It was their inuestion to weare a Crest or Cope on their Helmets to paynt and set forth their Targets in gallant shewe brauery of colours last of all the steele or handle of the shielde came likewise froÌ„ theÌ„ whereas before they vsed no steeles but hanging them about their neckes and right shoulders with lystes and thonges of leather they moued and guyded them to and fro Along time after the Caryans the Dores also and Iones chaunged the Isles with the mayne or continent and rowsâ—ed theÌ„ there all which things are affirmed of y e Carians by the people of Creta From whom the Caryans themselues doe greatly dissent and swarue in opinion coÌ„stantly auouching how from the beginning and
pleasaunt recreation vntill the case was too plaine that the enemies were within the walles Such therfore were the meanes whereby the City Babylon was first of all taken and surprised by warre As touching the power and value whereof we will shewe many testimonies this one especiall and of manyfest euidency The whole coast which is vnder the gouernance of the great King being leuied at a certayne rent to finde the Prince and his armie I meane besides those reuenewes and pensions which euery moneth in the yeare are duely payde and yeelded to the Crowne at the fourth part of thys rent or subsidie is the region of Babylon rated alone the other eyght partes beéing gathered and contributed out of the whole Countrey of Asia so that the puissance and hability of this region is equiualent and matchable to the third part of Asia The seigniorie also and principality of this part which the Persians call a Satrapy that is a Dutchy or Countey doth in great measure exceede all other prouinces that are vnder the protection of the great King For so much as Tritechmas sonne of Artabazus whome the King made his Lieutenant and principall ouer this Countrey had duely rendered vnto him for tribute euery day in the weeke more then eyght gallons of siluer according to the Persian measure called Artaba which exceedeth by three quarts the measure that is vsed in Attica which they call by the name of Medimnus Moreouer he had a stable of couragious and lusty coursers for the saddle besides those which were purposely kept and managed for the vse of warre to these were added eight hundred stalions or stone horses with sixteene thousand maares which were couered by those horses one stalion being reserued and admitted to the couering of twenty maares Besides all this so great a multitude of dogs or mastifes comming of the kinde and breede of India were belonging to him that four great townes standing in the plaine of Babylon stoode at no other reuenue then to find and maintayne a company of curres All whiche things were peculiar and appertinent to him that was the viceroy or president of Babylon In the countrey of Assyria they haue small store of rayne suche graine as the land yeeldeth beeing euermore watered by the floud not after the maner of Nilus in Aegypt which of his owne accord riseth ouer the bankes and giueth moisture to the fields round about but partly by the labour and haÌ„ds of men partly also by brookes and ditches deriuing the water throughout their ground For through all the region of all Babylon euen as in Aegypt also are drawne many trenches and ditches the greatest whereof is nauigable and caryeth ships bearing to that coast where the sunne is at a stand in winter and reacheth from Euphra-‑ reacheth from Euphrates to the floud Tigris neere vnto the which was planted and situated the city Ninus This soyle for corne and all kinde of grayne is the most battle and plentifull of all others being very barren and naked of wood wherein especially the figge tree vine and olyue could neuer prosper or come to any proofe but for seede and tillage so fruitefull and aboundant that it neuer fayleth to yeeld increase two hundred fold and if the ground be very well taken and the yeare fauourable it multiplieth to three hundreth times as much as was cast into the earth The eares of their wheate and barly are more then a handfull broade Likewise y e small seede of Millet or Hirse together with the graiue of India called Sesamum to what exceeding growth and tallnes they arise in this countrey that almost they seeme in manner of mighty trees albeit I assuredly know could iustly affirme yet I will rather keepe silence knowing that those which hath bene already spoken of the greate encrease of their graine are suche that they far surmount aboue the coÌ„mon credit and vsuall course of nature They vse no kinde of oyle but such as is made of the seede Sesamum Palme trees are coÌ„mon with theÌ„ in euery place of the countrey many of the which beare fruite are very fertile Parte of this fruite they turne and employ to foode and sustenaunce making wine and honny of the rest The trees themselues they prune and manure not vnlike theyr figge trees Some of these palmes as they vse also to do in other the Graecians call male trees the fruite wherof they eate not but only bind it to the fruite of the female trees whereof breedeth a small woorme or flye which with her sharpe and forcked nebbe biteth through the fruite of the female palme whereby it commeth to ripenesse and maturity being otherwise wont to drop off and decay before it arriue to full growth and perfection For of the fruite of the male palme is bred and produced this little worme such as come also of a wilde figge tree Let vs now proceede vnto that which next after the city it selfe is in my fancy the straungest mirrour and wonder of the whole region The vessels wherein they are accustomed to passe downe y e streame to Babylon are made circlewise and of round compasse drawne ouer on the outside and couered with leather for the people of Armenia whose countrey lyes aboue the Assyrians hauing hewed smoothed out of willow certaine round vessels very hollow and deepe they cast ouer a paast or couering of leather applying them both to the vse of houshold affayres to contemne licour in such like and also to rowe in and passe the water They haue neither head nor tayle that a man may poynt at with his finger there to be the nose and forepart of the shippe and heere the hinder part or sterne but are contriued into a circulare forme like a buckler or target The bottome of these vessels they matte and fence with strawe or rushes wherevpon laying their chaffer and merchandise they commit themselues to the water Theyr chiefest cariage is small roundlets or firkins of wyne makyng the caske it selfe of the leaues of palme The vessels are gouerned by two seuerall rothers at the which two men continually stande and are attendaunt the one whereof drawes the sterâ—e towardes hym into the shippe the other thrusteth from hym outwarde These kynde of shippes are maruaylous greate and very capable albeit some of them be of smaler making then other The greater sort are of power to carry the waight of fyue thousand talentes In euery of which there is one liue Asse at the least and in the bigger three or foure Beeyng landed at Babylon and hauyng made theyr marte of suche thynges as they broughte they sell also the woodde of theyr Shyppes wyth the strawe rushes and suche lyke loadyng backe theyr Asses with the skinnes which they driue home before them into Armenia forsomuch as to saile vpwards against the course of the riuer it is not possible for them by reason of the swiftnesse and violence of the strcame which is the cause also that they make
gods they might likewise offer the most flight and swifte creature that lyueth on the earth K. v. Herodotus his second Booke entituled Euterpe AFter the death of the most noble vertuous King Cyrus there succeeded him in y e empyre a son of his named Cambyses born of Cassandana daughter to Pharnasphus who dying long tyme before y e king hir spouse was greatly bewayled by him and his whole empyre The younge prince Cambyses makinge none other accounte of y e Iönes then of his lawfull seruauÌ„ts left him by the due right and title of inheritaunce went in expedition against the Aegyptians preparing an army aswell out of other countreys as also out of the regions borders of Greece which were vnder his gouernment The Aegyptians before such time as Psammeâ—ichus held the supremicy thought them selues to haue bene the first and moste auncient people of y e world This king in time of his raigne and gouernaunce in Aegypt for the great desire hee had to know by what people the earth was first inhabited wrought an experience whereby the Aegyptians were broughte to thinke that the Phrygians were the most old auncient people of the earth and them selues to be nexte in antiquity to them For Psammetichus by all meanes indeuouringe to know who they were that first and before al others came into the world finding himselfe hardly satisfied with ought he could heare practised a deuise and feate of his owne braine Two young infants borne of base parentes hee gaue to his Sheepheard to bring vp nourish in this maner He gaue coÌ„maundement y t no man in their presence or hearing should speake one word but that being alone in a solitary deserte cabyne farre from all company they should haue milke and other foode brought mynistred to them in due conuenient time Which thinges were done commaunded by him to the intent y t when they left of their childish cries began to prattle and speake plainly he might know what speach laÌ„guage they would first vse which in processe of time fell out and happened accordingly For being of y e age of two yeares it chaunced that the sheepheard who was their Nourice bringer vp approching neere to the dore of the Cottage entring in both the litle brats sprawling at his feete stretching forth their hands cryed thus Beccos Beccos which at the first hearing the Pastour noted only and made no words but perceyuing him selfe alwayes saluted after one sort and y t euermore at his entraunce the children spake y e same word the matter was opened to y e king at whose coÌ„maundement he brought the children and deliuered them vp into his hands whom when Psammetichus also himselfe had heard to chat in the same maner he made curiouse search what people vsed y e word Beccos in their language in what