Histories

“Although I am the mother of such children, Cyrus dishonors me and honors his new woman from Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt.” So she spoke in her bitterness against Nitetis; and Cambyses, the eldest of her sons, said,

“Then, mother, when I am grown up, I will turn all Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt upside down.” When he said this, he was about ten years old, and the women were amazed; but he kept it in mind, and it was thus that when he grew up and became king, he made the campaign against Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt.

It so happened, too, that something else occurred contributing to this campaign. There was among Amasis' mercenaries a man who was a Halicarnassian by birth, a clever man and a good soldier, whose name was Phanes.

This Phanes had some grudge against Amasis, and fled from Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt aboard ship, hoping to talk to Cambyses. Since he was a man much admired among the mercenaries and had an exact knowledge of all Egyptian matters, Amasis was anxious to catch him, and sent a trireme with his most trusted eunuch to pursue him. This eunuch caught him in +Lycia (region (general)), Turkey, Asia Lycia but never brought him back to Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, for Phanes was too clever for him.

He made his guards drunk and so escaped to Iran [53,32] (nation), AsiaPersia. There he found Cambyses prepared to set out against Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, but in doubt as to his march, how he should cross the waterless desert; so Phanes showed him what was Amasis' condition and how he should march; as to this, he advised Cambyses to send and ask the king of the Arabians for a safe passage.

Now the only apparent way of entry into Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt is this. The road runs from +Phoenicia (region (general)), Asia Phoenicia as far as the borders of the city of Cadytis,[*](Probably +Gaza Strip [34.333,31.416] (occupied territory), Israel, Asia Gaza.) which belongs to the so-called Syrians of +Palestine [35.333,31.916] (region (general)), Asia Palestine.

From Cadytis (which, as I judge, is a city not much smaller than Sardis [28.0167,38.475] (Perseus) Sardis) to the city of Ienysus the seaports belong to the Arabians; then they are Syrian again from Ienysus as far as the Serbonian marsh, beside which the Casian promontory stretches seawards;

from this Serbonian marsh, where Typho is supposed to have been hidden,[*](Hot winds and volcanic agency were attributed by Greek mythology to Typhon, cast down from heaven by Zeus and “buried” in hot or volcanic regions. Typhon came to be identified with the Egyptian god Set; and the legend grew that he was buried in the Serbonian marsh.) the country is Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt. Now between Ienysus and the Casian mountain and the Serbonian marsh there lies a wide territory for as much as three days' journey, terribly arid.

I am going to mention something now which few of those who sail to Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt know. Earthen jars full of wine are brought into Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt twice a year from all Greece [22,39] (nation), EuropeGreece and +Phoenicia (region (general)), Asia Phoenicia besides: yet one might safely say there is not a single empty wine jar anywhere in the country.

What then (one may ask) becomes of them? I shall explain this too. Each governor of a district must gather in all the earthen pots from his own township and take them to Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis, and the people of Mit Rahina [31.25,29.85] (inhabited place), Giza, Upper Egypt, Egypt, AfricaMemphis must fill them with water and carry them to those arid lands of +Syria [38,35] (nation), Asia Syria; so the earthen pottery that is brought to Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt and unloaded or emptied there is carried to +Syria [38,35] (nation), Asia Syria to join the stock that has already been taken there.

Now as soon as the Persians took possession of Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt, they became the caretakers of the entryway into it, having it provisioned with water in the way I have described.