the history-第44章

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　in　some　of　the　vessels　wherein　it　was　stored　away。　Whom　to　accuse；　however；　he　knew　not；　as　the　seals　were　all　perfect；　and　the　fastenings　of　the　room　secure。　Still　each　time　that　he　repeated　his　visits；　he　found　that　more　money　was　gone。　The　thieves　in　truth　never　stopped；　but　plundered　the　treasury　ever　more　and　more。　At　last　the　king　determined　to　have　some　traps　made；　and　set　near　the　vessels　which　contained　his　wealth。　This　was　done；　and　when　the　thieves　came；　as　usual；　to　the　treasure…chamber；　and　one　of　them　entering　through　the　aperture；　made　straight　for　the　jars；　suddenly　he　found　himself　caught　in　one　of　the　traps。　Perceiving　that　he　was　lost；　he　instantly　called　his　brother　and　telling　him　what　had　happened；　entreated　him　to　enter　as　quickly　as　possible　and　cut　off　his　head；　that　when　his　body　should　be　discovered　it　might　not　be　recognised；　which　would　have　the　effect　of　bringing　ruin　upon　both。　The　other　thief　thought　the　advice　good；　and　was　persuaded　to　follow　it　then；　fitting　the　stone　into　its　place；　he　went　home；　taking　with　him　his　brother's　head。　　　　　（3。）　When　day　dawned；　the　king　came　into　the　room；　and　marvelled　greatly　to　see　the　body　of　the　thief　in　the　trap　without　a　head；　while　the　building　was　still　whole；　and　neither　entrance　nor　exit　was　to　be　seen　anywhere。　In　this　perplexity　he　commanded　the　body　of　the　dead　man　to　be　hung　up　outside　the　palace　wall；　and　set　a　guard　to　watch　it；　with　orders　that　if　any　persons　were　seen　weeping　or　lamenting　near　the　place；　they　should　be　seized　and　brought　before　him。　When　the　mother　heard　of　this　exposure　of　the　corpse　of　her　son；　she　took　it　sorely　to　heart；　and　spoke　to　her　surviving　child；　bidding　him　devise　some　plan　or　other　to　get　back　the　body；　and　threatening；　that　if　he　did　not　exert　himself；　she　would　go　herself　to　the　king；　and　denounce　him　as　the　robber。　　　　　（4。）　The　son　said　all　he　could　to　persuade　her　to　let　the　matter　rest；　but　in　vain；　she　still　continued　to　trouble　him；　until　at　last　he　yielded　to　her　importunity；　and　contrived　as　follows：…　Filling　some　skins　with　wine；　he　loaded　them　on　donkeys；　which　he　drove　before　him　till　he　came　to　the　place　where　the　guards　were　watching　the　dead　body；　when　pulling　two　or　three　of　the　skins　towards　him；　he　untied　some　of　the　necks　which　dangled　by　the　asses'　sides。　The　wine　poured　freely　out；　whereupon　he　began　to　beat　his　head；　and　shout　with　all　his　might；　seeming　not　to　know　which　of　the　donkeys　he　should　turn　to　first。　When　the　guards　saw　the　wine　running；　delighted　to　profit　by　the　occasion；　they　rushed　one　and　all　into　the　road；　each　with　some　vessel　or　other；　and　caught　the　liquor　as　it　was　spilling。　The　driver　pretended　anger；　and　loaded　them　with　abuse；　whereon　they　did　their　best　to　pacify　him；　until　at　last　he　appeared　to　soften；　and　recover　his　good　humour；　drove　his　asses　aside　out　of　the　road；　and　set　to　work　to　rearrange　their　burthens；　meanwhile；　as　he　talked　and　chatted　with　the　guards；　one　of　them　began　to　rally　him；　and　make　him　laugh；　whereupon　he　gave　them　one　of　the　skins　as　a　gift。　They　now　made　up　their　minds　to　sit　down　and　have　a　drinking…bout　where　they　were；　so　they　begged　him　to　remain　and　drink　with　them。　Then　the　man　let　himself　be　persuaded；　and　stayed。　As　the　drinking　went　on；　they　grew　very　friendly　together；　so　presently　he　gave　them　another　skin；　upon　which　they　drank　so　copiously　that　they　were　all　overcome　with　the　liquor；　and　growing　drowsy　lay　down；　and　fell　asleep　on　the　spot。　The　thief　waited　till　it　was　the　dead　of　the　night；　and　then　took　down　the　body　of　his　brother；　after　which；　in　mockery；　he　shaved　off　the　right　side　of　all　the　soldiers'　beards；　and　so　left　them。　Laying　his　brother's　body　upon　the　asses；　he　carried　it　home　to　his　mother；　having　thus　accomplished　the　thing　that　she　had　required　of　him。　　　　　（5。）　When　it　came　to　the　king's　ears　that　the　thief's　body　was　stolen　away；　he　was　sorely　vexed。　Wishing；　therefore；　whatever　it　might　cost；　to　catch　the　man　who　had　contrived　the　trick；　he　had　recourse　（the　priests　said）　to　an　expedient；　which　I　can　scarcely　credit。　