the history-第33章

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her　by　land　or　water　above　the　Egyptian　boundary；　for　on　calculation　it　will　be　found　that　it　takes　that　length　of　time　to　travel　from　Elephantine　to　the　country　of　the　Deserters。　There　the　direction　of　the　river　is　from　west　to　east。　Beyond；　no　one　has　any　certain　knowledge　of　its　course；　since　the　country　is　uninhabited　by　reason　of　the　excessive　heat。　　　　　I　did　hear；　indeed；　what　I　will　now　relate；　from　certain　natives　of　Cyrene。　Once　upon　a　time；　they　said；　they　were　on　a　visit　to　the　oracular　shrine　of　Ammon；　when　it　chanced　that　in　the　course　of　conversation　with　Etearchus；　the　Ammonian　king；　the　talk　fell　upon　the　Nile；　how　that　its　sources　were　unknown　to　all　men。　Etearchus　upon　this　mentioned　that　some　Nasamonians　had　once　come　to　his　court；　and　when　asked　if　they　could　give　any　information　concerning　the　uninhabited　parts　of　Libya；　had　told　the　following　tale。　（The　Nasamonians　are　a　Libyan　race　who　occupy　the　Syrtis；　and　a　tract　of　no　great　size　towards　the　east。）　They　said　there　had　grown　up　among　them　some　wild　young　men；　the　sons　of　certain　chiefs；　who；　when　they　came　to　man's　estate；　indulged　in　all　manner　of　extravagancies；　and　among　other　things　drew　lots　for　five　of　their　number　to　go　and　explore　the　desert　parts　of　Libya；　and　try　if　they　could　not　penetrate　further　than　any　had　done　previously。　The　coast　of　Libya　along　the　sea　which　washes　it　to　the　north；　throughout　its　entire　length　from　Egypt　to　Cape　Soloeis；　which　is　its　furthest　point；　is　inhabited　by　Libyans　of　many　distinct　tribes　who　possess　the　whole　tract　except　certain　portions　which　belong　to　the　Phoenicians　and　the　Greeks。　Above　the　coast…line　and　the　country　inhabited　by　the　maritime　tribes；　Libya　is　full　of　wild　beasts；　while　beyond　the　wild　beast　region　there　is　a　tract　which　is　wholly　sand；　very　scant　of　water；　and　utterly　and　entirely　a　desert。　The　young　men　therefore；　despatched　on　this　errand　by　their　comrades　with　a　plentiful　supply　of　water　and　provisions；　travelled　at　first　through　the　inhabited　region；　passing　which　they　came　to　the　wild　beast　tract；　whence　they　finally　entered　upon　the　desert；　which　they　proceeded　to　cross　in　a　direction　from　east　to　west。　After　journeying　for　many　days　over　a　wide　extent　of　sand；　they　came　at　last　to　a　plain　where　they　observed　trees　growing；　approaching　them；　and　seeing　fruit　on　them；　they　proceeded　to　gather　it。　While　they　were　thus　engaged；　there　came　upon　them　some　dwarfish　men；　under　the　middle　height；　who　seized　them　and　carried　them　off。　The　Nasamonians　could　not　understand　a　word　of　their　language；　nor　had　they　any　acquaintance　with　the　language　of　the　Nasamonians。　They　were　led　across　extensive　marshes；　and　finally　came　to　a　town；　where　all　the　men　were　of　the　height　of　their　conductors；　and　black…complexioned。　A　great　river　flowed　by　the　town；　running　from　west　to　east；　and　containing　crocodiles。　　　　　Here　let　me　dismiss　Etearchus　the　Ammonian；　and　his　story；　only　adding　that　（according　to　the　Cyrenaeans）　he　declared　that　the　Nasamonians　got　safe　back　to　their　country；　and　that　the　men　whose　city　they　had　reached　were　a　nation　of　sorcerers。　With　respect　to　the　river　which　ran　by　their　town；　Etearchus　conjectured　it　to　be　the　Nile；　and　reason　favours　that　view。　For　the　Nile　certainly　flows　out　of　Libya；　dividing　it　down　the　middle；　and　as　I　conceive；　judging　the　unknown　from　the　known；　rises　at　the　same　distance　from　its　mouth　as　the　Ister。　This　latter　river　has　its　source　in　the　country　of　the　Celts　near　the　city　Pyrene；　and　runs　through　the　middle　of　Europe；　dividing　it　into　two　portions。　The　Celts　live　beyond　the　pillars　of　Hercules；　and　border　on　the　Cynesians；　who　dwell　at　the　extreme　west　of　Europe。　Thus　the　Ister　flows　through　the　whole　of　Europe　before　it　finally　empties　itself　into　the　Euxine　at　Istria；　one　of　the　colonies　of　the　Milesians。　　　　　Now　as　this　river　flows　through　regions　that　are　inhabited；　its　course　is　perfectly　well　known；　but　of　the　sources　of　the　Nile　no　one　can　give　any　account；　since　Libya；　the　country　through　which　it　passes；　is　desert　and　without　inhabitants。　