DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43363#0319
ISIS and OSIRIS. ιοί
cepting only at what time they celebrate the funeral
of some particular Specieses of them ; for on that occa-
lion, openly and in light of all who are present, they ex-
hibit some of the other kinds, and throw them into the
grave to be buried alive with the animals whole obse-
quies they are persorming, imagining that by this means
they ihall vex Typho, and cut off the pleasure, which
they suppose he enjoys from the sad event before them.
For though the greatest part of these creatures are as-
signed by them to 'Typho; yet do they look upon the
Apis in particular, with some few others, as lacred to
Ofiris—Now, is this account be true, it will not be
very difficult to distinguilh the animals at whose fune-
ral the above-mentioned rite is pradlised, it mull: be at
the burial of those, that are confessedly honoured and
worlhipped by the whole nation in general; such as
are the Ibis, the Hawk, the Cynocephalus, and the
himself; by which name likewise the Mendefian Goat
is called.
74. The last cause assigned for the reverence, which
is paid these creatures, is either their utility in general,
or some mystical resemblance, which they are thought
to bear to the superiour nature; some of them for one
of these reasons, and others for both of them. Thus
for instance, the Ox, the Sheep and the Ichneumon, ’tis
evident, are worlhipped on account of their serviceable-
ness to mankind; in like manner as the people of Lemnos
have a particular veneration for the Lark, because it
finds out the eggs of the Caterpillar and breaks them;
and the TheJJ'alians for the Stork, because upon its firil
appearance in their country it deliroyed all that mul-
titude of serpents with which it was then infested,
T 3 mak-
cepting only at what time they celebrate the funeral
of some particular Specieses of them ; for on that occa-
lion, openly and in light of all who are present, they ex-
hibit some of the other kinds, and throw them into the
grave to be buried alive with the animals whole obse-
quies they are persorming, imagining that by this means
they ihall vex Typho, and cut off the pleasure, which
they suppose he enjoys from the sad event before them.
For though the greatest part of these creatures are as-
signed by them to 'Typho; yet do they look upon the
Apis in particular, with some few others, as lacred to
Ofiris—Now, is this account be true, it will not be
very difficult to distinguilh the animals at whose fune-
ral the above-mentioned rite is pradlised, it mull: be at
the burial of those, that are confessedly honoured and
worlhipped by the whole nation in general; such as
are the Ibis, the Hawk, the Cynocephalus, and the
himself; by which name likewise the Mendefian Goat
is called.
74. The last cause assigned for the reverence, which
is paid these creatures, is either their utility in general,
or some mystical resemblance, which they are thought
to bear to the superiour nature; some of them for one
of these reasons, and others for both of them. Thus
for instance, the Ox, the Sheep and the Ichneumon, ’tis
evident, are worlhipped on account of their serviceable-
ness to mankind; in like manner as the people of Lemnos
have a particular veneration for the Lark, because it
finds out the eggs of the Caterpillar and breaks them;
and the TheJJ'alians for the Stork, because upon its firil
appearance in their country it deliroyed all that mul-
titude of serpents with which it was then infested,
T 3 mak-