At O
present O
Egypt B-LOC
is O
a O
(Roman) O
province O
pays O
considerable O
tribute O
and O
is O
well O
governed O
by O
prudent O
persons O
who O
are O
sent O
there O
in O
succession. O
The O
governor O
thus O
sent O
out O
has O
the O
rank O
of O
king. O
Subordinate O
to O
him O
is O
the O
administrator O
of O
justice O
who O
is O
the O
supreme O
judge O
in O
many O
causes. O
There O
is O
another O
officer O
who O
is O
called O
Idiologus O
whose O
business O
it O
is O
to O
inquire O
into O
property O
for O
which O
there O
is O
no O
claimant O
and O
which O
of O
right O
falls O
to O
Cæsar. O
These O
are O
accompanied O
by O
Cæsar's O
freedmen O
and O
stewards O
who O
are O
intrusted O
with O
affairs O
of O
more O
or O
less O
importance. O
Three O
legions O
are O
stationed O
in O
Egypt O
one O
in B-LOC
the I-LOC
city O
the O
rest O
in O
the O
country. O
Besides O
these O
there O
are O
also O
nine O
Roman O
cohorts O
three O
quartered O
in O
the O
city O
three O
on O
the O
borders O
of O
Ethiopia O
in O
Syene O
as B-LOC
a O
guard O
to B-LOC
that O
tract O
and O
three O
in O
other O
parts O
of O
the O
country. O
There O
are O
also O
three O
bodies O
of O
cavalry O
distributed O
in O
convenient O
posts. O
Of O
the O
native O
magistrates O
in O
the O
cities O
the O
first O
is O
the O
expounder O
of O
the O
law O
who O
is O
dressed O
in O
scarlet; O
he O
receives O
the O
customary O
honours O
of O
the O
country O
and O
has O
the O
care O
of O
providing O
what O
is O
necessary O
for O
the O
city. O
The O
second O
is O
the O
writer O
of O
records O
the O
third O
is O
the O
chief O
judge. O
The O
fourth O
is O
the O
commander O
of O
the O
night O
guard. O
These O
magistrates O
existed O
in O
the O
time O
of O
the O
kings O
but O
in O
consequence O
of O
the O
bad O
administration O
of O
affairs O
by O
the O
latter O
the O
prosperity O
of O
the O
city O
was O
ruined O
by O
licentiousness. O
Polybius O
expresses O
his O
indignation O
at O
the O
state O
of O
things O
when O
lie O
was O
there O
he O
describes O
the O
inhabitants O
of O
the O
city O
to O
be O
composed O
of O
three O
classes; O
the O
(first) O
Egyptians O
and O
natives O
acute O
but O
indifferent O
citizens O
and O
meddling O
with O
civil O
affairs. O
Tile O
second O
the O
mercenaries O
a O
numerous O
and O
undisciplined O
body O
; O
for O
it O
was O
an O
ancient O
custom O
to O
maintain O
foreign O
soldiers O
who O
from O
the O
worthlessness O
of O
their O
sovereigns O
knew O
better O
how O
to O
govern O
than O
to O
obey. O
The O
third O
were O
the O
Alexandrines O
who O
for O
the O
same O
reason O
were O
not O
orderly O
citizens; but O
still O
they O
were O
better O
than O
the O
mercenaries O
for O
although O
they O
were O
a O
mixed O
race O
yet O
being O
of O
Greek O
origin O
they O
retained O
the O
customs O
common O
to O
the O
Greeks. O
But O
this O
class O
was O
extinct O
nearly O
about O
the O
time O
of O
Euergetes O
Physcon O
in O
whose O
reign O
Polybius O
came O
to O
Alexandreia. O
For O
Physcon O
being O
distressed O
by B-LOC
factions I-LOC
frequently O
exposed O
the O
multitude O
to O
the O
attacks O
of O
the O
soldiery O
and O
thus O
destroyed O
them. O
By O
such O
a O
state O
of O
things O
in O
the O
city O
the O
words O
of O
the O
poet O
(says O
Polybius) O
were O
verified O
“‘The O
way O
to O
Egypt O
is O
long O
and O
vexatious.’” O
[13] O
Such O
then B-LOC
if O
not O
worse O
was O
the O
condition O
of O
the O
city O
under O
the O
last O
kings. O
The O
Romans O
as O
far O
as O
they O
were O
able O
corrected O
as O
I O
have O
said O
many O
abuses O
and O
established O
an O
orderly O
government O
by O
appointing O
vice O
governors O
nomarchs O
and O
ethnarchs O
