168 
DESCRIPTIONS OF EGYPT. 
of the Carthaginians, prior to the expedition of 
Cambyses into Egypt. 
In the vicinity of Thebes, in a large island 
formed by a branch of the Nile, which separates 
from the principal stream at Ermenth, and unites 
with it again at Memnonium, ought probably to 
be placed the Tathyris of Ptolemy,* the Pathuris 
of Pliny, Pathros of the Hebrew monuments, and 
Pathures of the Septuagint. The change of P 
into T is conformable to the Ethiopic pronuncia- 
tion. Ermenth, the ancient Hermonthis, lies 
about twelve miles above Thebes, and exhibits 
the ruins of a magnificent temple. In this city, 
according to ^lian. The Good Genius W3ls wor- 
shipped under the symbol of a bull, and denomi- 
nated Onuphis.t Between Ermenth and Isna 
lies Asfun, a small town founded on the ruins of 
Aphroditopolis, sometimes denominated Asphy- 
nis, as Wilford thinks, from the Sanscrit term 
Aswini. Esne, or Latopolis, is still a considera- 
ble town, and since the persecution of Dioclesian 
has been revered as a place of peculiar sanctity 
by the Copts. An ancient temple is still in a 
state of considerable preservation. According to 
Norden, the capital of one column never resem- 
bles another. The sculptures represent the cere- 
* Ptolemaei- Geogr. a Bertio, p. 122. 
f iElian. Hist. Animal. 1. xii. 
