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Updated: June 8, 2025
AT sunrise of the twenty-first of Hator there came from Memphis to the camp at the Soda Lakes an order by which three regiments were to march to Libya to stand garrison in the towns, the rest of the Egyptian army was to return home with Ramses. The army greeted this arrangement with shouts of delight, for a stay of some days in the wilderness had begun to annoy them.
His desire was satisfied. The nomarch requested the prince to sit in a litter borne by only two men, and with a great retinue escorted him to the temple of Hator. There the retinue remained in the antechamber, but the nomarch commanded the bearers to carry the prince to the summit of a pylon, which he himself ascended.
"He spent a month in the temple of Hator, he listened to the highest wisdom, and immediately afterward betook himself to the Phoenicians. What do I say? He visited the idol house of Astarte and took thence a priestess an offence against all religions. After that he reviled my piety, in public; conspired with such frivolous minds as his own, and with the aid of Phoenicians stole state secrets.
"Thou art worthy to be my foremost assistant." At Tan- ta-ren were two famous places: the pond in which crocodiles were reared, and the temple of Hator, where there was a school at which were taught medicine, sacred hymns, the methods of celebrating divine ceremonies, finally astronomy. The pharaoh visited both places.
But Hator, answering all his marvellous speeches in a few concise, iron words, showed how this joy and beauty was but another name for the bestiality of souls wallowing in luxury and sloth.
This consideration seemed to Mentezufis so apposite that he looked at Mefres. But the angry high priest would not be turned aside for an instant. "Let us see," said he. "But first we must investigate and learn what the prince was doing day by day, after his return from the temple of Hator. He had too much freedom, too many relations with unbelievers and with enemies of Egypt.
"What?" repeated Ramses, with astonishment. "Guess quickly and truly," insisted the priest, "for if Thou art mistaken two of thy regiments perish." "Thou hast a ring," said the heir, who had grown joyous. Mentezufis opened his hand; there was a bit of papyrus in it. "But what have I now?" asked the priest again. "A ring." "Well, not a ring, but an amulet of the divine Hator.
They broke into houses and dragged out sleeping dwellers to drinking-bouts; and since the Egyptians were inclined toward festivities every man living amused himself. During Ramses' stay in the temple of Hator the Phoenicians, seized by a panic, passed their days in prayer and refused credit to every man.
"Not even if I were to name thee my counselor?" "Not even then. Never shall I be a traitor, and even if I desired to be one I should be terrified by punishment." "Punishment?" repeated Ramses. "Aha! I remember in the temple of Hator, that man hidden under the pavement, on whom the priests were pouring burning pitch. Did they do that, indeed, and did that man die really in tortures?"
"I have seen a divinity, I have felt its hand on my person, I have heard its voice." "In what place?" "In the temple of Hator, in its hall of entrance, and in my cell." "In the daytime?" "In the night," replied the prince; and he stopped. "At night the prince heard speeches of the gods, and felt their hands," replied the Phoenician, emphasizing word after word.
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