Among the inhabitants of Pi-Bast alarming news had begun to circulate
concerning the Libyans. It was said that those barbarian warriors,
disbanded by the priests, began by begging on the road homeward, then
they stole, and finally they fell to robbing and burning Egyptian
villages, murdering the inhabitants meanwhile.
In the course of a few days they attacked and destroyed the towns of
Chinen-su, Pinat, and Kasa, south of Lake Moeris, and they cut down
also a caravan of merchants and Egyptian pilgrims returning from the
oasis Uit-Mehe. The entire western boundary of the state was in peril,
and even from Teremethis inhabitants began to flee. And in the
neighborhood beyond that, toward the sea, appeared bands of Libyans,
sent, as it were, by the terrible chief, Musawasa, who, it seemed, was
to declare a sacred war against Egypt.
Moreover, if any evening a western strip of sky was red for too long a
time alarm fell on Pi-Bast. The people gathered along the streets; some
of them went out on the flat roofs, or climbed trees, and declared that
they saw a fire in Menuf or in Sechem. Some, even, in spite of
darkness, saw fleeing people, or Libyan bands marching toward Pi-Bast
in long black columns.
Notwithstanding the indignation of people, the rulers of provinces
remained indifferent, for the central power issued no order.
Prince Ramses saw this alarm of the people and the indifference of
dignitaries. Mad anger seized him, because he received no command from
Memphis, and because neither Mefres nor Mentezufis spoke with him of
dangers threatening Egypt.
But since neither priest visited him, and both, as it were, avoided
conversation, the viceroy did not seek them, nor did he make any
military preparations.
At last he ceased to visit the regiments stationed at Pi-Bast, but
assembling at the palace all the young nobles, he amused himself and
feasted, repressing in his heart indignation at the priests and anxiety
for the fate of the country.
"Thou wilt see!" said he once to Tutmosis. "The holy prophets will
manage us so that Musawasa will take Lower Egypt, and we shall have to
flee to Thebes, if not to Sunnu, unless the Ethiopians drive us also
from that place."
"Thou speakest truth," replied Tutmosis; "our rulers' acts resemble
those of traitors."
The first day in the month of Hator (August-September) a great feast
was given at the palace of the viceroy. They began to amuse themselves
at two in the afternoon, and before sunset all present were drunk. It
went so far that men and women rolled on the floor, which was wet with
wine and covered with flowers and pieces of broken pitchers.
The prince was the soberest among them. He was not on the floor, he was
sitting in an armchair, holding on his knees two beautiful dancers, one
of whom was giving him wine, while the other was pouring strong
perfumes on his head.
At this moment an adjutant entered the hall, and, stepping over a
number of guests lying prostrate, hurried up to Ramses.
"Worthy lord," said he, "the holy Mefres and the holy Mentezufis wish
to speak at once with thee."
The viceroy pushed the girls away, and with red face, stained garments,
and tottering steps went to his chamber in the upper story. At sight of
him Mefres and Mentezufis looked at each other.
"What do ye wish, worthy fathers?" asked the prince, dropping into an
armchair.
"I do not know whether Thou wilt be able to hear us," answered the
anxious Mentezufis.
"Ah! do ye think that I am tipsy?" cried the prince. "Have no fear.
Today all Egypt is either so mad or so stupid that most sense is found
among drinkers."
The priests frowned, but Mentezufis began,
"Thou knowest, worthiness, that our lord and the supreme council
determined to disband twenty thousand mercenary warriors?"
"Well, if I do not know?" said the heir. "Ye have not deigned to ask my
advice in a question so difficult to determine, ye have not even
thought it worth while to inform me that four regiments are disbanded,
and that those men, because of hunger, are attacking our cities."
"It seems to me, worthiness, that Thou art criticizing the commands of
his holiness the pharaoh," interrupted Mentezufis.
"Not of his holiness!" cried the prince, stamping, "but of those
traitors who, taking advantage of the sickness of my father, wish to
sell Egypt to Assyrians and Libyans."
The priests were astounded. No Egyptian had ever used words of that
kind.
"Permit, prince, that we return in a couple of hours, when Thou shalt
have calmed thyself," said Mefres.
"There is no need of that. I know what is happening on our western
boundary. Or rather it is not I who know, but my cooks, stable-boys,
and laundrymen. Perhaps then ye will have the goodness, worthy fathers,
to communicate your plans to me."
Mentezufis assumed a look of indifference, and said,
"The Libyans have rebelled and are collecting bands with the intention
of attacking Egypt."
"I understand."
