Processions; Coronation and other Ceremonies; Triumphs; Holydays; Fêtes, &c.

No nation took greater delight in the pomp of ceremonies than the Egyptians; a partiality which the priests did not fail to encourage, as it tended to increase their own consequence, and to give them a great moral ascendency over all classes. Grand processions constantly took place to commemorate some fanciful legendary event; the public mind was entertained by the splendour of impressive and striking ceremonies; and a variety of exhibitions connected with religion were repeated, to

amuse that lively and restless people. Respect for the priesthood was also induced by the importance of the post they held on those occasions; and the superior abilities of that powerful body had ample means of establishing its authority over credulous and superstitious minds. The priesthood took a prominent part in every thing; there was no ceremony in which they did not participate, and even military regulations were subject to the influence of the sacerdotal caste. Nothing was beyond their jurisdiction the king himself was subject to the laws established by them for his conduct, and even for his mode of living; and, independent of being bound by duty to obey these ordinances, he was obliged on ascending the throne to become a member of their body.*

One of the most important ceremonies was "the procession of shrines," which is mentioned in the Rosetta Stone, and is frequently represented on the walls of the temples. The shrines were of two kinds the one a sort of canopy; the other an ark or sacred boat, which may be termed the great shrine. This was carried with grand pomp by the priests, a certain number being selected for that duty, who, supporting it on their shoulders by means of long staves, passing through metal rings at the side of the sledge † on which it stood, brought it into the temple, where it was placed upon a stand or table, in order that the prescribed ceremonies might be performed before it.

Like the coffins of the dead. Conf. Plut. de Is. s. 35.

The stand was also carried in the procession by another set of priests, following the shrine*, by means of similar staves; a method usually adopted for transporting large statues, and sacred emblems, too heavy or too important to be borne by one person. The same is stated to have been the custom of the Jews in some of their religious processions †, as in carrying the ark "to its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, ," when the temple was built by Solomon. ‡ The number of shrines in these processions, and the splendour of the ceremony performed on the occasion, depended on the particular festival they intended to commemorate. In many instances the shrine of the Deity of the temple was carried alone, sometimes that of other Deities accompanied it, and sometimes that of the king was added; a privilege granted as a peculiar mark of esteem for some great benefit conferred by him upon his country, or for his piety in having beautified the temples of the Gods. Such is the motive mentioned in the inscription of the Rosetta Stone; which, after enumerating the benefits conferred upon the country by Ptolemy, decrees, as a return for them, "that a statue of the king shall be erected in every temple in the most conspicuous place; that it shall be called the statue of Ptolemy, the defender of Egypt; and that near it shall be placed the presiding

* Vide Coronation Procession, Pl. 76.

+ Conf. "the Levites bare the ark on their shoulders." 1 Chron. xv. 2. and 15.; 2 Sam. xv. 24. ; and Joshua, iii. 12.

1 Kings, viii. 6.

Deity presenting to him the shield of victory. Moreover, that the priests shall minister three times every day to the statues, and prepare for them the sacred dress, and perform the accustomed ceremonies, as in honour of other Gods at feasts and festivals. That there shall be erected an image and golden shrine of King Ptolemy in the most honourable of the temples, to be set up in the sanctuary among the other shrines; and that on the great festivals, when the procession of shrines takes place, that of the God Epiphanes shall accompany them; ten royal golden crowns being deposited upon the shrine, with an asp attached* to each; and the (double) crown Pshent, which he wore at his coronation, placed in the midst.”

It was also usual to carry the statue of the principal Deity, in whose honour the procession took place, together with that of the king, and the figures of his ancestors, borne in the same manner on men's shoulders; like the Gods of Babylon mentioned by Jeremiah.†

Diodorus speaks of an Ethiopian festival of Jupiter, when his statue was carried in procession, probably to commemorate the supposed refuge of the Gods in that country; which may have been a memorial of the flight of the Egyptians with their Gods, at the time of the shepherd invasion, mentioned by Josephus § on the authority of Manetho. This does not, however, appear to be the reason assigned by Diodorus, who says, "Ho

* Vide suprà, p. 239.

+ Epistle of Jeremiah in Baruch, vi. 4. 26. Isaiah, xlvi. 7.
Diodor. i. 97.
Joseph. Contr. Ap. i, 27.

mer derived from Egypt his story of the embraces of Jupiter and Juno, and their travelling into Ethiopia, because the Egyptians every year carry Jupiter's shrine over the river into Africa, and a few days after bring it back again, as if the Gods had returned out of Ethiopia. The fiction of their nuptials was taken from the solemnization of these festivals; at which time both their shrines, adorned with all sorts of flowers, are carried by the priests to the top of a mountain."

The usual number of priests, who performed the duty of bearers, was generally twelve or sixteen to each shrine. They were accompanied by another of a superior grade, distinguished by a lock of hair pendent on one side of his head, and clad in a leopard-skin, the peculiar badge of his rank, who, walking near them, gave directions respecting the procession, its position in the temple, and whatever else was required during the ceremony; which agrees well with the remark of Herodotus †, that "each Deity had many priests, and one high priest." Sometimes two priests of the same peculiar grade attended, both during the procession, and after the shrine had been deposited in the temple. These were the Pontiffs, or highest order of priests + : they had the title of "Sem," and enjoyed the privilege of offering sacrifices on all grand occasions.

When the shrine reached the temple, it was received with every demonstration of respect by the officiating priest, who was appointed to do duty

*Hom. Il. i. 423.

+ Herodot. ii. 73. Vide suprà, Vol. I. (1st Series) p. 279.