THE TWELFTH PAPYRUS

But, when the place was clear, then, indeed, I waited where I was, till Amenemhat should leave his pulpit, giving me a signal to descend and join him. For he directed my actions at this juncture; and it seemed to me that he, being at liberty, understood what to do for my security better than I in my cell. But, after I had waited an hour, stiffness invaded my members and tedium my noble mind. Wherefore, seeing that the temple was deserted, and that Amenemhat still remained motionless in meditation, I came down from the secret chamber, retracing my steps, and entering the shrine by the priests’ door. But, having approached my friend, addressing him softly by name, I perceived that he was indeed rapt in an ecstasy, and (no doubt) receiving a peculiar revelation from some god. At whose pulpit I stood, watching intensely, having no more fear.

And anon he came out of his trance, with the usual eye-rollings and shiverings and deep sighings for the long-unused breath. But, when his returning gaze lit on me, he began to sob very quietly in the manner of a man, shedding no tears; and that is the most horrible of all things to see. But I was aware, from these tokens, that he had had a revelation concerning me and portending a parting. For which cause I treated him tenderly, saying nothing.

And, at length, he descended from his pulpit; and, having led me a long way into the innermost recesses of the temple, into a large hall which I never yet had seen, wherein were numerous unheard-of matters, then, he began to speak. But his words were unwinged; and thus he said: “O Nicholas, the hour of thy departure is at hand. For, since the Pharoah’s mercenaries have invaded this sacred place, it will be insecure for thee as also for us. For there will be a blameless guard continually about our walls; and, though thou mayst leave once by the secret postern, thou couldst not do so more than once; and it is not in thy nature to brook confinement. Also, as long as the guards remain, the shrine of the goddess will be deserted and her gifts wasted for lack of receivers. Wherefore thou needs must go. But, before thou goest, know that the well-feathered shiny gods have deigned to give me an order concerning thee and to send thee a message by my mouth, whereby thy mind may be enlightened about mysteries of the past and a foresight of thy future revealed to thee.”

But I, hearing this, perceived that very fine solemnities were on hand. Wherefore I listened attentively.

And Amenemhat continued his discourse, saying: “Thou knowest, O Wanderer, who thou art and whence thou camest: but thou knowest not who thou hast been, nor who thou shalt be. But these are the matters on which I am to give thee information. For thou, Nicholas the Third, called the Crab, who art come from the kingdom of Victory queen of the stalwart stately Anglicans, knowest no more of thine ancestors than the names of Nicholas the First who was father of Robert who was father of William who was father of Nicholas the Second who was father of thy gentle father James. Nevertheless, thou (having been brought backward through the rolling wheels of time) shalt know that it is the inscrutable will of the blessed gods to make thee aware of him who was thy primal sire. And he is none other than Laertes, lord of rocky Ithaka, whose wife Antikleja was the daughter of Aytolikos, whom wing-footed Hermes the Luck-bringer begat.”

But I began to understand all sorts of riddles, and many mysteries indeed were being solved. But the priest was uttering his rede with the tones of one inspired; and I eagerly lent him both my ears. And Amenemhat pursued his revelation, saying: “Furthermore, O Wily One, thou art to know this. For, seeing that the much-enduring much-contriving son of King Laertes, having wandered far by sea and land during the ten years following after the siege of windy Ilion, set out once again on another wandering (but wherefore I do not know); and was slain here, at the mouth of sacred Sihor, by young Telegonos, his own son and Kirke’s (that awful goddess), ignorant of whom he slew, now, therefore, it is the will of those divine ones who have never lost their faces that thou, Nicholas called the Crab, shouldst pursue thy quest for wisdom reincarnate in thine original person as King Odysseys, undertaking a third wandering, the course of which is not yet known to me: but it will be known by me, and revealed by me to thee, in the moment when thou farest forth. For the thing is yet on the knees of the gods.”

But, when Amenemhat had said all this, the Anglican portion of me suggested the placing of some term to such seemingly nonsensical ravings. For which cause, I said, as stolidly as possible: “When shall I, Nicholas called the Crab, find myself reincarnate as King Odysseys for the purpose named?”

And the priest solemnly answered, saying: “Thou art Odysseys, even now.”

To whom I said: “I require proof of the truth of thy word.”

But Amenemhat drew back a veil which was concealing a picture painted on the wall. And he said: “See here, now, O Wily One, for this is a copy of that portrait of Odysseys Laertiades which is in the temple of Herakles at Naykratis, a precious possession. Art thou like it, or does it resemble thee, O thou from whom it was painted?”

And certainly the piece did exactly resemble me, with my long arms and legs and my silver hair and my well-sunned skin and the shy fierce ruthlessness of my visage. But I was not overanxious to begin another life at that moment; and, for this cause, I would not be convinced: but I believed that the priest was deceiving me with a portrait painted from myself secretly, for I had never seen the portrait at Naykratis. But seeing myself likely to be brought to a full stop in the matter, I determined to use my magic art as a means of arriving at the truth.

And, casting a severe glance at Amenemhat, I withdrew my attention from him as one unworthy. But he waited, calmly, placidly, saying nothing.

