atch.

Near the enclosed plots, where the horses were tethered, the smiths were
busily engaged in shoeing the beasts which needed it, and in sharpening
the points of the lances; the servants of the chariot-guard were also
fully occupied, as the chariots had for the most part been brought over
the mountains in detached pieces on the backs of pack-horses and asses,
and now had to be put together again, and to have their wheels greased.
On the eastern side of the camp stood a canopy, under which the standards
were kept, and there numbers of priests were occupied in their office of
blessing the warriors, offering sacrifices, and singing hymns and
litanies. But these pious sounds were frequently overpowered by the loud
voices of the gamblers and revellers, by the blows of the hammers, the
hoarse braying of the asses, and the neighing of the horses. From time to
time also the deep roar of the king's war-lions

[See Diodorus, 1. 47. Also the pictures of the king rushing to the
fight.]

might be heard; these beasts followed him into the fight, and were now
howling for food, as they had been kept fasting to excite their fury.

In the midst of the camp stood the king's tent, surrounded by foot and
chariot-guards. The auxiliary troops were encamped in divisions according
to their nationality, and between them the Egyptian legions of
heavy-armed soldiers and archers. Here might be seen the black Ethiopian
with wooly matted hair, in which a few feathers were stuck--the handsome,
well proportioned "Son of the desert" from the sandy Arabian shore of the
Red Sea, who performed his wild war-dance flourishing his lance, with a
peculiar wriggle of his--hips pale Sardinians, with metal helmets and
heavy swords--light colored Libyans, with tattooed arms and
ostrich-feathers on their heads-brown, bearded Arabs, worshippers of the
stars, inseparable from their horses, and armed, some with lances, and
some with bows and arrows. And not less various than their aspect were
the tongues of the allied troops--but all obedient to the king's word of
command.

In the midst of the royal tents was a lightly constructed temple with the
statues of the Gods of Thebes, and of the king's forefathers; clouds of
incense rose in front of it, for the priests were engaged from the eve of
the battle until it was over, in prayers, and offerings to Amon, the king
of the Gods, to Necheb, the Goddess of victory, and to Menth, the God of
war.

The keeper o