"Since my consort, who is the only heir to the throne, has abdicated, the reign of the twentieth dynasty is ended; we must choose a new sovereign.
"This sovereign," continued Herhor, "should be a man of ripe years, energetic, and skilled in government. For this reason I advise you to choose for the highest position."
"Herhor!" cried some one.
"The most famous Nitager, the leader of the eastern army," finished
Herhor.
Nitager sat a long time with closed eyes, smiling. At last he rose, and said,
"Never will there be a lack of men eager for the title of pharaoh. We have more of them perhaps than are needed. Luckily, the gods themselves, in setting aside useless rivals, have indicated a man most worthy of power, and it seems to me that I shall act wisely if, instead of receiving the crown offered me graciously, I answer,
"May he live through eternity, his holiness, San-Amen-Herhor, the first pharaoh of a new dynasty!"
Those present, with few exceptions, repeated the shout, and at the same time the supreme judge brought on a golden tray two caps: the white one of Upper, and the red one of Lower Egypt. One of these was taken by the high priest of Osiris, the other by the high priest of Horus, and they delivered them to Herhor, who, when he had kissed the golden serpent, put them both on his head.
Then those present began the ceremony of offering homage, which lasted a couple of hours. After that a proper act was written; those who took part in the election placed their seals on it, and from that moment San-Amen-Herhor was the real pharaoh, the lord of both worlds, also of the life and death of his subjects.
Toward evening his holiness returned wearied to his chambers of a high priest, where he found Pentuer, who had grown thin, and on whose emaciated face weariness and sadness were evident.