Book 2
18.3
But the god forbade them: all the land, he said, watered by the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), Africa Nile in its course was Egypt [30,27] (nation), Africa Egypt , and all who lived lower down than the city Elephantine and drank the river's water were Egyptians. Such was the oracle given to them.
19.1
When the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), Africa Nile is in flood, it overflows not only the Delta but also the lands called Libyan and Arabian, as far as two days' journey from either bank in places, and sometimes more than this, sometimes less. Concerning its nature, I could not learn anything either from the priests or from any others.
19.2
Yet I was anxious to learn from them why the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), Africa Nile comes down with a rising flood for a hundred days from the summer solstice; and when this number of days is passed, sinks again with a diminishing stream, so that the river is low for the whole winter until the summer solstice again.
19.3
I was not able to get any information from any of the Egyptians regarding this, when I asked them what power the Nahr an- Nil [31.1,30.166] (river), Africa Nile has to be contrary in nature to all other rivers. I wished to know this, and asked; also, why no breezes blew from it as from every other riverNot from the river itself, perhaps; but there is a regular current of air blowing up the valley..
