Chapter 55 Chapter Fifty-Three

"For we shall never sleep," read Homer, "not even a moment's respite, till night shall part us and appease our madness. The breast shall be wet with sweat beneath the shield that protects us all. , and the hand will grip the hilt." "Does the verse in this poem suggest that the war will return?" Ramses asked. "I only talk about the past." "Isn't it a harbinger of the future?" "I started to fall in love with Egypt, and I didn't want to see it sink into chaos." "Why are you so worried?" "I am still in communication with my fellow-citizens, and their latest uproar disturbs me. I have heard that their blood boils like the walls of Troy."

"What else do you know?" "I'm just a poet, and my eyesight is failing." Helen thanked Queen Duya for being willing to accept her and let her spend such a warm time.After the face of the Great Empress was carefully decorated, there was not even the slightest trace of sadness. "I don't know how to..." "It's no use talking, Helen." "I am truly devastated and I pray to God to bless the king with his recovery." "Thank you for your kindness, me too. I beg the gods." "I'm worried, very worried..." "What are you afraid of?"

"Menelaus is very excited, so excited. He is usually depressed, but now he seems to be very happy. Because he is convinced that he will take me back to Greece soon!" "Even if Seti dies, you will still be protected." "I fear not, Your Majesty." "Menelaus is my guest, he has no right to make decisions." "I will stay here, at the court, by your side!" "Don't worry, Helen. You will be in no danger." Despite the queen's assurances of appeasement, Helen feared the malevolence of Menelaus, and his attitude suggested that he was hatching a plot to escape Egypt with his wife.Wasn't Seti's death a rare and coveted opportunity?Helen decides to investigate her husband's actions, and Duya's life may be at stake.When Menelaus doesn't get what he wants, he gets rough, and there hasn't been such roughness for a very, very long time.

Amene was reading the letter Dorant had written to Ramesses. "Reread it slowly," the Regent demanded.Amene obeyed with trepidation and trepidation. "Get out a new papyrus." "Are we going to back down?" "Dorante is my sister, Amene." "My disappearance will not cause her to mourn because I am not a royal." "You are so mean!" "Forgiveness is not necessarily good. Your sister and her husband just want to betray you." "Start writing, Amene." "My wrist hurts. Don't you want to express your forgiveness to her yourself?"

"Write, I beg you." Amene gripped the holder of his reed pen tightly between his teeth. The content is very short: Do not expect to return to Memphis, offenders will appeal to the Prime Minister for trial and punishment, and please stay away from Pharaoh. Amene's reed pen dances briskly on the papyrus. After Dorant read the insulting letter Ramses sent back to her, she stayed by Iser's side for a long time.Does the regent's uncompromising personality, his brusqueness, and his hard-heartedness herald a dark dynasty and future for his concubine Yser and son? Esther really had to admit that Xena had reason to blame his brother, for Ramesses sowed nothing but ruin and misfortune all around him.Despite Esther's affection for him, she had no choice but to ruthlessly oppose Ramses; and Dorante, his own sister, had to do the same.

Egypt's future belongs to Xena.Iser should forget about Ramses, remarry the new master of the country and start a real family. Shali emphasized that the high priest of the Temple of Amun and many high-ranking officials agreed with Xena. After Seti died, as long as Xena showed that he had the right to be on the throne, they would support him.After the new king is officially announced, Esther can control her own future. Moses stepped into the construction site shortly after dawn, and there was no stonemason working there.It was a normal workday, and the professionalism of those fine workers was impeccable, and it was their practice that any absences should be justified.

But once completed, the Hall of Columns in Karnak, which may be the most majestic in Egypt, was empty. For the first time, Moses tasted a quietness not disturbed by the sound of hammers and chisels.He gazed at the images of the gods carved on the columns, and secretly admired the consecration that united pharaoh and god; where the divine transcended the human mind with strange power. Moses stayed here alone for a long time, as if he owned this magical place.Soon it will be filled with the creative forces indispensable to the salvation of Egypt.But is this creative power the best expression of the gods?Finally, he saw a foreman returning to find a tool that had been forgotten under a certain column.

"Why don't you go to work?" "do not you know?" "I just came back from the Silesian Mountains. I don't know." "The architect announced to us this morning that the site was closed." "what reason?" "It was supposed to be Pharaoh himself who explained the design blueprints to us, but he is still in Memphis. After he comes to Thebes, we can continue to work." Moses was not satisfied with this answer.Unless he was seriously ill, what reason could prevent Seti Thebes from inspecting such a major project? Seti died?Who dares to imagine?Ramses must be very sad.

Moses boarded the first sailing ship bound for Memphis. "Come closer, Ramses." Seti was lying on a bed of gilded wooden planks by the window, and the afterglow of the setting sun shining through the window into the room also illuminated his face, and his son was stunned by the serenity of his face. Rekindle hope!Seti had the energy to meet Ramses again, and the pain disappeared.Has he conquered death? "Pharaoh was the image of the Creator, he created himself," said Seti, "and all he did was to perform the 'maat' justly. To perform these acts of goodness for the gods, Ramesses, became Shepherd of the people, life-giving to man, vigilant day and night, seeking every opportunity for proper action."

