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The pig is regarded among them as an unclean animal, so much so that
if a man in passing accidentally touch a pig, he instantly hurries to
the river, and plunges in with all his clothes on. Hence, too, the
swineherds, notwithstanding that they are of pure Egyptian blood, are
forbidden to enter into any of the temples, which are open to all other
Egyptians; and further, no one will give his daughter in marriage to
a swineherd, or take a wife from among them, so that the swineherds
are forced to intermarry among themselves. They do not offer swine in
sacrifice to any of their gods, excepting Bacchus and the Moon, whom
they honour in this way at the same time, sacrificing pigs to both of
them at the same full moon, and afterwards eating of the flesh. There
is a reason alleged by them for their detestation of swine at all other
seasons, and their use of them at this festival, with which I am well
acquainted, but which I do not think it proper to mention. The
following is the mode in which they sacrifice the swine to the Moon:
As soon as the victim is slain, the tip of the tail, the spleen, and
the caul are put together, and having been covered with all the fat
that has been found in the animal's belly, are straightway burnt.
The remainder of the flesh is eaten on the same day that the sacrifice
is offered, which is the day of the full moon: at any other time they
would not so much as taste it. The poorer sort, who cannot afford
live pigs, form pigs of dough, which they bake and offer in sacrifice.
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