Histories

Now the shortest and most direct passage from the northern to the southern or +Red Sea [42,15] (sea) Red Sea is from the Casian promontory, the boundary between Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt and +Syria [38,35] (nation), Asia Syria, to the Persian Gulf [53.83,25.583] (gulf), AsiaArabian Gulf, and this is a distance of one hundred and twenty five miles, neither more nor less;

this is the most direct route, but the canal is far longer, inasmuch as it is more crooked. In Necos' reign, a hundred and twenty thousand Egyptians died digging it. Necos stopped work, stayed by a prophetic utterance that he was toiling beforehand for the barbarian. The Egyptians call all men of other languages barbarians.

Necos, then, stopped work on the canal and engaged in preparations for war; some of his ships of war were built on the northern sea, and some in the Persian Gulf [53.83,25.583] (gulf), AsiaArabian Gulf, by the +Red Sea [42,15] (sea) Red Sea coast: the winches for landing these can still be seen.

He used these ships when needed, and with his land army met and defeated the Syrians at Magdolus,[*](Magdolus appears to be the Mogdol of O.T.) taking the great Syrian city of Cadytis [*]( +Gaza City [34.466,31.5] (inhabited place), Gaza Strip, Israel, Asia Gaza.) after the battle.

He sent to +Didyma [27.233,37.35] (historic site), Aydin Ili, Ege kiyilari, Turkey, Asia Branchidae of Miletus [27.3,37.5] (Perseus) Miletus and dedicated there to Apollo the garments in which he won these victories. Then he died after a reign of sixteen years, and his son Psammis reigned in his place.