of Eternity, Thou Sun of both horizons, Thou Creator who hast
created Thyself. All the gods shout aloud when they behold Thee,
O King of heaven; my youth is renewed when I see thy beauty. Hail to
Thee, as Thou passest from land to land, Thou Father of the gods!"

He stopped speaking and remained standing, his arms outstretched
towards the sun, as though he absorbed warmth from it.

Then in the forest of pillars a rattle of arms was heard, which
ceased immediately, and forthwith a stately beardless man appeared,
clothed in purple and gold. His walk was as noiseless as that of a
panther's, and he seemed to glide over the floor which reflected his
image, a bright shadow which followed him as he went. When he came
out on the terrace the sun cast behind him a gigantic dark shadow
which lay there like a carpet.

"Already at prayer, thou wisest of the wise!" was Pharaoh's greeting
to the Chief Priest.

"My lord has called me, thy servant has obeyed. My lord has returned
to his land after long and victorious campaigns in far and foreign
countries. Thy servant greets Pharaoh to his face."

Pharaoh sat down on a chair of state, his face turned towards the
rising sun, and began to speak like one who wishes to set his
thoughts in order. "My chariots have rolled over the red soil of
Syria, my horses have trampled the highways of Babylon and Nineveh;
I have crossed the Euphrates and Tigris, and marched through the
region between the two rivers; I have come to the land of the Five
Rivers, and seen the Seven in the distance, where the Land of Silk