using them they loose them again; for if they were stretched tight
always they would break, so that the men would not be able to use them
when they needed them. So also is the state of man: if he should always
be in earnest and not relax himself for sport at the due time, he would
either go mad or be struck with stupor before he was aware; and knowing
this well, I distribute a portion of the time to each of the two ways of
living." Thus he replied to his friends. It is said however that Amasis,
even when he was in a private station, was a lover of drinking and of
jesting, and not at all seriously disposed; and whenever his means of
livelihood failed him through his drinking and luxurious living, he
would go about and steal; and they from whom he stole would charge him
with having their property, and when he denied it would bring him before
the judgment of an Oracle, whenever there was one in their place;
and many times he was convicted by the Oracles and many times he was
absolved: and then when finally he became king he did as follows:--as
many of the gods as had absolved him and pronounced him not to be a
thief, to their temples he paid no regard, nor gave anything for the
further adornment of them, nor even visited them to offer sacrifice,
considering them to be worth nothing and to possess lying Oracles; but
as many as had convicted him of being a thief, to these he paid very
great regard, considering them to be truly gods, and to present Oracles
which did not lie. First in Sais he built and completed for Athene a
temple-gateway which is a great marvel, and he far surpassed herein all
who had done the like before, both in regard to height and greatness,
so large are the stones and of such quality. Then secondly he dedicated
great colossal statues and man-headed sphinxes very large, and for
restoration he caused to be brought from the stone-quarries which
are opposite Memphis, others of very great size from the city of
Elephantine, distant a voyage of not less than twenty days from Sais:
and of them all I marvel most at this, namely a monolith chamber which
he brought from the city of Elephantine; and they were three years
engaged in bringing this, and two thousand men were appointed to convey
it, who all were of the class of boatmen. Of this house the length
outside is one-and-twenty cubits, the breadth is fourteen cubits, and
the height eight. These are the measures of the monolith house outside;
but the length inside is eighteen cubits and five-sixths of a cubit, the
breadth twelve cubits, and the height five cubits. This lies by the side
of the entrance to the temple; for within the temple they did not draw
it, because, as it is said, while the house was being drawn along, the
chief artificer of it groaned aloud, seeing that much time had been
spent and he was wearied by the work; and Amasis took it to heart as a
warning and did not allow them to draw it further onwards. Some say on