heart—be firm—behold my victory." I was alone, but Amen was beside me.'
The whole poem is too long to be given here,
but we learn that when at length the terror-stricken
forces rallied upon seeing the victory
of the king and beholding the multitude of
corpses, they approached with adulation and
flattery, extolling the hero to the skies. No
wonder that his reply is stern:—
'The king spake and said: "O my captains and
soldiers who have not fought! of what profit is all
your devotion? Which of you has done his duty
before his king? Who ever did for you what I did?
and now have ye altogether failed me; none stood
by to help me in the battle. Shame upon my horse
and foot! shame more than words can say! As for
my horses, they indeed were with me, and upheld me
when I was alone amid the raging foe. Henceforth
shall they eat food before me in my palace for ever.'
Next day the battle was resumed with fury,
and at the close the Kheta sued for peace,
which Rameses, apparently, was glad enough
to grant. Accepting their submission he returned
to Egypt 'joyful and glad at heart.'
A hearty welcome was accorded to the conqueror throughout Egypt, but nowhere was he so warmly received as in his favourite seat