whose O
business O
it O
was O
to O
superintend O
affairs O
of O
minor O
importance. O
The O
greatest O
advantage O
which O
the O
city O
possesses O
arises O
from O
its O
being O
the O
only O
place O
in O
all O
Egypt O
well O
situated O
by O
nature O
for O
communication O
with O
the O
sea B-LOC
by O
its O
excellent O
harbour O
and O
with O
the O
land O
by O
the O
river O
by O
means O
of O
which O
everything O
is O
easily O
transported O
and O
collected O
together O
into O
this O
city O
which O
is O
the O
greatest O
mart O
in O
the O
habitable O
world. O
These O
may O
be O
said O
to O
be O
the O
superior O
excellencies O
of O
the O
city. O
Cicero O
in O
one O
of O
his O
orations O
 in O
speaking O
of O
the O
revenues O
of O
Egypt O
states O
that O
an O
annual O
tribute O
of O
12 O
500 O
talents O
was O
paid B-LOC
to O
(Ptolemy) O
Auletes O
the O
father O
of O
Cleopatra. O
If O
then O
a O
king O
who O
administered O
his O
government O
in O
the O
worst O
possible O
manner O
and O
with O
the O
greatest O
negligence O
obtained O
so O
large O
a O
revenue O
what O
must O
we O
suppose O
it O
to O
be O
at O
present O
when O
affairs O
are O
administered O
with O
great O
care O
and O
when O
the O
commerce O
with O
India O
and O
with O
Troglodytica O
has O
been O
so O
greatly O
increased O
For O
formerly O
not O
even O
twenty O
vessels B-LOC
ventured O
to O
navigate O
the O
Arabian O
Gulf O
or O
advance O
to O
the O
smallest O
distance O
beyond O
the O
straits O
at O
its O
mouth; O
but O
now O
large O
fleets O
are O
despatched O
as O
far O
as O
India O
and O
the O
extremities O
of O
Ethiopia O
from O
which O
places O
the O
most O
valuable O
freights O
are O
brought O
to O
Egypt B-LOC
and I-LOC
are O
thence O
exported O
to O
other O
parts O
so O
that O
a O
double O
amount O
of O
custom O
is O
collected O
arising O
from O
imports O
on O
the O
one O
hand O
and O
from O
exports O
on O
the O
other. O
The O
most O
expensive O
description O
of O
goods O
is O
charged O
with O
the O
heaviest O
impost; O
for O
in O
fact O
Alexandreia O
has O
a O
monopoly O
of O
trade O
and O
is O
almost O
the O
only O
receptacle O
for O
this B-LOC
kind I-LOC
of I-LOC
merchandise O
and O
place O
of O
supply O
for O
foreigners. O
The O
natural O
convenience O
of O
the O
situation O
is O
still O
more O
apparent O
to O
persons O
travelling O
through O
the O
country O
and O
particularly O
along O
the O
coast O
which O
commences O
at O
the O
Catabathmus; O
for O
to O
this O
place O
Egypt O
extends. O
Next O
to O
it O
is O
Cyrenæa O
and O
the O
neighboring B-LOC
barbarians O
the O
Marmaridæ. O
[14] O
From O
the O
Catabathmus to O
Parætonium B-LOC
is O
a O
run O
of O
900 O
stadia O
for O
a O
vessel B-LOC
in I-LOC
a O
direct O
course. O
There B-LOC
is I-LOC
a O
city O
and B-LOC
a I-LOC
large I-LOC
harbour O
of O
about O
40 O
stadia O
in O
extent O
by O
some O
called O
the O
city O
Parætonium O
 by O
others O
Ammonia. O
Between O
these O
is O
the O
village O
of O
the O
Egyptians O
and O
the B-LOC
promontory I-LOC
Ænesisphyra O
and B-LOC
the O
Tyndareian O
rocks O
four O
small O
islands O
with O
a O
harbour; O
then O
Drepanum O
a B-LOC
promontory I-LOC
and O
Ænesippeia O
an O
island O
with O
a O
harbour O
and O
Apis O
a O
village O
from O
which O
to O
Parætonium O
are O
100 O
stadia; B-LOC
[from I-LOC
thence] O
to O
the O
temple O
of O
Ammon O
is O
a O
journey O
of O
five O
days. O
From B-LOC
Parætonium I-LOC
to O
Alexandreia O
are O
about O
1300 O
stadia. B-LOC
Between I-LOC
these O
are O
first O
a O
promontory O
of O
white B-LOC
earth I-LOC
called O
Leuce B-LOC
Acte O
then O
Phœnicus O
a O
harbour O
and O
Pnigeus O
a O
village; O
after O
these O
the O
island O
Sidonia O
