But Egypt did not invoke the gift of deathlessness upon the Pharaoh; she declared it. He was an Immortal and died not. Though he more nearly justified the confident declaration of his people, he but proved that there is no sublunar immortality, though in Egypt--almost.
The Pharaoh lived with a triple purpose: the perpetuity of his empire, of his dynasty, of his individuality. He steeped his body in indestructibility and wrote his name in adamant. He employed the manifold means at the command of his era, and whether his monument were a colossus, a temple or a city, he builded well.
While Europe was yet a vast tract of gloomy forests, and mora.s.ses, and plains, while the stone that was to rear Troy was yet scattered on the slopes of Ida, Mena, the first Pharaoh of the first Dynasty, deflected the Nile against the Arabian hills and built Memphis in its bed. So say the writings that are graven in stone. If this be true, this story deals with a quaint but efficient civilization that was already three thousand years old, fourteen centuries before Christ.
An effort has been made to conform to the history of the time as it comes down to us in the form of biblical accounts and the writings of contemporaneous chroniclers. The author has taken liberty with accepted history in the age of Meneptah"s first-born and in placing Hebrews in the quarries at Masaarah. The escape of Kenkenes in the Pa.s.sover is not intended to contradict the biblical statement that not one of the eldest born was spared. Rather, it is offered, as an hypothesis, that the Angel of Death would have pa.s.sed over any true believer in Jehovah, regardless of his nationality. Furthermore, the author has given the Greek spelling to some names, the Egyptic to others, the purpose being to present those p.r.o.nunciations most familiar to readers.
For all facts herein set forth, the author is indebted to a mult.i.tude of authorities, chiefly to Wilkinson, Birch, Rawlinson, Ebers, and Erman.
LIST OF CHARACTERS AND PLACES
Abydos,--A-by"-dos, city of Upper Egypt and burial-place of Osiris.
Amenti,--A-men"-tee, the realm of Death.
Amon-meses,--A"-mon-mee"-seez, half-brother to Meneptah and hostile to him.
Anubis,--A-niu"-bis, pet ape named after the jackal-headed G.o.d.
Apepa,--A-pay"-pah, a Hyksos monarch who befriended Joseph.
Asar-Mut,--A-sar-Moot", half-brother to Meneptah and high priest to Ptah.
Athor,--Ah"-thor, the feminine love-deity.
Atsu,--At"-soo, a n.o.ble Egyptian, vice-commander over the works at Pa-Ramesu, afterwards degraded.
Baal-Zephon,--Bay"-al-Zee"-phon, a hill at the northern end of the Red Sea.
Bast,--Bahst, the cat-headed G.o.ddess, patron deity of Bubastis.
Besa,--Bee"-sah, a dwarf-like deity similar to the Roman Cupid.
Bettis,--Bet"-tis, older sister to Hotep and Io.
Bubastis,--Biu-bast"-is, city in lower Egypt near Goshen.
Deborah,--Deb"-or-ah, an aged woman of Israel, Rachel"s attendant.
Hak-heb,--Hayk"-heb, a village on the Nile, shipping point for Nehapehu, fifty miles south of Memphis.
Har-hat,--Hahr"-hat, fan-bearer, or prime minister to the Pharaoh; father of Masanath.
Hathors,--Hah"-thorz, seven personifications of Athor, usually seven cows, similar to the fates of Roman and Greek mythology.
Hotep,--Hoe"-tep, the royal scribe, friend of Kenkenes, brother of Bettis and Io.
Hyksos,--Hick"-soz, the Shepherd Kings.
Imhotep,--Eem-hoe"-tep, the physician G.o.d.
Ipsambul,--Ip-sahm"-bool, a temple cut from living rock.
Io,--Eye"-o, younger sister to Hotep and Bettis, in love with Seti.
Isis,--Eye"-sis, consort to Osiris and G.o.ddess of wisdom.
Jambres,--Jam"-breez, a priest in disgrace, sometime astrologer to Rameses II and to Meneptah.
Kenkenes,--Ken-ken"-eez, son of Mentu, the murket.
Khem,--Kem, the Egyptian Pan.
Khu-n-Aten,--Khoon-Ah"-ten, Amenhotep IV, a Pharaoh of the eighteenth dynasty, who attempted to reform the national faith.
Loi,--Lo"-ee, high-priest to Amen at Karnak.
Ma,--Mah, the G.o.ddess of truth.
Masaarah,--Mah-saar"-ah, a limestone quarry opposite Memphis.
Masanath,--Ma-sayn"-ath, second daughter to Har-hat, beloved of Hotep.
Meneptah,--Me-nep"-tah, successor to Rameses II, and Pharaoh of the Exodus.
Menes,--Meen"-eez, captain of the royal guard.
Mentu,--Men"-too, the murket or royal architect, father of Kenkenes.
Merenra,--Mer-en"-rah, commander over the works at Pa-Ramesu.
Mesu,--May"-soo, Moses, the Law-giver.
Mizraim,--Miz"-ray-im, the Hebrew name for Egypt.
Mut,--Moot, the mother G.o.ddess.
Nari,--Nahr"-ee, the handmaiden of Masanath.
Nechutes,--Nee-koo"-t.e.e.z, the royal cup-bearer.
Nehapehu,--Nee-hay"-pe-hiu, a fertile pocket in the Libyan desert, fifty miles south of Memphis.
Neferari Thermuthis,--Nef-er-ahr"-ee Ther-moo"-this, first consort to Rameses II and foster mother of Moses.