Chapter V: Prologue (4)

But I, when I had pondered the matter, found it very desirable indeed. For which cause, having obtained the consent of the two, very gleefully given when (without any concealment) I described the whole project to them, for (beside being fearless and very eager for adventures) they deemed me godlike, and desired nothing less than to be left behind when I should go forward, then, having brought them to a sacred part of the vast temple, where their screams would be inaudible, I and Amenemhat did what was necessary on the bodies, first of little Yokkho, and then of Nesamun, in such a dexterous manner that they suffered not more pain than they could bear without swooning: but I shall not describe the process on account of a religious reason. Nor could any earth-walking man, mage or simple, find out any difference in them afterward, unless (by chance) he should hap upon the tiny and almost invisible silver-coloured puncture in the rosy breast-flower (but which one it was of their breast-flowers I decline to indicate, for both breast-flowers are punctured on both of them, yet only one puncture on each of them is an exit), through which Nesamun and Yokkho became able to leave their Egyptian bodies, and to follow me through time, as easily as they could leave my barge by the deserted quay and follow me through the streets of Tanis.

In this manner, I prepared myself and them for a new migration.

FOOTNOTES:

[31] Oh! Is it indeed? The statement (as it stands) is a little startling though. A. H.

[32] This repeated use of these epithets “the most righteous of men,” and “blameless” is, of course, obviously, an example of Greek irony. A. H.

THE ELEVENTH PAPYRUS

But it was well that the thing was done when it was well-done. For, a few months later, the occasion for departure occurred.

Now I had been very diligently studying such magic of the Tanitic priests as I did not know, to fill up the interval until Amenemhat should be moved by the blessed gods to deliver his message. And, among other matters where improvement seemed desirable, it was put into my mind to try a new method of imbalming the dear remains of the dead, which method (I believed and believe) not only prevents the mummy from shrivelling and going black or dry or discoloured in any way, but also preserves the exact freshness of appearance and condition which it had enjoyed while used as the temporary vesture of the soul, excepting the condition of life. But, because I found it unwise to make my experiments on the corpses of persons who had spoiled the pristine beauty of their bodies by over-long or over-arduous usage, I and Amenemhat preferred those of such acolyths of the temples whose souls well-plumed Thoth had been directed to escort elsewhere without first afflicting their forms with loathsome diseases. But, because all the temples of Tanis supplied no more than two such corpses within the month, Amenemhat sent both wind-messages and ibis-messages to other temples of other cities stating our needs. And, when we had treated without emptying eight well-made blooming bodies, with imperishable quintessences of unmentionable virtue and inconceivable fragrance, then we anointed them nine times in every part, under the nine proper stars, using a liquid unguent, preservative, which perseveres through all time and disgusts worms. But the fame of our handicraft went abroad, so that all the hierarchies of Khem desired to have their dead acolyths mummied in the new manner for the benefit of the temples. For which cause, it happened that I went to Alexandria in my barge to inspect a corpse so perfect that I brought it away with me, intending to treat it; and, on my return, I became imbroiled in the streets of Tanis after this wise.

The priests attending Amenemhat had taken the beautiful body from my barge and were gone on their way to the temple of Isis. But I remained behind during a little while, inspecting the diligence of my slaves, well-shaven, performing prescribed purifications. And anon, later in the evening, I proceeded by quiet by-ways toward the temple where Amenemhat awaited me. But, on my way, I encountered a troop of land mercenaries, blameless Sithonians and Mygdonians, escorting the litter of one of the Lagidai, a brother of the Pharoah’s favourite wife. And they were rudely brushing everyone from their path, not being at all affable. But by chance, a certain aged philosopher, Melkas by name, who taught daily in the porch of the Serapion, was about to cross the road. His eyes were dim, his step infirm, his pace tardy and grave. Wherefore, I tried to help him into the shadow of a portico; and did so, but not before a Sithonian, seeing the length of my arms, had yelled at me, clipping the Argive tongue, “Ho, there, Ape-man, stand aside before thy betters!”

But instantly divine anger inflamed my lordly mind. And boldly affronting the mocker, I broke the crust of his blameless face to pulpy fragments with fist-blows, as a bear in springtime breaks a delicate egg. But the puny prince in the litter ordered his guards to seize me; and half-a-dozen rash Mygdonians hastened with an obedient start to obey. Then, indeed, the fierce and frolicsome joy of Saint Aldate’s or the Cowley Empire on a Saturday night[33] came upon me, so that I delayed not, but I simply smashed the first four faces using my left fist and my right like flails or sledge-hammers; and, snatching a falling shield and mightily sweeping with it, I shattered the shins of the others as they came on. Now, when they saw these things, the shrieking slaves fled, having dropped the litter. But I, by this time, had got into my stride, becoming very methodical in my fury: for which cause I determined to leave nothing important undone. Wherefore, I butted the prince out of his tangled curtains, and rolled him about with my feet in a pool of foul slime which happened to be near by. And, all things necessary having been accomplished, I went upon my way with a calm and holy mind. Nor did I bestow another thought to the matter. And indeed no one gave me news of it: for the city, in those last days of the Lagidaian dynasty, was a scene of incessant disorder; and a few messes more or less, found in the streets at dawn, were by no means uncommon. But, after four days, Amenemhat suddenly interrupted my studies, crying: “Fly, O Nicholas, to the secret chamber in the shrine: for the Pharoah’s mercenaries are upon thee.”

