ise.

The short reigns of these Pharaohs were marked by no events which would
cast lustre on their names; one might say that they had nothing else to
do than to enjoy peacefully the riches accumulated by their forefather.
Ramses IV. was anxious to profit by the commercial relations which
had been again established between Egypt and Puanit, and, in order to
facilitate the transit between Coptos and Kosseir, founded a station,
and a temple dedicated to Isis, in the mountain of Bakhni; by this
route, we learn, more than eight thousand men had passed under the
auspices of the high priest of Amon, Nakh-tu-ramses. This is the only
undertaking of public utility which we can attribute to any of these
kings. As we see them in their statues and portraits, they are heavy
and squat and without refinement, with protruding eyes, thick lips,
flattened and commonplace noses, round and expressionless faces. Their
work was confined to the engraving of their cartouches on the blank
spaces of the temples at Karnak and Medinet-Habu, and the addition of a
few stones to the buildings at Memphis, Abydos, and Heliopolis. Whatever
energy and means they possessed were expended on the construction of
their magnificent tombs.

[Illustration: 331.jpg A RAMSES OF THE XXth DYNASTY]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by Emil Brugsch-
Bey. This is the Ramses VI. of the series now generally
adopted.

These may still be seen in the Biban el-Moluk, and no visitor can
refrain from admiring them for their magnitude and decoration. As to
funerary chapels, owing to the shortness of the reigns of these kings,
there was not time to construct them, and they therefore made up for
this want by appropriating the chapel of their father, which was at
Medinet-Habu, and it was here consequently that their worship was
maintained. The last of the sons of Ramses III. was succeeded by another
and equally ephemeral Ramses; after whom came Ramses X. and Ramses XI.,
who re-established the tradition of more lasting reigns. There was
now no need of expeditions against Kharu or Libya, for these enfeebled
countries no longer disputed, from the force of custom, the authority of
Egypt. From time to time an embassy from these countries would arrive at
Thebes, bringing presents, which were pompously recorded as representing
so much tribute.* If it is true that a people which has no history
is happy, then Egypt ought to be reckoned as more fortunate under the