s,
indeed, had, in his turn, his arched tomb cut for him in the solid rock
of the Serapeum at Memphis, and was laid to rest in a stone sarcophagus,
formed of a single block. A stela, moreover, was in every case inscribed
and set up to his memory: but the stelae were rude memorials, devoid of
all artistic taste; the tombs were mere reproductions of old models; and
the inscriptions were of the dullest and most prosaic kind. Here is one,
as a specimen: "In the year 2, the month Mechir, on the first day of the
month, under the reign of King Pimai, the god Apis was carried to his
rest in the beautiful region of the west, and was laid in the grave, and
deposited in his everlasting house and his eternal abode. He was born in
the year 28, in the time of the deceased king, Sheshonk III. His glory
was sought for in all places of Lower Egypt. He was found after some
months in the city of Hashedabot. He was solemnly introduced into the
temple of Phthah, beside his father--the Memphian god Phthah of the
south wall--by the high-priest in the temple of Phthah, the great prince
of the Mashuash, Petise, the son of the high-priest of Memphis and great
prince of the Mashuash, Takelut, and of the princess of royal race,
Thes-bast-per, in the year 28, in the month of Paophi, on the first day
of the month. The full lifetime of this god amounted to twenty-six
years." Such is the historical literature of the period. The only other
kind of literature belonging to it which has come down to us, consists
of what are called "Magical Texts." These are to the following
effect:--"When Horns weeps, the water that falls from his eyes grows
into plants producing a sweet perfume. When Typhon lets fall blood from
his nose, it grows into plants changing to cedars, and produces
turpentine instead of the water. When Shu and Tefnut weep much, and
water falls from their eyes, it changes into plants that produce
incense. When the Sun weeps a second time, and lets water fall from his
eyes, it is changed into working bees; they work in the flowers of each
kind, and honey and wax are produced instead of the water. When the Sun
becomes weak, he lets fall the perspiration of his members, and this
changes to a liquid." Or again--"To make a magic mixture: Take two
grains of incense, two fumigations, two jars of cedar-oil, two jars of
_tas_, two jars of wine, two jars of spirits of wine. Apply it at the
place of thy heart. Thou art protected against the accidents of life;