"Thou speakest truth," answered he. "An army should never leave its leader, nor the leader his army. I thought, however, that Thou wouldst take my place, since Thou art a representative of the ministry of war."
The calm answer mollified Mentezufis, so the priest did not remind the prince of the maneuvers of the previous year when he left the army in the same way and incurred the pharaoh's disfavor.
At that moment Patrokles approached them with great uproar. The Grecian general was drunk again and called from afar to the viceroy,
"See, heir, what the holy Mentezufis has done. Thou didst proclaim pardon to the Libyans who would leave the invaders and return to the army of his holiness. Those men came to me, and owing to thy promise I broke the left wing of the enemy. But the worthy Mentezufis gave command to slay every man of them. About a thousand prisoners have perished all recent warriors of ours, who were to have pardon."
The blood rushed to the prince's head again, but Pentuer, who stood there always behind him, whispered,
"Be silent, for the sake of the gods, be silent."
But Patrokles had no adviser, so he continued,
"From this moment we lose forever, not only the confidence of others, but also that of our own people. For our army must become demoralized utterly when it learns that traitors are forcing their way to the head of it."
"Vile hireling," replied Mentezufis, coldly, "how darest Thou talk thus of the army and the confidants of his holiness? Since the world became the world such blasphemy has not been uttered! And I fear lest the gods may avenge the insult wrought on them."
Patrokles laughed loudly.