The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

Posted by admin_akashic on Mar 4th, 2022 in Stories

In the middle of all this chaos, walked Horemheb from one group to another, reproaching them with frightening words and lashing them favourably with his golden whip, and he spoke to those whom he had seen excelling in the battle by their names, saying they were his children and his beloved dung rats. He had wine and beer distributed amongst them and allowed them to plunder all who had fallen, both Hittites and Egyptians, that they might feel they also had a share in the spoils. But the most precious gains were the heavy chariots and those horses that remained unharmed, biting and kicking ferociously around them until they were given enough forage and water — and those of Horemheb’s men who were used to handling horses spoke to them gently, convincing them to the service of Egypt. A horse is indeed a wise but dangerous animal and understand’s man’s words. Therefore after getting enough forage and water, they accepted Horemheb’s service. But it is inconceivable to me how they were able to understand the Egyptian language being only accustomed to hearing the Hittites’ incomprehensible words. But Horemheb’s men assured me they understood everything that was said to them, and I had no choice but to believe them, seeing how these large and wild animals resigned to their hands and let them remove the heavy and hot woollen armour from their sweaty backs.

That very night, Horemheb sent word to the desert bandits and the voluntary forces on either flank, exhorting all brave men amongst them to take service with his chariots as his own dung snouts — for the desert folk were better skilled with horses than the Egyptians, who feared them. All horsemen answered his call gladly and rejoiced at the sturdy chariots and valiant horses. Equally glad were the desert wolves and jackals and vultures, who arrived in large numbers to tear up the corpses, without making difference between the Egyptians and the Hittites.

I had no time to give all this much thought, since I had my hands full with the wounded — stitching gashes and setting limbs and opening skulls that had been crushed by the Hittite war clubs. Although I had several men assisting me with cutting the limbs and stitching the wounds, this work lasted three days and three nights before all the wounded were bound and

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before all those whose wounds were too troublesome to cure had died. I could not work in peace because constant battle sounds bothered my ears, for the Hittites still had a hard time accepting their defeat. The following day, they attacked with light chariots in order to recapture the heavy chariots they had lost, and even on the third day they still sought to breach the barricades, for they didn’t dare return to Syria to face their great commanders and tell about their defeat.

But on the third day, Horemheb was no longer content with defence, but he let clear the barricades and sent forward his dung snouts and their captured chariots to battle, and they expelled before them the light vehicles of the Hittites and scattered them — however they suffered great losses, because the enemy were swifter and more accustomed to chariot warfare, so that once again there was much work for me. Yet these losses were unavoidable, said Horemheb, for only in battle could his new dung snouts learn to handle horses and chariots, and it was better to exercise when the enemy were outnumbered and fearful than when, fully rested and equipped, they spread out their chariots against the chariots of Egypt.

“Without chariots with which to meet chariots, we shall never conquer Syria,” said Horemheb. “This fighting behind barricades is nothing but child’s play and won’t win us anything, even if we prevent the Hittites from invading Egypt.”

He hoped that the Hittites would also send their infantry into the desert to wage war with him, for the Hittites would have been an easy prey in the desert without sufficient water. But the Hittites were wise and apt learners and held their troops in Syria in the hope that Horemheb, blinded by his victory, would send his men forward from the desert to Syria, where they would have been rapidly annihilated by the fresh and seasoned troops and chariots of the Hittites. Nevertheless, their defeat caused profound consternation in Syria, and many cities rose in revolt against Aziru and closed their gates against him, weary of his lust for power and of the greed of the Hittites — and also hoping to win Egypt’s favour in their belief that the conquest was near. The cities of Syria have ever been at odds with one another, and Horemheb’s spies fanned their discontent, spreading terrifying and exaggerated reports of the great desert defeat of the Hittites.

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