The Book of the Dead

by Paul Davis

  All the passengers on deck were similarly affected. Chaeremon and Strabo forgot their arguments and stood speechless together. Myrine, Iola, Aristeon and Haemon stood as a group, eyes shaded against the brightness, looking upwards. Even Gallus, standing next to Kaires, was silent. The captain and crew, used to the sight, looked on with amusement, getting on with their business and barely sparing a glance for the pyramids.

  The barge bumped gently against the quay, breaking the spell.

  ‘Where are my men?’ asked Gallus, referring to the four or five soldiers now assembled on the deck below, equipped with picks and shovels, awaiting the lowering of the gangplank. Kaires had seen them waiting there on his way up a little earlier. No answer was needed, however, as they immediately disembarked and stood to attention on the quayside. ‘Hmph,’ he said, ‘they must have scented a bonus when we find the gold. They can keep hoping. Kaires, I want you along with me.’

  ‘What about us?’ asked Chaeremon and Strabo in chorus. Chaeremon continued: ‘You can’t leave us behind – me, at any rate. You need me to help you identify the correct tomb.’

  ‘Looking at a map and identifying a feature on land are two very different things’, added Strabo. ‘Someone with experience, such as myself –‘

  Gallus tutted. ‘I suppose you can't do any harm -’

  ‘And me as well,’ said Iola. ‘I mean, the rest of us. You can't expect us just to sit here waiting. We might be of help.’

  Gallus looked exasperated. ‘It's not a picnic outing. This is serious government business. If you want to go sightseeing, all well and good, but -’

  ‘Excellent,’ said Myrine, ‘that's settled then. As we may be there some time, I'll get the kitchen to put something together and bring it out to us. I'll see to it and follow you up.’ She disappeared below.

  Gallus threw up his arms. Muttering something about the Nabataeans being easier to control than the passengers, he stomped off down the stairs and on to the gangplank, followed by everyone else in an unseemly scramble for the quayside.

  Gallus, Kaires, Strabo and Chaeremon started up the causeway towards the Sphinx, closely followed by the soldiers. The others brought up the rear. At first it had seemed that there was no one else about; the few ramshackle dwellings that littered the quay seemed deserted. As they reached the Sphinx, however, a small boy popped out from the shadow of the Temple.

  ‘Do you want a guide?’ he asked. ‘The pyramids were built over a hundred years ago by the great Pharaoh Kufunus. His daughter had many lovers, and each stone was a payment -’

  ‘No,’ said Gallus through gritted teeth, ‘we do not want a guide. Kaires, give this boy a denarius and tell him to be off.’

  The boy was persistent. ‘But I haven't told you about the great battle of Kadesh, where Kufunus slaughtered the Persians. I've got lots of other stories, too. Did you know -’

  Gallus puffed himself up to his full height, dwarfing the boy. ‘We do not want a guide. I am the Prefect of Egypt, and I command you to begone!’

  ‘Honestly, some people,’ said the boy, completely uncowed. ‘I was only trying to help. But if you prefer to remain in ignor- OUCH!’ He was cut short by one of the soldiers twisting his ear and spinning him off the path. Kaires threw him a grin and a denarius at the same time. The boy scooped up the coin with a scowl, but remained where he was to let the group pass before disappearing into the shadow of the Sphinx once more, muttering indignantly.

  Chaeremon brought out the copy of the map, and pointed over to the Great Pyramid. ‘We have to cross over there. All the tombs are behind the pyramid. Quite a good spot to choose, as anyone there can't be seen from the river. We should be able to work out the way from the southwest corner.’

  Myrine had caught up with them. Drifts of sand made the going slow and difficult in the hottest part of the day, but no one complained. Gradually the rising land flattened into a rock plateau, and they found themselves at the very base of Khufu's pyramid. Close up Kaires could see that the smooth limestone casing was marked all over its lower reaches by the graffiti of over two thousand years worth of visitors, hoping to share something of the great structure's immortality.

  They skirted the south side of the pyramid and paused when they reached the corner, for Chaeremon to consult the map once again. From the river they were now behind the pyramid , and before them stretched a great necropolis; hundreds of tombs laid out like a city, with rows and streets like the living, but here walked only by the ghosts of the long dead.

