sent for their principal men, and after reproaching them with their
conduct, asked why they had been gloomy and morose after his victories,
but joyous at hearing of his misfortunes. The Memphians answered by
explaining the real ground for their merry-making, and told him, that
the appearance of the sacred bull was always celebrated in Egypt with the
greatest rejoicings. Cambyses called them liars, and, as such, sentenced
them to death. He then sent for the priests; received, however, exactly
the same answer from them.

With the bitterest irony he asked to be allowed to make the acquaintance
of this new god, and commanded them to bring him. The bull Apis was
brought and the king told that he was the progeny of a virgin cow and a
moonbeam, that he must be black, with a white triangular spot on the
forehead, the likeness of an eagle on his back, and on his side the
crescent moon. There must be two kinds of hair on his tail, and on his
tongue an excrescence in the form of the sacred beetle Scarabaeus.

When Cambyses saw this deified creature he could discover nothing
remarkable in him, and was so enraged that he plunged his sword into its
side. As the blood streamed from the wound and the animal fell, he broke
out into a piercing laugh, and cried: "Ye fools! so your gods are flesh
and blood; they can be wounded. Such folly is worthy of you. But ye
shall find, that it is not so easy to make a fool of me. Ho, guards!
flog these priests soundly, and kill every one whom you find taking part
in this mad celebration." The command was obeyed and fearfully
exasperated the Egyptians.

[According to Herod. III. 29. Cambyses' sword slipped and ran into
the leg of the sacred bull. As the king died also of a wound in the
thigh, this just suits Herodotus, who always tries to put the