The Egyptian (60 page)

They raised their goblets with arms held straight and spoke in praise of Egypt, while the women gazed with desire at their sinewy necks and wild eyes.

And they said, “Egypt is a glorious land, and we love it. In our country also there may be something for Egyptians to learn—such Egyptians as are friendly toward us and desire to acquaint themselves with our customs.”

They spoke many fair words to the eminent of Akhetaton, who dealt with them frankly, concealing nothing. But to my mind these strangers brought with them the smell of corpses. I remembered their bleak land and the sorcerers spitted on stakes by the roadside, and I did not mourn when they left Akhetaton.

The city had changed. Its inhabitants had been infected by some frenzy, and never before had people eaten and drunk and played so feverishly as at this time. But the gaiety was unwholesome, for they reveled only to forget the future. Often a deadly stillness would fall over Akhetaton so that laughter froze in men’s throats and they looked at one another in fear, forgetting what they had been about to say. Artists also were gripped by this singular fever. They drew and painted and carved more diligently than ever as if they felt that time was slipping through their hands. They exaggerated truth to a fantastic degree; distortion grew beneath their chisels and pencils; they vied with one another to produce ever more strange and extravagant forms until they vowed they could represent a feature or a movement by a few lines and patches.

I said to my friend Thothmes, “Pharaoh Akhnaton raised you from the dust and made you his friend. Why do you carve his likeness as if you bitterly hated him? Why have you spat on his couch and outraged his friendship?”

Thothmes said, “Do not meddle with things you fail to understand, Sinuhe. Perhaps I hate him, but I hate myself more. The fire of creation burns within me, and my hands have never been so skillful as now. Perhaps it is when the artist is unsatisfied and hates himself that he best creates—better than when he is content and full of love. I create all from within myself, and in every piece of sculpture I hew myself in stone, to survive eternally. There is no one like me: I surpass all others and for me there are no rules to break. In my art I stand above rules and am more god than man. When I create form and color, I vie with Aton and outdo him, for all that Aton creates is perishable but what I create is eternal.”

When he spoke thus, he had been drinking, and I forgave him his words, for torment burned in his face and from his eyes I saw that he was profoundly unhappy.

During this time the harvest was gathered in from the fields, the river rose and fell, and it was winter. With winter famine came to the land of Egypt, and no one could tell what new disaster the morrow might bring. News came that Aziru had opened the greater number of the Syrian cities to the Hittites and that the light chariots of these had driven across the Sinai desert, attacking Tanis and laying waste the surrounding country.

This news brought Rie in haste from Thebes and Horemheb from Memphis, to take counsel with Pharaoh Akhnaton and save what might be saved. In my capacity of physician I was present at this meeting, fearing lest Pharaoh become overexcited and fall ill because of the calamities of which he must hear. But Pharaoh was reserved and cold and remained master of himself throughout.

Eie the priest said to him, “The storehouses of Pharaoh are empty, and the land of Kush has not paid tribute this year although I had set my hopes upon those revenues. Great hunger prevails in the land, and the people are digging up the water plants from the mud and eating the roots; they also eat locusts and beetles and frogs. Many have perished and many more must do so. Even with the strictest distribution Pharaoh’s grain is insufficient, while that of the merchants is too dear for the people to buy. The minds of all are possessed of great dread. Countrymen fly to the cities, and town dwellers fly to the land, and all say that this is the curse of Ammon and that it is Pharaoh’s new god that has brought them this suffering. Therefore, Pharaoh Akhnaton, be reconciled with the priests and restore to Ammon his power, that the people may worship him and be pacified. Give him back his land that he may sow it, for the people dare not. Your land also lies unsown because the people believe it is accursed. Be reconciled with Ammon while there is yet time, or I wash my hands of the consequences.”

