The Catholic World, Vol. 14, October 1871-March 1872: A Monthly Magazine of General Literature and ScienceVarious
Religion
The Catholic World, Vol. 14, October 1871-March 1872: A Monthly Magazine of General Literature and Science
Various
Catholic Church -- Periodicals
“Considering that King Ptolemy, still living, the well-beloved of
Pthah, the divine Epiphanes, son of King Ptolemy and Queen Arsinoë,
gods philopatores, has conferred all kinds of benefits on the temples
as well as those who dwell in them, and in general on all those who
are under his dominion: that being a god, the offspring of a god and
goddess, like Horus the son of Isis and Osiris, the avenger of Osiris,
his father, and, eager to manifest his zeal for the things that
pertain to the gods, he has consecrated great revenues to the service
of the temple, in money as well as grain, and expended large sums in
restoring tranquillity to Egypt, and constructing temples therein:
“That he has neglected no means in his power of performing humane
deeds; that in order that in his kingdom the people and all the
citizens generally might possess an abundance, he has repealed some of
the tributes and taxes established in Egypt, and diminished the weight
of the remainder; that he has, besides, remitted all that was due him
from the rents of the crown, either from his subjects, the people of
Egypt, or those of his other kingdoms, though these rents were of
considerable amount; that he has released all those who were
imprisoned and condemned for a long time;
“That he has ordered that the revenues of the temples, and the rents
paid them annually in grain, as well as in money, together with the
portions reserved for the gods from the vineyards, the orchards, and
all other places to which they had a right from the time of his
father, should continue to be collected in the country;
“That he has dispensed those who belong to the sacerdotal tribes from
making an annual journey to Alexandria (the seat of royalty after the 69
accession of the Lagides);
“That he has bestowed many gifts on Apis, Mnevis, and other sacred
animals of Egypt;...
“It has, therefore, pleased the priests of all the temples of the land
to decree that all the honors due King Ptolemy, still living, the
well-beloved of Pthah, the divine Epiphanes, most gracious, as well as
those which are due to his father and mother, gods, philopatores, and
those which are due to his ancestors, should be considerably
augmented; that the statue of King Ptolemy, still living, be erected
in every temple and placed in the most conspicuous spot, which shall
be called the statue of Ptolemy, the avenger of Egypt. This statue
shall be placed near the principal god of the temple, who shall
present him with the arms of victory, and all things shall be arranged
in the most appropriate manner; that the priests shall perform three
times a day religious service before these statues; that they adorn
them with sacred ornaments; and that they have care to render them, in
the great solemnities, all the honors which, according to usage,
should be paid the other gods....
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