Three Novels of Ancient Egypt Khufu's Wisdom by Naguib Mahfouz
The commanders saluted the king's body and bowed to Ahmose, the new king, and the chamberlain gave them permission to go back to their troops and announce the death and succession.
Hur, consumed by grief, ordered the soldiers to raise the litter on their shoulders. Drying his eyes, he said, “May your sublime soul live in happiness and peace next to Osiris! You were on the verge of entering Ombos at the head of your victorious army but the Lord has decreed that you should enter it on your bier. However it be, you are the noblest among us.”
The army entered Ombos in its traditional order, the king's bier at its head. The grievous news had spread throughout the city and the rapture of victory and the anguish of death were drunk in a single draught. Multitudinous throngs came from every place to welcome the Army of Deliverance and bid farewell to their departed sovereign with hearts confused between joy and sorrow. When the people saw the new king, Ahmose, they prostrated themselves in silent submission but not a cheer went up that day. The priests of Ombos received the mighty body and Ahmose withdrew from public view and wrote a letter to Tetisheri as his father had bidden him and sent it with a messenger.
Dispatch riders brought news of the fleet that was both pleasing and sad. They said that the Egyptian fleet had defeated the Herdsmen's and taken some of its units captive; however, the commander, Qumkaf, had fallen and officer Ahmose, having taken the helm after the commander's death, had achieved total victory and killed the Herdsmen's commander with his own hand in a fierce battle. To reward Ahmose Ebana, the king issued an order giving him command of the fleet.
Following his father's wise policy, he made his friend Ham governor of Ombos and charged him to organize it and induct the able-bodied there into the army. The king said to Hur, “We shall advance quickly with our troops, for, if the Herdsmen tormented our people in time of peace, they will double their sufferings in time of war. We must make the period of suffering as short as we can.”
The king summoned Governor Ham and told him before his entourage and commanders, “Know that I promised myself from the day that I went to Egypt dressed as a trader that I would take Egypt for the Egyptians. Let that then be our motto in ruling this country; and let your guiding principle be to cleanse it of the whites, so that from this day on none but an Egyptian may rule here and none but an Egyptian may hold property, and that the land be Pharaoh's land and the peasants his deputies in its exploitation, the ones taking by right what they need to guarantee them a life of plenty, the other taking what is in excess of their needs to spend on the public good. All Egyptians are equal before the law and none of them shall be raised above his brother except by merit; and the only slaves in this country shall be the Herdsmen. Finally, I commend to you the body of my father, to perform for it its sacred rites.”
5
The army left Ombos at dawn, the fleet set sail, and the forward units passed through village after village to the warmest and loveliest reception until they reached the outskirts of Apollono-polis Magna, where they readied themselves to plunge into a new battle. However, the vanguard met with no resistance and entered the city in peace. The fleet sailed downstream with the Nile current and a favorable wind, finding no trace of the enemy's ships. Hur, ever cautious, advised the king to send some of his scouts into the fields to the east, lest they fall into a trap. The army and the fleet spent the night at Apollonopolis Magna and left it at dawn, the king and his guards traveling at the front of the army, behind the scouts, with the chariot of Chamberlain Hur to the king's right, and, surrounding them both, members of the king's entourage -who -were familiar -with the territory. The king asked Hur, “Are we not moving toward Hierakonpolis now?”
The chamberlain replied, “Indeed, my lord. It is the forward defense center for Thebes itself, and the first tough battle between two equal forces will take place in its valley.”
In the forenoon, intelligence came that the Egyptian fleet had engaged with a fleet belonging to the Herdsmen, which, from its size and the number of its units, was thought to be the entire enemy navy. It was also said that the battle was being fought strongly and fiercely. The king turned his head to the west, hope and entreaty on his handsome face. Hur said, “The Herdsmen, my lord, are newcomers to naval warfare.”
The king was silent and did not reply, and the sun made its way toward the middle of the sky as the army with its battalions and equipment continued its progress. Ahmose surrendered himself to meditation and thought. A vision of his family came to him as they received the news of the killing of Kamose: how shocked his mother Setkimus would be, how his grandmother Ahotep would grieve, how the long-suffering Sacred Mother Tetisheri would moan, and how his wife Nefertari, now Queen of Egypt, would weep. Dear God! Kamose had fallen to treachery, the army thus losing his bravery and experience, while he had been bequeathed an inheritance weighed down with the most onerous responsibilities. Then his imagination traveled ahead, to Thebes, where Apophis ruled and the people suffered every kind of torment and humiliation. He thought of Khanzar, the brave, terrible governor, against whom his soul would never rest until he had taken revenge for his father who had been made a martyr at his hands and had felled him with a fatal blow. Then the thought of Princess Amenridis came to him and he remembered the cabin where passion had consumed them both with sacred fire, and he asked himself, “Does she still cling to the memory of the handsome trader Isfmis and hope that he will be faithful to his promise?”
