CHAP. XIII. RED AND BLUE COLOUR OF NILUS. ,59 



I had supposed, the land it irrigates) ; and the 

 latter, of a blue colour, the limpid stream of the 

 river when confined within its banks. 



At Phila? a figure of the God Nilus is repre- 

 sented seated beneath the rocks of the cataract, 

 holding liydricE, or jars, in his hands, from which 

 he pours forth water, emblematic of the inunda- 

 tion. A snake surrounds his abode, and on the 

 rocks above are perched a hawk and vulture. 

 That the water-jar was indicative of the inundation 

 we learn from Horapollo ; and in consequence of 

 the Nile being considered " the efliux of Osiris," 

 Plutarch says, *' a water-pitcher was always carried 

 first in the sacred processions in honour of that 

 God." * The connection between the God Nilus 

 and Osiris probably led to the notion, as the form 

 of the corpulent Deity of the Egyptians to the 

 figure, of the Greek Silenus, the nurse of Bacchus. 



At the city of Nilopolist, situated in the province 

 of Arcadia, a splendid temple was dedicated to 

 the God Nilus. Other towns of Egypt^also cele- 

 brated his worship with proper honours ; and from 

 an observation of Herodotus it is evident that in 

 all those situated on the banks of the river, certain 

 priests were exclusively appointed to the service 

 of this Deity. "If," says the historian t, "the 

 body of an Egyptian or even of a foreigner is found 

 at the river side, whether carried away by a cro- 

 codile or drowned in the stream, the neighbouring 

 town is obliged to embalm it in the most splendid 



* Plut. de Is. s. 63. 



f Stephan. dc Urb. in voce NtiXor. % Iltrodot. ii. 90. 