But Horemheb said, “Burnaburiash has bought peace from the Hittites, and Aziru, yielding to their pressure, has become their ally. The numbers of their troops in Syria are as the sands of the sea and their chariots as the stars in the sky. They spell the doom of Egypt, for in their cunning the Hittites have carried water into the desert in jars. Having no fleet, they have carried thither infinite quantities of water so that when spring comes even a mighty army may cross the desert without succumbing to thirst. They bought in Egypt a large number of the jars, and the merchants who sold them have dug their own graves. The chariots of Aziru and of the Hittites have made reconnaissance raids into Tanis and into Egyptian territory and have thereby broken the peace. The damage they have done is indeed trivial, but I have set tales afoot of terrible devastation, and of the cruelty of the Hittites, so that the people are ripe for battle. There is yet time, Pharaoh Akhnaton! Let the horns sound, let the banners fly—declare war! Gather together all those able to bear arms on the training grounds, call in all the copper in the country for spears and arrowheads, and your sovereignty shall be saved. I myself will save it by an incomparable war; I will defeat the Hittites and reconquer Syria for you. I can do all this if Egypt’s resources be placed at the disposal of the army. Hunger makes warriors even of cowards. Ammon and Aton are all one to me; the people will forget Ammon once they are at war. Their unrest will find outlet against the enemy, and a victorious conflict will establish your power more firmly than before. I promise you a war of conquest, Pharaoh Akhnaton, for I am Horemheb, the Son of the Falcon. I was born to great deeds, and this is the hour for which I have been waiting all my life.”

When Eie heard this he said hastily, “Do not believe Horemheb, Pharaoh Akhnaton, my dear son! Falsehood speaks with his tongue, and he is lusting for your power. Be reconciled with the priests of Ammon and declare war, but do not put Horemheb in command. Give it to some tested veteran who has studied in the old writings the arts of war as practiced in the times of the great Pharaohs, a man in whom you can place full trust.”

Horemheb said, “Did we not now stand in Pharaoh’s presence, Eie the priest, I would punch your dirty nose. You measure me by your own measure and betrayal speaks with your tongue, for you have in secret already negotiated with the priests of Arnmon and come to terms with them behind Pharaoh’s back. I will not fail the boy whose weakness I once shielded with my shoulder cloth by the hills of Thebes; my goal is the greatness of Egypt, and only I can save it.”

Pharaoh asked, “Have you spoken?”

They answered with one voice, “We have spoken.”

Then Pharaoh said, “I must watch and pray before I make my decision. Tomorrow summon all the people together—all those who love me, both high and low, lords and servants. Call also the quarrymen and stone masons from their town. I will speak through these to all my people and reveal to them my purpose.”

They did as he commanded and bade the people assemble the next day, Eie in the belief that he would be reconciled with Ammon, Horemheb in the hope that he would declare war on Aziru and the Hittites. All that night Pharaoh watched and prayed and paced incessantly through his rooms, taking no food and speaking to none, so that as his physician I was concerned for him. On the following day he was carried before the people. He sat on his throne, and his face was clear and radiant as he raised his hands and spoke.

“By reason of my weakness there is now famine in the land of Egypt; by reason of my weakness the enemy threatens our borders. The Hittites are now preparing to invade Egypt through Syria, and soon their feet will be treading the black soil. All this has come to pass because of my weakness—because I have not clearly heard the voice of my god or performed his will. Now my god has revealed himself to me. Aton has appeared to me, and his truth burns in my heart so that I am no longer either weak or doubting. I overthrew the false god, but in the infirmity of my purpose I allowed other gods to reign by the side of Aton, and the shadow of them has darkened Egypt. On this day all the old gods must fall, that the light of Aton may prevail as the only light throughout the land of Kem. On this day the old gods must vanish and Aton’s kingdom on earth begin!”

When the crowds heard this, a ripple of horror ran through them, and many prostrated themselves before Pharaoh.

But Akhnaton raised his voice and continued with firmness, “Ye who love me, go now and overthrow the old gods in the land of Kem. Break down their altars; smash their images; pour away their holy water; pull down their temples; expunge their names from all inscriptions—enter the very tombs to do so-that Egypt may be saved. Officers, grasp clubs in your hands; sculptors, exchange your chisels for axes; workmen, take your sledge hammers and go forth into every province, every city and village, to overturn the old gods and efface their names. Thus will I liberate Egypt from the thralldom of evil.”

Many fled from him aghast, but Pharaoh drew a deep breath, and his face glowed in exaltation as he cried, “May Aton’s kingdom come on earth! From this day forward let there be neither slave nor lord, neither master nor servant; let all be equal and free in the sight of Aton! No one shall be bound to till the land of another or grind another’s mill, but each man shall choose the work he will do and be free to come and go as he pleases. Pharaoh has spoken.”

