CHAP. XIII. THE EVIL BEING. 417 



Had the head of this Deity been that of the Ass, 

 its adoption would have suited the character of 

 the Evil Being, and have accorded with the state- 

 ment of Plutarch, who says the Egyptians consi- 

 dered that animal emblematic of Typho. " Hence 

 the Coptites have the custom * of throwing an ass 

 down a precipice ; and the inhabitants of Busiris 

 and Lycopolis carry their detestation of it so far 

 as never to make use of trumpets, fancying that 

 their sound is similar to the braying of an Ass. 

 Indeed, this animal is generally regarded by them 

 as unclean, on account of its supposed resem- 

 blance to Typho ; for which reason, the cakes 

 offered with their Sacrifices, during the two months 

 Paiini and Phaophi, have the impression of an Ass 

 bound, stamped upon them." 



Even if the entire quadruped itself w^ere not 

 present to decide this point, their mode of repre- 

 sentiniij animals was too accurate to admit of such 

 a misconception ; and a figure with the head of an 

 ass represented among the numerous Genii in the 

 temple of Tuot, or Tuphium, suffices to show the 

 marked distinction between it and the one before 

 us. 



The inaccuracy of Greek writers presents con- 

 siderable difficulty in deciding upon any point not 

 elucidated by the Egyptian monuments. We are 

 told that Typho was the name of the Evil Being, 

 who was the son of Netpe, and brother of Osiris. 

 But, judging from tlie hieroglyphiclegends, there is 



* Plut. de Is. s. 30. 

 VOL. I. — Second Series. E E 