"At the desire, therefore, of his holiness," continued Mentezufis, "and
of the supreme council, Thou art to take troops from Lower Egypt and
annihilate the rebels."
"Where is the order?"
Mentezufis drew forth from his bosom a parchment provided with seals,
and gave it to the viceroy.
"From this moment then I command, and am the supreme power in this
province," said the viceroy.
"It is as Thou hast said."
"And I have the right to hold a military council with you?"
"Of course," replied Mefres. "Even this moment
"Sit down," interrupted the prince.
Both priests obeyed his command.
"I ask because in view of my plans I must know why the Libyan regiments
were disbanded."
"Others too will be disbanded," caught up Mentezufis. "The supreme
council desires to disband twenty thousand of the most expensive
warriors, so that the treasury of his holiness may save four thousand
talents yearly, without which want may soon threaten the court of the
pharaoh."
"A thing which does not threaten the most wretched of Egyptian
priests," added Ramses.
"Thou forgettest, worthiness, that it is not proper to call a priest
wretched," replied Mentezufis. "And if want threatens none of them, the
merit is found in their moderate style of living."
"In that case the statues drink the wine which is carried every day to
the temples, while stone gods dress their wives in gold and jewels,"
jeered Ramses. "But no more about your abstemiousness. Not to fill the
treasury of the pharaoh has the council of priests disbanded twenty
thousand troops and opened the gates of Egypt to bandits."
"But why?"
"This is why: to please King Assar. And since his holiness would not
agree to give Phoenicia to Assyria, ye wish to weaken the state in
another way, by disbanding hired troops and rousing war on our western
boundary."
"I take the gods to witness that Thou dost astonish us, worthiness,"
cried Mentezufis.
"The shades of the pharaohs would be more astonished if they heard that
in this same Egypt in which the power of the pharaoh is hampered, some
Chaldean trickster is influencing the fate of the nation."
"I do not believe my own ears," replied Mentezufis. "What dost Thou say
of some Chaldean?"
The viceroy laughed sneeringly.
"I speak of Beroes. If thou, holy man, hast not heard of him, ask the
revered Mefres, and if he has forgotten turn then to Herhor and
Pentuer."
"That is a great secret of our temples
"A foreign adventurer came like a thief to Egypt, and put on the
members of the supreme council a treaty so shameful that we should be
justified in signing it only after we had lost battles, lost all our
regiments and both capitals. And to think that this was done by one
man, most assuredly a spy of King Assar! And our sages let themselves
be so charmed by his eloquence, that, when the pharaoh would not let
them give up Phoenicia, they disbanded regiments in every case, and
caused war on our western boundary. Have we ever heard of a deed like
this?" continued Ramses, no longer master of himself. "When it was just
the time to raise the army to three hundred thousand and hurry on to
Nineveh, those pious maniacs discharged twenty thousand men and fired
their own dwelling-house."
Mefres, still and pale, listened to these jeers. At last he said,
"I know not, worthy lord, from what source Thou hast taken thy
information. May it be as pure as the hearts of the highest counselors!
But let us suppose that Thou art right, that some Chaldean priest had
power to bring the council to sign a burdensome treaty with Assyria. If
it happened thus, whence knowest Thou that that priest was not an envoy
of the gods, who through his lips forewarned us of dangers hanging over
Egypt?"
"How do the Chaldeans enjoy your confidence to such a degree?" asked
the viceroy.
"The Chaldean priests are elder brothers of the Egyptians," interrupted
Mentezufis.
"Then perhaps the Assyrian king is the master of the pharaoh?"
"Blaspheme not, worthiness," said Mefres, severely. "Thou art pushing
into the most sacred things frivolously, and to do that has proved
perilous to men who were greater than Thou art."
"Well, I will not do so. But how is a man to know that one Chaldean is
an envoy of the gods, and another a spy of King Assar?"
"By miracles," answered Mefres. "If, at thy command, prince, this room
should fill with spirits, if unseen powers were to bear thee in the
air, we should know that Thou wert an agent of the immortals, and
should respect thy counsel."
Ramses shrugged his shoulders. "I, too, have seen spirits: a young girl
made them. And I saw a juggler lying in the air in the amphitheatre."
"But Thou didst not see the fine strings which his four assistants had
in their teeth," put in Mentezufis.
The prince laughed again, and, remembering what Tutmosis had told him
about the devotions of Mefres, he said in a jeering tone,
"In the days of Cheops a certain high priest wished absolutely to fly
through the air. With this object he prayed to the gods, and commanded
his inferiors to see whether unseen powers were not raising him. And
what will ye say, holy fathers? From that time forth there was no day
when prophets did not assure the high priest that he was borne in the
air, not very high, it is true, about a finger from the pavement."
