474 Professor Renwick on 



probable, the number 341 does not appear excessive for the 

 time that has been deduced from other considerations. He 

 then goes on to state * During this time, then, they said the 

 Sun has four times risen out of his customary places ; that 

 both where he now sets he had there twice risen, and where he 

 rises he had there twice set ; that this had not produced any 

 change in Egypt ; that the productions of the earth and the 

 inundations of the Nile had been the same ; and that there 

 had neither been more disease, nor a more considerable mor- 

 tality.' 



This change in the rising and setting of the Sun, without 

 producing any change in the seasons or inundations of the 

 Nile, is mysterious in appearance ; but a reference to the 

 nature of the Egyptian year will render it at once obvious. 

 All that is to be remarked previously is, that the two clauses 

 of the passage are in contradiction with each other, and that 

 we, therefore, again see the double expression of the recital 

 of the priests, and the comment of Herodotus. A change in 

 the place of rising is attended with a corresponding one in 

 that of setting, and, therefore, by the last clause, which is in 

 detail, there are but two changes instead of four. The first, 

 therefore, is, from its vagueness to be rejected in favour of 

 the circumstantial account in the latter. Let us, then, see 

 whether this last account of the change be consistent with 

 astronomic phenomena. On the first day of the first vague 

 year of the Cynic Cycle, marked by the heliacal rising of 

 Sirius, the Sun was in the constellation of Leo, which was 

 then his accustomed habitation, or r^os. At the end of 730 

 vague years, or at the beginning of the 731st of the cycle, the 

 Sun would be in opposition to the stars of the constellation 

 Leo, and would of course rise with that point of the celestial 

 sphere which, on the same day of the vague year, at the com- 

 mencement of the cycle, had set as he arose ; and would set at 

 that point of the celestial sphere which, at the former epoch, 

 had risen at his setting. The change, therefore, spoken of 

 by the Egyptian priests, would have occurred for the first time ; 

 at the end of 1460 Julian years, he would again be in the 

 constellation Leo at the time of the rising of Sirius ; but at the 

 end of 730 vague years more, he would be in the position in 



