Three Novels of Ancient Egypt

Ardor now flowed like blood in the veins of Commander Pepi. Standing and revealing his alarming height and broad shoulders, he said in his deep voice, “My lord, our great men have spoken truly. I am certain that these demands are meant as nothing but a test of our mettle and a way of forcing us into humiliation and submission. What does it tell us that this savage who has descended on our valley from the furthest reaches of the barren deserts should demand of our king that he remove his crown and worship the Lord of Evil and slaughter the sacred hippopotami? In the past, the Herdsmen would ask for wealth and we were not stingy to them with our wealth. But now they are greedy for our freedom and our honor. Faced with that, death would seem easy and delightful to us. Our people in the North are slaves who plough the land and writhe in agony under the tongues of the lash. We hope to free them one day from the torture they suffer, not pass of our own free will into the same wretched state as theirs!”

The king kept silent. He was listening keenly, holding his emotions in check by looking downward. Prince Kamose had tried to explore his face but failed. His inclinations — were — with Commander Pepi and he said violently, “My lord, Apophis greedily eyes our national pride and wants nothing but to reduce the South to submission as he reduced the North. But the South that would not accept humiliation when its enemy was at the height of his powers will never accept it now. Who now would say that we should squander what our forefathers struggled to maintain and care for?”

User-Amun, the chief minister, was of all the people the most moderate and his policy was ever directed to avoiding the anger of the Herdsmen and exposure to their savage forces, so that he might devote himself to developing the wealth of the South, exploiting the resources of Nubia and the Eastern Desert, and training a strong, invincible army. He was frightened of the consequences to which the impetuousness of the crown prince and the commander of the army might lead. Directing his words to the courtiers, he said, “Remember, gentlemen, that the Herdsmen are a people of plunder and pillage. Though they have ruled Egypt for two hundred years, their eyes are still drawn by gold, for which they will do anything and which distracts their attention from nobler goals.”

But Commander Pepi shook his head with its shining helmet and said, “Your Excellency, we have lived with these people long enough to know them. They are people who, if they desire something, ask for it frankly, without seeking to use stratagems and concealment. In the past they asked for gold and it was carried to them. But now they are asking for our freedom.”

The chief minister said, “We must temporize until our army is complete.”

The commander replied, “Our army is capable of repelling the enemy in its present state.”

Prince Kamose looked at his father and found that his eyes were still downcast. Passionately, he said, “What is the use of talk? Our army may need some men and equipment, but Apophis will not wait — while — we ready our gear. He has presented us — with demands — which, if-we concede them, — will condemn us to collapse and obliteration. There is not a man in the South who prefers surrender to death, so let us refuse these demands with disdain and raise our heads before those long-bearded Herdsmen — with their — white skins that the sun — will never cleanse!”

The enthusiasm of the young prince had its impact on the people. Determination and anger showed in their faces and it seemed as though they had had enough of talk and were wanting to take a resolute decision, when the king raised his head and, gazing intently at his crown prince, asked, in his sublimely noble voice, “Do you think that we should reject the demands of Apophis, Prince?”

Kamose replied confidently and vehemently, “Resolutely and disdainfully, my lord!”

“And what if this rejection drags us into war?”

Kamose replied, “Then let us fight, my lord.”

Commander Pepi said with enthusiasm no less than that of the prince, “Let us fight until we have pushed the enemy back from our borders and, if my lord so wills, let us fight till we have liberated the North and driven the last of the white Herdsmen with their long, dirty beards from the land of the Nile!”

Next the king turned to Nofer-Amun, the high priest, and asked him, “And you, Your Holiness, what do you think?”

The venerable old man replied, “I think, my lord, that whoever tries to extinguish this holy burning brand is an infidel!”

Then King Seqenenra smiled in consent and turning to his chief minister, User-Amun, said to him, “You are the only one left, Minister.”