meaning they toke it Whereby he came to know y t the word was accustomably vsed by y e people of Phrygia to signifie bread For which cause the Aegyptians came into opinion y t the Phrygians were of greater time longer continuance then them selues Of all which matter the maner of doing thereof I was credibly informed by the priestes of y e god Vulcane abiding at Memphis Howbeit many fond fables are recited by the Grecian writers that Psammetichus geuing y e children to certaine women of the country to sucke bring vp caused their tongues to bee cut out y t they might not speake to them Thus much was rehearsed by them of y e trayning vp education of the infants Many other things also were told me by the holy and religious Chaplaynes of y e god Vulcane with whom I had often conference at Memphis Moreouer for y e same occasion I toke a iourney to Thebs Heliopolis which is to wit y e city of y e Sunne to y e end I might see whether they would iumpe all in one tale agree together For the Heliopolitans are sayd to bee the most prudent witty people of all y e Aegyptians Notwithstanding of diuine heauenly matters as touching their gods loke what they told me I am purposed to conceale saue onely their names which are manifestly knowne of all men of other matters I meane to keepe silence vnlesse by the course of the Hystory I shall perforce bee broughte into a narration of the same In all their talke of mortall and humane altayres they did rightly accord consent one with an other saying this that y t Aegyptians first of all others fouÌ„d out the circuite compasse of y t yeare deuiding the same into 12 seuerall moneths according to y t course and motion of the starres making in my fancy a better computation of the time then the Grecians doe which are driuen euery thirde yeare to adde certaine dayes to some one moneth whereby the yeares may fall euen become of a iust coÌ„passe Contrarywise the Aegyptians to three hundred dayes which they parte distribute into twelue moneths making addition of fyue odde dayes cause the circle and course of their yeares to fall out equally alwayes a like In like maner the Aegyptians first inuented and vsed the surnames of the twelue gods which y t Grecians borowed drew from them The selfe same were the first founders of Aulters Images Temples to the gods by whom also chiefly were carued the pictures of beasts and other creatures in stone which thing for y t most parte they proue confirme by lawfull testimonyes good authority to this they ad besides y t the first king y t euer raygned was named Menes vnder whose gouernaunce all y â— lande of Aegypt except the prouince of Thebes was wholly couered ouerwhelmed with water and y t no parte of the ground which lyes aboue the poole called Myris was then to be sene into which poole from the sea is 7. dayes sayling And truly as concerning y â— country they seemed to speake truth For it is euident to all men who hauing neuer heard thereof doe but onely beholde it how that parte of Aegypt whereat the Grecians are wont to arryue is gayned ground and as it were the gyft of the ryuer Likwise all the land aboue the poole for the space of thrâ— dayes fayleing whereof notwithstanding they spake nothing at all Besides there is another thing from whence no smale profe may be borowed to wit the very nature and quality of the Aegyptian soile which is such that being in voyage towards Aegypt after you come within one dayes sayling of the lande at euery sounde with the plummet you shall bringe vppe great store of mud and noysome filth euen in such place as the water is eleuen ells in depth whereby it is manyfest that so farre y â— ground was cast vppe and left bare by the waters The length of Aegypt by the sea coaste is 423. miles and a halfe according to our
by sea were vsed eyther by them into Graece or by the Graecians into Aegypt which I suppose and thinke to haue bene It is therefore most sounding and agreeable to truth that if any thing had bene borrowed by them the name of Neptune rather then Hercules had crept into their manners and religion Besides this the god head and name also of Hercules is of greate coutinuance and antiquity in Aegypt insomuch that by their saying 17000. yeares are passed since the raigne of King Amasis in tyme of whose gouernaunce the number of the gods was increased from eight to twelue whereof Hercules was then one Heere in not contented with a slippery knowledge but mooued with desire to learne the truth I came in question with many aboute the same cause tooke shipping also to Tyrus a city of Phoenicia where I had heard say that the temple of Hercules was founded Being landed at Tyrus I beheld the pallace beautified and adorned with gifts of inestimable price and amongst these two crosses one of tried molten gold another framed of the precious gemme Smaragdus whiche in the night season sent foorth very bright shining beames forthwith falling into parle with the chapâ—â—ines priests of y e temple I demaunded them during what space the chappell had stoode and how long since it was built whose talke and discourse in nothing agreed with the Graecians affirming that the temple tooke his beginning with the city from the first foundation groundley whereof two thousand and three hundred yeares are exspired I saw also in Tyrus another temple vowed to Hercules sumamed Thesius In like sort I made a iorney to Thasus where I light vpon a chappell erected by the Phaenicians who enterprising a voyage by sea to the knowledge and discouery of Europe built and founded Thasus fiue mens ages before the name of Hercules was knowne in Greece These testimonies doplainely prooue that Hercules is an auncient god and of loÌ„g durance For whiche cause amongst all the people of Greece they seeme to haue taken the best course that honour Hercules by two sundry temples to one they shew reuerence as to an immortall god whome they call Hercules Olympius to another as to a chiefe peere and most excellente person amongst men Many other things are noysed by the Graecians albeit very rashly and of slender ground whose fond and vndiscret tale it is that Hercules comming into Aegypt was taken by the Aegyptians and crowned with a garland who were in full mind to haue made him a sacrifice to Iupiter Vnto whose aultare being lead with greate pompe and celerity he remayned very meeke and tractable vntill such time as the priest made an offerto slay him at what time recalling his spirits and laying about him with manfull courage he made a great slaughter of all such as were present stroue against him By which theyr fabulous incredible narration they flatly argue how ignoraunt and vnaquaynted they be with the maners of Aegypt for vnto whome it is not lawfull to make oblation of any brute beast but of swine oxen calues and geese couldethey so farre stray from duty and feare of the gods 〈◊〉 to stayne and blemish their aultars with the bloud of men Agayne Hercules being alone in the hands of so many Aegyptians can it stande wyth any credence or lykelyhoode that of hymselfe he should be able to slay so greate a multitude But let vs leaue these fables and proceede forwarde to the truth Such therefore of thys people as flye the bloudshead and slaughter of goates namely the Mendesians lay for theyr ground that Pan was in the number of the eyght gods which were of greater standing and antiguitie then the twelue The forme and image of the god Pan both the paynters and caâ—uers in Aegypt franie to the same similitude and resemblance as the Graecians haue expressed and set him foorth by making him to haue the head and shankes of a goate not that they thinke him to be so but rather like the other gods Notwithstanding the cause whereby they are mooued to portray and shadow him in such sort is no greate and handsome tale to tell therfore we are willing to omit it by silence sufficeth it that we knowe how as well bucke as dooe goates are no pety saincts in this countrey in somuch that with the Mendesians goateheards are exalted aboue the common sorte and much more set by then any other degree of men of which company some one is alwayes of chiefe estimatioÌ„ at whose death all the quarter of Mendesia is in great sorrow and heauines whereof it commeth that as well the god Pan himselfe as euery male-goate is called in y e Aegyptian speach Mendes In these parts of Aegypt it hapned that a goate of the malekinde in open sight closed with a woman whiche became very famous and memorable throughout all the countrey An hogge is accounted with them an vncleane and defiled beast which if any passing by fortune to touch his next worke is to go washe and dowse himselfe clothes and all in y e riuer for which cause of all their proper and natiue countreymen only such as keepe swine are forbidden to do worship in the temples No man will vouchsafe to weâ— his daughter to a swineheard nor take in marriage any of their discent and issue feamale but they mutually take and yeeld their daughters in mariage betweene themselues Of the number of the gods onely Liber and the Moone are sacrificed vnto with hogges whereof making oblation at the full of the moone for that space also they feede of porke and hogsflesh The reason why the people of Aegypt kill swyne at this time and at all other times boyle in so great despight and hatred against them bycause mine eares glowed to heare it I thought it maners to conceale it Swyne are offered vp to the Moone in this manner the hogge standing before the aultare is first slayne then taking the tip of hys tayle the milt the call the sewet they lay them all together spreading ouer them the leafe or fat that lyeth about the belly of the swine which immediately they cause to burne in a bright flame The flesh remayning they eate at the full of the moone which is the same day whereon the sacrifice is made abhorring at all other times the flesh of swine as the body of a serpent Such as be of poore estate and slender substaunce make the picture image of a hogge in paast or dowe whiche beeing consequently boyled in a vessell they make dedication thereof to their gods Another feast also they keepe solemne to Bacchus in the which towarde supper they sticke a swyne before y e threshold or entry of their dwelling places after which they make restitution thereof to the swinehearde agayne of whom they bought it In all other pointes pertayning to thys feast so like the Graecians as may be sauing that they square
