"Thus Osiris lives among us, since the beginning of ages, as pharaoh, and he gains profit from Egypt and its wealth which he himself created. The lord has extended like a mighty tree. All the pharaohs are his roots, the nomarchs and priests his larger branches, the nobles the smaller branches. The visible god sits on the throne of the earth and receives the income which belongs to him from Egypt; the invisible god receives offerings in the temples, and declares his will through the lips of the priesthood."
"Thou utterest truth," said the viceroy. "Thus is it written."
"Since Osiris the pharaoh," continued the nomarch, "cannot himself be occupied in the management of the country, he has appointed us nomarchs, who come of his blood, to watch over his property."
"That is true," said Ramses. "Sometimes even the sun god becomes incarnate in a nomarch and begins a new dynasty. Thus rose the dynasties of Memphis, Elephantina, Thebes, and Ksoi."
"Thou hast said it," continued Otoes. "But now I will answer that which
Thou hast asked of me.
"Thou hast asked what I do in this province? I guard the property of Osiris, the pharaoh, and my own part in it. Look at those flocks; Thou seest various animals. Some give milk, others flesh, others wool and skins. The people of Egypt give wheat, wine, woolen stuffs, vessels, houses. My affair is to take from each what he should give, and lay it down at the feet of the pharaoh."
"In watching over the numerous herds I could not succeed alone; so I have chosen watchful dogs and wise shepherds. Some of my servants milk animals, shear them, remove their skins; others watch them so that thieves may not steal or the plunderer injure. So with the province. I could not collect all the taxes and guard men from evil; hence I have officials who do what is proper, and render account of their action."
"All this is true," interrupted the prince. "I know and understand what Thou sayest. But I cannot comprehend why the income of his holiness decreases, though guarded well, as Thou hast told me."
"Be pleased to remember," continued the nomarch, "that Set, though a full brother of the radiant Osiris, hates that god, wars with him, and deforms all his labors. He sends deadly diseases on beasts and on men; he causes the overflow of the Nile to be scant or over-violent, and he hurls clouds of sand in time of heat upon Egypt.
"When a year is good, the Nile reaches the desert; when it is bad, the desert comes down to the Nile, and then the royal income decreases.