and a
variety of other places; but their history is very uncertain, and their
successions have but little regularity.

These circumstances are very different with respect to the kingdom of the
Parthians, who formed themselves, as we shall see in the sequel, into such
a powerful monarchy, as became formidable even to the Roman empire. That
of the Bactrians received its original about the same period: I shall
treat of each in their proper places.

Catalogue of the Editions of the principal Greek Authors cited in this
Work.

HERODOTUS. Francof. An. 1608.

THUCYDIDES. Apud Henricum Stephanum, An. 1588.

XENOPHON. Lutetiae Parisiorum, apud Societatem Graecarum Editionum, An.
1625.

POLYBIUS. Parisiis, An. 1609.

DIODORUS SICULUS. Hanoviae, Typis Wechelianis, An 1604.

PLUTARCHUS. Lutetiae Parisiorum, apud Societatem Graecanum Editionum, An.
1624.

STRABO. Lutetiae Parisiorum, Typis regiis, An. 1620.

ATHENAEUS. Lugdani, An. 1612.

PAUSANIAS. Hanoviae, Typis Wechelianis, An. 1613.

APPIANUS ALEXANDER. Apud Henric. Stephan. An. 1592.

PLATO. Ex nova Joannis Serrani interpretatione. Apud Henricum Stephanum,
An. 1578.

ARISTOTELES. Lutetiae Parisiorum, apud Societatem Graecarum Editionum, An.
1619.

ISOCRATES. Apud Paulum Stephanum, An. 1604.

DIOGENES LAERTIUS. Apud Henricum Stepnanum, An. 1594.

DEMOSTHENES. Francof. An. 1604.

ARRIANUS. Lugd. Batav. An. 1704.

BOOK THE FIRST. THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF THE EGYPTIANS.

Part The First. Description of Egypt: with an Account of whatever is most
curious and remarkable in that Country.

Egypt comprehended anciently, within limits of no very great extent, a
prodigious number of cities,(255) and an incredible multitude of
inhabitants.

It is bounded on the east by the Red-Sea and the Isthmus of Suez; on the
south by Ethiopia, on the west by Libya, and on the north by the
Mediterranean. The Nile runs from south to north, through the whole
country, about two hundred leagues in length. This country is enclosed on
each side with a ridge of mountains, which very often leave, between the
foot of the hills and the river Nile, a tract of ground, of not above half
a day's journey in length,(256) and sometimes less.

On the west side, the plain grows wider in some places, and extends to
twenty-five or thirty leagues. The greatest breadth of Egypt is from
Alexandria to Damietta, being about fifty leagues.

Ancient Egypt may be divided into t