"That was taken and distributed ten years ago."
"For what purpose? To whom?"
"For the needs of the court, in gifts to nomarchs and to temples."
"The court had incomes from current taxes. But could presents exhaust the treasury of my father?"
"Osiris Ramses, thy father, holiness, was a bountiful lord and made great offerings."
"Is it possible? Were they so great? I wish to know about this," said the pharaoh, impatiently.
"Exact accounts are in the archives; I remember only general figures."
"Speak!"
"For example," answered the treasurer, hesitatingly, "Osiris Ramses in the course of his happy reign gave to the temples about one hundred towns, one hundred and twenty ships, two million head of cattle, two million bags of wheat, one hundred and twenty thousand horses, eighty thousand slaves, two hundred thousand kegs of beer and wine, three million loaves of bread, thirty thousand garments, thirty thousand vessels of honey, olives, and incense. Besides that, one thousand talents of gold, three thousand talents of silver, ten thousand of bronze, five hundred talents of dark bronze, six million garlands of flowers, twelve hundred statues of gods, and thirty thousand precious stones. [The gifts of Ramses III to the temples were incomparably greater] Other numbers I do not remember at the moment, but they are all recorded."
The pharaoh raised his hands with laughter, but after a time fell into anger, and cried, while striking the table with his fist,