The Tour · Chapter
Chapter XV explained
Lucius and his party arrive at Memphis, the ancient and decaying capital of Egypt.
What happens
Lucius and his party arrive at Memphis, the ancient and decaying capital of Egypt. They visit the temple of Apis, where a young priest explains the cycle of the sacred bull's incarnation and death. The chapter contrasts the grandeur of Memphis's past with its present desolation, and Lucius reflects on his personal grief in the face of such vast history.
Themes in this chapter
Mortality and Transience
The decay of Memphis and the cycle of Apis's death and rebirth highlight the transience of civilizations and life itself.
Travel and Discovery
The journey to Memphis and the exploration of its ancient sites, including the temple of Apis, embody the theme of travel and discovery.
Characters to notice
- Publius Lucius Sabinus
Lucius is deeply moved by the mystic awe of Memphis's ancient past, feeling his own grief and life shrink in comparison. He also expresses a burning desire to find the pirate who robbed him of Ilia.
- Caleb
Caleb acts as guide and interpreter, arranging the visit to the Apis temple and negotiating with the priests.
- Catullus
Uncle Catullus makes a wry comment about the priest's father's farm being the source of both Apis and his mother, showing his skeptical humor.
- Thrasyllus
Thrasyllus points out the Pyramids and the Sphinx with rapture, and later tries to deflect Lucius's anger about Ilia's abduction.
- Apis
The sacred bull Apis is shown as a playful, pretty bull-calf, who is let out for a trot to amuse the distinguished visitors.
Key passages
“Here Moses had walked and Hermes Trismegistus; here Joseph had wandered, the interpreter of dreams; here, lastly, Cambyses, with his Persian hordes, had ridden sacrilegiously!”
Lucius reflects that Moses, Hermes Trismegistus, Joseph, and Cambyses all once walked through Memphis.
Lucius feels the weight of history as he contemplates the famous figures who have passed through Memphis.
“It is a pity that Serapis did not bring you to Memphis a month earlier. For then, my noble lord, you would have beheld the death of Apis and his return to life.”
The young priest regrets that the travelers missed the ritual death and rebirth of the Apis bull by a month.
The priest explains the cycle of Apis's incarnation and the timing of the sacred events.
“The city would be swallowed up by the sands! That past would sink back into the lap of the earth! Suddenly Lucius shuddered with the mystic awe of what has been. And his own life and grief seemed small to him.”
Lucius feels a mystic awe as he realizes Memphis will be buried by the desert, and his personal sorrows appear trivial in comparison.
Lucius's perspective shifts as he contemplates the vastness of time and decay.