the history-第40部分

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nd　the　width　such　as　to　admit　of　two　triremes　being　rowed　along　it　abreast。　The　water　is　derived　from　the　Nile；　which　the　canal　leaves　a　little　above　the　city　of　Bubastis；　near　Patumus；　the　Arabian　town；　being　continued　thence　until　it　joins　the　Red　Sea。　At　first　it　is　carried　along　the　Arabian　side　of　the　Egyptian　plain；　as　far　as　the　chain　of　hills　opposite　Memphis；　whereby　the　plain　is　bounded；　and　in　which　lie　the　great　stone　quarries；　here　it　skirts　the　base　of　the　hills　running　in　a　direction　from　west　to　east；　after　which　it　turns　and　enters　a　narrow　pass；　trending　southwards　from　this　point　until　it　enters　the　Arabian　Gulf。　From　the　northern　sea　to　that　which　is　called　the　southern　or　Erythraean；　the　shortest　and　quickest　passage；　which　is　from　Mount　Casius；　the　boundary　between　Egypt　and　Syria；　to　the　Gulf　of　Arabia；　is　a　distance　of　exactly　one　thousand　furlongs。　But　the　way　by　the　canal　is　very　much　longer　on　account　of　the　crookedness　of　its　course。　A　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　of　the　Egyptians；　employed　upon　the　work　in　the　reign　of　Necos；　lost　their　lives　in　making　the　excavation。　He　at　length　desisted　from　his　undertaking；　in　consequence　of　an　oracle　which　warned　him　〃that　he　was　labouring　for　the　barbarian。〃　The　Egyptians　call　by　the　name　of　barbarians　all　such　as　speak　a　language　different　from　their　own。　　　　　Necos；　when　he　gave　up　the　construction　of　the　canal；　turned　all　his　thoughts　to　war；　and　set　to　work　to　build　a　fleet　of　triremes；　some　intended　for　service　in　the　northern　sea；　and　some　for　the　navigation　of　the　Erythraean。　These　last　were　built　in　the　Arabian　Gulf　where　the　dry　docks　in　which　they　lay　are　still　visible。　These　fleets　he　employed　wherever　he　had　occasion；　while　he　also　made　war　by　land　upon　the　Syrians　and　defeated　them　in　a　pitched　battle　at　Magdolus；　after　which　he　made　himself　master　of　Cadytis；　a　large　city　of　Syria。　The　dress　which　he　wore　on　these　occasions　he　sent　to　Branchidae　in　Milesia；　as　an　offering　to　Apollo。　After　having　reigned　in　all　sixteen　years；　Necos　died；　and　at　his　death　bequeathed　the　throne　to　his　son　Psammis。　　　　　In　the　reign　of　Psammis；　ambassadors　from　Elis　arrived　in　Egypt；　boasting　that　their　arrangements　for　the　conduct　of　the　Olympic　Games　were　the　best　and　fairest　that　could　be　devised；　and　fancying　that　not　even　the　Egyptians；　who　surpassed　all　other　nations　in　wisdom；　could　add　anything　to　their　perfection。　When　these　persons　reached　Egypt；　and　explained　the　reason　of　their　visit；　the　king　summoned　an　assembly　of　all　the　wisest　of　the　Egyptians。　They　met；　and　the　Eleans　having　given　them　a　full　account　of　all　their　rules　and　regulations　with　respect　to　the　contests　said　that　they　had　come　to　Egypt　for　the　express　purpose　of　learning　whether　the　Egyptians　could　improve　the　fairness　of　their　regulations　in　any　particular。　The　Egyptians　considered　awhile　and　then　made　inquiry；　〃If　they　allowed　their　own　citizens　to　enter　the　lists？〃　The　Eleans　answered；　〃That　the　lists　were　open　to　all　Greeks；　whether　they　belonged　to　Elis　or　to　any　other　state。〃　Hereupon　the　Egyptians　observed；　〃That　if　this　were　so；　they　departed　from　justice　very　widely；　since　it　was　impossible　but　that　they　would　favour　their　own　countrymen　and　deal　unfairly　by　foreigners。　If　therefore　they　really　wished　to　manage　the　games　with　fairness；　and　if　this　was　the　object　of　their　coming　to　Egypt；　they　advised　them　to　confine　the　contests　to　strangers；　and　allow　no　native　of　Elis　to　be　a　candidate。