Ramses XIII, after he had rested two days in the official palace at Abydos, betook himself to the temple. He wore a white tunic, a gold breastplate, an apron with orange and blue stripes, a steel sword at his side and on his head a golden helmet. The pharaoh sat in a chariot drawn by horses adorned with ostrich plumes, and was conducted by nomarchs as he moved slowly toward the house of Osiris, surrounded by his officers.
Whithersoever he looked: toward the field, the river, the roofs of houses, or even the limbs of tamarind and fig-trees there was a throng of people, and an unceasing shout which was like the roar of a tempest.
When he arrived at the temple the pharaoh stopped his horses and descended before the public gate. This act pleased the common people and delighted the priesthood. He passed on foot along the avenue of sphinxes and, greeted by the holy men, burned incense before the statues of Seti which occupied both sides of the main entrance.
In the peristyle the high priest turned the attention of his holiness to the splendid portraits of the pharaohs, and pointed out the place selected for that of Ramses. In the hypostyle he indicated to him the meaning of the geographical maps and statistical tables.
In the chamber of "divine apparition" Ramses offered incense to the gigantic statue of Osiris, and the high priest showed him the columns dedicated to the separate planets: Mercury, Venus, the moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The planets stood around statues of the sun god to the number of seven.
"Thou hast told me," said Ramses, "that there are six planets; meanwhile I see seven columns."
"The seventh represents the earth, which is also a planet."
The astonished pharaoh asked for explanation, but the sage was silent, indicating by signs that his lips were sealed on that subject.
In the chamber of the "tables of offering" was heard low but beautiful music, during which a solemn dance was given by a chorus of priestesses.
The pharaoh removed his golden helmet; next, his breastplate of great value, and gave both to Osiris, desiring that these gifts should remain in the treasury of the god, and not be transferred to the labyrinth.