Page 38 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

However, any invading army would first loot the Royal Library of Alexandria and then would
turn their attention to the Menephtheion at Thebes. They would also visit the cities of Memphis
and Heliopolis and likewise loot their libraries and temples. This was the ancient custom and
certainly one of the ways in which the Greeks received their education from Egyptians.
(Egyptian Mythology by Max Muller p. 187–189; 205; Diodorus 16, 51; Bunsen I p. 27; Ancient
Egypt by John Kendrick vol. II 56; 432–433).

It is therefore an erroneous belief that the Greeks, on Egyptian soil, and through their own native
ability, set up a great university at Alexandria and turned out great scholars. On the other hand,
since it is a well known fact that Egypt was the land of temples and libraries, we can see how
comparatively easy it was for the Greeks to strip other Egyptian libraries of their books in order
to maintain the new Library at Alexandria, after it had been already looted by Aristotle and his
pupils. The Greeks (i.e., Alexander the Great, Aristotle's school and the succeeding Ptolemies)
converted the Royal Library of Alexandria into a research centre, by transferring Aristotle's
school and pupils from Athens to this great Egyptian Library, and therefore the students who
studied there received instructions from Egyptian priests and teachers, until they died out. The
difficulty of language and interpretation made it imperative for the Greeks to use Egyptian
teachers.

The Greeks did not carry culture and learning to Egypt, but found it already there, and wisely
settled in that country, in order to absorb as much as possible of its culture.

B. The Royal Library of Thebes: The Menephtheion is described. It was also looted by invading
armies.

But when we read a brief sketch of the magnificence of the Theban Royal Library; The
Menephtheion, we even see a better picture and are bound to admit that Egypt was the store
house of ancient culture and that that culture was preserved in the form of literature stored away
in her great libraries and temples. Great as the Royal Library of Alexandria might have been, we
see in the Theban Royal Library something far more magnificent and far more representative of
the true greatness of our Ancient Egypt.

On the left of the steps leading to the second court, there is still seen the pedestal of the
enormous granite statue of Rameses; the largest, that ever existed in Egypt, according to
Diodorus. Its height has been calculated at fifty-four feet, and its weight, at 887¼ tons; a marvel
to the modern mind. The interior face of the wall of the pylon represents the wars of Rameses III.
The Osiride pillars of the second court are the monolithal figures, sixteen cubits in height,
supplying the place of columns, and at the foot of the steps leading from the court to the next hall
beyond, there were two sitting statues of the King. The head of one of these was of red granite,
known by the name of "Young Memon", was taken away by Belzoni, and is now a principal
ornament of the British Museum.

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook