its enemies, which before had so often harassed it by repeated incursions.

He did still more. To secure Egypt from the inroads of its nearer
neighbours, the Syrians and Arabians, he fortified all the eastern coast
from Pelusium to Heliopolis, that is, for upwards of seven leagues.(422)

Sesostris might have been considered as one of the most illustrious and
most boasted heroes of antiquity, had not the lustre of his warlike
actions, as well as his pacific virtues, been tarnished by a thirst of
glory, and a blind fondness for his own grandeur, which made him forget
that he was a man. The kings and chiefs of the conquered nations came, at
stated times, to do homage to their victor, and pay him the appointed
tribute. On every other occasion, he treated them with sufficient humanity
and generosity. But when he went to the temple, or entered his capital, he
caused these princes to be harnessed to his car, four abreast, instead of
horses; and valued himself upon his being thus drawn by the lords and
sovereigns of other nations. What I am most surprised at, is, that
Diodorus should rank this foolish and inhuman vanity among the most
shining actions of this prince.

Being grown blind in his old age, he died by his own hands, after having
reigned thirty-three years, and left his kingdom infinitely rich. His
empire, nevertheless, did not reach beyond the fourth generation. But
there still remained, so low as the reign of Tiberius, magnificent
monuments, which showed the extent of Egypt under Sesostris,(423) and the
immense tributes which were paid to it.(424)

I now go back to some facts which took place in this period, but which
were omitted, in order that I might not break the thread of the history,
and now I shall but barely mention them.

(M74) About the aera in question, the Egyptians settled themselves in
divers parts of the earth. The colony, which Cecrops led out of Egypt,
built twelve cities, or rather as many towns, of which he composed the
kingdom of Athens.

(M75) We observed, that the brother of Sesostris, called by the Greeks
Danaus, had formed a design to murder him, on his return to Egypt, after
his conquest. But being defeated in his horrid project, he was obliged to
fly. He thereupon retired to Peloponnesus, where he seized upon the
kingdom of Argos, which had been founded about four hundred years before,
by Inachus.

(M76) BUSIRIS, brother of Amenophis, so infamous among the ancients for
his cruelties