The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient Egypt

by Bolesław Prus

  CHAPTER LXIV

  On the eighteenth day of Paofi chaos had begun. Communication wasinterrupted between Lower and Upper Egypt; commerce had ceased; on theNile moved only boats on guard, the roads were occupied by troopsmarching toward those cities which contained the most famous temples.

  Only the laborers of the priests were at work in the fields. On theestates of nobles and nomarchs, but especially of the pharaoh, flaxwas unpulled, clover uncut; there was no one to gather in grapes. Thecommon people did nothing but prowl about in bands; they sang, ate,drank, and threatened either priests or Phoenicians. In the citiesall shops were closed, and the artisans who had lost their occupationcounselled whole days over the reconstruction of Egypt. This offensivespectacle was no novelty, but it appeared in such threateningproportions that the tax-gatherers, and even the judges began to hide,especially as the police treated all offences of common men verymildly.

  One thing more deserved attention: the abundance of food and wine. Indramshops and cook houses, especially of the Phoenicians, as well inMemphis as in the provinces, whoso wished might eat and drink what hepleased at a very low price, or for nothing. It was said that hisholiness was giving his people a feast which would continue a wholemonth in every case.

  Because of difficult and even interrupted communication the citieswere not aware of what was happening in neighboring places. Only thepharaoh, or still better the priests, knew the general condition ofthe country.

  The position was distinguished, first of all, by a break betweenUpper, or Theban, and Lower, or Memphian Egypt. In Thebes partisans ofthe priesthood were stronger, in Memphis adherents of the pharaoh. InThebes people said that Rameses XIII. had gone mad, and wished to sellEgypt to Phoenicians; in Memphis they explained that the priestswished to poison the pharaoh and bring in Assyrians. The commonpeople, as well in the north as the south, felt an instinctiveattraction toward the pharaoh. But the force of the people was passiveand tottering. When an agitator of the government spoke, the peoplewere ready to attack a temple and beat priests, but when a processionappeared they fell on their faces and were timid while listening toaccounts of disasters which threatened Egypt in that very month ofPaofi.

  The terrified nobles and nomarchs had assembled at Memphis to implorethe pharaoh for rescue from the rebelling multitude. But since Ramesesenjoined on them patience, and did not attack the rabble, the magnatesbegan to take counsel with the adherents of the priesthood.

  It is true that Herhor was silent, or enjoined patience also; butother high priests proved to the nobles that Rameses was a maniac, andhinted at the need of deposing him.

  In Memphis itself two parties were facing each other. The godless whodrank, made an uproar, threw mud at temples and even at statues, andthe pious, mainly old men and women who prayed on the streets,prophesied misfortune aloud and implored all the divinities forrescue. The godless committed outrages daily; each day among the pioushealth returned to some sick man or cripple. But for a wonder neitherparty, in spite of roused passions, worked harm on the other, andstill greater wonder neither party resorted to violence, which camefrom this, that each was disturbed by direction, and according toplans framed in higher circles.

  The pharaoh, not having collected all his troops and all his proofsagainst the priests, did not give the order yet for a final attack onthe temples; the priests seemed waiting for something. It was evident,however, that they did not feel so weak as in the first moments afterthe voting by delegates. Rameses himself became thoughtful when menreported from every side that people on the lands of the priests didnot mix in disturbances at all, but were working.

  "What does this mean?" asked the pharaoh of himself. "Do the shavenheads think that I dare not touch temples, or have they means ofdefence quite unknown to me?"

  On the 19th of Paofi a police official informed Rameses that the nightbefore people had begun to break the walls inclosing the temple ofHorus.

  "Did ye command them to do that?" inquired the pharaoh.

  "No. They began of their own accord."

  "Restrain them mildly--restrain them," said Rameses. "In a few daysthey may do what they like. But now let them not act with greatviolence."

  Rameses, as a leader and victor at the Soda Lakes, knew that once menattack in a multitude nothing has power to restrain them; they mustbreak or be broken. Unless the temples defend themselves the multitudewill take them; but if they defend themselves? In that case the peoplewill flee and there will be need to send warriors, of whom there weremany it is true, but not so many as would be needed, according to thepharaoh's own reckoning. Moreover, Hiram had not returned from Pi-Bastyet with letters proving the treason of Mefres and Herhor. And whatwas more important, the priests who sided with the pharaoh were toassist the troops only on Paofi 23d. By what means then could heforewarn them in temples which were so numerous and so distant fromone another? And did not caution itself command him to avoid relationswhich might betray them?

  For these reasons Rameses did not wish an earlier attack on thetemples.

