CHAP. XV. THE NILOA. 291 



state. The service began by the high priest read- 

 ing a prayer* for the welfare of the monarch, in 

 the presence of the people. He extolled his vir- 

 tues, his piety towards the Gods, and his clemency 

 and affable demeanour towards men ; and he then 

 proceeded to pass in review the general conduct of 

 kings, and to point out those virtues which most 

 adorn, as well as the vices which most degrade, the 

 character of a monarch. But I need not enter into 

 the details of this ceremony, having already noticed 

 it in treating of the duties of the Egyptian Pha- 

 raoh s.t 



Of the anniversary festivals one of the most 

 remarkable was the Niloa, or invocation of the 

 blessings of the inundation, offered to the tutelary 

 Deity of the Nile. According to Heliodorust, it 

 was one of the principal festivals of the Egyptians. 

 It took place about the summer solstice, when the 

 river began to rise ; and the anxiety with which 

 they looked forward to a plentiful inundation in- 

 duced them to celebrate it with more than usual 

 honour. Libanius asserts that these rites were 

 deemed of so much importance by the Egyptians, 

 that unless they were performed at the proper 

 season, and in a becoming manner, by the persons 

 appointed to this duty, they felt persuaded that 

 the Nile would refuse to rise and inundate the 

 land. Their full belief in the efficacy of the cere- 

 mony, secured its annual performance on a grand 

 scale. Men and women assembled from all parts of 



* Like the prayer for the Sultan in the mosques. 



f Vol. I, p. 250, 251. t Heliodor. iEthiopic. lib. ix. 



u 2 