Thus he spoke. But I proceeded, without more ado, to the secret door; and, when I stamped on the right, it slid ajar, so that I could squeeze by, and sidle sideways along the narrow passage which led to the secret chamber. Now this secret chamber was a very wily one; and it was constructed after this manner: by the hollowing-out of one of the pillars which surrounded the shrine, but the pillar itself was (like all the others) carved into the similitude of an important god. And, inside the hollow of it (from the secret crypt beneath the temple floor in which I was), there ascended a very narrow ladder of twisted linen threads leading up into the secret chamber in the skull of the god. But, at the top of the ladder, there was contrived a small seat like a saddle, so ordained that anyone sitting thereon in the skull, having pulled up the ladder, was very much separated from earth-walking men; and might (at will) speak through the orifice of the god’s mouth quite safely, and also might see plainly all which happened in the temple, looking downward. And the place was used in the following manner. For the priests of the temple, being seated on the saddle and speaking awfully through the mouth of the god, delivered themselves of oracles imparted to them by the Divine Ones, or of revelations which they obtained in their trances or by sacred magic on account of a religious reason. Such, then, was the secret chamber.

But the lower part of the hollow pillar being dark, a studio of spiders, a thoroughfare of mice, and an abode of most holy beetles, I made haste to ascend to the saddle, pulling the ladder after me. And, being there conveniently insconced, I perceived Amenemhat hurriedly entering the temple by the priest’s door; and, having seated himself in his proper pulpit, he instantly began to intone the litanies, beginning in the middle so that an interrupter (I suppose) might imagine that he had been thus occupied for some time. He, therefore shook the sacred sistrum, saying:

“_Homage to thee, O lord of the star-gods in An and of heavenly beings in Khez-aba, O thou god Unti more glorious than those gods hidden in Annu:_

“_Homage to thee, O Heru, thou dweller in both horizons, who, enormously striding, stridest over heaven, thou dweller in both horizons:_

“_Homage to thee, O soul of everlastingness, O soul who dwellest in Tattu, O Un-nefer son of Nut, thou lord of Akert:_

“_Homage to thee, in thy dominion over Tattu, the feathery crown is stablished on thy head, thou art the one whose strength is in himself:_

“_Homage to thee, O lord of the acacia-tree, who settest the boat upon its sledge, who turnest back the ill-working friend, who causest the eye to rest:_

“_Homage to thee, mighty in thy moment, great god dwelling in An-rut-f, lord of eternity, creator of everlastingness, lord of Sutenhenen:_

“_Homage to thee, who restest upon right and truth, O lord of Abtu whose limbs are joined to Ta-sertet, to whom fraud and guile are hateful:_

“_Homage to thee in thy boat, who bringest Hapi from his source, on whose body light shineth, O dweller in Nek-hen:_

“_Homage to thee, O creator of the gods, O king of the north and of the south, O Osiris, O victor, O lord and ruler of the world in thy gracious seasons._”

And, having met with no interruption at the time when he finished these beautiful imprecations, Amenemhat shook the sacred sistrum more loudly, and went on with the _Address to the Rudders_, saying:

“_Hail, thou lovely power, thou lovely rudder of the northern heavens:_

“_Hail, thou pilot of the world, thou lovely rudder of the western heavens:_

“_Hail, thou shining one who livest with the gods in visible forms, thou lovely rudder of the eastern heavens:_

“_Hail, thou dweller in the temple of those with shiny faces, thou lovely rudder of the southern heavens._”

And, because the expected intrusion of profane persons was still delayed, when he had chaunted these strophes, Amenemhat shook the sacred sistrum very slowly and very solemnly, and continued with the _Invocation of the Triads_, thus:

“_Hail, ye gods who are above the earth, ye pilots of the netherworld:_

“_Hail, ye mother-gods, who are above the earth, and in the netherworld, and in the house of Osiris:_

“_Hail, ye pilot-gods of Tasert, who are above the earth, and in the netherworld, and with the followers of Ra in the train of Osiris_----”

But, when he had intoned these words, the quiet rattling of the sistrum and the monotonous drone of his voice were drowned by the clanking of arms, and by the blameless cries of mercenaries, appearing at the cedar portal of the temple. Whom Amenemhat, reverend of mien and very hierarchic, sternly confronted from his pulpit, saying: “Who dareth thus to intrude upon the sacrosanct shrine of Mother Isis?”

But the answer came from one, whom I (from my secret station) perceived to be an Argive of noble aspect, large of limb, and handsome, and very gorgeously apparelled in golden mail with adornments of chrysoliths and the plumage of yellow cock-parrots. He responded to Amenemhat, saying: “I am called Agesilopodes, son of Golygosthenes, and I am a captain of the Pharoah’s guard.”

“And what doth Agesilopodes, servant of the Pharoah, seek in these holy precints?” Amenemhat continued.

“I seek the person of one Ape-man, whose trail we have pursued hither:” the Khrysaspid affirmed.

“Thou seest,” said the priest indifferently, “how many persons are present occupying our pews.”

“I see but thee:” quoth the captain: “but nevertheless I must search in the shadows of all the most secret recesses.”

“The rule,” said Amenemhat, “is that the sons of Khem may have free access to this oratory of our Lady of the Marshes, but not aliens, undesirable or otherwise.”

“But the Ape-man whom I seek is guilty of sacrilege.”

“Even in that case, he would have secure sanctuary here, unless he be pursued by the Pharoah’s own sigil.”

“Revere it:” said the captain, exhibiting his warrant.

Amenemhat had a prostration at the sight of the royal but tipsy flute-player’s cartouche. But, having (by his wiles) caused the mercenaries to persuade themselves that they were on a bootless quest, he permitted the search to be made. Makedonians and Thrakians marched slowly round the temple, casting fierce glances into every dark place: but Amenemhat seated himself again in his pulpit, his knees closed and his palms upon them, his head up and his eyes fixed, as a hierarch who engages in holy meditation while expecting the imposition of his mitre.

