the history-第46节

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　tastes　for　drinking　and　jesting；　and　was　averse　to　engaging　in　any　serious　employment。　He　lived　in　constant　feasts　and　revelries；　and　whenever　his　means　failed　him；　he　roamed　about　and　robbed　people。　On　such　occasions　the　persons　from　whom　he　had　stolen　would　bring　him；　if　he　denied　the　charge；　before　the　nearest　oracle；　sometimes　the　oracle　would　pronounce　him　guilty　of　the　theft；　at　other　times　it　would　acquit　him。　When　afterwards　he　came　to　be　king；　he　neglected　the　temples　of　such　gods　as　had　declared　that　he　was　not　a　thief；　and　neither　contributed　to　their　adornment　nor　frequented　them　for　sacrifice；　since　he　regarded　them　as　utterly　worthless　and　their　oracles　as　wholly　false：　but　the　gods　who　had　detected　his　guilt　he　considered　to　be　true　gods　whose　oracles　did　not　deceive；　and　these　he　honoured　exceedingly。　　　　　First　of　all；　therefore；　he　built　the　gateway　of　the　temple　of　Minerva　at　Sais；　which　is　an　astonishing　work；　far　surpassing　all　other　buildings　of　the　same　kind　both　in　extent　and　height；　and　built　with　stones　of　rare　size　and　excellency。　In　the　next　place；　he　presented　to　the　temple　a　number　of　large　colossal　statues　and　several　prodigious　andro…sphinxes；　besides　certain　stones　for　the　repairs；　of　a　most　extraordinary　size。　Some　of　these　he　got　from　the　quarries　over　against　Memphis；　but　the　largest　were　brought　from　Elephantine；　which　is　twenty　days'　voyage　from　Sais。　Of　all　these　wonderful　masses　that　which　I　most　admire　is　a　chamber　made　of　a　single　stone；　which　was　quarried　at　Elephantine。　It　took　three　years　to　convey　this　block　from　the　quarry　to　Sais；　and　in　the　conveyance　were　employed　no　fewer　than　two　thousand　labourers；　who　were　all　from　the　class　of　boatmen。　The　length　of　this　chamber　on　the　outside　is　twenty…one　cubits；　its　breadth　fourteen　cubits；　and　its　height；　eight。　The　measurements　inside　are　the　following：…　the　length；　eighteen　cubits　and　five…sixths；　the　breadth；　twelve　cubits；　and　the　height；　five。　It　lies　near　the　entrance　of　the　temple；　where　it　was　left　in　consequence　of　the　following　circumstance：…　it　happened　that　the　architect；　just　as　the　stone　had　reached　the　spot　where　it　now　stands；　heaved　a　sigh；　considering　the　length　of　time　that　the　removal　had　taken；　and　feeling　wearied　with　the　heavy　toil。　The　sigh　was　heard　by　Amasis　who；　regarding　it　as　an　omen；　would　not　allow　the　chamber　to　be　moved　forward　any　farther。　Some；　however；　say　that　one　of　the　workmen　engaged　at　the　levers　was　crushed　and　killed　by　the　mass；　and　that　this　was　the　reason　of　its　being　left　where　it　now　stands。　　　　　To　the　other　temples　of　much　note　Amasis　also　made　magnificent　offerings…　at　Memphis；　for　instance；　he　gave　the　recumbent　colossus　in　front　of　the　temple　of　Vulcan；　which　is　seventy…five　feet　long。　Two　other　colossal　statues　stand　on　the　same　base；　each　twenty　feet　high；　carved　in　the　stone　of　Ethiopia；　one　on　either　side　of　the　temple。　There　is　also　a　stone　colossus　of　the　same　size　at　Says；　recumbent　like　that　at　Memphis。　Amasis　finally　built　the　temple　of　Isis　at　Memphis；　a　vast　structure；　well　worth　seeing。　　　　　