Feb.4] PROCEEDINGS. [1890.Firstly,as to Osarsiph and the lepers. Theaccount,as taken by
JosephusfromManetho,is that afterthe departure of the Shepherds,
a certain king Amenophis, son of Rampses, desiring to become
a beholder of the gods, like Horus, one of his predecessors, consulted
Amenophisthe son of Paapis, a very holyman,whotoldhimthatif
he cleansed the country of the lepers andotheruncleanpeople,he
wouldbe able to behold the gods. Thekingcollectedall the lepers
in Egypt, numberingeightythousand,andset them to work in the
quarrieseastof the Nile apartfromthe other Egyptians; but amongst
them weresomepriests, in consequence of which Amenophis the
prophetkilledhimself,leavingbehinda prophecy thatthe lepers and
uncleanwouldrevoltand govern Egyptfor thirteen years. Amenophis
the king thenallowedthemto leavethe quarries and settle in Abaris,
the former townof the Shepherds, wheretheyappointedOsarsipha
priestof On as their leader,andsworeto obey himin all things.
Osarsiphforbadethe Egyptian form of worship, allowedthe sacred
animalsto be destroyed, and prepared to fight against the king,
sending for help to Jerusalem, to the Shepherds who had been
driven out by Tothmosis (meaning Aahmes not Thothmes).
Amenophisthe king thenretiredwithhis army of 300,000 menand
his son Sethos or Rampses intoEthiopia,wheretheywerereceived
by the king of that countryfor the thirteen yearsof the prophecy,
that king alsoplacingan army of his own on the borders of Egypt
to protect Amenophisand his army. Meanwhilethe unclean people
tyrannisedabominablyoverthe Egyptians whom Amenophis left
behind,until,at the end of the thirteen years,he returned withhis
son Sethos or Rampses and his army anddrovethemout.
Josephusdid not believe thisaccount,but Lepsius thought it
relatedto the Exodus, andthat the king Amenophiswas Mer-en-ptah,
but it does notappear that that king retired into Ethiopia for
thirteenyearsor any other period. Mr. Schwartzthinksthe king
Amenophiswas Amenhotep III, and says thattherewas in his reign
a great personagenamedAmenhotep-si-Hapi(sonof Hapi or Apis),
but the father of Amenhotep III was not named Rampses,nor was
he, so far as I can discover,the grandfather of Ramessu I or of
Seti I, though he might have beena more remoteancestor; nor is
thereany reason to believe thathe sought refuge in Ethiopia for
thirteenyearsor any other period. It does not in fact seem possible
to look uponthistale as it stands as being an accurate accountof
anything thatreally happened; it seems rather to contain names
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