and excess should cause a tendency to increase "the corporeal man," that they paid a scrupulous attention to the most trifling particulars of diet: and similar precautions were extended even to the deified animals: Apis, if we may believe Plutarch*, not being allowed to drink the water of the Nile, since it was thought to possess a fattening property. They were not only scrupulous about the quantity, but the quality of their food; and certain viands were alone allowed to appear at table. Above all meats, that of swine was particularly obnoxious; and fish both of the sea and the Nile was forbidden them†, though so generally eaten by the rest of the Egyptians. And indeed, on the 9th of the month Thoth ‡, when a religious ceremony obliged all the people to eat a fried fish before the door of their houses, the priests were not even then expected to conform to the general custom, and they were contented to substitute the ceremony of burning theirs at the appointed time. Beans they held in utter abhorrence; and Herodotus affirms § that "they were never sown in the country; and if they grew spontaneously, they neither formed an article of food, nor even if cooked were ever eaten by the Egyptians.” But this aversion, which originated in a supposed sanatary regulation, and which was afterwards so *Plut. de Is. s. v. + Pythagoras borrowed his aversion to fish from Egypt. Plut. Symp. viii. 8. Plutarch says, "the first month," which was Thoth. The 1st of Thoth coincided, at the time of the Roman conquest, with the 29th of August. Plut. de Is. s. vii. Vide Herodot. ii. 37. Herodot. ii. 37. scrupulously adopted by Pythagoras, "did not," as I have already had occasion to observe*, "preclude their cultivation;" and Diodorust expressly states, that some only abstained from them, as from others of the numerous pulse and vegetables which abounded in Egypt. Of these, lentils, peas, garlick, leeks, and onions were the most objectionable, and no priest was permitted to eat them under any pretence; but that the prohibition regarding them, as well as certain meats, was confined to the sacerdotal order, is evident from the statements of many ancient writers; and even swine were §, if we may believe Plutarch, not forbidden to the other Egyptians at all times: "for those who sacrifice a sow to Typho once a year, at the full moon, afterwards eat its flesh." It is a remarkable fact that onions, as well as the first fruits of their lentils ¶, were admitted among the offerings placed upon the altars of the gods, together with gourds**, cakes, beef, goose, or wild fowl, grapes, figs, wine, and the head of the victim; and they were sometimes arranged in a hollow circular bunch, which, descending upon the table or altar, enveloped and served as a cover * In my Egypt and Thebes, p. 216. † Diod. i. 89. Plut. s. viii. Diod. i. 81. Juv, sat. xv. "Porrum et cepe nefas violare ac frangere morsu." On the day of the full moon, says Herodotus, the people eat part of the victim they have sacrificed to that deity, but on no other occasion do they taste the meat of swine. ii. 47. || Plut. de Is. s. viii. They were offered in the month of Mesore (August). Plut. de Is. s. lxviii. ** Cucurbita lagenaria, y, fructu longiore, eduli, of Linn. Arab. qarra toweel. to whatever was placed upon it. And the privilege of presenting them in this form appears to have been generally enjoyed by that class of priests who wore the leopard-skin dress.* In general, "the priests abstained from most sorts of pulse, from mutton, and swine's flesh; and in their more solemn purifications, even excluded salt from their meals t;" but some vegetables were considered lawful food, being preferred by them for their wholesome nature, and it is certain that the leguminous productions and fruits of Egypt are frequently introduced into the sculptures, and are noticed by Pliny and other authors as abundant, and of the most excellent quality. In their ablutions as in their diet, they were *This spotted skin has been mistaken for that of the ve6pic, or fawn. Plut. de. Is. s. xxxv. + Plut. de Is. s. v. When Alexandria was taken by Amer, 4000 persons were engaged in selling vegetables in that city. equally severe, and they maintained the strictest observance of numerous religious customs. They bathed twice a day and twice during the night*; and some who pretended to a more rigid observance of religious duties, washed themselves with water which had been tasted by the ibis, supposed in consequence to bear an unquestionable evidence of its purity; and shaving the head and the whole body every third day, they spared no pains to promote the cleanliness of their persons without indulging in the luxuries of the bath. A grand ceremony of purification took place previous and preparatory to their fasts, many of which lasted from seven to forty-two days ‡, and sometimes even a longer period: during which time they abstained entirely from animal food, from herbs and vegetables, and above all from the indulgence of the passions. DRESSES. Their dress was simple; but the robes of ceremony were grand and imposing, and each grade was distinguished by its peculiar costume. The high priest who superintended the immolating of the victims, the processions of the sacred boats or arks, the presentation of the offerings at the altar §, or at funerals, and the anointing of the * Herodot. ii. 37. Porphyry says thrice a day, and the nocturnal ablutions were only required on certain occasions. + It is supposed that Homer alludes to this when speaking of the priests of Jove (Il. xvi. 238.), though he describes them with unwashed feet: 66 αμφι δε Σελλοι Σοι ναίουσ' ὑποφηται ανιπτόποδες, χαμαιεύναι.” Porphyr. de Abstinentiâ, 1. iv. s. 7. Probably in the capacity of priest to the king. |