He　sent　his　own　daughter　to　the　common　stews；　with　orders　to　admit　all　comers；　but　to　require　every　man　to　tell　her　what　was　the　cleverest　and　wickedest　thing　he　had　done　in　the　whole　course　of　his　life。　If　any　one　in　reply　told　her　the　story　of　the　thief；　she　was　to　lay　hold　of　him　and　not　allow　him　to　get　away。　The　daughter　did　as　her　father　willed；　whereon　the　thief；　who　was　well　aware　of　the　king's　motive；　felt　a　desire　to　outdo　him　in　craft　and　cunning。　Accordingly　he　contrived　the　following　plan：…　He　procured　the　corpse　of　a　man　lately　dead；　and　cutting　of　one　of　the　arms　at　the　shoulder；　put　it　under　his　dress；　and　so　went　to　the　king's　daughter。　When　she　put　the　question　to　him　as　she　had　done　to　all　the　rest；　he　replied　that　the　wickedest　thing　he　had　ever　done　was　cutting　off　the　head　of　his　brother　when　he　was　caught　in　a　trap　in　the　king's　treasury；　and　the　cleverest　was　making　the　guards　drunk　and　carrying　off　the　body。　As　he　spoke；　the　princess　caught　at　him；　but　the　thief　took　advantage　of　the　darkness　to　hold　out　to　her　the　hand　of　the　corpse。　Imagining　it　to　be　his　own　hand；　she　seized　and　held　it　fast；　while　the　thief；　leaving　it　in　her　grasp；　made　his　escape　by　the　door。　　　　　（6。）　The　king；　when　word　was　brought　him　of　this　fresh　success；　amazed　at　the　sagacity　and　boldness　of　the　man；　sent　messengers　to　all　the　towns　in　his　dominions　to　proclaim　a　free　pardon　for　the　thief；　and　to　promise　him　a　rich　reward；　if　he　came　and　made　himself　known。　The　thief　took　the　king　at　his　word；　and　came　boldly　into　his　presence；　whereupon　Rhampsinitus；　greatly　admiring　him；　and　looking　on　him　as　the　most　knowing　of　men；　gave　him　his　daughter　in　marriage。　〃The　Egyptians；〃　he　said；　〃excelled　all　the　rest　of　the　world　in　wisdom；　and　this　man　excelled　all　other　Egyptians。〃　　　　　The　same　king；　I　was　also　informed　by　the　priests；　afterwards　descended　alive　into　the　region　which　the　Greeks　call　Hades；　and　there　played　at　dice　with　Ceres；　sometimes　winning　and　sometimes　suffering　defeat。　After　a　while　he　returned　to　earth；　and　brought　with　him　a　golden　napkin；　a　gift　which　he　had　received　from　the　goddess。　From　this　descent　of　Rhampsinitus　into　Hades；　and　return　to　earth　again；　the　Egyptians；　I　was　told；　instituted　a　festival；　which　they　certainly　celebrated　in　my　day。　On　what　occasion　it　was　that　they　instituted　it；　whether　upon　this　or　upon　any　other；　I　cannot　determine。　The　following　are　the　ceremonies：…　On　a　certain　day　in　the　year　the　priests　weave　a　mande；　and　binding　the　eyes　of　one　of　their　number　with　a　fillet；　they　put　the　mantle　upon　him；　and　take　him　with　them　into　the　roadway　conducting　to　the　temple　of　Ceres；　when　they　depart　and　leave　him　to　himself。　Then　the　priest；　thus　blindfolded；　is　led　（they　say）　by　two　wolves　to　the　temple　of　Ceres；　distant　twenty　furlongs　from　the　city；　where　he　stays　awhile；　after　which　he　is　brought　back　from　the　temple　by　the　wolves；　and　left　upon　the　spot　where　they　first　joined　him。　　　　　Such　as　think　the　tales　told　by　the　Egyptians　credible　are　free　to　accept　them　for　history。　For　my　own　part；　I　propose　to　myself　throughout　my　whole　work　faithfully　to　record　the　traditions　of　the　several　nations。　The　Egyptians　maintain　that　Ceres　and　Bacchus　preside　in　the　realms　below。　They　were　also　the　first　to　broach　the　opinion　that　the　soul　of　man　is　immortal　and　that；　when　the　body　dies；　it　enters　into　the　form　of　an　animal　which　is　born　at　the　moment；　thence　passing　on　from　one　animal　into　another；　until　it　has　circled　through　the　forms　of　all　the　creatures　which　tenant　the　earth；　the　water；　and　the　air；　after　which　it　enters　again　into　a　human　frame；　and　is　born　anew。　The　whole　period　of　the　transmigration　is　（they　say）　three　thousand　years。　There　are　Greek　writers；　some　of　an　earlier；　some　of　a　later　date；　who　have　borrowed　this　doctrine　from　the　Egyptians；　and　put　it　forward　as　their　own。　I　could　mention　their　names；　but　I　abstain　from　doing　so。　　　　　Till　the　death　of　Rhampsinitus；　the　priests　said；　Egypt　was　excellently　governed；　and　flourished　greatly；　but　after　him　Cheops　succeeded　to　the　throne；　and　plunged　into　all　manner　of　wickedness。　He　closed　the　temples；　and