been governed ever since by foreigners. For since the ruin of the Persian monarchy, it has been subject successively to the Macedonians, the Romans, the Saracens, the Mamalukes, and lastly to the Turks, who possess it at this day. In God was not less punctual in the accomplishment of his prophecies, with regard to such of his own people as had retired, contrary to his prohibition, into Egypt, after the taking of Jerusalem, and forced Jeremiah along with them. The instant they had reached Egypt, and were arrived at Taphnis, or Tanis, the prophet, after having hid in their presence, by God's command, stones in a grotto, which was near the king's palace, he declared to them, that Nabuchodonosor should soon arrive in Egypt, and that God would establish his throne in that very place; that this prince would lay waste the whole kingdom, and carry fire and sword into all places; that themselves should fall into the hands of these cruel enemies, when one part of them should be massacred, and the rest led captive to Babylon; that only a very small number should escape the common desolation, and be at last restored to their country. All these prophecies had their accomplishment in the appointed time. "AMASIS. After the death of Apries, Amasis became peaceable possessor of Egypt, and reigned forty years over it. He was, according to Plato, a native of the city of Sais. As he was, but of mean extraction, he met with no respect, but was only contemned by his subjects in the Jerem. xliii. xliv. DA. M. 3435. Ant. J. C. 569. In Tim Herod. 1. ii. c. 172. beginning of his reign: he was not insensible of this; but nevertheless thought it his interest to subdue their tempers by an artful carriage, and win their affection by gentleness and reason. He had a golden cistern, in which himself, and those persons who were admitted to his table, used to wash their feet: he melted it down, and had it cast into a statue, and then exposed the new god to public worship, The people hasted in crowds to pay their adoration to the statue. The king, having assembled the people, informed them of the vile uses to which this statue had once been put, which nevertheless had now their religious prostrations: the application was easy, and had the desired success; the people thenceforward paid the king all the respect that is due to majesty. "He always used to devote the whole morning to public affairs, in order to receive petitions, give audience, pronounce sentence, and hold his councils: the rest of the day was given to pleasure; and as Amasis, in hours of diversion, was extremely gay, and seemed to carry his mirth beyond due bounds, his courtiers took the liberty to represent to him the unsuitableness of such a behaviour; when he answered, that it was as impossible for the mind to be always serious, and intent upon business, as for a bow to continue always bent. It was this king who obliged the inhabitants of every town to enter their names in a book kept by the magistrate for that purpose, with their profession and manner of living. Solon inserted this custom among his laws. He built many magnificent temples, especially at Sais, the place of his birth. Herodotus admired especially a chapel there, formed of one single stone, and which was twenty one cubits' in front, fourteen in depth, and eight in height; its dimensions within were not quite so large. It had been brought from Elephantina, and two thousand men were employed three years in conveying it along the Nile. Amasis had a great esteem for the Greeks. He granted them large privileges, and permitted such of them as were desirous of settling in Egypt, to live in the city of Naucratis, so famous for its harbour. When the rebuilding of the temple of Delphi, which had been burnt, was debated on, and the expense was computed at three hundred talents," Amasis furnished the Delphians with a very considerable sum towards discharging their quota, which was the fourth part of the whole charge. He made an alliance with the Cyrenians, and married a wife from among them. He is the only king of Egypt who conquered the island of Cyprus, and made it tributary. Under his reign Pythagoras came into Egypt, being recommended to that monarch by the famous Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, who had contracted a friendship with Amasis, and will be mentioned hereafter. Pythagoras, during his stay in Egypt, was initiated in all the mysteries of the country, and instructed by the priests in whatever was most abstruse and importar.t in their religion. It was here he imbibed his doctrine of the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls. Vide supra The cubit is one foot and almost ten inches. In the expedition in which Cyrus conquered so great a part of the world, Egypt doubtless was subdued like the rest of the provinces; and Xenophon declares this in the beginning of his Cyropedia, or institutions of that prince. Probably, after that the forty years of desolation, which had been prophesied by the prophet, were expired, Egypt beginning gradually to recover itself, Amasis shook off the yoke, and recovered his liberty. Accordingly we find, that one of the first cares of Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, after he had ascended the throne, was to carry his arms into Egypt. On his arrival there, Amasis was just dead, and succeeded by his son Psammenitus. "PSAMMENITUS. Cambyses, after having gained a battle, pursued the enemy tó Memphis; besieged the city, and soon took it: however, he treated the king with clemency, granted him his life, and assigned him an honourable pension; but being informed that he was secretly concerting measures to reascend his throne, he put him to death. Psammenitus reigned but six months: all Egypt submitted immediately to the victor. The particulars of this history will be related more at large, when I come to that of Cambyses. Here ends the succession of the Egyptian kings. From this era the history of this nation, as was before observed, will be blended with that of the Persians and Greeks, till the death of Alexander. At that period, a new monarchy will arise in Egypt, founded by * Έπηξε δι και Ελλήνων των εν τη Ασία, καταβας δε επί θαλασίας, και Kungian, nai Aigual, p. 5. Edit. Hutchinsoni. • A. M. 3479. Ant. J. C. 525. |