31^6 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIII. 



Plutarch even pretends that all access to the island 

 was forbidden at every other period, and that no 

 bird would fly over, or fish swim near, this conse- 

 crated ground. " The sepulchre of Osiris at Phi- 

 lae," says Diodorus *, " is revered by all the priests 

 throughout Egypt ; and 860 cups are filled daily 

 with milk t by priests expressly appointed for this 

 purpose, who, calling on the names of the Gods, 

 utter a solemn lamentation ; wherefore the island 

 can only be approached by the priests ; and the 

 most solemn oath taken by the inhabitants of the 

 Thebai'd is to swear by Osiris, who lies buried at 

 Philse." 



The temple of this Deity at Abydus was also par- 

 ticularly honoured ; and so holy was the place itself 

 considered by the Egyptians, that persons living at 

 some distance from it sought, and perhaps with 

 difficulty obtained, permission to possess a sepulchre 

 within its Necropolis ; in order that, after death, 

 they might repose in ground hallowed by the tomb 

 of this great and mysterious Deity. This fact is 

 noticed by Plutarch t, and confirmed by the dis- 

 covery of inscriptions there, which state the de- 

 ceased were natives of Thebes and other places. 



I have observed § that Memphis,Busiris,Taposiris, 

 and other towns also claimed the honour of being 

 the burial places of Osiris ; and the reason that 

 Apis, " which they looked upon as the image of 

 the Soul of Osiris, was kept at Memphis, seems to 

 liave been in order to place it as near his body as 



* Diodor. i. 22. 



f Milk was used in early times for libations, as by Romulus. 



f. Plut. do Is. s. 20. ^ Siqva, p. 328. 



