f _Greece_ to so
many nations could be on no other account than state-policy; these nations
had been invaded by the _Egyptians_, but after this expedition we hear no
more of their continuing in subjection to _Egypt_.

The [329] _Egyptians_ originally lived on the fruits of the earth, and
fared hardly, and abstained from animals, and therefore abominated
Shepherds: _Menes_ taught them to adorn their beds and tables with rich
furniture and carpets, and brought in amongst them a sumptuous, delicious
and voluptuous way of life: and about a hundred years after his death,
_Gnephacthus_ one of his successors cursed him for it, and to reduce the
luxury of _Egypt_, caused the curse to be entered in the Temple of
_Jupiter_ at _Thebes_; and by this curse the honour of _Menes_ was
diminished among the _Egyptians_.

The Kings of _Egypt_ who expelled the Shepherds and Succeeded them, Reigned
I think first at _Coptos_, and then at _Thebes_, and then at _Memphis_. At
_Coptos_ I place _Misphragmuthosis_ and _Amosis_ or _Thomosis_ who expelled
the Shepherds, and abolished their custom of sacrificing men, and extended
the _Coptic_ language, and the name of [Greek: Aia Koptou], _Aegyptus_, to
the conquest. Then _Thebes_ became the Royal City of _Ammon_, and from him
was called _No-Ammon,_ and his conquest on the west of _Egypt_ was called
_Ammonia._ After him, in the same city of _Thebes_, Reigned _Osiris_,
_Orus_, _Menes_ or _Amenophis_, and _Ramesses_: but _Memphis_ and her
miracles were not yet celebrated in _Greece_; for _Homer_ celebrates
_Thebes_ as in its glory in his days, and makes no mention of _Memphis_.
After _Menes_ had built _Memphis, Moeris_ the successor of _Ramesses_
adorned it, and made it the seat of the Kingdom, and this was almost two
Generations after the _Trojan_ war. _Cinyras_, the _Vulcan_ who married
_Venus_, and under the Kings of _Egypt_ Reigned over _Cyprus_ and part of
_Phoenicia_, and made armour for those Kings, lived 'till the times of the
_Trojan_ war: and upon his death _Menes_ or _Memnon_ might Deify him, and
found the famous Temple of _Vulcan_ in that city for his worship, but not
live to finish it. In a plain [330] not far from _Memphis_ are many small
Pyramids, said to be built by _Venephes_ or _Enephes_; and I suspect that
_Venephes_ and _Enephes_ have been corruptly written for _Menephes_ or
_Amenophis_, the letters _AM_ being almost worn out in some old manuscript:
for after the example of these Py