As regards the nature of the river, neither from the priests nor
yet from any other man was I able to obtain any knowledge: and I was
desirous especially to learn from them about these matters, namely
why the Nile comes down increasing in volume from the summer solstice
onwards for a hundred days, and then, when it has reached the number of
these days, turns and goes back, failing in its stream, so that through
the whole winter season it continues to be low, and until the summer
solstice returns. Of none of these things was I able to receive any
account from the Egyptians, when I inquired of them what power the Nile
has whereby it is of a nature opposite to that of all other rivers. And
I made inquiry, desiring to know both this which I say and also why,
unlike all other rivers, it does not give rise to any breezes blowing
from it. However some of the Hellenes who desired to gain distinction
for cleverness have given an account of this water in three different
ways: two of these I do not think it worth while even to speak of except
only to indicate their nature; of which the one says that the Etesian
Winds are the cause that makes the river rise, by preventing the Nile
from flowing out into the sea. But often the Etesian Winds fail and yet
the Nile does the same work as it is wont to do; and moreover, if these
were the cause, all the other rivers also which flow in a direction
opposed to the Etesian Winds ought to have been affected in the same way
as the Nile, and even more, in as much as they are smaller and present
to them a feebler flow of streams: but there are many of these rivers in
Syria and many also in Libya, and they are affected in no such manner as
the Nile. The second way shows more ignorance than that which has been
mentioned, and it is more marvellous to tell; for it says that the river
produces these effects because it flows from the Ocean, and that the
Ocean flows round the whole earth. The third of the ways is much the
most specious, but nevertheless it is the most mistaken of all: for
indeed this way has no more truth in it than the rest, alleging as it
does that the Nile flows from melting snow; whereas it flows out of
Libya through the midst of the Ethiopians, and so comes out into Egypt.
How then should it flow from snow, when it flows from the hottest parts
to those which are cooler? And indeed most of the facts are such as
to convince a man (one at least who is capable of reasoning about such
matt