The Pillar of Fire; or, Israel in Bondage

by J. H. Ingraham

The queen did not descend the steps, but took her seat by a statue of the god of war, upon a sort of throne beneath a canopy, supported by six bearers, to shield her from the sun. But Remeses, leaving me by the side of his royal mother, who was also surrounded by her guard, and near whom stood the ambassadors and princes and philosophers, received from an attendant a helmet of gold, which he put over his silken bonnet, and from another a corselet of steel inlaid, mounted a war-chariot in waiting, and, casting a glance around upon the field, looked all at once the warrior-prince, which the heightened color of his cheek and proud carriage of his head showed he felt himself to be. Thus, whether a soldier at the head of the hosts of Egypt, a counsellor by the throne of his mother, a courtier among the nobles, a philosopher in the Academies, he is perfect in all things. As a son, he sets an example of devotion and filial respect to the young men of the kingdom; as a man, his private character is pure from every vice or folly—a worthy heir to the throne of the dominant kingdom of the earth. The sight which the square presented surpasses my ability to convey to your mind a just conception of. The vast area was one third occupied by a division of chariots. The chariot corps constitutes a very large and effective portion of the Egyptian army. Each car contained two soldiers—for, from the position I occupied, my eyes could take in the whole splendid scene—besides the charioteer. The car on which Remeses stood was drawn by two horses, but without any charioteer, the reins being fastened to an upright spear. His chariot was inlaid with silver and gold. The sides and back were open, and the base or floor of the car curved upward in front, serving as a safeguard to the charioteer when one was required; but it now supported his quiver of silver and bow-case of gilded leather, richly ornamented with figures of lions. The spear-case, which was of bronze, and fastened by chains of gold, pointed over his shoulder. Close to it was an additional quiver containing Parthian arrows, while a mace of iron and heavy sword, that reflected the sunlight, hung by thongs from the rings of the spear-case. All the other chariots, which were constructed of wood and iron handsomely painted, were similarly accoutred, though less elegant in form and finish, and provided only with a single quiver, bow, and spear. The housings upon the horses were cuirasses of woven links of the finest steel, while gorgeous feathers decked their heads.

No sooner had the prince leaped upon his chariot, than the Ethiopian slaves, who held his two fiery steeds, sprung aside, releasing them in the act, when they bounded into the air and dashed forward over the plain. Remeses, immovable as a statue, let them fly before him until he came in front of the drawn-up phalanx of chariots, when, at a slight signal with his hands, the horses, whose eyes are wholly free from shields or blinders, stopped full. These proved to be his favorite chariot-horses, and had been trained to render perfect obedience.

Now commenced a grand movement of the whole battalion. While Remeses stood in his chariot, the van of the four thousand chariots, which constituted the host, moved forward. In a few moments the whole body was in motion. Dashing forward across the field, they swept round at its extremity in vast curves, and came thundering on, to pass the point where the queen sat. The ground shook with the roll of eight thousand wheels and the fall of twice as many horse hoofs! It was a magnificent sight, as, one hundred abreast, the column came on. The head of it, led by the chief captains, passed our position like a mighty river, the surface of which tossed with helmets, glittering spears, bows, plumed heads of steeds, and gorgeous housings—a dazzling, bewildering spectacle, full of sublimity and terrible power. The splendor of the head-dresses and trappings of the steeds, mingling with the shining cuirasses and steel weapons of the armed charioteers, presented a scene I shall never cease to remember.

In the centre of the field of review stood Remeses, his eagle glance reviewing their movements, with a few of his generals about him, each in his own chariot. When this grand and imposing army had compassed the square, they resumed their former position with a precision and order marvellous to witness. Then followed evolutions by detachments of chariots. Five hundred of them, divided into two equal bodies, took position, one at each end of the parade, and, at a signal, charged upon each other at a speed which, at first slow, increased each moment. My heart leaped with excitement. I looked to see a very battle, and to behold horses and charioteers overturned in tumultuous confusion from the inevitable shock. But so well-drilled were they, that the two lines, deploying as they drew nearer, passed through each other in spaces measured by the eyes of the charioteers so nicely, that in a moment they were rattling away, each to occupy the other's vacated position. There was a general shout of applause from the tens of thousands of spectators at this brilliant manœuvre. Other displays of battle-charioteering took place, during which was exhibited every evolution that war demands on the veritable field of conflict.

