a prey to that profound _ennui_
which most Oriental monarchs feel so keenly, and which neither the cares
nor the pleasures of ordinary life could dispel. Like the Sultans of the
"Arabian Nights," the Pharaohs were accustomed to have marvellous tales
related to them, or they assembled their councillors to ask them to
suggest some fresh amusement: a happy thought would sometimes strike one
of them, as in the case of him who aroused the interest of Snofrui by
recommending him to have his boat manned by young girls barely clad in
large-meshed network.

[Illustration: 037.jpg PHARAOH IN HIS HAREM]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin.

All his pastimes were not so playful. The Egyptians by nature were not
cruel, and we have very few records either in history or tradition of
bloodthirsty Pharaohs; but the life of an ordinary individual was of so
little value in their eyes, that they never hesitated to sacrifice it,
even for a caprice. A sorcerer had no sooner boasted before Kheops of
being able to raise the dead, than the king proposed that he should try
the experiment on a prisoner whose head was to be forthwith cut off.
The anger of Pharaoh was quickly excited, and once aroused, became an
all-consuming fire; the Egyptians were wont to say, in describing its
intensity, "His Majesty became as furious as a panther." The wild beast
often revealed itself in the half-civilized man.

The royal family was very numerous. The women were principally chosen
from the relatives of court officials of high rank, or from the
daughters of the great feudal lords; there were, however, many strangers
among them, daughters or sisters of petty Libyan, Nubian, or Asiatic
kings; they were brought into Pharaoh's house as hostages for the
submission of their respective peoples. They did not all enjoy the same
treatment or consideration, and their original position decided their
status in the harem, unless the amorous caprice of their master should
otherwise decide. Most of them remained merely concubines for life,
others were raised to the rank of "royal spouses," and at least one
received the title and privileges of "great spouse," or queen. This was
rarely accorded to a stranger, but almost always to a princess born in
the purple, a daughter of Ra, if possible a sister of the Pharaoh, and
who, inheriting in the same degree and in equal proportion the flesh and
blood of the Sun-god, had, more than others, the right to share the bed
and throne of her bro