It　is　said　that　the　reign　of　Amasis　was　the　most　prosperous　time　that　Egypt　ever　saw；…　the　river　was　more　liberal　to　the　land；　and　the　land　brought　forth　more　abundantly　for　the　service　of　man　than　had　ever　been　known　before；　while　the　number　of　inhabited　cities　was　not　less　than　twenty　thousand。　It　was　this　king　Amasis　who　established　the　law　that　every　Egyptian　should　appear　once　a　year　before　the　governor　of　his　canton；　and　show　his　means　of　living；　or；　failing　to　do　so；　and　to　prove　that　he　got　an　honest　livelihood；　should　be　put　to　death。　Solon　the　Athenian　borrowed　this　law　from　the　Egyptians；　and　imposed　it　on　his　countrymen；　who　have　observed　it　ever　since。　It　is　indeed　an　excellent　custom。　　　　　Amasis　was　partial　to　the　Greeks；　and　among　other　favours　which　he　granted　them；　gave　to　such　as　liked　to　settle　in　Egypt　the　city　of　Naucratis　for　their　residence。　To　those　who　only　wished　to　trade　upon　the　coast；　and　did　not　want　to　fix　their　abode　in　the　country；　he　granted　certain　lands　where　they　might　set　up　altars　and　erect　temples　to　the　gods。　Of　these　temples　the　grandest　and　most　famous；　which　is　also　the　most　frequented；　is　that　called　〃the　Hellenium。〃　It　was　built　conjointly　by　the　Ionians；　Dorians；　and　Aeolians；　the　following　cities　taking　part　in　the　work：…　the　Ionian　states　of　Chios；　Teos；　Phocaea；　and　Clazomenae；　Rhodes；　Cnidus；　Halicarnassus；　and　Phaselis　of　the　Dorians；　and　Mytilene　of　the　Aeolians。　These　are　the　states　to　whom　the　temple　belongs；　and　they　have　the　right　of　appointing　the　governors　of　the　factory；　the　other　cities　which　claim　a　share　in　the　building；　claim　what　in　no　sense　belongs　to　them。　Three　nations；　however；　consecrated　for　themselves　separate　temples…　the　Eginetans　one　to　Jupiter；　the　Samians　to　Juno；　and　the　Milesians　to　Apollo。　　　　　In　ancient　times　there　was　no　factory　but　Naucratis　in　the　whole　of　Egypt；　and　if　a　person　entered　one　of　the　other　mouths　of　the　Nile；　he　was　obliged　to　swear　that　he　had　not　come　there　of　his　own　free　will。　Having　so　done；　he　was　bound　to　sail　in　his　ship　to　the　Canobic　mouth；　or　were　that　impossible　owing　to　contrary　winds；　he　must　take　his　wares　by　boat　all　round　the　Delta；　and　so　bring　them　to　Naucratis；　which　had　an　exclusive　privilege。　　　　　It　happened　in　the　reign　of　Amasis　that　the　temple　of　Delphi　had　been　accidentally　burnt；　and　the　Amphictyons　had　contracted　to　have　it　rebuilt　for　three　hundred　talents；　of　which　sum　one…fourth　was　to　be　furnished　by　the　Delphians。　Under　these　circumstances　the　Delphians　went　from　city　to　city　begging　contributions；　and　among　their　other　wanderings　came　to　Egypt　and　asked　for　help。　From　few　other　places　did　they　obtain　so　much…　Amasis　gave　them　a　thousand　talents　of　alum；　and　the　Greek　settlers　twenty　minae。　　　　　A　league　was　concluded　by　Amasis　with　the　Cyrenaeans；　by　which　Cyrene　and　Egypt　became　close　friends　and　allies。　He　likewise　took　a　wife　from　that　city；　either　as　a　sign　of　his　friendly　feeling；　or　because　he　had　a　fancy　to　marry　a　Greek　woman。　However　this　may　be；　certain　it　is　that　he　espoused　a　lady　of　Cyrene；　by　name　Ladice；　daughter；　some　say；　of　Battus　or　Arcesilaus；　the　king…　others；　of　Critobulus；　one　of　the　chief　citizens。　