the history-第42章
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ry throughout its whole extent； it is now unfit for either horse or carriage； being cut up by the canals； which are extremely numerous and run in all directions。 The king's object was to supply Nile water to the inhabitants of the towns situated in the mid…country； and not lying upon the river； for previously they had been obliged； after the subsidence of the floods； to drink a brackish water which they obtained from wells。 Sesostris also； they declared； made a division of the soil of Egypt among the inhabitants； assigning square plots of ground of equal size to all； and obtaining his chief revenue from the rent which the holders were required to pay him year by year。 If the river carried away any portion of a man's lot； he appeared before the king； and related what had happened； upon which the king sent persons to examine； and determine by measurement the exact extent of the loss； and thenceforth only such a rent was demanded of him as was proportionate to the reduced size of his land。 From this practice； I think； geometry first came to be known in Egypt； whence it passed into Greece。 The sun…dial； however； and the gnomon with the division of the day into twelve parts； were received by the Greeks from the Babylonians。 Sesostris was king not only of Egypt； but also of Ethiopia。 He was the only Egyptian monarch who ever ruled over the latter country。 He left； as memorials of his reign； the stone statues which stand in front of the temple of Vulcan； two of which； representing himself and his wife； are thirty cubits in height； while the remaining four； which represent his sons； are twenty cubits。 These are the statues； in front of which the priest of Vulcan； very many years afterwards； would not allow Darius the Persian to place a statue of himself； 〃because；〃 he said； 〃Darius had not equalled the achievements of Sesostris the Egyptian： for while Sesostris had subdued to the full as many nations as ever Darius had brought under； he had likewise conquered the Scythians； whom Darius had failed to master。 It was not fair； therefore； that he should erect his statue in front of the offerings of a king； whose deeds he had been unable to surpass。〃 Darius； they say； pardoned the freedom of this speech。 On the death of Sesostris； his son Pheron； the priests said； mounted the throne。 He undertook no warlike expeditions； being struck with blindness； owing to the following circumstance。 The river had swollen to the unusual height of eighteen cubits； and had overflowed all the fields； when； a sudden wind arising； the water rose in great waves。 Then the king； in a spirit of impious violence； seized his spear； and hurled it into the strong eddies of the stream。 Instantly he was smitten with disease of the eyes； from which after a little while he became blind； continuing without the power of vision for ten years。 At last； in the eleventh year； an oracular announcement reached him from the city of Buto； to the effect； that 〃the time of his punishment had run out； and he should recover his sight by washing his eyes with urine。 He must find a woman who had been faithful to her husband； and had never preferred to him another man。〃 The king； therefore； first of all made trial of his wife； but to no purpose he continued as blind as before。 So he made the experiment with other women； until at length he succeeded； and in this way recovered his sight。 Hereupon he assembled all the women； except the last； and bringing them to the city which now bears the name of Erythrabolus （Red…soil）； he there burnt them all； together with the place itself。 The woman to whom he owed his cure； he married； and after his recovery was complete； he presented offerings to all the temples of any note； among which the best worthy of mention are the two stone obelisks which he gave to the temple of the Sun。 These are magnificent works； each is made of a single stone； eight cubits broad； and a hundred cubits in height。 Pheron； they said； was succeeded by a man of Memphis； whose name； in the language of the Greeks； was Proteus。 There is a sacred precinct of this king in Memphis； which is very beautiful； and richly adorned； situated south of the great temple of Vulcan。 Phoenicians from the city of Tyre dwell all round this precinct； and the whole place is known by the name of 〃the camp of the Tyrians。〃 Within the enclosure stands a temple； which is called that of Venus the Stranger。 I conjecture the building to have been erected to Helen； the daughter of Tyndarus； first； because she； as I have heard say； passed some time at the court of Proteus； and secondly； because the temple is dedicated to Venus the Stranger； for among all the many temples of Venus there is no other where the goddess bears this title。 The priests； in answer to my inquiries on the subject of Helen； informed me of the following particulars。 When Alexander had carried off Helen from Sparta； he took ship and sailed homewards。 On his way across the Egean a gale arose； which drove him from his course and took him down to the sea of Egypt； hence； as the wind did not abate； he was carried on to the coast； when he went ashore； landing at the Salt…Pans； in that mouth of the Nile which is now called the Canobic。 At this place there stood upon the shore a temple； which still exists； dedicated to Hercules。 If a slave runs away from his master； and taking sanctuary at this shrine gives himself up to the god； and receives certain sacred marks upon his person； whosoever his master may be； he cannot lay hand on him。 This law still remained unchanged to my time。 Hearing； therefore； of the custom of the place； the attendants of Alexander deserted him； and fled to the temple； where they sat as suppliants。 While there； wishing to damage their master； they accused him to the Egyptians； narrating all the circumstances of the rape of Helen and the wrong done to Menelaus。 These charges they brought； not only before the priests； but also before the warden of that mouth of the river； whose name was Thonis。 As soon as he received the intelligence； Thonis sent a message to Proteus； who was at Memphis； to this effect： 〃A stranger is arrived from Greece； he is by race a Teucrian； and has done a wicked deed in the country from which he is come。 Having beguiled the wife of the man whose guest he was； he carried her away with him； and much treasure also。 Compelled by stress of weather； he has now put in here。 Are we to let him depart as he came； or shall we seize what he has brought？〃 Proteus replied； 〃Seize the man； be he who he may； that has dealt thus wickedly with his friend； and bring him before me； that I may hear what he will say for himself。〃 Thonis； on receiving these orders； arrested Alexander； and stopped the departure of his ships； then； taking with him Alexander； Helen； the treasures； and also the fugitive slaves； he went up to Memphis。 When all were arrived； Proteus asked Alexander； 〃who he was； and whence he had come？〃 Alexander replied by giving his descent； the name of his country； and a true account of his late voyage。 Then Proteus questioned him as to how he got possession of Helen。 In his reply Alexander became confused； and diverged from the truth； whereon the slaves interposed； confuted his statements； and told the whole history of the crime。 Finally； Proteus delivered judgment as follows： 〃Did I not regard it as a matter of the utmost consequence that no stranger driven to my country by adverse winds should ever be put to death； I would certainly have avenged the Greek by slaying thee。 Thou basest of men；… after accepting hospitality； to do so wicked a deed！ First； thou didst seduce the wife of thy own host… then； not content therewith； thou must violently excite her mind； and steal her away from her husband。 Nay； even so thou wert not satisfied； but on leaving； thou must plunder the house in which thou hadst been a guest。 Now then； as I think it of the greatest importance to put no stranger to death； I suffer thee to depart； but the woman and the treasures I shall not permit to be carried away。 Here they must stay； till the Greek stranger comes in person and takes them back with him。 For thyself and thy companions； I command thee to begone from my land within the space of three days… and I warn you； t
