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trust about the court; but because he too much favored the Greeks, the council denied him a judgeship, for which he had solicited, as it would have given him too frequent opportunities of showing Lis regard for our nation. Nevertheless my good master was a man of virtue above the Egyptian standard, and was faithful not only to his religion, but to the moral intimations of his own breast.

"After two years' residence with him, when I had perfectly acquired the language, and might, but for my beauty, have passed for an Egyptain, he procured me at vast cost an initiation as priestess. The wife of a priest in Egypt, is priestess herself, by virtue of her family and marriage; but if an Egyptian takes a woman of Greece to be his wife, he must procure her this privilege by enormous bribes, because of a law which forbids any but man or woman of the pure land to be initiated. But in Egypt money will do everything.

"At this time Pythagoras was in Egypt, and had become a priest through favor of my husband and others of the Greek faction, who meant to break down the old prejudices. Seeing the military spirit of their nation extinct, and the Pharaos dependant on foreigners for the defence of his territory, they wished to mingle the two nations, declaring that as they were of Egyptian origin, the Greeks should be admitted of the military order, and treated as the brothers of the Egyptians. But these projects and opinions came all to nought.

"Pythagoras came often to our house in Heliopolis to converse with my husband. I remember well his tall, spare figure, and delicate complexion. His appearance and expression were unlike anything I have ever seen, for they combined the expresSion of an enthusiast with the manners of an aristocrat.

"We lived splendidly at Heliopolis. My husband's palace adjoined the great temple, where the worship of Ammon and of the Sun is daily solemnized. From the windows of the balcony and from the roof, we overlooked the great avenue leading to the temple, along which processions moved on each one of the many feast days of the yptians. One half the time we spent in queting and celebrations, the remainder

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in study and the rites of the Sun. My husband instructed me in all the mysteries. I read secretly the books of thrice great Hermes, which treat of polity, medicine, and indeed of all that appertains to this life; I composed poems in the sacred character, and soon had the reputation of the most learned, as well as of the handsomest woman in Egypt. My evening parties, suppers and festivals, were attended by all the nobility and their wives Young nobles drove in their chariots every morning to my doors. Ambitious mothers sent their daughters to hear my conversations, and great wits were not ashamed to learn my verses, and repeat my good sayings.

"Let me describe to you one of my parties, that you may know how much better the women fare in Egypt, than with you Greeks. Wishing to make a young enthusiast, the daughter of a priest, ac quainted with the wonderful Pythagoras, I sent him an invitation by a slave, on a scroll of gilt papyrus. At evening be came in a little bronze chariot, drawn by a spirited horse which he drove with his own hand. Alighting at the door of the court, he gave the reins to a servant, and passing through the court under a canopy of cloth, spangled to represent the heavens under a shower of perfumes, he advanced to the great staircase, which is opposite the street door. Here my husband met him, clad in a dress of the purest linen of Egypt, and they two came together inte the chamber where my friends were assembled.

"Need I describe the formal grace, the learned courtesy of the reception, when my husband, with a serene gravity, com ducted his famous guest to a chair no inferior to Pharao's, and placing himse on his right hand, commanded me to upon the left? Then how the women and young nobles, who had risen at his entrance came forward singly and were introduced the women by myself, and the men by m husband; and how gracefully and sober Pythagoras received them, rising a doing courtesy to each with a polite inc nation of the head?"

"I beseech you, fair Diotima," Cymon, interrupting her, "relate to all the particulars of this reception, the conversation of Pythagoras with yo

I have a suspicion of something extraorFor dinary in such a dialogue, though it happened on so courtly an occasion."

young friend, if happily she accomplished | tion of yours might continue to entertain a her desire of hearing him converse. went on with it until morning. But I am company of young people, though you prodigiously stupid at the hearing of all kinds of histories, unless some demon story of yours is far too dull for jesting, turns them all into jests for me. But this and I therefore weary of it. Pray, say courtesies-let us have a little of the talk nothing more about these garlands and that passed. I fancy Pythagoras made a rare ass of himself."

"Please, good friend," said Lysis, "Diotima shall tell us what she pleases. Thou art very impertinent to make such a request."

"He thinks there is some love matter in it," said the other; "for I plainly observe a kind of lustre in his eyes.'

"It is the wine, good Meton," observed the young man, blushing. "And now, dear Diotima, I will not again interrupt you."