  Chaeremon pointed to a larger tomb, a little further west on the southern edge of the Necropolis. ‘You see that tomb there? If we go behind it and head north, then take the third turning to the left, we should be heading in the right direction. We need to go round another tomb that blocks the way, and then the one pointed out by Caesarion's cartouche is a bit further on, on the right.’

  ‘What are you waiting for?’ asked Gallus, setting off immediately. They turned up the passage that Chaeremon had indicated, but the Necropolis had not been maintained for years, and piles of rubble blocked the way, making it impossible to pass.

  ‘Try this way,’ shouted Aristeon, going round one of the other tombs and finding a narrow but passable gap. The others followed, clambering carefully over the loose and fallen stones.

  Chaeremon took stock of where they were. The map seemed fairly clear, but the amount of dilapidation was severe, some of the tombs reduced to no more than crumbling heaps of rock, making it difficult to be sure exactly where they were. ‘Along this way, and it should be off to the right,’ he said, setting off once again.

  They arrived at another crossroads and turned north, Chaeremon counting off the tombs as they passed. Finally he stopped in front of a carved entranceway, with a narrow passage leading to a stone entrance, half filled with rubble. Blackness lay beyond. Sand filled the passage way to a depth of two or three feet. ‘I think this must be the one, if I've counted right. It's hard to be sure where some of those tombs we passed ended and another one started.’

  ‘It doesn't look as if anyone has been here in a thousand years, let alone thirty,’ said Haemon. ‘Are you sure this is it?’

  ‘Of course I'm not sure,’ snapped Chaeremon, brandishing the map like a stick. ‘But it's my best bet. Unless of course you think you could do better?’

  ‘This is the one,’ said Kaires quietly. ‘Look!’

  He pointed up at the intricate carving above the doorway, about which some paint yet remained, giving a sense of how it might once have appeared in all its glory. In the centre, on a raised circle representing the sun disk, a cartouche had been painted, obviously much more recently than the rest, small enough not to be noticed unless someone was specifically looking out for it.

  ‘What does it say?’ asked Gallus.

  ‘It's the cartouche of Cleopatra,’ said Kaires.

  -0-

  ‘Stand back!’ shouted Gallus. He beckoned to the soldiers. ‘You lot! Get this doorway cleared.’

  They stood aside as the soldiers got to work with their hands and shovels, clearing the rubble and drifts of sand that blocked the doorway to several feet's depth. The entrance to the tomb looked much like many of the other reasonably well preserved ones; if indeed Cleopatra's men had been here, they had filled in the sand again after them to mask any disturbance. Up until the fall of Egypt, the tombs had still had royal patronage and been under the protection and care of the nearby temples; but many centuries ago they had been looted and emptied of anything of value. Now only the structures themselves remained, their long dead occupants depending on the magical texts and reliefs on the walls for their sustenance in the afterlife.

  It took the soldiers quite a while to clear the way sufficiently to be able to get through the entrance, but eventually they were able to go through into a corridor ending in a stout wooden door, dark and hardened, looking centuries old. It couldn’t have been put there by Cleopatra’s men, but perhaps its existence had prompted the use of this particular tomb. It
resisted all attempts to move it, and Gallus, who was now fizzing with impatience, ordered them to break it down with the picks. Kaires read the names above the door, and offered up a brief apology, promising to return later with gifts for their souls.

  The door was thick but no match for the soldiers' onslaught, and before long it splintered and cracked, and the soldiers were able to pull out segments large enough to effect an entrance.

  Gallus went through first, followed by Kaires. Whatever Gallus had been expecting, he was clearly disappointed.

  ‘The place is empty!’ he said. ‘Where's all the gold?’

  Kaires imagined that Gallus had anticipated piles of gold coin, chests full of treasures and precious stones, jewellery dripping from golden goblets, all waiting for him on the other side of the door. ‘I don't think they'd have just left it lying about for anyone to stumble across,’ he said. ‘There must be something that points the way. I’d say we need to find Cleopatra's cartouche again. The gold must be buried here somewhere about. We need more light.’

