ow he had about him Carian and Ionian mercenaries to the
number of thirty thousand; and his royal palace was in the city of Sais,
of great size and worthy to be seen. So Apries and his army were going
against the Egyptians, and Amasis and those with him were going against
the mercenaries; and both sides came to the city of Momemphis and were
about to make trial of one another in fight.

Now of the Egyptians there are seven classes, and of these one class is
called that of the priests, and another that of the warriors, while
the others are the cowherds, swineherds, shopkeepers, interpreters, and
boatmen. This is the number of the classes of the Egyptians, and their
names are given them from the occupations which they follow. Of them the
warriors are called Calasirians and Hermotybians, and they are of the
following districts,--for all Egypt is divided into districts. The
districts of the Hermotybians are those of Busiris, Sais, Chemmis,
Papremis, the island called Prosopitis, and the half of Natho,--of
these districts are the Hermotybians, who reached when most numerous the
number of sixteen myriads. Of these not one has been learnt anything of
handicraft, but they are given up to war entirely. Again the districts
of the Calasirians are those of Thebes, Bubastis, Aphthis, Tanis,
Mendes, Sebennytos, Athribis, Pharbaithos, Thmuis, Onuphis, Anytis,
Myecphoris,--this last is on an island opposite to the city of Bubastis.
These are the districts of the Calasirians; and they reached, when most
numerous, to the number of five-and-twenty myriads of men; nor is it
lawful for these, any more than for the others, to practise any craft;
but they practise that which has to do with war only, handing down the
tradition from father to son. Now whether the Hellenes have learnt this
also from the Egyptians, I am not able to say for certain, since I
see that the Thracians also and Scythians and Persians and Lydians and
almost all the Barbarians esteem those of their citizens who learn the
arts, and the descendants of them, as less honourable than the rest;
while those who have got free from all practice of manual arts are
accounted noble, and especially those who are devoted to war: however
that may be, the Hellenes have all learnt this, and especially the
Lacedemonians; but the Corinthians least of all cast slight upon those
who practise handicraft.

The following privilege was specially granted to this class and to none
others of the Eg