424 THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS. CHAP. XIII. 



perhaps long after that period, he continued to re- 

 ceive the homage of numerous votaries; but sub- 

 sequently a general feeUng of hatred seems to have 

 sprung up against him, and his figure was erased 

 from the sculptures. This does not appear to 

 have been done in a systematic manner, as the re- 

 sult of a general order given by the priesthood to 

 that effect, but in a moment of anger, as would 

 be the case when the people acted from sudden 

 impulse, or excitement. It therefore happens 

 that the figure sometimes escaped this indignity; 

 which could not have been the case, had the 

 careful scrutiny of the priesthood been employed 

 to detect and deface it. 



There is some difficulty in ascertaining the exact 

 time when the erasure took place. The monu- 

 ments of the later Dynasties offer few of the sub- 

 jects in which this Deity usually took part. It is 

 not, therefore, right to conclude that he had then 

 ceased to be worshipped as in olden times : and, 

 indeed, there is so much uncertainty on this head, 

 that we are not sure if the erasure was the work of 

 the Egyptians or of the early Christians. But this 

 last is far from probable, since they could have had 

 no reason to respect or hate any particular Deity 

 of a Pagan temple. 



If so marked an aversion for his figure really in- 

 dicates a change in the feelings of the Egyptians 

 towards this Deity, it is possible that it may have 

 had some connection with the invasion of Persia, — 

 the God having fallen into disgrace in consequence 

 of that event; as the Roman Deities were sometimes 



