DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5309#0122
ANTIQUE GROUP OF THE NILE.
From what has been transmitted to us of the hieroglyphical doctrine of the Egyp-
tians, we have some reason to wonder at the vulgar and inelegant manner in which
the river Nile is commonly represented. Some of their symbolical allusions, it must
be confessed, are evidently grounded on erroneous conceits ; but if they do not always
express dictates of wisdom, there are among them many commendable inventions, and
frequent flashes of intellectual acuteness. Nothing, for instance, can be imagined
more ingeniously poignant and sarcastical, than the emblematical epitaph of an igno-
rant and voluptuous Egyptian Monarch; which consisted in the figure of a hog
engraved on his sepulchre. It appears from all the medals, and the various public monu-
ments intended as personifications of the Nile, that their artists did either forget or
neglect the typical alphabet of the old Egyptians. Having no brighter ideas than what
they derived from trite mythological notions, they considered the most famous River in
the Universe as a common fluvial Deity, and consequently gave it the shape of a bearded
old man. It is remarkable that the representations of the Nile are generally crowded
with idle attributes ; as the sphinx, the hippopotamus, the crocodile, the ibis, the ich-
neumon, the flower lotus, and the papyrus, in all which we cannot see any striking
symbolization ; for every one of these objects is more a symbol of Egypt than of the
Nile. As the beneficial overflowings of that stupendous River constantly take place
when the sun is in Leo, a lion's head was the chief type by which the old Egyptians
generally described that River ; and it is rather surprising that such a plausible distinc-
tive should be omitted by all our painters, statuaries, and engravers ; especially as we
have it before our eyes in most of our spouts, cisterns, aqueducts, and fountains ; for
the custom of adorning them with lions' heads is of Egyptian origin, and alludes to
the flood of the Nile, which, being at the full, offered an opportunity of conveying the
water into every part. Nor can we much admire the idea of the symbolical children
which we see in the figure before us. The power of fecundation among the Egyp-
tians was hieroglyphically expressed by a goat, or by the image of Venus with n head
of poppy in her hand. In the twelfth year of Hadrian, an overflowing of the Nile
reached the height of sixteen cubits, which was recorded by a great medal struck on
the occasion at Alexandria. It is probable that the idea of the sixteen children was
suSgested by this medal ; nor can the sixteen children that are on the colossal monu-
ment of the Nile, preserved in the collection of the Vatican, form any objection to our
opinion ; for though that group be the very same, which has been mentioned by Pliny,
as an ancient monument, and a wonder of the art, it is well known that the children, as
well as the other ornamental symbols, were added to it long after the time of Hadrian.
If we mistake not, this famous statue was dug out of the ruins of the Temple of Peace,
where, Pliny informs us, the Emperor Vespasian had ordered it to be placed. As
to our marble, it was found near Ostia, in the same spot where four groups, of
equal merit, representing the labours of Hercules, were discovered some time since,
73
From what has been transmitted to us of the hieroglyphical doctrine of the Egyp-
tians, we have some reason to wonder at the vulgar and inelegant manner in which
the river Nile is commonly represented. Some of their symbolical allusions, it must
be confessed, are evidently grounded on erroneous conceits ; but if they do not always
express dictates of wisdom, there are among them many commendable inventions, and
frequent flashes of intellectual acuteness. Nothing, for instance, can be imagined
more ingeniously poignant and sarcastical, than the emblematical epitaph of an igno-
rant and voluptuous Egyptian Monarch; which consisted in the figure of a hog
engraved on his sepulchre. It appears from all the medals, and the various public monu-
ments intended as personifications of the Nile, that their artists did either forget or
neglect the typical alphabet of the old Egyptians. Having no brighter ideas than what
they derived from trite mythological notions, they considered the most famous River in
the Universe as a common fluvial Deity, and consequently gave it the shape of a bearded
old man. It is remarkable that the representations of the Nile are generally crowded
with idle attributes ; as the sphinx, the hippopotamus, the crocodile, the ibis, the ich-
neumon, the flower lotus, and the papyrus, in all which we cannot see any striking
symbolization ; for every one of these objects is more a symbol of Egypt than of the
Nile. As the beneficial overflowings of that stupendous River constantly take place
when the sun is in Leo, a lion's head was the chief type by which the old Egyptians
generally described that River ; and it is rather surprising that such a plausible distinc-
tive should be omitted by all our painters, statuaries, and engravers ; especially as we
have it before our eyes in most of our spouts, cisterns, aqueducts, and fountains ; for
the custom of adorning them with lions' heads is of Egyptian origin, and alludes to
the flood of the Nile, which, being at the full, offered an opportunity of conveying the
water into every part. Nor can we much admire the idea of the symbolical children
which we see in the figure before us. The power of fecundation among the Egyp-
tians was hieroglyphically expressed by a goat, or by the image of Venus with n head
of poppy in her hand. In the twelfth year of Hadrian, an overflowing of the Nile
reached the height of sixteen cubits, which was recorded by a great medal struck on
the occasion at Alexandria. It is probable that the idea of the sixteen children was
suSgested by this medal ; nor can the sixteen children that are on the colossal monu-
ment of the Nile, preserved in the collection of the Vatican, form any objection to our
opinion ; for though that group be the very same, which has been mentioned by Pliny,
as an ancient monument, and a wonder of the art, it is well known that the children, as
well as the other ornamental symbols, were added to it long after the time of Hadrian.
If we mistake not, this famous statue was dug out of the ruins of the Temple of Peace,
where, Pliny informs us, the Emperor Vespasian had ordered it to be placed. As
to our marble, it was found near Ostia, in the same spot where four groups, of
equal merit, representing the labours of Hercules, were discovered some time since,
73