ve been born of Semele the daughter of Cadmos,
was born about sixteen hundred years before my time, and Heracles who
was the son of Alcmene, about nine hundred years, and that Pan who was
born of Penelope, for of her and of Hermes Pan is said by the Hellenes
to have been born, came into being later than the wars of Troy, about
eight hundred years before my time. Of these two accounts every man may
adopt that one which he shall find the more credible when he hears it.
I however, for my part, have already declared my opinion about them. For
if these also, like Heracles the son of Amphitryon, had appeared before
all men's eyes and had lived their lives to old age in Hellas, I mean
Dionysos the son of Semele and Pan the son of Penelope, then one would
have said that these also had been born mere men, having the names
of those gods who had come into being long before: but as it is, with
regard to Dionysos the Hellenes say that as soon as he was born Zeus
sewed him up in his thigh and carried him to Nysa, which is above Egypt
in the land of Ethiopia; and as to Pan, they cannot say whither he went
after he was born. Hence it has become clear to me that the Hellenes
learnt the names of these gods later than those of the other gods, and
trace their descent as if their birth occurred at the time when they
first learnt their names.

Thus far then the history is told by the Egyptians themselves; but I
will now recount that which other nations also tell, and the Egyptians
in agreement with the others, of that which happened in this land: and
there will be added to this also something of that which I have myself
seen.

Being set free after the reign of the priest of Hephaistos, the
Egyptians, since they could not live any time without a king, set up
over them twelve kings, having divided all Egypt into twelve parts.
These made intermarriages with one another and reigned, making agreement
that they would not put down one another by force, nor seek to get an
advantage over one another, but would live in perfect friendship: and
the reason why they made these agreements, guarding them very strongly
from violation, was this, namely that an oracle had been given to them
at first when they began to exercise their rule, that he of them who
should pour a libation with a bronze cup in the temple of Hephaistos,
should be king of all Egypt (for they used to assemble together in all
the temples). Moreover they resolved to join all together and l