a little and vary heerein For the manner of Greece is in this banquet to weare about their neckes the similitude of a mans yard named Phallum wrought and carued of figtree in stead whereof the Aegyptians haue deuised small images of two cubites long whiche by meanes of certayne strings and coardes they cause to mooue and stirre as if they had sence and were liuing The cariage of these pictures is committed to certayne women that beare them too and fro through the streetes making the yard of the image which is as bigge as all the bodye besides to daunce and play in abhominable wise Fast before these marcheth a piper at whose heeles the women followe incontinent with sundry psalmes sonets to y e god Bacchus For what cause that one member of the picture is made too big for the proportion frame of y e body and also why that only of all the body is made to mooue as they refused to tell for religion so we desired not to heare for modesty Howbeit Melampus sonne of Amytheon was falsly supposed to haue bin ignoraunt in the ceremonies of Aegypt in the whiche he was very skilfull cunning By whom the Greekes were first instructed in the due order and celebration of Bacchus feast whome they worshipped by the name of Dionysius in many other ceremonies and religious obseruations pertayning to the same NotwithstaÌ„ding something wanted in this description which was after added and in more perfect and absolute manner set downe by certayne graue and wise men called Philosophers which liued in the secondage after him Most euident it is that the picture of Phalli 〈…〉 worne of the Graecians in the feast of Baccâ—â—s was found out and deuised by him whose discipline in this point the Graecians obserue at this day This Melampus was 〈◊〉 of rare wisedome well seene in the art of diuination and southsaying the author and first founder to the Graecians as well of other things which he had learned in Aegypt as also of such statutes and obseruances as belong to the feast of Dâ—onysius only a few things altered which he thought to amend For why to thinke that the Graecians and Aegyptians fell into the same forme of diuine worship by haâ— hazard or plaine chaunce it might seeme a very hard and vnreasonable gesse siâ—â—ence it is manifest that the Greekes both vse the selfeâ—ame custome and more then that they kept it of olde Much lesse can I be brought to say that either his fashion or any other hath bene translated and deriued from Greece into Aegypt I rather iudge that Melampus comming from Phaenicia into Beoâ—ia accompanyed with Cadmus and some other of the Tyrians was by them made acquaynted with all such rites and ceremonies as in the honour of Dionysius are vsed by the Greekes True it is that the names by which the gods are vsually called are borrowed and drawne from the Aegyptians for hearing them too be taken from the Barbarians as the chiefe inuenters and deuisers of the same I haue found not only that to be true but also that for the most parte they are brought out of Aegypt For setting aside Neptune and the gods called 〈◊〉 as before is declared lunâ— Venus Th 〈…〉 is the Graces the Nymphes Nereides all the names of the gods and goddesses haue bene euermore knowne and vsurped in Aegypt I speake no more then the Aegyptians testify which aâ—ouch sincerely that neyther Neptune nor the gods Dioscuri were euer heard of in their land These names I iudge to haue bene deuised by the Pelasgians except Neptune whose name I suppose to be taken from the people of Africa for somuch as from the beginning no nation on the earth but only the Africanes vsed that name amongst whome Neptune hath alwayes bene reuerenced with celestiall and diuine honours whome the Aegyptians also denie not to be albeit they shewe and exhibite no kinde of diuine honour towardes him These and suche like customes which we purpose to declare haue the Greekes borrowed of the Aegyptians neuerthelesse the image of Mercury who is framed with the secret member porrect and apparent I rather deeme to haue proceeded from the maners of the Pelasgians then from the vsuall and accustomed wont of Aegypt and principally to haue growne in vse wyth the Athenians whose fact consequently became a paterne and example to the rest of the Graecians For the selfe same soyle was ioyntly held and inhabited both of the Athenians which were of the right lignage of Hellen and likewise of the Pelasgians who for the same cause began to be reckoned for Graecians Which things are nothing maruaylous to those that are silfull and acquaynted with the worship and religion whych the Graecians yeeld to the three sonnes of Vulcane named Cabiri which diuine ceremonies are now fresh in Samothracia and were taken and receyued from the Pelasgians The cause is that those Pelasgians whome we said before to haue had all one territorie with the Athenians dwelt sometime also in Samothracia by whome the people of that soyle were taught and indoctrined in the ceremonies appertinent to Bacchus First therefore the people of Athens following the steps of the Pelasgians caused the picture of Mercury to be carued in suche sorte as we haue heard For authority proofe why the image should be thus framed the men of Pelasgos recited a mysterie out of holy bookes which is yet kept and conserued in the religious monuments of Samothracia The selfeâ—ame in prayer and inuocation to the heauenlye powers made ablaâ—ion of all creatures indifferentlye and wythout respect whyche I came to knowe at Dodona geuing no names at all to the gods as beeyng flatly ignoraunte howe to call them Generally they named them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gods in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they disposed and placed in order all the countreyes and regions on earth In tract of tyme the names and appellations of the powers diuine vsed in Aegypt grew also in knowledge with the Greekes â—nsuing which the name also of Dionysius otherwise called Bacchus came to light albeit long after that time and in later dayes A small time exspired the Greekes counsayled with the oracle in Dodona to the same ende and purpose This â—hayre of prophecy was in those dayes the only and most auncient seate in the land of Greece whether the Pelasgians repayring demaunded the oracle if the surnames of the gods receiued and taken from the Barbarians might be lawfully frequented in Greece whereto aunswere was geuen that they shoulde be reteined for whyche cause yeelding sacrifice to the gods such names were helde by the men of Pelasgos and lastly obserued of y e Graecians Howbeit what original or beginning the gods had or whether they were euermore time out of mind finally what forme figure or likenesse they bare it was neuer fully and perfectly knowne till of late dayes For Hesiodus and Homer which were not passing 400. yeares before vs were the
first that euer made the gods to be borne and sproong of certaine progenies like vnto men assigning to euery one a byname proper and peculiar honours sundry crafts and sciences wherein they excelled not leauing so much as the fauour and portraytour of any of the gods secrete and vndeseried As for suche poets as are saide to haue gone before these they seeme to me to haue liued after them The first of these things I meane the names of the natures celestiall to haue bene planted in Greece in such sorte as hath bene declared the priests at Dodona do iustly witnesse Now for this of Hesiode and Homer to be no other wyse then is said I pawne mine owne credit Furthermore of y e oracles in Africke and Greece the Aegyptians blaâ—e this rumor and principally such as are employed in the seruice and ministerie of Iupiter Thebanus by whome it is sayde that certaine men of the Phaenicians comming to Thebes state priuily from thente two women accustomed to minister in the temple of Iupiter one of the which they sold in Lybia the other in Greece by whose meanes and aduise it came to passe that in each countrey the people created an oracle Heereat somewhat abashed and requesting earnestly how and in what manner they came to knowe this they made we aunswere that leauing no corner vnsearched whereby to come to knowledge of their women and not able to finde how they were bestowed newes was brought at length of their plight and condition Thus farre was I certified by the Thebane prelates wherevnto I deeme it conuenient to adde such things as were notified vnto mee at Dodona by the priests there who vndoubtedly affyrme how in times forepast and long ago two blacke pigeons tooke theyr flight from the countrey of Thebes in Aegypt scouring with swift course through the sky one of the which fortuned to light in Africa the other in that part of Greece where Dodona is now situate where pointing vpon a mighty â—all beech she was heard to speake in a voice humane like vnto a man warning the people to erect an oracle or seate of diuination in that place being so thought good and prouided by the destinies Whiche admonition the people taking as well they might to come by the instince and motion of the gods did as they were commauÌ„ded by the done In like manner it fell out that in Lybia the people were stirred vp and inâ—ensed by the other done to the planting and erection of a seate propheticall named the oracle of Ammon being also coÌ„fecrate to the name of Iupiter These things we receiued of the credite and authoritie of the Dodoneans confirmed and established by the generall consenteÌ„ of those that had the â—ase and charge of the temple Of these women priests resident in the temple of Dodona the eldest most auncieÌ„t had to name Promenca the second Timareta the third and yougest Nicandra Neuerthelesse of these matters such is my iudgement If any such religions and holy women were by stealth of the Phenicians transported and caryed away into Lybia and Greece I condecture that the one of these was sold at Thesprotus in that parte of the region which earst was in y e possession