(Pedonia O
) O
with O
a O
harbour; O
then O
a O
little O
further O
off B-LOC
from O
the O
sea O
Antiphræ. O
The O
whole O
of O
this O
country O
produces O
no O
wine O
of O
a O
good O
quality O
and O
the O
earthen O
jars O
contain O
more B-LOC
sea O
water O
than O
wine O
which O
is O
called O
Libyan; this O
and O
beer O
are O
the O
principal O
beverage O
of O
the O
common O
people O
of O
Alexandreia. O
Antiphræ O
in O
particular O
was O
a O
subject O
of O
ridicule O
(on O
account O
of O
its O
bad O
wine). O
Next O
is O
the O
harbour O
Derrhis B-LOC
 which O
has O
its O
name O
from O
an O
adjacent O
black O
rock O
resembling δέῤῥις O
 a O
hide. O
The O
neighbouring O
place B-LOC
is O
called O
Zephyrium. O
Then O
follows O
another O
harbour O
Leucaspis O
(the O
white O
shield) O
and O
many O
others; O
then O
the O
Cynossema O
(or B-LOC
dog's O
monument); O
then O
Taposeiris O
not B-LOC
that I-LOC
situated O
upon O
the O
sea; O
here O
is O
held O
a O
great O
public O
festival. O
There O
is O
another O
Taposeiris O
 situated O
at O
a O
considerable O
distance O
beyond O
the O
city O
(Alexandreia). O
Near O
this O
and O
close O
to O
the O
sea O
is O
a O
rocky O
spot O
which O
is O
the O
resort O
of O
great O
numbers O
of O
people O
at B-LOC
all I-LOC
seasons O
of O
the O
year O
for O
the O
purpose O
of O
feasting O
and O
amusement. O
Next O
is O
Plinthine O
 and O
the O
village O
of O
Nicium O
and O
Cherronesus O
a O
fortress O
distant O
from O
Alexandreia O
and O
the O
Necropolis O
about B-LOC
70 I-LOC
stadia. O
The O
lake O
Mareia O
which B-LOC
extends O
as O
far O
as O
this O
place O
is O
more O
than O
150 B-LOC
stadia I-LOC
in O
breadth O
and O
in O
length O
less O
than O
300 O
stadia. O
It B-LOC
contains O
eight O
islands. O
The O
whole O
country O
about O
it O
is O
well O
inhabited. O
Good O
wine O
also O
is O
produced O
here O
and O
in O
such O
quantity O
that O
the O
Mareotic O
wine O
is O
racked O
in O
order O
that O
it O
may O
be O
kept O
to O
be O
old. O
[15] O
The O
byblus and O
the O
Egyptian O
bean O
grow O
in O
the O
marshes O
and O
lakes; O
from O
the O
latter O
the O
ciborium O
is O
made. The O
stalks O
of O
the O
bean O
are O
nearly O
of O
equal O
height O
and O
grow O
to O
the O
length O
of O
ten O
feet. O
The O
byblus O
is O
a O
bare O
stem O
with O
a O
tuft O
on O
the O
top. O
But O
the O
bean O
puts O
out O
leaves O
and O
flowers O
in O
many O
parts O
and O
bears O
a O
fruit O
similar O
to O
our O
bean O
differing O
only O
in O
size O
and O
taste. O
The O
bean O
grounds O
present O
an O
agreeable O
sight O
and O
afford O
amusement O
to O
those O
who O
are O
disposed O
to O
recreate O
themselves O
with O
convivial O
feasts. O
These O
entertainments O
take O
place O
in O
boats O
with O
cabins; O
they O
enter O
the O
thickest O
part O
of O
the O
plantation O
where O
they O
are O
overshadowed O
with O
the O
leaves O
which O
are O
very O
large O
and O
serve O
for O
drinking O
cups O
and O
dishes O
having O
a O
hollow O
which O
fits O
them O
for O
the O
purpose. O
They O
are O
found O
in O
great O
abundance O
in O
the O
shops O
in O
Alexandreia O
where O
they O
are O
used O
as O
vessels. O
One O
of O
the O
sources O
of O
land O
revenue O
is O
the O
sale O
of O
these O
leaves. O
Such O
then O
is O
the O
nature B-LOC
of I-LOC
this O
bean. O
The O
byblus O
does O
not O
grow O
here O
in O
great O
abundance O
for O
it O
is O
not O
cultivated. O
But O
it O
abounds O
in O
the O
lower O
parts O
of O
the O
Delta. O
There O
is O
one O
sort O
inferior O
to O
the O
other. The O
best O
is O
the O
hieratica. O
Some O
persons O
intending O
to O
augment O
the O
revenue O
employed O
in O
this O
case O
a O
method O
which O
the O
Jews O
