of papyrus, to prevent as they walked any such accidental pollution. Calceos præterea ex papyro subligavit, ne quid ejus membra pollueret morticinum. On these accounts the priests were continually making' ablutions. There were four stated times, twice in the day, and as often in the night, at which they were all obliged to bathe themselves. Many accidents caused them to repeat it much oftener. Hence this evil brought upon them must have been severely felt as there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt, ver. 21. Prodigies of this nature were always looked upon as very fearful. A shower of blood is supposed to have fallen before the death of Sarpedon: and was esteemed ominous, and foreboding. When Dido is to die, Virgil makes the offerings, which she was preparing, change their nature: 3 Vidit, thuricremis cum dona imponeret aris, Horrendum dictu! latices nigrescere sacros, Fusaque in obscænum se vertere vina cruorem. Though we may well suppose, that no such prodigies really happened, yet the Romans Λενται δε δις της ημέρης έκασης ψυχρῷ, και δις έκασης νυκτος. Herod. 1. 2. c. 37. p. 121. 2 Αιματόεσσας δε ψιαδας κατέχευεν έραζε. Iliad. π. ν. 459. had a notion of rivers being changed and corrupted in this manner; and also, that it often rained blood: and they esteemed these appearances as portents of great consequence. The Decemviri were always summoned upon such occasions; and the Sibylline books consulted and victims immediately appointed by way of expiation. The Destruction of the Aquatic Tribes. It is moreover said, that the fish that were in the river died; and the river stank. ver. 21. We have many instances to this purpose recorded in Livy. Mantuæ stagnum effusum Mincio amni cruentum visum : et Romæ in foro Boario sanguine fluxisse. Vol. 2. 1. 24. c. 10. P. 333. 46. Cruentam fluxisse aquam Albanam. 1. 27. c. 11. p. 628. Sanguine interdiu pluisse. 1. 43. c. 17. p. 850. Sanguine per biduum pluisset in area Vulcani. 1. 39. c. p. 621. Flumen Amiterni cruentum fluxisse. 1. 24. c. 44. p. 392. Aquas Cærites sanguine mistas fluxisse. 1. 22. c. 1. p. 110. Many other instances may be found. -penitus sonuere revulsæ Tarpeiæ rupes, atque atro sanguine flumen Manavit Jovis in templis. Silius Italicus, 1. 8. v. 645. 2 The offensive vapour from the waters must have been a great aggravation of the evil to people of such external purity, as the Egyptians, who abhorred all animal corruption. And what the historian mentions concerning the fish is of consequence: for all the natives of the river were in some degree esteemed sacred. In many parts the people did not feed upon ' them. The priests, in particular, never tasted fish; and this on account of their imputed sanctity. For they were sometimes looked upon as sacred emblems: at other times worshipped as real deities. One species of fish was stiled Oxurunchus; and there was a city of the name, built in honour of it, and a temple where this fish was publicly 3 worshipped. Nor was the veneration confined to this place, but obtained in many other parts of Egypt, A fish called Phagrus was worshipped at Syene as the Mæotis was at 5 I Ιχθύων de & opi eğısı Tarabai. Herod. 1. 2. c. 37. p. 121. c.. 73. p. 137. 2 * Ιχθυων εκ άπτονται. 3 Οξύρυγχος πολις Clemens, 1. 7. p. 850. τιμωσι de τον Οξύρυγχου, και εσιν αυτοις ἱερον T8 Ožuęvyx8. Strabo, 1. 17. p. 1166. 4 Ibid. 5 Σε 8σι δε αυτών, Συηνται φάγρον τον ιχθυν. Μαιωτὴν δι, (αλλος Elephantis. The Lepidotus had the like reverence paid to it: as had also the Eel; being each sacred to the god Nilus. This is ridiculed in a passage, which has been often quoted, from the ancient comedian * Antiphanes who mentions, that an eel by the Egyptians was reverenced equally with their gods. Another comedian says, that they esteemed it as one of their supreme deities: and he, at the same time, exposes their folly with 1 3 όντος ιχθυς) δι την Ελεφαντίνην οικεντες. Οξύρυγχιται φερώνυμον της χώρας αυτων όμοιως ιχθυν. Clemens Alexand. Cohort. p. 34. Νομίζεσιν δε και παντων ιχθύων τον καλεμενον Λεπίδωτον όρον είναι και την Εγχελυν. Ιρες δε τωτες ειναι το Νειλε φασι. Herod. 1, 2. c. 72. p. 137. * Και τ' αλλα δεινες φασι της Αιγυπτιές Είναι, το νόμισαι το ισοθεον την Εγχελυν. Πολυ των θεων γαρ επι τιμιωτερα Antiphanes in Lycone apud Athenæum, 1. 7. p. 299. 3 Anaxandrides. Ουχ αν δυναίμην συμμαχειν ὑμῖν εγώ, -κυνα σέβεις, τυπτω δ εγω, Το ουψον κατεσθίεσαν ἡνικ' αν λάβω. Anaxandrides Comicus εν Πολισμο apud Athenæum ibid. 66 66 some humour. A Grecian is made to address himself to an Egyptian: and he accordingly says," It is impossible for me to ride in the 66 same troop with you: for our notions and manners are diametrically opposite. You pay adoration to an ox: I kill and sacrifice "it to the gods. You esteem an eel to be a very great divinity. I only think it the best "dish that comes upon table. You worship 66 a dog. I whip him handsomely; especi"ally if I find the cur purloining my dinner." These punishments, brought upon the Egyptians, bore a strict analogy with their crime. They must therefore have been greatly alarmed when they beheld their sacred stream defiled with blood, their land infected, and themselves almost poisoned with their stinking deities. The evil reached the land of Goshen; for it seemed proper, that the Israelites should partake in it: that the impression might be the stronger on their minds. One great reason for this part of the punishment was to give them a thorough disgust to this worship, that they might not hereafter lapse into this popular idolatry. For it is to be observed, as they were to be conducted to the land of Canaan, and to the confines of Syria, that there |