The repulse of this huge host was felt by the Egyptians almost as the
repulse of the host of Xerxes was felt by the Greeks. Nectanebo was
looked upon as a hero and a demigod; his throne was assured; it was felt
that he had redeemed all the failures of the past, and had restored
Egypt to the full possession of all her ancient dignity and glory.
Nectanebo continued to rule over "the Two Lands" for nine years longer
in uninterrupted peace, honour, and prosperity. During this time he
applied himself, with considerable success, to the revival of Egyptian
art and architecture. At Thebes he made additions to the great temple of
Karnak, restored the temple of Khonsu, and adorned with reliefs a shrine
originally erected by Ramesses XII. At Memphis he was extraordinarily
active: he built a small temple in the neighbourhood of the Serapeum,
set up inscriptions in the Apis repository in honour of the sacred
bulls, erected two small obelisks in black granite, and left his name
inscribed more than once in the quarries of Toora. Traces of his
activity are also found at Edfu, at Abydos, at Bubastis, at Rosetta in
the Delta, and at Tel-el-Maskoutah. The art of his time is said to have
all the elegance of that produced under the twenty-sixth (Psamatik)
dynasty, but to have been somewhat more florid. The two black obelisks
above-mentioned, which are now in the British Museum, show the admirable
finish which prevailed at this period. The sarcophagus which Nectanebo
prepared for himself, which adorns the same collection, is also of great
beauty.
We cannot be surprised to find that Nectanebo was worshipped after his
death as a divine being. A priesthood was constituted in his honour,
which handed down his cult to later times, and bore witness to the
impression made on the Egyptian mind by his character and his successes.
XXVII.
THE LIGHT GOES OUT IN DARKNESS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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