The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient Egypt

by Bolesław Prus

  CHAPTER XLVI

  At night the sentries gave notice that a throng of Libyans imploringmercy had entered the valley. Indeed the light of their fires wasvisible on the desert.

  At sunrise the trumpets were sounded, and all the Egyptian forces weredrawn up under arms on the widest part of the valley. According tocommand of the prince, who wished to increase the fright of theLibyans--the carriers were arranged between the ranks of the army, andmen on asses were disposed among the cavalry. So it happened that theEgyptians seemed as numerous as sands in the desert, and the Libyanswere as timid as doves, over which a falcon is soaring.

  At nine in the morning his gilded war chariot stood before the tent ofthe viceroy. The horses bearing ostrich plumes reared so that two menhad to hold each of them.

  Rameses came out of his tent, took his place in the chariot, andseized the reins himself, while the place of the charioteer wasoccupied by the priest Pentuer, who held now the position ofcounsellor. One of the commanders carried a large green parasol overthe prince; behind, and on both sides of the chariot, marched Greekofficers in gilded armor. At a certain distance behind the prince'sretinue came a small division of the guard, in the midst of itTehenna, son of the Libyan chief Musawasa.

  A few hundred paces from the Egyptians, at the entrance of the ravine,stood the gloomy crowd of Libyans imploring the conqueror's favor.

  When Rameses came with his suite to the eminence where he was toreceive the envoys of the enemy, the army raised such a shout in hishonor that the cunning Musawasa was still more mortified, andwhispered to the Libyan elders,--

  "I say to you, that is the cry of an army which loves its commander."

  Then one of the most restless of the Libyan chiefs, a great robber,said to Musawasa,--

  "Dost thou not think that in a moment like this we should be wiser totrust to the swiftness of our horses than to the kindness of thepharaoh's son? He must be a raging lion, which tears the skin evenwhen stroking it, while we are like lambs snatched away from ourmothers."

  "Do as may please thee," replied Musawasa, "thou hast the whole desertbefore thee. But the people sent me to redeem their faults, and aboveall I have a son, Tehenna, on whom the prince will pour out his wrathunless I win favor."

  To the crowd of Libyans galloped up two Asiatic horsemen, who declaredthat their lord was waiting for submission.

  Musawasa sighed bitterly and went toward the height on which theconqueror had halted. Never before had he made such a painful journey.Coarse linen used by penitents covered his back imperfectly; on hishead, sprinkled with ashes, the heat of the sun was burning; sharppebbles cut his naked feet, and his heart was crushed by his ownsorrow and that of his people.

  He had advanced barely a few hundred paces, but he was forced to halta couple of times to rest and recover. He looked backward frequentlyto be sure that the naked slaves carrying gifts to the prince werenot stealing gold chains, or what was worse, stealing jewels. ForMusawasa knowing life, knew that man is glad to make use of hisneighbor's misfortune.

  "I thank the gods," said the cunning barbarian, comforting himself inmishap, "that the lot has come to me of humbling myself to a princewho may put on the pharaoh's cap any moment. The rulers of Egypt aremagnanimous, especially in time of triumph. If I succeed then inmoving my lord he will strengthen my position in Libya, and permit meto collect a multitude of taxes. It is a real miracle that the heir tothe throne himself seized Tehenna; and not only will he not do himwrong, but he will cover him with dignities." Thus he thought andlooked behind continually, for a slave, though naked, may conceal astolen jewel in his mouth, and even swallow it.

  At thirty steps from the chariot of the heir Musawasa and those whowere with him, the foremost of the Libyans, fell upon their faces andlay on the sand till command to rise was given them through theprince's adjutant. When they had approached a few steps they fellagain; later they fell a third time, and rose only at command ofRameses.

  During this interval Pentuer, standing at the prince's chariot,whispered to his lord,--

  "Let thy countenance show neither harshness nor delight. Be calm, likethe god Amon, who despises his enemies and delights in no commontriumphs."

  At last the penitent Libyans stood before the face of the prince, wholooked at them as a fierce hippopotamus at ducklings which have noplace to hide before his mightiness.

  "Art thou he?" asked Rameses, suddenly. "Art thou that Musawasa, thewise Libyan leader?"

  "I am thy servant," answered Musawasa, and he threw himself on theground again.

  When they ordered him to rise, the prince said,--

  "How couldst thou commit such a grievous sin, and raise thy handagainst the kingdom of the gods? Has thy former wisdom deserted thee?"

  "Lord," answered the wily Libyan, "sorrow disturbed the reason of thedisbanded warriors of his holiness, so they ran to their owndestruction, drawing me and mine after them. And the gods alone knowhow long this dreadful war might have lasted if at the head of thearmy of the ever living pharaoh, Amon himself had not appeared in thysemblance. Thou didst fall on us like a storm wind of the desert, whenthou wert not expected, where thou wert not expected, and as a bullbreaks a reed so didst thou crush thy blinded opponent. All peoplethen understood that even the terrible regiments of Libya had valueonly while thy hand sent them forward."

