Memphis, a celebrated city of Egypt, and, till the time of the
Ptolemies, who removed to Alexandria, the residence of the ancient kings
of Egypt. It stood above the dividing of the river Nile, where the Delta
begins. Toward the south of this city stood the famous pyramids, two of
which were esteemed the wonders of the world; and in this city was fed
the ox Apis, which Cambyses slew, in contempt of the Egyptians who
worshipped it as a deity. The kings of Egypt took much pleasure in
adorning this city; and it continued in all its beauty till the Arabians
made a conquest of Egypt under the Caliph Omar. The general who took it
built another city near it, named Fustal, merely because his tent had
been a long time set up in that place; and the Fatimite caliphs, when
they became masters of Egypt, added another to it, which is known to us
at this day by the name of Grand Cairo. This occasioned the utter decay
of Memphis, and led to the fulfilment of the prophecy, that it should be
waste and without inhabitant.” The prophets often speak of this city,
and foretel the miseries it was to suffer from the kings of Chaldea and
Persia, Isaiah xix, 13; Jer. xliv, 1; xlvi, 14, 19; Hosea ix, 6; Ezek.
xxx, 13, 16.
Ptolemies, who removed to Alexandria, the residence of the ancient kings
of Egypt. It stood above the dividing of the river Nile, where the Delta
begins. Toward the south of this city stood the famous pyramids, two of
which were esteemed the wonders of the world; and in this city was fed
the ox Apis, which Cambyses slew, in contempt of the Egyptians who
worshipped it as a deity. The kings of Egypt took much pleasure in
adorning this city; and it continued in all its beauty till the Arabians
made a conquest of Egypt under the Caliph Omar. The general who took it
built another city near it, named Fustal, merely because his tent had
been a long time set up in that place; and the Fatimite caliphs, when
they became masters of Egypt, added another to it, which is known to us
at this day by the name of Grand Cairo. This occasioned the utter decay
of Memphis, and led to the fulfilment of the prophecy, that it should be
waste and without inhabitant.” The prophets often speak of this city,
and foretel the miseries it was to suffer from the kings of Chaldea and
Persia, Isaiah xix, 13; Jer. xliv, 1; xlvi, 14, 19; Hosea ix, 6; Ezek.
xxx, 13, 16.