When　the　time　came　to　complete　the　contract；　Amasis　was　struck　with　weakness。　Astonished　hereat…　for　he　was　not　wont　to　be　so　afflicted…　the　king　thus　addressed　his　bride：　〃Woman；　thou　hast　certainly　bewitched　me…　now　therefore　be　sure　thou　shalt　perish　more　miserably　than　ever　woman　perished　yet。〃　Ladice　protested　her　innocence；　but　in　vain；　Amasis　was　not　softened。　Hereupon　she　made　a　vow　internally；　that　if　he　recovered　within　the　day　（for　no　longer　time　was　allowed　her）；　she　would　present　a　statue　to　the　temple　of　Venus　at　Cyrene。　Immediately　she　obtained　her　wish；　and　the　king's　weakness　disappeared。　Amasis　loved　her　greatly　ever　after；　and　Ladice　performed　her　vow。　The　statue　which　she　caused　to　be　made；　and　sent　to　Cyrene　continued　there　to　my　day；　standing　with　its　face　looking　outwards　from　the　city。　Ladice　herself；　when　Cambyses　conquered　Egypt；　suffered　no　wrong；　for　Cambyses；　on　learning　of　her　who　she　was；　sent　her　back　unharmed　to　her　country。　　　　　Besides　the　marks　of　favour　already　mentioned；　Amasis　also　enriched　with　offerings　many　of　the　Greek　temples。　He　sent　to　Cyrene　a　statue　of　Minerva　covered　with　plates　of　gold；　and　a　painted　likeness　of　himself。　To　the　Minerva　of　Lindus　he　gave　two　statues　in　stone；　and　a　linen　corslet　well　worth　inspection。　To　the　Samian　Juno　he　presented　two　statues　of　himself；　made　in　wood；　which　stood　in　the　great　temple　to　my　day；　behind　the　doors。　Samos　was　honoured　with　these　gifts　on　account　of　the　bond　of　friendship　subsisting　between　Amasis　and　Polycrates；　the　son　of　Aeaces：　Lindus；　for　no　such　reason；　but　because　of　the　tradition　that　the　daughters　of　Danaus　touched　there　in　their　flight　from　the　sons　of　Aegyptus；　and　built　the　temple　of　Minerva。　Such　were　the　offerings　of　Amasis。　He　likewise　took　Cyprus；　which　no　man　had　ever　done　before；　and　compelled　it　to　pay　him　a　tribute。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Third　Book；　Entitled　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THALIA

　　　　The　above…mentioned　Amasis　was　the　Egyptian　king　against　whom　Cambyses；　son　of　Cyrus；　made　his　expedition；　and　with　him　went　an　army　composed　of　the　many　nations　under　his　rule；　among　them　being　included　both　Ionic　and　Aeolic　Greeks。　The　reason　of　the　invasion　was　the　following。　Cambyses；　by　the　advice　of　a　certain　Egyptian；　who　was　angry　with　Amasis　for　having　torn　him　from　his　wife　and　children　and　given　him　over　to　the　Persians；　had　sent　a　herald　to　Amasis　to　ask　his　daughter　in　marriage。　His　adviser　was　a　physician；　whom　Amasis；　when　Cyrus　had　requested　that　he　would　send　him　the　most　skilful　of　all　the　Egyptian　eye…doctors；　singled　out　as　the　best　from　the　whole　number。　Therefore　the　Egyptian　bore　Amasis　a　grudge；　and　his　reason　for　urging　Cambyses　to　ask　the　hand　of　the　king's　daughter　was；　that　if　he　complied；　it　might　cause　him　annoyance；　if　he　refused；　it　might　make　Cambyses　his　enemy。　When　the　message　came；　Amasis；　who　much　dreaded　the　power　of　the　Persians；　was　greatly　perplexed　whether　to　give　his　daughter　or　no；　for　that　Cam