There was no further stir among the multitude. All stood dumb and motionless, and as they stared at Pharaoh, he grew in their sight, and the shining ecstasy in his countenance so dazzled them that they raised a shout of fervor and said to one another, “Such a thing was never before seen, yet truly his god speaks through him and we must obey.”

The people dispersed in a ferment with bickering among themselves. Some came to blows in the streets, and the adherents of Pharaoh slew old men who spoke against him.

But when the people had dispersed, Eie said to Pharaoh, “Akhnaton, throw away your crown and break the crook, for the words you have spoken have already overturned your throne.”

Pharaoh Akhnaton replied, “My words have brought immortality to my name, and I shall hold sway in the hearts of men from everlasting to everlasting.”

Then Eie rubbed his hands together, spat on the ground before Pharaoh, and rubbed the spittle into the dust with his foot as he said, “If this is to be the way of it, I wash my hands and act as I think best. I am not answerable to a madman for my actions.”

He would have gone, but Horemheb seized him by the arm and neck and held him easily although Eie was a powerful man.

Horemheb said, “He is your Pharaoh! You shall do his bidding, Eie, and not betray him. If you betray him, I will run you through the belly though I have to summon a regiment to do it. His madness certainly is deep and dangerous, yet I love him and will stand fast at his side because I have sworn him my oath. There is a spark of reason in his raving. If he had done no more than overthrow the old gods, civil war would have followed. In freeing the slaves from mill and field, he spoils the priests’ game and gains the people to his side, even if the result be greater confusion than before. It is all one to me—but, Pharaoh Akhnaton, what shall we do with the Hittites?”

Akhnaton sat with his hands limp upon his knees and said nothing. Horemheb went on, “Give me gold and grain, arms and chariots, horses, and full authority to hire warriors and summon the guards to the Lower Land, and I think I can withstand the onslaught of the Hittites.”

Then Pharaoh raised his bloodshot eyes to him, and the glow faded from his face as he said, “I forbid you to declare war, Horemheb. If the people desire to defend the Black Land, I cannot prevent it. Grain and gold—to say nothing of arms—I have none to give you, and if I had, you should not have it, for I will not meet evil with evil. You may make your dispositions for the defense of Tanis, but shed no blood and defend yourselves only if attacked.”

“Be it as you say,” said Horemheb. “Let lunacy prevail! I will die in Tanis at your command, for without grain and gold the most valiant army cannot long survive. But no doubts or half measures! I will defend myself according to my own good sense. Farewell!”

He went, and Eie also took his leave of Pharaoh, with whom I remained alone. He looked at me with eyes filled with unspeakable weariness and said, “Virtue has gone out of me with my words, Sinuhe, yet even in my weakness I am happy. What do you mean to do?”

I looked at him in bewilderment, and smiling slightly he asked, “Do you love me, Sinuhe?”

When I confessed that I loved him, his madness notwithstanding, he said, “If you love me, you know what you have to do.”

My mind rose up against his will, although inwardly I well knew what he required of me. At length I said in irritation, “I fancied you had need of me as a physician, but if not, then I will go. It is true I shall make but a poor hand at overturning the images of gods, and my arms are overweak for wielding a sledge hammer, but your will be done. The people will flay me alive and crush my head with stones and hang my body head downward from the walls, but how should that concern you? I will go then to Thebes, where there are many temples and where the people know me.”

He made no answer and I left him in wrath.

On the following day Horemheb boarded his ship for Memphis, whence he was to proceed to Tanis. Before he went, I promised to lend him as much gold as I could lay my hands on in Thebes and to send him half the grain I possessed. The other half I thought to put to my own uses. Perhaps it was just this failing that determined my whole life: half I gave to Akhnaton and half to Horemheb. To no one did I give the whole.

Thothmes and I made the journey to Thebes, and while we were yet far from it, corpses came drifting downstream toward us. Swollen and rocking they came; the shaven heads of priests were to be seen among them, men of high and low degree, guards and slaves. The crocodiles had no need to swim upstream, for in cities and villages throughout the length of the river great numbers lost their lives and were cast into the Nile.