"The room of reception," said the prophetess, continuing her story, "was of vast size, supported by rows of columns of white marble, stained with emblematic figures. The floor was covered with a thick cloth of wool, worked in figures of sphinxes and water lilies, in blue and gold. The roof had many openings, between the beams of gilt cedar, which rested on the columns; through which came a light subdued by passing through colored slabs of transparent stone. The columns were garlanded with water-lilies, which gave a rich perfume, and from opposite openings in the pictured walls, might be heard at intervals the voice of sweet singers, and the soft music of harps and flutes, echoing and accompanying each other. When the guests were seated, a collation was served by a band of black slaves, clothed each in white tunic, to heighten the darkness of their skin."

"Pray tell me," said Mycon, "whether these were Ethiopians."

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No," said the prophetess, "they were from a country of forests beyond the great desert. The Ethiopians resemble the Egyptians. But these blacks hardly resemble men, so uncouth are they. When the black slaves had taken away the collation, which we ate from little plates of glass, the blacks entertained us with longs and dances after their manner, with which the guests, and especially Pythagoras, were wonderfully delighted, and evinced their pleasure by repeated Jursts of merriment."

Here the jester Meton made a motion With his hand, and said:

"I confess, good Diotima, this descrip

"Hear the fellow!" exclaimed Cymon. Diotima, I am content to suffer with you. "But if you are to suffer by him, good this conversation. Pray, what was the Nevertheless, I long to hear something of topic of it?"

of wine very suddenly, and put it to his As Cymon said this, he took up a vase face to hide his confusion, for he was terribly in love with a fair niece of Diotima's who was in the house, and whom he hoped to catch a sight of that night. Nothing would serve him but to talk of love, for he watched an opportunity to let Diotima into his secret, and at the same time to discover the generosity of his sentiments. But Diosion for her niece. tima had detected and approved his pas

he became subject to a certain proverb; But on this occasion for, tipping the vase too far, he poured the wine over his bosom and over the pillow of the couch, on which he leaned with his left elbow. Thereat the others laughed again, and he, covered with confusion, would have run from the room, had not Lysis laid hands upon him.

Come," said he, "young sir, you shall share the couch with me, since your own is taken by Bacchus."

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that I gave him, he lost to the Graces, and
Ay," said the jester, "his courage,
he has nothing left but his youth and his
now, that his couch is taken by Bacchus,
innocence."

which was spoken in a ridiculously sad
Cymon, greatly nettled at this speech,
voice, began to conceive a suspicion of
Meton, and would have violently hurled the
vase at his head, had he not been staid by
a look from Diotima, who, when he had
sis, continued her story as follows:-
taken his place upon the couch with Ly-

late a part of the conversation of Pythago

"I shall not hesitate, my friends, to re

ras with myself, my husband, and the young priestess of Eros; because, not only of Cymon's desire, and yours, good Meton, but because of my first promise to Lysis, that I would relate the history of my life. From the date of this interview I began to live differently, turning all my thoughts upon spiritual matters, that I might attain that prophetic power which it is conceded that I now possess. But before this, even to the thirtieth year of my life, my thoughts had been limited to my pleasures and reputation. Until then I loved glory for the pleasure it brings; now, I loved it no less, but began worthily to pursue it. For I would have you know that the passion of glory, like love, differs in the pure and the impure, not as to the end, but as to the mode of attaining it. For as an honorable lover gains his end by generous and unreserved affection, and the dishonorable by the contrary, thinking only of his own pleasure," Here Diotima glanced at Cymon, who crimsoned with delight and shame-"so, the true lover of glory seeks the universal love of men, by cultivating in himself true and loveable qualities, while the falsely ambitious entices men with a show, and feasts upon stolen praises."

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Let us compare him," said Lysis, "to a cunning fisherman, who with a bit of glittering metal draws the fish to his hook.'

"And the other," rejoined Cymon, "is like a good shepherd whom the sheep love for the good food he gives them."

"I will compare him," said the jester, "to a jar of sweetened vinegar, which a rascally slave brings you for wine of Cos, when you are so drunk you know no difference of tastes."

"Good," responded Mycon; "and half mankind are drunk all their lives, and know not the taste of true honor."

