Of the city of Bubastis he gives a vivid picture, which has been
translated by an old English author as follows: "The noble city of
Bubastis seemeth to be very haughty and highly planted, in which city is
a temple of excellent memory dedicate to the goddesse Bubastis, called
in our speech Diana, than the which, albeit there be other churches
both bigger and more richly furnished, yet for the sightly grace and
seemelynesse of building, there is none comparable unto it. Besides,
the very entrance and way that leadeth unto the city, the rest is in
forme of an Ilande, inclosed round about with two sundry streames of the
river Nilus, which runne to either side of the path way, and leauing
as it were a lane or causey betweene them, without meeting, take their
course another way. These armes of the floud are each of them an hundred
foote broade, beset on both sides the banckes with fayre braunched
trees, ouershadowing ye waters with a coole and pleasant shade. The
gate or entry of the city is in heighth 10. paces, hauing in the front
a beautifull image, 6. cubites in measure. The temple it selfe situate
in the middest of ye city, is euermore in sight to those yt passe to
and fro. For although ye city by addition of earth was arrered and made
higher, yet ye temple standing as it did in ye beginning, and neuer
mooued, is in maner of a lofty and stately tower, in open and cleare
viewe to euery parte of ye city. Round about the which goeth a wall,
ingrauen with figures and portraitures of sundry beasts. The inner
temple is enuironed with an high grove of trees, set and planted by the
hande and industrie of men: in the whiche temple is standing an image.
The length of the temple is in euery way a furlong. From the entrance of
the temple Eastward, there is a fayre large causey leading to the house
of Mercury, in length three furlongs and four acres broade, all of faire
stone, and hemmed in on each side with a course of goodly tall trees
planted by the hands of men, and thus as touching the description of ye
temple."
Nefer-Tem
Nefer-tem was the son of Ptah and Sekhmet, or of Ptah and Bast. He is
drawn as a man surmounted by plumes and sometimes standing upon a lion.
Indeed, occasionally he is painted as having the head of a lion and
with a body in mummy-shape. In early times he was symbolized by the
lotus-flower. He was the third member of the triad of Memphis, which was
made up of himself with Ptah and Sekhmet. His attributes are anything
but well defined, but he is probably the young Tem, god of the rising
sun. He is perhaps typified by the lotus because the sun would often
seem to the Egyptians to rise from beds of this plant in the Delta of
the country. In later texts he is identified with numerous gods all of
whom appear to be forms of Horus or Thoth.
I-em-hetep
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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