[Traces of this canal can be found as early as the days of Setos I; his son Rameses ii. caused the works to be continued.  Under Necho they were recommenced, and possibly finished by Darius.  In the time of the Ptolemies, at all events, the canal was already completed.  Herod.  II. 158.  Diod.  I. 33.  The French, in undertaking to reconstruct the Suez canal, have had much to encounter from the unfriendly commercial policy of the English and their influence over the internal affairs of Egypt, but the unwearied energy and great talent of Monsr. de Lesseps and the patriotism of the French nation have at last succeeded in bringing their great work to a successful close.  Whether it will pay is another question.  See G. Ebers, Der Kanal von Suez.  Nordische Revue, October 1864.  The maritime canal connecting the Mediterranean with the Red Sea has also been completed since 1869.  We were among those, who attended the brilliant inauguration ceremonies, and now willingly recall many of the doubts expressed in our work ‘Durch Gosen zum Sinai’.  The number of ships passing through the canal is constantly increasing.]

During the whole of his reign, Darius endeavored to make amends for the severity with which Cambyses had treated the Egyptians; even in the later years of his life he delighted to study the treasures of their wisdom, and no one was allowed to attack either their religion or customs, as long as he lived.  The old high-priest Neithotep enjoyed the king’s favor to the last, and Darius often made use of his wise old master’s astrological knowledge.

The goodness and clemency of their new ruler was fully acknowledged by the Egyptians; they called him a deity, as they had called their own kings, and yet, in the last years of his reign, their desire for independence led them to forget gratitude and to try to shake off his gentle yoke, which was only oppressive because it had originally been forced on them.

[The name of Darius occurs very often on the monuments as Ntariusch.  It is most frequently found in the inscriptions on the temple in the Oasis el-Khargah, recently photographed by G. Rohlfs.  The Egypto- Persian memorial fragments, bearing inscriptions in the hieroglyphic and cuneiform characters are very interesting.  Darius’ name in Egyptian was generally “Ra, the beloved of Ammon.”  On a porcelain vessel in Florence, and in some papyri in Paris and Florence he is called by the divine titles of honor given to the Pharaohs.]

Their generous ruler and protector did not live to see the end of this struggle.

[The first rebellion in Egypt, which broke out under Aryandes, the satrap appointed by Cambyses, was put down by Darius in person.  He visited Egypt, and promised 100 talents (L22,500.) to any one who would find a new Apis.  Polyaen.  VII. ii. 7.  No second outbreak took place until 486 B.C. about 4 years before the death of Darius.  Herod.  VI i.  Xerxes conquered the rebels two years after his accession, and appointed his brother Achaemenes satrap of Egypt.]

It was reserved for Xerxes, the successor and son of Darius and Atossa, to bring back the inhabitants of the Nile valley to a forced and therefore insecure obedience.