of the god, offer him a figure of Truth.
The first hall, 130 feet long by 58 feet broad, takes the place of the
court surrounded by a colonnade which in other temples usually follows
the pylon. Her eight Osiride figures, standing against as many square
pillars, appear to support the weight of the superincumbent rock. Their
profile catches the light as it enters through the open doorway, and
in the early morning, when the rising sun casts a ruddy ray over their
features, their faces become marvellously life-like. We are almost
tempted to think that a smile plays over their lips as the first beams
touch them. The remaining chambers consist of a hypostyle hall nearly
square in shape, the sanctuary itself being between two smaller
apartments, and of eight subterranean chambers excavated at a lower
level than the rest of the temple. The whole measures 178 feet from the
threshold to the far end of the Holy of Holies. The walls are covered
with bas-reliefs in which the Pharaoh has vividly depicted the wars
which he carried on in the four corners of his kingdom; here we see
raids against the negroes, there the war with the Khati, and further
on an encounter with some Libyan tribe. Ramses, flushed by the heat of
victory, is seen attacking two Timihu chiefs: one has already fallen
to the ground and is being trodden underfoot; the other, after vainly
letting fly his arrows, is about to perish from a blow of the conqueror.

[Illustration: 228.jpg THE FACE OF THE ROCK AT ABU SIMGEL]

His knees give way beneath him, his head falls heavily backwards, and
the features are contracted in his death-agony. Pharaoh with his left
hand has seized him by the arm, while with his right he points his
lance against his enemy's breast, and is about to pierce him through
the heart. As a rule, this type of bas-relief is executed with a
conventional grace which leaves the spectator unmoved, and free to
consider the scene merely from its historical point of view, forgetful
of the artist.

[Illustration: 229.jpg RAMSES II. PIERCES a Libyan chief with his lance]

Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by Mons. do Bock.

An examination of most of the other wall-decorations of the speos will
furnish several examples of this type: we see Ramses with a suitable
gesture brandishing his weapon above a group of prisoners, and the
composition furnishes us with a fair example of official sculpture,
correct, conventional, but devoid of interest. Here, on the