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The males of the ox kind they consider to belong to Epaphos； and on
account of him they test them in the following manner：If the priest sees
one single black hair upon the beast he counts it not clean for sacrifice；
and one of the priests who is appointed for the purpose makes
investigation of these matters； both when the beast is standing upright and
when it is lying on its back； drawing out its tongue moreover； to see if it is
clean in respect of the appointed signs； which I shall tell of in another part
of the history： he looks also at the hairs of the tail to see if it has them
growing in a natural manner； and if it be clean in respect of all these things；
he marks it with a piece of papyrus； rolling this round the horns； and then
when he has plastered sealing…earth over it he sets upon it the seal of his
signet…ring； and after that they take the animal away。 But for one who
sacrifices a beast not sealed the penalty appointed is death。 In this way
then the beast is tested； and their appointed manner of sacrifice is as
follows：they lead the sealed beast to the altar where they happen to be
sacrificing； and then kindle a fire： after that； having poured libations of
wine over the altar so that it runs down upon the victim and having called
upon the god； they cut its throat； and having cut its throat they sever the
head from the body。 The body then of the beast they flay； but upon the
head they make many imprecations first； and then they who have a market
and Hellenes sojourning among them for trade； these carry it to the
market…place and sell it； while they who have no Hellenes among them
cast it away into the river： and this is the form of imprecations which they
utter upon the heads； praying that if any evil be about to befall either
themselves who are offering sacrifice or the land of Egypt in general； it
may come rather upon this head。 Now as regards the heads of the beasts
which are sacrificed and the pouring over them of the wine； all the
Egyptians have the same customs equally for all their sacrifices； and by
reason of this custom none of the Egyptians eat of the head either of this
or of any other kind of animal： but the manner of disembowelling the
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victims and of burning them is appointed among them differently for
different sacrifices； I shall speak however of the sacrifices to that goddess
whom they regard as the greatest of all； and to whom they celebrate the
greatest feast。When they have flayed the bullock and made imprecation；
they take out the whole of its lower entrails but leave in the body the upper
entrails and the fat； and they sever from it the legs and the end of the loin
and the shoulders and the neck： and this done； they fill the rest of the body
of the animal with consecrated loaves and honey and raisins and figs and
frankincense and myrrh and every other kind of spices； and having filled it
with these they offer it； pouring over it great abundance of oil。 They make
their sacrifice after fasting； and while the offerings are being burnt； they
all beat themselves for mourning； and when they have finished beating
themselves they set forth as a feast that which they left unburnt of the
sacrifice。 The clean males then of the ox kind； both full…grown animals
and calves； are sacrificed by all the Egyptians； the females however they
may not sacrifice； but these are sacred to Isis； for the figure of Isis is in the
form of a woman with cow's horns； just as the Hellenes present Io in
pictures； and all the Egyptians without distinction reverence cows far more
than any other kind of cattle； for which reason neither man nor woman of
the Egyptian race would kiss a man who is a Hellene on the mouth； nor
will they use a knife or roasting…spits or a caldron belonging to a Hellene；
nor taste the flesh even of a clean animal if it has been cut with the knife
of a Hellene。 And the cattle of this kind which die they bury in the
following manner：the females they cast into the river； but the males they
bury； each people in the suburb of their town； with one of the horns； or
sometimes both； protruding to mark the place； and when the bodies have
rotted away and the appointed time comes on； then to each city comes a
boat from that which is called the island of Prosopitis （this is in the Delta；
and the extent of its circuit is nine /schoines/）。 In this island of Prosopitis
is situated； besides many other cities； that one from which the boats come
to take up the bones of the oxen； and the name of the city is Atarbechis；
and in it there is set up a holy temple of Aphrodite。 From this city many go
abroad in various directions； some to one city and others to another； and
when they have dug up the bones of the oxen they carry them off； and
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coming together they bury them in one single place。 In the same manner as
they bury the oxen they bury also their other cattle when they die； for
about them also they have the same law laid down； and these also they
abstain from killing。
Now all who have a temple set up to the Theban Zeus or who are of
the district of Thebes； these； I say； all sacrifice goats and abstain from
sheep： for not all the Egyptians equally reverence the same gods； except
only Isis and Osiris （who they say is Dionysos）； these they all reverence
alike： but they who have a temple of Mendes or belong to the Mendesian
district； these abstain from goats and sacrifice sheep。 Now the men of
Thebes and those who after their example abstain from sheep； say that this
custom was established among them for the cause which follows：
Heracles （they say） had an earnest desire to see Zeus； and Zeus did not
desire to be seen of him； and at last when Heracles was urgent in entreaty
Zeus contrived this device； that is to say； he flayed a ram and held in front
of him the head of the ram which he had cut off； and he put on over him
the fleece and then showed himself to him。 Hence the Egyptians make the
image of Zeus with the face of a ram； and the Ammonians do so also after
their example； being settlers both from the Egyptians and from the
Ethiopians； and using a language which is a medley of both tongues： and
in my opinion it is from this god that the Egyptians call Zeus /Amun/。 The
Thebans then do not sacrifice rams but hold them sacred for this reason；
on one day however in the year； on the feast of Zeus； they cut up in the
same manner and flay one single ram and cover with its skin the image of
Zeus； and then they bring up to it another image of Heracles。 This done；
all who are in the temple beat themselves in lamentation for the ram； and
then they bury it in a sacred tomb。
About Heracles I heard the account given that he was of the number of
the twelve gods； but of the other Heracles whom the Hellenes know I was
not able to hear in any part of Egypt： and moreover to prove that the
Egyptians did not take the name of Heracles from the Hellenes； but rather
the Hellenes from the Egyptians；that is to say those of the Hellenes who
gave the name Heracles to the son of Amphitryon；of that； I say； besides
many other evidences there is chiefly this； namely that the parents of this
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Heracles； Amphitryon and Alcmene； were both of Egypt by descent； and
also that the Egyptians say that they do not know the names either of
Poseidon or of the Dioscuroi； nor have these been accepted by them as
gods among the other gods； whereas if they had received from the
Hellenes the name of any divinity； they would naturally have preserved the
memory of these most of all； assuming that in those times as now some of
the Hellenes were wont to make voyages and were seafaring folk； as I
suppose and as my judgment compels me to think； so that the Egyptians
would have