On Isis and Osiris

...seeking by discourse, and philosophizing concerning the truth within them.

4. Since the common and smallest things escape the notice of the many, as to why 1 the priests lay aside their hair and wear linen garments 2, some do not care at all to know about these things; others say they abstain from sheep's wool, just as from meats, because they revere the sheep, and that they shave their heads on account of mourning, and wear linen because of the color which the flax, when flowering, sends forth, resembling the ethereal brightness that surrounds the world...

“...to be able to go to the underworld as a companion.”
8 ai linostoliai linen-clad] Rather au linos the linen, as Markland reads quite elegantly.
9 hotan nomō paralabē when he receives [it] by law] Xylander thinks the first of these words should be deleted. But not so Bentley; in its place he substitutes att’ an but if: and for paralabē receives, the Aldine and Basle codices have parabalēi compares. However, there would be no need for any change at all if you would only punctuate with me in this way: “He is an Isiacus truly, who, having received by law the things shown and done regarding these gods, examines [them] by the norm of reason.” Concerning the sentiment, as the learned Markland rightly noted, it is very similar to what Saint Paul has in the Epistle to the Romans, chapter 2, verse 28: “For he is not a Jew who is one in the outward appearance,” etc.

1 tas trichas hoi hiereis apotithentai the priests lay aside [their] hair, etc.] Herodotus, book 2, chapter 38 (Gronovius edition): “The priests of the gods keep their hair in other places, but in Egypt they shave.” And again, chapter 37: “The priests shave their whole body every third day, so that neither lice nor anything else filthy may exist upon them while they serve the gods. And the priests wear only linen garments.”
2 phorousin they wear] After this word I would gladly add a colon; and I would begin the next sentence with kai and, which, I know not how, perhaps dropped out because of the following hoi the. Next, after eidenai to know, I think ti something should be added, and thus everything would be plain and clear which now reads as confused and mutilated. You would translate it thus: “Those things that are most common and smallest are unknown to the multitude.”