see how treachery and corruption are rewarded in this country!" A bowl
of wine stood near, provided by the king, from which the soldiers had
just been drinking themselves into intoxication. A Karian seized it,
plunged his sword into the innocent child's breast, and let the blood
flow into the bowl; filled a goblet with the awful mixture, and drained
it, as if drinking to the health of the wretched father. Phanes stood
watching the scene, as if struck into a statue of cold stone. The rest
of the soldiers then fell upon the bowl like madmen, and wild beasts
could not have lapped up the foul drink with greater eagerness.--
[Herodotus tells this fearful tale (III. ii.)]

In the same moment Psamtik triumphantly shot off his first arrow into the
Persian ranks.

The mercenaries flung the child's dead body on to the ground; drunk with
her blood, they raised their battle-song, and rushed into the strife far
ahead of their Egyptian comrades.

But now the Persian ranks began to move. Phanes, furious with pain and
rage, led on his heavy-armed troops, indignant too at the brutal
barbarity of their countrymen, and dashed into the ranks of those very
soldiers, whose love he had tried to deserve during ten years of faithful
leadership.

At noon, fortune seemed to be favoring the Egyptians; but at sunset the
Persians had the advantage, and when the full-moon rose, the Egyptians
were flying wildly from the battle-field, perishing in the marshes and in
the arm of the Nile which flowed behind their position, or being cut to
pieces by the swords of their enemies.