Strabo  then  speaks  of  the  fossils  resembling  lentils,  mentioned
at  p.  336 ,  but  docs  not  share  the  view  current  at  that  period
that  they  were  the  petrified  remains  of  the  workmen's  food.  With
regard  to  Rhodopis,  who  is  mentioned  at  p.  346,  he  tells  the
following  tradition,  resembling  the  tale  of  the  modern  Cinderella.
\\  liile  Rhodopis  was  bathing,  an  eagle  carried  off  one  of  her  shoes,
carried  it  to  Memphis,  and  dropped  it.  into  the  lap  of  the  king,  who
was  then  sitting  on  the  judgment  seat.  The  king,  admiring  the
neatness  of  the  shoe,  and  surprised  at  the  strangeness  of  the  occur-
rence, sent  out  messengers  to  search  for  the  owner  of  the  shoe.  She
u ml  at  Naukratis  and  brought  to  the  king,  who  made  her  his
wife,  and  on  her  death  erected  the  third  pyramid  to  her  memory.
Pliny  speaks  somewhat  slightingly  of  the  Pyramids:  —  'We
must  also  in  passing  mention  the  Pyramids  in  this  same  Egypt,  an
idle  ami  foolish  display  by  the  kings  of  their  wealth;  and  indeed,
as  most  persons  maintain,  they  had  no  other  object  in  erecting  them
than  to  di'pri\e  their  successors ,  and  rivals  plotting  against  them,
of  money,  or  perhaps  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  people  engaged.
The  vanitj  of  these  people  in  this  matter  was  very  great'.
of  Cairo.         THE  PYRAMIDS  OF  GIZEH.      4.  Route.    349

His  description  of  the  Pyramids  is  borrowed  without  remark
from  other  authors.  Thus  he  does  not  hesitate  to  repeat  that  em-
bankments for  the  raising  of  the  stones  were  made  of  saltpetre,
which  was  afterwards  washed  away,  or  of  bricks,  which  on  the
completion  of  the  pyramid  were  distributed  among  private  persons.
He  also  mentions  Rhodopis.
