84 History of Nature. [BooK VIII. 



grow until it reacheth down to the very Heels. And hereupon 

 it is, that in approving Calves for Sacrifice, those are allowed 

 whose Tail cometh down to the Joint of the Gambril : but if 

 shorter, they will not be an effectual Sacrifice. This also is 

 noted, that Calves brought on Men's Shoulders to the Altars 

 are not for the most Part accepted for Sacrifice ; nor one 

 that is lame ; nor can the Gods be appeased with those 

 Sacrifices which are foreign to them, nor with such as draw 

 themselves back from the Altar. Among the Prodigies that 

 we read of in ancient Times, we find that an Ox hath spoke ; l 

 and when this was announced, the Senate was accustomed to 

 be held in an open Place. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

 Of the Ox Apis. 



IN Egypt, also, an Ox 2 is worshipped as a God, and they 

 call it Apis. 3 It was marked with a white Spot on the right 

 Side, like the Horns of the new Moon ; a Knob under the 

 Tongue, which they call Cantharus: 4 it was not lawful to 



1 When a report was brought that an ox had spoken, the senate was 

 held in the open air. (Adams' " Rom. Antiq." p. 9.) This was against the 

 custom, because under ordinary circumstances the senate could only meet 

 in stated places at first limited to two within the city, and the temple of 

 Bellona without it ; afterwards the right was extended to several temples 

 and curiae the latter being consecrated by the augurs, but not to any 

 particular deity. The places and circumstances of meeting are recited 

 more at length in Livy, xxvi. 10 ; iii. 63 ; xxxi. 47 ; xxxiii. 22, 24 ; xxxiv. 

 43; xxxvi. 39; xlii. 36. Wern. Club. 



2 See Herodotus, Lib. iii. 28. Wern. Club. 



3 The Scarabaeus. Wern. Club. 



4 ^Elian, B. xi. c. 10, gives a different account of the Egyptian ox-god 

 Apis ; derived, as he strongly intimates, from the best Egyptian authority, 

 and differing from that afforded by Herodotus and Aristagoras. According 

 to him it was designated by twenty-nine marks in different parts of its 

 body, and each one conveying some important figurative meaning : as one, 

 the increase of the Nile, and another, that darkness existed previously to 

 light. As Apis was held sacred at Memphis, so another ox was reve- 

 renced there under the name of Mnevis : the latter dedicated to the sun 

 as the former to the moon. JElian, B. xi. c. 11. Wern. Club. 



