PREFACE. 



xvu 



And this referve of the Egyptian Priefts, and umvillingnefs to 

 communicate their learning, is confirmed by other authorities, par- 

 ticularly that of Strabo *, who fays, that he faw himfelf in Egypt 

 the place where Plato and Eudoxus were faid to have lived thir- 

 teen years ; For, fays he, the Egyptian Priefts, making a great myf- 

 tery of their learning, and being very difficult of accefs, it was only 

 by length of time and great intreaty that they could be prevailed 

 upon to communicate any thing : And even when they did fo, fays 

 Strabo, they only told them a few things, but concealed the greater 

 part. And Plato himfelf, in his twelfth Book of Laws, where he 

 direds that flrangers that came to his city for the fake of curiofity 

 and learning, fhould be well received, takes occafion to obferve the 

 contrary cuftom of the Egyptians, (whom he calls ©pejct^ara rou 

 Ne^Xou, as if he had been fpeaking of cattle,) who, fays he, drive 

 away ftrangers /Bpo^ao-t aoci Qvfji.cc<n ay^ioig^ which, I think, very 

 plainly alludes to trials, fuch as Pythagoras pafled through, confift- 

 ing of certain meats, to which the Greeks were not accuftomed, and 

 flrange rites of facrilice. 



In Egypt, fays Jamblichus, he pafled no lefs than twenty-two 

 years, in the greateft intimacy with the Priefts f : And it would ap- 

 pear from a paflage in Plutarch, de Iride et Ofiride J, that the Priefts 

 of Heliopolis, though they rejeded him at firft, admitted him 

 afterwards : For, fays Plutarch, it is reported that he was inftruded 

 by O^j/oLcpsuff of Heliopolis, as Solon was by ^oyx^q of Sais, and 

 Eudoxus by Xoroucpeuf of Memphis. Then, being taken prifoner by 

 Cambyfes's foldiers, he was carried to Babylon, where he remained 

 twelve years, ftudying under the Chaldceans and the Perfian Magi j 



Vol. III. d after 



* Geogr. Lib. xvii. 

 f Sect. 13. 

 t P. 632. 