of the Pelasgians and is at this present reputed for a portion of Hettus where hauing serued certayne yeares in processe of time she brought 〈…〉 diuine ceremonies of Iupiter vnder some beach tree growing in shoaâ—e coaÌ„stes For what could be more likely conâ—emente then for her to establish some monument in the sacred honour of Iupiter in whose seruice and religion she had bene long time conuersaunt at Thebes in Aegypt Which her ordinance at length grewe into the custome of an oracle The same beeing perfect also in the Greeke language discouered vnto them in what sort the Pheniâ— anâ— had likewise made sale of hir sister to the people of Africa The sacred and deuoute women of Dodona resyaunt in the pallace of the great god Iupiter seeme for none other cause to haue called these Aegyptian pufiâ—s two doues then for that they were come from harbarous countreys whose tongue and manner of pronouncing seemed to the Graecians to sounde like the voyce of bites And whereas they shewe that in time the doâ—e began to vtter playne language and speake like men â—aught else is meant heareby then that she vsed such speech as they knew and vnderstood being so long esteemed to emusate and follow the noyse of birds as she remained in her harbarous kind of speach and pronunciation For how is it credible that a pigeon in deede could haue â—â—urped the voice and vtteraunce of a manâ— and alleadging yet further that it was a blarke doâ—e they argued her more playnely to haue bene a woman of Aegypt the flower of whose beauty is a fayre browne blew â—anned and burnt by the fyery beames of the sunne Agayne the oracles themselues that of Thebes and this of Dodona are welâ—ye in all poyntes agreeable Thspeake nothing of the maner and order of southsaying in the comples of Greece whych any man with halfe an eye may easily discerne to haue bene taken from Aegypt Let it stand also for an â—â—â—ent and vndoubted verity that assemblies at festiuals pompes and pageants in diuine honour talke and communication with the gods by a mediatour or interpretour were inuented in Aegypt and consequently vsed in Greece Which I thinke the rather for that the one is old and of long continuance the other freshe and lately put in practise It is not once in a yeare that the Aegyptians vse these solemne and religious meetings but at sundry times and in sundry places howbeit chiefly and with the greatest zeale deuotion at the city Bubast in y e honour of Diana Next after that at Busiris in the celebration of 〈◊〉 feast where also standeth the most excellent and famous temple of Isis who in the Greeke tongue is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to wit Ceres Thirdly an assembly is held in the city Sars in the prayse and reuerence of Minerâ—â— Fourthly at Hâ—liopolis in honour of the sunne Fiftly at Batis in remembraunce of Larona In the sixt and last place noâ—hâ— city Papsâ—â—is to the dignity renowne of Mars Moreouer sucâ— of this people as with encyre and affectionate zeale most religiously obserue these astat Bâ—bastis behaue and beare themselues on this maner Certayne shippes being addressed wherein infinite numbers of men and women fayle towards the catâ— in the meane season whiles 〈◊〉 be in voiage on y e water certaine of the womeÌ„ play vpoÌ„ drums taders making a great found noyse y e men on pipes Such as want these implemeÌ„ts clap their hands straine their voice in singing to y e highest degree At what city soeuer they ariue happely some of the women of â—â—tinue their mirth disporâ—on y e timbrels some other raise reuise wold at the daâ—â—es of the city beyond
measure 〈◊〉 trau 〈…〉 â—aunce motionly other cast vp their clothes openly discouer and being anâ—he in shame doing this in all those cities y t are neere adioyning to the riuers â—iâ—iâ— Being assembled gathered together at Bâ—bastis they honouâ— the feâ—â—h day with 〈◊〉 all solemnity making large â—ffringâ— to Diana wherein is greater or 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of grâ—pâ— wiâ—eâ— thâ—â— all the yeare besides To this place by the 〈◊〉 of the countrey are want to repay â—â—7000 〈…〉 en wo 〈…〉 〈◊〉 fides thildreÌ„ and thus they passe the time at Bubastis Now in what maner they solemnize y e sacred day of Isis at y e city Businis we declared before where in the 〈◊〉 age is after y e deeper furnaÌ„ce accomplishment of y e sacrifice to whip â—to 〈…〉 ge theÌ„selues 〈…〉 In mind table wise and y t not one or 〈…〉 many thousandes of â—ache degree both men women â—nouor the lesse by what meanes or where with al they beate vexe their bodies in this sort I may not disclose Howbeit such of the people of Carâ—a as soiourne make their abode in Aegypt stricken with a deeper remorse of sinne in this point of zeale 〈◊〉 go beyond y e Aegyptiâ—â—s in that they hackle slice their forehead with kniues daggers where 〈…〉 it is plainely 〈◊〉 to vnderstande that they come of forreine nations and not of the homeborne naturall people of the land Inlike manner meeting as before at the city Sais there to accomplishe the rites and ceremonies due to the day at the approche and neere poynt of the euening they furnish and beset their houses with torches and lampes which being replenished with pure oyle mingled with salte they giue fire to the weike and suffer them to continue burning till the next morning naming the day by the feast of lampes Such as resort not to this feast do neuerthelesse at their owne homes giue due honour to the night placing in euery corner of theyr house an infinite number of tapers and candles the custome being not only kept at Sais but spread and scattered throughout the whole region But for what ende this night is helde solemne by lighting of lampes a certayne mysticall and religious reason is yeelded which we must keepe secret At Heliopolis and Butis onely sacrifice without execution of any other ceremonies is done to the gods Likewise at Papremis they remyne the same custome of diuine seruice and worshipping as in other places At the sunne going downe certayne chosen men of the priests being few in number and seriously held and busied about the image the most parte standing before the dore of the temple armed with clubs as much as they can weilde ouer against whome on the contrary side other more then a thousand meÌ„ of the number of those that come to worship all strongly furnished prepared with bats in their handes The day before the feast the picture or image framed of wood is by meanes of a few assigned to the ministery and cure of y e woodden god conueyed out of a small temple made of light timber gorgeously gilded into another sacred and religious house being thither drawne by the minister themselues vppon a wayne of foure wheeles wheron the temple itselfe is placed the image also conteined therein Drawing neere to y e temple with their cariage the clubbes standing before the dore wyth threates cruell manaces forbid theÌ„ to enter incoÌ„tineÌ„t y e band of men oueragainst them toÌ„ming with might maine to assist the image and encounâ—â—ing with those that kept the temple laye on suche escapeth without hys crowne crackt in manye places Wherein also I suppose that many men miscarry and came short home albeit they flatly denie that of a wound so taken any man euer perished The homelings and peculiar people of that countrey alleadge this reason of the battell In this temple saye they did sometimes inhabite the mother of the god Mars who seeking at the estate of ripe yeares against the lawe of nature to haue society with his owne mother tooke the repulse and was reiected by her ministers that knew him not whereat the god storming in great rage purchased ayde out of the cities adioynaunt and made way perforce to the greate discomfiture and dammage of those as sought to resist him for which cause they yet solemnize to Mars a feast of broken pates and brused costards enacting moreouer by the vertue of their religion that no man should haue carnall copulation with a woman in the temple neyther attempt to set his foote within the dores of any suche house of religion vnlesse after the fleshly knowledge of women he first wash and cleanse his body wyth pure water whiche custome onely taketh place amongst the Graecians and Aegyptians beeing the vse in other nations to accompany with their women in the churches and palaces of their gods and also presently after such secret actes without any regard of purifying themselues to rush into the houses of diuine honour making no difference betweene men and other brutish and vnreasonable creatures For it is seene say they how other things that haue life and sence meddle themselues each with other euen in such places as the gods were worshipped which if it were a thing so odious and displeasaunt in the eyes of the higher powers no doubt the beastes themselues would eschue and auoyde it whose doings together with their iudgement I flatly disalow Howbeit vnderstand we that as well in these things whereof we haue intreated as in all other the Aegyptians are led with a singular superstition Aegypt also itselfe albeit it abutte and poynt vpon the countrey of Lybia yet is it not ouermuch pestered with beastes Such as the lande bringeth vp and fostereth are reputed holy and by no meanes to be violated or harmed by any some of which haue their nouriture and foode together with the people of y e soyle othersome are more wilde fierce and intractable refusing so gently to come to haud The cause of these things why creatures vnreasonable are so highly honoured of this people I may not without breach of piety reueale which things of set purpose I haue endeuoured to conceale and keepe secrete vnlesse by the necessary course of the history I haue bene brought to the contrary Furthermore about the beastes that breede and multiplye in the region suche is their order Generally they are helde with a most tender and reuerent care for the mayntenaunce and fostering of them in whiche kinde of honour for it is accounted a greate honour with them to haue regard of beastes the sonne euermore succeedeth the father To these brute creatures all such as are resident in the cities of Aegypt performe and pay certayne vowes makyng humble supplication to some one of the gods in whose patronage and protection that beast is which thing they accomplish after this manner Shauing the heads of their sonnes eyther
