The sun., 1903-10-18
Egypt Under the Ptelemys.

It was a task that needed to be done
which Prof. A. r. MAHAFFY Of Trinity
College, Dublin, undertook in the volume
entitled The Empire Of the Etolemvs (Mac-
milans). What he has here essayed to
Greater Greece, which begins where Grote's
history comes to an end, and which has
been comprehensively, but not in satisfy
ing detail, recounted by Finlay. So far
as classical Greek subjects are concerned.
the student in university finds many
highly trained instructors to assist him.
As regards the later epochs OF Greek life,
on the other hand. az regards the vastly
wider Hellenic and Hellsnistic world which
came into existence after Alexander's 3
conullests, the student was bur yesterday
compelled to work well nigh alone. OF late,
however, attempts have been made to make
good the shortcomings Of his historical
apparatus in this direction. In "The House
of Seleucus," for example, hes been traced
tho record of those successors OF Alexan-
der who. for their share Of the inheritage
left by him. secured the larger part Of
what was once the Persian Empire. Prof.
Mahaify. on his part, has chosen to depict
the condition Of Egypt under Macedonian
sway. and, if his hook is termed not the
Kingdom, but the Empire of the Ptolemys
it is because the members of this dynasty
we're not merely sovereigns OF Egypt, but
ruled over a widespreading and CON-
posite dominion and themselves were
s,lzerains of smaller kings and local dynas-
ties. 1t is remarkable that, in spite OF the
.I-- Il ~
played by the Ptoemys in the Hellenistc
world during the three centuries prece1-
ing the Christian era, no systematic account
of them had survived, even in the day
OF Paisanias, who wrote in the second
century A. D. We now know them through
hieroglyphic, heratic or demotic inscrip-
tons, which were not intended to instruct
us through panegyrics, which were, per-
haps, intended to mislead, or through
episodes in the histories Of Arrian. Poly
bus, Diodorus, Justin and C,rtius. Re-
Gently we have had added to those arl-
thorities mass of papyrus fragments
which supply a multitude OF isolated facts
but these are seldom Of public interest
and form no connected history. The only
modern writer who has tried to treat the
Ptolemaic period at length IN connection
with preceding and succeeding epochs of
Egyptian history was Samuel Sharpe
whose work was published in two volumes
more than thirty years ago II is already
antiquated, many of his statements having
been contradicted by later discoveries
Prof. Mahaffy is alive to the fact that for
some time to come like fate may be ex-
pected to attend Sharpes successors
No history of the Ptolemys can, as yet
claim to he final. Ptolemaic inscriptions
and Ptoemaic papyri are finding their
way into European museums every year
The conclusions therefore, reached by
Prof Mahaffy are to a certain extent tenta-
tive, but it will be observed that they differ
materially from those OF former hist orians,
who were content TO lump the Ptolemys
as a set of idle and vicious despots
The evidence collect ed by Prof. MahaIy
has convinced him that, in the regulat ion
Of Egypt effect ed aft er'the death of Antony
had left Octavian sole master of the Roman
world, the pract ical wisdom that had been
exhibited by the Ptolemys in their treat
mtnt OF the country IVES fully acknowl-
edged II has been said tha, the l'tolemys
regarded Egypt az little more than huge
private estate, to be administered for the
profit Of the owner, There is no doubt
that Octavic n aft er lie had corqrered Cl'o-
patra, took over her doninions as though
they belonged TO him persor ally. II is TO
be noted that h, gave the Senate no con-
troll Of Egypt whatever, he would not even
allow "a single Senator to visit the country
without a personal passport from himself.
All the treasure which hs|found heaped
up there by Cleopni ra, oil the yearly income
In grain and money, he turned over TO his
private sxc'ieGusr We do not hear that
he found any administrative abuses to
rectify, or any antiquated arrangements