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“So far I have recorded what the Egyptians themselves say. I shall now relate what is recorded alike by Egyptians and foreigners, and shall add something of what I myself have seen.”
HERODOTUS, HISTORIES, BOOK 2.147; A. D. GODLEY TRANSLATION
Summary
After Sethos, the priest of Hephaestus who became king, Egypt went without one for a short period of time. Soon, however, Egypt became divided into twelve districts with a king ruling each one. After an oracle told them that whichever of the kings poured out a libation to the gods with a bronze vessel would become sole ruler of Egypt, they made a promise with each other that they would not try to take each other’s power and to intermarry.
During a sacrifice at Hephaestus’ temple, the high priest accidentally brought out eleven, rather than twelve, gold vessels for the kings to pour out a libation. Psammetichus was left without a vessel, so he took off his bronze helmet and used that for the libation. The other eleven kings realized what Psammetichus had done. Although Psammetichus had no ulterior motives, the others still stripped him of his kingship and drove him away into the marshes.
Psammetichus was incensed by his treatment and wanted revenge. He consulted the oracle at Buto who told him he would get his revenge when he saw men of bronze coming from the sea. Psammetichus dismissed the oracle until one day he saw a group of Ionians and Carians (Greeks) stop at the coast of Egypt, after they had done some plundering, and disembark wearing their bronze armor. He befriended the Ionians and Carians and promised them great rewards if they helped him depose the other eleven kings. They agreed and Psammetichus became sole ruler of Egypt.
Psammetichus gave these Greeks their own land along the Nile river and paid them for their help. Additionally, he sent Egyptian boys to them to learn Greek. Their descendants became one of the seven classes of Egypt: interpreters.1
Psammetichus reigned for 53 years and his son Necos became king. Necos had began a project of building a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea, but stopped after an oracle told him he was simply toiling for foreigners. Later on, after the Persians conquered Egypt, Darius finished the canal project.
Necos reigned for 16 years and his son Psammis became king. He only reigned for six years after he tried invading Ethiopia.
Psammis’ son Apries became king and he reigned for 25 years. He launched an attack against Cyrene, but it was so disastrous the Egyptians thought he launched the attack on purpose in order to further consolidate power and they rebelled against him. Apries sent a man named Amasis to try and dissuade the Egyptians from rebellion, but when Amasis showed up, one of the Egyptians came up behind him and put a bronze helmet on his head, saying it was a token of royalty. Amasis liked the idea and decided instead to lead the Egyptian revolt.
When Apries heard that Amasis switched sides, he sent his one of his trusted advisor Patarbemis to Amasis, ordering him to bring Amasis back to him alive. When Patarbemis tried to do this, Amasis refused the summons and instead told him that he and some others would be meeting the king real soon. Realizing the threat, Patarbemis rushed back to Apries to warn him. Apries, angered that Patarbemis did not carry out his orders, punished Patarbemis by cutting off his nose and ears. When the few remaining Egyptians saw what the king did to a noble man like Patarbemis, and for such a terrible reason, they turned on the king and joined the rebellion. Having only the Ionians and Carians left, Apries marched against Amasis, but lost because they were greatly outnumbered.
After Apries’ defeat, Amasis became king of Egypt. At first, Amasis treated Apries very well, but the Egyptians protested that Amasis’ good treatment of him was a great injustice, so Amasis released him to the people. Apries was strangled to death and then buried in the tomb of his ancestors.
Amasis, at first, was not well respected as a king because he was a commoner. However, he soon won the people over after a particular incident. He had a golden washbowl, which was used for his dinner guests to wash their feet, urinate, and vomit in, broken down and turned into an image of a god. He then placed the image somewhere noticeable in the city. When he found out many Egyptians admired the image, he told them what it had been made of. “I have fared like the washbowl,” he told the Egyptians, “in that I used to be a common man. Now, though, I am your king, and I am due honor and respect.”
Amasis was also known for his questionable work schedule. He would do his duties as king until the marketplace filled with people, then he would spend the rest of the day partying and joking with his companions. When confronted about it, he told his objectors that relaxation was just as important as work.
