Chap. 11.] ACCOrXT OF COTTNTRIES, ETC. 419 (10.) AVitli the greatest justice, however, we may lavish our praises upon Alexandria, built by Alexander the Great on the shores of the Egyptian Sea, upon the soil of Africa, at twelve miles' distance from the Canopic Mouth and near Lake Mareotis^ ; the spot having previously borne the name of Rhacotes. The plan of this city Avas designed by the architect Dinochares", who is memorable for the genius which he displayed in many ways. Building the city upon a wide space ^ of ground fifleen miles in circumference, he formed it in the circular shape of a Macedonian chlamys"*, uneven at the edge, giving it an angular projection on the right and left ; while at the same time he devoted one-fifth part of the site to the royal palace. Lake Mareotis, which lies on the soutli side of the city, is connected by a canal which joins it to the Canopic mouth, and serves for the purposes of communication with the in- terior. It has also a great number of islands, and is thirty Joseph exercised the office of high-priest, and here the prophet Jeremiah is supposed to have -vvritten his Book of Lamentations. Its priests were the great depositaries of the theological and historical learning of Egypt. Solon, Thales, and Plato were reputed each to bave visited its schools. According to Macrobius, Baalbec, the Syrian City of the Sun, was a colony from this place. It was the capital of the nome Heliopolites, and paid worsliip to the sun and the bull INIncvis, the rival of Apis. From Josephus we learn that after the dispersion and fall of the tribes of Judah and Israel, great numbers of the Jews took refuge at this place, forming almost one-half of its population. The ruins, which were ex- tremely magnificent, occupied in the twelfth centiny an area nearly three miles m extent. Pliny speaks of the great obelisk there, which is still standing. (See B. xxxvi. c. 9.) The village of Matarieh occupies a part of its site, and besides the obelisk of red gi'anite, there are a few remains of the Temple of the Sun. 1 Now called Birk-el-Mariout. " Or Dinocrates. lie was the architect of the new temple of Diana at Ephesus, which was built after the destruction of the former one by He- rostratus. It was this architect who formed a design for cutting Mount Athos into a statue of Alexander, with a city in the right hand and a re- servoir of the mountain streams in the left. 3 Holland seems to thmk that the word "laxitate" applies to clilamys. •* The chlamys was a scarf or cloak worn over the shoulders, and espe- cially used by military persons of high rank. It did not reaeli lower tlian the knees, and was open in front, covering only the neck, back, and shoulders. 2e2
