the lands, dare not swim across the river from the number of these animals; and one great impediment would be removed, if they were hunted and destroyed. An historical tale relates that Menas*, one of their ancient kings, being driven by his own dogs into the lake Moris, was miraculously taken up by a crocodile, and carried to the other shore. In commemoration of which benefit the king built the city of the Crocodiles' in that district, ordering divine honours to be paid to them, and assigning the lake for their maintenance. Near it he built a tomb for himself, with a four-sided pyramid, and a labyrinth, which are the admiration of all who behold them." The crocodile was supposed by some to be an emblem of the Sun, its number sixty being thought to agree with that luminary t; and Clemens tells us‡ the Sun was sometimes placed in a boat, at others on a crocodile.§ On the subject of the crocodile M. Pauw || makes a very judicious remark, "that on his examining the topography of Egypt, he observed Coptos, Arsinoë, and Crocodilopolis (Athribis), the towns most remarkable for the adoration of From what follows of his tomb, and the labyrinth, he evidently means Moris. Iamblich. de Myst. sect. 5. c. 8. Porphyr. de Abstin. Vide infrà, p. 237. and suprà, p. 36. ̧ p. 433. Clemens, Strom. lib. v. Vide suprà, p. 36.; and Vol. I. (2d Series) There is a curious subject at Philæ of a man's body on a crocodile's back, with other sculptures referring to the sun, moon, and stars. They are of late time. || M. Pauw, Recherches Philos. vol. ii. part 3. sect. 7. p. 122. This has been quoted by Mr. Pettigrew. I also avall mysed of this opportunity of introdang an ingenuous suggestion of Mr. Salt, that in Ivetals account if the Espute between Ombos ané Tentyrs, Cogtos should be substituted for the former; the town being much nearer, and consequently more likely to be engaged in a feud, caused by the injuries done to an animal it held sacred, in common with the more distant Ombos. The towns, where it was looked upon with particular execration, were Tentyris, Apollinopolis, Heracleopolis, and the island of Elephantine; and the same aversion was common to all places where the Evil Being was typified by the crocodile.§ * Euseb. Præparat. Evangel. iii. 11. "Crocodilum (significare) aquam potui optam." ↑ "Barbara hæc Coptos." Vude Plin. viii. 25. Of the skill of the Tentyrites in catching this animal, vide Vol. III. p. 77. Ælian, x. 24. Vide supra, p. 206. Of the mode of hunting the crocodile by the Tentyrites, and the skill they possessed in overcoming so powerful an animal, I have already spoken; and have mentioned * the method adopted, according to Herodotus, of catching it with a hook, to which a piece of pork was attached as a bait. But I ought not to omit another mode practised at the present day. They fasten a dog upon a log of wood, to the middle of which is tied a rope of sufficient length, protected by iron wire, or other substance, to prevent its being bitten through; and having put this into the stream, or on a sand bank at the edge of the water, they lie concealed near the spot, and await the arrival of the crocodile. As soon as it has swallowed the dog, they pull the rope, which brings the stick across the animal's throat. It endeavours to plunge into deep water, but is soon fatigued by its exertions, and is drawn ashore; when, receiving several blows on the head with long poles and hatchets, it is easily killed. It is now seldom eaten, the flesh being bad; but its hide is used, especially by the Ethiopians, for shields and other purposes: the glands are taken from beneath the arm or fore leg, for the musk they contain; and some parts are occasionally dried and used as philters. In former times it seems rather to have been eaten as a mark of hatred to the Evil Being, of whom it was the emblem, than as an article of food †; but those who by religious * Vide Vol. III. p. 76. and 80. + Diodor. i. 35. scruples were forbidden to eat its flesh, were not thereby deprived of a delicacy of the table. I have mentioned the fable of the trochilus and the crocodile, and the animosity said to subsist between the latter and the ichneumont, as well as the supposed security against the crocodile to those who used a boat made of the papyrus.‡ Herodotus says§, "Of all animals, none that we know of becomes so large, after having been so small its eggs || are scarcely larger than those of the goose, but by degrees it reaches 17 cubits (25 feet) in length, and even more." Plutarch¶relates other tales of this oviparous animal, to which he attributes a plausible reason for paying it divine honours. "It has no tongue, and is therefore looked upon as an image of the Deity himself; the Divine reason needing not speech, but going through still and silent paths, whilst it administers the world with justice." "Another peculiar property of the crocodile is, that though in the water its eyes are covered by a thin pellucid membrane, which comes down from the forehead **, yet it is able to see, at the same time that it cannot be perceived to do so; in which respect likewise it bears some resemblance to the first God. It is further remarked, that in whatever part of the country the female lays her eggs, so far will be the extent of the inundation for that season, . . . . showing * Vol. III. p. 79, 80.; and suprà, p. 226. Herodot. ii. 68. Ælian, iii. 11. viii. 25. Plin. viii. 25. Ammian. xxii. p. 336. + Suprà, p. 150. Herodot. ii. 68. Vol. III. p. 185. Vide Macrob. Saturn. lib. vii. c. 16., on the Eggs of Crocodiles. ** From the side; the rictating, or nictitating, membrane. that it is imbued with an accurate knowledge of what will come to pass. . . . . Moreover the eggs it lays are sixty in number, as are the days which pass before they are hatched, and the years of those which live the longest; a number of great importance to those who occupy themselves in astronomical matters." Ælian mentions the same number of eggs, the sixty days before they are laid, and the same period before they are hatched. He also gives them sixty vertebræ in their spine, and as many nerves, a life of sixty years, a mouth with this proportion of teeth, and a period of annual torpidity and, fasting during the same number of days. It is from this number that Iamblichus thinks the crocodile connected with the Sun.+ The mummies of crocodiles are found at Thebes, Maabdeh, and other places, many of which are of full size and perfectly preserved. LIZARDS. Of the Lizard tribe‡ none but the crocodile seems to have been sacred. Those which occur in the hieroglyphics are not emblematic of the Gods, nor connected with religion. THE ASP. I have already spoken of the choice of this serpent as an emblem of Neph§, and as a symbol of * Elian, x. 21. Conf. Aristot. Hist. An. v. + Vide suprà, p. 36. and 233. Vide Plin. viii. 25. Vide suprà, p. 156., of the Battle of the Monitor and Snake. Suprà, p. 64.; and Vol. I. (2d Series) p. 239, 240. 413. |
