168. The following privilege was specially granted to this class and to none others of the Egyptians except the priests, that is to say, each man had twelve yokes 385 of land specially granted to him free from imposts: now the yoke of land measures a hundred Egyptian cubits every way, and the Egyptian cubit is, as it happens, equal to that of Samos. This, I say, was a special privilege granted to all, and they also had certain advantages in turn and not the same men twice; that is to say, a thousand of the Calasirians and a thousand of the Hermotybians acted as bodyguard to the king during each year; 386 and these had besides their yokes of land an allowance given them for each day of five pounds weight 387 of bread to each man, and two pounds of beef, and four half-pints 388 of wine. This was the allowance given to those who were serving as the king’s bodyguard for the time being.

169.