- 4 — 
lay the body in brine for the specified number of days, on the last of which they take 
out the cedar oil which they have previously injected, and such is the strength it pos- 
sesses that it brings away with it the bowels and inside in a state of dissolution : on 
the other hand, the natriim dissolves the flesh, so that, in fact, there remains nothing but 
the skin and the bones ; when having so done, they give back the body without per- 
forming any further operation upon it. 
The third mode of embalming, which is used for such as have but scanty means, 
is as follows: after washing the inside with syrmsea, they salt the body for the 70 days, 
and return it to be taken back. The wives of men of quality are not given to be em- 
balmed immediately after their death, neither are those that may have been extremely 
beautiful, or much celebrated ; but they deliver them to the embalmers after having been 
3 or 4 days deceased: this they do for the following reason, that the workmen may not 
be able to abuse the bodies of these females ; for it is reported by them, that one of 
these artificers was discovered in the very act on the newly-deceased body of a woman, 
and was impeached by his fellow workman. » 
Diodorus Siculus wrote as follows on the same subject: 
Diodonts «AVhen anyone amongst the Egyptian dies, all his relations and friends, putting dirt 
Sictdns. upon their heads, go lamenting about the city till such time as the body shall be buried. 
In the meantime they abstain from baths and wine, and all kinds of delicate meats, 
neither do they during that time wear any costly apparel. The manner of their burial is 
threefold ; one very costly, the second sort less chargeable and the third very mean. In 
the first, they say there is spent a talent of silver, in the second 20 minae, but in the last 
there is very little expense. Those who have the care of ordering the body are such as 
have been taught that art by their ancestors. These, showing to the kindred of the 
deceased a bill of expenses of each kind of burial, ask them after what manner they ^vill 
have the body prepared; when they have agreed upon the matter, they dehver the body 
to such as are usually appointed for this office. First, he who has the name of scribe, 
laying it upon the ground, marks about the flank on the left side how much is to be cut 
away. Then he who is called the cutter or the dissector, with an Ethiopie stone cuts away 
as much of the flesh as the law commands, and presently runs away as fast as he can: 
those who are present, pursuing him, cast stones at him, and curse him, hereby turning 
all, the execrations which they imagine due to his office, upon him. For, whosoever offers 
violence, wounds, or does any kind of injury to a body of the same nature with himself, 
they think him worthy of hatred ; but those, who are called the embalmers they esteem 
worthy of honour and respect ; for they are familiar with their priests and go into the 
temples as holy men, without any prohibition. So soon as they come to embalm the 
dissected body, one of them thrusts his hand through the wound into the abdomen, and 
drews forth all the bowels but the heart and kidneys, which another washes and 
cleanses with wine made of palms and aromatic odours; lastly, having washed the body, 
they anoint it with oil ot cedar and other things for above thirty days, and afterwards 
