The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15

boiled. roasted and variously dressed meats.
the favorite and national dish being roasted
goose; ducks and game birds. including quail
were also eaten; there were many Vegetables
such As onions. beans. peas. lentils. radishes
and ~cucumbers; at the close Of the repast'
melons. grapes. raisins. pomeeranates. apples
and figs. when In season. were served. To-
sether with dates. both fresh and preserved
There were wines. made not only from grapes.
but from pomegranates. figs. oarobs. juubes
and dates. while different kinds OF beer were
consumed In vast quantities. especially ny
the lower classes. The guests sometimes sat
on the ground. but usually on stools or chairs.
particularly under the New Empire, Al en-
tertainments men and women occupied dii-
ferent parts OF the room. at tho upper END OF
which the master and mistress OF the house
sat side by side on n large fauteuil. or close
together on two chairs. Not having knives or
forks they alto with the fingers, tearing OF
the pieces Of cooked food wanted. When
soup or liquids were served. spoons and vases
or cups were used: ladies' were also employed
for dipping from the bowls or larger vessels.
Before leaving the Maxims OF Ami. We should
note one of them which exempliies the views
held by the ancient Egyptians concerning the
proper treatment Of q wife; "Bs not rude a. to
the woman (wife2) in her house when thou
knowest that 1t Ia In good order. Do not say to
her: Where Is THAR Bring II to me- for she has
put It In its convenient place; thine eye has seen
1t, and thou hast kept silent In recognition OF her
merit. Full OF Joy put thy hand In hers. There
are many people who know not what they do.
The irritable man brings dispute into his house.
and he will never find his advantage. The whole
direction for the keeping OF a HOUSE. rests on the
impassibility Of the man." This Injunction
suggests something like equality OF sexes, and
II is certain that the wisdom Of ancient Egypt
was the first to accord a high position to the
wife. We know that women arose TO the head
ship Of the Egyptian Government In very early
times. A tomb opened near the Great Pyramid
Of Gizeh has given us the name Of tho first
Egyptian Queen Of whom we have any knowl-
edge. Her name was Mertltefs. that Ii the
Beloved Of her Father" She 10 also called
The Great Favorits Of King Sneferu." who
lived about sSss-396o B. c. One OF the greatest
sovereigns Of Egypt was the Queen Hatshepsut.
or Hatasu. who fourished about isio-itsi B. c.
She dressed herself as a man. There 10 no doubt
that women met with more consider alton among
the old Egyptians than among any other ORR
entail people OF antiquity.
Some twenty-five pages Of this volume are
devoted to the so-called Papyrus Of Sayings
now In the Museum Of Antiquity at Leyden.
DR.. Lauth, the translator Of this document into
German. thinks that II belongs to the time OF
Meneptah H.. son of ameses H.. the Great OF
the XIXth Dynasty. Meneptah ii. hourished
about 1900 1888 B. c. and Is thought by many
Psychologists to be the Pharaoh OF the Exodus.
In the judgment OF other authorities, the say
ings registered in this papyrus were composed
at the time OF the Hyksos invasion, which, APP
parently. began after the XIIth Dynasty, or
about 25S B.. c. We here encounter a refer
ence 10 the crocodile deity which had been
worshipped on the Upper Nile at a very early
period. but was held in especial rever-
ence by the Hyksos. or Shepherd Kings, He
rodotus. speaking OF the sacred crocodiles I'm
Egypt, says: As TO these animals. which are 30
tame that they allow themselves TO b. touched.
the priests put ornaments Of gold and glass in
their ears. and bracelets on their ~forefeet. and
give them tho best OF food both OF meal and OF
sacrifices. attending them with the utmost
care. When they die. they are embalmed and
buried in the sacred tombs." Strabo. who
travelled In Egypt many hundreds OF years
later than Herodotus. speaks OF Lake Moerls
and a tame sacred crocodile therein; The
crocodile was fed by the priests with the bread.
wine and flesh brought TO him by his visitors.
Our host" continues Strabo. a man OF dis
tinction at Arsinoe. who showed us the sacred
things Of the city. took cakes. roasted meat and
a drink mixed with honey and went with US TO
the lake. On the shore lay the crocodile; the
priests went up to him, two Of them opened his
Jaws and the third put In. first the cakes. then
the meat, and. last OF all, gave him the drink
Then the crocodile ran into the water and swan
10 the opposite bank. Another stranger came
with similar presents; the priests took them.
ran around the lake and offered them to the
crocodile. when they found him. in the sam
manner a. before" Ancient mummies OF
c~rooodiles have been unearthed in modern times
in Egypt.
We must. refer the reader 20 Or. Myers
work for an account Of the .Per-em-hru. or
Book Of the Dead" and especially for a trans
lation Of Chapter CXXv.. which contains the
confessions TO be recited by the deceased al
the Judgment scat, before which he had to
render an account Of his doings upon earth.
NJ. ". n.