But I took from my robe my orb of divination, of rock-crystal banded with silver with adornments of blue moonstones; and, having placed it properly, I peered into its illimitable profundity. And all within was blank and void. But I made an act of will, willing to see the Naykratian portrait as it was. And instantly it filled the crystal void. And, having compared it with the picture on the wall, I was aware that they were alike in every particular. But I gazed again into the crystal, making another act of will, willing to see Odysseys Laertiades in his habit as he lived. And instantly I saw him there. And, having compared him with the picture on the wall, I was aware that it was as like to him in every particular as it was like to me.

But I returned the crystal to its place, and drew forth my magic staff, signing the priest with it, and reciting the Spell called Compelling Truth. And I inquired of him, saying: “Who am I?”

And he answered me: “Odysseys Laertiades.”

But I inquired of him again, saying: “Who have I been?”

And he answered me: “Nicholas, called the Crab.”

But I inquired of him yet again, saying: “Who shall I be?”

And he answered me: “After many lives thou shalt be once more Nicholas, called the Crab.”

Wherefore I knew that these things were somehow so. And I gave him leave to continue. He, then, said: “O Very Wily One, proofs thou desirest; and proofs thou shalt have, of a sort. Dost thou remember thy bow, the black bow of Eyrytos, which none can bend save thyself or a god? And dost thou remember thy sword, the sword of Eyryalos? I ask, for reasons. For, after thy death near Sihormouth, thy weapons were placed on the breast of thy corpse to go with thee to the netherworld; and, when thy funeral-pyre was lighted, the flames leaped up, and blazed, and died to embers: but thy deathless soul was departed (where, I know not, nor dost thou definitely); and there were no ashes of thy body: which things are a mystery all. But thine arms and thy bow and thine armour, having been forged by a god, could not perish. And, now, thou art here; and they too rest here in the secret treasury, waiting for thee to assume them again, O much-contriving King Odysseys, Sacker of Cities.”

But, indeed, if any mind-perplexing doubt had remained to me, this would have sufficed to dismiss it. For I was aware that the prediction of my slave, Yokkho, when he said: The silver god, in the temple, taking the bow which sings, was about to be fulfilled. And I arose, following Amenemhat with a joyful mind.

But he led me into a yet larger hall, having row upon row of ungraven columns. And everywhere there were vast heaps of gold and silver ingots well-builded, with vases and cups and tripods of gold and silver and Korinthic bronze, which is platinum,⁠[34] and sheaves of ivory-handed spears with adornments gold and chrysoprase, armour and shields of gold, elephants’ tusks of monstrous dimensions, fillets of gems, and ropes of pearls. But we passed through, into a smaller hall of a circular shape, having an altar in the centre, whereon lay an enormous shield of silver, carved with various devices and set with crabs and moons in very pure nonagonal prismatic rock-crystals with balls of rock-crystal and blue moonstone. There, also, was a mighty helmet of the same, plumed with the lofty-waving prides of nine white peacocks. There, also, was a short sword, in a silver scabbard inlaid with similar rock-crystals and blue moonstones. There, also, was a vast black bow of a totally unheard-of material, with a quiver decorated like the scabbard and full of fear-inspiring arrows. There, also, on the altar-steps, were greaves of silver gloriously carven, with adornments of rock-crystals and blue moonstones, and a breast-plate with the back-plate and shoulder-pieces of the same so bespattered with moony gems that they resembled gigantic dewdrops on a frosty field seen in the clear of the full moon. And, also, a large bundle wrapped in white buckskin was lying at the foot of the altar.

And, when I had looked upon these things, Amenemhat thus addressed me, saying: “These are thy god-forged silver armour and thy god-carven bow and sword, O Odysseys. Take then thy bow and make a trial.”

But, when I took the great bow in my hand, it quivered and thrilled, singing a marvellous mystic melody; and thus it sang:

But, having drawn a well-winged arrow from the quiver, I passed again into the great hall of the secret treasury; and Amenemhat followed me, holding aloft his lanthorn; and rays of light from it flamed upon a shield of burnished gold at the far end of the hall. But, though never (to my remembrance) had I handled a bow since I, a little eager scolded and mocked-at child, played my own solitary fantastic games in the kingdom of Victory queen of the stalwart stately Anglicans, nevertheless I bended and strang the huge black bow of Eyrytos with the skilful ease of an expert. And the back-bent bow throbbed in my hand as though it were alive, itself taking aim at the shield-navel. And the shaft sped forth, shrieking and humming in the air, till it buried its length in the boss of the burnished shield. And, having done what no man but one man can do, I doubted no long but that I actually was King Odysseys, the Wily One, Sacker of Cities, the Wanderer, the grandson of Divine Wing-footed Hermes.

Amenemhat said: “Verily, thou art the lord of rocky Ithaka.”

And to him I answered, saying: “Yea: that I am.”

