DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4393#0212
19-t A THOUSAND MILES UP TUB NILE.
ular among the old noble and sacerdotal families; and it
may well be that the priesthood of Philae, secure in their
distant solitary isle, could with impunity evade a clause
which their brethren of the Delta were obliged to obey.
It does not follow that the Greek rule was equally un-
popular. We have reason to believe quite otherwise. The
conqueror of the Persian invader was in truth the deliverer
of Egypt. Alexander restored peace to the country and
the Ptolemies identified themselves with the interests of
the people. A dynasty which not only lightened the bur-
dons of the poor, but respected the privileges of the rich;
which honored the priesthood, endowed the temples, and
compelled the Tigris to restore the spoils of the Nile,
could scarcely fail to win the suffrages of all classes. The
priests of Philae might despise the language of Homer
while honoring the descendants of Philip of Macedon.
They could naturalize the king. They could disguise his
name in hieroglyphic spelling. They could depict him in
the traditional dress of the Pharaohs. Theycould crown him
with the double crown, and represent him in the act of
worshiping the gods of his adopted country. But they
could neither naturalize nor disguise his language. Spoken
or written, it was an alien thing. Garven in high places, it
stood for a badge of servitude. What could a conservative
hierarchy do but abhor, and, when possible, ignore it?
There are other sculptures in this quadrangle which one
would like to linger over; as, for instance, the capitals of
the eastern colonnade, no two of which are alike, and the
grotesque bas-reliefs of the frieze of the Mammisi. Of
these, a quasi-heraldic group, representing the sacred hawk
sitting in the center of a fan-shaped persea tree between
two supporters, is one of the most curious; the supporters
being on the one side a maniacal lion, and on the other a
Typhonian hippopotamus, each grasping a pair of shears.
Passing now through the doorway of the second propylon,
we find ourselves facing the portico—the famous painted
portico of which we had seen so many sketches that we
fancied we knew it already. That second-hand knowledge
goes for nothing, however, in presence of the reality ; and
we are as much taken by surprise as if we were the first
travelers to set foot within these enchanted precincts.
For here is a place in which time seems to have stood as
6till as in that immortal palace where everything went to
ular among the old noble and sacerdotal families; and it
may well be that the priesthood of Philae, secure in their
distant solitary isle, could with impunity evade a clause
which their brethren of the Delta were obliged to obey.
It does not follow that the Greek rule was equally un-
popular. We have reason to believe quite otherwise. The
conqueror of the Persian invader was in truth the deliverer
of Egypt. Alexander restored peace to the country and
the Ptolemies identified themselves with the interests of
the people. A dynasty which not only lightened the bur-
dons of the poor, but respected the privileges of the rich;
which honored the priesthood, endowed the temples, and
compelled the Tigris to restore the spoils of the Nile,
could scarcely fail to win the suffrages of all classes. The
priests of Philae might despise the language of Homer
while honoring the descendants of Philip of Macedon.
They could naturalize the king. They could disguise his
name in hieroglyphic spelling. They could depict him in
the traditional dress of the Pharaohs. Theycould crown him
with the double crown, and represent him in the act of
worshiping the gods of his adopted country. But they
could neither naturalize nor disguise his language. Spoken
or written, it was an alien thing. Garven in high places, it
stood for a badge of servitude. What could a conservative
hierarchy do but abhor, and, when possible, ignore it?
There are other sculptures in this quadrangle which one
would like to linger over; as, for instance, the capitals of
the eastern colonnade, no two of which are alike, and the
grotesque bas-reliefs of the frieze of the Mammisi. Of
these, a quasi-heraldic group, representing the sacred hawk
sitting in the center of a fan-shaped persea tree between
two supporters, is one of the most curious; the supporters
being on the one side a maniacal lion, and on the other a
Typhonian hippopotamus, each grasping a pair of shears.
Passing now through the doorway of the second propylon,
we find ourselves facing the portico—the famous painted
portico of which we had seen so many sketches that we
fancied we knew it already. That second-hand knowledge
goes for nothing, however, in presence of the reality ; and
we are as much taken by surprise as if we were the first
travelers to set foot within these enchanted precincts.
For here is a place in which time seems to have stood as
6till as in that immortal palace where everything went to