"But what is that to thy power, worthiness?" inquired he of Mefres,
suddenly.
"The high priest, when he heard his own story, shook in the chair, and
would have fallen had not Mentezufis supported him."
Ramses bustled about, gave the old man water to drink, rubbed vinegar
on his temples and forehead, and fanned him.
Soon the holy Mefres recovered, rose from the chair, and said to
Mentezufis,
"May we not go now?"
"I think so."
"But what am I to do?" asked the prince, feeling that something evil
had happened.
"Accomplish the duties of leader," said Mentezufis, coldly.
Both priests bowed to the prince ceremoniously, and departed. Ramses
was not entirely sober, but a great weight fell on his heart. At that
moment he understood that he had committed two grievous errors: He had
confessed to the priests that he knew their great secret, and he had
jeered, without mercy, at Mefres. He would have given a year of his
life could he have blotted from their memories all that drunken
conversation. But it was too late then to do so.
"It cannot be hidden," thought he. "I have betrayed myself and procured
mortal enemies. The position is difficult. The struggle begins at a
moment which is for me most unfavorable. But let us go on. More than
one pharaoh has struggled with the priests and conquered, even without
having very strong allies."
Still he felt the danger of his position so clearly that at that moment
he swore by the sacred head of his father that he would never drink
wine again freely. He summoned Tutmosis. The confidant appeared at
once, perfectly sober.
"We have a war, and I am commander," said the viceroy.
Tutmosis bent to the earth.
"I will never get drunk again," added the prince. "And knowest Thou
why?"
"A leader should abstain from wine and stupefying perfumes," said
Tutmosis.
"I have not thought of that, that is nothing; but I have babbled out a
secret before the priests."
"What secret?" cried the terrified Tutmosis.
"This, that I hate them, and jeer at their miracles."
"Oh, that is no harm. They never calculate on the love of people."
"And that I know their political secrets," added the prince.
"Ei!" hissed Tutmosis. "That is the one thing that was not needed."
"No help for it now," said Ramses. "Send out our couriers immediately
to the regiments; let the chiefs meet to-morrow morning in a military
council. Give command to light alarm signals, so that all the troops of
Lower Egypt may march toward the western border to-morrow. Go to the
nomarchs here, and command them to inform all the others to collect
clothing, provisions, and weapons."
"We shall have trouble with the Nile," said Tutmosis.
"Then let every boat and barge be held at the arms of the Nile to ferry
over troops. We must summon every nomarch to occupy himself in fitting
out reserves."
Meanwhile Mefres and Mentezufis returned to their dwellings in the
temple of Ptah. When they were alone in a cell, the high priest raised
his hands, and exclaimed,
"O Trinity of immortal gods, Osiris, Isis, and Horus, save Egypt from
destruction! Since the world became the world, no pharaoh has ever
uttered so many blasphemies as we have heard today from that stripling.
What do I say, pharaoh? No enemy of Egypt, no Hittite, Phoenician, or
Libyan has ever dared so to insult priestly immunity."
"Wine makes a man transparent," answered Mentezufis.
"But in that youthful heart is a nest of serpents. He insults the
priestly rank, he jeers at miracles, he has no belief in gods."
"But this concerns me most," said Mentezufis, thoughtfully, "how did he
learn of our negotiations with. Beroes? for he knows them, I will swear
to that."
"A dreadful treason has been committed," added Mefres, seizing his
head.
"A very wonderful thing! There were four of us."
"Not at all four of us. The elder priestess of Isis knew of Beroes, two
priests who showed him the road to the temple of Set, and a priest who
received him at the door. But wait! that priest spends all his time in
underground places. But if he overheard?"
"In every case he did not sell the secret to a stripling, but to some
one more important; and that is dangerous."
The high priest of the temple of Ptah, the holy Sem, knocked at the
door of the cell.
"Peace to you," said he, entering.
"Blessing to thy heart."
"I came, for ye were raising your voices as if some misfortune had
happened. Does this war with the wretched Libyans not surprise you?"
"What dost Thou think of the prince, the heir to the throne?" asked
Mentezufis, interrupting him.
"I think," answered Sem, "that he must be quite satisfied with the war
and supreme command. He is a born hero. When I look at him I remember
that lion, Ramses the Great. This youth is ready to rush at all the
bands of Libya, and, indeed, he may scatter them."
