The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

Posted by admin_akashic on Mar 4th, 2022 in Stories

what had happened but said, “Truly there shall be many broken skulls amongst the Egyptians, and many an Egyptian soldier shall be cast into the harbour before Zemar and Byblos and Sidon and Gaza have learned that Egyptians are not invulnerable and that the Egyptian blood flows and life leaves them when their hides are pierced with knife. The merchants of Syria are tiresome in their cautiousness and its princes cowards and its people as sluggish as oxen. Therefore it is for the cunning to lead them and to show them an example where their advantage lies.”

I asked him, “Why must this be and why do you bear so great a hatred toward Egyptians, Aziru?” He stroked his curly beard with a sly smile and said, “Who says I hate them, Sinuhe? I do not hate you even if you are an Egyptian. Also I grew up in Pharaoh’s golden house, like my father before me and all other Syrian princes. So I know the customs of Egypt and know how to read and write, even if the teachers pulled my hair and hit my fingers with their reed sticks more than the other students because I was Syrian. But I do not hate Egyptians because of that for when my wit and understanding grew, I learned a lot of wisdom in Egypt which I can later use against Egypt. I learned there that in the eyes of the educated, all people are similar and there is no difference between countries; but a child is born naked whether he was Syrian or Egyptian. No nation is either more brave or more chickenhearted, more cruel or more compassionate, more wicked or more virtuous than another — and amongst all races there are heroes and cowards, right and wrong, and this is true also of Syria and Egypt. The commander and ruler therefore hates no one and acknowledges no difference between nations, but hatred is a great force in the ruler’s hand, more potent than weapons, for without hatred no arm is strong enough to wield a weapon. I was born a ruler for the blood of Amurru Kings flows in my veins, and in ancient times when we were known as Hyksos we ruled all people from sea to sea. Therefore I am doing what I can to kindle hatred between Syria and Egypt, and I shall blow on the charcoal that starts glowing slowly but once it is lit, it blazes up into a fire and consumes Egyptian power in Syria. All the cities and all the tribes of all Syria shall learn that an Egyptian is more despicable, cowardly, cruel, corrupt, greedy and thankless than a Syrian. They shall learn to spit when they hear them mentioned and regard them as wrongful oppressors, bloodsuckers, torturers and molesters of children until their hatred is great enough to move mountains.”

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“But none of this is true, as you said so yourself,” I reminded him.

He spread his arms palms upward and asked smiling, “What is truth, Sinuhe? When their blood has soaked up enough of the truth I offer them, they will swear by all their gods that it is the truth and, if anyone claims it to be a lie, beat him to death as a detractor. They must be persuaded that they are stronger, braver and more righteous than any other people in the world and that they love freedom more than they fear death and starvation and hardship, and they will be ready to pay any price for their freedom. I shall teach them this, and I have already made many to believe in my truth, and anyone who believes will convert others until all land in Syria is simmering. It is also a truth that Egypt once entered Syria with fire and blood and therefore with fire and blood must be driven out from Syria.

“Which freedom is it you speak about to them?” I asked, fearing his talk on Egypt’s account and all colonies’ account for they were my people.

Again he turned his palms upward and smiled gently. “Freedom is a word with many meanings, and some mean one thing by it and some another, but this is of no importance so long as the freedom is never attained. Many are needed to achieve freedom, but when it has been won, it is safest not to share it with too many but to keep it for oneself. I believe that the land of Amurru will one day be called the cradle of Syrian freedom. A nation that believes all it is told is like a herd of cattle that can be driven through a gate by means of spikes, or like a flock of sheep that follows a ram without reflecting where the ram leads them. And perhaps it is I who am both the spike and the ram.”

“You must indeed have the brain of a sheep,” I said, “because you talk this way and your words are dangerous indeed, because when Pharaoh hears of it, he will send his chariots and his spears against you and break down your walls and hang you and your son head downward from the bows of his warship when he returns to Thebes.”

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