f third, and then
of second, prophet before attaining to the highest rank.*

* What we know on this subject has been brought to light
mainly by the inscriptions on the statue of Baukuni-Khonsu
at Munich, published and commented on by Deveria, and by
Lauth. The cursus honorum of Rama shows us that he was first
third, then second prophet of Amon, before being raised to
the pontificate in the reign of Minephtah.

The Pharaohs of the XIXth dynasty jealously supervised the promotions
made in the Theban temples, and saw that none was elected except him who
was devoted to their interests--such as, for example, Baukuni-khonsu
and Unnofri under Ramses II. Baukuni-khonsu distinguished himself by his
administrative qualities; if he did not actually make the plans for the
hypostyle hall at Karnak, he appears at least to have superintended
its execution and decoration. He finished the great pylon, erected the
obelisks and gateways, built the _bari_ or vessel of the god, and found
a further field for his activity on the opposite bank of the Nile, where
he helped to complete both the chapel at Qurneh and also the Ramesseum.
Ramses II. had always been able to make his authority felt by the high
priests who succeeded Baukuni-khonsu, but the Pharaohs who followed him
did not hold the reins with such a strong hand. As early as the reigns
of Minephtah and Seti II. the first prophets, Rai and Rama, claimed the
right of building at Karnak for their own purposes, and inscribed on the
walls long inscriptions in which their own panegyrics took precedence
of that of the sovereign; they even aspired to a religious hegemony, and
declared themselves to be the "chief of all the prophets of the gods
of the South and North." We do not know what became of them during the
usurpation of Arisu, but Nakhtu-ramses, son of Miribastit, who filled
the office during the reign of Ramses III., revived these ambitious
projects as soon as the state of Egypt appeared to favour them. The
king, however pious he might be, was not inclined to yield up any of his
authority, even though it were to the earthly delegate of the divinity
whom he reverenced before all others; the sons of the Pharaoh were,
however, more accommodating, and Nakhtu-ramses played his part so well
that he succeeded in obtaining from them the reversion of the high
priesthood for his son Amenothes. The priestly office, from having been
elective, was by this stroke sudden