But I devised a new and perfectly frightful wile. For, having taken three wax-matches from my box, and having frayed out the half of each match, wrapping the frayed part round the head loosely, as the men of my future race were wont to do when they desired to kindle tobacco in a gale of wind, then, indeed, I kindled them; and I dropped them, one by one and horribly flaming, from the god’s mouth on to the plumed casques of mercenaries who (by chance) were walking just below. And their horse-hair crests instantly shrivelled with appalling stenches, in flashes of fire which singed the soldiers’ hairy faces, terribly, inexplicably: so that they fled, fearfully yelling, having a most hideous tale, about gods who vomit fire, to narrate to their awful comrades in their barracks.

In this manner, I dismissed well-greaved mercenaries (the most righteous of men) from the temple of Isis at Tanis.

FOOTNOTES:

[33] Written in English, in what I take to be Mr. Crabbe’s own hand. “Saint Aldate’s” was, of course, a low catholic parish of Oxford, near Pembroke and The House, and much frequented by monsignori and other catholic converts, and I believe that no particular rashness can be attributed to me for saying that there was also a slightly excessive music hall, called (quaintly enough) the “Empire” in the “Cowley” Road, Oxford. But I really feel quite unable to elucidate the allusion in this connection. Saturday night is, of course, the eve of the day of the sun; and perhaps we have here some cryptic allusion to sun-worship, which (we know) was certainly of an hilarious and somewhat energetic character. _Cf._ Frazer’s chapter on Osiris and the Sun: _Studies in Oriental Religion_, vii. 287-294. A. H.

THE TWELFTH PAPYRUS

But, when the place was clear, then, indeed, I waited where I was, till Amenemhat should leave his pulpit, giving me a signal to descend and join him. For he directed my actions at this juncture; and it seemed to me that he, being at liberty, understood what to do for my security better than I in my cell. But, after I had waited an hour, stiffness invaded my members and tedium my noble mind. Wherefore, seeing that the temple was deserted, and that Amenemhat still remained motionless in meditation, I came down from the secret chamber, retracing my steps, and entering the shrine by the priests’ door. But, having approached my friend, addressing him softly by name, I perceived that he was indeed rapt in an ecstasy, and (no doubt) receiving a peculiar revelation from some god. At whose pulpit I stood, watching intensely, having no more fear.

And anon he came out of his trance, with the usual eye-rollings and shiverings and deep sighings for the long-unused breath. But, when his returning gaze lit on me, he began to sob very quietly in the manner of a man, shedding no tears; and that is the most horrible of all things to see. But I was aware, from these tokens, that he had had a revelation concerning me and portending a parting. For which cause I treated him tenderly, saying nothing.

And, at length, he descended from his pulpit; and, having led me a long way into the innermost recesses of the temple, into a large hall which I never yet had seen, wherein were numerous unheard-of matters, then, he began to speak. But his words were unwinged; and thus he said: “O Nicholas, the hour of thy departure is at hand. For, since the Pharoah’s mercenaries have invaded this sacred place, it will be insecure for thee as also for us. For there will be a blameless guard continually about our walls; and, though thou mayst leave once by the secret postern, thou couldst not do so more than once; and it is not in thy nature to brook confinement. Also, as long as the guards remain, the shrine of the goddess will be deserted and her gifts wasted for lack of receivers. Wherefore thou needs must go. But, before thou goest, know that the well-feathered shiny gods have deigned to give me an order concerning thee and to send thee a message by my mouth, whereby thy mind may be enlightened about mysteries of the past and a foresight of thy future revealed to thee.”

But I, hearing this, perceived that very fine solemnities were on hand. Wherefore I listened attentively.

And Amenemhat continued his discourse, saying: “Thou knowest, O Wanderer, who thou art and whence thou camest: but thou knowest not who thou hast been, nor who thou shalt be. But these are the matters on which I am to give thee information. For thou, Nicholas the Third, called the Crab, who art come from the kingdom of Victory queen of the stalwart stately Anglicans, knowest no more of thine ancestors than the names of Nicholas the First who was father of Robert who was father of William who was father of Nicholas the Second who was father of thy gentle father James. Nevertheless, thou (having been brought backward through the rolling wheels of time) shalt know that it is the inscrutable will of the blessed gods to make thee aware of him who was thy primal sire. And he is none other than Laertes, lord of rocky Ithaka, whose wife Antikleja was the daughter of Aytolikos, whom wing-footed Hermes the Luck-bringer begat.”

But I began to understand all sorts of riddles, and many mysteries indeed were being solved. But the priest was uttering his rede with the tones of one inspired; and I eagerly lent him both my ears. And Amenemhat pursued his revelation, saying: “Furthermore, O Wily One, thou art to know this. For, seeing that the much-enduring much-contriving son of King Laertes, having wandered far by sea and land during the ten years following after the siege of windy Ilion, set out once again on another wandering (but wherefore I do not know); and was slain here, at the mouth of sacred Sihor, by young Telegonos, his own son and Kirke’s (that awful goddess), ignorant of whom he slew, now, therefore, it is the will of those divine ones who have never lost their faces that thou, Nicholas called the Crab, shouldst pursue thy quest for wisdom reincarnate in thine original person as King Odysseys, undertaking a third wandering, the course of which is not yet known to me: but it will be known by me, and revealed by me to thee, in the moment when thou farest forth. For the thing is yet on the knees of the gods.”

But, when Amenemhat had said all this, the Anglican portion of me suggested the placing of some term to such seemingly nonsensical ravings. For which cause, I said, as stolidly as possible: “When shall I, Nicholas called the Crab, find myself reincarnate as King Odysseys for the purpose named?”

