IN ANCIENT EGYPT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 202, 26 August 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

IN ANCIENT EGYPT.

SOME INTERESTING DISCOVERIES,

During the past three years Messrs Grenfell and Hunt, under the auspices of the Egypt Exploration Fund,have been at vvork excavating the site of the famous old Greek town In Egypt at Oxyrhyuchus and in Fayoum. To thoir previous discoveries these excavators have added the towns of Dionysias, Philoteris, Euhemeria, and Theadelphia, situated at the north-western extremity of Lake Moei'is. During the excavations Messrs Grenfell and Hunt came upon a number of exceedingly valuable papyri and antiquities in terra cotta buried under rubbish heaps and the debris of fallen houses.

Among the classical transcripts are Til lines from one of Menander's comedies, bolonging to the end of the first or early in the second century A.D., portions of the

"Iliad,"" of the "Odyssey," and a metrical treatise scholia on Homer's "Iliad." In another case is shown the earliest extant writing on vellum, in the reign of Titus, 78-81 A.D.; a vellum hook-plate, containing the name "Father Victor" in an ornamental border, belonging to the sixtli century; also a document of the same date written in shorthand. But the most interesting of the papyri are those which deal with the everyday life of the Greeks of Oxyrhyuchus —receipts, letters, petitions, contracts, etc., which show how very similar to ordinary procedure and methods their everyday thoughts were to those of tho present day,

MATRIMONIAL DISPUTES obviously are not confined to the day of emancipated woman, for early in the Christian era the following petition .vas made:— "To Ileraclides, Priest, Chief-Justice, and Superintendent of Chrematistae and other Courts, from Syra, daughter of Theon,—l married Sarapion, bringing him by cession a dowry amounting to 200 drachme of silver. As he had no means at all of his oavii, I received him into my parents' house, and I for my part conducted myself blamelessly in all respects. But Sarapion, having squandered my dowry as he pleased, was constantly ill-treating and insulting me and using violence towards me, and, having reduced me to penury, he finally deserted me, leaving me in a destitute condition. Therefore, I beg you in order that he may he compelled perforce to pay back my dowry with an addition of half its amount. This petition is Avithout prejudice to the other claims which I have against him." The following tells us of the woes of an ill-used husband (about A.D. 50):—"To Alexander, Governor of the Nome, from Tryphon, son of Dionysius, an inhabitant of Oxyrhyuchus—l married Demetrius, daughter of Heraclides, and taxed my resources to the utmost in providing for her, but she was dissatisfied with our union, and in the end deserted me, carrying off with her various articles belonging to me, a list of which I give below. I request, therefore, that she be summoned to appear before you, in order that she may be duly punished, aud restore to me my property. This, petition is Avithout prejudice to other claims which I shall have upon her. Farewell." The list of items is lost, hoAA'ever. FATHER AND SON. Very delightful is a letter f'-nm a father,

a Lord Chesterfield of the first century A.D., to his son:—"Cornelius, to his dearest sou Hierax, greeting. All of us now send our love to you and yours. Regarding that man about v. horn you have written to- me so often, don't make any claim till I come to you in peace with Vestiuus and the donkeys too, for (D.V.) I shall soon be coming when Merehier is over. At present I have a number of pressing affairs to attend to. Mind you behave well to all the men. At the same time pay great attention to your books like a student, and then you will get the benefit of them." Then follows an account of garments sent to the boy—"white to bo worn with the purple cloaks, and others to be worn with the green"—and in what way the household moneys arc to bo spent, and the letter closes—"Tell me anything I can do for you.—Good-bye, my boy. -Tybi 10." SOME RECIPES. Whether or uot the cat was a domestic necessity in the old Greek cities these papyri do not state, but one may assume it was not so, since the mouse-eater seems to have been an institution, for there is one document concerned with the payment of a mouse-catcher of the first century, and to him eight drachmae are to be paid in advance, so that lie may catch the mice while they are with young, and so diminish the household plague. Quaint to our cars sound the following two medical prescriptions for earache:—-'Dilute some gum with balsam of lilies, and add honey and extract of roses. Twist some wool with the oil in it round a probe, warm, and drop in;" ami ugain—"Pound closed calyxes of pomegranates, drop on saffron water, and when the liquor -becomes discoloured draw it off. When required dilute as much as the bulk of a pea with raisin wine, warm, and drop in." Magical formula are inscribed ins Greek characters on lead. On a papyrus leaf is a horoscope, with a diagram -drawn out: for Sept. A.I). 24, 10.10 p.m., showing tho position of sun, moon, and planets. An important will (A.D. 157),t00 long to quote, closes with this curious description of Cusi-. lavs, son of Dins:—"l am 48 years of age, and have a scar on my right foot, and my seal is an image of Thoris."