  Gallus sent one of the soldiers back to the barge to fetch oil lamps and a light, while the rest of the passengers filed in and looked around.

  The tomb was one of the larger ones, in essence a large rectangle with a roof supported by four pillars. In the dimness Kaires could just make out that every surface was beautifully carved and painted. At the back, opposite the door, was a ‘false door’, before which offerings could be placed for the deceased's spirit to enjoy. On either side were images of the owner, his wife and children, with offering tables piled high with delicacies in front of them, and lists of everything they might need in the afterlife. To the right, the end wall showed scenes of hunting and fishing, and a banqueting scene, with musicians and acrobats. To the left, the gods were being worshipped by the owner and his wife, as they knelt before the images of Ra, Osiris, Isis, Harpocrates, Ptah, Nephthys, and Hathor, identified by their symbols and their names above them. Each of the pillars was richly decorated with lotus capitals, with other gods being adored and worshipped; and behind, on either side of the door, were scenes of wine making and workers taking in the harvest. Every spare space was covered in hieroglyphs, recording the achievements of the owner, and magic spells to help him in the afterlife.

  The soldier returned and soon lamps were lit all around the tomb. The images leapt into life, the reliefs responding to the shadows cast by the flames, and the painted colours glowing with warmth and vitality.

  Kaires drew the outline of a cartouche in the thin layer of sand which covered the floor. ‘Everyone look out for something like this. It doesn't matter what's inside it, just get me to check it for you.’

  They set to work, each person covering a section of wall or pillar, with Kaires going from place to place, checking all cartouches that were pointed out to him. They were all kings of the early dynasties, nothing that could conceivably be Cleopatra, or even a Ptolemy. After a couple of hours they had covered every square inch of wall without success. Lunch arrived from the barge but was largely ignored, and returned mostly uneaten.

  ‘Sweep out this floor!’ said Gallus. ‘It might be marked on the ground. And someone check the ceiling, you never know.’

  After further fruitless searching Gallus called them all together. Not a mark had been found on the floor, or anywhere else, that could even suggest that Cleopatra's men had been anywhere near. Only the cartouche outside gave them any hope that they were near.

  ‘Look on all the other tombs round here for similar markings. We must be close.’ Gallus was sounding less confident, but given the potential prize, was not about to give up easily. ‘If necessary we'll take this place apart stone by stone when my men arrive from Alexandria. Keep looking!’

  Kaires remained with Gallus while others in the group spread out, looking in all the neighbouring tombs for any clues. Gallus grumbled to Kaires.

  ‘Probably Chaeremon doesn't know the first thing about reading a map. It's a bit of a maze this place. He must have got it wrong.’

  ‘But what about Cleopatra's name above the door? I think this was the intended place, but maybe they were stopped before they were able to carry out their task. Or maybe the Queen changed her mind, and the map just ended up in the archives. We have to accept that there may be no gold, Gallus.’

  ‘Well we'll find out for sure when my men arrive from Alexandria. If there's anything here, even a single coin, they’ll find it, even if they have to dismantle the whole necropolis tomb by tomb. Let's get back to the barge.’

  It was a subdued and disappointed group that made its way back to the quayside. As they passed the Sphinx the boy emerged from the shadows again.

  ‘Last chance if you want to -’

  This time a scowl and a roar from Gallus was enough to quieten him. With a shrug, he followed them down the path to the river and disappeared into one of the houses.

  ‘What a shame,’ said Haemon. ‘I was so looking forward to seeing the legendary gold of the Ptolemies. Perhaps Gallus would even have let us keep a trinket or two as a memento.’

  ‘I suppose we’ll be stuck here for a few days,’ replied Aristeon. ‘We may as well make the most of it. Fancy a walk round the other pyramids?’

  Kaires watched them head off together, and turned to Iola. ‘Sounds like a good idea. We could go in the opposite direction. Shall we?’

  Iola took his hand and they walked off towards the great figure of the Sphinx, watching with timeless beneficence over the antics of these few humans in their briefest moment of existence.