〃　Such　was　the　advice　which　the　Egyptians　gave　to　the　Eleans。　　　　　Psammis　reigned　only　six　years。　He　attacked　Ethiopia；　and　died　almost　directly　afterwards。　Apries；　his　son；　succeeded　him　upon　the　throne；　who；　excepting　Psammetichus；　his　great…grandfather；　was　the　most　prosperous　of　all　the　kings　that　ever　ruled　over　Egypt。　The　length　of　his　reign　was　twenty…five　years；　and　in　the　course　of　it　he　marched　an　army　to　attack　Sidon；　and　fought　a　battle　with　the　king　of　Tyre　by　sea。　When　at　length　the　time　came　that　was　fated　to　bring　him　woe；　an　occasion　arose　which　I　shall　describe　more　fully　in　my　Libyan　history；　only　touching　it　very　briefly　here。　An　army　despatched　by　Apries　to　attack　Cyrene；　having　met　with　a　terrible　reverse；　the　Egyptians　laid　the　blame　on　him；　imagining　that　he　had；　of　malice　prepense；　sent　the　troops　into　the　jaws　of　destruction。　They　believed　he　had　wished　a　vast　number　of　them　to　be　slain　in　order　that　he　himself　might　reign　with　more　security　over　the　rest　of　the　Egyptians。　Indignant　therefore　at　this　usage；　the　soldiers　who　returned　and　the　friends　of　the　slain　broke　instantly　into　revolt。　　　　　Apries；　on　learning　these　circumstances；　sent　Amasis　to　the　rebels　to　appease　the　tumult　by　persuasion。　Upon　his　arrival；　as　he　was　seek。　ing　to　restrain　the　malcontents　by　his　exhortations；　one　of　them；　coming　behind　him；　put　a　helmet　on　his　head；　saying；　as　he　put　it　on；　that　he　thereby　crowned　him　king。　Amasis　was　not　altogether　displeased　at　the　action；　as　his　conduct　soon　made　manifest；　for　no　sooner　had　the　insurgents　agreed　to　make　him　actually　their　king　than　he　prepared　to　march　with　them　against　Apries。　That　monarch；　on　tidings　of　these　events　reaching　him；　sent　Patarbemis；　one　of　his　courtiers；　a　man　of　high　rank；　to　Amasis　with　orders　to　bring　him　alive　into　his　presence。　Patarbemis；　on　arriving　at　the　place　where　Amasis　was；　called　on　him　to　come　back　with　him　to　the　king；　whereupon　Amasis　broke　a　coarse　jest；　and　said；　〃Prythee　take　that　back　to　thy　master。〃　When　the　envoy；　notwithstanding　this　reply；　persisted　in　his　request；　exhorting　Amasis　to　obey　the　summons　of　the　king；　he　made　answer　〃that　this　was　exactly　what　he　had　long　been　intending　to　do；　Apries　would　have　no　reason　to　complain　of　him　on　the　score　of　delay；　he　would　shortly　come　himself　to　the　king；　and　bring　others　with　him。〃　Patarbemis；　upon　this；　comprehending　the　intention　of　Amasis；　partly　from　his　replies　and　partly　from　the　preparations　which　he　saw　in　progress；　departed　hastily；　wishing　to　inform　the　king　with　all　speed　of　what　was　going　on。　Apries；　however；　when　he　saw　him　approaching　without　Amasis；　fell　into　a　paroxysm　of　rage；　and　not　giving　himself　time　for　reflection；　commanded　the　nose　and　ears　of　Patarbemis　to　be　cut　off。　Then　the　rest　of　the　Egyptians；　who　had　hitherto　espoused　the　cause　of　Apries；　when　they　saw　a　man　of　such　note　among　them　so　shamefully　outraged；　without　a　moment's　hesitation　went　over　to　the　rebels；　and　put　themselves　at　the　disposal　of　Amasis。　　　　　Apries；　informed　of　this　new　calamity；　armed　his　mercenaries；　and　led　them　against　the　Egyptians：　this　was　a　body　of　Carians　and　Ionians；　numbering　thirty　thousand　men；　which　was　now　with　him　at　Says；　where　his　palace　stood…　a　vast　building；　well　worthy　of　notice。　