Page:The Pharaohs and their people; scenes of old Egyptian life and history (IA pharaohstheirpeo00berkiala).pdf/287

the priests, saying: "I have set my seal; let no other king whatever enter therein."'^[1]

During his stay at Memphis the king received the submission and the tributary offerings of all the petty governors and kings, but of those who sought to enter the royal presence none were admitted but Nimrod, because 'he was not an eater of fish,^[2] a thing forbidden in the royal palace.'

Tafnekht did not appear in person from his distant retreat; he sent his submission by an embassy—'Hail to thee! I could not look upon thy face nor stand before thy terror. I have reached the islands of the Mediterranean. Behold! thy servant is cleansed from his pride. I beseech thee to take my goods into thy treasury, the gold and all the precious stones. O send a messenger unto me as a reconciler.' Piankhi, after having received the submission of the confederated opponents, returned to Thebes with great rejoicing and triumph.

It is very doubtful, however, whether the

1. This would be meant to apply only to all the rival claimants to sovereignty in the north, not to his own successors.
2. The priests were prohibited from eating fish, which was considered as unclean food—at any rate sea fish, of which the more devout and scrupulous Egyptians would not partake.