The Hieroglyphics of Horapollo Nilous

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XLVII. HOW HEARING.

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To denote hearing, they delineate the EAR OF THE BULL,

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for when the cow is desirous of conception, (and she continues so for not longer than three hours together,) she vehemently lows, and if during this time the bull should not approach her, she reserves herself till another meeting. This however rarely happens; for the bull hears her from a great distance, and knowing that she is inflamed, he hastens to the meeting, and is the only animal that does so.

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Footnotes

67:1

The bull's ear denotes hearing.—Champ.

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XLVIII. HOW THE MEMBER OF A PROLIFIC MAN.

To denote the member of a prolific man, they depict a

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GOAT, and not a bull: ille enim antequam annum attigerit, coire non solet: hic septem statim post ortum diebus congreditur, infœcundum et genituræ minime accommodum semen excernens. Prius tamen ac celerius cæteris animantibus coit.

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Footnotes

68:1

The Mendesian goat appears to have been considered by Herodotus as sacred to Khem. The goat as well as the bull was an emblem of Siva.

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XLIX. HOW THEY DENOTE IMPURITY.

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To denote impurity, they delineate an ORYX 2 (a species of wild goat), because when

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the moon rises, this animal looks intently towards the goddess and raises an outcry, and that, neither to praise nor welcome her; and of this the proof is most evident, for it scrapes up the earth with its fore legs, and fixes its eyes in the earth, as if indignant and unwilling to behold the rising of the goddess. And it acts in the same manner at the rising of (the divine star) the sun. Wherefore the ancient kings, when the Horoscopus apprised them of the rising of the moon, placed themselves near this animal, and by observing the middle of its operations, ascertained, as by a kind of gnomon, the exact time of the rising. And hence the priests, of all other cattle, eat this alone without being previously marked with the seal, inasmuch as it appears to entertain a kind of aversion to the

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goddess: and in the desert wherever it finds a watering place, after having drunk, it stirs it up with its lips, and mingles the mud with the water, and throws dust into it with its feet, that it may be fit for no other animal to drink; so malicious and odious has the nature of the Oryx been considered. Nor does it act thus unmeaningly, because it is this same goddess who germinates and causes all things whatsoever to increase that are useful in the world.

[Josie Linde]

Footnotes

69:1

I. The Oryx is found upon the monuments, but not explained.

II. A conical seal frequently appears in the hands of persons making oblations. Several with inscriptions on the base, as represented above, are in Dr. Lee's Museum.

69:2 Moe. Pur A. B. Mer. Causs. ὄρτυγα, a quail.

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L. HOW A DISAPPEARANCE.

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To denote a disappearance, they delineate a MOUSE 1, because

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it pollutes and spoils all things by nibbling them. They also make use of the same symbol when they would denote discernment, for when many different sorts of bread lie before him, the mouse selects the purest from among them and eats it. And hence the selection by the bakers is guided by mice.

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Footnotes

71:1

No hieroglyphic of a mouse has yet been found. But Herodotus states, that when Sennacherib approached Egypt, the bowstrings of his army were destroyed by mice during the night, in consequence of which, he was defeated by Sethos, king of Egypt, to whom was erected a statue with a mouse in his hand, as an emblem of DESTRUCTION.

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LI. HOW IMPUDENCE.

To denote impudence, they represent a FLY, for this, though perpetually driven away, nevertheless returns.

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