yptians except the priests, that is to say, each man had
twelve yokes of land specially granted to him free from imposts: now
the yoke of land measures a hundred Egyptian cubits every way, and the
Egyptian cubit is, as it happens, equal to that of Samos. This, I
say, was a special privilege granted to all, and they also had certain
advantages in turn and not the same men twice; that is to say, a
thousand of the Calasirians and a thousand of the Hermotybians acted
as body-guard to the king during each year; and these had besides their
yokes of land an allowance given them for each day of five pounds weight
of bread to each man, and two pounds of beef, and four half-pints of
wine. This was the allowance given to those who were serving as the
king's body-guard for the time being.

So when Apries leading his foreign mercenaries, and Amasis at the head
of the whole body of the Egyptians, in their approach to one another had
come to the city of Momemphis, they engaged in battle: and although the
foreign troops fought well, yet being much inferior in number they were
worsted by reason of this. But Apries is said to have supposed that not
even a god would be able to cause him to cease from his rule, so firmly
did he think that it was established. In that battle then, I say, he was
worsted, and being taken alive was brought away to the city of Sais, to
that which had formerly been his own dwelling but from thenceforth was
the palace of Amasis. There for some time he was kept in the palace, and
Amasis dealt well with him but at last, since the Egyptians blamed
him, saying that he acted not rightly in keeping alive him who was
the greatest foe both to themselves and to him, therefore he delivered
Apries over to the Egyptians; and they strangled him, and after that
buried him in the burial-place of his fathers: this is in the temple of
Athene, close to the sanctuary, on the left hand as you enter. Now the
men of Sais buried all those of this district who had been kings, within
the temple; for the tomb of Amasis also, though it is further from
the sanctuary than that of Apries and his forefathers, yet this too is
within the court of the temple, and it consists of a colonnade of stone
of great size, with pillars carved to imitate date-palms, and otherwise
sumptuously adorned; and within the colonnade are double doors, and
inside the doors a sepulchral chamber. Also at Sais there is the
burial-place of him whom I account it not pious t