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Χέμμις: hod. Akhmîm (not the island of Chemmis in the Delta; cf. c. 156), used to be called by the Greeks ‘Panopolis’, as being the shrine of ‘Chem’ or ‘Min’ (the hieroglyph is variously read), who was usually identified with Pan, as being ithyphallic and ‘on account of his Priapic nature’.

Νέης πόλιος: this is usually thought to be Neapolis (hod. Kenneh), which lies opposite Tentyris on the right bank of the Nile; but it may well have been quite a different town, on the site of the later Ptolemais; this last was only about six miles from Chemmis.

ἱρόν here = τέμενος, the whole sacred enclosure (so Heath, who well compares, i. 181. 2, that of Belus at Babylon); it is called below τῷ περιβεβλημένῳ.

Περσέος. The identification of Perseus with ‘Chem’ it is impossible to explain for certain; perhaps it was connected with Chem's title ‘Peh'resu’, which sounded like ‘Perseus’. At all events it is as baseless as the story that (vii. 61) the Persians derived their name from this hero. The whole story is Greek in (1) the idea of an anthropomorphic god, who leaves his temple and can be traced by his footsteps; (2) the organized games; (3) the character of the prizes. There must have been a Greek settlement at Chemmis; but Maspero's (iii. 649 n.) suggestion that it may really have belonged to the time of the ‘Philhellene’ Amasis (cf. Hecat. fr. 286, F. H. G. i. 20 for possible similar Greek settlements on islands in the Nile, called ‘Ephesus, Chios, Samos’, &c.) must be rejected, as quite inconsistent with ii. 178.

For games in the worship of Chem at Edfu cf. Lepsius, D. iv. 42 b (vol. ix); but they are quite un-Greek in character.

The footstep of Heracles stamped in rock by the Tyras (iv. 82) was also ‘two cubits’; cf. that of Buddha in Ceylon, which measures about 5 1/2 by 2 1/2 feet, or that of St. Peter in the Domine Quo Vadis Chapel at Rome.

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