Bull of so grosse and thicke an hyde that being well dryed they make thereof Darts of exceeding strength and stiffnesse There be also founde to breede in the ryuer certaine beastes much like a Beuer and liue like an Otter which in Aegypt are of great accounte and thought holy In the same degre of sacred honour are all kinde of scale fishe and Eeles Such is also their opinion and reuerence towards birds and fowles of the ayre as wilde Geese such like There is also an other bird of whom aboue all other they think most diuinely called a Phoenix which I neuer saw but protrayed and shadowed in coloures For the coÌ„meth very seldome into that countrey as farre as I could heare say by the Heliopolitans to wit once in 500. yeares and that also when hir parent or breeder dyeth If she be truely drawne by the Aegyptians this is hir forme and bignesse hir feathers partly red and partly yealow glittering like Golde in forme and quantity of the body not much differing from an Eagle Of this Phoenix Aegyptians haue bruted a straunge tale which I can hardly credit saying that the Phoenix flying from Arabia to the temple of the Sunne in Aegypt carieth in hir tallaunts the corps of hir dead sire embaulmed roled in Myrrhe which she accustometh to bury in that place Adding also the maner whereby she inureth hir selfe to cary so great a burthen First she gathers a great quantity of Myrrhe and works it into a lumpe as much as shee canne well beare whereby to make cryall of hir owne strength After this perceyuing hirselfe able to weylde it shee maketh an hole with hir Beake in the side of the balle framing it very hollow and empty within wherein she incloseth the body of hir breeder This done and the hole cunningly filled vp againe she poyseth the whole masse in hir tallaunts and finally she transporteth it to Heliopolis to the temple Pallace of y e Sunne so skilfully handling hir cariage that the Myrrhe body and all waygheth no more then the whole balle did before This they mention as concerning the Phoenix Knowe wee besides that in the region of Thebs in Aegypt there vse to haunte a kinde of Serpents had in dyuine worshippe of body sinale nothing norsome or hurtfull to men These haue two hornes growing out of their heads euermore dying are laide in Iupiters temple vnto whom they are holy and consecrate In Arabia there lyeth a place of no great distaunce from the city Batis whether I went of purpose hauing heard of certayne wynged Serpents there to bee seene And being come I behelde the ribbes and bones of Serpents in number welnigh infinite and not to bee reckoned whereofsome were greater and some lesse The place where the bones are layde is a sinale and narrowe bottome betweene two Mountaynes opening into a wyde and waste champion The speech goeth that out of Arabia at the poynte of the Sprynge many hydious and terrible Serpentes take their flght into Aegypt which y e fowles called Ibides meeting with straight wayes kill and deuour them by which meanes y e soile is rid deliuered of a great plague For this cause y e bird Ibis whereto the Arabians likewyse accorde is had in great price and estimation of the Aegyptians The fashion protrayture of this bird is such hir feathers as black as I eat long shanks like a Crane an hooked beake much about y e bignes of a Daker hen And in this sorte is the fowle bis rightly figured that killeth y e Serpents as they come into y e land There is also another of these which are brought vp liue amongst men hauing a sinale head a slender necke white plumed in all partes of the body sauing in the head necke the hinder parte of y e wyngs and the taile which are of a dark black hue the legges â—yll in all poynts like y e other The Serpents themselues in forme and making and much like to y e pestilent infectious beast Hydra that liueth in y e water They haue wyngs not of feathers but of smothe and naked skin like vnto the wings of a Bat or Reremouse But let it suffice vs hyther to to haue continued y e discourse and hystory of such beastes as with this people are had in chiefe and principall honour exhibiting towards them a certayne religious holy and diuine worship Now it vehoueth vs to know that such of the Aegyptians as dwell in the corne Countrey are most of all conuersant in descrying to the posterity the acts affayres of auncient momory and of all the nation the most famous principall Whose kinde of lyuing is after this maner Thrise euery moneth they cleanse and purifie them selues both vpwards by vomitting downewards by purginge hauinge especiall regarde of their health and welfare euermore supposing all maladies diseases to grow and arise of the meate which they eate For otherwise the Aegyptians are of all men liuing the most sounde and healthfull except y e Libians the cause whereof I iudge to proceede of the immutable constant course of y e yeare which with them neuer varieth but falleth out alwayes alike the greatest cause of defect sicknesse in men arysing of the chaung mutability of y e same Their bread is coÌ„tinually made of fine wheat their wyne for y e most part coÌ„pound of barley the conntry bearing no vynes at all They liue by fish partly raw and dryed agaynst the sunne sometimes powdred with salt Likewise by raw byrds well salted as Duayles Duckes and other smale fowle In like maner of other Creatures that haue neere affinity either with fish or fowle they make their prouision and furniture rosting some and boyleing other The rych and wealthy men of the lande in greate assemblies haue an vsuall custome that by some in the company there shoulde bee caryed about in a smale coffine the liuely expresse image of a deade man one or two cubits in length which hauing shewne and reuealed to all that are presente hee sayth thus Beholde here and amiddest thy pleasure and delighte remember this for such a one after thy death shalt thou bee thy selfe Such is their order in feastes and banquets contenting them selues alwayes with the customes of their owne countrey and refusing to be ruled by straunge and forraine maners Amongst whom are diuerse fashions very conuenient and well appoynted in the number of these an excellente Poeme or Ditty which the Grekes call Lynus And in truth meruayling at other thinges in Aegypt I am not a litle amazed at this whence the name of Lynus should come The Songe they seeme to haue kept retained from all antiquity Lynus in the Aegyptian gibberishe is called Maneros who as they say being the onely sonne of their firste Kinge was surprised and taken away by vntimely death whom the Aegyptians bewayle and lament in
dayes of this prince that Rhodope flourished but vnder the gouernement of Amasis many yeares passing from the tyme of those princes that planted the pyres to the dayes and age of Rhodope This gallaunt dame was by countrey a Thracian borne the bondmayd of one Iadmon whose abiding was in the land of Samos in the city of the god Vulcane who in the tyme of her bondage was fellowseruant with Aesope the inuenter of fables to whome this smooth minion had a monethes mind and more for which cause being giuen out by y e oracle at Delphos that it mighte be free for any man to slay Aesope that would and take pennaunce for his soule for his faulte committed there was none found that would put him to death but the nephew of Iadmon that came by his sonne who was also named Iadmon whereby we may gather that Aesope was a slaue and vassall to Iadmon The death of Aesope wounded Rhodope with so great feare that she tooke her flight foorthwith into Aegypt accompanyed by one Xanthus a Samian where she set foorth her selfe to the sale of such as rather then Venus should be shut out for a Sainct thought it no idolatrie to worship idols Whiles shee abode in Aegypt shee was redeemed and acquit of her seruitude by one Charaxus who purchased her libertie by a great summe of money This Charaxus was of the countrey of Mitilene sonne of Scamandronymus and brother to Sappho the notable poetresse By these meanes came Rhodope to be free and remayned still in Aegypt where she wanne so great credite and liking of all men that in shorte space she grewe to maruellous wealth beeing such as farre in deede surmounted the degree of Rhodope but yet amounted not to the buylding of a pyre By the tenth parte of whych her substaunce it is easie for any man to gesse that the masse and summe of money which she had gathered was no suche myracle as it is made to be For studying to be famous and remembred in Greece she deuised a worke which had neuer bene imagined or geuen by any other which in remembrance of her selfe she offered in the temple of Delphos Wherefore of the tenth parte of her riches which she sente to the temple she commaunded so many yron spittes to be made which were imployed to the rosting of oxen as the quantitie of the money woulde afoorde that was sente thyther by her These spittes at this present stande behynde the aultare whiche the people of Chios erected iust oueragainst the temple Howbeit such arrant honest women as are fishe for euery man haue in no place the like credite as in the city of Naucrates Forsomuch as this stalant of whome we speake had her fame so bruted in all places as almost there was none in Greece that had not hearde of the fame of Rhodope After whome there sprang vp also another as good as euer ambled by name Archidice whose vertues were blased very farre but not with like fame and renowne as her predecessour with whome Charaxus was so farre gone that retyring home to Mytelene he was almost besides himselfe as Sappho maketh mention inueyghing in verse agaynst hys folly We haue thus far digressed to speake of Rhodope we will now returne to the text agayne Next after Mycerinus ensued the raigne and dominion of Asychis by whome as the priests report was consecrated to Vulcane a princely gallerie standyng to the East very fayre and large wrought with most curious and exquisite workemanship For besides that it had on euery side embossed the straunge and liuely pictures of wilde beastes it had in