CHAP. XV. INVESTITURE OF A CHIEF. ^93 



this Perseus I have been unable to discover ; and 

 unfortunately the imperfect remains at Chemmis 

 afford no accurate information respecting tlie 

 Deities of the place. It is, however, probable that 

 he was not the only God in whose honour gym- 

 nastic exercises were performed ; and the fond- 

 ness of the Egyptians for such amusements is fully 

 proved by the monuments they have left us, on 

 which wrestling, and other games, are portrayed 

 with great minuteness. Wrestling, indeed, was a 

 very favourite amusement in Egypt. Hercules 

 was there reported to have overcome Antaeus by 

 wrestling; and it is highly probable that games 

 similar to those mentioned by Herodotus were 

 celebrated in the nome of Heracleopolis, as well 

 as in honour of other Egyptian Gods. 



The investiture of a chief was a ceremony of 

 considerable importance, when the post conferred 

 was connected with any high dignity about the 

 person of the monarch, in the army, or the priest- 

 hood. It took place in the presence of the sove- 

 reign seated on his throne ; and two priests, having 

 arrayed the candidate in a long loose vesture, placed 

 necklaces round the neck of the person thus ho- 

 noured by the royal favour. One of these ceremo- 

 nies frequently occurs in the monuments, which was 

 sometimes performed immediately after a victory ; 

 in which case we may conclude that the honour was 

 granted in return for distinguished services in the 

 field: and as the individual, on all occasions, holds 

 the flabella, crook, and other insignia of the office 

 of fan-bearer, it appears to have been' either the 



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