priests of the goddess Isis.—Dioecorides tells us, that they bore a branch of sea wormwood in their hands instead of olive. They sung the praises of the goddess twice a day, viz. at the rising of the sun, when they opened her temple; after which they begged alms the rest of the day, and returning at night, repeated their orisons, and shut up the temple.

Such was the life and office of the isiaci; they never covered their feet with any thing but the thin bark of the plant papyrus, which occasioned Prudentius and others to say they went barefooted. They wore no garments but linen, because Isis was the first who taught mankind the culture of this commodity.