The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 144

"May thy words, holiness, be verified," whispered the high priest.

"Dost thou wish to tell me anything more?" asked Rameses, noticing that his subst.i.tute in religion was delaying his departure.

"Yes, lord. It is my duty to remind thee that every pharaoh after reaching power and burying his predecessor must think of two buildings: a tomb for himself and a temple for the G.o.ds."

"Just so! I have thought more than once of this, but not having money I do not issue orders. For thou must understand," added he with animation, "that if I build it will be something great, something which will command Egypt not to forget me quickly."

"Then dost thou wish to have a pyramid?"

"No. I could not, of course, build a greater pyramid than that of Cheops, nor a greater temple than that of Amon in Thebes. My kingdom is too weak to accomplish great works. I must make something entirely new, therefore, for I tell thee that our buildings weary me. They are all alike, just as men are, and differ from one another only in proportions, as a man is bigger than a child."

"Then what?" asked the high priest, opening his eyes widely.

"I have spoken with the Greek Dion, who is the most famous architect among us, and he praised my plan. For my own tomb I wish to build a round tower with internal stairs, like that in Babylon. I shall build a temple, not to Osiris or Isis, but to the One G.o.d in whom all believe: the Egyptians, the Chaldeans, the Phnicians, and the Jews.

I wish that temple to be like the palace of King a.s.sar, the model of which Sargon brought to my father."

"Those are great plans," said the high priest, shaking his head, "but it is impossible to execute them. The Babylonian towers are not lasting because of their form, they overturn easily, while our edifices must endure for ages. A temple to the One G.o.d we may not raise, for he needs no food, drink, or raiment. The whole world is his dwelling-place. Where, then, is the temple which could hold him? Where is the priest who would dare to make offerings before him?"

"Well, let us build a residence for Amon-Ra," said the pharaoh.

"Yes, if it is not like the palace of King a.s.sar, for that is an a.s.syrian building, and it is not proper for us Egyptians to imitate barbarians."

"I do not understand thee," interrupted Rameses, with irritation.

"Listen to me, lord," answered Sem. "Look at snails, each one of them has a different sh.e.l.l: one is winding, but blunt; another is winding, but pointed; a third is like a box. In the same way precisely each people build edifices according to their blood and disposition. Be pleased also to remember that Egyptian edifices differ as much from those of a.s.syria as the Egyptian people differ from a.s.syrians. Among us the fundamental form of every building is a pointless pyramid,--the most enduring form, as Egypt is the most enduring among kingdoms. With a.s.syrians the fundamental form is a cube, which is injured easily and is subject to destruction.

"The proud and frivolous a.s.syrian puts his cubes one upon another, and rears a many-storied structure under which foundations yield. The obedient and prudent Egyptian puts his truncated pyramids one behind the other. In that way nothing hangs in the air, but every part of the structure is resting on the ground. From this it comes that our buildings are broad and endure forever, while those of the a.s.syrians are tall and weak, like their state, which at first rises quickly, but in a couple of generations there is nothing left of it but ruins.

"The a.s.syrian is a noisy self-praiser, so in his buildings everything is put on the outside: columns, sculpture, pictures. While the modest Egyptian hides the most beautiful columns and carving inside the temples--like a sage who conceals in his heart lofty thoughts, desires, and feelings--he does not ornament his shoulders and breast with them. Among us everything beautiful is hidden; among them, everything is made to show. The a.s.syrian, if he could, would cut open his stomach to exhibit to the world what peculiar foods he is digesting."

"Speak--speak on!" said Rameses.

"Not much remains for me to say," continued Sem. "I only wish, lord, to turn thy attention to the general form of our edifices, and those of the a.s.syrians. When I was in Nineveh a few years ago, I observed the a.s.syrian buildings towering above the earth haughtily; it seemed to me that they were raging horses which had broken from the bit and reared on their haunches, but would soon fall and perhaps break their legs in addition.

"Now try, holiness, to look from a lofty point on some Egyptian temple. What does it recall to thee? This--a man prostrate on the earth and praying. The two pylons are his arms. The hall 'of columns,'

or 'the heavenly chamber,' is his head, the chamber of 'divine apparition' and 'the tables of offering' are his b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and the secret retreat of the G.o.d is the heart of the pious Egyptian. Our temple teaches us what we should be. 'Have a hand as strong as a pylon,' it says to us, 'and arms as powerful as walls. Have in thy head reason as broad and rich as the forecourt of the temple, a soul as pure as the chamber of "apparition" and of "offering," and in thy heart have G.o.d, O Egyptian!' But the a.s.syrian buildings say to that people: 'Tower above nations, O a.s.syrian; rear thy head beyond every other! Thou wilt do nothing great here on earth, but at least thou wilt leave many ruins.'

