The Complete Novels. Georg Ebers

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      The other members of the Persian embassy had returned to Sais from their excursion up the Nile to the pyramids. Prexaspes alone, the ambassador from Cambyses, had already set out for Persia, in order to inform the king of the successful issue of his suit.

      The palace of Amasis was full of life and stir. The huge building was filled in all parts by the followers of the embassy, nearly three hundred in number, and by the high guests themselves, to whom every possible attention was paid. The courts of the palace swarmed with guards and officials, with young priests and slaves, all in splendid festal raiment.

      On this day it was the king’s intention to make an especial display of the wealth and splendor of his court, at a festival arranged in honor of his daughter’s betrothal.

      The lofty reception-hall opening on to the gardens, with its ceiling sown with thousands of golden stars and supported by gaily-painted columns, presented a magic appearance. Lamps of colored papyrus hung against the walls and threw a strange light on the scene, something like that when the sun’s rays strike through colored glass. The space between the columns and the walls was filled with choice plants, palms, oleanders, pomegranates, oranges and roses, behind which an invisible band of harp and flute-players was stationed, who received the guests with strains of monotonous, solemn music.

      The floor of this hall was paved in black and white, and in the middle stood elegant tables covered with dishes of all kinds, cold roast meats, sweets, well-arranged baskets of fruit and cake, golden jugs of wine, glass drinking-cups and artistic flower-vases.

      A multitude of richly-dressed slaves under direction of the high-steward, busied themselves in handing these dishes to the guests, who, either standing around, or reclining on sumptuous seats, entertained themselves in conversation with their friends.

      Both sexes and all ages were to be found in this assembly. As the women entered, they received charming little nosegays from the young priests in the personal service of the king, and many a youth of high degree appeared in the hall with flowers, which he not only offered to her he loved best, but held up for her to smell.

      The Egyptian men, who were dressed as we have already seen them at the reception of the Persian embassy, behaved towards the women with a politeness that might almost be termed submissive. Among the latter few could pretend to remarkable beauty, though there were many bewitching almond-shaped eyes, whose loveliness was heightened by having their lids dyed with the eye-paint called “mestem.” The majority wore their hair arranged in the same manner; the wealth of waving brown locks floated back over the shoulders and was brushed behind the ears, one braid being left on each side to hang over the temples to the breast. A broad diadem confined these locks, which as the maids knew, were quite as often the wig-maker’s work as Nature’s. Many ladies of the court wore above their foreheads a lotus-flower, whose stem drooped on the hair at the back.

      They carried fans of bright feathers in their delicate hands. These were loaded with rings; the finger-nails were stained red, according to Egyptian custom, and gold or silver bands were worn above the elbow, and at the wrists and ankles.

      [This custom (of staining finger-nails) is still prevalent in the

       East; the plant Shenna, Laosonia spinosa, called by Pliny XIII.

       Cyprus, being used for the purpose. The Egyptian government has

       prohibited the dye, but it will be difficult to uproot the ancient

       custom. The pigment for coloring the eyelids, mentioned in the

       text, is also still employed. The Papyrus Ebers alludes to the

       Arabian kohl or antimony, which is frequently mentioned under the

       name of “mestem” on monuments belonging to the time of the

       Pharaohs.]

      Their robes were beautiful and costly, and in many cases so cut as to leave the right breast uncovered. Bartja, the young Persian prince, among the men, and Nitetis, the Pharaoh’s daughter, among the women, were equally conspicuous for their superior beauty, grace and charms. The royal maiden wore a transparent rose-colored robe, in her black hair were fresh roses, she walked by the side of her sister, the two robed alike, but Nitetis pale as the lotus-flower in her mother’s hair.

      Ladice, the queen, by birth a Greek, and daughter of Battus of Cyrene, walked by the side of Amasis and presented the young Persians to her children. A light lace robe was thrown over her garment of purple, embroidered with gold; and on her beautiful Grecian head she wore the Urmus serpent, the ornament peculiar to Egyptian queens.

      Her countenance was noble yet charming, and every movement betrayed the grace only to be imparted by a Greek education.

      Amasis, in making choice of this queen, after the death of his second wife, (the Egyptian Tentcheta, mother of Psamtik the heir to the throne,) had followed his prepossession in favor of the Greek nation and defied the wrath of the priests.

      The two girls at Ladice’s side, Tachot and Nitetis, were called twin-sisters, but showed no signs of that resemblance usually to be found in twins.

      Tachot was a fair, blue-eyed girl, small, and delicately built; Nitetis, on the other hand, tall and majestic, with black hair and eyes, evinced in every action that she was of royal blood.

      “How pale thou look’st, my child!” said Ladice, kissing Nitetis’ cheek. “Be of good courage, and meet thy future bravely. Here is the noble Bartja, the brother of thy future husband.”

      Nitetis raised her dark, thoughtful eyes and fixed them long and enquiringly on the beautiful youth. He bowed low before the blushing maiden, kissed her garment, and said:

      “I salute thee, as my future queen and sister! I can believe that thy heart is sore at parting from thy home, thy parents, brethren and sisters; but be of good courage; thy husband is a great hero, and a powerful king; our mother is the noblest of women, and among the Persians the beauty and virtue of woman is as much revered as the life-giving light of the sun. Of thee, thou sister of the lily Nitetis, whom, by her side I might venture to call the rose, I beg forgiveness, for robbing thee of thy dearest friend.”

      As he said these words he looked eagerly into Tachot’s beautiful blue eyes; she bent low, pressing her hand upon her heart, and gazed on him long after Amasis had drawn him away to a seat immediately opposite the dancing-girls, who were just about to display their skill for the entertainment of the guests. A thin petticoat was the only clothing of these girls, who threw and wound their flexible limbs to a measure played on harp and tambourine. After the dance appeared Egyptian singers and buffoons for the further amusement of the company.

      At length some of the courtiers forsook the hall, their grave demeanor being somewhat overcome by intoxication.

      [Unfortunately women, as well as men, are to be seen depicted on the

       monuments in an intoxicated condition. One man is being carried

       home, like a log of wood, on the heads of his servants. Wilkinson

       II. 168. Another is standing on his head II. 169. and several

       ladies are in the act of returning the excessive quantity which they

       have drunk. Wilkinson II. 167. At the great Techu-festival at

       Dendera intoxication seems to have been as much commanded as at the

       festivals of Dionysus under the Ptolemies, one of whom (Ptolemy

       Dionysus) threatened those who remained sober with the punishment of

       death. But intoxication was in general looked upon by the Egyptians

       as a forbidden and despicable vice. In the Papyrus Anastasi IV.,

       for instance, we read these words on a drunkard: “Thou art as a

       sanctuary without a divinity, as a house without bread,” and

       further: “How carefully should men avoid beer (hek).” A number of

       passages in the Papyrus denounce drunkards.]

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