The Pillar of Fire; or, Israel in Bondage

by J. H. Ingraham

For columns, I have seen in the temple of the sacred ox—Mnevis, colossal figures of Osiris, or of sovereigns with the attributes of Osiris. These Osiride pillars are often thirty feet in height. Upon my mind they produce an unpleasing effect. The impression is as if the god was brought into the service of man as a slave, to uphold his temples, though I believe they do not bear any portion of the superincumbent weight. But one cannot behold a row of these mighty men of stone without an emotion of awe. The general tone of the temples and palaces betrays the pyramid as their type. The walls sloping on the outside as if the lower section of a pyramid, give to the edifices of Egypt that expression of self-reposing and immovable stability which belongs to the pyramidal form. The whole effect is in the highest degree sublime, and at once subdues and elevates my mind as I gaze. The scale of architecture is so vast, that even the innumerable sculptured objects by which walls, columns, and entablatures are covered, do not interfere with the grandeur of the whole effect. Moreover, the heaviness which would adhere to such massive edifices in Syria, disappears when they are seen through the crystalline medium of this Egyptian atmosphere.

There is another peculiarity, my dear mother, of Egyptian architecture, which no one can contemplate without an increasing impression of awe. I allude to the dromos, or double row of sphinxes—figures of which I have already spoken, and of which we have no idea in Syria, though an Assyrian noble whom I met in Sidon, described to me reposing colossi with majestic heads of kings and bodies of lions, as guarding the approach to the temples of the gods of his country. Such mysterious compounds of the human form with a lion or a ram, denoting the union of intellect with strength, are to be encountered here before every temple. These avenues of sphinxes, in profound repose and with a grave and serious aspect, are usually entered through a lofty gateway or pylon, before which are seated gigantic figures of gods, or stand obelisks of granite, placed in pairs, and richly and elaborately sculptured with hieroglyphics. Through such a gateway and avenue, I approached the city of On. A day or two ago I was in a temple dedicated to the god Horus, son of Osiris and Isis. Upon the pylon was inscribed a sun, supported by two asps with outspread wings—the emblem of Hor-hat, the good genius of Egypt—and hence to be found everywhere represented. It is this which is erroneously called, by some travellers, a winged globe. In the entrance, this god was pictured with the head of a hawk (at once his symbol and a type of the sun, from the piercing brightness of its eye), as an actor in various scenes, both celestial and terrestrial, such as hunting, sailing, and engaged in war against Typhon, and others.

Passing these, I entered a spacious court, open to the sky and surrounded by sculptured colonnades. Crossing this court, which inferior priests were traversing or idly lounging in, I came to a second propylon, the magnificent wings of which were divided into numerous compartments, and sculptured ten stories high, with the most exquisite art. This pylon, in the wings of which the priests lodge, led into an open court one hundred paces long, through the centre of which extended an avenue of twenty-four columns, sixty-six feet high and twelve in diameter, and on each side of these were seven rows of lesser columns, forty feet in height and nine in diameter. All these presented sculptured surfaces, and the richest description of capitals. A still more magnificent gateway, at the extremity of this street of columns, conducted me into a vast hall with covered cloisters on the sides, and a double row of colossal pillars running down the centre. All the rest of the space was paved and adorned with fountains, statues, and fruit and flower trees, growing from large alabaster vases. Priests and worshippers moved in all directions through this and the other courts. The walls of this grand hall were decorated with battle-pieces—the triumphs of the Pharaohs in the conquest of neighboring kingdoms—representations of offerings to the gods, and of captive princes led at the wheels of chariots. I advanced to another pylon, still loftier and more noble than the rest, and as I looked back to the remote outer entrance, two thousand feet off, I discovered that an artifice of architecture had been employed to increase the apparent distance by diminishing the gateways in height, as if by the effect of a lengthened perspective. The effect was all that the architect could have desired.

The Egyptians apply colors freely to their architecture. This peculiarity increases in a wonderful degree the richness and harmony of the general effect. The cloudless sky of Egypt gives brilliancy to all the colors of nature, and these imitated on the walls of temples and palaces, have a beauty and splendor that must be seen to be appreciated. Granite, serpentine stone, breccia, or basalt, whatever be the material, its appearance, however elaborately polished, is by the Egyptians enriched, as they believe, and as I begin to think, by the pencil. The profusion with which they employ colors and sculpture in their temples, palaces, and tombs, has no parallel on earth. In Syria they are subsidiary to architecture. Here they are a part of it. The sloping outer walls, the external surfaces,—ceiling, column, and pylon,—are all covered with sculpture. Their sculptured bass-reliefs unite the qualities of a cameo and an intaglio, the figure itself rising from the broadly cut and deep outline of the design. Thus, though the design is in relief, the figure does not project, and is protected from injury. The colors which are laid on these are softened by their retiring below the surface. Real bass-reliefs, however, exist on the monuments of the age of Sesortasen I.