And the priest solemnly answered, saying: “Thou art Odysseys, even now.”

To whom I said: “I require proof of the truth of thy word.”

But Amenemhat drew back a veil which was concealing a picture painted on the wall. And he said: “See here, now, O Wily One, for this is a copy of that portrait of Odysseys Laertiades which is in the temple of Herakles at Naykratis, a precious possession. Art thou like it, or does it resemble thee, O thou from whom it was painted?”

And certainly the piece did exactly resemble me, with my long arms and legs and my silver hair and my well-sunned skin and the shy fierce ruthlessness of my visage. But I was not overanxious to begin another life at that moment; and, for this cause, I would not be convinced: but I believed that the priest was deceiving me with a portrait painted from myself secretly, for I had never seen the portrait at Naykratis. But seeing myself likely to be brought to a full stop in the matter, I determined to use my magic art as a means of arriving at the truth.

And, casting a severe glance at Amenemhat, I withdrew my attention from him as one unworthy. But he waited, calmly, placidly, saying nothing.

But I took from my robe my orb of divination, of rock-crystal banded with silver with adornments of blue moonstones; and, having placed it properly, I peered into its illimitable profundity. And all within was blank and void. But I made an act of will, willing to see the Naykratian portrait as it was. And instantly it filled the crystal void. And, having compared it with the picture on the wall, I was aware that they were alike in every particular. But I gazed again into the crystal, making another act of will, willing to see Odysseys Laertiades in his habit as he lived. And instantly I saw him there. And, having compared him with the picture on the wall, I was aware that it was as like to him in every particular as it was like to me.

But I returned the crystal to its place, and drew forth my magic staff, signing the priest with it, and reciting the _Spell_ called _Compelling Truth_. And I inquired of him, saying: “Who am I?”

And he answered me: “Odysseys Laertiades.”

But I inquired of him again, saying: “Who have I been?”

And he answered me: “Nicholas, called the Crab.”

But I inquired of him yet again, saying: “Who shall I be?”

And he answered me: “After many lives thou shalt be once more Nicholas, called the Crab.”

Wherefore I knew that these things were somehow so. And I gave him leave to continue. He, then, said: “O Very Wily One, proofs thou desirest; and proofs thou shalt have, of a sort. Dost thou remember thy bow, the black bow of Eyrytos, which none can bend save thyself or a god? And dost thou remember thy sword, the sword of Eyryalos? I ask, for reasons. For, after thy death near Sihormouth, thy weapons were placed on the breast of thy corpse to go with thee to the netherworld; and, when thy funeral-pyre was lighted, the flames leaped up, and blazed, and died to embers: but thy deathless soul was departed (where, I know not, nor dost thou definitely); and there were no ashes of thy body: which things are a mystery all. But thine arms and thy bow and thine armour, having been forged by a god, could not perish. And, now, thou art here; and they too rest here in the secret treasury, waiting for thee to assume them again, O much-contriving King Odysseys, Sacker of Cities.”

But, indeed, if any mind-perplexing doubt had remained to me, this would have sufficed to dismiss it. For I was aware that the prediction of my slave, Yokkho, when he said: _The silver god, in the temple, taking the bow which sings_, was about to be fulfilled. And I arose, following Amenemhat with a joyful mind.

But he led me into a yet larger hall, having row upon row of ungraven columns. And everywhere there were vast heaps of gold and silver ingots well-builded, with vases and cups and tripods of gold and silver and Korinthic bronze, which is platinum,[34] and sheaves of ivory-handed spears with adornments gold and chrysoprase, armour and shields of gold, elephants’ tusks of monstrous dimensions, fillets of gems, and ropes of pearls. But we passed through, into a smaller hall of a circular shape, having an altar in the centre, whereon lay an enormous shield of silver, carved with various devices and set with crabs and moons in very pure nonagonal prismatic rock-crystals with balls of rock-crystal and blue moonstone. There, also, was a mighty helmet of the same, plumed with the lofty-waving prides of nine white peacocks. There, also, was a short sword, in a silver scabbard inlaid with similar rock-crystals and blue moonstones. There, also, was a vast black bow of a totally unheard-of material, with a quiver decorated like the scabbard and full of fear-inspiring arrows. There, also, on the altar-steps, were greaves of silver gloriously carven, with adornments of rock-crystals and blue moonstones, and a breast-plate with the back-plate and shoulder-pieces of the same so bespattered with moony gems that they resembled gigantic dewdrops on a frosty field seen in the clear of the full moon. And, also, a large bundle wrapped in white buckskin was lying at the foot of the altar.

And, when I had looked upon these things, Amenemhat thus addressed me, saying: “These are thy god-forged silver armour and thy god-carven bow and sword, O Odysseys. Take then thy bow and make a trial.”

But, when I took the great bow in my hand, it quivered and thrilled, singing a marvellous mystic melody; and thus it sang:

“_Hail King Odysseys,
long hast thou left me,
long have I lain here
waiting in silence:
wars loom before us:
blood will pour over us:
death flieth with us:
take me, O Master,
and slay as of yore._”

But, having drawn a well-winged arrow from the quiver, I passed again into the great hall of the secret treasury; and Amenemhat followed me, holding aloft his lanthorn; and rays of light from it flamed upon a shield of burnished gold at the far end of the hall. But, though never (to my remembrance) had I handled a bow since I, a little eager scolded and mocked-at child, played my own solitary fantastic games in the kingdom of Victory queen of the stalwart stately Anglicans, nevertheless I bended and strang the huge black bow of Eyrytos with the skilful ease of an expert. And the back-bent bow throbbed in my hand as though it were alive, itself taking aim at the shield-navel. And the shaft sped forth, shrieking and humming in the air, till it buried its length in the boss of the burnished shield. And, having done what no man but one man can do, I doubted no long but that I actually was King Odysseys, the Wily One, Sacker of Cities, the Wanderer, the grandson of Divine Wing-footed Hermes.