But, returning to the inner treasury, I stripped myself all stark, and put on the god-forged armour of yellow-haired great-hearted Akhilleys, which, formerly, my agile feet had won from Aias son of Telamon, arming myself with the glittering silver.⁠[35] First, indeed, I put on the beautiful greaves round my legs, well-fitting to the clasps. Next, I covered my body with the white leathern kirtle having taslets of carven silver about my loins, which Ares himself had worn. But I clothed myself over it with a kirtle of silver mail. Next, I placed on my breast and back and shoulders the corslet of swift-footed Akhilleys, wrought by Hephaistos himself at the behest of Thetis of the sea; and the silver-shining of it went to a great distance, as of the moon. And I hanged from my shoulders the silver-sheathed sword, gleaming with moony gems, and also the well-carven quiver of arrows. And, on my head, I set the well-made helmet, crested with the lofty-waving prides of nine white peacocks; and dreadfully the plumage nodded from above. And I took, beside, the bow which sings, well-fitted to my hand, and then the huge and sturdy shield, whereon Hephaistos had wrought, in silver and rock-crystals and blue moonstones, earth, and heaven, and sea, and the unwearied sun, and the full moon, and all the constellations crowning heaven, the Pleiades, the Hyades, and the strength of Orion, and the Bear or the Wain which there revolves watching Orion, but it alone descends not into the baths of the ocean. But Amenemhat shod my feet with sandals of white leather, buckled with silver studded with moony gems. And he covered me with a great trailing mantle, of silver tissue lined with white fur, having a huge silver clasp of the crab and the moon. And the sheen of me reached to heaven; and all the earth around smiled in the splendour of the silver; and a sound like the trampling of men’s feet arose. But I stood in the midst, gnashing my teeth; and my eyes shone like a blaze of white fire.

These things having been duly accomplished, Amenemhat left me while he went about my business: for, indeed, the occasion was one for operating very mighty and singular magic, whereby I, King Odysseys, might be sent on my new quest suitably attended and in kingly fashion, and not without my gear. But, when it was night, the priest returned to me contriving wiles; and he said that all things were ready. For he had prepared for me one of the temple-galleys, a stout ship builded in the yards of Alexandria, pierced for forty oars, twenty a side in a single old-fashioned bank. And he had manned the galley with rowers and slaves, whom he gave to me as a sweet guest-gift: but one Deythes was the master-mariner. And the galley rode at anchor in mid-stream, ready to sail.

But, at midnight, having gathered all my goods which were in the temple, and having rubbed my necklace of bloodstones with marigold-juice so that I became invisible, I went down with Amenemhat to my barge by the desolate quay; and I shewed myself without warning in my brilliant panoply to Nesamun and Yokkho. And, when they had finished their adorations (for they naturally adored the silver god), then, indeed, I and Amenemhat did the magic which we had prepared, giving to my two slaves new forms with new names, whereby Nesamun came out of his Egyptian body, becoming Neandros, an Argive, and squire to me, and Yokkho came in turn out of his Egyptian body, becoming Thalos, an Argive also, and foot-boy to me. And the magic was done perfectly, nor was there any unusual noise.

But, when we had bestowed the evacuated Egyptian bodies upon the inchanted sons of slime, the mind in my dear breast was perplexing me concerning two further matters. For, I knew not what worthy gift I could give to Amenemhat as a parting blessing; and, also, I was aware that I desired to have something more in my slaves than that which they already possessed, to wit, their ingenious minds, faithful and fearless, which the gods of their stars had bestowed upon them, and the comely Argive forms wherewith I myself by my magic art had endowed them. But then, indeed, suddenly, a very singular and unheard-of thought illumined my noble mind, which bade me to use a most potent magic inchantment of another age (and I never had used it before, though I was fully competent in the circumstances), performing a sacred lavation, pouring a handful of Nile-water upon Amenemhat, and upon Neandros, and upon Thalos, saying over each in turn the Spell of the Three Who are One. Thus, then, I did. And the faces of the priest and of the slaves whitened, becoming strangely purified and thankful, unknowing. But I know all.

And, now that the time was come when I must part from Amenemhat, we two drew away to a darker corner of the desolate quay. But the haughty wise eyes of the priest were full of unshed tears; and he spoke in the secret tongue of the priests of Khem, saying: “Never, O Odysseys, shall we meet again, neither in this life nor in another, till the cycles of our opportunities shall be fulfilled. But to thee I give the galley and her crew, slaves; and I have placed a certain treasure in the hold for thy use and comfort. Take them, O friend, as a sweet guest-gift. And, so, fare thee well, O King Odysseys, whom may all gods of sea and land and air and sky have in prime and perpetual favour. And this is the message which I have in charge to give thee at parting: From the Depths of the Dead thou shalt win back the Treasure of Hades.”

Thus he spoke; and, having embraced me, he went his own way.

But I ascended my barge; and, when Neandros and Thalos had rowed me to my galley, I mounted the lofty poop, to see my goods brought aboard, and the empty barge sent adrift, for it was no longer useful to me. But I gave commands to Deythes, my shipman, that he should shape a course for Sihormouth and, so, out to the open sea.

Thus I did, leaving the land of Khem, and beginning a new quest.

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