"Pythagoras," continued the prophetess, "after many kind words and pleasant compliments, drew us gradually to the topic, as I had forewarned him to do, and presently engaged us all in a delightful manner; hearing the word of each, and giving the stupidest remark an elegant turn to the advantage of the person who made We were soon quite intoxicated with the beauty of his discourse. The young es forgot themselves and their fair Danions, and all crowded about us,

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standing or pushing their seats as near as civility would let them. I took care that a soft strain of music should continue while we talked, which rolled tenderly through the alcoves and took off the harshness of our voices." I shall

"Gods," exclaimed Meton, begin presently to shed tears, good Diotima, to think I was not there."

But the others bid him be silent, and Diotima continued:

"Pythagoras would not direct his conversation to the young priestess of Eros, more than to the others, for fear of putting her to shame; but shaped all he said with wonderful ingenuity to her thoughts, while he seemed to be answering the question of another, or relating some anecdote to please the whole. I cannot pretend to any recollection of his words, and must repeat his sentiments in my own. He related to us the fable of Eros, and of his birth out of the darkness, and then said that this fable signified the birth of love in the soul; for that the first darkness meant only the selfish instinct of man, out of which love for the parent who cherishes him, springs like a smiling infant full of light and warmth."

"There is hope in this infant," said the jester: "I perceive it will grow a great baby."

At this, Lysis could not help laughing, but Cymon showed signs of violent anger.

"He spoke of Typho," continued the prophetess, "as one with darkness and selfish isolation. That there is a continual war between this evil principle and the first love, the Eros or Horus; for that Typho, dark and cruel, draws all things down to death and isolation; but that love expands and unites, producing a wonderful music or harmony for souls, which is the language, or song, of the gods.

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with their sun. Hence the people of the East call the sun the husband of the planets, because they move about him, bound by his love. If the power of the love of two heavenly bodies is equal in each, then are they sun and planets, each to the other, and move in one circle about their common centre; and this is the most beautiful of all heavenly motions. But it usually happens that an inferior is bound to a superior; and then she moves about him as inferior, receiving from him both light and warmth. But all love is mutual even among the stars, and the lover originates it in her he loves, and she in him in her turn. But he is moved according to her power; if equal, equally; if unequal, unequally.

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Then the young priestess, Dione, the daughter of Polias, addressing herself to me, spoke as follows:

"Pythagoras tells us a new thing, that the most beautiful of all the heavenly motions, is that of an equal about an equal; and I am persuaded the women of Egypt will not agree with him in this; for the oath of marriage makes them superior to their husbands in domestic affairs, nor are they backward in asserting a superiority in all other things. But it seems more beautiful to me, that the husband should be the superior in all important matters, as is the custom among the barbarians and the Greeks.' 'How,' said I, hastily, 'do you see the better kind of women asserting a superiority, or even an equality? or is it only a few discontented weaver's wives who do this, of the kind that are forward to speak at the sacrifices, and in the market? I have seen one of these lead home her infant in one hand and her husband in the other, as the greater infant of the two."

Then began a great contest among the women, as to which was the better condition, that the wife should rule the husband, or the husband the wife, as our law has it. But Dione, with Pythagoras, Manes and myself, remained silent until there should be room for a reasonable word. After the uproar had a little subsided, Manes spoke.

"I begin to see,' said he, my wise friends, that you will never decide this question in theory, but that each of you must discover what is true in practice.'

VOL. I. NO. II. NEW SERIES.

14

"Then, as his custom was, he began to relate a fable in the eastern manner.

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Let us hear this fable," said Lysis; "I like an apologue above all things.' Then, when the jester and the young man had signified the same desire, the prophetess spake as follows:

