272 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIII. 



any other Deity. " It is consecrated to her," says 

 the historian *, *' in a large city (also called Biito) 

 situated near the Sebennytic mouth of the Nile. 

 You pass it in going from the sea by that branch 

 of the river. It contains several temples; — of 

 Apollo, of Diana, and of Latona. In this last the 

 oracles are delivered. It is of very great size, having 

 porticos 10 orgyes (fathoms) in height. But of 

 all that I observed within the enclosure sacred to 

 Latona, the chapel of the Goddess caused me the 

 greatest surprise. Its sides are of a single stone, 

 square both ways, measuring in length and breadth 

 40 cubits ; and another block, whose thickness is 

 4 cubits, forms the roof. Nothing, in fact, in the 

 whole of this consecrated spot is more worthy of 

 admiration. Next to this is the Isle of Chemmis, 

 situated in a deep and spacious lake near the 

 temple of Latona at Buto. According to the 

 Egyptians, it is a floating island ; but I confess I 

 neither saw it float, nor even move, and I was 

 much surprised to liear that any islands did float. 

 In it is a large cliapel of Apollo, with three altars. 

 The soil produces a number of palm and other 

 trees without culture, some of which bear fruit. 



** The following reason is given by the Egyp- 

 tians for its floating. Latona, one of the eight 

 most ancient Divinities, who lived at Buto, where 

 her oracle now is, having been charged by Isis 

 with the care of Apollo, concealed him in this 

 island, which is now called the Floating Island, 



* Herodot. ii. \o5. T^7rfc also, ii. 75. Strabo, xvii. p. 551. 



