Uarda : a Romance of Ancient Egypt — Volume 02 by Georg Ebers
page 54 of 86 (62%)
page 54 of 86 (62%)
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thrown open, and with a solemn step Ameni, in full robes, and followed by
twenty pastophori--[An order of priests]--who bore images of the Gods and holy symbols on their shoulders--Ameni walked into the midst of the crowd. All were silent. "Wherefore do you disturb our worship?" he asked loudly and calmly. A roar of confused cries answered him, in which the frequently repeated name of Bent-Anat could alone be distinguished. Ameni preserved his immoveable composure, and, raising his crozier, he cried-- "Make way for the daughter of Rameses, who sought and has found purification from the Gods, who behold the guilt of the highest as of the lowest among you. They reward the pious, but they punish the offender. Kneel down and let us pray that they may forgive you, and bless both you and your children." Ameni took the holy Sistrum [A rattling metal instrument used by the Egyptians in the service of the Gods. Many specimens are extant in Museums. Plutarch describes it correctly, thus: "The Sistrum is rounded above, and the loop holds the four bars which are shaken." On the bend of the Sistrum they often set the head of a cat with a human face.] from one of the attendant pastophori, and held it on high; the priests |
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