MELPOMENE. 155

all's flesh nor breed swine. The women of Cyrene
Iso esteem it impious to touch a heifer, on account
P the Egyptian Isis, in whose honour they solemnly
bserve both fast-days and festivals. The women of
tarce abstain not only from the flesh of heifers, but
f swine. »

CL.XXXVII. The Libyans, to the west of lake Tri-
onis, are not shepherds; they are distinguished by
lifferent manners, neither do they observe the same
:eremonies with respect to their children. The greater
lumber of these Libyan shepherds follow the custom
; am about to describe, though I will not say it is the
:ase indiscriminately with them all:—as soon as
their children arrive at the age of four years, they
bum the veins either of the top of the skull, or of the
Lemples, with uncleansed wool: they are of opinion,
that by this process all watery humours are prevent­
ed ; and to this they impute the excellent health which
they enjoy. It must be acknowledged, whatever
may be the cause, that the Libyans are more exempt
from disease than any other men. If the operation
throws the children into convulsions, they have a
remedy at hand; they sprinkle them with goats'
urine, and they recover. I relate what the Libyans
themselves affirm.

CLXXXVIII. As to their mode of sacrifice, having
cut the ear of the victim which they intend as an of­
fering for their first fruits, they throw it over the top
of their dwelling, and afterwards break its neck: the
only deities to whom they sacrifice, are the sun and
moon, who are adored by all the Libyans; they who
live near the lake Tritonis venerate Triton, Neptune,
and Minerva, but particularly the last.

CLXXXIX. From these Libyans, the Greeks bor­
rowed the vest, and the .ffigis, with which they deco­
rate the shrine of Minerva; the vests, however, of the
Libyan Minervas, are made of skin, and the fringe
hanging from the Mgia is not composed of serpents,
but of leather; in every other respect the dress is the
same : it appears by the very name, that the robe of
the statues of Minerva was borrowed from Libya. The
women of this country wear below their garments