e which
follow:--Egypt, though it borders upon Libya, does not very much abound
in wild animals, but such as they have are one and all accounted by them
sacred, some of them living with men and others not. But if I should say
for what reasons the sacred animals have been thus dedicated, I should
fall into discourse of matters pertaining to the gods, of which I most
desire not to speak; and what I have actually said touching slightly
upon them, I said because I was constrained by necessity. About these
animals there is a custom of this kind:--persons have been appointed of
the Egyptians, both men and women, to provide the food for each kind
of beast separately, and their office goes down from father to son; and
those who dwell in the various cities perform vows to them thus, that
is, when they make a vow to the god to whom the animal belongs, they
shave the head of their children either the whole or the half or the
third part of it, and then set the hair in the balance against silver,
and whatever it weighs, this the man gives to the person who provides
for the animals, and she cuts up fish of equal value and gives it for
food to the animals. Thus food for their support has been appointed and
if any one kill any of these animals, the penalty, if he do it with his
own will, is death, and if against his will, such penalty as the priests
may appoint: but whosoever shall kill an ibis or a hawk, whether it be
with his will or against his will, must die. Of the animals that live
with men there are great numbers, and would be many more but for the
accidents which befall the cats. For when the females have produced
young they are no longer in the habit of going to the males, and these
seeking to be united with them are not able. To this end then they
contrive as follows,--they either take away by force or remove secretly
the young from the females and kill them (but after killing they do not
eat them), and the females being deprived of their young and desiring
more, therefore come to the males, for it is a creature that is fond
of its young. Moreover when a fire occurs, the cats seem to be divinely
possessed; for while the Egyptians stand at intervals and look after
the cats, not taking any care to extinguish the fire, the cats slipping
through or leaping over the men, jump into the fire; and when this
happens, great mourning comes upon the Egyptians. And in whatever houses
a cat has died by a natural death, all those who dwell in