Amenemhat said: “Verily, thou art the lord of rocky Ithaka.”

And to him I answered, saying: “Yea: that I am.”

But, returning to the inner treasury, I stripped myself all stark, and put on the god-forged armour of yellow-haired great-hearted Akhilleys, which, formerly, my agile feet had won from Aias son of Telamon, arming myself with the glittering silver.[35] First, indeed, I put on the beautiful greaves round my legs, well-fitting to the clasps. Next, I covered my body with the white leathern kirtle having taslets of carven silver about my loins, which Ares himself had worn. But I clothed myself over it with a kirtle of silver mail. Next, I placed on my breast and back and shoulders the corslet of swift-footed Akhilleys, wrought by Hephaistos himself at the behest of Thetis of the sea; and the silver-shining of it went to a great distance, as of the moon. And I hanged from my shoulders the silver-sheathed sword, gleaming with moony gems, and also the well-carven quiver of arrows. And, on my head, I set the well-made helmet, crested with the lofty-waving prides of nine white peacocks; and dreadfully the plumage nodded from above. And I took, beside, the bow which sings, well-fitted to my hand, and then the huge and sturdy shield, whereon Hephaistos had wrought, in silver and rock-crystals and blue moonstones, earth, and heaven, and sea, and the unwearied sun, and the full moon, and all the constellations crowning heaven, the Pleiades, the Hyades, and the strength of Orion, and the Bear or the Wain which there revolves watching Orion, but it alone descends not into the baths of the ocean. But Amenemhat shod my feet with sandals of white leather, buckled with silver studded with moony gems. And he covered me with a great trailing mantle, of silver tissue lined with white fur, having a huge silver clasp of the crab and the moon. And the sheen of me reached to heaven; and all the earth around smiled in the splendour of the silver; and a sound like the trampling of men’s feet arose. But I stood in the midst, gnashing my teeth; and my eyes shone like a blaze of white fire.

These things having been duly accomplished, Amenemhat left me while he went about my business: for, indeed, the occasion was one for operating very mighty and singular magic, whereby I, King Odysseys, might be sent on my new quest suitably attended and in kingly fashion, and not without my gear. But, when it was night, the priest returned to me contriving wiles; and he said that all things were ready. For he had prepared for me one of the temple-galleys, a stout ship builded in the yards of Alexandria, pierced for forty oars, twenty a side in a single old-fashioned bank. And he had manned the galley with rowers and slaves, whom he gave to me as a sweet guest-gift: but one Deythes was the master-mariner. And the galley rode at anchor in mid-stream, ready to sail.

But, at midnight, having gathered all my goods which were in the temple, and having rubbed my necklace of bloodstones with marigold-juice so that I became invisible, I went down with Amenemhat to my barge by the desolate quay; and I shewed myself without warning in my brilliant panoply to Nesamun and Yokkho. And, when they had finished their adorations (for they naturally adored the silver god), then, indeed, I and Amenemhat did the magic which we had prepared, giving to my two slaves new forms with new names, whereby Nesamun came out of his Egyptian body, becoming Neandros, an Argive, and squire to me, and Yokkho came in turn out of his Egyptian body, becoming Thalos, an Argive also, and foot-boy to me. And the magic was done perfectly, nor was there any unusual noise.

But, when we had bestowed the evacuated Egyptian bodies upon the inchanted sons of slime, the mind in my dear breast was perplexing me concerning two further matters. For, I knew not what worthy gift I could give to Amenemhat as a parting blessing; and, also, I was aware that I desired to have something more in my slaves than that which they already possessed, to wit, their ingenious minds, faithful and fearless, which the gods of their stars had bestowed upon them, and the comely Argive forms wherewith I myself by my magic art had endowed them. But then, indeed, suddenly, a very singular and unheard-of thought illumined my noble mind, which bade me to use a most potent magic inchantment of another age (and I never had used it before, though I was fully competent in the circumstances), performing a sacred lavation, pouring a handful of Nile-water upon Amenemhat, and upon Neandros, and upon Thalos, saying over each in turn the _Spell of the Three Who are One_. Thus, then, I did. And the faces of the priest and of the slaves whitened, becoming strangely purified and thankful, unknowing. But I know all.

And, now that the time was come when I must part from Amenemhat, we two drew away to a darker corner of the desolate quay. But the haughty wise eyes of the priest were full of unshed tears; and he spoke in the secret tongue of the priests of Khem, saying: “Never, O Odysseys, shall we meet again, neither in this life nor in another, till the cycles of our opportunities shall be fulfilled. But to thee I give the galley and her crew, slaves; and I have placed a certain treasure in the hold for thy use and comfort. Take them, O friend, as a sweet guest-gift. And, so, fare thee well, O King Odysseys, whom may all gods of sea and land and air and sky have in prime and perpetual favour. And this is the message which I have in charge to give thee at parting: _From the Depths of the Dead thou shalt win back the Treasure of Hades_.”

Thus he spoke; and, having embraced me, he went his own way.

But I ascended my barge; and, when Neandros and Thalos had rowed me to my galley, I mounted the lofty poop, to see my goods brought aboard, and the empty barge sent adrift, for it was no longer useful to me. But I gave commands to Deythes, my shipman, that he should shape a course for Sihormouth and, so, out to the open sea.

