Egyptian ^Monument with the triple Infcription. 8_^ 



The infcription contains a decree of the aflembly of the 

 priefts of Memphis, by which they confer on king Ptolemy 

 ipiphanes new divine honours, out of gratitude for the fer- 

 vices rendered by him to religion, to its minifters, to the 

 people, and to the ftate in general. To determine the time 

 and occafion of this decree, is the firft point in queftion, and 

 therefore is the firft objeft treated of in the memoir. Ptolemy 

 Philopator left at his death(01ymp. 144. i. 2 6 years before the 

 birth of Chrift) a fon abi)ut five years of age. The moft con- 

 temptible perfons, who, under the preceding government, had 

 miniftered to the pleafures of Philopator, Agathocles, Aga- 

 thoclea, and her mother CEnanthe, feized on the government 

 and the gnardianfliip of the young prince : they were fal- 

 lowed by Tlepolemus, and afterwards by Ariftomenes. In 

 the year 200 before Chrift the Egyptians intriifted to the 

 Romans the tutelage of the young king, to protedl the empire 

 from the proje6ts of king Philip, and of Antiochus of Syria. 

 This meafure produced internal troubles and revolts. Wlien 

 Thoas and the ^tolians had been cruflied, it was thought 

 moft proper for the public repofe to declare the prince, who 

 was then fourteen ycai>'. of age, major, and to fufter him to 

 govern his affairs himfclf. The ceremony of the coronation, 

 which is known under the name of Anacletena, 0!'?mp. 145. 

 4. 197 years before the birth of Jeius Chrift, and nine years 

 after the death of Philopator, was celebrated at Memphis. 

 The ninth year is exprefsly named in the decree. All theEgyp- 

 tian priefts were invited to this ceremony. It appears that 

 during the laft years of the king's minority attempts had 

 been made to gain over the people and the priefts. Govern- 

 ment had granted to the priefts in particular a great number 

 of privileges and immunities, and had alfo been at great ex- 

 penfe for their worftiip and temples. Out of gratitude, the 

 aftembly of priefts decreed, that in crowning the king (the 

 day even is indicated in the text of the decree, the 4th of th© 

 Macedonian month Xantichu-:, the 18th of the Egyptian 

 month Mcchir, in the lirft half of our March, in the fecond 

 half of the Olympic year) they ftiould otl'er their homages to 

 the king, according to the manner ufual at that time, by giv- 

 ing hmr titles, and paying him honour;^, borrowed from the 

 divine worfhip. The decree contains an Account of all the 

 fvrvices which the king had rendered to the empire and the 

 Egyptian priefis, and then the new tiiies of lionour decreed 

 to him. 



The titles found in the decree are: the lord of king!?, the 



glorious, the pious tovVards the god?, the conqueror of hi* 



HKmics, the repairer of the plealures of life, the lord ot the 



G a, cycles 



