The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-07-02
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INEBRIETY OF ANCIENTS.
Evils of Intemperance ms Told by
TOmbs and Papyri of Egypt
and ChaIdea.

There is something startling in the
revelations from the tombs and papyri
of ancient Egypt, disclosing the his
tory, social life and thought of peo-
pie who lived 5000 years ago.
Egypt was a land of banquetings
and the celebration of feast days and
religious rites and sacrifices. Wine
and beer were the drink offerings
made to the gods. These, with great
quantities of provisions, We're brought
to the temples on feast days and laid
on the affairs. 1t was supposed that
the gods and the spirits of departed
ones came back and partook of the
essence of the foods, after which it
was distributed to the priests, at
PENDANTS and temple wors5ipers. 1t
is mentioned that on one occasion TO-
600 jugs of beer and 5000 vases of
wine were offered up to the gods. This
was all drank by the priests and, wor-
shippers, and the INVESTIGATION which
followed is mentioned casually as a
common event. On another occasion
king donated the product of 500 vine
yards, where grapes were grown and
wine made, as a special offering to
the gods. In the tomb of another
king, among the great virtues is men
toned the fact that he gave for sac
rificial Offering 100000 jas of wine
and half million jugs Of beer dur
ing his reign. An envious man writes
on one paprus that the drink offering
in the city of The hes far exceeded that
of the other cities of the empire. and
makes unpleasant reflections on the
parsimony of rival towns. At Mem
phis the temple was provided with
special rooms called houses of beer
and wine, where the offerings from
the altar could be drank by the wor-
shippers. These religious banouets
were suppressed in the reign of some
of the morarchs as injurious to both
the government and the banqueters.
because they afforded the worshipers
an opportunity for plots and in
trigues against the government.
While under the influence of drink
such persons were very wild and law
less. The second reason was that
both priests and worshipers were
often stupid from drink, and were
either carried home by their slaves
or taken out on the banks of the river
and left to sober. Here in their stu
pid condition they were often robbed
by thieves, and when they made COM
plants to the courts they were turned
away with the same statement that is
delivered so solemnly by our modern
Judges, that drunkenness is no ex-
cuse for crime or the suffering and
losses which follow" Beer and bread
were the great national drink and
food A place called Quede seems to
have had the monopoly or, at least.
the reputation of producing the finest
beer. Wine was also a great favorite
drink, and in the early dynasties. not
less than 5000 years ago. five different
kinds of wine are mentioned. togeth-
er with some descriptions of the meth
cd of manufacture. The pictures on
the tombs show the process of extract
ing the juice of the grape and work
in the vineyards, and in the papyrus
complaints are made of deliberations.
and one writer declares that the OBJ
ject of securing a good flavor has led
10 many bad mixtures. the result of
which causes much stupor to the
drinker. Palm-tree wine was con-
demned because of its rapid intoxicat-
ing qualities, and beer was said to
produce bloat when used too freely.
On one of the tombs of a priest is
e prediction of the doom of the nation
and the desertion by the gods, if
wines and beers continued to be drank
by all classes. Another tomb con-
tains an equally ominous prediction
and declares that small quantities of
wine and beer may clarity the soul and
give it greater power in the other
world, while if larger quantities are
used it will stupefy and chill the spirit
and keep the soul in places of torment.
On another tomb the cause of ex-
cessive drinking is said to be the pos
session of bad spirits, particularly OF
loathsome animals. To this is added
the very significant statement that
the excessive use of spirits brings on
stupor and causes the victim to fall
down, breaking his head, and thus
Hberating the spirit from the body be-
fore the gods want it, At various
times efforts were made to suppress
the excessive use of spirits. Different
monarchs, when temperate and absti-
nent themselves, passed strenuous
laws forbidding its use only on pub
lie occasions and in the temples.
Others who drank freely encouraged
its use without restrictions. Some OF
these efforts to suppress the use of
alcohol have a very modern sound
On one occasion all sales of wines and
beers were prohibited except in shops
on side streets away from public oh.
servation, and the dealer paid high
tax for the privilege and was forced
to provide clean rooms and places for
persons who became intoxicated or to
take them home at his own expense
particularly after nightfall. Poor
people who drank and were boisterous
were fined heavily and made slaves to
the government until the fines were
paid. Rich people had their property
confiscated when they persisted in
drinking to excess in public and max.
ing themselves disagreeable. On one
iusnripfion &c oooonr4 - -