Puarma and Las(?)-mer-sekni, the Nubian
generals stationed in Egypt, and told them to assemble the troops, to
seize the territory of Hermopolis, to besiege the city itself, to seize
all the people, and cattle, and the boats on the river, and to stop all
the agricultural operations that were going on; these orders were
obeyed. At the same time he despatched a body of troops to Egypt, with
careful instructions as to the way in which they were to fight, and he
bade them remember that they were fighting under the protection of Amen.
He added, "When ye arrive at Thebes, opposite the Apts,[1] go into the
waters of the river and wash yourselves, then array yourselves in your
finest apparel, unstring your bows, and lay down your spears. Let no
chief imagine that he is as strong as the Lord of strength (_i.e._
Amen), for without him there is no strength. The weak of arm he maketh
strong of arm. Though the enemy be many they shall turn their backs in
flight before the weak man, and one shall take captive a thousand. Wet
yourselves with the water of his altars, smell the earth before him, and
say: O make a way for us! Let us fight under the shadow of thy sword,
for a child, if he be but sent forth by thee, shall vanquish multitudes
when he attacketh." Then the soldiers threw themselves flat on their
faces before His Majesty, saying, "Behold, thy name breedeth strength in
us. Thy counsel guideth thy soldiers into port (_i.e._ to success). Thy
bread is in our bodies on every road, thy beer quencheth our thirst.
Behold, thy bravery hath given us strength, and at the mere mention of
thy name there shall be victory. The soldiers who are led by a coward
cannot stand firm. Who is like unto thee? Thou art the mighty king who
workest with thy hands, thou art a master of the operations of war."

[Footnote 1: _i.e._ the temples of Karnak and Luxor.]

"Then the soldiers set out on their journey, and they sailed down the
river and arrived at Thebes, and they did everything according to His
Majesty's commands. And again they set out, and they sailed down the
river, and they met many large boats sailing up the river, and they were
full of soldiers and sailors, and mighty captains from the North land,
every one fully armed to fight, and the soldiers of His Majesty
inflicted a great defeat on them; they killed a very large but unknown
number, they captured the boats, made the soldiers prisoners, whom they
brought alive to the place where His Majes