Herodotus states,[180] that the priests of Egypt kept in a spacious building large images of wood, representing all their preceding _high priests_, arranged in genealogical order, every high priest placing his image there during his life. They mentioned to Hecatæus, the historian, when they were showing this edifice to him, that each of the images he saw represented a _Piromis_, begotten by another _Piromis_, which word, says Herodotus, signifies, in their language, a _virtuous_ and _honest man_. A passage from Synesius, the celebrated bishop of Cyrene, in his treatise “on Providence,” at once coincides with, and is illustrative of this anecdote. “The father of Osiris and Typhon,” says he, “was at the same time a _king_, a _priest_, and a _philosopher_. The Egyptian histories also rank him among the gods; for the Egyptians are disposed to believe that many divinities reigned in their country in succession before it was governed by men, and before their kings were reckoned in a genealogical order by _Peirom_ after Peirom.” The Japanese celebrate an annual festival in honour of one _Pireun_, who, they say, was many ages ago king of _Formosa_, and who, being disgusted with the abandoned morals of his subjects--wealthy traders--consigned himself solely to the worship of the gods. Forewarned in a dream, he took flight from the impending visitation, and had scarcely sailed ere the island, with its inhabitants, sunk to the bottom of the sea. As for the good king, he arrived safe in China, whence he went over to Japan, where he has been ever since honoured by the above commemoration. The true Coptic name for those edifices is Pire monc--which signifies a _sunbeam_[181]--not so much in allusion to their _form_ as to their appropriation, which we shall make the subject of a separate inquiry. It has, I trust, satisfactorily been proved that the erection and nomination of those wondrous edifices were not of _native_ growth. It has, I trust, additionally appeared that _both_ were essentially Indian. It may not now be “ungermane to the matter,” if we would for a moment digress, to consider the era of their probable date, as introductory to the character of their probable destination. Josephus expressly informs us that the Israelites were employed in the construction of the pyramids. Is there any reason why we should doubt so respectable an authority? Oh, yes, it is said the Scriptures are against it--the task of the Israelites during their bondage being exclusively confined to the making of brick. I deny that the Scriptures either allege or insinuate any such thing. On the contrary, we may fairly infer, from Ex. ix. 8, 10, that they were engaged in other servile offices; as also from Ps. lxxxi. 6, where it is said, “I removed his shoulder from the _burden_, and his hands were delivered from the _mortar-box_”--not _pots_, as our translation has it; and such rendering is supported by the Septuagint, Vulgate, Symmachus, and others.[182]