Thus I did, leaving the land of Khem, and beginning a new quest.

FOOTNOTES:

[34] This is rather worrying. Everyone knows that, before the reign of David, there was in Asia a plenty of a third precious and perfect metal: that Tyrians and Phoinikians founded and worked it till the reign of Salomon: that there were rich deposits of it in the Atlantis, where it was excavated, founded, and worked: that it was heavier and more valuable than either gold or silver: that it had most of the qualities of gold, but was something of the colour of silver: that it was capable of high polish, the Romans using it for lamp-reflectors: that the Hebrews called it _Khasmal_ = White Metal, and the Greeks called it _Elektron_ or _Khalkolibanon_, or _Orikhalkon_: that it became rare through barbarian incursion and the submergence of the Atlantis: that it was imitated by a mixture of gold and silver by the Korinthians, the native metal (which they originally manipulated) being practically lost. Strabo (III.) and Pliny (Proem. xxxiii.) say that there was enough of this metal found in the sands of the Po in Trajan’s time to form a statue of Augustus. Many other writers preserve its memory, _e.g._ Saint Ezekhiel Prophet, i. 4, 7: Homer, _Od._ IIII. 71, XV. 458: Vergil, _Georg._ III. 521: _Æn._ VIII. 402, V. 624: Martial, VIII. 50: Sil. It., I. 229: Stat. _Thebaid_: Juv. _Sat._ xiiii. Serenus Samm. _De Uenenis_: Serv. _Georg._: Lamprid. _Heliog._ _Cf._ also Aristophanes’ _Knights_, and Sophokles’ praise of the White Metal (ἐλέκτρον) of Sardis with gold of India. But, even now I see no particular connection (excepting in Mr. Crabbe’s mind) between modern platinum (which only exists, I am told, in the other hemisphere), and the undeniable White Metal (which the ancients called Elektron or Korinthic Bronze) which disappeared, I conceive, in the earthquake ingulphing the lost Atlantis. The problem is a sadly distracting one. A. H.

[35] Hitherto we have been led to believe that Akhilleys’ armour was golden, not silvern as here emphatically stated. Perhaps our error is due to the lamentable fact that all our classical texts have been edited by tasteless and not highly scrupulous Dutchmen, so far. I just throw out the suggestion. A. H.

THE THIRTEENTH PAPYRUS

When white Dawn was come, I left the small Pharos behind. Sihor had become brackish; and a favourable breeze drove us out on to the unvintaged sea. My galley was indeed meet for a king: for all her fitments were of cedar inlaid with silver and mother-of-pearl. Her food-service also was of well-chased ephesian silver; and her sail and her awnings were of thick white silk with vermilion bordures and fringes. Furthermore, my master-mariner, Deythes son of Kimon of Naxos, was an honest man, an islander, as well as a mariner of much favour with the Divine Ones who inhabit olympian palaces; and he had never lost a ship. Wherefore, being aware that my equipage was quite worthy of me and of my destiny, I was glad.

But, when I came to ponder Amenemhat’s last prediction, I could not understand it; and it behoved me to understand it very speedily, in order that I might contrive new wiles and suitable: for, at the moment, I was sailing the open sea without a notion as to my destination.

For which cause, I tried my crystal orb of divination: but I saw nothing therein. But, having next refreshed my memory concerning the things which Thalos (who had been Yokkho) saw in the palm-mirror, I read in my note-book these words: _The silver god, in the ship, speaking with the azure-haired god on the white horses._ And that I might know more about this azure-haired god on the white horses, of whom the innocent eager slave had spoken, I performed the rite of the palm-mirror a second time, having summoned clear-eyed Thalos to me. But he saw nothing in the ink, though he gazed into it and sweated till he swooned from sheer exhaustion. But I was aware, having restored him and having given him to be treated tenderly, that a far greater magic was necessary to explain his utterance and the utterance of Amenemhat, to wit: _The silver god, in the ship, speaking to the azure-haired god, on the white horses, and From the Depths of the Dead thou shalt win back the Treasure of Hades._ And, when the mother of Dawn, rosy-fingered Morning, was about to come again, bringing light to mortals and immortals, then my galley was alone upon the bluish-grey-green sea.

But I was resolved to try the _Rite of Thalattomancy_, which is most efficacious; and it may only be performed by a master and prince of the highest degree and most secret initiation and by a sacred ruler of the innermost light. To which end, I caused Nile-water and other proper apparatus to be placed on the lofty poop; and I made a proclamation to my crew, lest curiosity should overcome fear and obedience, that death in shreds (lasting some hours) would be the lot of an interruptor of my solitude in the sight of all. And, having bathed and arrayed myself in my silver panoply, I opened the rite.

Within the square of four pentagons, I drew the four concentric circles with white chalk on the lofty poop-deck, filling them with the proper names. Within these, I drew also the double circle for ebb and flow. And, within the last, I placed a dish of offerings to the seven sea-gods and the silver divination-cup brimming with Nile-water. But I stood between them, wearing the symbols of the Crab and the Moon: for the Crab is a watery sign, and the Moon is the Governess of the Sea. And, having called on the gods of the sea and the moon to be propitious, I burned aloes in a brazier, and I chanted the _Spell_ which releases the souls of the drowned from their torments in the netherworld, providing the forms of birds for clothing them, and treating them to a taste of fresh air, so that (with their wings) they might veil the apparition of a favouring sea-god, an aboundingly holy awful sight not to be viewed excepting by initiates, as it is written: _It is not necessary for the novice to believe anything, but only to sacrifice his little pig._

But the cries of my birds, rejoicing in freedom for an hour, came nearer and nearer; and they circled round me closely and more closely, till I seemed to be enclosed in a pillar like a cylinder of whirling wings. And, at the moment of sunrise, the spirits of the moon came knocking at the gates of the waves to summon the divine ones of the sea. But those spirits were of a great and full body, soft and phlegmatic, of colour like a cloud, black, morbid, obscure, having swelling countenances and aspects ready to melt away like an exceeding great rain about the circles. And their particular shapes were a king like an archer riding on a doe, and a little boy, and a woman-hunter with a bow and arrows, and a cow, and a little doe, and a vermilion and silver garment, and many white horses having finny feet.

