Chapter 50

We know not whether the prophets in the underground temple of the Sphinx saw the new ruler of Egypt when he halted at the foot of the pyramids, and gave information touching him at the palace, and if so how they did it. The fact is that when Ramses was approaching the ferry, the most worthy Herhor gave orders to rouse the palace servants, and when their lord was crossing the Nile all priests, generals, and civil dignitaries were assembled in the great hall of audience.

Exactly at sunrise Ramses XIII, at the head of a small escort, rode into the palace yard, where the servants fell on their faces before him, and the guard presented arms to the sound of drums and trumpets.

His holiness saluted the army and went to the bathing chambers, where he took a bath filled with perfumes. Then he gave permission to arrange his divine hair; but when the barber asked most submissively if the pharaoh commanded to shave his head and beard, the lord replied,

"There is no need. I am not a priest, but a warrior."

These words reached the audience-hall a moment later; in an hour they had gone around the palace; about midday they had passed through every part of the city of Memphis, and toward evening they were known in all the temples of the state, from Tami-n-hor and Sabue-Chetam on the north to Suunu and Pilak on the south.

At this intelligence the nomarchs, the nobility, the army, the people, and the foreigners were wild with delight, but the sacred order of priests mourned the more zealously the dead pharaoh.

When his holiness emerged from the bath he put on a warrior's short shirt with black and yellow stripes, and a yellow breast-piece; on his feet sandals fastened with thongs, and on his head a low helmet with a circlet. Then he girded on that Assyrian sword which he had worn at the battle of the Soda Lakes, and, surrounded by a great suite of generals, he entered with a clatter and clinking the audience-hall.

There the high priest Herhor stood before him, having at his side Sem, the holy high priest, Mefres, and others, and behind him the chief judges of Thebes and Memphis, some of the nearer nomarchs, the chief treasurer, also the overseers of the house of wheat, the house of cattle, the house of garments, the house of slaves, the house of silver and gold, and a multitude of other dignitaries.

Herhor bowed before Ramses, and said with emotion,

"Lord! it has pleased thy eternally living father to withdraw to the gods where he is enjoying endless delight. To thee, then, has fallen the duty of caring for the fate of the orphan kingdom.

"Be greeted, therefore, O lord and ruler of the world, and, holiness, may Thou live through eternity Cham-Sam-mereramen-Ramses-Neter-haq-an."

Those present repeated this salutation with enthusiasm. They expected the new ruler to show some emotion or feeling. To the astonishment of all he merely moved his brow and answered,

"In accordance with the will of his holiness, my father, and with the laws of Egypt, I take possession of government and will conduct it to the glory of the state and the happiness of the people."

He turned suddenly to Herhor and, looking him sharply in the eyes, inquired,

"On thy miter, worthiness, I see the golden serpent. Why hast Thou put that symbol of regal power on thy head?"

A deathlike silence settled on the assembly. The haughtiest man in Egypt had never dreamed that the young lord would begin rule by putting a question like that to the most powerful person in the state, more powerful, perhaps, than the late pharaoh.

But behind the young lord stood a number of generals; in the courtyard glittered the bronze-covered regiments of the guard; and crossing the Nile at that moment was an army wild from the triumph at the Soda Lakes, and enamored of its leader.

The powerful Herhor grew pale as wax, and the voice could not issue from his straitened throat.

"I ask your worthiness," repeated the pharaoh, calmly, "by what right is the regal serpent on thy miter?"

"This is the miter of thy grandfather, the holy Amenhotep," answered Herhor, in a low voice. "The supreme council commanded me to wear it on occasions."

"My holy grandfather," replied the pharaoh, "was father of the queen, and in the way of favor he received the right to adorn his miter with the ureus. But, so far as is known to me, his sacred vestment is counted among the relics of the temple of Amon."

Herhor had recovered.

"Deign to remember, holiness," explained he, "that for twenty-four hours Egypt has been deprived of its legal ruler. Meanwhile some one had to wake and put to sleep the god Osiris, to impart blessings to the people and render homage to the ancestors of the pharaoh."

"In such a grievous time the supreme council commanded me to wear this holy relic, so that the order of the state and the service of the gods might not be neglected. But the moment that we have a lawful and mighty ruler I set aside the wondrous relic."

