330 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XV. 



" There were also certain public officers, 

 whose business it was to take care that all things 

 were performed according to custom. First, 

 ^oLfn'Ksug, Hhe king,' who was one of the Archons, 

 and was obliged, at this solemnity, to offer prayers 

 and sacrifices ; to see that no irregularity was com- 

 mitted ; and, the day following the mysteries, to as- 

 semble the senate to take cognizance of all the of- 

 fenders. Besides the king, were four sTrifxsTvYjrai, 

 * curators,' elected by the people ; one of whom 

 was appointed out of the sacred family of the Eu- 

 molpidge, another out of the Ceryces, and the re- 

 maining two from the other citizens. There were 

 also ten persons who assisted at this and some other 

 solemnities, who were called ispoTroioi, because it 

 was their business to qfer sacrifices. 



*' This festival was celebrated in the month Boe- 

 dromion, and continued nine days, beginning upon 

 the 15th, and ending upon the 2Srd day of that 

 month ; during which time it was unlawftd to arrest 

 any man, or present a petition, under a penalty 

 of 1000 drachms, or (as others report) under pain 

 of death. It was also unlawful for tliose who 

 were initiated to sit upon the covering of a well, 

 or to eat beans, mullets, or weasles. If any woman 

 went in a chariot to Eleusis, she was, by an edict 

 of Lycurgus, obliged to pay GOOO drachms ; tlie 

 design of which was to prevent the riclier women 

 distinguishing themselves from those who were 

 poor. 



*' 1. The first day was called Ayup/^o^, * an as- 