Then, I seized the cup of divination by both handles, crying aloud the magic _Spell_, and saying:

“_Let him come in the boat. And the name of the boat is Assembler of Souls._

“_Let him come with the oars. And the name of the oars is Making The Hair To Stand On End._

“_Let him come from the hold. And the name of the hold is Good._

“_Let him come by the rudder. And the name of the rudder is Making Straight For The Middle._

“_Let him come with the mariners. And the name of the mariners is The Divine Ones Who Have Found Their Faces._

“_Let the master-mariner come. And the name of the master-mariner is The Divine One Who Has Never Lost His Face._”

And I held out the cup of divination over the sea, flinging the water of sacred Sihor in a hemicycle of crystal drops as far as I could reach. But the cloud of birds moved away with it; and hovered above a billow with an agitated crest, which they surrounded with innumerably-feathered pinions. Whereby I was aware that a godlike form was manifesting himself in that direction. And, the dawn being fully come, I recited the _Invitation to the gods of the sea_, using the tongue of the gods.

Then, the answer arrived, very thin and clear, like a cock-crow far away in the stillness of a desert-night, saying: _Receive the azure-haired Earth-shaker from the sea_.

And the breeze instantly moaned and died; and the waves ceased from lapping against my galley. And my sea-birds made a great confusion in the awful calm, filling it with flashing pinions and plaintive whimperings, and settling into the shape of a dome all formed of beating wings, in which I on my ship and the tridentiferous god of the sea were enclosed, face to face.

The floor of the temple of this blessed vision was the marbled water of the rushing sea, frozen mute and motionless with awe. Throned upon white horses ramping along a curling-crested billow, was the form of wide-ruling sea-stilling earth-shaking Poseidon, king of the ocean, with his court of white-bodied nymphs of the sea attended by scaly tritons. And King Poseidon said: “Much is permitted to thee, O god-beloved Odysseys. For even I, forgetful of our ancient feud, am here to warn thee that severe ordeals of thine endurance are ordained. And my rede to thee is that thou speed to Delphi, there to have sure news of thy quest from the priestess of the Radiant Pure One: for we of the sea are ignorant of what may be intended.”

Thus he spoke; and forthwith the vision dived in deep waters, splashing awfully in disappearing. But I was left alone upon the lofty poop. Wherefore, having summoned Deythes, my shipman, I gave him his course; and, afterward, I rested, for magic is much more wearisome than war. In this manner, I learned that the sea-gods at least were propitious to me, and (also) that I was to go to the shrine of Phoibos Apollon at Delphi, there to receive an oracle and a Pythian revelation.

But, when we had passed Patrai and were making Kirrha (which was the port of Delphi on the Korinthic Gulph), it seemed good to me to prepare a gift, meet to be given by me, a priest and a king, to the domestic prelate of Pythian Phoibos Apollon. For which cause, I took stock of the treasure wherewith Amenemhat had loaded my galley. And indeed it was a generous and a godlike treasure. For there were wedges of virgin gold, weighty, plastic, red as the hair of a lovely girl of Altino of the Heneti, with great cut gems in leathern sacks, and vases and lamps of Korinthic bronze (which is platinum)[36] wrought about with foliage, and tripods of burnished gold fit to stand with those which limping Hephaistos made for himself, and chryselephantine images of gods the work of Pheidias and Praxiteles and Lysippos, and bales of tissues of silver and gold and vermilion, with other treasures innumerable. Moreover, there was a gigantic chariot all of silver, inlaid with crabs and moons in mother-of-pearl; and the spokes of its wheels were images of the heroes, mighty men of old, wine-companions and sword-friends of me when we beleaguered woman-mad Paris and his Phrygians before the walls of windy Ilion. And, poised upon the front of the rail of the silver-shining chariot, there was a silver image of Love, larger than life, blindfolded, naked, most alluringly proportioned, and his well-winged arms were spread abroad in the very act of taking flight. And there were four white horses, a well-matched team, to go before the chariot for the sake of custom: but their harness and caparisons were of white leather with adornments of silver.

Thus, then, I prepared myself for pursuing my quest on land.

FOOTNOTES:

[36] I sadly fear that we must be content to take Mr. C.’s word for it. All the same, one can’t help feeling a little exasperated at his reiterated emphasis of his statement, and at one’s own utter ignorance of his real reason for being so insistent on a point which one is perfectly unable to dispute or even to discuss. A. H.

THE FOURTEENTH PAPYRUS

But, when we reached Kirrha, having harboured my galley suitably, I went on to Delphi with Neandros and Thalos and nine trusty-looking slaves, who carried a part of my treasure. But we were all disguised in sordid garments; and the treasure was concealed in filthy wallets: for I was prepared with a wile. For, indeed, I was willing enough, and even glad to offer gifts propitiatory to the Far-Darter, lest he still should cherish his ancient rancour against me: for time is of small account to the gods, but hatred may be an open fester for ever. But, nevertheless, I (being myself a priest) did not intend to be skinned by priests of the Lord (of the Silver Bow), nor was I ready to let them suck me dry, as a fly is sucked by assiduous spiders. For the good shepherd only shears his sheep, leaving the skinning of them to the butcher.

