m the facsimile by Flandin. The
tongues of flame which issue from the towers still bore
traces of red and yellow colouring when the bas-relief was
discovered.

This episode had greater effect than its importance warranted; or
perhaps the majority of the neighbouring states made it a convenient
pretext for congratulating Sargon on his victories over more serious
enemies. He received gifts from Shamshie, the Arabian queen who had
formerly fought against Tiglath-pileser, from Itamar the Saboan, and the
sheikhs of the desert, from the kings of the Mediterranean sea-board,
and from the Pharaoh himself. Bocchoris had died after a troublous reign
of seven years.*

* The two dynasties of Tanis and Sais may be for the present
reconstituted as follows:--

[Illustration: 373.jpg TABLE OF DYNASTIES OF TANIS AND SAIS]

His real character is unknown, but as he left a deep impression on the
memories of his people, it is natural to conclude that he displayed,
at times, both ability and energy. Many legends in which the miraculous
element prevailed were soon in circulation concerning him. He was,
according to these accounts, weak in body and insignificant in
appearance, but made up for these defects by mental ability and sound
judgment. He was credited with having been simple in his mode of life,
and was renowned as one of the six great legislators produced by Egypt.
A law concerning debt and the legal rates of interest, was attributed to
him; he was also famed for the uprightness of his judgments, which
were regarded as due to divine inspiration. Isis had bestowed on him
a serpent, which, coiling itself round his head when he sat on the
judgment-seat, covered him with its shadow, and admonished him not to
forget for a moment the inflexible principles of equity and truth.

Neither Tafnakhti nor any of the local sovereigns mentioned on the
stele of Pionkhi wore comprised in the official computation; there is,
therefore, no reason to add them to this list.

A collection of the decisions he was reputed to have delivered in famous
cases existed in the Graeco-Roman period, and one of them is quoted
at length: he had very ingeniously condemned a courtesan to touch the
shadow of a purse as payment for the shadowy favours she had bestowed in
a dream on her lover.

[Illustration: 374.jpg KING BOCCHORIS GIVING JUDGMENT BETWEEN TWO WOMEN,
RIVAL CLAIMANTS TO A CHILD]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin.

An Alexandrian