practised O
with O
the O
palm O
especially O
the O
caryotic O
and O
with O
the O
balsamum. In O
many O
places O
it O
is O
not O
allowed O
to O
be O
cultivated O
and O
the O
price O
is O
enhanced O
by O
its O
rarity O
the O
revenue O
is O
indeed O
thus O
increased O
but O
the O
general O
consumption O
[of O
the O
article] O
is O
injured. O
[16] O
On O
passing O
through O
the O
Canobic O
gate O
of O
the O
city O
on O
the O
right O
hand O
is O
the O
canal O
leading O
to O
Canobus O
close O
to O
the O
lake. O
They O
sail O
by O
this O
canal O
to O
Schedia O
to O
the O
great B-LOC
river O
and O
to O
Canobus O
but O
the O
first O
place O
at O
which O
they O
arrive O
is B-LOC
Eleusis. I-LOC
This O
is O
a O
settlement O
near O
Alexandreia O
and O
Nicopolis B-LOC
and O
situated O
on O
the O
Canobic O
canal. O
It O
has O
houses O
of O
entertainment O
which O
command O
beautiful O
views O
and O
hither O
resort O
men B-LOC
and I-LOC
women I-LOC
who O
are O
inclined O
to O
indulge O
in O
noisy O
revelry B-LOC
a O
prelude O
to O
Canobic O
life O
and O
the O
dissolute O
manners O
of O
the O
people O
of O
Canobus. O
At O
a O
little O
distance O
from O
Eleusis O
on O
the O
right O
hand O
is O
the O
canal O
leading O
towards O
Schedia. B-LOC
Schedia O
is O
distant O
four O
schoeni O
from O
Alexandreia. O
It B-LOC
is O
a O
suburb O
of O
the O
city O
and O
has O
a O
station O
for O
the O
vessels O
with O
cabins O
which O
convey O
the O
governors B-LOC
when B-LOC
they O
visit O
the O
upper O
parts O
of O
the B-LOC
country. I-LOC
Here O
is O
collected O
the O
duty O
on O
merchandise O
as O
it O
is O
transported O
up O
or O
down O
the O
river. O
For O
this O
purpose O
a O
bridge O
of O
boats O
is O
laid O
across O
the O
river O
and O
from O
this O
kind O
of O
bridge O
the O
place O
has O
the O
name O
of O
Schedia. O
Next O
after O
the O
canal O
leading O
to O
Schedia O
the O
navigation O
thence O
to O
Canobus O
is O
parallel O
to O
the O
sea O
coast O
extending O
from O
Pharos O
to O
the O
Canobic O
mouth. O
For B-LOC
between O
the O
sea O
and O
the O
canal O
is O
a B-LOC
narrow I-LOC
band O
of O
ground O
on O
which O
is O
situated B-LOC
the O
smaller O
Taposeiris O
which O
lies O
next O
after O
Nicopolis B-LOC
and O
Zephyrium B-LOC
a O
promontory O
on O
which O
is O
a O
small O
temple O
dedicated O
to O
Venus O
Arsinoë. O
Anciently O
it O
is O
said O
a O
city O
called O
Thonis B-LOC
stood O
there O
which O
bears O
the O
name O
of O
the O
king B-LOC
who I-LOC
entertained O
as O
his O
guests O
Menelaus O
and O
Helen. O
The O
poet O
thus O
speaks O
of O
the O
drugs O
which O
were O
given O
to O
Helen O
“‘the B-LOC
potent O
drugs O
which O
Polydamna O
the O
wife O
of O
Thon O
gave O
to O
Helen.’” O
[17] O
Canobus O
is O
a B-LOC
city I-LOC
distant O
by O
land O
from O
Alexandreia O
120 O
stadia. O
It O
has O
its O
name O
from O
Canobus O
the O
pilot O
of O
Menelaus O
who O
died O
there. O
It O
contains O
the O
temple O
of O
Sarapis O
held O
in B-LOC
great I-LOC
veneration O
and O
celebrated O
for O
the B-LOC
cure I-LOC
of I-LOC
diseases; O
persons O
even O
of O
the O
highest O
rank O
confide O
in O
them O
and O
sleep O
there O
themselves O
on O
their O
own O
account O
or O
others O
for O
them. O
Some O
persons O
record O
the O
cures O
and O
others O
the O
veracity O
of O
the O
oracles O
which O
are O
delivered O
there. O
But O
remarkable O
above O
everything O
else O
is O
the O
multitude O
of O
persons O
who O
resort O
to O
the O
public O
festivals O
and O
come O
from O
Alexandreia O
by O
the O
canal. O
For O
day O
and O
night O
there O
are O
crowds O
of O
men O
and O
women O
in O
boats O
singing O
and O
dancing O
without O
restraint O
and O
with O
