The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

Posted by admin_akashic on Mar 4th, 2022 in Stories

Book 14: The Holy War

While Horemheb was in Memphis, collecting troops and equipment, he summoned the wealthy men of Egypt and addressed them, saying, “You are all affluent men and I am but a shepherd boy born with dung between the toes. But Amun has blessed me, and Pharaoh has entrusted me with leadership during war, and the enemy that threatens the land is extremely cruel and terrible as you well know. It has given me great satisfaction to hear you all speak loudly and acknowledge that war demands sacrifices from everyone, for which reason you have curtailed the grain measure of your slaves and labourers as well as raised the price of goods all over Egypt. I perceive from your deeds and words that you are also prepared to make great sacrifices, as is fitting of your position. This is good and pleases me greatly since to raise the funds to wage war, employ troops and build chariots — and whatever there is to do which you all don’t understand but is included in the skilful art of war — I have decided to borrow a part of your wealth, and for that purpose I have acquired all the information there is about you on the tax lists; however without settling for this, I also acquired additional information so that I believe I am also aware of all the wealth which you have hidden from tax gatherers during the reign of the false Pharaoh. But now a rightful Pharaoh rules in the name of Amun, and you have no need to hide your wealth any more but can devote it openly and proudly for war. Therefore every one of you must without delay borrow me half of your wealth, and it is all one to me if you pay in gold or silver or grain, cattle, horses or chariots, as long as you pay quickly.”

At this, the rich men of Egypt broke out in lamentation with a shrill voice, and they tore their robes, saying, “The false Pharaoh has beggared us already, and we are penniless men and the information you have gathered from us is all false. But what guarantee do you offer us for the loan of half our wealth, and what interest do you mean to pay for us?”

Horemheb surveyed them kindly and said, “My guarantee is the victory that with your help, my dear friends, I intend to win as soon as possible. If I do not win it, the Hittites will come and rob you of all you have, and therefore my guarantee seems to me quite sufficient. As to the interest, I intend to make a separate agreement with each one of you, and I hope that my terms will prove acceptable to all. But

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you started lamenting too soon, for I have not yet finished what I have to say. I require at once one half of your wealth as a loan — merely as a loan, my dear fellows. At the end of four moon cycles, you shall again lend me one half of the remainder and, after a year, one half of what you still have left. You yourselves are best able to compute the sum remaining in your possession, but I am well assured that it will prove more than adequate to supply your cooking pots for the rest of your days, and I am in no way robbing you.”

Then the rich men prostrated themselves before him and wept bitterly, hitting the floor with their foreheads until blood came, and they shouted they’d rather surrender to the Hittites. But Horemheb said, feigning surprise:

“If that is the case, I naturally do your bidding, but I think that the soldiers who risk their skins and lives at war will take ill when they hear how you are unwilling to make any sacrifices for the war. To be honest, I am almost certain that my soldiers wait at each of those doors with ropes in their hands to tie them about you and take you to ships in order to hand you over to the Hittites, as you wish. This greatly upsets me and makes me wonder what joy is your wealth that you leave behind and is taken over by me when you push the Hittites’ stone mills with your eyes put out. But that is your call, and it is best I let the soldiers know your wish.”

Hearing this, the rich men cried in their despair and embraced his knees with their arms and accepted everything he asked for, bitterly cursing him. But he comforted them, saying:

“I summoned you to me because I know that you love Egypt and are willing to make great sacrifice on Egypt’s behalf. You are also the wealthiest men in Egypt, and each of you has made his fortune by his own efforts. I am sure that you will soon restore these fortunes since a rich man always grows richer even if he is occasionally squeezed so that extra juice flows out of him. You, my dear men, are to me a precious

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