32 ANCIENT EGYPT. 



portation of cedars of Lebanon. Here also is a picture of the 

 canal already referred to as dividing Egypt from Africa. The 

 figure of a crocodile shows that the water was supplied from . 

 the Nile. This canal united the Mediterranean, " the great 

 circle of green water," with the Red Sea. 



Robert Stephenson must have known little of the ancient 

 history of Egypt, for he reported to the English Government 

 that the Suez Canal could be made easily enough, but that it 

 was impossible to keep it clear of sand, and therefore im- 

 practicable. 



On the east side of the wall facing south is a copy of the 

 famous epic by Pentaur, poet laureate to Rameses the Great ; 

 it describes in detail the warlike heroism and valliant deeds 

 of the king, couched in very inflated language. To the left is 

 a tablet inscribed with the terms of the treaty of peace with 

 the Kheta (Hittites). 



During this campaign, and many others preceding it, 

 immense droves of prisoners were brought to Egypt, and 

 these, who were located in the Delta, constituted the slaves 

 who built the temples. They were presided over and regulated 

 by a special Minister of State, and it was from among these 

 people that the outswarm called the Exodus took place. 



Rameses the Great is a picturesque figure in the world's 

 history. The great son of a greater sire, who died leaving 

 the empire with its frontiers extended, glorious and rich, his 

 adventurous and vainglorious spirit found natural vent in. 

 warfare and architectural work on a stupendous scale. Many 

 were the campaigns of his eventful reign, and he was the most 

 prolific builder of all time. 



Most of his temples lack purity of style, though some of 

 them, like the great Speos at Abu Simbel, in Nubia, exhibit a 

 daring spirit of innovation. Architecture and art also began 

 to exhibit signs of decadence during the long reign of this 

 mighty pharaoh, which continued to deepen with rare intervals 

 of renaissance until the Ptolemies brought Greek influences to 

 bear on both. This is probably the Pharaoh of the Oppression, 

 at whose court Moses is said to have been educated. There 



