During late years important discoveries of objects of this era have been few.  One of the most noteworthy is that of a contemporary inscription describing the battle of Momemphis, which is mentioned by Herodotus (ii, 163, 169).  We now have the official account of this battle, and know that it took place in the third year of the reign of Amasis—­not before he became king.  This was the fight in which the unpatriotic king, Apries, who had paid for his partiality for the Greeks of Nau-kratis with the loss of his throne, was finally defeated.  As we see from this inscription, he was probably murdered by the country people during his flight.

The following are the most important passages of the inscription:  “His Majesty (Amasis) was in the Festival-Hall, discussing plans for his whole land, when one came to say unto him, ’Haa-ab-Ra (Apries) is rowing up; he hath gone on board the ships which have crossed over.  Haunebu (Greeks), one knows not their number, are traversing the North-land, which is as if it had no master to rule it; he (Apries) hath summoned them, they are coming round him.  It is he who hath arranged their settlement in the Peh-an (the An-dropolite name); they infest the whole breadth of Egypt, those who are on thy waters fly before them!’...  His Majesty mounted his chariot, having taken lance and bow in his hand... (the enemy) reached Andropolis; the soldiers sang with joy on the roads... they did their duty in destroying the enemy.  His Majesty fought like a lion; he made victims among them, one knows not how many.  The ships and their warriors were overturned, they saw the depths as do the fishes.  Like a flame he extended, making a feast of fighting.  His heart rejoiced....  The third year, the 8th Athyr, one came to tell Majesty:  ’Let their vile-ness be ended!  They throng the roads, there are thousands there ravaging the land; they fill every road.  Those who are in ships bear thy terror in their hearts.  But it is not yet finished.’  Said his Majesty unto his soldiers:  ’...Young men and old men, do this in the cities and nomes!’...  Going upon every road, let not a day pass without fighting their galleys!’...  The land was traversed as by the blast of a tempest, destroying their ships, which were abandoned by the crews.  The people accomplished their fate, killing the prince (Apries) on his couch, when he had gone to repose in his cabin.  When he saw his friend overthrown... his Majesty himself buried him (Apries), in order to establish him as a king possessing virtue, for his Majesty decreed that the hatred of the gods should be removed from him.”

This is the event to which we have already referred in a preceding chapter, as proving the great amelioration of Egyptian ideas with regard to the treatment of a conquered enemy, as compared with those of other ancient nations.  Amasis refers to the deposed monarch as his “friend,” and buries him in a manner befitting a king at the charges of Amasis himself.  This act warded off from the spirit of Apries the just anger of the gods at his partiality for the “foreign devils,” and ensured his reception by Osiris as a king neb menkh, “possessing virtues.”