298
 

BEDRASHEN,    MEMPHIS,    AND
SAKKARA.

The ruins of Memphis and the antiquities at Sakkara
are usually reached by steamer or train from Cairo to Bed¬
rashen. Leaving the river or station the village of Bedrashen
is soon reached, and a short ride next brings the traveller to
the yillage of Mit-Rahineh. On the ground lying for some
distance round about these two villages once stood the city
of Memphis, though there is comparatively little left to show
its limits. According to Herodotus (n., 99), "Menes, who
first ruled over Egypt, in the first place protected Memphis
by a mound; for the whole river formerly ran close to
the sandy mountain on the side of Libya; but Menes,
beginning about a hundred stades above Memphis, filled in
the elbow towards the south, dried up the old channel, and
conducted the river into a canal, so as to make it flow
between the mountains : this bend of the Nile, which flows
excluded from its ancient course, is still carefully upheld by
the Persians, being made secure every year; for if the river
should break through and overflow in this part, there would,
be danger lest all Memphis should be flooded. When the
part cut off had been made firm land by this Menes, who
was first king, he in the first ptlape buflt on it the city that is
now called Memphis; for Memphis is situate in the narrow
part of Egypt; and outside of it he excavated a lake from
the river towards the north and the west; for the Nile itself
bounds it towards the east. In the next place, they relate
that he buflt in it the temple of Vulcan, which is vast and
well worthy of mention."    (Gary's translation.)

Whether Menes buflt the town or not, it is quite certain
that the city of Memphis was of most ancient foundation.