The adytum of the temple which I am describing so minutely, with descriptions of the peculiarities of the architecture of the Egyptians (knowing your architectural taste and curiosity about all such subjects, my dear mother), was, unlike any of the halls I had traversed, much smaller, and yet far more beautiful than any of them. It was a square chamber, the ceiling of which was painted blue and studded with stars, while the moon shone down, a shield of polished silver, from the zenith point. Figures of vultures, hawks, and other emblems, were placed upon columns around the hall, and separated only by the winged asp-encircled sun. These figures were richly colored, and the eyes of the birds glittered with diamonds set in them. Upon the entablature around the hall were sculptured the twelve months. All these, and the walls, were beautifully painted, with a harmony of distribution and combination of their gorgeous colors singularly pleasing to the eye. Hieroglyphics, traced in gold on blue panels, recorded the virtues and deeds of Horus. The floor of this sumptuous chamber represented the great circle of the sun through the twelve constellations, and also the images of the seven planetary gods, executed in the pavement with almost every variety of colored stone, such as the emerald, amethyst, agate, lapis lazuli, root of emerald, cornelian, greenstone, hæmatite, all interset with gold, silver, and bronze. Nothing could be richer. A sun of pure gold was placed in the centre of this wonderful zodiac, if I may so term it, for I do not know whether it is a true planetary configuration which is represented with a fixed date, or simply arbitrary, and executed as an ornament. The Egyptians are, however, skilful astronomers, and have the skill and learning to interpret and thus record the ages of the past by the procession of the heavens.

On one side of this chamber of art and beauty, stood the monolith which contained the shrine of the god. It was a rock of solid granite, in which a recess was hollowed out, wherein sat the deity. Nothing could be more majestic and simple. The Egyptians seem to delight in contrasts. All the magnificence and architectural glory I have described, directed the footsteps of the votary to a plain block of stone, containing a statue of Syenite marble the size of a man. The face is calm and majestic, and the eyes are fixed upon the worshipper with a supernatural expression which awes him. The genius which had erected the superb edifice of the god, had concentrated its power in the face of the divinity. Though stone, it seemed above humanity; and the soul of the god seemed dwelling in it, and giving its countenance a divine energy.

But, my dear mother, I will not longer occupy your time with temples and architecture. I have written of them sufficiently to give you an idea of the land I sojourn in. But my descriptions will enable you to form a more correct idea of such events as I may hereafter write about, and enable you, when I relate scenes and actions, to conceive, in a measure, the surrounding features and aspect of places. If I were writing a volume "on Egypt," I would then visit and describe all her magnificent temples, pyramids, obelisks, palaces, canals, lakes, cities, and tombs, from Pelusium to the tower of Syene. But I know that these would not interest you, after what I have written, and that what is personal to myself and descriptive of the people, that is, life and action, will be more agreeable for you to read (and for me to write) than gorgeous pictures of architectural results. I shall, therefore, for the future, only incidentally describe edifices (unless, indeed, I give you a letter upon the mighty pyramids), and devote my pen to scenes passing around me.

And in pursuance of this purpose, my dear mother, I will describe to you the review of the army of chariots of iron, which followed my presentation to the queen. I will not be so vain as to suffer you to think that this superb spectacle was arranged purposely in honor of your son; though had it been so, it could hardly have added to the honors which that august and courteous lady has showered upon me; but I feel that the distinction is due rather to the friendship which Remeses entertains for me, than to any merit or claim of my own beyond my simple rank.

The review in question was prepared for this day; and, in order that I might witness it, the queen had graciously appointed the occasion for my presentation to her. Although, in my account of that interview, I spoke only of myself, yet there had been presented, just before I entered the palace, several ambassadors, princes, and philosophers, from various countries, including Arabia, Persia, Sheba, Javan, Iberia, Abyssinia, and the isles of the sea. These had come to Egypt, either to enter the schools of philosophy, to negotiate terms of tribute or alliance, or to study the science of war, for which Egypt has become eminent, even rivalling the mighty Philistine armies in discipline, effect, and valor.

From the throne-room we passed out through a gateway, from which descended steps to the parade, which was a vast square, capable of holding one hundred thousand men; while the colonnades around it would accommodate as many more spectators.