White, Joseph; White, Joseph [Hrsg.]: Aegyptiaca, or observations on certain antiquities of Egypt (Band 1): The history of Pompey's pillar elucidated (Oxford, 1801)

PART I.

SITE OF THE SERAPEUM.

i°S

lion the particular Site of this Rkacotis, is what might
be expected from fo accurate a topographer; and it was
a notice proper to be preferved : but that Dinocrates
fhould give the appellation of the Old Egyptian Village
to a principal quarter of the New City, when Alexander
was ambitious of having the whole honour attributed to
himfelf, is wholly inconceivable.

The ruins of Memphis were, we prefume, the quarry,
from whence materials were brought to build and or-
nament Alexandria : but though thefe materials were,
probably, moft of them covered with hieroglyphics,
yet the Greeks appear to have effaced the Egyptian
characters from the marble, before they applied it to
the ufes of architecture in their New Cityk. I conclude,

k “ Nous ne devons proprement regarder les mines de Memphis que
“ comme une carriere brutte, d’oil on tiroit les pierres pour les tailler d’une
“ maniere convenable. II eht meme ete impoffible de raflembler toutes
“ les pieces de faqon, qu’elles puffent fervir a des edifices, pareils a ceux,
“ oh elles avoient ete employees. Des qu’on fuppofe, que ces edifices
“ etoient en mine, on n’y doit rien chercher d’entier; et il y auroit eu la
« meme impoffibilite a retablir ce qui y manquoit. Des raifons d’ambition
“ et de jaloufie s’y oppofoient; et on ne fqauroit ignorer l’empechement,
“ qu’une caufe naturelle y apportoit, puifque, du terns d’Alexandre, on
“ etoit deja auffi ignorant dans l’intelligence des Hieroglyphes, que nous le
“ fommes prefentement.

“ Je pourrois m’etendre davantage fur cette matiere ; mais je me con-
“ tente {implement de remarquer, que les morceaux de marbre couverts
“ d’Hieroglyphes, qui fe trouvent au fondement de la Colonne de Pompee,

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