Pagina-afbeeldingen
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entrance are three ftatues, formed from a fingle ftone, by Memnon Sycnite, the

principal of which, reprefenting the king, "is feated, and is the largest in Egypt. One "of its feet, exactly measured, is above seven "cubits. The other two figures, fupported "on his knees, the one on the right, the "other on the left, are thofe of his mother

and daughter. The whole work is lefs

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"valuable for its enormous grandeur than "for the beauty of the fculpture, and the "choice of the granite, which, though fo "extensive, has neither flaw, nor blemish; 66 on its furface. The coloffus bears this in

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fcription, I am Ofymandyas, king of kings? "be who would comprehend my greatness, " and where I reft, let him destroy fome one

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of thefe works (e). Befides this is another "ftatue of his mother, cut from a fingle "block of granite, thirty feet high. Three

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queens are fculptured on her head, inti

mating that he was daughter, wife and "mother of a king.

(e) I believe this infcription was fatal to the coloffus, and occafioned Cambyfes to break it in two.

The French reads, que l'on detruife; the Greek, vindra Ti 7 quäv dryer, let him conquer, i, e. exceed, fome of my works, T.

E 3

"After

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"After this portico is a periftyle, ftill

more beautiful than the firft, on the stones "of which is engraved the hiftory of the

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war of Ofymandyas, against the rebels of "Bactriana. The façade of the front wall "exhibits this prince attacking ramparts, 66 at the foot of which the river flows; he "is combating advanced troops, and by his "fide is a terrible lion, ardent in his defence. "On the right wall are captives in chains, "with their hands and genitals cut off, as "marks of reproach for their cowardice. "The wall on the left contains fymbolical figures, of exceedingly good fculpture, descriptive of the triumphs and facrifice of Ofymandyas, returning from this war. "In the center of the periftyle, where the "roof is open, an altar was erected of a fingle ftone, of marvellous bulk, and exquifite workmanship; and, at the farther "wall are two coloffal figures, each hewn from a fingle block of marble, forty feet

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high, feated on their pedestals. This "admirable periftyle has three gates, one "between the two ftatues, and the others *on each fide. Thefe lead to an edifice two hundred feet fquare, the roof of which

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"is fupported by high columns. ❝bles a magnificent theatre. Several figures, "carved in wood, reprefent a tribunal ad

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ministering justice. Thirty judges are seen "on one of the walls, and in the midst of "them the chief juftice, with a pile of

books at his feet, and a figure of Truth, "with her eyes fhut, fufpended from his "neck.

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Beyond is a walk, furrounded by edi"fices of various forms, in which were "tables ftored with all kinds of moft deli"cious viands. In one of thefe, Ofymandyas, cloathed in magnificent robes, offers

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up the gold and filver which he annually "drew from the mines of Egypt to the gods. Beneath, the amount of this revenue, which was thirty-two million minas of filver, was infcribed. Another building "contained the facred library, at the entrance "of which thefe words were read, PHYSIC 86 FOR THE SOUL. A fourth contained all "the deities of Egypt, with the king, offer

ing fuitable prefents to each, and calling "Ofiris, and the furrounding divinities, to "witness he had exercised piety toward the gods, and juftice toward men. Befide "the

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"the library ftood one of the finest of these "edifices, and in it twenty couches, to re"cline on, while feafting; alfo the statues "of Jupiter, Juno, and Ofymandyas, whofe

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body, it is fuppofed, was depofited here, "Various adjoining apartments contained

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representations of all the confecrated ani"mals of Egypt. Hence was the afcent to "the fepulchre of the king, on the fummit "of which was placed a circle of gold, in "thickness ane cubit, and three hundred "and fixty-five in circumference; each "cubit correfponded to a day in the year, "and on it were engraved the rifing and fetting of the ftars, for that day, with "fuch aftrological indications as the fuper"ftition of the Egyptians had affixed to "them. Cambyfes is faid to have carried "off this circle, when he ravaged Egypt. "Such, according to hiftorians, was the "tomb of Ofymandyas, which furpaffed all "others, as well by its wealth as by the workmanship of the skilful artists employed." (*)

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(*) Some very flight deviations from the French text have been made on the authority of Diodorus. T.

ON" Ẻ G Ý P T.

EGYPT.

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I dare not, Sir, warrant all that Diodorus Siculus advances, on the faith of preceding writers; for, in his time, the greatest part of these edifices were no longer in existence. Nay, I confess that, in any other country, fuch marvellous edifices would pafs for mere chimæras; but in this land of fecundity, which feems to have been first honoured by the creative genius of the arts, they acquire probability. Let us examine the remains of those monuments, and our eyes will oblige us to believe in miracles. Thefe remains are heaped together near Medinet-Abou (f), in the circumference of about half a league. The temple, veftibules, and periftyles, prefent only piles of ruins, among which fome pyramidal gates rear their heads, whofe folidity has rendered them indeftru&tible; but the numerous coloffal figures, described by Diodorus, though mutilated, ftill fubfift. That nearest the ruins, which is of yellow marble, is funk in the earth, one third of its height. On a line with it is another of fpotted marble, black and white, thirty feet'

(f) Medinet-Abou fignifies the city of the father. That Memnonium ftood here cannot be doubted, fince it is alfo called, in the Itinerary, Papa, or Father.

long,

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