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Manners and Customs of the Egyptians: Bubastis

LIX. The Egyptians do not restrict themselves every year to one solemn festival only; those great assemblages are frequent. The first of these and the one which is the most zealously attended, is held at Bubastis in honor of Diana: the second at Busiris in honor of Isis, since in this city stands the largest temple of Isis. The city itself is built in the midst of the Delta, and Isis, in the language of the Greeks, is Ceres. The third gathering is at Sais in honor of Minerva : the fourth at Heliopolis, in honor of the Sun; the fifth at Buto, in honor of Latona; the sixth at Papremis, in honor of Mars.

LX. And this is the way in which they repair to the City of Bubastis, for both men and women go thither, in great multitudes, from all parts, each family in its boat. Some of the women have castanets and sound them for their part during the whole trip some of the men play the flute and the remainder of both sexes clap their hands and sing. When, as they sail along, they approach one of the cities that dot the way, they moor the boat and do what I am going to relate. Among the women some continue their singing or rattle their castanets, while others with loud crios jeer at the women of the city, and others again dance.

At each town on the river banks, they do in like manner. On their arrival at Bubastis, the passengers begin to celebrate the festival and offer sacrifices; and in this solemnity they consume more grape wine than during all the rest of the year. Without counting the children, more than seven hundred thousand men and women, according to the statements of the inhabitants, assemble there. Such are the things that take place at Bubastis. ..

APPENDIX.

After the sacrifices, the men and women, thronging together in a numberless multitude, ply each other with blows. For what god they strike it would be an impiety in me to tell. The Carians established in Egypt do that and more still; they cut each other's foreheads with knives; by that they show that they are strangers and not Egyptians.