  Meanwhile the disturbance increased in spite of the pharaoh. Near thetemple of Isis a number of pious persons were slain who predictedmisfortune to Egypt, or who had recovered their health by a miracle.Near the temple of Ptah the multitude rushed on a procession, struckdown the priests, and broke the holy boat in which the god wasadvancing. Almost at the same time messengers flew in from the citiesof Sochem and Anu with news that people were breaking into thetemples, and that in Cherau they had even broken in and desecrated themost holy places.

  Toward evening a deputation of priests came, almost by stealth, to thepalace of his holiness; the revered prophets fell at his feet,weeping, crying out to him to defend the gods and their sanctuaries.

  This altogether unexpected event filled the heart of Rameses withgreat delight and still greater pride. He commanded the delegates torise, and answered graciously that his regiments would be always readyto defend the temples when conducted into them.

  "I have no doubt," said he, "that the rioters themselves will withdrawwhen they see the dwellings of the gods occupied by the army."

  The delegates hesitated.

  "It is known to thee, holiness," answered the chief, "that the armymay not enter the inclosure of a temple. We must ask, therefore, whatthe high priests have to say."

  "Very well, take counsel," answered the sovereign. "I cannot performmiracles, and I cannot defend temples from a distance."

  The saddened delegates left the pharaoh, who after their departuresummoned a confidential council. He was convinced that the priestswould yield to his will, and it did not even occur to him that thedelegation itself was a trick arranged by Herhor to lead him intoerror.

  When the civil and military officials had assembled in the pharaoh'schamber Rameses began,--

  "I thought," said he, proudly, "to occupy the temples of Memphis onlyon the 23d, but I consider it better to do so to-morrow."

  "Our troops have not assembled yet," objected Tutmosis.

  "And we have not Herhor's letters to Assyria," added the chief scribe.

  "Never mind!" answered the pharaoh. "Proclaim to-morrow that Herhorand Mefres are traitors, and we will show the nomarchs and priests theproofs three days later when Hiram returns from Pi-Bast to us."

  "Thy new command, holiness, will change the first one greatly," saidTutmosis. "We shall not occupy the labyrinth to-morrow. If the templesin Memphis make bold to resist, we have not even rams to break downthe gates."

  "Tutmosis," answered the pharaoh, "I might not explain my commands,but I wish to convince thee that my heart estimates the course ofevents more profoundly. If people attack the temples to-day they willwish to break into them to-morrow. Unless we support them they will berepulsed, and will be discouraged in every case from deeds of daring.The priests send a delegation to-day, hence they are weak. Meanwhilethe number of their adherents among the common people may be greatersome days hence. Enthusiasm and fear are like wine in a pitcher; itdecreases in proportion as it is po
ured out, and only he can drink whoputs his goblet under in season. If the people are ready to attackto-day and the enemy is frightened, let us make use of the situation,for, as I say, luck may leave us in a few days, or may turn againstus."

  "And provisions will be exhausted," added the treasurer. "In threedays the people must return to work, for we shall not have thewherewithal to feed them."

  "Oh, seest thou," continued the pharaoh to Tutmosis. "I myself havecommanded the chief of police to restrain the people. But it isimpossible to restrain them, we must make a movement. An experiencedsailor struggles neither with wind nor current, but he lets them bearhim in the direction which they have taken."

  At this moment a courier came in with news that the people had fallenupon foreigners. They had assaulted Greeks, Assyrians, but especiallyPhoenicians. They had plundered many shops and slain a number ofpersons.

  "Here is proof," cried the excited pharaoh, "that we should not turna crowd from the road it has taken. Let the troops be near the templesto-morrow, and let them march in if the people begin to burst intothem, or--or if they begin to withdraw under pressure.

  "It is true that grapes should be gathered in the month Paofi; but isthere a gardener, who if his fruit were ripe a month earlier, wouldleave it on the vines to wither?

  "I repeat this: I wished to delay the movement of the people till wehad finished preparations. But if it is impossible to delay, let usraise our sails and use the wind which is blowing. Ye must arrestHerhor and Mefres to-morrow and bring them to the palace. In a fewdays we will finish with the labyrinth."

  The members of the council recognized that the decision of the pharaohwas proper, and they departed admiring his promptness and wisdom. Evengenerals declared that it was better to use the occasion at hand thanto have forces ready when the time had passed in which to use them.

  It was night. Another courier rushed in from Memphis with informationthat the police had been able to protect foreigners, but that thepeople were excited and it was unknown what they might attempt on themorrow.