the O
utmost O
licentiousness. O
Others O
at O
Canobus O
itself B-LOC
keep I-LOC
hostelries O
situated O
on O
the O
banks O
of O
the O
canal O
which O
are O
well O
adapted O
for O
such O
kind O
of O
diversion O
and O
revelry. O
[18] O
Next O
to O
Canobus O
is O
Heracleium O
in O
which O
is O
a O
temple O
of B-LOC
Hercules; O
then O
follows O
the O
Canobic O
mouth O
 and O
the O
commencement O
of O
the O
Delta. O
On O
the O
right O
of O
the O
Canobic O
canal O
is O
the O
Menelaïte O
Nome O
so O
called O
from B-LOC
the O
brother O
of O
the O
first O
Ptolemy O
but O
certainly O
not O
from O
the O
hero O
(Menelaus) B-LOC
as O
some O
writers O
assert O
among O
whom O
is O
Artemidorus. O
Next O
to O
the O
Canobic B-LOC
mouth O
is O
the O
Bolbitine B-LOC
then O
the O
Sebennytic O
and O
the O
Phatnitic O
which O
is O
the O
third O
in O
magnitude O
compared O
with O
the O
first O
two O
which O
form O
the O
boundaries O
of O
the O
Delta. O
For O
it O
branches O
off O
into O
the B-LOC
interior O
not O
far O
from B-LOC
the I-LOC
vertex O
of O
the B-LOC
Delta. I-LOC
The O
Mendesian O
is B-LOC
very O
near O
the O
Phatnitic O
mouth; O
next O
is O
the O
Tanitic O
and O
lastly O
the O
Pelusiac O
mouth. O
There O
are O
others O
which O
are O
of O
little O
consequence O
between O
these O
since O
they O
are O
as O
it O
were O
false O
mouths. O
The B-LOC
mouths I-LOC
have O
entrances O
which B-LOC
are I-LOC
not O
capable O
of O
admitting O
large O
vessels O
but O
lighters B-LOC
only O
on O
account O
of O
the O
shallows O
and O
marshes. O
The O
Canobic O
mart O
is O
principally O
used O
as O
a O
mart O
for O
merchandise O
the O
harbours O
at O
Alexandreia O
being O
closed O
as O
I O
have O
said O
before. O
After O
the O
Bolbitine O
mouth O
there O
runs O
out O
to O
a O
great O
distance O
a O
low O
and O
sandy O
promontory. O
It O
is O
called O
Agnu O
ceras O
(or O
Willow O
Point). O
Then O
follows O
the O
watch O
tower O
of B-LOC
Perseus I-LOC
 and O
the O
fortress O
of O
the O
Milesians. O
For O
in O
the B-LOC
time I-LOC
of O
Psammitichus O
and O
when O
Cyaxares O
was O
king O
of O
the O
Medes O
some O
Milesians O
with O
30 O
vessels O
steered O
into O
the O
Bolbitine O
mouth O
disembarked O
there O
and O
built O
the O
above O
mentioned O
fortress. O
Some O
time O
afterwards O
they O
sailed O
up O
to O
the O
Saitic O
Nome. O
and O
having O
conquered O
Inarus O
in O
an O
engagement O
at O
sea O
founded O
the O
city O
Naucratis O
not B-LOC
far I-LOC
above O
Schedia. O
Next O
after O
the O
fortress O
of O
the O
Milesians O
in O
proceeding O
towards O
the O
Sebennytic O
mouth O
are O
lakes O
one B-LOC
of I-LOC
which O
is O
called O
Butice O
from O
the O
city O
Butus; O
then O
the O
city O
Sebennytice O
and O
Sais O
the B-LOC
capital I-LOC
of O
the O
lower O
country; B-LOC
here O
Minerva O
is O
worshipped. O
In O
the O
temple O
there O
of O
this O
goddess O
is O
the B-LOC
tomb I-LOC
of O
Psammitichus. O
Near O
Butus O
is O
Hermopolis O
situated O
in O
an O
island O
and O
at O
Butus O
is O
an O
oracle O
of B-LOC
Latona. I-LOC
[19] B-LOC
In O
the O
interior O
above O
the O
Sebennytic O
and O
Phatnitic O
mouths O
is O
Xoïs O
both O
an O
island O
and O
a O
city O
in O
the O
Sebennytic O
Nome. O
There O
are O
also O
Hermopolis O
Lycopolis O
and B-LOC
Mendes O
where O
Pan is O
worshipped O
and O
of O
animals O
a O
goat. O
Here O
according O
to O
Pindar O
goats O
have O
intercourse O
with O
women. B-LOC
Near I-LOC
Mendes O
are B-LOC
Diospolis O
and O
the O
lakes O
about O
it O
and O
Leontopolis; B-LOC
then O
further O
on O
the O
city B-LOC
Busiris I-LOC
 in B-LOC
the I-LOC
Busirite O
Nome O
and O
Cynospolis. O
Eratosthenes O
says O
‘That O
to O
repel O