"This is your role, Dad, and you will continue to do so for a long time." "I see my own death, its steps approaching, its face like the goddess of the West, young and smiling. It is not an end, Ramses, but a journey." "Please stay, I beg you." "The purpose of your existence is to lead others, not to seek help from others. As for me, the time to experience death and accept reincarnation as a god and ghost has come. If my life in this world is upright, the sky will accept my existence." "Egypt needs you." "Since ancient times, Egypt has been the only daughter of light, and the descendants of Egypt sit on the throne of light. You will inherit my cause and carry it forward, Ramesses, and your name is 'Son of Light'."

"I still have many questions to ask you, many instructions to guide..." "I have trained you since the first confrontation with the wild bull, for no one knew that at that moment fate was decided, yet you should have sensed its secret, for you will command a people. " "I'm not ready yet." "No one has ever been ready. When your ancestor Ramesses I left the dust and flew to the rising sun, I was as terrified and disappointed as you are today. Only the hand of God can control a man and make him a victim. For Pharaoh, you will be the first servant of the people, a servant who has no right to rest and entertainment like ordinary people. You will be alone, but not hopelessly lonely like a lost lamb, but be a man who must choose the right direction, the captain who sees the mystical forces around you. Love Egypt more than yourself, and a bright future will open up for you." The golden afterglow of the sunset caressed Seti's peaceful face, and a strange light emanated from the pharaoh's body, as if he himself was the source of light. "Thy path shall be strewn with thorns," he prophesied. "Those fearful foes you must confront, for human beings prefer tragedy to happiness, but the power to triumph is within you, if you know how to use it. Neferta Li's magic will protect you, for her heart is the same as that of all great queens. Fly high in the air like a falcon, son, and look down on the world and people with piercing eyes." Seti's voice disappeared, and his eyes looked up at the setting sun, looking at another world that only he could see. Duya personally announced the news of Seti's death in the palace.In the fifteenth year of his reign, Pharaoh turned around and returned to the underworld, to the arms of his heavenly mother. His god brothers greeted him in heaven, where all illnesses and ailments would disappear, and he would live according to "mayat". The mourning began immediately. The gate of the temple is closed, and all religious ceremonies have been interrupted except for the chanting of spiritual songs day and night.During these seventy days, men are not allowed to shave, women have their hair loose, people do not eat meat or drink alcohol, the clerk's office is also closed, and all administrative departments stop working. The pharaoh passed away, the throne was vacant, and Egypt entered a state of leaderless dragons.Everyone fears that there will be accidents during this period, and although there is still a queen and a regent, the throne does hang in the air.Attracted by this situation, those malevolent powers may emerge in various forms to plunder the life of Egypt and keep it captive. In terms of border defense, the army is on alert—the news of Seti's death will soon spread overseas, causing stupid movements in other countries.Would the Hittites and other warrior races attack the Nile Delta, or prepare for the kind of massive raid that pirates and Bedouins alike dreamed of?With his personal courage, Seti is enough to destroy them. After he leaves, can Egypt still fight alone? On the day of Seti's death, his body was transported to the gallbladder hall on the west bank of the Nile.The trial meeting for the arraignment of the deceased king was presided over by Du Ya.The empress herself, her son, the prime minister, the members of the state council, the first ministers, and all the household servants, after taking an oath not to lie, all declared that Seti was a righteous king, and they had no complaints against him. Du Ya handed over their judgment.In this way, Seti's soul can meet the boatman who helps people ferry, cross the river to another world, and then sail to the Star Coast.His body would then be reincarnated as Osiris and embalmed according to royal protocol. The embalming staff took out the king's internal organs, dehydrated the body with sodium hydroxide, and exposed it to the sun. Afterwards, the priests wrapped the king's body with cloth belts. Seti will be sent to his permanent residence that has already been built. Valley of the Kings. Yameni, Sai Dawu, and Moses were all worried about Ramses because he had been silent.After saying goodbye to his friends for their condolences, he shut himself in the house, and only Nefertari could talk to him, but that still didn't lessen his grief. Lions and dogs clung to Ramesses, as if wishing to ease his pain. With Seti around, the future is bright and bright. Ramses only needs to listen to his father's teachings, obey him, and follow his example.Ruling a country is so easy and enjoyable under the leadership of a father!Ramses never imagined that he would end up alone. Fifteen years is too short a reign!So many temples forever praise the glory of a builder who rivaled the pharaohs of the ancient empires.But Seti was gone.Twenty-three years of experience seemed to Ramses to be too fragile to carry every temple in Egypt. Maybe, the temple would crush him instead. Does he really deserve the resounding title of "Son of Light"?