CHAP. XV. RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. 271 



amuse that lively and restless people. Respect for 

 the priesthood was also induced by the importance of 

 the post they held on those occasions ; and the supe- 

 rior abilities of that powerful body had ample means 

 of establishing its authority over credulous and 

 superstitious minds. The priesthood took a pro- 

 minent part in every thing; there was no ceremony 

 in which they did not participate, and even mili- 

 tary regulations were subject to the influence of the 

 sacerdotal caste. Nothing was beyond their juris- 

 diction : the king himself was subject to the laws 

 established by them for his conduct, and even for 

 his mode of living ; and, independent of being 

 bound by duty to obey these ordinances, he was 

 obliged on ascending the throne to become a 

 member of their body.* 



One of the most important ceremonies was "the 

 procession of shrines," which is mentioned in the 

 Rosetta Stone, and is frequently represented on 

 the walls of the temples. The shrines were of 

 two kinds : the one a sort of canopy ; the other 

 an ark or sacred boat, which may be termed 

 the great shrine. This was carried with grand 

 pomp by the priests, a certain number being se- 

 lected for that duty, who, supporting it on their 

 shoulders by means of long staves, passing through 

 metal rings at the side of the sledge t on which it 

 stood, brought it into the temple, where it was 

 placed upon a stand or table, in order that the pre- 

 scribed ceremonies might be performed before it. 



* Vide supra, Vol. I. p. 249. 



f Like the coffins of the dead. Conf. PUit. de Is. s, 35. 



