Geography

​From here there is an isthmus leading to the Red Sea at the city of Berenice, which, though without a harbor, has suitable landing-places owing to the convenient situation of the isthmus. It is said that Philadelphus was the first to cut this road, which was waterless, with an army, and to construct stations, and that he did this because the Red Sea was difficult to navigate, especially for those who sailed from the innermost recess. It was indeed shown by experience that this was of great utility, and now all the Indian cargo, the Arabian cargo, and that of the Ethiopian cargo which is brought down through the Arabian Gulf, is carried to Coptos, and this is the emporium for such cargoes. Not far from Berenice is Myos Hormos, a city having the naval station for those who sail, and not far from Coptos lies the city called the City of Apollo, so that the two cities which define the isthmus are on either side. But now Coptos and Myos Hormos are in high repute, and they use these places. Formerly, then, the camel-merchants used to travel by night, looking to the stars and, like sailors, they journeyed carrying water as well; but now they have also constructed watering-places, having dug to a great depth, and they have also built reservoirs for rainwater, although it is scarce. The journey is one of six or seven days. On this isthmus there are also the emerald mines, where the Arabs dig deep galleries, and mines of other precious stones.

​After the City of Apollo comes Thebes (now called Diospolis), “which has a hundred gates, and from each two hundred men issue forth with horses and chariots.” Thus Homer speaks; and he also mentions its wealth: “nor all that is brought to Egyptian Thebes, where the greatest wealth lies in the houses.” And other writers also say similar things, making this the metropolis of Egypt; and even now traces of its size are shown for a length of eighty stadia. There are several temples, but Cambyses mutilated most of these. Now it is inhabited in the manner of villages, part of it being in Arabia where the city actually is, and part on the opposite bank where the Memnonium is. Here, where there are two monolithic colossi near each other, one is preserved, but the upper parts of the other from the seat have fallen, owing to an earthquake, as they say. It is believed that once every day a noise, as of a slight blow, is produced from the part remaining on the throne and the base. I too, being present at the place with Aelius Gallus and the crowd of friends and soldiers who accompanied him, heard the noise about the first hour; but whether it came from the base or from the colossus, or whether one of those standing around and near the base purposely made the noise, I cannot confidently assert; for on account of the uncertainty of the cause, one is inclined to believe anything rather than that the sound is emitted from stones thus arranged. Above the Memnonium are about forty tombs of kings cut in caves, wonderfully constructed and worthy of a visit. And in Thebes, on certain obelisks, there are inscriptions showing the wealth of the kings of that time and their dominion, as extending as far as the Scythians, Bactrians, Indians, and the present Ionia, and the amount of tributes, and an army of about one million men. The priests there are said to be especially astronomers and philosophers; and to them belongs also the practice of reckoning the days not by the moon but by the sun, adding five days to the twelve months of thirty days each year. And for the completion of the whole year, since a certain fraction of a day runs over, they compose a certain period out of as many whole days and whole years as the running-over fractions, when combined, make a day. They attribute all such wisdom especially to Hermes. And to Zeus, whom they honor most, a virgin of greatest beauty and most illustrious family is consecrated, whom the Greeks call Pallas; and she acts as a sacred prostitute and cohabits with whomsoever she wishes until the natural purification of her body takes place; and after the purification she is given to a husband, but before she is given, mourning is observed for her after the time of her prostitution.