DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6552#0361
322
APPENDIX.
Wasyff Shah ; to Soyuti; to a MS. (No. 7503) in the British
Museum, entitled " The Odour of Flowers," or "the Wonders of
Different Countries, hy Mohammed Ben Ayas;" to a Turkish
"History of Egypt," MS. (7861) in British Museum, written
1089, a.ii.; and to Yakut, MS. in the Bodleian Library.
Masoudi's account professes to relate the Coptic tradition,
which says, " That Surid, Ben Shaluk, Ben Sermuni, Ben Termi-
dun, Ben Tedresan, Ben Sal, one of the kings of Egypt before
the flood, built the two great Pyramids; and, notwithstanding
they were subsequently named after a person called Sheddad Ben
Ad, that they were not built by the Adites, who could not conquer
Egypt, on account of the powers, which the Egyptians possessed
by means of enchantment; that the reason for building the Pyra-
mids was the following dream, which happened to Surid three
Imndred years previous to the flood. It appeared to him, that
the earth was overthrown, and that the inhabitants were laid
prostrate upon it; that the stars wandered confusedly from their
courses, and clashed togetlier with a tremendous noise. The king,
although greatly affected by this vision, did not disclose it to any
person, but was conscious that some great event was about to
take place. Soon afterwards in another vision, he saw the fixed
stars descend upon the earth in the form of white birds, and
seizing the people, enclose them in a cleft between two great
mountains, -which shut upon them. The stars were dark, and
veiled with smoke. The king awoke in great consternation, and
repaired to the temple of the sun, where, with great lament-
ations, he prostrated himself in the dust. Early in the morning
he assembled the chief priests from all the nomcs of Egypt, a
hundred and thirty in number ; no other persons were admitted
to this assembly, when he related his first and second vision. The
interpretation was declared to announce, " that some great event
Avould take place."
The high priest, whose name was Philimon or Iklimon, spoke
as follows:—"Grand and mysterious are thy dreams: The visions
of the king will not prove deceptive, for sacred is his majesty.1' I
0 These words and the designation of the high-priests, and the general tenour of
the story are not Arabic. The king is represented as being of a superior order, and
the sacred organ of the priests ; but the caliphs, and even Mahomet, however greatly
reverenced by Mahometans, are always considered mere human beings; and
although the caliphs were invested with supreme authority, their viziers and
councils confined their deliberations to politics, and did not interfere with religious
affairs.—]),-. Sprenger.
APPENDIX.
Wasyff Shah ; to Soyuti; to a MS. (No. 7503) in the British
Museum, entitled " The Odour of Flowers," or "the Wonders of
Different Countries, hy Mohammed Ben Ayas;" to a Turkish
"History of Egypt," MS. (7861) in British Museum, written
1089, a.ii.; and to Yakut, MS. in the Bodleian Library.
Masoudi's account professes to relate the Coptic tradition,
which says, " That Surid, Ben Shaluk, Ben Sermuni, Ben Termi-
dun, Ben Tedresan, Ben Sal, one of the kings of Egypt before
the flood, built the two great Pyramids; and, notwithstanding
they were subsequently named after a person called Sheddad Ben
Ad, that they were not built by the Adites, who could not conquer
Egypt, on account of the powers, which the Egyptians possessed
by means of enchantment; that the reason for building the Pyra-
mids was the following dream, which happened to Surid three
Imndred years previous to the flood. It appeared to him, that
the earth was overthrown, and that the inhabitants were laid
prostrate upon it; that the stars wandered confusedly from their
courses, and clashed togetlier with a tremendous noise. The king,
although greatly affected by this vision, did not disclose it to any
person, but was conscious that some great event was about to
take place. Soon afterwards in another vision, he saw the fixed
stars descend upon the earth in the form of white birds, and
seizing the people, enclose them in a cleft between two great
mountains, -which shut upon them. The stars were dark, and
veiled with smoke. The king awoke in great consternation, and
repaired to the temple of the sun, where, with great lament-
ations, he prostrated himself in the dust. Early in the morning
he assembled the chief priests from all the nomcs of Egypt, a
hundred and thirty in number ; no other persons were admitted
to this assembly, when he related his first and second vision. The
interpretation was declared to announce, " that some great event
Avould take place."
The high priest, whose name was Philimon or Iklimon, spoke
as follows:—"Grand and mysterious are thy dreams: The visions
of the king will not prove deceptive, for sacred is his majesty.1' I
0 These words and the designation of the high-priests, and the general tenour of
the story are not Arabic. The king is represented as being of a superior order, and
the sacred organ of the priests ; but the caliphs, and even Mahomet, however greatly
reverenced by Mahometans, are always considered mere human beings; and
although the caliphs were invested with supreme authority, their viziers and
councils confined their deliberations to politics, and did not interfere with religious
affairs.—]),-. Sprenger.