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Ramses the Great, who was thus the glory of the XIXth Dynasty, reigned sixty-eight years, and lived to the age of 100, when he passed away peacefully at Thebes. Under his successors, Minephtah, Seti II., Amenemis and Siphtah, the nation became decadent, though there were transient gleams of prosperity, as when Minephtah won a great victory over the Libyans.
A tale written for Seti II. when he was crown-prince contains an episode which closely resembles the history of Joseph and Potiphar's wife, and the reign of Ramses II. produced a sarcastic account of the misadventures of a tourist in Canaan, the object of which was to ridicule the style and matter of another writer.
"I saw that wretch, but I said nothing so as to spare thee pain. I must explain, however, that no one has proof that Lykon was put there by the priests, for the Phoenicians might have done that as well." Hiram laughed sneeringly. "O mother, mother!" cried Ramses, with sorrow. "Is it possible that the priests are dearer to thy heart than I am?"
It was not proper that servants should see emotion in such a mighty ruler. Wishing to turn the pharaoh's attention to another subject, Herhor asked, "Wilt Thou be pleased, holiness, to receive the homage due from the queen, thy mother?" "I? Am I to receive homage from my mother?" asked Ramses, with repressed voice. "Hast Thou forgotten what the sage Eney said?
In the hall rose a murmur of astonishment, and an intense flush came out on the face of Ramses. "That foreigner," thought he, "took the bull from me in the circus, he wishes to marry Kama, and now he shows a sword which cuts our blades into shavings." And he felt a still deeper hatred toward King Assar, toward all Assyrians in general, and toward Sargon especially.
We can read the name of Muab or Moab on the base of the second of the six colossal statues which Ramses II. erected in front of the northern pylon of the temple of Luxor. It is there included among his conquests. The statue is the only Egyptian monument on which the name has hitherto been found.
In the time of Ramses II. an Egyptian scribe composed a sarcastic account of the misadventures met with by a tourist in Palestine commonly known as The Travels of a Mohar and in this mention is made of two adjoining towns in Southern Palestine called Kirjath-Anab and Beth-Sopher.
"During our sail on the Nile that maiden sang our most sacred hymn, a hymn to which only the pharaoh and high priests have the right to listen. Poor child! she might have suffered for her skill and for her ignorance of what she was singing." "Then has she committed sacrilege?" inquired Ramses, in confusion. "Yes, unconsciously," answered Herhor.
In the eighth year of Ramses III. The eastern coasts of the Mediterranean were swept by a great invasion of the 'Peoples of the Sea. 'The isles were restless, disturbed among themselves, says Ramses in his inscription at Medinet Habu.
When the guests had taken their places, when music sounded and female dancers began to bring fruit and wine to the tables, Ramses said to Hebron, "The longer I look at thee, the more I am astonished. Were some stranger to enter he might consider thee a high priestess or a goddess, but never a woman at the time of happy betrothal."
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