The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient EgyptPrus, Bolesław
History
The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient Egypt
Prus, Bolesław
Egypt -- History -- To 332 B.C. -- Fiction
For some days feasts of greeting continued; they rendered homage to the
heir, and presented officials. At last Ramses begged to interrupt the
festivities, and requested the nomarch to acquaint him with the wealth
of the province.
Next morning the review began, and lasted a fortnight. Every day in the
court of that palace where the heir had his residence appeared various
guilds of craftsmen. These came under command of guild officers, to
exhibit their productions. In turn came armorers and swordsmiths,
makers of spears and axes, manufacturers of musical instruments, fifes,
trumpets, drums, harps. After these came the great guild of
cabinetmakers, who exhibited armchairs, tables, couches, litters, and
carriages, ornamented with rich drawings, made of various wood, mother-
of-pearl, and ivory; then they brought kitchen utensils, things for the
fire, spits, two-eared pots, and flat pans with covers; jewelers
rivaled one another with gold rings of wonderful beauty, amber
bracelets and anklets, or chains made of gold mixed with silver. All
these were carved with artistic skill, and inlaid with precious stones
or enamel of various colors.
The procession was closed by potters who carried more than a hundred
kinds of earthen vessels. They brought vases, pots, plates, pitchers,
and jugs of the most varied forms and sizes, covered with paintings
ornamented with beast and bird heads.
Each guild made an offering to the prince of its most beautiful
productions. These filled a large hall, though among them no two things
were similar.
At the end of the curious but interesting exhibition, his worthiness
Ranuzer asked the prince if he was satisfied.
The heir thought awhile.
"More beautiful things I have not seen except in the temples or in the
palaces of my father. But since only rich people can buy them, I do not
see how the state treasury can have much profit from those objects."
The nomarch was astonished at the young lord's indifference, and was
alarmed by his anxiety about income; but wishing to satisfy Ramses, he
began then to conduct him through the royal factories.
One day they went to buildings where slaves were grinding flour in many
hundred hand-mills and in mortars. They went to bakeries where men were
baking bread and rusks to feed the army, and to places where preserved
fish and meat were in course of preparation. They examined great
tanneries, and shops where sandals were made, foundries where copper
was cast into arms and utensils. After that, brickyards, guilds of
weavers and tailors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account