"Drink, jest, and be merry, for all too soon ye shall become like unto this!" [Wilkinson gives drawings of these mummies (II.

410.) hundreds of which were placed in the tombs, and have been preserved to us.
Lucian was present at a banquet, when they were handed round.

The Greeks seem to have adopted this custom, but with their usual talent for beautifying all they touched, substituted a winged figure of death for the mummy.

Maxims similar to the following one are by no means rare.

"Cast off all care; be mindful only of pleasure until the day cometh when then must depart on the journey, whose goal is the realm of silence!" Copied from the tomb of Neferhotep to Abd-el-Qurnah.] "Is it your custom thus to introduce death at all your banquets ?" said Bartja, becoming serious, "or is this only a jest devised for to-day by your master of the ceremonies ?" "Since the earliest ages," answered Amasis, "it has been our custom to display these mummies at banquets, in order to increase the mirth of the revellers, by reminding them that one must enjoy the time while it is here.