a manner all the graces and sumptuous ornaments that coulde be imagined to the beautifying of a worke Howbeit amiddest other his famous deedes this purchased him the greatest dignitie that perceyuing the land to be oppressed with debt and many creditours like to be indamaged by great losse he inacted foorthwith that who so borrowed aught vppon credite shoulde lay to pledge the dead body of his father to be vsed at the discretion of the creditour and to be buryed by him in what manner he woulde for a pennaunce to all those that tooke any thing of loane prouiding moreouer that in case he refused to repay the debt he should neyther be buryed in the tombe of his fathers nor in any other sepulchre neyther himselfe nor the issue that should descend and spring of his body This prince desiring to surpasse all that had bene before him left in memorie of himselfe an excellente pyre built all of clay wherein was a stone set ingrauen in these wordes Compare me not to the rest of the pyres which I surmount as farre as Iupiter excelleth the meaner gods for searching the bottome of the riuer with a scoupe looke what clay they brought vp the same they employed to the building of me in such forme and bignesse as you may beholde And this did Asychis imagine to aduance the fame of himselfe to the time to come After whome the scepter was held by one Anysis a blynde man inhabiting in a city called after his owne name Anysis In time of whose raigne Sabbacus King of Aethyopia inuaded Aegypt with a mightie power Where at the poore blinde King greatly affrighted crope priuily away and gayned a priuie couert in the marrishe places of the countrey leauyng the gouernement to Sabbacus his enemie whiche ruled the same 50. yeares whose actes are mentioned to haue beene these If any of the Aegyptians made a trespasse he neuer vsed to do any man to death for his offence but according to y e quantity of his fault to enioyne him to arrere make higher by forreine supply of earth and stone some parte of the city wherein he dwelt for which cause the cities became very high and eminent being much more loftely situated then before For first of all in time of Sesostris such earth as was cast out of the trenches which were made to geue the water a course to the cities that were farre off was employed to the eleuation aduancing of the lowe townes and now agayne vnder this Aethyopian they had increase of fresh earth and grew to be very high and lofty Amongst the rest the noble city of Bubastis seemeth to be very haughty highly planted in which city is a temple of excellent memory dedicate to the goddesse Bubastis called in our speach Diana then the which albeit there be other churches both bigger and more richly furnished yet for the sightly grace and seemelynesse of building there is none comparable vnto it Besides the very entrance and way that leadeth into the city the rest is informe of an Ilande inclosed round about with two sundry streames of the riuer Nilus which runne to either side of the path way and leauing as it were a lane or causey betweene them without meeting take their course another way These armes of the floud are eache of them an hundred foote broade beset on both
and windings leading from one chamber to another did wonderfully amaze and astonish my wits Out of the great haules we go into certaine parlours wherehence the way leadeth in other bedchambers next vnto which are situate diuers secrete lodgings that open into the sixe great haules standing on the contrarie parte of the court all which are coped ouer aboue with wrought and carued stone incompassed also with a wall of most fayre and beautifull stone ingrauen with sundrie sorts of pictures Euery one of the haules are layde with smooth white stone beautified on each side with a goodly course of pillers To one corner of the Laberinth is adioyning a pyre or towre of stone being fortie paces wherein are the pictures of many straunge beastes hewne out and carued of stone To this towre is a way vndermined in the ground Notwithstanding for all the wonders that are to be seene and marked in the Laberinth the poole called Maeris neere bounding vnto the same hath in our iudgemeÌ„t sundry things thereto belonging of farre greater admiration The compasse of this ponde is three thousande sixe hundred furlongs and sixty Schoenes as they tearme them conteyning alltogether as much space as the sea coast of the countrey of Aegypt The length of the poole lyeth North and South being in deapth where it is highest fiftie paees Now that it hath not sprong naturally in that place but rather hath bene wrought and digged by the trauell of men this is an euident proofe for that welnye in the middest of the ponde are planted two mightie towres of stone appearing fiftie foote aboue the water and beeing as much vnder On the toppe of ech towre is a great image wrought of stone sitting in a chaire of maiestie so that the towres conteyne in heigth an hundreth paces An hundreth full paces do make a furlong of sixe acres A pace conteyneth sixe feete or foure cubites A foote is foure times the breadth of the hande The water of Moeris is not naturally flowing from any spring belonging thereto the grounde beeyng exceedyngly patched and drie but is deriued from the riuer the water hauing recourse into the poole euerie sixe monethes by ebbing and flowing The sixe monethes wherein the water is retyring out of the ponde the multitude of fishe which is there taken increaseth the Kings fiske euery day by a talent of siluer and at suche time as it refloweth agayne it bringeth aduantage of twentie pounde a daye Thys poole the inhabitants affyrme searcheth through the vames of the earth and sheddeth his waters into the Syrâ—s or quicke-sands of Africa vndermining a secrete course into the mayne land towarde the countreys of the West fast by the side of an huge mountayne which appeareth ouer the city Memphis Now forsomuch as I could not discerne how all the molde should be bestowed that was cast out of the poole at the firste making thereof being desirous to knowe what was become of it I questioned with the inhabitaunts of those places as touching the same whose answere was that it was employde to the rampeiring of the bankes of Nilus and much of it throwne downe the riuer whose speach obteyned the more credite wyth me for that I remembred the like thing to haue bene done at the city Ninus one of the chiefe cities of Assyria In this city it fell out in auncient time that certayne good fellowes wanting siluer determined to visit the Kings treasurie who at that time was Sardanapalus abounding with infinite summes of treasure which for that it lay safely garded vnder the earth in houses vndermined for the purpose these yonkers aforesayde beginning at their owne houses made a way vnder grounde directly leading to the pallace of the King voyding all the mold which they digged into the riuer Tigris by night which floweth fast by the city vntill they had brought their enterprise to passe After the same manner it fell out in Aegypt in casting the lake of Maeris sauing that the one was digged by night the other by day but in this also the greatest parte of the boyde earth was cast into Nilus and dispersed by the streame And in this manner say the Aegyptians was the poole of Maeris firste made Now when as the 12. Kings of Aegypt had practised equity euery one within his owne territory they drew together at a certaine time to do sacrifice in Vulcans temple where as y e maner was y e last day of y e festiuall the priest ministred wine vnto theÌ„ in certaine chalices of gold reserued for the same vse where happily missing of his number hauing but xi cups for xii princes Psammitichus standing last tooke from his head a brasen costlet and for want of a cup dranke therein In lyke maner fel it out with the rest of the princes that euery one was there presente in his headpeece of brasse In thus doyng it was deemed that Psammitichus meante no crafte or legerdeâ—ayne but had a playne simple meaning Howbeit it could not sinke with the rest but that he did it of purpose and comming in mind of the oracle that was geuen them that whosoeuer dranke of a brasen chalice should vsurpe the whole empyre alone weying his facte and finding that it was committed by errour they thought it not meete to put him to death but depriuing him of the greatest parte of his dominion banished him into the marrish countrey with especiall threates that he should not meddle with any parte of the countrey besides Notwithstanding Psammitichus hauing put to flight Sabbacus the Kyng of the Aethyopians and chased hym into Syria after this conquest was acquit of hys exile and restored agayne by those Aegyptians which are of the tribe of Sais wherefore once agayne vsing gouernement wyth the rest of hys confederates for the olde grudge of the brasen helmet they forced him to take the fennes agayne Recounting therefore with himselfe y e great despight they had wrought him determined eftsoones to reuenge his cause vpon those y t had pursued him speeding a messenger to the oracle of Latona in the citie of Butis which of all the seates of southsaying is of greatest truth aunswere was giuen him to be of good courage he shoulde haue helpe inough by brasen men that shoulde arise from the sea Which prophecie for the strangenesse thereof could hardly sincke into his braines to make him hope for the helpe of brasen souldyders Not long after certayne pyrates of Ionia and Caria proling alongst the seacoastes for their pray were by constraynte of weather driuen vpon the shores of Aegypt where going on lande all in armour of brasse a certayne Aegyptian ranne to Psammitichus in the fennes and for that he had neuer before seene any in the like array he tolde him that certayne brasen men were sproong out of the sea to waste and despoyle the countrey Psammitichus reknowledging the truth of the prophecie foorthwith ioyned himselfe in amitie with the rouers inducing them by great and large
