to it, and
found the place fit for a revolt, they appointed themselves a ruler out
of the priests of Hellopolis, whose name was Osarsiph, and they took
their oaths that they would be obedient to him in all things. He then,
in the first place, made this law for them, That they should neither
worship the Egyptian gods, nor should abstain from any one of those
sacred animals which they have in the highest esteem, but kill and
destroy them all; that they should join themselves to nobody but to
those that were of this confederacy. When he had made such laws as
these, and many more such as were mainly opposite to the customs of the
Egyptians, [23] he gave order that they should use the multitude of the
hands they had in building walls about their City, and make themselves
ready for a war with king Amenophis, while he did himself take into his
friendship the other priests, and those that were polluted with them,
and sent ambassadors to those shepherds who had been driven out of the
land by Tefilmosis to the city called Jerusalem; whereby he informed
them of his own affairs, and of the state of those others that had been
treated after such an ignominious manner, and desired that they would
come with one consent to his assistance in this war against Egypt. He
also promised that he would, in the first place, bring them back
to their ancient city and country Avaris, and provide a plentiful
maintenance for their multitude; that he would protect them and fight
for them as occasion should require, and would easily reduce the
country under their dominion. These shepherds were all very glad of this
message, and came away with alacrity all together, being in number two
hundred thousand men; and in a little time they came to Avaris. And now
Amenophis the king of Egypt, upon his being informed of their invasion,
was in great confusion, as calling to mind what Amenophis, the son
of Papis, had foretold him; and, in the first place, he assembled the
multitude of the Egyptians, and took counsel with their leaders, and
sent for their sacred animals to him, especially for those that were
principally worshipped in their temples, and gave a particular charge to
the priests distinctly, that they should hide the images of their gods
with the utmost care he also sent his son Sethos, who was also named
Ramesses, from his father Rhampses, being but five years old, to a
friend of his. He then passed on with the rest of the Egyptians, being
three hundred