ecause the older sons of the pharaoh, who were born of a Hittite
princess, had been visited by an evil spirit through enchantments which
no one had the power to investigate. One son of twenty-seven years was
unable to walk after reaching maturity; the second opened his veins and
died; the third, through poisoned wine, which he would not cease
drinking, fell into madness, and believing himself a monkey, passed
whole days among tree branches.

But the fourth son, Ramses, born of Queen Nikotris, daughter of the
priest Amenhotep, was as strong as the bull Apis, as brave as a lion,
and as wise as the priests. From childhood he surrounded himself with
warriors, and while still a common prince, used to say,

"If the gods, instead of making me the youngest son of his holiness,
had made me a pharaoh, like Ramses the Great, I would conquer nine
nations, of which people in Egypt have never heard mention; I would
build a temple larger than all Thebes, and rear for myself a pyramid
near which the tomb of Cheops would be like a rosebush at the side of a
full-grown palm-tree."

On receiving the much desired title of heir, the young prince begged
his father to be gracious and appoint him to command the army corps of
Memphis. To this his holiness, Ramses XII, after consultation with the
gods, to whom he was equal, answered that he would do so in case the
heir could give proof that he had skill to direct a mass of troops
arrayed for battle.

A council was called under the presidency of the minister of war, Sem-
Amen-Herhor, high priest of the great sanctuary of Amon in Thebes.

The council decided in this way: "The heir to the throne, in the middle
of the month Mesore, will take ten regiments, disposed along the line
which connects Memphis with the city of Pi-uto, situated on the Bay of
Sebenico.

"With this corps of ten thousand men prepared for battle, provided with
a camp and with military engines, the heir will betake himself eastward
along the highroad from Memphis toward Hittite regions, which road lies
on the boundary between the land of Goshen and the wilderness. At this
time General Nitager, commander of the army which guards the gates of
Egypt from attacks of Asiatic people, will move from the Bitter Lakes
against the heir, Prince Ramses.

"Both armies, the Asiatic and the Western, are to meet near Pi-Bailos,
but in the wilderness, so that industrious husbandmen in the land of
Goshen be not hindered in their labors.