Three Novels of Ancient Egypt

More sad news arrived, of the fall of Gesyi and Shanhur, and of the Herdsmen's advance toward Thebes to besiege it and force it to surrender. The ministers, the priests, and the thirty judges met in the Hall of the Columns at the temple of Amun and consulted with one another, all aware of the gravity of the situation and feeling that the end was near and resistance futile. Nevertheless, they did not favor surrender without conditions or restrictions, believing that they could stay behind their impenetrable walls till they had obtained a promise to spare the blood of the citizens — all but User-Amun, who was greatly agitated and unable to contain his anger. He told them, “Never surrender Thebes! Let us resist to the death like our sovereign Seqenenra. The walls of Thebes cannot be breached and if they are really threatened, then let us lay waste to the city and set fire to it! Let us leave nothing to Apophis from which he might benefit!”

User-Amun raged and gestured with his hands as though he were preaching, but the men were not enthusiastic about his idea. Nofer-Amun said, “We are responsible for the lives of the people of Thebes and its destruction will expose thousands of them to the loss of their houses and to hunger and misery. Though we have lost the battle, let our goal be to minimize the damage and limit the destruction.”

Meanwhile, the Herdsmen were pitilessly attacking the northern wall, the guards resisting them steadfastly and courageously, the dead falling on both sides. The ministers had made an inspection of the wall and were reassured as to the resistance, but the enemy's fleet assaulted that of the Egyptians after receiving reinforcements, and a fierce battle took place that ended with the smashing of the Egyptian navy. The Herdsmen's fleet then laid siege to western Thebes and many soldiers disembarked to the south of the city, making the siege of the city complete. They followed with a fierce attack from the north, south, and east, threatening it with famine and thirst. The leaders thus saw no alternative but to surrender in order to avoid a catastrophe and they sent an officer to announce a halt to the fighting and seek permission for an envoy from the city to approach in order to discuss the conditions for a final surrender. The officer returned having secured this agreement and the fighting on all the walls came to a halt. The leaders chose Nofer-Amun, the High Priest of Amun, to be their envoy.

The priest accepted reluctantly and mounted his carriage, which took him, eyes downcast, heart broken, toward the Herdsmen's camp. On his way, he passed the various divisions drawn up in rows in all their strength, arrogance, and vainglory. He found some officers waiting for him, at their head a man of short stature, stout, with a thick beard, whom he recognized from the first glance as the envoy Khayan, the herald of ill-fortune who had brought ruin with him to the kingdom of Thebes. The gloating nature of his reception was not lost on Nofer-Amun — the man appeared arrogant, haughty, and puffed up with pride. Looking at Nofer-Amun out of the corner of his eye, he said without greeting, “You see, Priest, the pass to which your prince's views have brought you? You get very excited and make beautiful speeches, but you cannot fight a war and your kingdom has been condemned to disappear forever!”

The chamberlain did not wait for a reply but proceeded in front of him toward the king's tent. Nofer-Amun saw that the tent was like a pavilion, hung with curtains, before it the white, gross guardsmen with their long beards. Permission was granted and he entered and saw in the foreground King Apophis, dressed as a pharaoh, and with the double crown of Egypt on his head. He was terrifying in appearance, with penetrating gaze, white-complexioned with a reddish cast, and a beautiful, flowing beard. He was seated in the midst of a circle of his commanders, chamberlains, and advisers, and the priest bowed to him respectfully and stood silently waiting his command. The king said in sarcastic tones, “Welcome to the priest of Amun, who after today will never again be worshipped in the land of Egypt!”

The priest did not acknowledge these words and remained silent. Then the king laughed loudly and asked him contemptuously, “Are you come to us to dictate to us your conditions?”

Nofer-Amun replied, “Nay, I have come, King, to listen to your conditions, as must the leader of a people who have lost their battle and their sovereign. I have but one request, that you spare the blood of a people who took up arms only to defend its existence.”