贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > an account of egypt(埃及记) >

第24章

an account of egypt(埃及记)-第24章

小说: an account of egypt(埃及记) 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




truth (he said) the time had expired; during which it had been prophesied 

to him that he should rule Egypt before he departed thence。 For when he 

was in Ethiopia the Oracles which the Ethiopians consult had told him that 

it was fated for him to rule Egypt fifty years: since then this time was now 

expiring; and the vision of the dream also disturbed him; Sabacos departed 

out of Egypt of his own free will。 

     Then when the Ethiopian had gone away out of Egypt; the blind man 

came   back   from   the   fen…country   and   began   to   rule   again;   having   lived 

there during fifty years upon an island which he had made by heaping up 

ashes and earth: for whenever any of the Egyptians visited him bringing 

food; according as it had been appointed to them severally to do without 

the knowledge of the Ethiopian; he bade them bring also some ashes for 

their gift。 This island none was able to find before Amyrtaios; that is; for 

more   than   seven   hundred   years   the   kings   who   arose   before   Amyrtaios 

were not able to find it。 Now the name of this island is Elbo; and its size is 

ten furlongs each way。 

     After   him   there   came   to   the   throne   the   priest   of   Hephaistos;   whose 

name was Sethos。 This man; they said; neglected and held in no regard the 

warrior class of the Egyptians; considering that he would have no need of 

them; and besides other slights which he put upon them; he also took from 

them the yokes of corn…land which had been given to them as a special gift 

in the   reigns   of   the   former   kings;  twelve   yokes   to   each   man。 After   this; 

Sanacharib king of the Arabians and of the Assyrians marched a great host 

against Egypt。 Then the warriors of the Egyptians refused to come to the 

rescue; and the priest; being driven into a strait; entered into the sanctuary 

of the temple and bewailed to the image of the god the danger which was 

impending over him; and as he was thus lamenting; sleep came upon him; 

and it seemed to him in his vision that the god came and stood by him and 



                                               66 


… Page 67…

                                 AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT 



encouraged him; saying that he should suffer no evil if he went forth   to 

meet   the   army   of   the Arabians;   for   he   would   himself   send   him   helpers。 

Trusting in these things seen in sleep; he took with him; they said; those of 

the Egyptians who were willing to follow him; and encamped in Pelusion; 

for   by   this  way   the   invasion     came:    and   not   one  of   the  warrior    class 

followed him; but shop…keepers and artisans and men of the market。 Then 

after they came; there swarmed by night upon their enemies mice of the 

fields; and ate up their quivers and their bows; and moreover the handles 

of   their   shields;   so   that   on   the   next   day   they   fled;   and   being   without 

defence   of   arms   great   numbers   fell。   And   at   the   present   time   this   king 

stands   in   the   temple   of   Hephaistos   in   stone;   holding   upon   his   hand   a 

mouse; and by letters inscribed he says these words: 〃Let him who looks 

upon me learn to fear the gods。〃 

     So far in the story the Egyptians and the priests were they who made 

the    report;   declaring    that   from   the   first  king   down     to  this  priest   of 

Hephaistos who reigned last; there had been three hundred and forty… one 

generations of men; and that in them there had been the same number of 

chief…priests and of kings: but three hundred generations of men are equal 

to ten thousand years; for a hundred years is three generations of men; and 

in the one…and…forty generations which remain; those I mean which were 

added to the three hundred; there are one thousand three hundred and forty 

years。 Thus in the period of eleven thousand three hundred and forty years 

they said that there had arisen no god in human form; nor even before that 

time   or   afterwards   among   the   remaining   kings   who   arise   in   Egypt;   did 

they report that anything of that kind had come to pass。 In this time they 

said   that   the   sun   had   moved   four   times   from   his   accustomed   place   of 

rising; and where he now sets he had thence twice had his rising; and in 

the place from whence he now rises he had twice had his setting; and in 

the   meantime   nothing   in   Egypt   had   been   changed   from   its   usual   state; 

neither   that   which   comes   from   the   earth   nor   that   which   comes   to   them 

from the river nor that which concerns diseases or deaths。 And formerly 

when   Hecataios   the   historian   was   in Thebes;   and had   traced   his   descent 

and connected his family with a god in the sixteenth generation before; the 

priests of Zeus did for him much the same as they did for me (though I had 



                                                67 


… Page 68…

                                 AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT 



not   traced   my   descent)。   They   led   me   into   the   sanctuary   of   the   temple; 

which is of great size; and they counted up the number; showing colossal 

wooden statues in number the same as they said; for each chief…priest there 

sets    up  in   his  lifetime    an  image     of  himself:    accordingly     the   priests; 

counting and showing me these; declared to me that each one of them was 

a son succeeding his own father; and they went up through the series of 

images   from   the   image   of      the   one   who   had   died   last;   until   they   had 

declared   this   of   the   whole   number。 And   when   Hecataios   had   traced   his 

descent and connected his family with a god in the sixteenth generation; 

they   traced   a   descent   in   opposition   to   his;   besides   their   numbering;   not 

accepting   it   from   him   that   a   man   had   been   born   from   a   god;   and   they 

traced their counter…descent thus; saying that each one of the statues had 

been /piromis/ son of /piromis/; until they had declared this of the whole 

three hundred and forty…five statues; each one being surnamed /piromis/; 

and   neither   with   a   god   nor   a   hero   did   they   connect   their   descent。   Now 

/piromis/ means in the tongue of Hellas 〃honourable and good man。〃 From 

their declaration then it followed; that they of whom the images were had 

been of form like this; and far removed from being gods: but in the time 

before     these   men    they   said   that   gods   were    the   rulers   in  Egypt;    not 

mingling with men; and that of these always one had power at a time; and 

the   last   of   them   who   was   king   over   Egypt   was   Oros   the   son   of   Osiris; 

whom   the   Hellenes       call   Apollo:   he   was   king   over    Egypt   last;  having 

deposed Typhon。 Now Osiris in the tongue of Hellas is Dionysos。 

     Among the Hellenes Heracles and Dionysos and Pan are accounted the 

lastest…born of the gods; but with the Egyptians Pan is a very ancient god; 

and he is one of those which are called eight gods; while Heracles is of the 

second rank; who are called the twelve gods; and Dionysos is of the third 

rank;   namely   of   those   who   were   born   of   the   twelve   gods。   Now   as   to 

Heracles I have shown already how many years old he is according to the 

Egyptians themselves; reckoning down to the reign of Amasis; and Pan is 

said to have existed for yet more years than these; and Dionysos for the 

smallest number of years as compared with the others; and even for this 

last they reckon down to the reign of Amasis fifteen thousand years。 This 

the Egyptians say that they know for a certainty; since they always kept a 



                                                68 


… Page 69…

                                 AN ACCOUNT OF EGYPT 



reckoning and wrote down the years as they came。 N

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 0

你可能喜欢的