A command was issued to all families of military rank that the men should exercise themselves in hurling missiles under direction of officers and decurions of the army. The command was carried out straightway, therefore Egypt looked like a camp in no longer than two months after the death of the twelfth Ramses. For even village or city children, who before had played as scribes and priests, now, imitating their elders, began to play as warriors. So on every square and in every garden, from morning till evening, stones and arrows were whistling, and the courts were filled with complaints about bodily injuries.
Egypt was transformed, as it were, and in spite of complaints a great movement reigned in it, and all because of the new ruler.
The pharaoh himself was pleased and his pride increased, seeing that the whole state arranged itself to his wishes.
But a moment arrived when he became gloomy.
On the very day that the embalmers took the body of Ramses XII from the soda bath, the chief treasurer, when making his usual report, said to the pharaoh,
"I know not what to do. We have two thousand talents in the treasury, and for the funeral of the dead pharaoh we need at least one thousand."
"How, two thousand?" asked Ramses, with astonishment. "When I assumed power Thou didst tell me that we had twenty thousand."
"We have expended eighteen."
"In two months?"
"Our outlays are enormous."