As　far　as　it　was　possible　to　get　information　by　inquiry；　I　have　given　a　description　of　the　stream。　It　enters　Egypt　from　the　parts　beyond。　Egypt　lies　almost　exactly　opposite　the　mountainous　portion　of　Cilicia；　whence　a　lightly…equipped　traveller　may　reach　Sinope　on　the　Euxine　in　five　days　by　the　direct　route。　Sinope　lies　opposite　the　place　where　the　Ister　falls　into　the　sea。　My　opinion　therefore　is　that　the　Nile；　as　it　traverses　the　whole　of　Libya；　is　of　equal　length　with　the　Ister。　And　here　I　take　my　leave　of　this　subject。　　　　　Concerning　Egypt　itself　I　shall　extend　my　remarks　to　a　great　length；　because　there　is　no　country　that　possesses　so　many　wonders；　nor　any　that　has　such　a　number　of　works　which　defy　description。　Not　only　is　the　climate　different　from　that　of　the　rest　of　the　world；　and　the　rivers　unlike　any　other　rivers；　but　the　people　also；　in　most　of　their　manners　and　customs；　exactly　reverse　the　common　practice　of　mankind。　The　women　attend　the　markets　and　trade；　while　the　men　sit　at　home　at　the　loom；　and　here；　while　the　rest　of　the　world　works　the　woof　up　the　warp；　the　Egyptians　work　it　down；　the　women　likewise　carry　burthens　upon　their　shoulders；　while　the　men　carry　them　upon　their　heads。　They　eat　their　food　out　of　doors　in　the　streets；　but　retire　for　private　purposes　to　their　houses；　giving　as　a　reason　that　what　is　unseemly；　but　necessary；　ought　to　be　done　in　secret；　but　what　has　nothing　unseemly　about　it；　should　be　done　openly。　A　woman　cannot　serve　the　priestly　office；　either　for　god　or　goddess；　but　men　are　priests　to　both；　sons　need　not　support　their　parents　unless　they　choose；　but　daughters　must；　whether　they　choose　or　no。　　　　　In　other　countries　the　priests　have　long　hair；　in　Egypt　their　heads　are　shaven；　elsewhere　it　is　customary；　in　mourning；　for　near　relations　to　cut　their　hair　close：　the　Egyptians；　who　wear　no　hair　at　any　other　time；　when　they　lose　a　relative；　let　their　beards　and　the　hair　of　their　heads　grow　long。　All　other　men　pass　their　lives　separate　from　animals；　the　Egyptians　have　animals　always　living　with　them；　others　make　barley　and　wheat　their　food；　it　is　a　disgrace　to　do　so　in　Egypt；　where　the　grain　they　live　on　is　spelt；　which　some　call　zea。　Dough　they　knead　with　their　feet；　but　they　mix　mud；　and　even　take　up　dirt；　with　their　hands。　They　are　the　only　people　in　the　world…　they　at　least；　and　such　as　have　learnt　the　practice　from　them…　who　use　circumcision。　Their　men　wear　two　garments　apiece；　their　women　but　one。　They　put　on　the　rings　and　fasten　the　ropes　to　sails　inside；　others　put　them　outside。　When　they　write　or　calculate；　instead　of　going；　like　the　Greeks；　from　left　to　right；　they　move　their　hand　from　right　to　left；　and　they　insist；　notwithstanding；　that　it　is　they　who　go　to　the　right；　and　the　Greeks　who　go　to　the　left。　They　have　two　quite　different　kinds　of　writing；　one　of　which　is　called　sacred；　the　other　common。　　　　　They　are　religious　to　excess；　far　beyond　any　other　race　of　men；　and　use　the　following　ceremonies：…　They　drink　out　of　brazen　cups；　which　they　scour　every　day：　there　is　no　exception　to　this　practice。　They　wear　linen　garments；　which　they　are　specially　careful　to　have　always　fresh　washed。　They　practise　circumcision　for　the　sake　of　cleanliness；　considering　it　better　to　be　cleanly　than　comely。　The　priests　shave　their　whole　body　every　other　day；　that　no　lice　or　other　impure　thing　may　adhere　to　them　when　they　are　engaged　in　the　service　of　the　gods。　Their　dress　is　entirely　of　linen；　and　their　shoes　of　the　papyrus　plant：　it　is　not　lawful　for　them　to　wear　either　dress　or　shoes　of　any　other　material。　They　bathe　twice　every　day　in　cold　water；　and　twice　each　night；　besides　which　they　observe；　so　to　speak；　thousands　of　ceremonies。　They　enjoy；　however；　not　a　few　advantages。　They　consume　none　of　their　own　property；　and　are　at　no　expense　for　anything；　but　every　day　bread　is　baked　for　them　of　the　sacred　corn；　and　a　plentiful　supply　of　beef　and　of　goose's　flesh　is　assigned　to　each；　and　also　a　portion　of　wine　made　from　the　grape。　Fish　they　are　not　allowed　to　eat；　and　beans…　which　none　of　the　Egyptians　ever　sow；　or　eat；　if　they　come　up　of　their　own　accord；　either　raw　or　boiled…　the　priests　will