"What does this mean?" asked the pharaoh of himself. "Do the shaven heads think that I dare not touch temples, or have they means of defense quite unknown to me?"
On the 19th of Paofi a police official informed Ramses that the night before people had begun to break the walls inclosing the temple of Horus.
"Did ye command them to do that?" inquired the pharaoh.
"No. They began of their own accord."
"Restrain them mildly restrain them," said Ramses. "In a few days they may do what they like. But now let them not act with great violence."
Ramses, as a leader and victor at the Soda Lakes, knew that once men attack in a multitude nothing has power to restrain them; they must break or be broken. Unless the temples defend themselves the multitude will take them; but if they defend themselves? In that case the people will flee and there will be need to send warriors, of whom there were many it is true, but not so many as would be needed, according to the' pharaoh's own reckoning. Moreover, Hiram had not returned from Pi-Bast yet with letters proving the treason of Mefres and Herhor. And what was more important, the priests who sided with the pharaoh were to assist the troops only on Paofi 23d. By what means then could he forewarn them in temples which were so numerous and so distant from one another? And did not caution itself command him to avoid relations which might betray them?
For these reasons Ramses did not wish an earlier attack on the temples.
Meanwhile the disturbance increased in spite of the pharaoh. Near the temple of Isis a number of pious persons were slain who predicted misfortune to Egypt, or who had recovered their health by a miracle. Near the temple of Ptah the multitude rushed on a procession, struck down the priests, and broke the holy boat in which the god was advancing. Almost at the same time messengers flew in from the cities of Sochem and Anu with news that people were breaking into the temples, and that in Cheran they had even broken in and desecrated the most holy places.
Toward evening a deputation of priests came, almost by stealth, to the palace of his holiness; the revered prophets fell at his feet, weeping, crying out to him to defend the gods and their sanctuaries.
This altogether unexpected event filled the heart of Ramses with great delight and still greater pride. He commanded the delegates to rise, and answered graciously that his regiments would be always ready to defend the temples when conducted into them.