t this king of
more than sixty years of age would have presented in a chariot in the
middle of the fray, and his competence to lead an effective charge
against the enemy. On the other hand, his absence in such a critical
position of affairs would have endangered the _morale_ of his soldiers
and possibly compromised the issue of the battle. A dream settled the
whole question.*

* Ed. Meyer sees in this nothing but a customary rhetorical
expression, and thinks that the god spoke in order to
encourage the king to defend himself vigorously.

While Minephtah was asleep one night, he saw a gigantic figure of Phtah
standing before him, and forbidding him to advance. "'Stay,' cried
the god to him, while handing him the curved khopesh: 'put away
discouragement from thee!' His Majesty said to him: 'But what am I to do
then?' And Phtah answered him: 'Despatch thy infantry, and send before
it numerous chariots to the confines of the territory of Piriu.'"**

* This name was read Pa-ari by E. de Rouge, Pa-ali by Lauth,
and was transcribed Pa-ari-shop by Brugsch, who identified
with Prosopitis. The orthography of the text at Athribis
shows that we ought to read Piri, Piru, Piriu; possibly the
name is identical with that of laru which is mentioned in
the Pyramid-texts.

The Pharaoh obeyed the command, and did not stir from his position.
Maraiu had, in the mean time, arranged his attack for the 1st of Epiphi,
at the rising of the sun: it did not take place, however, until the 3rd.
"The archers of His Majesty made havoc of the barbarians for six
hours; they were cut off by the edge of the sword." When Maraiu saw
the carnage, "he was afraid, his heart failed him; he betook himself
to flight as fast as his feet could bear him to save his life, so
successfully that his bow and arrows remained behind him in his
precipitation, as well as everything else he had upon him." His
treasure, his arms, his wife, together with the cattle which he had
brought with him for his use, became the prey of the conqueror; "he tore
out the feathers from his head-dress, and took flight with such of those
wretched Libyans as escaped the massacre, but the officers who had the
care of His Majesty's team of horses followed in their steps" and put
most of them to the sword. Maraiu succeeded, however, in escaping in the
darkness, and regained his own country without water or provisions, and
almost without escort. The c