35^ THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XII I. 



belief of " the soul of Osiris having migrated into 

 this animal, who was thus supposed to manifest 

 himself to man through successive ages ; though 

 some report that the members of Osiris when killed 

 by Typho having been deposited in a wooden ox, 

 enveloped in byssine cloths, gave the name to the 

 city of Busiris, and established its worship there." 



When the Apis died *, certain priests chosen 

 for this duty went in quest of another, who was 

 known from the signs mentioned in the sacred 

 books. As soon as he was found, they took him 

 to the City of the Nile preparatory to his removal 

 to Memphis, wliere he was kept 40 days ; during 

 whicli period women t alone were permitted to see 

 him. These 40 days being completed, he was 

 placed in a boat, with a golden cabin, prepared 

 to receive him, and he was conducted in state 

 down the Nile to Memphis. 



Pliny and Ammianus, however, affirm that they 

 led the bull Apis to the fountain of the priests, and 

 drowned him with much ceremony, as soon as the 

 time prescribed in the sacred books was fulfilled. 

 This Plutarch states to be 25 years, (the square of 

 5, and the same number as the letters of the Egyp- 

 tian Alphabet,) beyond which it was forbidden that 

 he should live ; and having thus put him to death, 

 they, with great lamentations, sought another to 

 take his place. His body was embalmed, and a 

 grand funeral procession took place at Memphis, 



* Plut. de Is. s. 56. 



f The rest of the statement, which at most could only be hearsay, is 

 improbable ; unless, perhaps, in Roman times. 



