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The following are the proceedings on occasion of the assembly at
Bubastis: Men and women come sailing all together, vast numbers in
each boat, many of the women with castanets, which they strike, while
some of the men pipe during the whole time of the voyage; the remainder
of the voyagers, male and female, sing the while, and make a clapping
with their hands. When they arrive opposite any of the towns upon the
banks of the stream, they approach the shore, and, while some of the
women continue to play and sing, others call aloud to the females of
the place and load them with abuse, while a certain number dance, and
some standing up uncover themselves. After proceeding in this way all
along the river-course, they reach Bubastis, where they celebrate
the feast with abundant sacrifices. More grape-wine is consumed at
this festival than in all the rest of the year besides. The number of
those who attend, counting only the men and women and omitting the
children, amounts, according to the native reports, to seven hundred thousand.
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