the country between us, and neither
of us shall exercise authority over the other." However secretly these
negotiations were conducted, they were certain to come to the knowledge
of the Assyrian generals: the couriers were intercepted; and discovering
from the despatches the extent of the danger, the Assyrians seized
as many of the leaders of the league as they could. As a warning they
sacked Sais, Mendes, and Tanis, demolishing the fortifications, and
flaying or impaling the principal citizens before their city gates;
they then sent two of the intriguing chiefs, Necho and Sharludari of
Pelusium, bound hand and foot with chains, to Nineveh. Pakruru, of the
Arabian nome, managed, however, to escape them. Taharqa, thus bereft of
his allies, was no longer in a condition to repel the invader: he fled
to Ethiopia, abandoning Thebes to its fate. The city was ransomed
by despoiling the temple of Amon of half its treasures: Montumihait
transferred his allegiance unhesitatingly to Assur-bani-pal, and the
whole of Egypt from the Mediterranean to the first cataract once
more became Assyrian territory. The victory was so complete that
Assur-bani-pal thought he might without risk show clemency to his
prisoners. He summoned them to his presence, and there, instead of
putting out their eyes or subjecting them to some horrible form of
torture, he received them back into favour, and confirmed Necho in the
possession of all the honours which Esarhaddon had conceded to him. He
clothed him in a mantle of honour, and bestowed on him a straight-bladed
sword with an iron scabbard ornamented with gold, engraved with his
names and titles, besides rings, gold bracelets, chariots, horses, and
mules; in short, all the appurtenances of royalty. Not content with
restoring to him the cities of Sais and Memphis, he granted him the fief
of Athribis for his eldest son, Psammetichus.

[Illustration: 174.jpg MONTUMIHAIT, PRINCE OF THEBES]

Drawn by Boudier, from the photograph by Miss Benson. It is
not quite certain that this statue represents Montumihait,
as the inscription is wanting: the circumstances of the
discovery, however, render it very probable.

Moreover, he neglected no measure likely to show his supremacy. Athribis
received the new name of Limir-patesi-assur, _may the high priest of
Assur be glorious_, and Sais that of Kar-bel-matati, _the fortress of
the lord of the countries_. Psammetichus was called Nebo-shezib-anni,