At this point Hur coughed, which reminded him that he should not yearn for Amenridis while at the head of the army that was marching to cleanse Egypt of her people. He tried to expel the thought and his sight fell on his huge army -whose rearguard stretched away beyond the horizon behind him; then he turned away and his thoughts returned to the battle that was taking place on the Nile. At midday, dispatch riders arrived and said that the two fleets were engaged in a violent battle, that the dead were falling in great numbers on either side, and that the two forces were still so evenly matched that it was impossible to predict the outcome. A frown appeared on the king's face and he could not hide his anxiety. Hur said, “There is no call for anxiety, my lord. The Herdsmen's fleet is no mean force that it should be easily overcome and our fleet is now plunged into the decisive battle on the Nile.”
Ahmose said, “If we lose it, we shall have lost half the war.”
Hur replied with certitude, “And if we win it, my lord, as I expect us to do, we shall have won the whole war.”
Evening found the army several hours away from Hierakonpolis and it became necessary to halt to rest and make ready. However, it had not been halted for more than a short time before news came that the vanguard was battling scattered forces of the enemy's army. Ahmose said, “The Herdsmen are rested. No doubt they welcome an engagement with us now.”
The king ordered a force of chariots to be sent to the aid of the scouts, should they be attacked by forces that outnumbered them. He also summoned his commanders and ordered them to be ready to enter the battle at any time.
Ahmose felt the grave burden that he bore in leading the army for the first time in his life, conscious that he was both the protector of this mighty army and the one responsible for the eternal destiny of Egypt. He said to Hur, “We must send our forces to destroy the Herdsmen's chariots.”
The chamberlain replied, “That is what both armies will try to do; and if we succeed in destroying the enemy's chariots and gain the upper hand in the field, then its army will be at the mercy of our bowmen.”
At this moment, as Ahmose was preparing himself to hazard his troops in the battle, messengers came from the direction of the Nile and informed the king that the Egyptian fleet had suffered serious blows, that Ahmose Ebana had thought that it was better to retreat -with his main vessels in order to regroup, and that the battle continued unabated. Anxiety overwhelmed the youth and he had premonitions of the loss of his great fleet. Before he had time to think, however, news came that the enemy's troops had commenced their assault and he bade farewell t
The chamberlain answered, “The two fleets are still fighting.”
“Is there nothing new concerning our fleet?”
Hur said, “It fought all day long as it retreated. Then the majority of the ships grappled units of the enemy with ladders and they were unable to separate when darkness fell. The fighting continues and we are waiting for further news.”
Fatigue showed on the king's face and he said to those around him, “Let us all pray to the Lord that He come to the aid of our brothers who are fighting on the Nile.”
6
The army woke with the dawn and started to equip and ready itself. Spies brought important intelligence: there had been movement all night long in the enemy camp. Some -who had risked pushing their way into the fields surrounding the battle ground reported that new forces, both men and chariots, had poured toward Hierakonpolis throughout the night, the stream continuing until just before dawn. Hur thought a moment, then said, “The enemy, my lord, is gathering the greater part of his forces here in order to face us -with his -whole army. This is no surprise, since, if-we penetrate the gates of Hierakonpolis, there will be nothing to delay our advance, but the walls of Glorious Thebes.”
Good news came from the Nile, the king learning that his fleet had fought desperately and that the enemy had not been able to do with it as it wished. On the contrary, its soldiers had been driven off many of those of his ships that they had been able to board and the Herdsmen's fleet had been compelled to detach itself after losing a third of its forces. The fleets had then ceased fighting for some hours. They had re-engaged in a new battle just after daybreak, with Ahmose Ebana's fleet launching the attack. The king rejoiced at this news and prepared himself for battle with high spirits.
