Chapter 40

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.