III. How A Year

III. HOW A YEAR.

2

When they would represent a year, they delineate

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[paragraph continues] ISIS, i. e. a woman. By the same symbol they also represent the goddess. Now Isis is with them a star, called in Egyptian, Sothis, but in Greek Astrocyon, [the Dog' star]; which seems also to preside over the other stars, inasmuch as it sometimes rises greater, and at other times less; sometimes brighter, and at other times not so; and moreover, because according to the rising of this star we shew all the events of the ensuing year: 1 therefore not without reason do they call the year Isis. When they would represent the year otherwise, they delineate a PALM TREE 2 [BRANCH], because of all others this tree alone at each renovation of the

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moon produces one additional branch, so that in twelve branches the year is completed.