As morning grew bright, the two armies advanced to do battle. The ranks of chariots hove into view and the Egyptians gave their famous cry of “Live like Amenhotep or die like Seqenenra!” then rushed onto the killing grounds like men possessed. They encircled the enemy in mortal clashes, giving them as good as the enemy gave them, fighting with bows, lances, and swords. King Ahmose, despite the fierceness of the battle, noticed that the center of the enemy's army was directing the battle with extreme skill, sending forces here and there with discipline and precision. He caught sight of the capable commander and it turned out to be not the governor of Hierakonpolis but Apophis himself, with his obese build, long beard, and sharp look, to whom he had given the gem-studded crown in the palace at Thebes. Ahmose undertook a number of fierce forays, fighting like a brave hero, his guard repelling the enemy's attacks. Not a horseman of the enemy's did he meet whom he did not bring down in the twinkling of an eye, till they dreaded his approach and despaired of overcoming him. As the battle wore on, fresh forces from both sides threw themselves into the field and the fighting continued at the same pitch of violence and intensity until the day was almost over. At that moment, when the troops on both sides were exhausted, a force of Herdsmen chariots, led by an intrepid man, descended on the Egyptians’ left wing and drove their attack home so hard that the exhausted resistance could do nothing to stop it and it made itself a breach through which it poured either to encircle the opposing force or to attack the infantry. Ahmose realized that this dauntless commander had waited for their fatigue to offer an appropriate opportunity and had held his men back to strike the final blow. Fearing that the man would indeed obtain his objective and strike confusion among the serried ranks of his army or massacre his infantry, he decided to lead a spearhead attack on the enemy's heart to beleaguer it, so that that formidable commander would find himself partially besieged. He did not hesitate, for the situation was dangerous and critical, but ordered his troops to attack and assaulted the center with a strong surprise maneuver that brought the fighting to a terrible peak, compelling the enemy to retreat under the fierce pressure. At the same time, Ahmose sent a force of chariots to encircle the force that was pressing on the left wing. Their commander, however, was formidably capable and adjusted his plan after he had almost managed to create the breach that he had been seeking, throwing a small force of his chariots into an attack on the enemy while he retired rapidly to his army with the rest. During this delicate operation, Ahmose was able to set eyes on the daring commander and recognized Khanzar, the great governor of the South, with his solid build and steely muscles. His mighty assault had cost the Egyptians many fallen among the flower of its charioteers. Shortly after this, the fighting came to an end and the king and his army retired to their camp, Ahmose saying in angry threat, “Khanzar, -we shall meet for sure, face to face.” At camp, his men received him -with prayers. Among them he found a new arrival, Ahmose Ebana. Drawing hope from his presence in the camp, he asked him, “What news, Commander?”
Ahmose Ebana said, “Victory, my lord. We brought defeat down upon the Herdsmen's fleet and captured four of its large ships and sank half of it, while other ships fled in a state in which they could neither be helped nor help.”
The king's face lit up and he placed a hand on the commander's shoulder, saying, “With this victory you have won half the war for Egypt. I am very proud of you.”
Ahmose Ebana blushed and he said with pleasure, “There is no doubt, my lord, that we paid a high price for this victory but we are now the undisputed masters of the Nile.”
The king said solemnly, “The enemy has inflicted heavy losses on us which I am afraid we shall not be able to replace. The one who wins this war will be the one who destroys his enemy's charioteers.”
The king fell silent for a moment, then resumed, “Our governors in the south are training soldiers and building ships and chariots. However, training charioteers takes time and the only thing that will help us in the battle that lies ahead will be our own bravery in making sure that our infantry do not face the enemy's chariots again.”
7
The army woke at daybreak once more and started to ready and equip itself. The king donned his battle dress and received his men in his tent, telling them, “I have decided to fight Khanzar in single combat.”
Hur, alarmed at the king's words, said in earnest entreaty, “My lord, one reckless blow must not be allowed to bring down our whole enterprise.”
Each one of the commanders begged the king to allow him to fight the governor of the South but Ahmose declined their offers -with thanks, saying to Hur, “No mishap can bring down our enterprise, however great, and my fall will not hold it up should I fall. My army does not want for commanders nor my country for men. I cannot forgo an opportunity to face the killer of Seqenenra, so let me fight him and pay a debt that I bear to a noble soul that watches over me from the Western World; and the Lord curse vacillators and weaklings!”
A man came out to him from Khanzar's corps and said, “Say to the one who calls himself Pharaoh, ‘The commander never denies an enemy the honor of dying by his sword.’ “
Ahmose mounted a fine-bred steed, put his sword in its scabbard, his lance in its holder, and urged the horse out onto the field, where he saw his enemy dashing toward him on a gray steed, haughty and proud, his body like a mighty block of granite. Little by little, they drew closer, until the heads of their two steeds were almost touching. As each looked his opponent up and down, Khanzar could not prevent his face from registering astonishment and he shouted in amazement, “Dear God! Who is this before me? Is it not Isfmis, the trader in pygmies and pearls? What a jest! Where is your trade now, trader Isfmis?”
Ahmose looked at him, quietly and serenely, then said, “Isfmis is no more, Commander Khanzar, and I have no trade now but this” and he pointed to his sword. Khanzar regained control of his emotions and asked him, “Who, then, are you?”
Ahmose said simply and quietly, “Ahmose, Pharaoh of Egypt.”
Khanzar gave a loud laugh that echoed around the field and said sarcastically, “And who appointed you ruler of Egypt, when its king is the one who wears the double crown that you presented to him on bended knee?”
Ahmose said, “He appointed me who appointed my father and my forefathers before him. Know, Commander Khanzar, that he who is about to kill you is the grandson of Seqenenra.”
A look of gravity appeared on the governor's face and he said quietly, “Seqenenra. I remember that man -whose ill fortune dictated that he should one day seek to bring me down. I am starting to grasp it all - excuse me for my slowness of understanding. We Hyksos are heroes of the battlefield and we do not excel at cunning or know any language but that of the sword. As for you Egyptians who lay claim to the throne, you disguise yourselves for long in the clothes of traders before you can pluck up the courage to wear the dress of kings. Let it be as you wish; but do you really desire to fight me single-handed, Isfmis?”