  "Thou speakest wisely, Musawasa," said the viceroy, "and thou hastdone still better to meet thus the army of the divine pharaoh, insteadof waiting till it came to thee. But I should be glad to know howsincere thy obedience is."

  "Let thy countenance be radiant, great potentate of Egypt,"[21]answered Musawasa. "We come to thee as subjects, may thy name be greatin Libya, be thou our sun, as thou art the sun of nine nations. Onlycommand thy subordinates to be just to us the conquered people who arejoined to thy power. Let thy officials govern us justly and withconscience, and not according to their own evil wishes, reportingfalsely concerning our people, and rousing thy disfavor against us andour children. Command them, O viceroy of the victorious pharaoh, togovern according to thy will, sparing our freedom, our property, ourlanguage, and the customs of our ancestors and fathers.

  [21] An inscription on the monument of Horem-Hep, 1470 years B. C.

  "Let thy laws be equal for all subjects, let not thy officials favorsome too much and be too harsh toward others; let their sentences beof the same kind for all. Let them collect the tribute predestined forthy needs and for thy use, but let them not take secretly othertributes which never go into thy treasury, and enrich only thyservants and the servants of those servants.

  "Command them to govern without injustice to us and our children, forthou art to us a deity and a ruler forever. Imitate the sun, whichsends his light to all and gives life and strength to them. We, thyLibyan subjects, implore thy favor and fall on our faces before thee,O heir of the great and mighty pharaoh."

  So spoke the crafty Libyan prince, Musawasa, and after he had finishedspeaking he prostrated himself again. But when the pharaoh's heirheard these wise words his eyes glittered, and his nostrils dilatedlike those of a young stallion which after good feeding runs to afield where mares are at pasture.

  "Rise, Musawasa, and listen to what I tell thee. Thy fate and that ofthy people depend not on me, but on that gracious lord who towersabove us all, as the sky above the earth. I advise thee, then, to goand to take Libyan elders hence to Memphis, and, falling on thy facebefore the leader and the god in this world, to repeat the humbleprayer, which I have heard here from thee.

  "I know not what the effect of thy prayer will be; but since the godsnever turn from him who implores and is repentant, I have a feelingthat thou wilt not meet a bad reception.

  "And now show me the gifts intended for his holiness, so that I mayjudge whether they will move the heart of the all-powerful pharaoh."

  At this moment Mentezufis gave a sign to Pentuer who was standing onthe prince's chariot.

  When Pentuer descended and approached the holy man with honor,Mentezuf
is whispered,--

  "I fear lest the triumph may rise to the head of our young lord overmuch. Dost thou not think it would be wise to interrupt the solemnityin some way?"

  "On the contrary," answered Pentuer, "do not interrupt the solemnity,and I guarantee that he will not have a joyous face."

  "Thou wilt perform a miracle."

  "If I succeed I shall merely show him that in this world great delightis attended by deep suffering."

  "Do as thou wishest," said Mentezufis, "for the gods have given theewisdom worthy a member of the highest council."

  Trumpets and drums were heard, and the triumphal review began.

  At the head of it went naked slaves bearing gifts. Rich Libyansguarded these bondmen who carried gold and silver divinities, boxesfilled with perfumes, enamelled vessels, stuffs, furniture, finallygold dishes dotted with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. The slaveswho bore these had shaven heads and were gagged lest some one of themmight steal a costly jewel.

  Rameses rested both hands on the edge of the chariot and looked fromthe height of the hill at the Libyans, and at his own men, as agolden-headed eagle looks down on many colored partridges. Pridefilled the prince from foot to head, and all present felt that it wasimpossible to have more power than was possessed by that victoriouscommander.

  But in one instant the prince's eyes lost their brightness, and on hisface the bitterest surprise was depicted. Pentuer was standing nearhim.--

  "Bend thy ear, lord," whispered he. "Since thou hast left Pi-Bastwondrous changes have taken place there. Thy Phoenician woman, Kama,has fled with Lykon."

  "With Lykon?" repeated the prince.

  "Move not, Erpatr, and show not to thousands that thou feelest sorrowin the day of thy triumph."

  Now there passed below the prince an endless line of Libyans withfruit and bread in baskets, as well as wine and olive oil in roomypitchers for the army. At sight of this a murmur of delight was spreadamong the warriors, but Rameses, occupied with Pentuer's story, tookno note of what was passing.

  "The gods," said the prophet in a whisper, "have punished thetraitorous Kama."

  "Is she caught?" inquired the prince.

