212 



primitive verb, which expressed this state of re- 

 pose, was oW/v ; and that it was the root of a great 

 number of Greek words, which passed afterward 

 into other languages*. It will be sufficient to 

 cite the words Swot,, idleness ; and ofaoq, a house, 

 so familiar was this position in primitive and al- 

 most savage societies to men fatigued, during the 

 peaceful moments they passed in the interior of 

 their rustic retreats. 



We see on the monuments of Egypt a great 

 number of women represented in this attitude, 

 either when suckling their children, praying at 

 the feet of their idols, playing on some instru- 

 ment, or exhibiting signs of affliction, at the fu- 

 neral of their relations or countrymen f. We 

 find also, on the same monuments, but much less 

 frequently, men in this attitude J. We might 

 even be led to think, that the precept of the Py- 

 thagoreans, to pray sitting, referred in remoter 

 times only to this posture used in the Egyptian 



* See in Hesychius d'Alberti, the notes on the word 

 olxiatiiv. 



+ See in the magnificent work, Description de l'Egypte, 

 vol. i, plate 12, No. 2 ; 62, No. 2 ; 69, No. 1 ; 70, No. 2 ; 

 81, 96, and elsewhere ; and in the Voyage dans la Basse et 

 Haute Egypte, by M. Denon, the pi. 126, 131, et 135. 



X Sculpture dela Villa Borghese, St. 8, No. 4 : Winckel- 

 mann, Hist, de l'Art, <fcc, edition of Rome, torn, i, pi. 6, 



