"In contrast to these scenes of daily life in the camp, we have on the other hand a representation of the wild confusion of battle. Close to the bank of the Orontes is the royal chariot, in which the king stands drawn up to his full height; behind and on each side the chariots of the Cheta[3] surround him; while many more are crossing the stream. The Egyptian chariots are indeed in the rear of the king, but in order to come to his help they would have first to force a way through the chariots of the Cheta. In the meantime, the Pharaoh fights by himself, and pours down such a frightful rain of arrows on the enemy that they fly in wild confusion. Hit by the arrows, their horses take fright, dash the chariots to pieces, and throw out the warriors, or they get loose and breaking through their own ranks, spread confusion everywhere. The dead and the wounded Cheta fall one upon another; those who escape the arrows of the king throw themselves into the Orontes and try to swim across to Kadesh, which is seen on the opposite bank surrounded by walls and trenches.... "Whilst the Pharaoh thus slays the Cheta, the prince of the latter people stands watching the battle from the corner between Kadesh and the Orontes in the midst of a mighty square of 8,000 foot soldiers of the elite of his troops; 'he does not come out to fight, because he is afraid before his Majesty, since he has seen his Majesty.' When he sees that the battle is lost, he says in admiration: 'He is as Sutech the glorious, Ba'al lives in his body.'"[4] FOOTNOTES: [1] Erman: Life in Ancient Egypt, 415. [2] Maspero: Ancient Egypt, 18. [3] That is, the Hittite king. [4] Erman: Life in Ancient Egypt, 529. CHAPTER XII. PRAISING LEARNING.[1] I have seen violence, I have seen violence, give thy heart after letters. I have seen one free from labors; consider there is not anything beyond letters. Love letters as thy mother. I make its beauty go in thy face. It is a greater possession than all besides. He who has commenced to avail himself is from his infancy a counsellor. He is sent to perform commissions. He who does not go is in sack-cloth. I have not seen a blacksmith on a commission, a founder who goes on an embassy. I have seen the blacksmith at his work at the mouth of the furnace. His fingers like things of crocodiles, he smells worse than the eggs of fishes. Every carpenter carrying tools,--is he more at rest than the laborer?