CHAP. XIII. THE NILE. — NIL, *' BLUE." 57 



Egyptian name of Hapi* — " Te Serapim Nilus, 

 Memphis veneratur Osirim."t 



Nilus is frequently represented binding the 

 throne of the monarchs with the stalks of two 

 water-plants, one indicating the dominion of the 

 Upper the other of the Lower Country t ; and in the 

 compartments which form the basement of the 

 sculptured walls of the temples, he brings offerings 

 of various kinds §, especially fruits and flowers, the 

 produce of the beneficent influence of the Nile 

 water. Thoth frequently assists him on the former 

 occasion ; and this allegorical subject may signify 

 that the throne is indebted for its support to the 

 intellectual and physical gifts of the Deity. 



He is figured as a fat man, of a blue colour, 

 with water-plants growing from his head ; and he 

 holds in his hands their stalks and flowers, or water- 

 jars, indicative of the inundation. It is remarkable 

 that the name Nilus accords so aptly with the 

 colour given him by the Egyptian artists. Nil, or 

 Neel, is the word which still signifies blue in many 

 Eastern languages. The iY/Zghaut, or blue moun- 

 tains ; the Nilab, or blue river, applied to the Indus ; 

 neeleh, the name of indigo in Egypt and other 

 Eastern countries, — suffice to show the general use 

 of this word ; and its application to the river of 

 Egypt was consistent with the custom of calling 

 those large rivers blue, which from the depth of 

 their water frequently appear of that colour. 



* Tlie zigzag lines which follow recal the v/ortl nun, which Ilora- 

 poUo says was applied to the inundation. 

 t Quoted by Prichard. INIythol. p. 89. 

 t Vide Plate 57. § Vide PI. 5Cu fig. 1 . 



