Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13

Literature -- Collections

Then they cast themselves on their bellies before his Majesty [saying],
"It is thy name that giveth us strength of arm, thy wisdom is the
mooring-post[119] of thy soldiers; thy bread is in our bellies on every
road, thy beer quencheth our thirst; it is thy valor that giveth us
strength of arm; one is fortified at the remembrance of thy name! while
the host is lacking whose captain is a vile coward. Who is like unto
thee in these things? Thou art a mighty King that worketh with his
hands, master of the art of war!"

     [The Ethiopian army, after leaving Thebes, defeat the van of
     Tafnekht's fleet.]

They went down-stream; they reached Thebes; they did according to all
the things said by his Majesty.

They went down-stream upon the river; they found many ships coming
up-stream, with soldiers, sailors, levies of troops, every mighty man of
the North land, furnished with weapons of war to fight against the host
of his Majesty. There was made a great slaughter of them, the number
thereof is not known; their troops were captured with their ships, they
were brought as live prisoners to the place where his Majesty was.[120]

     [Proceeding to attack Heracleopolis, they are met on the river
     by the confederates under Tafnekht, and defeat them.]

They went to Henen-seten, arraying battle. The nomarchs with the kings
of the North land were informed [thereof]. Now the King Nemart with the
King Auapeth; the chief of the Me,[121] Sheshenk of Busiris, with the
chief of the Me, Zed-Amen-auf-ankh of Mendes, and his son and heir, who
was captain of the host of Hermopolis Parva; the host of the _Erpa_
Bakennefi, with his son and heir, chief of the Me, Nesnakedy in the home
of Hesebka; and every chief wearing the feather[122] who was in the
North land, with the King Usorkon who was in Bubastis and in the land of
Ra-nefer: every nomarch, and the governors of fenced cities in the West
and in the East and in the islands in the midst, assembled with one
purpose, as following the feet of the great chief of the West, ruler of
the fenced cities of the North land, priest of Neith, mistress of Sais,
and Sem-priest of Ptah, Tafnekht.[123]

When they went out against them, a mighty overthrow was made of them,
greater than anything, and their ships were captured upon the river; the
remainder crossed over and moored on the west side, in the neighborhood
of Per-peg.

     [In a second battle, fought by land on the opposite shore, the
     enemy is overthrown; most escaped northward, but Nemart returns
     to Hermopolis, having eluded the besiegers (_i. e._, the army
     of the loyal governors). Hermopolis is more closely besieged.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13

Literature -- Collections

Then they cast themselves on their bellies before his Majesty [saying],
"It is thy name that giveth us strength of arm, thy wisdom is the
mooring-post[119] of thy soldiers; thy bread is in our bellies on every
road, thy beer quencheth our thirst; it is thy valor that giveth us
strength of arm; one is fortified at the remembrance of thy name! while
the host is lacking whose captain is a vile coward. Who is like unto
thee in these things? Thou art a mighty King that worketh with his
hands, master of the art of war!"

     [The Ethiopian army, after leaving Thebes, defeat the van of
     Tafnekht's fleet.]

They went down-stream; they reached Thebes; they did according to all
the things said by his Majesty.

They went down-stream upon the river; they found many ships coming
up-stream, with soldiers, sailors, levies of troops, every mighty man of
the North land, furnished with weapons of war to fight against the host
of his Majesty. There was made a great slaughter of them, the number
thereof is not known; their troops were captured with their ships, they
were brought as live prisoners to the place where his Majesty was.[120]

     [Proceeding to attack Heracleopolis, they are met on the river
     by the confederates under Tafnekht, and defeat them.]

They went to Henen-seten, arraying battle. The nomarchs with the kings
of the North land were informed [thereof]. Now the King Nemart with the
King Auapeth; the chief of the Me,[121] Sheshenk of Busiris, with the
chief of the Me, Zed-Amen-auf-ankh of Mendes, and his son and heir, who
was captain of the host of Hermopolis Parva; the host of the _Erpa_
Bakennefi, with his son and heir, chief of the Me, Nesnakedy in the home
of Hesebka; and every chief wearing the feather[122] who was in the
North land, with the King Usorkon who was in Bubastis and in the land of
Ra-nefer: every nomarch, and the governors of fenced cities in the West
and in the East and in the islands in the midst, assembled with one
purpose, as following the feet of the great chief of the West, ruler of
the fenced cities of the North land, priest of Neith, mistress of Sais,
and Sem-priest of Ptah, Tafnekht.[123]

When they went out against them, a mighty overthrow was made of them,
greater than anything, and their ships were captured upon the river; the
remainder crossed over and moored on the west side, in the neighborhood
of Per-peg.

     [In a second battle, fought by land on the opposite shore, the
     enemy is overthrown; most escaped northward, but Nemart returns
     to Hermopolis, having eluded the besiegers (_i. e._, the army
     of the loyal governors). Hermopolis is more closely besieged.]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13

Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13

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