The　army　of　Apries　marched　out　to　attack　the　host　of　the　Egyptians；　while　that　of　Amasis　went　forth　to　fight　the　strangers；　and　now　both　armies　drew　near　the　city　of　Momemphis　and　prepared　for　the　coming　fight。　　　　　The　Egyptians　are　divided　into　seven　distinct　classes…　these　are；　the　priests；　the　warriors；　the　cowherds；　the　swineherds；　the　tradesmen；　the　interpreters；　and　the　boatmen。　Their　titles　indicate　their　occupations。　The　warriors　consist　of　Hermotybians　and　Calascirians；　who　come　from　different　cantons；　the　whole　of　Egypt　being　parcelled　out　into　districts　bearing　this　name。　　　　　The　following　cantons　furnish　the　Hermotybians：…　The　cantons　of　Busiris；　Sais；　Chemmis；　Papremis；　that　of　the　island　called　Prosopitis；　and　half　of　Natho。　They　number；　when　most　numerous；　a　hundred　and　sixty　thousand。　None　of　them　ever　practices　a　trade；　but　all　are　given　wholly　to　war。　　　　　The　cantons　of　the　Calascirians　are　different…　they　include　the　following：…　The　cantons　of　Thebes；　Bubastis；　Aphthis；　Tanis；　Mendes；　Sebennytus；　Athribis；　Pharbaethus；　Thmuis；　Onuphis；　Anysis；　and　Myecphoris…　this　last　canton　consists　of　an　island　which　lies　over　against　the　town　of　Bubastis。　The　Calascirians；　when　at　their　greatest　number；　have　amounted　to　two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand。　Like　the　Hermotybians；　they　are　forbidden　to　pursue　any　trade；　and　devote　themselves　entirely　to　warlike　exercises；　the　son　following　the　father's　calling。　　　　　Whether　the　Greeks　borrowed　from　the　Egyptians　their　notions　about　trade；　like　so　many　others；　I　cannot　say　for　certain。　I　have　remarked　that　the　Thracians；　the　Scyths；　the　Persians；　the　Lydians；　and　almost　all　other　barbarians；　hold　the　citizens　who　practice　trades；　and　their　children；　in　less　repute　than　the　rest；　while　they　esteem　as　noble　those　who　keep　aloof　from　handicrafts；　and　especially　honour　such　as　are　given　wholly　to　war。　These　ideas　prevail　throughout　the　whole　of　Greece；　particularly　among　the　Lacedaemonians。　Corinth　is　the　place　where　mechanics　are　least　despised。　　　　　The　warrior　class　in　Egypt　had　certain　special　privileges　in　which　none　of　the　rest　of　the　Egyptians　participated；　except　the　priests。　In　the　first　place　each　man　had　twelve　arurae　of　land　assigned　him　free　from　tax。　（The　arura　is　a　square　of　a　hundred　Egyptian　cubits；　the　Egyptian　cubit　being　of　the　same　length　as　the　Samian。）　All　the　warriors　enjoyed　this　privilege　together；　but　there　were　other　advantages　which　came　to　each　in　rotation；　the　same　man　never　obtaining　them　twice。　A　thousand　Calascirians；　and　the　same　number　of　Hermotybians；　formed　in　alternate　years　the　body…guard　of　the　king；　and　during　their　year　of　service　these　persons；　besides　their　arurae；　received　a　daily　portion　of　meat　and　drink；　consisting　of　five　pounds　of　baked　bread；　two　pounds　of　beef；　and　four　cups　of　wine。　　　　　When　Apries；　at　the　head　of　his　mercenaries；　and　Amasis；　in　command　of　the　whole　native　force　of　the　Egyptians；　encountered　one　another　near　the　city　of　Momemphis；　an　engagement　presently　took　place。　The　foreign　troops　fought　bravely；　but　were　overpowered　by　numbers；　in　which　they　fell　very　far　short　of　their　adversaries。　It　is　said　that　Apries　believed　that　there　was　not　a　god　who　could　cast　him　down　from　his　eminence；　so　firmly　did　he　think　that　he　had　established　himself　in　his　kingdom。　But　at　this　time　the　battle　went　against　him；　and　his　army　being　worsted；　he　fell　into　the　enemy's　hands　and　was　brought　back　a　prisoner　to　Sais；　where　he　was　lodged　in　what　had　been　his　own　house；　but　was　now　the　palace