History of Egypt From 330 B.C. To the Present Time, Volume 10 (of 12)Rappoport, A. S. (Angelo Solomon)
History
History of Egypt From 330 B.C. To the Present Time, Volume 10 (of 12)
Rappoport, A. S. (Angelo Solomon)
Egypt -- History
Then came Philiscus the poet, the priest of Osiris, with all the
servants of the god; then the Delphic tripods, the prizes which were
to be given in the wrestling matches; that for the boys was nine cubits
high, and that for the men twelve cubits high. Next came a four-wheeled
car, fourteen cubits long and eight wide, drawn along by one hundred
and eighty men, on which was the statue of Osiris, fifteen feet high,
pouring wine out of a golden vase, and having a scarlet frock down to
his feet, with a yellow transparent robe over it, and over all a scarlet
cloak. Before the statue was a large golden bowl, and a tripod with
bowls of incense on it. Over the whole was an awning of ivy and vine
leaves; and in the same chariot were the priests and priestesses of the
god.
This was followed by a smaller chariot drawn by sixty men, in which was
the statue of Isis in a robe of yellow and gold. Then came a chariot
full of grapes, and another with a large cask of wine, which was poured
out on the road, as the procession moved on, and at which the eager
crowd filled their jugs and drinking-cups. Then came another band of
satyrs and Sileni, and more chariots of wine; then eighty Delphic vases
of silver, and Panathenaic and other vases; and sixteen hundred dancing
boys in white frocks and golden crowns: then a number of beautiful
pictures; and a chariot carrying a grove of trees, out of which flew
pigeons and doves, so tied that they might be easily caught by the
crowd.
On another chariot, drawn by an elephant, came Osiris, as he returned
from his Indian conquests. He was followed by twenty-four chariots drawn
by elephants, sixty drawn by goats, twelve by some kind of stags,
seven by gazelles, four by wild asses, fifteen by buffaloes, eight by
ostriches, and seven by stags of some other kind. Then came chariots
loaded with the tributes of the conquered nations; men of Ethiopia
carrying six hundred elephants' teeth; sixty huntsmen leading two
thousand four hundred dogs; and one hundred and fifty men carrying
trees, in the branches of which were tied parrots and other beautiful
birds. Next walked the foreign animals, Ethiopian and Arabian sheep,
Brahmin bulls, a white bear, leopards, panthers, bears, a camelopard,
and a rhinoceros; proving to the wondering crowd the variety and
strangeness of the countries that owned their monarch's sway.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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