"Is my son dead?" asked he of the priest. "Sarah accused herself of child-murder? Did madness fall on her?"
"The vile Lykon slew thy son."
"O gods give me strength!" groaned Ramses.
"Restrain thyself, lord, as becomes a victorious leader."
"Is it possible to conquer such pain? O gods without pity!"
"Lykon slew thy son; Sarah accused herself to save thee, for seeing the murderer in the night she mistook him for thee."
"And I thrust her out of my house! And I made her a servant of the
Phoenician!"
Now appeared Egyptian warriors bearing baskets filled with hands which had been cut from the fallen Libyans.
At sight of this Ramses hid his face and wept bitterly.
The generals surrounded the chariot at once and gave their lord consolation. The holy Mentezufis made a proposition which was received immediately, that thenceforth the Egyptian army would not cut off the hands of enemies who had fallen in battle.