  Thenceforth courier arrived after courier. Some brought news that agreat mass of men armed with clubs and axes were moving toward Memphisfrom every direction. From somewhere else information came that peoplein the region of Peme, Sochem, and On, were fleeing to the fields andcrying that the end of the world would come the day following.Another courier brought a letter from Hiram that he would arrive verysoon. Another announced the stealthy advance of temple regiments toMemphis, and, what was more important, that from Upper Egypt weremoving strong divisions of people and troops hostile to thePhoenicians, and even to his holiness.

  "Before they arrive," thought the pharaoh, "I shall have the highpriests in my hands and even the regiments of Nitager--now some dayslate in arriving."

  Finally information was brought that troops had seized here and thereon the highways, disguised priests who were trying to reach the palaceof his holiness, no doubt with evil purpose.

  "Bring them here," answered Rameses, laughing. "I wish to see men whodare to form evil plans against the pharaoh."

  About midnight the revered queen, Nikotris, desired an audience of hisholiness.

  The worthy lady was pale and trembling. She commanded the officers toleave the pharaoh's chamber, and when alone with her son she said,weeping,--

  "My son, I bring thee very bad omens."

  "I should prefer, queen, to hear accurate information of the strengthand intention of my enemies."

  "This evening the statue of the divine Isis in my chapel turned itsface to the wall, and water became blood-red in the sacred cistern."

  "That proves," replied the pharaoh, "that there are traitors in thepalace. But they are not very dangerous if they are able only todefile water and turn statues back forward."

  "All our servants," continued the queen, "all the people are convincedthat if thy army enters the temples, great misfortune will fall uponEgypt."

  "A greater misfortune," said the pharaoh, "is the insolence of thepriesthood. Admitted by my ever-living father to the palace, theythink to-day that they have become its owners. But by the gods, whatshall I become at last in presence of their all-mightiness? And shallI not be free to claim my rights as a sovereign?"

  "At least--at least," said the lady after a while, "be gracious. Yes,thou must claim thy rights, but do not permit thy soldiers to violateholy places and do injustice to the priesthood. Remember that thegracious gods send down delight on Egypt, and the priests in spite oftheir errors (who is without them) have rendered incomparable servicesto this country. Only think, if thou shouldest impoverish and dismissthem, thou wouldst destroy wisdom which has raised our kingdom aboveall others."

  The pharaoh took his mother by both hands, kissed her, and replied,smiling,--

  "Women must always exaggerate. Thou art speaking to me, mother, as ifI were the chief of wild Hyksos, and not a pharaoh. Do I wishinjustice to the priests? Do I hate their wisdom, even such barrenwisdom as that of investigating the course of the stars which move inthe heavens without our aid, and do not enrich us one uten? Neithertheir wisdom nor their piety troubles me, but the wretchedness ofEgypt, which within is growing weak from hunger, and without is afraidof any threat from Assyria. Meanwhile the priests, in spite of theirwisdom, not merely do not wish to help me in my measures, but theypresent resistance in the most dangerous manner.

  "Let me, mother, convince them that not they, but I am the master ofmy own heritage. I should not be able to take revenge on thesubmissive, but I will trample on the necks of the insolent.

  "They know this, but still do not trust, and--with a lack of realpower--they wish to frighten me by declaring some misfortune. That istheir last resource and weapon. When they understand that I do notfear their terrors they will submit. And then not a stone will fallfrom their temples, or one ring be lost from their treasures.

  "I know those men! To-day they put on a great front, for I am far fromthem. But when I stretch out a bronze fist they will fall on theirfaces, and all this confusion will end in general prosperity andcontentment."

  The queen embraced his feet and went out comforted, imploring him,however, to respect the gods and spare their servants.

  After the departure of his mother he summoned Tutmosis.

  "To-morrow," said the pharaoh, "my troops will occupy the temples. Buttell the commanders of regiments, let them know that it is my will,that the holy places must be inviolate, and that no one is to raise ahand on any priest in Egypt."

  "Even on Mefres and Herhor?" inquired Tutmosis.

  "Even on them. They will be punished enough when they are put out oftheir present positions; they will live in learned temples to pray andinvestigate wisdom without hindrance."

  "It will be as thou commandest, holiness--though--"

  Rameses raised his finger in sign that he did not wish to heararguments. And then, to change the conversation, he said, with asmile,--

  "Dost thou remember, Tutmosis, the manoeuvres at Pi-Bailos? Two yearshave passed. When I was angry then at the insolence and greed of thepriests, couldst thou think that I should reckon with them so early?But poor Sarah--and my little son. How beautiful he was!"

  Two tears rolled down the pharaoh's cheeks.

  "Indeed, if I were not a son of the gods, who are magnanimous andmerciful, my enemies would pass through grievous hours to-morrow. Howmany humiliations have they put on me! How often have my eyes growndark from weeping!"