THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 29 



Sebastopol, thus giving the Russians time to strengthen their posi- 

 tion, so the Egyptians, though led by the ablest general of the age, 

 fell into the same fatal blunder, and that through the temptation to 

 plunder the deserted camp, and instead of marching against Megiddo 

 and taking it, gave, by their delay, the Hittites the chance of making 

 their stronghold stronger. This mistake cost Egypt much, and like 

 the mistake of the French and English at Alma, had to be atoned 

 for in suffering and blood. The Egyptian account recognizes the 

 blunder at Megiddo, and in earnest, sensible language, says, " Oh ! 

 "that the warriors of the King had not yielded to the desire to 

 "plunder the goods of the enemy, for then had Megiddo been taken 

 "in that same hour." But what might easily have been done, if the 

 tide of Egyptian success had been taken at the flood, became hard a 

 little later, because Megiddo was greatly strengthened, and the 

 might of a thousand cities stood behind its walls to beat back the 

 proud invaders, and to fight for home and all the heart holds dear. 

 But patience, valor and courage never to submit or yield, at last re- 

 duced Megiddo, and humbled the Hittites. From the inscriptions 

 we learn that representatives of one hundred and nineteen cities and 

 nations were present in the Hittite camp, assisting them against 

 Egypt ; that the Egyptians were greatly enriched by the spoils of 

 war — precious stones, golden dishes, a two handled flagon of Phoe- 

 necian work, 925 war chariots, one of which was gold-plated, and be- 

 longing to the Hittite King. 



This heavy blow stunned but did not crush the Hittite power, 

 and place it under the feet of Egypt. The two Hittite capitals still 

 stood, Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Kadesh on the Orontes. 

 To reduce these Thothmes III. was forced to engage in two long and 

 exhausting campaigns. In the thirty-third year of his reign Thoth- 

 mes invaded Mesopotamia, and, defeating those opposed to him, 

 brought back spoils from many lands, and tributes from the van- 

 quished. Conspicuous among all was " the tributes of the great 

 land of the Hittites." But the north-western foe still holds out ; 

 defeated at one point the Hittites rally their forces at another. 

 "Thus campaign followed campaign, and though the triumphal 

 " records boast in oriental style of Pharoah's victories over the Hitt- 

 " ites, and give long details as to the plunder borne back in triumph 

 11 to Egypt, the Hittite resistance was not broken, and succeeding 



