33G PLINY'S KATURAL HISTORY. [Book XX: 



might be plotting to supplant them, or to prevent the lower 

 classes from remaining unoccupied. There was great vanity 

 displayed by these men in constructions of this description, 

 and there are still the remains of many of them in an un- 

 finished state. There is one to he seen in the Nome of Arsin- 

 oYtes ; 19 two in that of Memphitcs, not far from the Labyrinth, 

 of which we shall shortly have to speak ;*" and two in the place, 

 where Lake Moeris- 1 was excavated, an immense artificial 

 pu-ce of water, cited by the Egyptians among their wondrous 

 and memorable works : the summits of the pyramids, it is said, 

 are to be seen above the water. 



The other three pyramids, the renown of which has tilled 

 the whole earth, and which are conspicuous from every quarter 

 to persons navigating the river, are situate on the African* 1 

 side of it, upon a rocky sterile elevation. They lie between 

 the city of Memphis and what we have mentioned-' as the 

 Delta, within four miles of the river, and seven miles and 

 a-half from Memphis, near a village known as Busiris, the 

 people of which are in the habit of ascending them. 



CHAP. 17. Tin: EfiYI'TIAX SPHINX. 



In front of these pyramids is the Sphinx/* 4 a still more 

 wondrous object of art, but one upon which silence has been 

 observed, as it is looked upon as a divinity by the* people of 

 the neighbourhood. It is their belief that King Harma'is was 

 buried in it, and they will have it that it was brought there 

 from a distance. The truth is, however, that it was hewn 

 from the solid rock; and, from a feeling of veneration, the face 

 of the monster is coloured red. The circumference of the head, 

 measured round the forehead, is one hundred and two feet, tin; 

 length of the feet being one hundred and forty- three, and tho 



*See tt.v.c.9. =<> In Chapter 19 of this I',o.k. 



21 Sec B. v. c. 9. Herodotus says that the.se pyramids -wore huilt by- 

 Kin? Mneris, in the middle of the lake, towering tilty paces aWe the sur- 

 face of the water. Diodorus Siculus says that they were built by him ir 

 honour of himself and his wife. 



22 Or left-hand side to those coming down the stream. He alludes to 

 the three great Pyramids of Ghizeh, n<t far from Cairo. There are 

 numerous other pyramids to he seen in Kjrypt. '& In JJ. v. c. 9. 



2 * It still exists, thouirh the face is mutilated. It was di.-interred from 

 the sand by lielzoni, but is now ajraiu nearly covered. At cording to ('a- 

 Tnglia, the signature of the Historian Anian was found inscribed on oi, 

 of the fore-paws, when it was disinterred. 



