DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43363#0258
40 PLUTARCH’S Treatife of
this colour. Nay io extremely curious are they in this
respedt, that if there be so much as one black or white
hair in the beail·, ’tis sufficient to render it improper for
this service. For ’tis their opinion, that Sacrifices ought
not to be made of such things as are in themselves
agreeable and well-pleaiing to the Gods, but, on the
contrary, rather of such creatures wherein the souls of
wicked and unjust men have been confined during the
course of their transmigration-- Hence Sprang that
custom, which was formerly observed by them, of pro-
nouncing a solemn curse upon the head ofthebeast which
was to be offered in sacrihce, and afterwards of cutting
it off and throwing it into the Nile, though now they
dispose of it to foreigners. No bullock therefore is per-
mitted to be offered to the Gods, which has not the
seal of the Sphragiflae first stamped upon it, an order
of priests peculiarly set apart for this purpose, from
whence likewise they derive their name. Their im-
press, according to Caflor, is “a man upon his knees
“ with his hands tied behind him and a sword pointed
<c at his throat”.-—Nor is it from his colour only that
they maintain a resemblance between the Ass and Typbo,
but srom the ssupidity likewise and sensuality of his dis-
position : and agreeably to this notion, having a more
particular hatred to Ocbns than to any other of the
Perfian Monarchs who reigned over them, looking up-
on him as an exsecrable and abominable wretch, they
gave him the nick-name of the Afs, which drew the
following reply from that prince, “but this ass Shall
“ dine upon your ox”—· and accordingly he slew the
Apis: this story is thus related by Dino.——Now as to
those
this colour. Nay io extremely curious are they in this
respedt, that if there be so much as one black or white
hair in the beail·, ’tis sufficient to render it improper for
this service. For ’tis their opinion, that Sacrifices ought
not to be made of such things as are in themselves
agreeable and well-pleaiing to the Gods, but, on the
contrary, rather of such creatures wherein the souls of
wicked and unjust men have been confined during the
course of their transmigration-- Hence Sprang that
custom, which was formerly observed by them, of pro-
nouncing a solemn curse upon the head ofthebeast which
was to be offered in sacrihce, and afterwards of cutting
it off and throwing it into the Nile, though now they
dispose of it to foreigners. No bullock therefore is per-
mitted to be offered to the Gods, which has not the
seal of the Sphragiflae first stamped upon it, an order
of priests peculiarly set apart for this purpose, from
whence likewise they derive their name. Their im-
press, according to Caflor, is “a man upon his knees
“ with his hands tied behind him and a sword pointed
<c at his throat”.-—Nor is it from his colour only that
they maintain a resemblance between the Ass and Typbo,
but srom the ssupidity likewise and sensuality of his dis-
position : and agreeably to this notion, having a more
particular hatred to Ocbns than to any other of the
Perfian Monarchs who reigned over them, looking up-
on him as an exsecrable and abominable wretch, they
gave him the nick-name of the Afs, which drew the
following reply from that prince, “but this ass Shall
“ dine upon your ox”—· and accordingly he slew the
Apis: this story is thus related by Dino.——Now as to
those