The Pharaohs and Their People: Scenes of old Egyptian life and historyBerkley, E.
History
The Pharaohs and Their People: Scenes of old Egyptian life and history
Berkley, E.
Egypt -- History -- To 332 B.C.
‘Then I rose up like Mentu and smote down the foe. A
terror seized them and none dared fight. No man could
shoot nor grasp the spear. Headlong they plunged into
the stream like the crocodile. Still stood the King of
Kheta to behold King Rameses, for—“He was alone, none
other with him.” Once more did he attack with all his
power, but I rushed upon them like a flame of fire and
slew them where they stood. Each man cried unto his
fellow, saying: “No mortal man is he who is against
us. It is Set the mighty—‘tis the god of war. Whoso
draws near him his hand drops, nor can he grasp the
bow or spear.” I called upon my foot and horse: “Take
heart—be firm—behold my victory.” I was alone, but
Amen was beside me.’
The whole poem is too long to be given here, but we learn that when at
length the terror-stricken forces rallied upon seeing the victory of
the king and beholding the multitude of corpses, they approached with
adulation and flattery, extolling the hero to the skies. No wonder that
his reply is stern:—
‘The king spake and said: “O my captains and soldiers
who have _not_ fought! of what profit is all your
devotion? Which of you has done his duty before his
king? Who ever did for you what I did? and now have ye
altogether failed me; none stood by to help me in the
battle. Shame upon my horse and foot! shame more than
words can say! As for my horses, they indeed were with
me, and upheld me when I was alone amid the raging foe.
Henceforth shall they eat food before me in my palace
for ever.”’
Next day the battle was resumed with fury, and at the close the Kheta
sued for peace, which Rameses, apparently, was glad enough to grant.
Accepting their submission he returned to Egypt ‘joyful and glad at
heart.’
[Illustration: RAMESES THE GREAT.
FROM A SCULPTURE IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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