Histories

The Ionians and Carians lived for a long time in these places, which are near the sea, on the arm of the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile called the Pelusian, a little way below the town of +Tall Bastah [31.516,30.566] (deserted settlement), Ash Sharqiyah, Lower Egypt, Egypt, Africa Bubastis. Long afterwards, king Amasis removed them and settled them at Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis to be his guard against the Egyptians.

It is a result of our communication with these settlers in Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt (the first of foreign speech to settle in that country) that we Greeks have exact knowledge of the history of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt from the reign of Psammetichus onwards.

There still remained in my day, in the places out of which the Ionians and Carians were turned, the winches[*](Probably capstans for hauling the ships ashore.) for their ships and the ruins of their houses. This is how Psammetichus got Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt.

I have often mentioned the Egyptian oracle, and shall give an account of this, as it deserves. This oracle is sacred to Leto, and is situated in a great city by the Sebennytic arm of the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), AfricaNile, on the way up from the sea.

+Kawm al-Farain [30.733,31.2] (deserted settlement), Kafr ash-Shaykh, Lower Egypt, Egypt, Africa Buto is the name of the city where this oracle is; I have already mentioned it. In +Kawm al-Farain [30.733,31.2] (deserted settlement), Kafr ash-Shaykh, Lower Egypt, Egypt, Africa Buto there is a temple of Apollo and Artemis. The shrine of Leto where the oracle is, is itself very great, and its outer court is sixty feet high.

But what caused me the most wonder among the things apparent there I shall mention. In this precinct is the shrine of Leto, the height and length of whose walls is all made of a single stone slab; each wall has an equal length and height; namely, seventy feet. Another slab makes the surface of the roof, the cornice of which is seven feet broad.