Others were merchants who dealt with all the cities of Egypt; others
hereditary generals, or captains of fleets of ships; others Grecians,
officers of mercenaries who were supposed to be in the pay of the King
of kings, but hated him, as did all the Greeks. Then there were the
high priests of Ptah, of Amen, of Osiris and others who were still the
most powerful men in the land, since there was no village between
Thebes and the mouths of the Nile in which they had not those who were
sworn to the service of their gods.

Such was the company representing all that remained or could be
gathered there of the greatness of Egypt the ancient and the fallen.

To these when the doors had been closed and barred and trusty watchmen
set to guard them, Peroa expounded the case in a low and earnest
voice. He showed them that the King of the East sought a new quarrel
against Egypt that he might grind her to powder beneath his heel, and
that he did this by demanding the person of Amada, his own niece and
the Royal Lady of Egypt, to be included in his household like any
common woman. If she were refused then he would send a great army
under pretext of taking her, and lay the land waste as far as Thebes.
And if she were granted some new quarrel would be picked and in the
person of the royal Amada all of them be for ever shamed.

Next he showed the seal, telling them that I--who was known to many of
them, at least by repute--had brought it from the East, and repeating
to them the plan that I had proposed upon the previous night. After
this he asked their counsel, saying that before noon he must send an
answer to Idernes, the King's Satrap at Sais.

Then I was called upon to speak and, in answer to questions, answered