  -0-

  No one approached Gallus that afternoon, for risk of getting their head bitten off. He sat alone at the stern of the barge, frowning at the pyramids as if they had personally slighted him, and growling at anyone who came near. It was a relief when he finally got up to return to his suite, presumably to sit on his private deck and glare at the pyramids from there, instead.

  Kaires had kept well out of the way by having a siesta in his cabin. The others had gone to the dining saloon to pore over the map, which Chaeremon had stretched out on a table.

  Dinner was to be served up on the top deck again, and as the sun began to lower, there was a general movement back up there, as the delicious scent of roasted meats and honeyed pastries wafted up from below decks.

  Kaires found himself a space and reclined, looking about for Iola, but Aristeon sank down next to him and helped himself to a boiled egg.

  ‘What do you think, Kaires?’ he asked, ‘all been a wild goose chase?’

  ‘I wouldn't say that yet,’ he replied. ‘We've hardly started to look. And Cleopatra's men had definitely been there before us, judging by her name on the lintel. But no, it doesn't look so promising now. No sign of treasure anywhere. But Gallus won’t rest until he’s exhausted every possibility.’

  ‘I can't say I'm that disappointed. What does it matter to us whether there is gold there or not? Isn't it enough just to be here, dining under these great monuments as the sun sets and the Nile flows by like the centuries? Isn't it breathtaking enough to be worth any amount of treasure?’

  ‘You're right, of course. No one could ask for more. But unfortunately I don't think Gallus agrees.’

  The man in question had just reappeared, face still like thunder. Myrine and Iola followed just behind, and Iola, braver than anyone else, sat next to him at the table. She smiled over to Kaires. Myrine left her to it and sat on Kaires's other side.

  ‘Into the jaws of Cerberus...’ smiled Myrine. As more food began to appear from below, she took a deep breath to savour the delicious aromas it was producing. ‘This looks delicious!’ she said. ‘What a spread!’

  Kaires helped her to some food, and finding he was hungry himself, loaded some roast beef on to his own plate. ‘Cleopatra certainly didn't stint on the kitchens for her barge,’ he said.

  ‘She didn't have to stint on anything. The riches of Egypt were at her fingertips. Where are they all now, I wonder? Did all of it go to Rome?’ Myrine looked o
ut over the pyramids. ‘Or is some of it still here?’

  ‘Just what we've been asking,’ said Aristeon, ‘and the consensus is that it's not.’

  From the top of the table a gale of laughter caused everyone to look round. Kaires was astonished to see that it had proceeded from Gallus, who had playfully slapped Iola on the shoulder. She winked over at them. Kaires frowned.

  ‘Don't get jealous,’ said Myrine, ‘she only has eyes for you.’

  Kaires found himself blushing. Aristeon laughed and turned to Haemon, who had slipped in on his other side. Kaires was saved by the arrival of Chaeremon and Strabo, now seemingly inseparable. With a wary look towards Gallus, they too reclined as far from him as possible at the other end. The evening sun sank lower behind the pyramids, which cast their long shadows towards the barge.

  ‘I must fulfil a promise,’ said Kaires. ‘I said I'd take up some food for the souls of the owners of the tomb we entered today. If you'll excuse me...’

  ‘I'll come with you, said Myrine. The walk will do me good. It'll be nice to have a little talk about Iola on the way. That's if you don't mind?’

  ‘Not at all,’ said Kaires uncertainly, gathering up some bread and meats from the table and tying them in a square of cloth. He noticed Aristeon and Haemon exchange a look and resisted the temptation to tip his wine over them.

  As Myrine and Kaires walked up the causeway towards the Sphinx the sun finally sank below the horizon in a blaze of rich orange, burning the sky above it. Kaires carried the food, and Myrine a light shielded from the breeze in a deep clay pot. They skirted the Great Pyramid as before, and as they turned the corner, came across a couple of fellahin resting with five or six donkeys against its western face. They greeted them and made their way carefully through the Necropolis to the tomb. Inside, while Myrine lit the lamps, Kaires took out the offerings and laid them before the false door, kneeling to say a brief prayer.