and
native bowmen at his disposal, together with his Libyan and Cyrenoan
auxiliaries, and the Ionians, Carians, and Greeks of the isles and
mainland. The battle took place before Pelusium, and was fought on
both sides with brave desperation, since defeat meant servitude for the
Egyptians, and for the Persians, cut off by the desert from possible
retreat, captivity or annihilation. Phanes had been obliged to leave his
children behind him, and Pharaoh included them in his suite, to serve,
if needful, as hostages. The Carians and Ionians, who felt themselves
disgraced by the defection of their captain, called loudly for them just
before the commencement of the action. They were killed immediately in
front of the lines, their father being a powerless onlooker; their blood
was thrown into a cask half full of wine, and the horrible mixture
was drunk by the soldiers, who then furiously charged the enemy's
battalions. The issue of the struggle was for a long time doubtful, but
the Egyptians were inferior in numbers; towards evening their lines gave
way and the flight began.* All was not, however, lost, if Psammetichus
had but followed the example of Taharqa, and defended the passage of the
various canals and arms of the river, disputing the ground inch by inch
with the Persians, and gaining time meanwhile to collect a fresh army.
The king lost his presence of mind, and without attempting to rally what
remained of his regiments, he hastened to take refuge within the White
Wall. Cambyses halted a few days to reduce Pelusium,** and in the mean
time sent a vessel of Mitylene to summon Memphis to capitulate: the
infuriated populace, as soon as they got wind of the message, massacred
the herald and the crew, and dragged their bleeding limbs through the
streets.

* According to Herodotus, eighty years later the battle-
field used to be shown covered with bones, and it was said
that the Egyptians could be distinguished from the Persians
by the relative hardness of their skulls.

** Polysenus hands down a story that Cambyses, in order to
paralyse the resistance of the besieged, caused cats, dogs,
ibises, and other sacred animals to march at the head of his
attacking columns: the Egyptians would not venture to use
their arms for fear of wounding or killing some of their
gods.

The city held out for a considerable time; when at length she opened
her gates, the remaining inhabitants of