Then Herhor took from his head the miter adorned with the ureus, and gave it to the high priest Mefres.

The threatening face of the pharaoh grew calm, and he turned his steps toward the throne.

Suddenly the holy Mefres barred the way, and said while bending to the pavement,

"Deign, holy lord, to hear my most submissive prayer."

But neither in his voice nor his eyes was there submission when, straightening himself, he continued,

"I have words from the supreme council of high priests."

"Utter them," said the pharaoh.

"It is known to thee, holiness, that a pharaoh who has not received ordination as high priest cannot perform the highest sacrifices; that is, dress and undress the miraculous Osiris."

"I understand," interrupted Ramses, "I am a pharaoh who has not received the ordination of high priest."

"For that reason," continued Mefres, "the supreme council begs thee submissively, holiness, to appoint a high priest to take thy place in religious functions."

When they heard these decided words, the high priests and civil dignitaries trembled and squirmed as if standing on hot stones, and the generals touched their swords as if involuntarily. The holy Mefres looked at them with unconcealed contempt, and fixed his cold glance again on the face of the pharaoh.

But the lord of the world showed no trouble even this time.

"It is well," said he, "that Thou hast reminded me, worthiness, of this important duty. The military profession and affairs of state do not permit me to occupy myself with the ceremonies of our holy religion, so I must appoint a substitute."

While speaking he looked around at the men assembled.

On the left of Herhor stood the holy Sem. Ramses glanced into his mild and honest face and inquired suddenly,

"Who and what art thou, worthiness?"

"My name is Sem; I am high priest of the temple of Ptah in Pi-Bast."

"Thou wilt be my substitute in religious ceremonies," said the pharaoh, pointing toward him with his finger.

A murmur of astonishment ran through the assembly.

After long meditation and counsels it would have been difficult to select a more worthy priest for that high office.

Herhor grew much paler than before; Mefres pressed his blue lips together tightly and dropped his eyelids.

A moment later the new pharaoh sat on his throne, which instead of feet had the carved figures of princes and the kings of nine nations.

Soon Herhor gave to the lord, on a golden plate, a white and also a red crown.

The sovereign placed the crowns on his own head in silence, while those present fell prostrate.

That was not the solemn coronation; it was merely taking possession of power.

When the priests had incensed the pharaoh and had sung a hymn to Osiris, imploring that god to pour all blessings on the sovereign, dignitaries of the civil power and of the army were permitted to kiss the lowest step of the throne. Then Ramses took a gold spoon, and, repeating a prayer which the holy Sem pronounced aloud, he incensed the statues of the gods arranged in line on both sides of the pharaoh's chapel.

"What am I to do now?" inquired he.

"Show thyself to the people," replied Herhor.

Through a gilded, widely opened door his holiness ascended marble steps to a terrace, and, raising his hands, faced in turn toward the four sides of the universe. The sound of trumpets was heard, and from the summits of pylons banners were hung out. Whoso was in a field, in a yard, on the street, fell prostrate; the stick, raised above the back of a beast or a slave, was lowered without giving the blow, and all criminals against the state who had been sentenced that day received grace.

Descending from the terrace the pharaoh inquired,

"Have I something more to do?"

"Refreshments and affairs of state are awaiting thee, holiness," replied Herhor.

"After that I may rest," said the pharaoh. "Where are the remains of his holiness, my father?"

"Given to the embalmers," whispered Herhor.

Tears filled the pharaoh's eyes, and his mouth quivered, but he restrained himself and looked down in silence. It was not proper that servants should see emotion in such a mighty ruler.

Wishing to turn the pharaoh's attention to another subject, Herhor asked,

"Wilt Thou be pleased, holiness, to receive the homage due from the queen, thy mother?"

"I? Am I to receive homage from my mother?" asked Ramses, with repressed voice.

"Hast Thou forgotten what the sage Eney said? Perhaps holy Sem will repeat those beautiful words to us."

"Remember," quoted Sem, "that she gave birth to thee and nourished thee in every manner."

"Speak further; speak!" insisted the pharaoh, striving always to command himself.

