together with the nome, that it gave name to. Here was the mystical statue of the goddess before mentioned, which is supposed to have been an emblem of divine wisdom, with this remarkable inscription ; * Εγω ειμι παν το γεγονος, και ον, και εσόμενον" και τον εμον πεπλον ουδεις πω θνητος απεκάλυψεν. The true situation of this place may be made evident from its vicinity to others. Alexandria I have spoken of, as at the extreme part of lower Egypt to the west. Not far from hence was the Canobic branch of the Nile, and a city upon it of the same name: and from the mouth of this river some chuse to make Delta commence; excluding Alexandria, that lay beyond it, from being a part of the triangle. 3 Ειτα το Κανωβικον ςομα, και ἡ αρχη τε Δελτα. This was the most celebrated branch of the Nile, and what was chiefly navigated. The first city in passing up the stream was Canobus; the next was Naucratis. Herodotus mentions them both in this light: 4 ες μεν γε Μέμφιν εκ Ναυκρατιος αναπλωοντι : and, ες δε Ναυκρατιν απο θαλασσης και Κανωβε δια πεδιον πλεων: intimating, that as people sailed up the Canobic branch from the sea, they arrived first at Canobus, and next at Naucratis, in their way to Memphis. They were therefore both on the same arm of the

Nile; both seaports, and not far from the mouth of the river. In the vicinity of Naucratis was the city Saïs, and its nome, situated to the east. They are mentioned in conjunction by ' Pliny, as neighbouring places: but are more particularly described by • Strabo, επι τῳ ποταμῳ Ναυκρατις" απο δε τα ποταμε δίσχοινον διέχουσα ἡ Σαϊς. Ptolemy speaks to the same purpose: 7 Σαΐτης νομος, και μητροπολις Σαΐς, και προς τῳ μεγάλῳ ποταμῳ απο δυσμων Ναυκρατις πολίς. The city Naucratis was to the west of Sais; and upon the branch, that was called the great river, by which they meant the Canobic. This disposition is agreeable to the accounts of other writers; and is particularly confirmed by the Notitia Ecclesiæ, as is observed by Cellarius: In quâ [notitiâ] Saïs prima Egypti Provinciæ, quæ proxima Alexandriæ est, ascribitur. Saïs then was in the lower part of Delta, in the vicinity of Canobus and Naucratis; but nearer to the latter, dioxovos atexɣσa: that is, according to the greater schoenus, 15 miles to the east of it; according to the less, about half that distance. The situation of the other principal cities, that lay towards the basis of Egypt, may be known from the rout of 9 Titus, when he marched

8

5 Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 5. cap. 11.

Lib. 17. pag. 1155.

7 Geogr. lib. 4. cap. 5.

8 Cellari Egyptus. pag. 18.

9 Josephus de Bell. Jud. lib. 4. cap. 11.

towards Palestine and Judea. He set out from Alexandria to Nicopolis; and from thence passed by water to Thmuis: and from Thmuis he went to Tanis. The next place, that he halted at was Heracleopolis parva, the antient Sethron; and from thence proceeded to Pelusium. The author of the Itinerary enumerates more places in this interval; and at the same time gives their several distances, beginning from the east.

In another place, describing the rout from Pelusium northward towards Memphis, he makes the first stage to be at Daphne, which was the antient Taphaanes of the Scriptures, and lay from Pelusium 16 M. P. This abundantly shows, that Tanis and Taphaanes as well as Pelusium were different cities their situation being too well determined to admit of any doubt. Tahpanhes, as it is sometimes

10

written, was a place of royal residence in the days of the prophet Jeremiah, who speaks of the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes." Above this was " Pharbethus and its nome: the purport of which I imagine to have been the seat or residence of Pharaoh.

I have been particularly careful to determine the situation of the antient city Saïs; as I may from thence be able to rectify some seeming mistakes both in the Grecian and Roman writers; and clear up the obscurity, which has from thence ensued. It is manifest from what I have before said, that this city was at no great distance from the sea, in the lower and most western part of Delta. Yet some writers describe it at the very summit of lower Egypt, in the vicinity of Memphis. Mela speaking of cities, that stood very high in the country, mentions this among others. 12 Earum

10 Jeremiah 43. v. 9.

"Pharbethus is by some said to signify a place for cattle, from Phar, an ox. It may be so but it is generally applied to something of more consequence; and seems to represent either an habitation of men, or a temple of the gods. Baalbeth is interpreted Heliopolis, or "house of the sun:" Beth Shan, Beth Aven, Beth Shemesh are of the same purport. So Beth El, Beth Rehob, Beth Saida, Beth Dugon, Beth Peor, all relate either to temples, or else the habitations of princes: so that I can hardly imagine, that what is here meant is an ox-stall. I take Pharbeth to be a contraction for Pharah-beth, the house of Pharaoh. 12 Lib. 1. cap. 9. pag. 61. edit. Gronovii.

1

clarissima procul a mari Saïs, Memphis, Syene, Bubastus, Elephantis, et Theba. Plato mentions a very considerable city of this name, the capital of a province; which he places towards the apex of Delta, where the Nile was first divided. 13 ES TIS κατ' Αιγυπτον εν τῳ Δελτα, περὶ ὁ κατα κορυφην σχίζεται το τε Νειλε ρευμα, Σαΐτικος επικαλέμενος νομος τ8τε δε το νομό μεγιση πολις Σαΐς. This is not the position, which Herodotus gives to Sais: and as to Strabo and Ptolemy, who are in this point particularly clear, they likewise determine it quite a different way. How can we possibly reconcile accounts so very opposite, and contradictory? These writers had all of them been upon the spot: Ptolemy was born in the neighbourhood of the city in dispute; and Plato resided thirteen years according to Strabo, or, as his Epitomiser perhaps more truly states it, three years in the part, of which he makes mention. The latter term is surely full sufficient for a person to get acquainted with the place of his residence. It is not possible, after such an interval, that he could mistake the name of it. We may be assured then, that this difference could not have originally subsisted in the writings of men so inquisitive and diligent; who were eye-witnesses to what they report. The source of this ambiguity arose doubtless from hence. The province, to

13 In Timæo. vol. 3. pag. 21. edit. Serrani.