  "She is caught, but they have sent her to the eastern colony, becauseleprosy attacked her."

  "O gods!" whispered Rameses. "But may it not threaten me?"

  "Be calm, lord; if it had infected thee thou wouldst be leprous thismoment."

  The prince felt a chill in every member. How easy for the gods tothrust a man down from the highest summits to the depths of the lowestmisery!

  "And Lykon?"

  "He is a great criminal," said Pentuer; "a criminal of such kind thatthe earth has given few such."

  "I know him. He is as like me as a reflection of me in a mirror,"replied Rameses.

  Now came a crowd of Libyans leading strange animals. At the head ofthese was a one-humped camel with white hair, one of the first whichthey had caught in the desert, next two rhinoceroses, a herd ofhorses, and a tame lion caged. Then a multitude of cages holding birdsof various colors, monkeys, and small dogs intended for court ladies.Behind them were driven great herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep asfood for the pharaoh's army.

  The prince cast an eye on the moving menagerie, and asked thepriest,--

  "But is Lykon caught?"

  "I will tell thee now the worst news, unhappy lord," whisperedPentuer. "But remember that the enemies of Egypt must not notice griefin thee."

  The heir moved.

  "Thy second woman, Sarah the Jewess--"

  "Has she run away too?"

  "She died in prison."

  "O gods! Who dared imprison her?"

  "She confessed that she killed thy son."

  "What?"

  A great cry was heard at the prince's feet: the Libyan prisonerscaptured in battle were marching past, and at the head of them thesorrowful Tehenna.

  Rameses had at that moment a heart so full of pain that he nodded toTehenna, and said,--

  "Stand near thy father Musawasa, so that he may touch thee, and seethee living."

  At these words all the Libyans and the whole army gave forth a mightyshout; but the prince did not hear it.

  "Is my son dead?" asked he of the priest. "Sarah accused herself ofchild-murder? Did madness fall on her?"

  "The vile Lykon slew thy son."

  "O gods give me strength!" groaned Rameses.

  "Restrain thyself, lord, as becomes a victorious leader."

  "Is it possible to conquer such pain? O gods without pity!"

  "Lykon slew thy son; Sarah accused herself to save thee, for seeingthe murderer in the night she mistook him for thee."

  "And I thrust her out of my house! And I made her a servant of thePhoenician!"

  Now appeared Egyptian warriors bearing baskets filled with handswhich had been cut from the fallen Libyans.

  At sight of this Rameses hid his face and wept bitterly.

  The generals surrounded the chariot at once and gave their lordconsolation. The holy Mentezufis made a proposition which was receivedimmediately, that thenceforth the Egyptian army would not cut off thehands of enemies who had fallen in battle.

  With this unforeseen incident ended the first triumph of the heir tothe throne of Egypt. But the tears which he shed over the severedhands attached the Libyans to him more than the victorious battle. Noone wondered then that around the fires Libyan and Egyptian warriorssat in concord sharing bread, and drinking wine from the same goblet.Instead of wars which were to last for years, there was a deep feelingof peace and confidence.

  Rameses gave command that Musawasa, Tehenna, and the foremost Libyansshould go to Memphis straightway, and he gave them an escort, not somuch to watch them as to safeguard their persons and the treasureswhich they were taking. The prince withdrew to a tent then, and didnot appear again until a number of hours had passed. He was like a manto whom pain is the dearest companion. He did not receive evenTutmosis.

  Toward evening a deputation of Greeks appeared under the leadership ofKalippos. When the heir asked what their wish was Kalippos answered,--

  "We have come, lord, to implore that the body of our leader, thyservant Patrokles, should not be given to Egyptian priests, but beburned in accord with Greek usage."

  The prince was astonished.

  "Is it known to you," asked he, "that the priests wish to make of theremains of Patrokles a mummy of the first order, and to put it nearthe graves of the pharaohs? Can honor greater than this meet a mananywhere?"

  The Greeks hesitated; at last Kalippos took courage and answered,--

  "Our lord, permit us to open our hearts to thee. We know well that themaking of a mummy is of more profit to a man than to burn him, forthe soul of a burned man is transferred to eternal regionsimmediately; the soul of a mummied man may live during thousands ofyears on this earth and enjoy its beauties.

  "But the Egyptian priests, O chief,--let this not offend thyears--hated Patrokles. Who will assure us, then, that these priests inmaking him a mummy are not detaining him on earth so as to subject himto tortures? And what would our worth be if we who suspect revenge didnot protect from it the soul of our compatriot and leader?"

  Great was the prince's astonishment.

  "Do," said he, "as ye think proper."

  "But if they will not give us the body?"

  "Prepare the funeral pile; I will attend to the rest of the ceremony."

  The Greeks left the tent. The prince sent for Mentezufis.