232 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIV. 



pellation temsdh. The xpoxohiT^og of the Greeks 

 was merely the Ionian term for all lizards, as our 

 alligator is the Portuguese, ''al legato," "thelizard." 



Herodotus agrees with Strabo, in saying they 

 were rendered so tame as to allow themselves to 

 be touched with the hand ; their ears were decked 

 with ear-rings*, and their fore feet with bracelets ; 

 and as long as they lived they were fed with the 

 flesh of victims, and other food ordained by law. 



Thebes did not refuse divine honours to the 

 crocodile, as the emblem of Savak, who was ad- 

 mitted among the contemplar Deities of that city ; 

 and we learn from the sculptures that many other 

 towns acknowledged it as a sacred animal. 



Herodotus mentions the respect paid to them at 

 Thebes, and the lake Moeris ; and observes, that 

 *' some of the Egyptians consider them sacred, 

 while others do all they can to destroy them : 

 among which last are the people of Elephantine 

 and its vicinity, who have no scruple in eating 

 their flesh." Diodorust makes the same remark 

 of their having been worshipped by some only of 

 the Egyptians. 



" Many," says that historian, " naturally ask, how 

 an animal which devours men can have been con- 

 sidered worthy of the respect shown to the Gods. 

 'J'hey answer, that not only the Nile, but the cro- 

 codiles, are a defence to the country. For the 

 robbers of Arabia and Africa, who would ])illage 



* Hcrodot. ii. Of). Wo may liope they did not think themselves 

 bound by any religious feeling to bore their ears ; if so, the office of curator 

 of the crocodiles must have bei;n no sinecure. 



t Diodor. i. 35. 



