in escaping in the darkness, and regained his own country without water or provisions, and almost without escort.  The conquering troops returned to the camp laden with booty, and driving before them asses carrying, as bloody tokens of victory, quantities of hands and phalli cut from the dead bodies of the slain.  The bodies of six generals and of 6359 Libyan soldiers were found upon the field of battle, together with 222 Shagalasha, 724 Tursha, and some hundreds of Shardana and Achaeans:  several thousands of prisoners passed in procession before the Pharaoh, and were distributed among such of his soldiers as had distinguished themselves.  These numbers show the gravity of the danger from which Egypt had escaped:  the announcement of the victory filled the country with enthusiasm, all the more sincere because of the reality of the panic which had preceded it.  The fellahin, intoxicated with joy, addressed each other:  “’Come, and let us go a long distance on the road, for there is now no fear in the hearts of men.’The fortified posts may at last be left; the citadels are now open; messengers stand at the foot of the walls and wait in the shade for the guard to awake after their siesta, to give them entrance.  The military police sleep on their accustomed rounds, and the people of the marshes once more drive their herds to pasture without fear of raids, for there are no longer marauders near at hand to cross the river; the cry of the sentinels is heard no more in the night:  ’Halt, thou that comest, thou that comest under a name which is not thine own—­sheer off!’ and men no longer exclaim on the following morning:  ’Such or such a thing has been stolen;’ but the towns fall once more into their usual daily routine, and he who works in the hope of the harvest, will nourish himself upon that which he shall have reaped.”  The return from Memphis to Thebes was a triumphal march.

[Illustration:  260.jpg STATUE OF MINEPHTAH]

     Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by Deveria.

“He is very strong, Binri Minephtah,” sang the court poets, “very wise are his projects—­his words have as beneficial effect as those of Thot—­everything which he does is completed to the end.—­When he is like a guide at the head of his armies—­his voice penetrates the fortress walls.—­Very friendly to those who bow their backs—­before Miamun—­his valiant soldiers spare him who humbles himself—­before his courage and before his strength;—­they fall upon the Libyans—­they consume the Syrian;—­the Shardana whom thou hast brought back by thy sword—­make prisoners of their own tribes.—­Very happy thy return to Thebes—­victorious!  Thy chariot is drawn by hand—­the conquered chiefs march backwards before thee—­whilst thou leadest them to thy venerable father—­Amon, husband of his mother.”  And the poets amuse themselves with summoning Maraiu to appear in Egypt, pursued as he was by his own people and obliged to hide himself from them.  “He is nothing any