During Amasis’ days as a commoner, he was a known drunkard who resorted to stealing for his basic necessities because he would always spend his money frivolously. When he denied stealing anything to his accusers, he was brought before different oracles. Some oracles determined him to be innocent, others guilty. When Amasis became king, he refused to take care of the shrines that declared his innocence during his thieving days, believing them to be frauds. By contrast, he took great care of the shrines who declared his guilt.
The last notable thing about Amasis was he was very fond of the Greeks. He gave the Greeks their own city (Naucritus), allowed them to setup holy places in other parts of Egypt, gave a generous donation to Delphi after it had burned down, and even married a Greek woman and loved her dearly.
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
We see yet another example of a self-fulfilling prophecy in ancient Greek literature with Psammetichus. If the kings had not known about the oracle that the king who poured a libation with a bronze vessel would become sole ruler, the other kings would have thought nothing of the fact that Psammetichus used his bronze helmet to pour a libation. If they would have thought nothing of that act, they wouldn’t have stripped Psammetichus of his position and driven him out. If Psammetichus hadn’t been driven out, he wouldn’t have wanted revenge against the other eleven kings. And, if Psammetichus hadn’t wanted revenge, he wouldn’t have gone against the other kings and become sole ruler of Egypt.
I can’t decide what the underlying message is.
The gods like to mess with mortals?
The gods use those prophecies to ensure Fate is carried out as it should be?
Mortals need to stop trying to change their destiny because that’s when they end up fulfilling it?
I would really like to see if there are any stories, especially, in Greek mythology and legend, of someone who heard what their fate would be, shrugged, and went on with their lives as if they hadn’t heard about it. What ended up happening to them? How were they viewed by the ancient Greeks?
Because, that’s the only lesson I seem to get from those stories. The more you try to keep the prophecy from being fulfilled, the more you are actually making it come to pass. So, what if you did nothing to stop the prophecy? What if you just kept living your life contentedly? What then? Would you be a fool? Would you be a defeatist? Or, would you be someone who knows their place?
It’s Still Funny
There’s a really funny scene after Amasis joins the Egyptian rebellion against Apries as its leader. When Apries sends Patarbemis, his advisor, to bring Amasis back to him alive, this happens:
“When Patarbemis came and summoned Amasis, Amasis (who was on horseback) rose up and farted, telling the messenger to take that back to Apries.”
Herodotus, Histories, Book 2.162; A. D. Godley translation
Even when it comes to humor and being cheeky (pun intended?), there is nothing new under the sun.
They Don’t Got No Respect
“I know that in Thrace and Scythia and Persia and Lydia and nearly all foreign countries, those who learn trades are held in less esteem than the rest of the people, and those who have least to do with artisans’ work, especially men who are free to practice the art of war, are highly honored. This much is certain: that this opinion, which is held by all Greeks and particularly by the Lacedaemonians, is of foreign origin. It is in Corinth that artisans are held in least contempt.”
Herodotus, Histories, Book 2.167; A. D. Godley translation
Also something that is not new: the warriors getting all the respect while those in the trades get the least. I wonder how well the warriors would do when there is no one to make their swords, sell them food, and provide them entertainment?
Work vs. Play
When Amasis was confronted on his work ethic as king, especially when it concerned his reputation, this was his response:
“Men that have bows string them when they must use them, and unstring them when they have used them; were bows kept strung forever, they would break, and so could not be used when needed. Such, too, is the nature of man. Were one to be always at serious work and not permit oneself a bit of relaxation, he would go mad or idiotic before he knew it; I am well aware of that, and give each of the two its turn.”
Herodotus, Histories, Book 2.173; A. D. Godley translation
Is this an excuse in order to continue partying and joking around? Or, did Amasis discover the whole “work/life” balance thing before the modern gurus did?
That's all for the Histories, Book 2.147-182.
May your days be filled with grace.
-Andronikos Anodos
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Thumbnail: Bust of Amasis II, c. 550 BC. Neues Museum. Berlin, Germany.
1In Book 2.164, Herodotus says the Egyptians are divided into seven classes: priests, warriors, cowherds, swineherds, merchants, interpreters, and pilots.