promises to abide with him which being by him in like sorte obteyned with this fresh supply of forreyne ayde and the helpe of such Aegyptians as fauoured his cause he prouided against the rest of the princes Hauing the whole gouernemente alone he made in the city of Memphis certayne porches sacred to the god Vulcane lying vpon the South winde and oueragainst the porches a fayre large haule dedicated to Apis wherein the god Apis at suche time as he appeared was releeued and nourished This place was beset round with stately pillers and ingrauen with sundrie similitudes and imbossements of beastes foules and fishes Wherein also in place of some pillers are planted diuers fayre images of no lesse then twelue cubites in bignesse To these forreiners of Caria and Ionia by whome he was holpen in his warres Psammetichus gaue certayne manner places to dwell in lying on each side of the riuer Nilus called the Tentes whereof beeing possessed he performed all such promises besides that were couenaunted betweene them Moreouer he put vnto them certayne yong impes of the Aegyptians to be instructed in the Greeke language from whome by discent of issue came those which are now interpreters in Aegypt and vse the Greeke tongue A long time did the people of Ionia and Caria inhabite those places lying against the sea somewhat aboue the city of Bubastis situate at the mouth of Nilus which is called Pelusiacum from whence they were afterwardes translated by King Amasis into the city Memphis to gard him against the Aegyptians After the Greekes were thus setled in Aegypt the people of Greece had traffique thither by which meanes such affayres as were atchieued in that countrey from Psammitichus following are certaynely knowne of vs without any errour These were the first that inhabited Aegypt being of a diuers language from the homelings In like manner from whence they fleeted thither the reliques of their ships wherein they came the olde postes and groundreels of their houses were shewed me And these were the meanes whereby Psammitichus obteyned the dominiou of Aegypt As touching the oracle or seate of prophecie we haue made many wordes and will make more as of a thing most worthy to be mentioned This oracle is planted in the temple of the goddesse Latona in a great city named Butis standing against the mouth of Nilus which is called Sebenniticum into the which they haue entry that from the vpper parte of the sea cut against the streame In this city also are the temples of Apollo and Diana and the great pallace of Latona wherein is the place of diuination hauing a gallery belonging to it tenne paces high Heerein suche things as might lawfully be seene and deserued greatest admiration of those I meane to make report In this temple of Latona is a small chappell framed of one stone whose walles beeing of equall heigth were in length forty cubites which semblably was coped ouer the top with another stone beeing foure cubites in thickenesse Wherefore of all those things that were pertayning to the temple there was nothing that deserued greater woonder then this little chappell Next to this is an Ilande called Echemmis standing in the middest of a deepe and wide lake a little besides the chiefe temple whiche the Aegyptians suppose to swimme and to be borne vp of the waters Howbeit I neither sawe it swimme nor mooue maruayling very much if it were true that an Iland should be caryed in the waters In this Ile is planted the temple of Apollo a greate and sumptuous building lykewyse three rewes of aultares and many fayre palme-trees some very kynde and bearing fruite other fruitelesse and barren The Aegyptians also render a cause of the swimming of this Ilande saying thus that at what time Latona which is one of the eyght saints that are of greatest antiquity amongst them dwelt in the city of Butis whereas nowe the oracle is helde she tooke the sauegard of Apollo commended vnto her by his mother Isis and preserued hys lyfe in the same Ilande beeyng at that tyme stedfast and immoueable when as Typhon made so diligente searche in all places to finde out the sonne of Osyris For heere we must vnderstande that thys people imagine Apollo and Diana to be the children of Dionisius and Isis and that Latona was but theyr nourse and bringer vp that delyuered them from perill Apollo in the Aegyptian tongue is called Horus Ceres hath the name of Isis Diana of Bubastis from whence Aeschilus the sonne of Euphorion drew his opinion which alone of all the rest of the poets maketh Diana daughter to Ceres after which euent the Ile say they became loose and was marked to floate and mooue in the water Psammitichus gouerned in Aegypt 54. yeares 29. of the which he spent in the asseige of the great city of Syria which at length he subdued This city is called Azotus which of all the cities that euer wee hearde of susteyned the longest assaulte Insuing the raigne of Psammitichus the gouernemente of the countrey fell to Necus hys sonne by whome first of all was the channell digged that leadeth to the red sea whyche afterwardes was cast afreshe and made deeper by Darius the Persian The length of thys course was foure dayes sayling the breadth such as two reasonable vessels of three oares apeece might well sayle in it together The water which is deriued from Nilus into this channell floweth into it alittle aboue the city Bubastis against a towne of Arabia named Patumon and so continueth hys course vnto the red Sea They beganne first to digge from the playne of Aegypt towardes Arabia for all the countrey aboue the playne is filled and occupyed wyth a course of greate mountaynes neere vnto the citie Memphis wherein are many pittes and quarries of stone wherefore from the roote of thys mountayne is the channell deriued continuing a long course towardes the East vntyll it come to the place where the hyll parteth in twayne whyche distaunce and separation betweene the mountaynes openeth to the South regions and leadeth to the narrow seas of Arabia In the digging of thys course there perished an hundred and twentie thousande of the people of Aegypt When thys enterprise was halfe done Necus brake off and lefte it vnfinished being discouraged by a prophecie that tolde hym that hee toyled for the profite and behoofe of a Barbarian The Aegyptians tearme them all Barbarians which are of a sundry language Necus therefore leauing hys worke vnfinished applyed hys studie to the prouision of warre gathering souldyers and preparing a fleete of warring Shippes some of the which were builte at the North Seas others in the strayghtes of Arabia at the red Sea some tokens whereof are yet to be seene in the same places Thys Fleete he employed in hys affayres continuallie so long as it fitted hym to the vse of warre Forsaking afterwards the Sea and giuing himselfe to battailes by the land where in a conflict with the
Syrians at a place named Magdolos he wanne the renowne of the fielde and after the battayle was ended tooke the greate city Caditis And beeyng very neate and fine in hys apparrell he sent a sute of hys brauest array to Apollo in Branchidae a certayne field of the Milesians In the ende after he had held the Kingdome seauenteene yeares hee then died leauing the title of his soueraignety to Psammis his sonne During whose raigne a certayne people called Helus sent messengers abrode into all regions to giue them to vnderstand how by them was deuised a game in Olympus of greater admiration and equitie then by any that euer had vsed that place supposing that the Aegyptians who had the prayse of wisedome aboue all nations could not better or more iustly dispose of these matters then themselues When they were come into Aegypt and had told the cause of their arriuall thither the King assembled such of the Aegyptians as were most excellent for graue and sage advice aboue the rest To whome when the Helians had made discourse of all those things which they had ordeyned in the setting foorth of this noble combate and had asked the Aegyptians if they could deuise anything better after deliberation had of the matter they asked the Helians whether they had inacted that citizens should mayntayne the controuersie against strangers or otherwise who aunswered that it was indifferently lawfull for all to striue of what countrey soeuer he were wherto the Aegyptians replyed that it coulde no wise stande wyth iustice forsomuch as one citizen would shew fauour to another by that meanes by partial dealing do iniurie to those y t came frō farre so that in case they would order y e matter with more equity and for that cause had arriued in Aegypt it were better to make the game for strangers alone not suffering any of the Helians to striue These things the Aegyptians put into theyr heads and sent them packing Psammis hauing raigned full out sixe yeares and making a voyage of warre into Aethyopla incontinently dyed After whome succeeded his sonne Apryes the most fortunatest of all the princes that had ruled before him excepting Psammiti 〈…〉 his great graundfire gouerning the countrey 25. yeares During which time he warred vpon Sydon and fought with the people of Tyrus by Sea Howbeit fortune owing him a despight she payde him home at length the cause where of we withriefely touch at this present deferring a more ample discourse of the same till we come to speake of the affayres of the Punickes When as therefore vndertaking a iourney against the Cyrenians he had suffered great losse of his men the Aegyptians cōtinuing hatred against him denied their allegeaunce rebelled supposing y t he had betrayed their liues on purpose to the end that with more security he might gouerne those y t remained For which cause in great disdayne aswell such as forsooke him returned home as also the friends of these y t had died in the battell stoode at defiance with the king renoūceing all duties of subiection Apryes witting hereof sent Amasis to treate peace with them who when he came in many words had rebuked their disloyalty one of the Aegyptians standing behinde him clapt a Costlet on his head saying hee had done it to make him King Amasis nothing discontent herewith was no soner proclaymed King by the rebells but forthwith he put himselfe in a readinesse to encounter with Apryes Apryes vnderstanding this sent one of the Aegyptians named Patarbemes a man of approued vertue with especiall charge to bring to him