DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4372#0424
408
stone, the copy seems so much to have degenerated from the original as to
leave no means whatever of forming a comparison hetween the two: and
we know that there are instances of both characters being applied to the
same use: some few rolls of papyrus having already been published written
in what is called the Sacred Character.
The roll which belongs to the Society of Antiquaries consists of nine or
ten pages, of each of which a part is occupied by a drawing, representing
some religious ceremony, interpreted probably by the writing immediately
above or below it. These pictures are of the same character, though not so
well finished, as those on the walls of the temples.
Though we had no opportunity of finding any of these volumes actually
wrapped up with any of the embalmed bodies, yet the peasants assured us
that they were found in that situation; that whenever any entire mummies
were accidentally discovered, they were immediately opened, in the hopes
of finding more precious relics, but that even these rolls of papyrus they
considered as not undeserving their attention; that in general they pre-
served them in their huts with a kind of superstitious care, but of late, see-
ing the eagerness with which the European travellers had inquired after
them, the certainty of a small profit had overcome their prejudices.
Much has been written on the subject of a line in Homer, Iliad Z, v. lGS.
.........iropsv §' oye rrYj^cnTa Kvy^a,
rpaipaf SV 7TIVCCXI TTTVXTM 3vjJ^c(p9o^X TTOKKoi'
expressions which have been interpreted by some, and denied by others,
to imply that writing was known among the Greeks before the Trojan war.
It has also been canvassed by the Homeric critics, what was the nature of
this itiu% 7nvKtos, as well as the meaning of the words y^x\ia.q, and a-faa.
The parallel passage in Herodian, which has often been quoted on the sub-
ject, appears, I confess, to me to be of much more importance in elucidat-
ing that of Homer than has generally been considered. It runs thus: " s^uks
(Fo^tavli) x.ocTaos(rriiAC(o-psvx y^x^^xrot sv 7nvx.ro]g 7riw%t.n Stephens inter-
prets the last words in duplicibus libel lis, whereas in complicatis libel/is is at
least as near the sense ; the derivations of tttvos-uj being in various instances
applied to the many folds of a garment, of linen cloth, or of leather of which
shields
stone, the copy seems so much to have degenerated from the original as to
leave no means whatever of forming a comparison hetween the two: and
we know that there are instances of both characters being applied to the
same use: some few rolls of papyrus having already been published written
in what is called the Sacred Character.
The roll which belongs to the Society of Antiquaries consists of nine or
ten pages, of each of which a part is occupied by a drawing, representing
some religious ceremony, interpreted probably by the writing immediately
above or below it. These pictures are of the same character, though not so
well finished, as those on the walls of the temples.
Though we had no opportunity of finding any of these volumes actually
wrapped up with any of the embalmed bodies, yet the peasants assured us
that they were found in that situation; that whenever any entire mummies
were accidentally discovered, they were immediately opened, in the hopes
of finding more precious relics, but that even these rolls of papyrus they
considered as not undeserving their attention; that in general they pre-
served them in their huts with a kind of superstitious care, but of late, see-
ing the eagerness with which the European travellers had inquired after
them, the certainty of a small profit had overcome their prejudices.
Much has been written on the subject of a line in Homer, Iliad Z, v. lGS.
.........iropsv §' oye rrYj^cnTa Kvy^a,
rpaipaf SV 7TIVCCXI TTTVXTM 3vjJ^c(p9o^X TTOKKoi'
expressions which have been interpreted by some, and denied by others,
to imply that writing was known among the Greeks before the Trojan war.
It has also been canvassed by the Homeric critics, what was the nature of
this itiu% 7nvKtos, as well as the meaning of the words y^x\ia.q, and a-faa.
The parallel passage in Herodian, which has often been quoted on the sub-
ject, appears, I confess, to me to be of much more importance in elucidat-
ing that of Homer than has generally been considered. It runs thus: " s^uks
(Fo^tavli) x.ocTaos(rriiAC(o-psvx y^x^^xrot sv 7nvx.ro]g 7riw%t.n Stephens inter-
prets the last words in duplicibus libel lis, whereas in complicatis libel/is is at
least as near the sense ; the derivations of tttvos-uj being in various instances
applied to the many folds of a garment, of linen cloth, or of leather of which
shields