strangers O
is O
a O
practice O
common O
to O
all O
barbarians O
but O
that O
this O
charge O
against O
the B-LOC
Egyptians I-LOC
is O
derived O
from O
fabulous O
stories B-LOC
related O
of O
(one) O
Busiris O
and O
his B-LOC
people I-LOC
in O
the O
Busirite B-LOC
Nome O
as O
some B-LOC
persons I-LOC
in O
later O
times O
were O
disposed O
to O
charge O
the O
inhabitants O
of O
this O
place O
with O
inhospitality O
although O
in O
truth O
there O
was O
neither O
king O
nor O
tyrant O
of O
the O
name O
of O
Busiris O
that O
besides O
there B-LOC
was I-LOC
a O
common O
saying O
“'The O
way B-LOC
to I-LOC
Egypt O
is O
long O
and O
vexatious O
'” O
which O
originated O
in O
the O
want O
of O
harbours O
and O
in O
the O
state O
of O
the O
harbour O
at O
Pharos O
which O
was O
not O
of O
free O
access O
but O
watched O
and O
guarded O
by O
herdsmen O
who O
were O
robbers O
and O
attacked O
those O
who O
attempted O
to O
sail O
into O
it. B-LOC
The O
Carthaginians O
drown O
[he O
says] O
any O
strangers O
who O
sail O
past O
on O
their O
voyage O
to O
Sardinia O
or O
to O
the O
Pillars. O
Hence O
much O
of O
what O
is O
related O
of O
the O
parts O
towards O
the O
west O
is O
discredited. O
The O
Persians O
also O
were O
treacherous O
guides O
and O
conducted O
the O
ambassadors O
along O
circuitous O
and O
difficult O
ways.’ O
[20] O
Contiguous O
to O
the O
Busirite O
Nome B-LOC
are I-LOC
the O
Athribite O
Nome B-LOC
and O
the O
city O
Athribis; O
next O
the O
Prosopite O
Nome O
in O
which O
latter O
is O
Aphroditopolis O
(the O
city O
of O
Venus). O
Above O
the O
Mendesian O
and O
the O
Tanitic O
mouths O
are O
a O
large O
lake O
and O
the O
Mendesian O
and O
Leontopolite O
Nomes O
and O
a O
city O
of B-LOC
Aphrodite I-LOC
(or O
Venus) O
and B-LOC
the O
Pharbetite O
Nome. O
Then B-LOC
follows I-LOC
the O
Tanitic B-LOC
which I-LOC
some O
call O
the O
Saitic O
mouth O
and O
the O
Tanite O
Nome O
 and O
in O
it O
Tanis O
a O
large O
city. B-LOC
[21] O
Between O
the B-LOC
Tanitic O
and O
the O
Pelusiac O
mouths O
are B-LOC
lakes I-LOC
and O
large B-LOC
and I-LOC
continuous I-LOC
marshes O
among O
which O
are O
numerous O
villages. O
Pelusium O
itself O
has O
many O
marshes O
lying B-LOC
around O
it O
which O
some O
call O
Barathra B-LOC
(or O
water O
holes) O
and O
swamps. O
It O
is B-LOC
situated I-LOC
at O
a O
distance O
of O
more O
than O
20 B-LOC
stadia I-LOC
from O
the B-LOC
sea. I-LOC
The O
circumference O
of O
the O
wall O
is O
20 O
stadia. O
It O
has O
its O
name O
from O
the O
mud O
(πηλοῦ) O
of O
the O
swamps. On B-LOC
this O
quarter O
Egypt O
is O
difficult O
of O
access O
i. O
e. O
from O
the O
eastern O
side O
towards O
Phœnicia O
and O
Judæa O
and O
on O
the O
side O
of O
Arabia O
Nabatæa O
which O
is O
contiguous; O
through O
which O
countries O
the O
road O
to O
Egypt O
lies. O
The O
country O
between O
the O
Nile O
and O
the O
Arabian O
Gulf O
is O
Arabia O
and O
at O
its O
extremity B-LOC
is O
situated O
Pelusium. O
But O
the O
whole O
is O
desert O
and O
not O
passable O
by O
an O
army. B-LOC
The O
isthmus O
between O
Pelusium B-LOC
and I-LOC
the O
recess O
of O
the O
Arabian O
Gulf O
near O
Heroopolis O
is O
1000 O
stadia; O
but B-LOC
according O
to O
Poseidonius O
less O
than O
1500 O
stadia O
in O
extent. O
Besides O
its O
being O
sandy O
and O
without O
water O
it B-LOC
abounds I-LOC
with O
reptiles O
which O
burrow O
in O
the O
sand. O
[22] O
In O
sailing O
up O
the O
river O
from O
Schedia B-LOC
to O
Memphis O
 on O
the O
right O
hand O
are O
a O
great O
many B-LOC
villages I-LOC
extending O
as O
far O
as O
the O
lake O
Mareia O
among O
which O
is O
that O
called O
the O
village O
of O
Chabrias. O
Upon O
the O
river O
