CHAP. XIII. SARAPIS NOT EGYPTIAN. SGi 



Bacchus are the same, leads to a similar conclusion : 

 Osiris answering to Bacchus, as Sarapis to Osiris, 

 after he had changed his nature ; for Sarapis is a 

 name common to all, as those know who are ini- 

 tiated into the mysteries of Osiris. The opinion 

 of those who pretend that ' Sarapis is no God, but 

 the mere denomination of the Sepulchral Chest, 

 into which the body of Apis, after death, is de- 

 posited,' is perfectly absurd. Tiie priests, indeed, 

 — at least, the greatest part of them, — tell us, that 

 Sarapis is no other than the mere union of Osiris 

 and Apis into one word*; declaring that 'Apis 

 ought to be regarded as a fair and beautiful image 

 of the Soul of Osiris.' For my own part, I cannot 

 but think that this word is expressive of joy and 

 gladness, since the festiv-al which the Greeks call 

 Charmosyna, or the feast of joy, is by the Egyptians 

 termed Sarei." 



Tacitus t gives the same account of the in- 

 troduction of Sarapis into Egypt, which is con- 

 firmed by Macrobius and Pausaniast ; and Cle- 

 mens of Alexandria § states, "on the authority of 

 some persons, that the statue was sent as a present 

 by the people of Sino])e to Ptolemy Phihidelphus, 

 who had relieved their city from famine by a 

 supply of corn. It was a representation of Pluto, 

 and was placed in the promontory now called 

 Racotis, where the temple of Sarapis stands. 

 Others, however, affirm this Sarapis to be a Pontic 



* Clemens (Orat. Adhort. p. "21. ), also, says the iiaiiie of Sarapis is 

 composed of Osiris and Apis. 



f Tacit. Hist. iv. c. 83, 84. J PaiL^aii. in Allien. 



^ Clem. Orat. Adhort. p. 20. 



