t.(500)

It was this king who obliged the inhabitants of every town to enter their
names in a book, kept by the magistrate for that purpose, with their
profession, and manner of living. Solon inserted this custom among his
laws.

He built many magnificent temples, especially at Sais, the place of his
birth. Herodotus admired especially a chapel there formed of one single
stone, which was twenty-one cubits(501) in front, fourteen in depth, and
eight in height; its dimensions within were not quite so large; it had
been brought from Elephantina, and two thousand men had employed three
years in conveying it along the Nile.

Amasis had a great esteem for the Greeks. He granted them large
privileges; and permitted such of them as were desirous of settling in
Egypt, to live in the city of Naucratis, so famous for its harbour. When
the rebuilding of the temple of Delphi, which had been burnt, was debated
on, and the expense was computed at three hundred talents,(502) Amasis
furnished the Delphians with a very considerable sum towards discharging
their quota, which was the fourth part of the whole charge.

He made an alliance with the Cyrenians, and married a wife from among
them.

He is the only king of Egypt who conquered the island of Cyprus, and made
it tributary.

Under his reign Pythagoras came into Egypt, being recommended to that
monarch by the famous Polycrates, tyrant of Samos, who had contracted a
friendship with Amasis, and will be mentioned hereafter. Pythagoras,
during his stay in Egypt, was initiated in all the mysteries of the
country; and instructed by the priests in whatever was most abstruse and
important in their religion. It was here he imbibed his doctrine of the
Metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls.

In the expedition in which Cyrus conquered so great a part of the world,
Egypt doubtless was subdued, like the rest of the provinces; and Xenophon
positively declares this in the beginning of his _Cyropaedia_, or
institution of that prince.(503) Probably, after that the forty years of
desolation, which had been foretold by the prophet, were expired, Egypt
beginning gradually to regain strength, Amasis shook off the yoke, and
recovered his liberty.

Accordingly, we find, that one of the first cares of Cambyses, the son of
Cyrus, after he had ascended the throne, was to carry his arms into Egypt.
On his arrival there, Amasis was just dead, and succeeded by his son
Psammenitus.

(M96) PSAMMENITU