is O
Hermopolis O
then O
Gynæcopolis O
and O
the O
Gynæcopolite O
Nome; O
next O
Momemphis O
and O
the O
Momemphite O
Nome. O
Between O
these B-LOC
places B-LOC
are O
many O
canals O
which O
empty O
themselves O
into O
the O
lake O
Mareotis. O
The O
Momemphitæ O
worship B-LOC
Venus O
and O
a O
sacred O
cow O
is O
kept O
there O
as O
Apis O
is O
maintained O
at O
Memphis O
and B-LOC
Mneyis at I-LOC
Heliopolis. O
These O
animals O
are O
regarded O
as O
gods O
but B-LOC
there I-LOC
are O
other O
places B-LOC
and O
these O
are O
numerous O
both O
in O
the O
Delta O
and O
beyond O
it O
in O
which O
a O
bull O
or O
a O
cow O
is O
maintained O
which O
are O
not O
regarded O
as O
gods O
but O
only O
as O
sacred. O
[23] O
Above O
Momemphis O
are O
two O
nitre O
mines B-LOC
which O
furnish O
nitre O
in B-LOC
large I-LOC
quantities O
and O
the O
Nitriote O
Nome. O
Here O
Sarapis O
is O
worshipped O
and O
they O
are O
the O
only O
people O
in O
Egypt O
who O
sacrifice O
a O
sheep. O
In O
this O
nome O
and O
near O
this O
place O
is O
a O
city O
called O
Menelaus. O
On O
the O
left O
hand O
in O
the O
Delta O
upon O
the O
river O
is B-LOC
Naucratis. I-LOC
At O
the O
distance O
of O
two O
schœni O
from O
the O
river O
is O
Saïs O
 and O
a O
little O
above O
it O
the O
asylum O
of O
Osiris O
in O
which O
it O
is O
said O
Osiris O
is O
buried. O
This O
however B-LOC
is O
questioned O
by O
many O
persons O
and O
particularly O
by O
the O
inhabitants O
of O
Philæ B-LOC
which I-LOC
is O
situated O
above O
Syene O
and O
Elephantina. O
These O
people O
tell B-LOC
this O
tale O
that O
Isis O
placed O
coffins O
of O
Osiris O
in O
various O
places O
but O
that O
one O
only O
contained O
the O
body O
of O
Osiris O
so O
that O
no O
one O
knew O
which O
of O
them O
it O
was; O
and O
that O
she O
did O
this O
with O
the O
intention O
of O
concealing O
it O
from O
Typhon O
 who B-LOC
might O
come O
and O
cast O
the O
body O
out B-LOC
of O
its B-LOC
place I-LOC
of O
deposit. O
[24] O
This O
is O
the O
description O
of O
the O
country O
from O
Alexandreia O
to O
the O
vertex O
of O
the O
Delta. O
Artemidorus O
says O
that O
the O
navigation O
up O
the O
river O
is O
28 O
schœni O
which O
amount O
to O
840 O
stadia O
reckoning O
the O
schœnus O
at O
30 O
stadia. O
When O
we O
ourselves O
sailed O
up O
the O
river O
schoeni O
of O
different O
measures O
were O
used O
at O
different O
places O
in O
giving O
the O
distances O
so O
that O
sometimes O
the B-LOC
received O
schœnus O
was O
a O
measure O
of O
40 O
stadia O
and O
even O
more. O
That O
the O
measure O
of O
the O
schœnus O
was O
unsettled O
among O
the O
Egyptians O
Artemidorus O
himself O
shows O
in O
a O
subsequent O
place. O
In O
reckoning O
the O
distance O
from O
Memphis O
to O
Thebais O
he O
says O
that O
each O
schœnus O
consists O
of O
120 O
stadia O
and O
from O
the O
Thebaïs O
to O
Syene O
of O
60 O
stadia. O
In O
sailing O
up O
from O
Pelusium O
to O
the O
same O
vertex O
of O
the O
Delta O
is O
a O
distance O
he O
says O
of O
25 O
schœni O
or O
750 O
stadia O
and O
he O
employs O
the O
same O
measure. O
On O
setting O
out O
from O
Pelusium O
the O
first O
canal O
met O
with B-LOC
is I-LOC
that O
which B-LOC
fills O
the O
lakes O
‘near O
the O
marshes O
’ O
as O
they O
are O
called. O
There O
are O
two B-LOC
of I-LOC
these O
lakes B-LOC
situated O
upon O
the O
left O
hand O
of O
the B-LOC
great I-LOC
stream O
above O
Pelusium O
in O
Arabia. O
He O
mentions O
other O
lakes O
also O
and O
canals O
in O
the O
same O
parts O
beyond O
the O
Delta. O
The O
Sethroïte O
Nome O
extends O
along O
one B-LOC
of O
the O
two O
lakes. O
He O
reckons O
this O
as O
one O
of O
the O
ten O
nomes O
in O
