Histories

Psammetichus did this, and gave these instructions, because he wanted to hear what speech would first come from the children, when they were past the age of indistinct babbling. And he had his wish; for one day, when the shepherd had done as he was told for two years, both children ran to him stretching out their hands and calling “Bekos!” as he opened the door and entered.

When he first heard this, he kept quiet about it; but when, coming often and paying careful attention, he kept hearing this same word, he told his master at last and brought the children into the king's presence as required. Psammetichus then heard them himself, and asked to what language the word “Bekos” belonged; he found it to be a Phrygian word, signifying bread.

Reasoning from this, the Egyptians acknowledged that the Phrygians were older than they. This is the story which I heard from the priests of Hephaestus'[*](Identified by the Greeks with the Egyptian Ptah.) temple at Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis; the Greeks say among many foolish things that Psammetichus had the children reared by women whose tongues he had cut out.

Besides this story of the rearing of the children, I also heard other things at Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis in conversation with the priests of Hephaestus;[*](Identified by the Greeks with the Egyptian Ptah.) and I visited Thebes [32.666,25.683] (deserted settlement), Qina, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaThebes and Heliopolis [31.333,30.1] (deserted settlement), Cairo, Urban, Egypt, AfricaHeliopolis, too, for this very purpose, because I wished to know if the people of those places would tell me the same story as the priests at Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis; for the people of Heliopolis [31.333,30.1] (deserted settlement), Cairo, Urban, Egypt, Africa Heliopolis are said to be the most learned of the Egyptians.