besides
other customary things among them which are worthy of mention, they have
one song, that of Linos, the same who is sung of both in Phenicia and in
Cyprus and elsewhere, having however a name different according to the
various nations. This song agrees exactly with that which the Hellenes
sing calling on the name of Linos, so that besides many other things
about which I wonder among those matters which concern Egypt, I wonder
especially about this, namely whence they got the song of Linos. It is
evident however that they have sung this song from immemorial time, and
in the Egyptian tongue Linos is called Maneros. The Egyptians told me
that he was the only son of him who first became king of Egypt, and that
he died before his time and was honoured with these lamentations by
the Egyptians, and that this was their first and only song. In another
respect the Egyptians are in agreement with some of the Hellenes, namely
with the Lacedemonians, but not with the rest, that is to say, the
younger of them when they meet the elder give way and move out of the
path, and when their elders approach, they rise out of their seat. In
this which follows however they are not in agreement with any of the
Hellenes,--instead of addressing one another in the roads they do
reverence, lowering their hand down to their knee. They wear tunics of
linen about their legs with fringes, which they call _calasiris_; above
these they have garments of white wool thrown over: woolen garments
however are not taken into the temples, nor are they buried with them,
for this is not permitted by religion. In these points they are in
agreement with the observances called Orphic and Bacchic (which are
really Egyptian), and also with those of the Pythagoreans, for one who
takes part in these mysteries is also forbidden by religious rule to be
buried in woolen garments; and about this there is a sacred story told.

Besides these things the Egyptians have found out also to what god each
month and each day belongs, and what fortunes a man will meet with who
is born on any particular day, and how he will die, and what kind of
a man he will be: and these inventions were taken up by those of the
Hellenes who occupied themselves about poesy. Portents too have been
found out by them more than by all other men besides; for when a portent
has happened, they observe and write down the event which comes of it,
and if ever afterwards anything resembling this happens, they