DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0419
403
afterwards conveyed to England. A civil engineer was appoint-
ed by General Menou to show to us these valuable remains, the
greater part of which were lying near the quay in the West-
ern harbour; and we were conducted alone-side of a lar<i;c
hospital ship, on board of which was the celebrated Alexan-
drian Sarcophagus; it had been for several months in the hold,
and was intended to be sent to France the first opportunity.
This monument was resigned to us not without much regret, as
it had long been considered one of the most valuable curiosities
in Alexandria: but much greater reluctance was manifested by
General Menou, when the claim was made for the Trilinguar or
Rosctta Stone, nor was it given up without frequent remon-
strances on his part.
On my return to Alexandria, the following spring, I had the
good fortune to be a fellow-labourer in the assiduous and finally
successful endeavours to decypher the Greek inscription en-
graven on the granite pedestal of the monument which has
hitherto been called, and which will probably continue to be
called, Pompcy's pillar. After visiting it for several days suc-
cessively at the most favourable hour, when the rays of the sun
first struck obliquely on the plane of the letters, we obtained
the following lines, which appear to fix the date of the erection
of the column to the reign of Diocletian :
TO......tUTATONATTOKPATOPA
TONnOAIOTXONAAEEANAPEIAC
AIOKAHTIANONTONA___TON
no......EnAPXOcAirxnTor
This emperor had in more than one instance merited the grate
ful remembrance of the Alexandrians, particularly in granting
them a public allowance of corn, to the extent of two millions
of medimni: and when, after he had taken the city by siege,
3 f 2 which
afterwards conveyed to England. A civil engineer was appoint-
ed by General Menou to show to us these valuable remains, the
greater part of which were lying near the quay in the West-
ern harbour; and we were conducted alone-side of a lar<i;c
hospital ship, on board of which was the celebrated Alexan-
drian Sarcophagus; it had been for several months in the hold,
and was intended to be sent to France the first opportunity.
This monument was resigned to us not without much regret, as
it had long been considered one of the most valuable curiosities
in Alexandria: but much greater reluctance was manifested by
General Menou, when the claim was made for the Trilinguar or
Rosctta Stone, nor was it given up without frequent remon-
strances on his part.
On my return to Alexandria, the following spring, I had the
good fortune to be a fellow-labourer in the assiduous and finally
successful endeavours to decypher the Greek inscription en-
graven on the granite pedestal of the monument which has
hitherto been called, and which will probably continue to be
called, Pompcy's pillar. After visiting it for several days suc-
cessively at the most favourable hour, when the rays of the sun
first struck obliquely on the plane of the letters, we obtained
the following lines, which appear to fix the date of the erection
of the column to the reign of Diocletian :
TO......tUTATONATTOKPATOPA
TONnOAIOTXONAAEEANAPEIAC
AIOKAHTIANONTONA___TON
no......EnAPXOcAirxnTor
This emperor had in more than one instance merited the grate
ful remembrance of the Alexandrians, particularly in granting
them a public allowance of corn, to the extent of two millions
of medimni: and when, after he had taken the city by siege,
3 f 2 which