This magnificent review occupied three hours, when it terminated by all the generals, and chief captains, and leaders of cohorts and legions, simultaneously detaching themselves from their several commands, and one after another galloping at full speed, first around the prince, saluting him, and then wheeling and turning in front of the queen's pavilion, paying her military homage as they passed her, by placing the left hand upon the breast, lowering the point of the spear, and then raising it above their glittering helmets. The queen rose, smiled, and returned the salute by a graceful wave of her hand. This company of warrior chiefs excelled, in richness of armor and apparel, and housings and head-dresses for their steeds, and in the beauty of their war-chariots, all that had gone before. Returning to their post, the trumpets of the whole army sounded, and this martial array of chariots and horsemen moved all together across the parade, at a rapid trot, and, defiling by fifties through a colossal pylon, soon disappeared outside of the walls on their way to their camp. Their retiring trumpets could be still heard dying away beyond the gates, as Remeses rejoined us, alighting from his chariot after loosing the reins of his steeds from about his body, to which he had bound them during one part of the evolutions, in which he took the lead of a charging legion in his own chariot, as ever without a charioteer.

We now retired into the palace, it being past noon, and were conducted towards the reception-rooms of the royal banquet-hall by the grand-chamberlain. At the door we were received by the chief butler, while the other officers of the royal household stood in a line, bending low as the queen and her guests passed in. We consisted, besides her majesty, the prince and myself, of the ambassador from Chaldea, the king's messenger from the Court of Chederlaomer III., in whose country, three hundred years and more ago, the famous battle of Sodom was fought; the ambassador from the kingdom of Assyria; the young Prince of Tarshish; the Duke Chilmed of Sheba, and the Dukes Javan and Tubal; the Lord of Mesech, and the Prince of Midian. Besides these was a great and wise prince from the land of Uz, near the country of Prince Abram, the Mesopotamian. He was accompanied by two friends, philosophers and men of note, Zophar of Naamath, and Lord Eliphaz of Teman. This lord of Uz came into Egypt with a great retinue and train of servants, for he is a man of vast possessions. He had heard of the wisdom and power of Amense, and had come with his own merchants to visit her court. He is also an eminently wise man, a worshipper of the one Deity, as was the ancient king Abram. He is of venerable and majestic aspect, is learned in all the wisdom of Chaldea and Arabia, and seeks to add thereto the lore of Egypt. Besides this distinguished prince, there are other philosophers of note and name. In such noble company, dear mother, was it my fortunate lot to fall. Truly, to come into Egypt is to see the whole world!

The queen, after entering the ante-room, retired to the right, where her ladies-in-waiting received her and escorted her to her own apartments to prepare for the banquet, which had been delayed by the review. Remeses leading the way, with me by his side, we came to the outer room, where handsomely dressed pages offered us scented water in ewers of gold, to lave our fingers, removed our sandals, and in foot-pans of gold washed our feet, beginning with Remeses. They then dried them with perfumed napkins of the softest linen fringed with threads of gold, and placed upon them sandals of crimson cloth, embroidered with flowers. Our upper garments were removed by Nubian servants, and replaced by a banquet-vesture, more or less rich according to our rank. Thus refreshed, we entered a beautiful reception-room containing the most elegant articles of furniture. Here every one of us was presented by the chief gardener of the palace with a lotus-flower, to be held in the hand during the entertainment. As we moved about, admiring the beauty of the rooms and the furniture, and such objects of luxury and art as were intended to gratify the tastes of guests, there were several arrivals of generals, and officers of the chariot legion, and other divisions of the army of Lower Egypt, who had been summoned to the banquet. Among these I recognized some of the superbly uniformed officers who had lined the avenue of the grand approach to the throne—for you will recollect that I said it was an army of officers, soldiers of this rank alone being permitted to do the honors of the palace on the reception of princes or foreign ambassadors.

There were, also, nobles, and distinguished citizens, Egyptian gentlemen of worth and condition, that entitled them to the honor of dining at the palace. From a window I witnessed the arrival of these. They came in elegant pleasure-chariots, attended by a number of servants. One of these footmen came forward to announce to the chief porter his master's name; others took the reins, for the Egyptian lord prefers to drive himself in the streets; another, who held above his head, standing behind him, a large parasol of gorgeous plumes, alighted, carried it still above him as he crossed to the portico of the palace.

Several aged persons arrived in palanquins exquisitely carved and painted, and borne by slaves. Two or three arrived on foot, an attendant holding a shield or large fan above them. Water was brought also for their feet, but not in golden foot-bowls, and robes and sandals were distributed according to rank.

At length, for these polite Egyptians (as well as ourselves) regard it as a want of good-breeding to sit down to table immediately on arriving, the music, which had played all the while the guests were arriving, ceased, and the chief butler announced the moment of the banquet. At the same instant the queen entered the apartment, and, after receiving the salutations of us all, was escorted by Remeses to the banquet-hall. As we entered, a company of musicians, stationed near the door, struck up one of the favorite airs of the country, playing upon tambourines, cymbals, double-pipes, flutes which rested on the floor, guitars, lyres, and instruments unknown to me. The music was full of harmony, and, to my ear, novel, from the number of strange instruments. This continued until we had been seated according to rank, my place being to the left of the queen, Remeses sitting at her right. There were four ladies of rank also near the queen, along the table, which I may mention was of polished silver.