d not relax
himself for sport at the due time, he would either go mad or be struck
with stupor before he was aware; and knowing this well, I distribute a
portion of the time to each of the two ways of living." Thus he replied
to his friends.

174. It is said however that Amasis, even when he was in a private
station, was a lover of drinking and of jesting, and not at all
seriously disposed; and whenever his means of livelihood failed him
through his drinking and luxurious living, he would go about and steal;
and they from whom he stole would charge him with having their property,
and when he denied it would bring him before the judgment of an Oracle,
whenever there was one in their place; and many times he was convicted
by the Oracles and many times he was absolved: and then when finally he
became king he did as follows:--as many of the gods as had absolved
him and pronounced him not to be a thief, to their temples he paid no
regard, nor gave anything for the further adornment of them, nor even
visited them to offer sacrifice, considering them to be worth nothing
and to possess lying Oracles; but as many as had convicted him of being
a thief, to these he paid very great regard, considering them to be
truly gods, and to present Oracles which did not lie.

175. First in Sais he built and completed for Athene a temple-gateway
which is a great marvel, and he far surpassed herein all who had done
the like before, both in regard to height and greatness, so large
are the stones and of such quality. Then secondly he dedicated great
colossal statues and man-headed sphinxes very large, and for restoration
he brought other stones of monstrous size. Some of these he caused to
be brought from the stone-quarries which are opposite Memphis, others
of very great size from the city of Elephantine, distant a voyage of not
less than twenty days from Sais: and of them all I marvel most at this,
namely a monolith chamber which he brought from the city of Elephantine;
and they were three years engaged in bringing this, and two thousand men
were appointed to convey it, who all were of the class of boatmen. Of
this house the length outside is one-and-twenty cubits, the breadth is
fourteen cubits, and the height eight. These are the measures of the
monolith house outside; but the length inside is eighteen cubits and
five-sixths of a cubit, 149 the breadth twelve cubits, and the height
five cubits. This lies by the side of the entrance to the t