THE PHIL-HELLENES. 43 



had only castor oil with which they rubbed their bodies, 

 but with which, for obvious reasons, they could not 

 cook their food. The Ionians were able to sell red 

 wine and sweet oil at a much lower price ; for in the 

 first place they had vineyards and olive groves of 

 their own ; and secondly, such bulky wares could be 

 brought by sea more cheaply than by land. 



The Greeks first appeared on the Egyptian coast as 

 pirates clad in bronze ; next as smugglers, welcomed 

 by the people, but in opposition to the laws, and lastly 

 as allies and honoured friends. They took advantage 

 of the confusion which followed the departure of Sabaco 

 to push up the Nile with thirty vessels, each of fifty 

 oars, and established factories upon its banks. They 

 negotiated with Psammiticus, who ascertained that their 

 country produced not only oil, but men. He ordered a 

 cargo : and transports arrived with troops. Europeans 

 for the first time entered the valley of the Nile. Their 

 gallantry and discipline were irresistible, and the 

 empire of the Pharaohs was restored. 



But now commenced a new regime. There suc- 

 ceeded to the throne a series of kings who were not 

 related to the ancient Pharaohs ; who were not always 

 men of noble birth ; who were not even good Egyptians. 

 They were called Phil-Hellenes, or lovers of the Greeks. 

 Of these, Psammiticus was the founder and the first. 

 He moved Egypt towards the sea. He placed his 

 capital near the mouth of the river, that the Greek 

 ships might anchor beneath its walls. This new city 

 Sais being distant from the quarries, was built of 

 bricks from the black mud of the Nile ; but it was 

 adorned with spoils from the forsaken Memphis. 

 Chapels, obelisks, and sphinxes were brought down 

 on rafts. There was also a kind of Renaissance under 