"Shouldst Thou forget that she would raise her hands to the god, and he would hear her complaint. She bore thee long beneath her heart, like a great burden, and gave thee birth when thy mouths had expired. She carried thee in her arms afterward, and during three years she put her breast into thy mouth. She reared thee, was not disgusted with thy uncleanness. And when Thou wert going to school and wert exercised in writing, she placed before thy teacher daily bread and beer from her own dwelling." [Authentic]

Ramses sighed deeply and said with calmness,

"So ye see that it is not proper that my mother should salute me. Rather I will go to her."

And he passed through a series of halls lined with marble, alabaster, and wood, painted in bright colors, carved and gilded; behind him went his immense suite. But when he came to the antechamber of his mother's apartments, he made a sign to leave him. When he had passed the antechamber, he stopped a while before the door, then knocked and entered quietly.

In a chamber with bare walls, where in place of furniture there stood only a low wooden couch and a broken pitcher holding water, all in sign of mourning, Queen Niort's, the mother of the pharaoh, was sitting on a stone. She was in a coarse shirt, barefoot; her face was smeared with mud from the Nile, and in her tangled hair there were ashes.

When she saw Ramses, the worthy lady inclined so as to fall at his feet. But the son seized her in his arms, and said with weeping,

"If thou, O mother, incline to the ground before me, I shall be forced to go under the ground before thee."

The queen drew his head to her bosom, wiped away his tears with the sleeve of her coarse shirt, and then, raising her hands, whispered,

"May all the gods, may the spirit of thy father and grandfather, surround thee with blessing and solicitude. O Isis, I have never spared offerings to thee, but today I make the greatest; I give my beloved son to thee. Let this kingly son become thy son entirely, and may his greatness and his glory increase thy divine inheritance."

The pharaoh embraced and kissed his mother repeatedly, then he seated her on the wooden couch and sat on the stone himself.

"Has my father left commands to me?" inquired he.

"He begged thee only to remember him, but he said to the supreme council, 'I leave you my heir, who is a lion and an eagle in one person; obey him, and he will elevate Egypt to incomparable power.'."

"Dost Thou think that the priests will obey me?"

"Remember," answered the queen, "that the device of the pharaoh is a serpent, and a serpent means prudence, which is silent, and no one knows when it will bite mortally. If Thou take time as thy confederate, Thou wilt accomplish everything."

"Herhor is tremendously haughty. Today he dared to put on the miter of the holy Amenhotep. Of course I commanded him to set it aside. I will remove him from the government, him and certain members of the supreme council."

The queen shook her head.

"Egypt is thine," said she, "and the gods have endowed thee with great wisdom. Were it not for that, I should fear terribly a struggle with Herhor."

"I do not dispute with him; I remove him."

"Egypt is thine," repeated the queen, "but I fear a struggle with the priests. It is true that thy father, who was mild beyond measure, has made those men insolent, but it is not wise to bring them to despair through severity. Besides, think of this: Who will replace them in counsel? They know everything that has been, that is, and that will be on earth and in heaven; they know the most secret thoughts of mankind, and they direct hearts as the wind directs tree leaves. Without them Thou wilt be ignorant not only of what is happening in Tyre and Nineveh, but even in Thebes and Memphis."

"I do not reject their wisdom, but I want service," answered the pharaoh. "I know that their understanding is great, but it must be controlled so that it may not deceive, and it must be directed lest it ruin the State. Tell me thyself, mother, what they have done with Egypt in the course of thirty years? The people suffer want, or are in rebellion; the army is small, the treasury is empty, and meanwhile two months' distance from us Assyria is increasing like dough containing leaven, and today is forcing on us treaties."

"Do as may please thee, but remember that the device of a pharaoh is a serpent, and a serpent is silence and discretion."

"Thou speakest truth, mother, but believe me, at certain times daring is better than prudence. The priests planned, as I know today, that the Libyan war should last entire years. I finished it in the course of a few days, and only because every day I took some mad but decisive step If I had not rushed to the desert against them, which by the way was a great indiscretion, we should have the Libyans outside Memphis at this moment."

"I know that Thou didst hunt down Tehenna, and that Typhon caught thee," said the queen. "O hasty child, Thou didst not think of me."

He smiled.

"Be of good heart," replied Ramses. "When the pharaoh is in battle, at his left and his right hand stands Amon. Who then can touch him?"

He embraced the queen once more and departed.