of the city had fallen, while the loss of
the Egyptians had been almost as large. The women threw themselves
on their faces before the great monarch and implored mercy for
themselves, their children, and the remnant of the men of the city.

Thotmes was well satisfied. He had captured a city which was regarded
as impregnable; he had crushed the people who had inflicted defeats
upon his predecessors; he had added to his own glory and to the renown
of the Egyptian arms. The disposition of the Egyptians was lenient.
Human sacrifices were unknown to their religion, and they do not
appear at any time to have slain in cold blood captives taken in war.
Human life was held at a far higher value in Egypt than among any
other nation of antiquity, and the whole teaching of their laws tended
to create a disposition toward mercy.

An interpreter translated to the king the words of the women.

"Has all resistance ceased?" the king asked. "Have all the men laid
down their arms?"

The women exclaimed that there was not now an armed man in the city,
all the weapons having been collected during the night and placed in
piles in the open space in front of the entrance to the palace.

"Then I give to all their lives," the king said graciously. "When I
fight with cowards I have little mercy upon them, for men who are not
brave are unfit to live; but when I fight with men I treat them as
men. The Rebu are a valiant people, but as well might the jackal fight
with the lion as the Rebu oppose themselves to the might of Egypt.
They fought bravely in the field, and they have bravely defended their
walls; therefore I grant life to all in the city--men, women, and
children. Where is your king?"

"He died in the battle four days since," the women replied.

"Where is your queen?"

"She drank poison last night, preferring to join her husband than to
survive the capture of the city."

Thotmes had now ordered the whole of the inhabitants to be taken
out to the plain and kept there under a guard. The town was then
methodically searched and everything of value brought together. The
king set aside a certain portion of the golden vessels for the
services of the Temple, some he chose for himself, and after
presenting others to his generals, ordered the rest to be divided
among the troops. He then ordered a hundred captives--fifty young men
and fifty maidens of the highest rank--to be selected to be taken to
Egypt as slaves, and then fixed the tribut