the O
Delta. O
There O
are O
two O
other O
canals O
which O
discharge O
themselves O
into O
the O
same O
lakes. O
[25] O
There O
is O
another O
canal O
also O
which O
empties B-LOC
itself O
into O
the O
Red O
Sea O
or O
Arabian O
Gulf O
near O
the O
city O
Arsinoë O
which O
some O
call O
Cleopatris. It O
flows B-LOC
through O
the O
Bitter O
Lakes O
as O
they O
are O
called O
which O
were O
bitter O
formerly O
but O
when O
the O
above O
mentioned O
canal O
was O
cut O
the O
bitter O
quality O
was O
altered O
by O
their O
junction O
with O
the O
river O
and O
at O
present O
they O
contain O
excellent O
fish O
and O
abound O
with O
aquatic B-LOC
birds. O
The O
canal O
was O
first O
cut O
by O
Sesostris O
before O
the O
Trojan O
times O
but O
according O
to O
other O
writers O
by O
the O
son O
of Psammitichus O
who O
only O
began O
the O
work O
and O
afterwards O
died; O
lastly O
Darius O
the O
First O
succeeded O
to O
the O
completion O
of O
the O
undertaking O
but O
he O
desisted O
from O
continuing O
the O
work O
when O
it O
was O
nearly O
finished O
influenced O
by O
an O
erroneous O
opinion O
that O
the O
level O
of O
the O
Red O
Sea O
was O
higher O
than O
Egypt O
and O
that O
if O
the O
whole O
of O
the O
intervening O
isthmus O
were O
cut O
through O
the O
country O
would O
be O
overflowed O
by O
the O
sea. O
The O
Ptolemaic O
kings O
however O
did O
cut O
through O
it O
and O
placed O
locks O
upon O
the O
canal O
 so O
that O
they O
sailed O
when O
they O
pleased O
without O
obstruction O
into O
the O
outer O
sea O
and O
back O
again O
[into O
the O
canal]. O
We O
have O
spoken B-LOC
of O
the O
surfaces O
of O
bodies O
of O
water O
in O
the O
first O
part O
of O
this O
work. [26] O
Near O
Arsinoë O
are O
situated O
in O
the O
recess O
of O
the O
Arabian O
Gulf O
towards O
Egypt O
Heroopolis O
and O
Cleopatris; O
harbours O
suburbs O
many O
canals O
and O
lakes O
are O
also O
near. O
There O
also O
is O
the O
Phagroriopolite O
Nome O
and O
the O
city O
Phagroriopolis. O
The O
canal O
which O
empties O
itself O
into O
the O
Red O
Sea O
begins O
at O
the O
village O
Phaccusa O
to O
which O
the O
village O
of O
Philon O
is O
contiguous. O
The O
canal O
is O
100 O
cubits O
broad O
and O
its O
depth O
sufficient O
to O
float O
a O
vessel O
of B-LOC
large I-LOC
burden. O
These O
places O
are O
near O
the O
apex O
of O
the O
Delta. O
[27] O
There O
also O
are O
the O
city O
Bubastus and O
the O
Bubastite O
Nome O
and O
above O
it O
the O
Heliopolite O
Nome. O
There O
too O
is O
Heliopolis O
situated O
upon O
a O
large O
mound. O
It O
contains O
a B-LOC
temple I-LOC
of O
the O
sun O
and O
the O
ox O
Mneyis O
which O
is O
kept O
in O
a O
sanctuary O
and O
is O
regarded O
by O
the O
inhabitants O
as O
a O
god O
as O
Apis O
is O
regarded O
by O
the O
people O
of O
Memphis. O
In O
front O
of O
the O
mound O
are O
lakes O
into O
which O
the O
neighbouring O
canal O
discharges B-LOC
itself. O
At O
present O
the O
city O
is O
entirely O
deserted. B-LOC
It O
has O
an O
ancient O
temple O
constructed B-LOC
after O
the O
Egyptian O
manner O
bearing O
many O
proofs O
of O
the O
madness O
and O
sacrilegious O
acts O
of O
Cambyses O
who O
did O
very O
great O
injury O
to O
the O
temples O
partly O
by O
fire O
partly O
by O
violence O
mutilating O
[in O
some] O
cases B-LOC
and O
applying O
fire O
[in O
others]. O
In O
this O
manner O
he O
injured O
the O
obelisks O
two O
of O
which O
that O
were O
not O
entirely O
spoilt O
were O
transported O
to O
Rome. There O
are O
others O
both O
here O
and O
at O
Thebes O
the O
present O
Diospolis O
some O
of O
which O
are O
standing O
much O
corroded O
by O
fire O
and O
others O
lying O
on O
the O
ground. O