BOOK VIII. Lxx. 183-Lxxi. 185 



that the tail must reach the joint of the hock; if 

 it is shorter the offering is not acceptable. It has 

 also been noted that calves are not usually acceptable 

 if carried to the altars on a man's shoulders, and also 

 that the gods are not propitiated if the victim is 

 lame or is not of the appropriate sort, or if it drags 

 itself away from the altar. It frequently occurs 

 among the prodigies of old times that an ox spoke, 

 and when this was reported it was customary for a 

 meeting of the senate to be held in the open air. 



LXXI. In Egypt an ox is even worshipped in worshipof 

 place of a god ; its name is Apis. Its distinguishing "^ "Y" 

 mark is a bright white spot in the shape of a crescent 

 on the right flank, and it has a knob under the tongue 

 which they call a beetle. It is not lawful for it to 

 exceed a certain number of years of life, and they 

 kill it by drowning it in the fountain of the priests, 

 proceeding with lamentation to look for another to 

 put in its place, and they go on mourning till they have 

 found one, actually shaving the hair oflf their heads. 

 Nevertheless the search never continues long. 

 When the successor is found it is led by 100 priests 

 to Memphis. It has a pair of shrines, which they 

 call its bedchambers, that supply the nations 

 with auguries : when it enters one this is a joyful 

 sign, but in the other one it portends terrible events. 

 It gives answers to private individuals by taking 

 food out of the hand of those who consult it; it 

 turned away from the hand of Germanicus Caesar, 

 who was made away with not long after.<* Usually 

 Hving in retirement, when it saUies forth into 

 assembUes it proceeds with hctors to clear the way, 

 and companies of boys escort it singing a song in its 

 honour ; it seems to understand, and to desire to be 



129 



