CHAP. XIII. THOTH THE GOD OF LETTERS. 3 



whom an idle fable represented with one arm shorter 

 than the other. * 



Plato, in his Phaedrust, makes Socrates relate the 

 following fable of this Deity : — *' I have heard that 

 about Naucratis, in Egypt, there was one of their 

 ancient Gods, to whom a bird was sacred, which 

 they call Ibis; but the name of the Daemon t him- 

 self was Theuth. According to tradition, this God 

 first discovered numbers and the art of reckoning, 

 geometry and astronomy, the games of chess and 

 hazard, and likewise letters. Thamus was at the time 

 King of all the country, and resided in that great 

 city of Upper Egypt which the Greeks call Egyp- 

 tian Thebes : the God himself being denominated 

 Ammon. Thoth, therefore, going to Thamus, 

 showed him his arts, and told him that he ought 

 to distribute them amongst the other Egyptians. 

 Thamus asked him concerning the utility of each ; 

 and when they had been explained to him, he ap- 

 proved what appeared reasonable, and blamed that 

 which had a contrary aspect. After Theuth had 

 fully unfolded to Thamus many particulars respect- 

 ing each art, he proceeded to discourse upon letters. 

 * These, O King,' said he, ' will render the Egyp- 

 tians wiser, and increase their powers of memory. 

 For this invention maybe regarded as the medicine 

 of memory and wisdom.' 



" ' O most learned Theuth,* replied Thamus, 'one 

 person is more adapted to artificial operations, and 

 another to judge of the detriment or advantage 



* Plut. de Is. s. 22. f Phaedr., Tayl. transl., p. 364. 



J Aaifiwi', in a good sense. 



B 2 