"This youth," added Mefres, "is capable of overturning all our temples,
and wiping Egypt from the face of the earth."
Holy Sem drew forth quickly a gold amulet which he wore on his breast,
and whispered,
"Flee, evil words, to the desert. Go far, and harm not the just. What
art Thou saying, worthiness?" continued he, more loudly, and in a tone
of reproach.
"The worthy Mefres speaks truth," said Mentezufis. "Thy head would
ache, and thy stomach also, should human lips repeat the blasphemous
words which we have heard this day from that giddy stripling."
"Jest not, O prophet," said the high priest Sem, with indignation.
"Sooner would I believe that water burns and air quenches than that
Ramses would commit blasphemy."
"He did so in seeming drunkenness," said Mefres, maliciously.
"Even if he were drunk I do not deny that the prince is frivolous, and
a rioter; but a blasphemer."
"So, too, did we think," said Mentezufis. "And we were so sure of
knowing his character that when he returned from the temple of Hator we
ceased even to exercise control over him."
"Thou wert sparing of gold to pay men for watching," said Mefres. "Thou
seest now what results are involved in a neglect which seemed slight to
thee."
"But what has happened?" inquired Sem, impatiently.
"I will answer briefly: the prince reviles the gods."
"Oho!"
"He criticizes the commands of the pharaoh."
"Is it possible?"
"He calls the supreme council traitors."
"But."
"But from whom did he learn of the coming of Beroes, even of his
interview with Mefres, Herhor, and Pentuer, in the temple of Set?"
The high priest Sem, seizing his head with both hands, walked up and
down through the cell.
"Impossible!" said he. "Impossible! Has any one cast a spell over that
young man? Perhaps the Phoenician priestess, whom he stole from the
temple."
This consideration seemed to Mentezufis so apposite that he looked at
Mefres. But the angry high priest would not be turned aside for an
instant.
"Let us see," said he. "But first we must investigate and learn what
the prince was doing day by day, after his return from the temple of
Hator. He had too much freedom, too many relations with unbelievers and
with enemies of Egypt. But Thou wilt help us, worthy Sem."
Because of this decision, the high priest Sem ordered to summon for the
following day a solemn service at the temple of Ptah.
So they stationed on squares and at street comers, even in the fields,
heralds of the priests, and called all the people with flutes and
trumpets.
And when a sufficient number of hearers had assembled, they informed
them that in the temple of Ptah there would be prayers and processions
during three days, to the intent that the good god would bless Egyptian
arms and crush Libyans; that he would send down on their leader,
Musawasa, leprosy, insanity, and blindness.
As the priests wished, so was it done. From morning till late at night
common people of every occupation crowded around the temple; the
aristocracy and the wealthy citizens assembled in the forecourt; while
the priests of the city and of the neighboring provinces made
sacrifices to Ptah and repeated prayers in the most holy chapel.
Thrice daily did a solemn procession issue forth, carrying in a golden
boat, concealed by curtains, the revered statue of the divinity;
whereat the people prostrated themselves and confessed their faults
loudly, while prophets disposed in the crowd numerously helped them to
penitence by appropriate questions. A similar thing was done in the
forecourt of the temple. But since officials and rich people did not
like to accuse themselves openly, the holy fathers took them aside, and
gave advice and exhortation in whispers.
In the afternoon the service was most solemn, for at that time the
troops marching westward came to receive the blessing of the high
priest, and strengthen the power of amulets which had the quality of
weakening blows from the enemy.
Sometimes thunder was heard in the temple, and at night, above the
pylons, there was lightning. This was a sign that the god had heard
some one's prayers, or was conversing with the priesthood.
When, after the ending of the solemnity, the three dignitaries Sem,
Mefres, and Mentezufis met for consultation, the position had become
clearer.
The solemnity had brought the temple about forty talents but sixty
talents had been given out in presents or in paying the debts of
various persons of the aristocracy as well as of the highest military
circles.
They had collected the following information:
A report was current in the army, that when Prince Ramses mounted the
throne, he would begin a war with Assyria, which would assure great
profit to those taking part in it. The lowest soldier, they said, would
not return without a thousand drachmas, or perhaps a still larger sum.
It was whispered among people that when the pharaoh returned with
victory from Nineveh, he would give slaves to the earth-tillers, and
remit for a number of years all taxes.
The aristocracy, on its part, judged that the new pharaoh would, first
of all, take from priests and return to nobles all lands which had
become temple property, and would pay also the debts of nobles. It was
said, too, that the coming pharaoh would govern independently, without
a supreme priestly council.
