The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 125

[36] "Book of the Dead."

The remains of the pharaoh were arrayed in costly garments, with a gold mask on the face, with bracelets on the wrists, and with rings on the hands, which were crossed on the breast. Under the head was put a support of ivory, such as Egyptians were accustomed to sleep on.

Finally the body was inclosed in three coffins: one of paper covered with inscriptions, one of cedar which was gilt, and one of marble. The form of the first two corresponded accurately to the form of the body; even the sculptured face was like the original, though smiling.

After a stay of three months in the quarter of the dead the mummy of the pharaoh was ready for a solemn funeral; therefore it was taken back to the palace.

CHAPTER LIV

During seventy days, in the course of which the revered remains were steeping in the solution of soda, Egypt was in mourning.

The temples were closed; there were no processions. All music ceased; no feasts were given. Dancing women became wailers; instead of dancing they tore their hair; this also brought them income.

No one drank wine, no one ate meat. The highest dignitaries went in coa.r.s.e garments and barefoot. No one shaved (with the exception of priests); the most devoted did not wash, they smeared their faces with mud, and scattered ashes on their hair.

From the Mediterranean to the first cataract of the Nile, from the Libyan desert to the peninsula of Sinai reigned sadness and silence.

The sun of Egypt had quenched, had gone to the West, the giver of life and gladness had deserted his servants.

In the highest circles the most fashionable conversation touched the universal sorrow, which was communicated even to nature.

"Hast thou not observed," said one dignitary to another, "that the days are shorter and darker?"

"I did not wish to unburden myself of this before thee," replied the other, "but it is so in reality. I have even noticed that fewer stars shine at night, and that the full moon lasts a shorter time, and the new moon longer than usual."

"The shepherds say that cattle at pasture will not eat, they only bellow."

"And I have heard from hunters that lions are reduced by weeping; they do not attack deer, for lions eat no meat at present."

"A terrible time! Come to me this evening and we will drink a gla.s.s of mourning liquor which my cellarer has invented."

"Thou hast, I suppose, dark beer of Sidon?"

"May the G.o.ds forbid that at this time we should use drinks which rejoice people. The liquor which my cellarer has invented is not beer; it is more like wine mixed with musk and fragrant plants."

"A very proper drink when our lord is sojourning in the quarter of the dead, where the odor of musk and embalming herbs is always prevalent."

Thus during seventy days did dignitaries mortify themselves.

The first quiver of delight ran through Egypt when it was announced from the quarter of the dead that the body of the sovereign had been taken from the soda bath, and that embalmers and priests were performing ceremonies over it.

That day for the first time people cut their hair and whoso had the wish washed himself. But in fact there was no need of mortification, since Horus had found the remains of Osiris. The ruler of Egypt, thanks to the art of embalmers, had received life, and, thanks to the prayers of the priests and the _Book of the Dead_, he had become equal to the G.o.ds.

From that moment on, the late pharaoh, Mer-Amen-Rameses, was called "Osiris" officially; unofficially, he had been called that since his death.

The innate joyfulness of the Egyptian people began to gain the victory over mourning, especially among warriors, artisans, and laborers.

Delight took on, among common people, forms which at times were inappropriate. Reports began to circulate, it was unknown where they had originated, that the new pharaoh, whom the whole people loved instinctively, intended to occupy himself with improving the condition of earth-tillers, laborers, and even captives. For this cause it happened, an unheard-of thing, that masons, cabinet makers, potters, instead of drinking quietly and speaking of their own occupation, or family interests, dared to complain in dramshops, not only of taxes, but even to complain of the power of the priesthood. And earth-tillers, instead of devoting time free of labor to prayers and the memory of their ancestors, told one another how well it would be if each man had some bit of land as his own, and could rest one day in seven.

Of the army, and especially foreign regiments, nothing was to be said.

Those men imagined that they were the most noted cla.s.s in Egypt, and if they were not, they would soon be, after some fortunate war in the near future.

But the nomarchs, the n.o.bility living on estates, and above all, the high priests of various temples mourned their deceased lord with solemnity, though they might have rejoiced, since the pharaoh had become Osiris.