"Wouldst thou, then, O sovereign, venture to rear in our land a.s.syrian edifices and imitate a people which Egypt contemns and despises?"

In spite of Sem's explanation, even now Rameses judged that the a.s.syrian palaces surpa.s.sed those of Egypt in beauty. But he so hated the a.s.syrians that his heart began to hesitate.

"In that case," said he, "I will defer the building of my tomb and the temple. But do ye sages who are kindly disposed toward me, think over plans of edifices which would give my name to the remotest generations."

"A superhuman pride fills the soul of this young man!" thought the high priest, and he took farewell of the pharaoh in sadness.

CHAPTER LX

Meanwhile Pentuer made ready to revisit Lower Egypt and find on the one hand thirteen delegates from among land-tillers and artisans for the pharaoh, and on the other to encourage the working population to demand the relief which the new sovereign had promised, for according to his conviction the greatest question for Egypt was to abolish the injustice and the abuses to which the toiling people were subject.

Still, Pentuer was a priest, and not only did he not desire the fall of his order, but he did not even wish to break the bonds which connected him with it. Hence to emphasize his loyalty he went to take farewell of Herhor.

The once mighty dignitary received him with a smile.

"A rare guest--a rare guest!" exclaimed he. "Since thou hadst the desire to become the counsellor of his holiness thou dost not show thyself before me. True, thou art not the only one! But whatever happens, I shall not forget thy services, wert thou even to avoid me still more than at present."

"Worthiness, I am not a counsellor of our lord, nor do I avoid thee to whose favor I am indebted for what I am to-day."

"I know, I know!" answered Herhor. "Thou hast refused the high dignity so as not to work to the destruction of the temples. I know, I know!

though perhaps it is to be regretted that thou hast not become the adviser of that giddy milksop, who, as it were, governs us. To a certainty thou wouldst not have suffered him to surround himself with those traitors who are ruining him."

Pentuer, not wishing to speak of such ticklish subjects, told Herhor why he was going to Lower Egypt.

"Very well," answered Herhor, "let Rameses XIII. call an a.s.sembly of all the orders. He has a right to call it."

"But," he added suddenly, "I am sorry that thou art involved in such labor. Great changes have taken place in thee. Thou rememberest thy words to my adjutant during those manuvres in Pi-Bailos? I will remind thee: thou didst tell him that it was necessary to limit the abuses and license of the pharaohs. But to-day thou art supporting the childish pretensions of the greatest profligate ever known to Egypt--"

"Rameses XIII.," said Pentuer, interrupting, "wishes to improve the lot of common people. I should be stupid and mean, therefore, were I, the son of earth-tillers, not to serve him in this question."

"But thou dost not ask whether that would not injure us, the priesthood."

Pentuer was astonished.

"But thou thyself givest great relief to common men belonging to the temple," said he. "I have, besides, thy permission."

"What? Which?" inquired Herhor.

"Recall, worthiness, that night when we greeted Beroes. Mefres declared at that time that Egypt had fallen because the priestly order was lowered, while I a.s.serted that the misery of the people was the cause of the suffering of the State, to which thou, so far as I remember, didst answer: 'Let Mefres occupy himself with bettering the priesthood, Pentuer in improving the lot of common people, while I will avoid destructive war between Egypt and a.s.syria--'"

"Well, dost thou see," interrupted the high priest, "it is thy duty to act with us, not with Rameses."

"Does he wish war with a.s.syria," replied Pentuer, energetically, "or does he hinder priests from acquiring wisdom? He wishes to give the people every seventh day for rest, and later to give each family of earth-workers a small bit of land for subsistence. Do not tell me, worthiness, that the pharaoh wishes evil, for it has been verified on temple ground that a free man who has his own patch of earth labors incomparably better than one without freedom."

"I am not opposed to relieving common people," said Herhor, "but I am convinced that Rameses will do nothing for them."

"Surely not if you refuse him money."

"Even were we to give him a pyramid of gold and silver, and another of precious stones, he would do nothing--that is a mad stripling whom the a.s.syrian amba.s.sador, Sargon, never mentioned otherwise than as a frivolous youngster."

"The pharaoh has great capabilities."

"But he has no knowledge, and no skill," replied Herhor. "He barely visited the high school a little and left it at the earliest. Hence, to-day, in affairs of state he is like a blind person; he is like a child which puts out pieces boldly on a board, but has no idea how to play at draughts."

"Still he governs--"