Histories

A road, paved with stone, about three eighths of a mile long leads to the entrance, running eastward through the marketplace, towards the temple of Hermes; this road is about four hundred feet wide, and bordered by trees reaching to heaven. Such is this temple.

Now the departure of the Ethiopian (they said) came about in this way. After seeing in a dream one who stood over him and urged him to gather together all the Priests in Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt and cut them in half, he fled from the country.

Seeing this vision, he said, he supposed it to be a manifestation sent to him by the gods, so that he might commit sacrilege and so be punished by gods or men; he would not (he said) do so, but otherwise, for the time foretold for his rule over Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt was now fulfilled, after which he was to depart:

for when he was still in Ethiopia [39,8] (nation), AfricaEthiopia, the oracles that are consulted by the people of that country told him that he was fated to reign fifty years over Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt. Seeing that this time was now completed and that he was troubled by what he saw in his dream, Sabacos departed from Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt of his own volition.

When the Ethiopian left Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, the blind man (it is said) was king once more, returning from the marshes where he had lived for fifty years on an island that he built of ashes and earth; for the Egyptians who were to bring him food without the Ethiopian's knowledge were instructed by the king to bring ashes whenever they came, to add to their gift.

This island was never discovered before the time of Amyrtaeus; all the kings before him sought it in vain for more than seven hundred years. The name of it is Elbo, and it is over a mile long and of an equal breadth.