spear. As soon as they saw him, they fled far away with speed, but
his Majesty was upon them like a greyhound. He slew them, so that
they escaped not.' "

The King's squire or armor-bearer is seized with terror, and conjures his
master to fly. The King comforts him; and after charging the enemy six
times, returns victorious from the field. Rameses, on rejoining his
troops, addresses a long tirade to his captains upon their cowardice, and
enlarges upon his own valor without any modest scruples. In the evening
the rest of the troops came dropping in, and were surprised to find the
whole country strewed with the bodies of the dead. The whole army joins in
singing the praises of the courageous leader--

" 'Hail to the sword, thanks to the bold warrior, strengthener of
hearts, who deliverest thy bowmen and thy horsemen, son of Toum,
subduing the land of the Hittites with thy victorious sword. Thou
art King of victories; there is none like thee, a King fighting
for his soldiers in the day of battle. Thou art magnanimous, the
first in battle. The whole world joined together cannot resist
thee. Thou art the mighty conqueror, in the face of thy army. The
whole earth falls down before thee saying homage. Thou rulest
Egypt, thou chastisest the foreigners, thou crushest, thou bowest
the back of these Hittites forever.' Then said his Majesty to his
bowmen and his horsemen, likewise his captains, 'Ye who did not
fight, behold none of you have done well, in that ye left me alone
among the enemy. The captains of the vanguard, the sergeants of
the infantry, came not to help me. I fought against the myriads of
the land alone. I had the horses Nechtou-em-Djom and
Becht-herouta; they were obedient to the guidance of my hand, when
I was alone by myself in the midst of the enemy. Therefore I grant
to them to eat their corn in the presence of Ra continually, when
I am in the gate of the palace, on account of their having been
found in the midst of the enemy: and as for the armor-bearer who
remained with me, I bestow upon him my arms, together with the
things which were upon me, the habiliments of war.' Behold his
Majesty wore them in his great victory, overthrowing myriads
assembled together with his conquering sword."

The battle is renewed the next day, and the Hittites are thoroughly
routed. An envoy from the chief is now an