10
But of hem alle, as I wene, is non gretter than tho in the Holy Cytee, ne non other temple mo blessed, ne non other lond holier. Costevouse costly werkes ben therinne, and aunciene offringes, and manye merveylles, and symulacres in lyknesse of goddes. Also, the goddes ben apertely reveled unto hem; for here symulacres sweten and meven and prophecyen, and ofte tymes hath ben schowtynge in the temple whan the holy place was under lokke, and many han herde. Certes, in richesse it is first amonges alle that I knowe; for thider cometh moche tresor from Arabye and Phenicye and Babiloyne, and moche fro Cappadocye, and som Cilicyens bryngen, and som Assuryens. And I saughe what hath ben prively put up in the temple, many robes and other thinges that have ben chosen out as silver outher gold. And of festes and solempnytees noon other folk in the world hath apoynted so many.
11
Whan I asked how many yeres the seyntuarye hadde dured, and who thei wenden that here supposed Goddesse were, manye stories weren tolde, both prestes lore and lewede folkes, and verraye fables; and some weren outlandissche, but othere somme acordeden to hem of Grece. Alle thise seyinges schalle reherce, but I beleve hem not in no kynde.
12
The more partie seyn, Deucalioun, the Scythe,Deucalion in the réle of a Scythian is odd. Hence Buttmann, rightly recognising that the tale is close akin to the Babylonian flood-story, proposed the reading Σισύθεα, considering Sisythes a possible variant of the name that in Berossus is Xisouthros. This is tempting, and has been widely accepted; but the mistake, if there be one, is quite as likely to be due to Lucian or to his informant as to a scribe. founded the seyntuarye—that Deucalioun in the tyme thereof the grete Flode befel. Of Deucalioun Ihave herd a tale amonges Grekes, that thei tellen in mynde of him; and the storie is of this maner kynde.
