431^ THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XVI. 



doubted; and when we become acquainted with all 

 the names of the places and personages connected 

 with the funeral rites of Egypt, these analogies 

 will probably appear still more striking. 



Of Charon it may be observed that both his 

 name and character are taken from Horus*, who 

 had the peculiar office of steersman in the sacred 

 boats of Egypt; and the piece of money given him 

 for ferrying the dead across the Styxf appears to 

 have been borrowed from the gold or silver plate 

 put into the mouth of the dead by the Egyptians. 

 For though they did not intend it as a reward to 

 the boatman t, but rather as a passport to show the 

 virtuous character of the deceased, it was of equal 

 importance in obtaining for him admittance into 

 the regions of the blessed. § 



The Egyptian custom of depositing cakes in the 

 tombs probably led to the Greek notion of sending 

 a cake for Cerberus, which was placed in the mouth 

 of the deceased; and it was by means of a similar 

 one, drugged with soporiferous herbs, and given 

 to the monster at a hungry hour ||, that yEneas and 



* The Greeks had not the Egyptian letter Z, and therefore snhsti- 

 tuted thex, as they now do in modern names ; as Charris for Harris, &c. 



f " Cocvti stagna alta Stygiumque pahidem." Virg. JEn. 



vi. 323. 



% Virg. ^n. vi. 299.: — 



" Portitor has liorrcnchis aquas et flinnina scrvat 



Terril)ili scjualore C'haron 



Ipse ratem conto sul)igit, velis(]ne ministrat, 

 Et fcrruginea subvectat corjjora cymba." 

 § Vide Pcttigrew, PI. G. fig. 1. and [). (>S. 

 II Virg. Ain. vi. 419. :— ' 



" Cni vates, horrere vidcns jam colla cojiibris, 

 Melle soporatam et medicatis friigibns offam 

 Objicit : ille fame rabida tria gnttm'a pandens, 

 Corripit objectam." 