Amasis alyue Who arryuing speedely at the place where hee was tolde him the Kinges pleasure Amasis sittinge on horse backe and incouraginge those that were about him commaūded Patarbemes to bring Apryes vnto him Patarbemes once agayne willing him to make speede to the King who had sente for him hee answered that hee woulde come with all speede possible sayinge that the Kinge shoulde haue no cause to complayne of his slacknesse for hee purposed god willing to bee with him shortely and bringe him more company Patarbemes perceiuinge by his maner of speache and dealinges what hee was mynded to doe thought with as much speede as hee coulde to geue notice to the King and being returned Apryes in a great rage for that hee had lefte Amasis behinde him without any woordes by and by commaunded his Nose and his Cares to bee cut of The rest of the Aegyptians that followed the Kinges partes seeing this that so worthy and renowmed a man should without cause suffer so great shame and reproche amongst them without any delay fled ouer to the rebelles and came to Amasis Apryes increasing his fury put in armoure all such as of forrayne countries were hyrelinges in his hoste which hee had of Iönia and Caria aboute thirty thowsande men and marched agaynst the Aegyptians Hee had in the City Saïs a very great gorgeous Pallace The armyes therefore of bothe parties incamped agaynst other at the City Memphis there to abide the lot and euent of the battayle Nowe the people of Aegypt are diuersly addicted amongst whom are to bee marked seuen sundry Trades and kindes of lyuing which are these Priests Souldiers Grasiers Neate-heardes Salesmen Interpreters Maryners so many kindes bee there of this people taken of the Trade or crafte which euery one followeth Likewise the souldiers are called Calasiries and Hermotybies dwelling in certayne regions For the whole countreye of Aegypte is distinguished into certaine territories The coastes of the Hermotybies are these Busiris Saïs Chemmis Papremis and the halfe parte of the Iland Prosopis otherwise called Natho In these quarters are inhabyting of the souldiers Hermotybies 160. thowsande none of the which geue themselues to manuary artes or any trade of gayne but wholly practise the science of armes Moreouer to y e Calasyrians are assigned these regions Thebana Bubastiana Aphthitana Tanitana Mendesia Sebenitana Athribitana Pharbaethitana Thmuitana Thnuphitana Anysia Myecphoritana which tribe possesseth an Iland lying against the City Bubastis The tribes of the Calasyrians when they are mustered to the most yeelde to the warre two hundred and fiftye thowsand men which are neuer trained vp in any thing but in feates of Chiualry the Sonne learning of his father Which custome whether the Greekes tooke from the Aegyptians or borowed it from els where I can not certainely say seeing that in Scythia Persia and Lydia and welnigh all the countreyes of the Barbarians the basest sorte of Cityzens are such as exercise handicraftes and their children of leaste accounte and they best regarded which are leaste conuersante in the same especially such as are employed in the fielde The same maner also doe the Grecians obserue and chiefly the Lacedaemonyans and euen amonge the Corinthyans craftsmen and such others are debased to the lowest degree To these gentlemen souldiers this chiefe honour is assigned aboue all sortes of men sauing those
gaue no gyftes offered no sacrifice esteeming them vnworthy of any reuerence hauing geuen out a false verdite And such as had pronounced him guilty to these as to the most true gods whose Oracles were agreeable to iustice hee perfourmed the greatest honour hee coulde deuise Besides in the City of Saïs hee made a porche to the temple of Minerua a worke of great admiration and farre passing the rest both in heights and bignesse so great is the quantity of the stones that were employed in the building Hee erected besides in the same place diuerse Images of a woÌ„derfull size the pictures of many noysome and pestilent Serpents Hee layde there also many huge stones to the repayring of the temple parte of the which were digged out of the stone quarryes by Memphis other of great quantity brought from the city of Elephantina which is distant from Saïs 20. dayes sayling Moreouer that which is not the least wonder but in my minde to bee reckoned amongst the chiefest hee brought from Elephantina an house framed of one stone in the cariage whereof 2000. choyse men of the Mariners of Aegypt consumed three yeares The roufe hereof on the outside is 21. cubyts longe 14. cubits broad eight cubites highe being on the inside 22. cubytes in length and in height 5. This house is set at the entring into the temple geuing this reason why it was not brought into the church for that the chiefe Mariner when he had gotten it to that place as wearie wyth hys dayes worke tooke respite and breached him selfe whereat the King being very much mooued bad him leaue of work not permitting him to labour any longer Some say that one of those which were busied in heauing of the stone with leauers to haue bene bruised to death by it and that this was the cause why it stoode without the Pallace By the same King were erected sundry temples built by arte very exquisitely and cunningly whereof one hee made sacred to Vulcane before which lyeth a great Image with the face vpwarde in length seuenty fiue feete being spread along vppon a pauement of stone in the selfe same place on eache side this Image stand two carued monuments of stone twenty foote in quantity Like vnto this is another stone in Saïs lying in the selfe same maner In like sorte the great temple in Memphis so gorgeous and beautifull to the sight of all that behold it was the handiwork also of y e same King Amasis In the time of this Kinges gâ—uernmente Aegypt floryshed in all wealth being greatly increased aswell by the ryches which the ryuer yeeldeth as in other reuenewes which the people receyue by the countrey which at the same time was so populous that there were then inhabited 20000 cityes Likewise by this Kinge it was enacted that euerye one should yearely render accounte to the cheife president of the countrey howe and by what maner of trade hee gayned his lyuinge being alwayes prouyding that such as refused to doe it at all or beeinge called to a reckoninge coulde shewe no lawefull meanes howe they spent their tymes should for the the same cause bee adiudged to dye Which lawe Solon borowing of the Aegyptians did publish it in Athens and is by them for the profite thereof most religiously obserued Amasis vppon good affection hee bare to the Grecians besides other benefittes franckly bestowed on them made it lawefull for all such as trauayled into Aegypte to inhabyte the City Naucrates And such as would not abyde in that place hauinge more mynde to seaâ—aring for the vse of Marchaundize to those hee gaue lybertye to Plant aulters and builde churches So that the greatest and most famous Temple in all the land is called the Grecian temple The Cityes of the Greekes by whose charge and expence this temple was builte in Aegypte were these of the countrey of Iönia Chius Teus Phocoea Clazomene amongst the Dorians foure Cities Rhodus Cnydus Halicarnassus Phaselus one City of the people of Aeolia namely Mitylene To these Cityes of Greece is the Temple belonginge by whom also are founde and mayntayned certayne Priests to serue in the same There are other townes besides in Greece that haue some righte to the Temple as hauing contributed some thinge to the vse of the same Howbeit the Temple of Iupiter the people of Aegina built of their owne proper cost No City toke parte with Samos in setting vp the Pallace of Iuno the Milesians alone tooke vppon them to erect the Temple of Apollo Besides these there are no other monuments built by the Grecians which remayne extant in Aegypt And if by fortune any of the Greekes passe into Nylus by any other way then that which serueth to lande from Greece hee is fayne to sweare that hee was constrained agaynst his will byndinge him selfe by oath that in the same Shippe hee wyll speede him selfe into Canobicus another Channell of the Ryuer so called and if by contrarye wyndes hee bee hindered from arryuinge there hee muste hyre caryage by water and so ferry the nexte way to Naucrates In such sorte were the Grecians tyed to that City beinge by reason of their trafique thyther had in principall honoure Nowe whereas the Pallace of Amphiction whiche is nowe at Delphos beeing straungely pearyshed by fyre was gone in hande with a freshe vppon price of three hundred tallentes the people of Delphos which were leauyed at the fourth parte of the charges straying aboute all countryes gathered very much being chiefly assysted by the Aegyptians Amasis the Kinge bestowinge on them a thowsande tallents of Asume and the Grecians that were abyding in Aegypt twenty pound Moreouer with the Cyrenaeans Prynce Amasis entred friendship and strooke a league of fellowship with the same insomuch that he thought meete to enter asâ—yaunce with them taking a wife of that countrey eyther for affection he bare to the women of Greece or in respecte of hys loue to the Cyrenaeans His wife as some say was the daughter of Battus sonne of Arcesilaus as others reporte of Critobulus a man of chiefe credite and regarde amongst those with whome he dwelt His Ladies name was Ladyce a woman of surpassing beautie with whome the King beeing in bed was so strangely benummed and daunted in courage as if he had bene an Eunuch not able to execute any dutie of a man wherat the King himselfe beeing greately agast feeling himselfe frollicke in the company of other women and so faint to hys Lady Ladyce on a time began to taunt her in these tearmes Can it be thou filthy and detestable hagge that by any meanes I should refrayne from doing thee to the most miserable death that can be deuised which hast thus inchaunted and bewitched my body In faith minion I will coniure this diuell of yours and assure thy selfe if thy lucke be not the better thou shalt not liue two dayes to an ende The poore Lady standing stiffely in her owne defence and nothing preuayling to appease his fury