Thus, then, I came to the fane in the laurel-grove; and I counted the glittering shields there while waiting for my turn: for there were many suppliants that day, seeking an oracle, and giving gifts of red gold.

And, anon, the warden of the treasury, the most righteous of men with the pleated regard of a not-very-gracious pig, bade me to advance and make my offering. But I grieved that men, of evil mind and turpilucricupidous, should have twisted the good mind of the gods to suit their own improper ends: for, whereas, of old, a suppliant’s gift was made as a willing thank-offering after the Pythian nun had repeated the words of the god, now, indeed, the treasurer would have appraised my gift, before admitting me even to the narthex of the shrine where men may await the divine oracle. Wherefore, avoiding undue display of my actual condition, and (in fact) wilily simulating poverty, I began by making reluctant offering of a tiny golden ingot. But the blameless treasurer had a motion which made his mitre slip down to one ear of his, discovering a corner of old skull red as a rotten bite of meat and giving his aspect something of dancing and elastic: also, he snorted very contemptuously, like a camel of sneering nostrils; and (seeing me to be clad in an old cloak and wearing no well-crested helmet but a shabby floppy hat such as my wing-footed grandsire Hermes loves to wear), he had a flapping of his fattish fingers, and cried out upon me, and would have sent me away. But I doled out gold in morsels; and, as a Kretan, selling embroideries or incised stones to some blubber-lipped carroty-headed chin-less alien who screams with spasms of fury, lies in wait to see what the fool will offer, so did I with the warden of the treasury, offering a little at a time, moaning prodigiously, till I wearied him of bargaining and gained permission to pass in.

And, at length, I stood before the hollow shrine, and I prayed to the son of Queen Titania that he would be propitious and easy of memory concerning certain former regrettable occurrences. And all was still.

The bards sat hard on their stools, anointed ones, ignoble, stinking, and perfectly contented, in an odious fraternity of dalmatics, listless, till such time when the shrieks of the Pythia should spinge them into vibration with verses.

Above the bards, the hierarch of Phoibos Apollon, occupied a throne as archbishop, laurel-crowned, venerably filletted.

And, anon, the holy Pythian nun, standing on the fumy grating with her python coiled about her feet, ecstatic amid clouds of frankincense, shrieked, and moaned, and shrieked again; and her eyes glared, being fixed wide open.

The blameless bards sprang forth from their drowsing; and put on the allure of very intelligent men. The archbishop advanced an attentive ear of the rose of rotten flesh. And the inspired virgin chanted, in the Delian mode, with bell-like notes and simple cadences, delivering the oracle which the fair-haired god was whispering to her mind. But she sang in the language of the gods, intelligible only to masters alone among articulately-speaking men.

Thus, then, she sang; and the bards were dazed; and the filletted archbishop marvelled vastly: for very rarely does the Pythia use the secret tongue in her phrenzies.

Thus, then, she sang, as her ecstasy intensified, floating her up from the grating all rigid, as she stood on the willing air tenderly lifting her up on high. For far-darting Phoibos Apollon himself was uttering unwinged words through the mouth of his nun.

And thus she sang:

_Time-straying Wanderer, sea-borne Sea-lover,
signed with the Crab and starred with the Moon,
priest of all crafts of god-lore and man-lore,
head corner-stone by base builders rejected,
castaway paladin, master of mysteries,
known in the future, renowned in the past,
now, in the present, thy quest thou pursuest,
god-confirmed, seeking the crown of thy wisdom.
I smell, in the south, the odour of aloes
and basil and thyme and verbena and rosemary:
I see the black portal of Tainaron yawning:
I hear the fierce howls of the three-headed hound of hell.
Where thou hast been, go again, very warily:
heroes shall compass thee, ghosts of the great
shall acclaim, and the high gods environ, thee.
There is the golden crown of all wisdom:
there, in dark Hades, accomplish thy questing,
spoiling the god of the world of the dead._

Such was the Oracle of Delphic Phoibos Apollon.

But, when the Pythian nun swooned, having made an end of her singing, the blameless archbishop gushed hurriedly down from his throne, very ardent, very violent, the crupper under his dalmatic waggling with furies no longer to be concealed: for he knew the secret tongue; and he perceived that I must be a personage of superior quality, though assuredly he did not understand the full import of the message, which (indeed) could be known solely to the divine Bow-bearer and to me, the bearer of the singing bow. But, because (being a priest, and one of the most righteous of men) he hankered after the society of a person so openly favoured by the god, he approached me, bent upon inquiries. And he made me the _Sign of the Master-Architect_: but I responded with the _Grip of the Ruler of Nine_. And he signed me with the Word of the Knight of the Crab: but I countersigned him with the _Word of the Prince of the Moon_. We embraced in the _Ways of the East and of the West_. Together we formed the _Symbols of the Peacock_ and of _the Ravens both Black and White_. But, when he shewed himself to be a _Master of the White Stars_, I, in my turn gave him my token as _Lord of the Ultra-Violet Radiance_, further than which no mortal man can go in this direction. And I beckoned him to slink back to his throne: which he did, very sorrowful in his heart, and champing his ancient gums while borborygms of his belly went and came.

In this manner, I triumphed at the temple of Delphi, obtaining the favour of the god.

THE FIFTEENTH PAPYRUS

But, having returned to Kirrha, I went up into the curved ship, and I sailed propitiously southward for Tainaron, dark, forbidding to strangers. And, while I was voyaging, I pondered the words of the oracle.