Taking things as they were, the new ruler had interfered with no one thus far, hence the cause of grief for dignitaries lay in those same reports which delighted common people. The nomarchs and the n.o.bility grieved at the thought that their earth-tillers might be idle fifty days in a year, and, what was worse, possess land, though even of an extent on which a tomb might be erected. Priests grew pale and gritted their teeth when they saw the management of Rameses XIII. and the way in which he treated them.

In fact, immense changes had taken place in the pharaoh's palace.

The pharaoh had transferred his residence to one of the wing buildings, in which almost all the chambers were occupied by generals.

In the cellars Greek warriors were quartered, on the first story the guard, in the chambers along the wall, Ethiopians. Guard around the building was kept by Asiatics, and near the chambers of his holiness was quartered that squadron from which were selected the warriors who had accompanied their lord when he hunted Tehenna through the desert.

What was worse, his holiness, in spite of the recent rebellion of the Libyans restored to them his favor; he condemned none to punishment, and gave them his confidence.

That corps of priests who had been in the main palace remained with him it is true, and performed religious ceremonies under the direction of his worthiness Sem. But as the priests did not accompany the pharaoh to meals, to dinners and suppers, their food was far from exquisite.

In vain did the holy men declare that they must feed the representatives of nineteen dynasties, and a mult.i.tude of G.o.ds. The treasurer, noting the intention of the pharaoh, answered that flowers and perfumes were sufficient for G.o.ds and ancestors, and that prophets like themselves, as morality commanded, should eat barley cakes and drink beer or water. To support these rude theories the treasurer referred to the example of Sem, the holy high priest, who lived like a penitent, and what was worse, he told them that his holiness, with the generals, had a military kitchen.

In view of this, the priests of the palace began to consider whether they had not better leave the stinted house of the pharaoh and go to their own dwellings at temples where their duties would be easier, and where hunger would not twist their entrails.

They would have done this before, had not the worthy Herhor and Mefres commanded them to remain in their places.

But the position of Herhor near the new pharaoh was not favorable. The all-powerful minister, who had till of late almost never left the chambers of the pharaoh, sat now alone in his villa, and frequently he did not see the new ruler for ten days in succession. He was still minister of war, but he gave out almost no orders. The pharaoh himself settled all military questions. He alone read reports of generals; he alone decided doubtful questions, while his adjutants took from the minister of war the necessary doc.u.ments.

If his worthiness Herhor was ever called before the sovereign it was only to be reprimanded.

Nevertheless, all dignitaries acknowledged that the new pharaoh worked with great diligence.

Rameses XIII. rose before sunrise, he bathed and burnt incense before the statue of Osiris. Immediately afterward he heard the reports of the supreme judge, the chief scribe of the granaries and stables in the whole country, the high treasurer, finally the chief of his palaces. This last dignitary suffered most, for there was no day when his lord did not tell him that the court cost too much, and kept too many persons.

In the palace dwelt several hundred women of the late pharaoh with a corresponding number of servants and children. The chief of the palace, being reproached continually, dismissed from day to day a number of persons, and limited the allowances of others. At the end of a month, therefore, all the ladies of the court ran weeping and wailing to Queen Nikotris, and begged her to rescue them.

The worthy lady betook herself to the pharaoh, and, falling on her face, begged him to take compa.s.sion on the women of his father, and not let them die in dest.i.tution.

The pharaoh listened to her with frowning brows and commanded the chief of the court not to extend his saving farther. But at the same time he told the most worthy lady that after the funeral of his father the women would be removed from the palace and sent to the country.

"Our court," said he, "costs about thirty thousand talents yearly, or once and a half as much as the whole army. I cannot expend such a sum without ruining myself and the kingdom."

"Do as may please thee," answered the queen. "Egypt is thine. But I fear that the persons rejected from the court will become thy enemies."

At this he took his mother by the hand, led her to the window, and pointed to a forest of spears held by infantry drilling in the courtyard.

This act of the pharaoh produced an unexpected effect. The queen's eyes, which a moment before gleamed with pride, were filled with tears. All at once she bent and kissed her son's hand, saying with emotion,--

"Thou art, indeed, the son of Isis and Osiris, and I did well when I yielded thee to the G.o.ddess. Egypt at last has a ruler."

From that time the worthy lady never appealed to her son in any question. And when she was asked for protection, she answered,--

"I am the servant of his holiness and I advise you to carry out his commands without resistance. All he does comes from inspiration of the G.o.ds. And who can oppose the G.o.ds?"