also two other mouths which part off from the Sebennytic and go to
the sea, and these are called, one the Saitic, the other the Mendesian
mouth. The Bolbitinitic, and Bucolic mouths, on the other hand, are
not natural but made by digging. Moreover also the answer given by the
Oracle of Ammon bears witness in support of my opinion that Egypt is of
the extent which I declare it to be in my account; and of this answer
I heard after I had formed my own opinion about Egypt. For those of the
city of Marea and of Apis, dwelling in the parts of Egypt which border
on Libya, being of opinion themselves that they were Libyans and not
Egyptians, and also being burdened by the rules of religious service,
because they desired not to be debarred from the use of cows' flesh,
sent to Ammon saying that they had nought in common with the Egyptians,
for they dwelt outside the Delta and agreed with them in nothing;
and they said they desired that it might be lawful for them to eat
everything without distinction. The god however did not permit them to
do so, but said that that land was Egypt where the Nile came over and
watered, and that those were Egyptians who dwelling below the city of
Elephantine drank of that river. Thus was it answered to them by the
Oracle about this: and the Nile, when it is in flood, goes over not only
the Delta but also of the land which is called Libyan and of that which
is called Arabian sometimes as much as two days' journey on each side,
and at times even more than this or at times less.

As regards the nature of the river, neither from the priests nor
yet from any other man was I able to obtain any knowledge: and I was
desirous especially to learn from them about these matters, namely
why the Nile comes down increasing in volume from the summer solstice
onwards for a hundred days, and then, when it has reached the number of
these days, turns and goes back, failing in its stream, so that through
the whole winter season it continues to be low, and until the summer