ABSTRACT
THEnameofOmboorOmbosistakenfromtheGreek formoftheEgyptianNbiorNubithroughtheCoptic Embo.Atonetimethisvillagewasidentifiedasthesite oftheOmbosofJuvenal'sSatires,wherethepoetdescribes abattlebetweentheinhabitantsofOmbosandtheinhabitantsofTentyra(Dendera)."Along-standingandancient grudge,anundyinghatred,andawoundthatcannever behealed,stillragesbetweentheneighbours,Ombosand Tentyra.Onbothsidesthereistheutmostfuryonthe partofthevulgar,fromthiscause,thateachlocalityhates itsneighbour'sdeities,sinceitthinksthosealoneshould beaccountedgodswhomitworshipsitself."[Herefollows alongdescriptionofthefightwithsticksandstones.] "ThosewhoinhabitTentyrapresson(theiropponents), allshowingtheirbacksinrapidflight.Onewhothrough excessivefearwasprecipitatinghispacefallsandiscaptured;whereuponthevictoriouscrowd,afterhehadbeen cutintoanumberofmorselsandsmallportions,thatone deadmanmightsufficeformany,eatsupthewholeof himandgnawshisverybones.••.Theverylastofthem whocameupaftertheentirebodyhadbeenconsumed, drewhisfingersalongthegroundandtastedsomeofthe blood"(SatireXVII.33-92).Internecinestruggles betweenvillages,althoughnotferociousasinRoman times,arestillafeatureoflifeinthecountrypartsof Egypt.Straboalsonotesthehatredofthepeopleof DenderatowardsthesacredanimalofKomOmbo: ''Tentyra,wherethecrocodileisheldinpeculiarabhor-
EGYPTIANTEMPLES
renee,andisregardedasthemostodiousofallanimals. OtherEgyptians,thoughacquaintedwithitsmischievous dispositionandhostilitytowardsmankind,yetworship itandabstainfromharmingit.ButthepeopleofTentyra trackanddestroyitineveryway....Thepeopleof Tentyrahaveadisliketocrocodiles,yetsuffernoinjury fromthem,butdiveandcrosstheriverwhennoother personventurestodoso."
