The Tales of Ancient Egypt (10 Historical Novels). Georg Ebers
Читать онлайн книгу.
drinking-cups and artistic flower-vases.
A multitude of richly-dressed slaves under direction of the high-steward, busied themselves in handing these dishes to the guests, who, either standing around, or reclining on sumptuous seats, entertained themselves in conversation with their friends.
Both sexes and all ages were to be found in this assembly. As the women entered, they received charming little nosegays from the young priests in the personal service of the king, and many a youth of high degree appeared in the hall with flowers, which he not only offered to her he loved best, but held up for her to smell.
The Egyptian men, who were dressed as we have already seen them at the reception of the Persian embassy, behaved towards the women with a politeness that might almost be termed submissive. Among the latter few could pretend to remarkable beauty, though there were many bewitching almond-shaped eyes, whose loveliness was heightened by having their lids dyed with the eye-paint called “mestem.” The majority wore their hair arranged in the same manner; the wealth of waving brown locks floated back over the shoulders and was brushed behind the ears, one braid being left on each side to hang over the temples to the breast. A broad diadem confined these locks, which as the maids knew, were quite as often the wig-maker’s work as Nature’s. Many ladies of the court wore above their foreheads a lotus-flower, whose stem drooped on the hair at the back.
They carried fans of bright feathers in their delicate hands. These were loaded with rings; the finger-nails were stained red, according to Egyptian custom, and gold or silver bands were worn above the elbow, and at the wrists and ankles.
[This custom (of staining finger-nails) is still prevalent in the
East; the plant Shenna, Laosonia spinosa, called by Pliny XIII.
Cyprus, being used for the purpose. The Egyptian government has
prohibited the dye, but it will be difficult to uproot the ancient
custom. The pigment for coloring the eyelids, mentioned in the
text, is also still employed. The Papyrus Ebers alludes to the
Arabian kohl or antimony, which is frequently mentioned under the
name of “mestem” on monuments belonging to the time of the
Pharaohs.]
Their robes were beautiful and costly, and in many cases so cut as to leave the right breast uncovered. Bartja, the young Persian prince, among the men, and Nitetis, the Pharaoh’s daughter, among the women, were equally conspicuous for their superior beauty, grace and charms. The royal maiden wore a transparent rose-colored robe, in her black hair were fresh roses, she walked by the side of her sister, the two robed alike, but Nitetis pale as the lotus-flower in her mother’s hair.
Ladice, the queen, by birth a Greek, and daughter of Battus of Cyrene, walked by the side of Amasis and presented the young Persians to her children. A light lace robe was thrown over her garment of purple, embroidered with gold; and on her beautiful Grecian head she wore the Urmus serpent, the ornament peculiar to Egyptian queens.
Her countenance was noble yet charming, and every movement betrayed the grace only to be imparted by a Greek education.
Amasis, in making choice of this queen, after the death of his second wife, (the Egyptian Tentcheta, mother of Psamtik the heir to the throne,) had followed his prepossession in favor of the Greek nation and defied the wrath of the priests.
The two girls at Ladice’s side, Tachot and Nitetis, were called twin-sisters, but showed no signs of that resemblance usually to be found in twins.
Tachot was a fair, blue-eyed girl, small, and delicately built; Nitetis, on the other hand, tall and majestic, with black hair and eyes, evinced in every action that she was of royal blood.
“How pale thou look’st, my child!” said Ladice, kissing Nitetis’ cheek. “Be of good courage, and meet thy future bravely. Here is the noble Bartja, the brother of thy future husband.”
Nitetis raised her dark, thoughtful eyes and fixed them long and enquiringly on the beautiful youth. He bowed low before the blushing maiden, kissed her garment, and said:
“I salute thee, as my future queen and sister! I can believe that thy heart is sore at parting from thy home, thy parents, brethren and sisters; but be of good courage; thy husband is a great hero, and a powerful king; our mother is the noblest of women, and among the Persians the beauty and virtue of woman is as much revered as the life-giving light of the sun. Of thee, thou sister of the lily Nitetis, whom, by her side I might venture to call the rose, I beg forgiveness, for robbing thee of thy dearest friend.”
As he said these words he looked eagerly into Tachot’s beautiful blue eyes; she bent low, pressing her hand upon her heart, and gazed on him long after Amasis had drawn him away to a seat immediately opposite the dancing-girls, who were just about to display their skill for the entertainment of the guests. A thin petticoat was the only clothing of these girls, who threw and wound their flexible limbs to a measure played on harp and tambourine. After the dance appeared Egyptian singers and buffoons for the further amusement of the company.
At length some of the courtiers forsook the hall, their grave demeanor being somewhat overcome by intoxication.
[Unfortunately women, as well as men, are to be seen depicted on the
monuments in an intoxicated condition. One man is being carried
home, like a log of wood, on the heads of his servants. Wilkinson
II. 168. Another is standing on his head II. 169. and several
ladies are in the act of returning the excessive quantity which they
have drunk. Wilkinson II. 167. At the great Techu-festival at
Dendera intoxication seems to have been as much commanded as at the
festivals of Dionysus under the Ptolemies, one of whom (Ptolemy
Dionysus) threatened those who remained sober with the punishment of
death. But intoxication was in general looked upon by the Egyptians
as a forbidden and despicable vice. In the Papyrus Anastasi IV.,
for instance, we read these words on a drunkard: “Thou art as a
sanctuary without a divinity, as a house without bread,” and
further: “How carefully should men avoid beer (hek).” A number of
passages in the Papyrus denounce drunkards.]
The women were carried home in gay litters by slaves with torches; and only the highest military commanders, the Persian ambassadors and a few officials, especial friends of Amasis, remained behind. These were retained by the master of the ceremonies, and conducted to a richly-ornamented saloon, where a gigantic wine-bowl standing on a table adorned in the Greek fashion, invited to a drinking-bout.
Amasis was seated on a high arm-chair at the head of the table; at his left the youthful Bartja, at his right the aged Croesus. Besides these and the other Persians, Theodorus and Ibykus, the friends of Polykrates, already known to us, and Aristomachus, now commander of the Greek body-guard, were among the king’s guests.
Amasis, whom we have just heard in such grave discourse with Croesus, now indulged in jest and satire. He seemed once more the wild officer, the bold reveller of the olden days.
His sparkling, clever jokes, at times playful, at times scornful, flew round among the revellers. The guests responded in loud, perhaps often artificial laughter, to their king’s jokes, goblet after goblet was emptied, and the rejoicings had reached their highest point, when suddenly the master of the ceremonies appeared, bearing a small gilded mummy; and displaying it to the gaze of the assembly, exclaimed. “Drink, jest, and be merry, for all too soon ye shall become like unto this!”
[Wilkinson gives drawings of these mummies (II. 410.) hundreds of
which were placed in the tombs, and have been preserved to us.
Lucian was present at a banquet, when they were handed round.