CHAP. XIV. REASONS FOR THEIR WORSHIP. 105 



" Tlie third reason is, gratitude for tlie benefits 

 conferred by them on mankind. For the cow not 

 only ploughs the land itself, but produces those 

 which perform the same useful office ; sheep bring 

 forth lambs twice (in the year*), and from their 

 wool are made clothes and ornamental furniture, 

 while their milk is an article of food, both itself, 

 and the cheese made from it. The dog is required 



both for the chace, and as a guard t the 



cat is a protection against the approach of the 

 venomous asp, and other reptiles ; and the ich- 

 neumon is useful in destroying the eggs of the 

 crocodile, which would otherwise multiply so 

 much as to render the river unapproachable. 

 The ichneumon even wars with that animal itself, 

 and overcomes it, by a wonderful stratagem. 

 Having enveloped itself in mud, it watches its op- 

 portunity, while the crocodile sleeps with its mouth 

 open on the shore, and then adroitly glides 

 througli its mouth into its stomach, and eating its 

 way out, escapes unhurt, at the same time that it 

 kills its enemy. The hawk is worshipped, be- 

 cause it destroys scorpions, horned snakes, and 

 noxious creatures which endanger human life : 

 though some suppose the reason to be from its 

 being the bird selected by augurs for predicting 

 future events." 



These remarks agree with an observation of 

 Cicero, " that the Egyptians only hold those 

 animals sacred, which are of use to man, as the 



* Conf. also, Diodor. i. 36. Tliis is the case at the present clay. 



-j- " Therefore," he adds, "they represent Anubis m ith a dog's head." 

 I have elsewhere noticed this error, in speaking of the dog. Vide 

 also siqirci, Vol. I. ("2d series) [). 410. 



