Histories

As for Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, then, I credit those who say it, and myself very much believe it to be the case; for I have seen that Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt projects into the sea beyond the neighboring land, and shells are exposed to view on the mountains, and things are coated with salt, so that even the pyramids show it, and the only sandy mountain in Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt is that which is above Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis;

besides, Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt is like neither the neighboring land of Arabian Peninsula [45,25] (region (general)), AsiaArabia nor Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya, not even like Syria [38,35] (nation), Asia Syria (for Syrians inhabit the seaboard of Arabian Peninsula [45,25] (region (general)), AsiaArabia); it is a land of black and crumbling earth, as if it were alluvial deposit carried down the river from Aethiopia;

but we know that the soil of Libya [17,25] (nation), AfricaLibya is redder and somewhat sandy, and Arabian Peninsula [45,25] (region (general)), AsiaArabia and Syria [38,35] (nation), Asia Syria are lands of clay and stones.

This, too, that the priests told me about Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, is a strong proof: when Moeris was king, if the river rose as much as thirteen feet, it watered all of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt below Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis.[*](Supposing this statement to be true, Moeris must have been king much more than 900 years before Hdt.: 900 years being much too short a period for a rise of eight cubits in the height of the Nile valley.) Moeris had not been dead nine hundred years when I heard this from the priests. But now, if the river does not rise at least twenty-six or twenty-five feet, the land is not flooded.