Finally, in all social circles there reigned a conviction that Ramses,
to secure the aid of Phoenicia, had had recourse to the goddess Istar,
[Another form of Astarte.] to whom he showed marked devotion. In every
case it was certain that the heir had once visited the temple of Istar,
and had seen, in the night, certain miracles. Finally, rumors were
current among Asiatics that Ramses had made immense presents to the
temple, and in return had taken thence a priestess to confirm him in
the faith of the goddess.
All these tidings were collected by the most worthy Sem and his
assistants. The holy fathers, Mefres and Mentezufis, communicated to
him other information which had come to them from Memphis:
The Chaldean priest and miracle-worker, Beroes, was received in the
subterranean parts of the temple of Set by the priest Osochar, who,
when giving his daughter in marriage two months later, had presented
her with rich jewels and bought a good estate for her and her husband.
And since Osochar had no considerable income, a suspicion rose that
that priest had overheard the conversation of Beroes with the Egyptian
priests, and had sold to Phoenicians, criminally, the secret of the
treaty, and received a great estate from them.
When he heard this, the high priest Sem added,
"If the holy Beroes does, indeed, perform miracles, then ask him, first
of all, if Osochar has betrayed the secret."
"They inquired of Beroes," said Mefres, "but the holy man answered that
in that affair he preferred to be silent. He added, also, that even if
some one had heard their conversation, and reported to Phoenicians,
neither Egypt nor Chaldea would suffer any injury; and if they should
find the guilty person, it would be proper to show him mercy."
"A holy man! Indeed, a holy man!" whispered Sem.
"And what wilt Thou say, worthiness," asked Mefres, "of the prince and
the disturbances which his conduct has caused in the country?"
"I will say the same as Beroes: 'The heir does not cause harm to Egypt,
so we should show him indulgence. '."
"This young man reviles the gods and miracles; he enters foreign
temples, he excites the men to rebellion. These are no small matters,"
said Mefres, bitterly. This priest could not pardon Ramses for having
jeered at his devotion so rudely.
The high priest Sem loved Ramses; so he answered with a kindly smile,
"What laborer is there in Egypt who would not like to have a slave, and
abandon hard labor for sweet idleness? Or what man is there on earth
who is without the dream of not paying taxes, since with that which he
pays the treasury, his wife, he himself, and his children might buy
showy clothes and use various dainties?"
"Idleness and excessive outlay spoil a man," said Mentezufis.
"What warrior," continued Sem, "would not desire war and covet a
thousand drachmas, or even a greater sum? Further, I ask you, O
fathers, what pharaoh, what nomarch, what noble pays old debts with
alacrity, and does not look askance at the wealth of temples?"
"That is vile greed," whispered Mefres.
"And, finally," said Sem, "what heir to the throne has not dreamed of
decreasing the importance of the priesthood? What pharaoh at the
beginning of his reign has not tried to shake off the supreme council's
influence?"
"Thy words are full of wisdom," said Mefres, "but to what may they lead
us?"
"To this, not to accuse the heir before the supreme council, for there
is no court that would condemn the prince for this, that earth-workers
would be glad not to pay taxes, or that soldiers want war if they can
have it. Nay, ye may receive a reprimand. For if ye had followed the
prince day by day and restrained his minor excesses, we should not have
at present that pyramid of complaints founded, moreover, on nothing. In
such affairs the evil is not in this, that people are inclined to sin,
for they have been so at all times. But the danger is here, that we
have not guarded them. Our sacred river, the mother of Egypt, would
very soon fill all canals with mud, if engineers ceased to watch it."
"And what wilt Thou say, worthiness, of the fictions which the prince
permitted himself in speaking with us? Wilt Thou forgive his foul
reviling of miracles?" inquired Mefres. "Moreover this stripling has
insulted me grievously in my religious practices."
"Whoso speaks with a drunken man is himself an offender," said Sem. "To
tell the truth, ye had no right, worthy fathers, to speak with a man
who was not sober about important state questions. Ye committed a fault
in making a drunken man commander of an army. A leader must be sober."
"I bow down before thy wisdom," said Mefres; "still I vote to lay a
complaint against the heir before the supreme council."
"But I vote against a complaint," answered Sem, energetically. "The
council must learn of all acts of the viceroy, not through a complaint,
but through an ordinary report to it."
"I too am opposed to a complaint," said Mentezufis.
The high priest, Mefres, seeing that he had two votes against him,
yielded in the matter of a complaint. But he remembered the insult from
the prince and hid ill-will in his bosom.