"In Mandara, before Amun had created men, there lived a nation of apes who had speech. The bodies of these apes were inhabited by certain demons, who used them for their own purpose. Barata, a wise spirit, who inhabited the body of a crow, conceived a hatred against the apes because they mocked his chattering, and ridiculed his grave and cunning ways. He determined to destroy them, and set about it in the following manner: Assuming the figure of a very aged ape, he came and stood by a spring where the females came to drink. He stood leaning on his staff, looking into the water, and retaining this position, without change, for a year, acquired the reputation of extreme sanctity; for it is necessary that the fickle should venerate the fixed. At the end of a year, the females began to bring offerings; and the water of the spring was esteemed holy. At the end of a second year, Barata keeping his position, great multitudes flocked to worship him, and throw offerings of fruit into the water, which floated away and were eaten by the crows and other birds friendly to Barata, and who knew his design. At the end of the third year, Barata moved his head as though to speak, and the multitude of females fled away in terror or dropped down in a swoon, so astonished were they to see a motion in him. When they were a little recovered, Barata waved his hand and addressed them as follows: Listen to me, ye females who desire sacred knowledge.' When he had said this, a number came forward and approached near him, and some would have embraced his feet. Then he continued, Listen to me, ye who desire the prosperity of the just.' When Barata had said this, one only came forward of the multitude that covered, as it stood, a plain broader than Shinar. But when, for the third time, he added, Listen to me, you who would reap honor where you have sown idleness,' the whole demoniacal body rushed eagerly to be near him, and in their

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haste trampled the single just one to death.

66 'When my husband came to this part of the story," said the prophetess, "I perceived a movement as of indignation in the listeners, though it was so slight none seemed to observe it. Then, in a grave voice, he continued:

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When Barata saw the multitude attentive, and eagerly expecting what he should say to them, he spoke as follows: "I know not what I shall say to win your regard, which I desire above all things. A god inspires me to think him blessed whom you love. What can I more desire than your love, and how can I more deserve it than by making you blessed? But my wisdom is able to do this. Is not all virtue admirable? But what avails virtue unadmired?' Then the multitude murmured, signifying that they cared nothing for virtue unadmired. Nay, then,' continued Barata, we are nothing without honor. To be honored is to be blessed. I seek to make you blessed by making you honored. If you desire to know by what means, signify as much.' Then the whole multitude screamed an assent, and Barata continued: To be honored is to be an equal or a superior. For what honor has an inferior? Ye are miserable inferiors.' We know it,' exclaimed many; but some groaned, and would have stoned the sage had they been allowed by the rest. To be superior is to have ease, and pleasure, and honor. To be inferior is inconsistent with happiness. But you were made for happiness." 'We were, screamed the multitude. Go, then,' he continued, bid your husbands grant you happiness; refuse any longer to defeat the ends of your being; invent a thousand ways to show your equality, and if possible your superiority; and you will not fail to become the rulers of those whom you serve." So saying, Barata quit the shape he had assumed, and taking that of a griffon, flew away over their heads. Then the multitude of females agreed among themselves to observe the words of Barata, and to conceal them from the males. But failing to accomplish their aim with these, they began to educate their male offspring in a feminine manner, to have them at their service, while the females were permitted to enjoy their ease.

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Then letters were invented by these demons, and the males being unused to warlike occupation, addicted themselves to sedentary pursuits. And their numbers gradually diminished, for they became a prey to wild beasts and birds, the friends of Barata; and in two centuries their race was extinct, and the crows inhabited their forests."

When Diotima had made an end of the fable, Lysis said, hesitatingly :

"The story, good Diotima, is displeasing to me in many respects, nor do I fully perceive the application of it; though Manes clearly intends to speak of a contest between the sexes which did not begin yesterday, nor will end, as I think, while men and women exist. The conclusion is like a bad verse at the end of a good poem, which the poet is afraid to finish as he began. But now let us hear more of Pythagoras and the wise daughter of Polias. I fancy she might say a good thing or so."

"We were all disappointed as you were," continued Diotima, "with the conclusion of the fable, as well as with the moral of it, and expected to be made amends by what Pythagoras should say further to the young priestess. But seeing that some began to be weary, I proposed games, and among others a game of penalties, that I might compel Dione to repeat verses, which she did with so peculiar a grace, that we were perfectly delighted and snatched away from ourselves. Then, being director of our sports, I commanded Pythagoras to make an oration in praise of Love, which he did, though very unwillingly; and I saw that he turned his eyes away from Dione, who sat blushing and hiding her mouth with her lotus.* Pythagoras looked a little angry and disturbed when I commanded him to make an oration in praise of Love: but when he perceived the guests expectant, and a silence made, he began, hesitatingly, as follows:

"We are all lovers and beloved-child and parent, brother and brother, husband and wife, friend and friend. But in love there are degrees. We love or hate every living thing when we behold it, because it

ladies at entertainments.-Wilkinson, Man, and • Water lily, carried in the hand by Egyptian Cust. of the Egyptians.

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