cured peace on the western boundary. To keep
single Libyan robbers in order police were sufficient, with a field
guard and a few regiments of regulars disposed along the Canopus arm of
the great river.

Such a condition of affairs lasted almost two centuries; the last war
with the Libyans was carried on by Ramses III, who cut enormous piles
of hands from his slain enemies, and brought thirteen thousand slaves
home to Egypt. From that time forth no one feared attack on the Libyan
boundary, and only toward the end of the reign of Ramses XII did the
strange policy of the priests kindle the flame of war again in those
regions.

It burst out through the following causes:

His worthiness, Herhor, the minister of war, and high priest of Amon,
because of resistance from his holiness the pharaoh, was unable to
conclude with Assyria a treaty for the division of Asia. But wishing,
as Beroes had forewarned him, to keep a more continued peace with
Assyria, Herhor assured Sargon that Egypt would not hinder them from
carrying on a war with eastern and northern Asiatics.

And since Sargon, the ambassador of King Assar, seemed not to trust
their oaths, Herhor decided to give him a material proof of friendly
feeling, and, with this object, ordered to disband at once twenty
thousand mercenaries, mainly Libyans.

For those disbanded warriors, who were in no way guilty and had been
always loyal, this decision almost equaled a death sentence. Before
Egypt appeared the danger of a war with Libya, which could in no case
give refuge to men in such numbers, men accustomed only to comforts and
military exercise, not to poverty and labor. But in view of great
questions of state, Herhor and the priests did not hesitate at trifles.

Indeed, the disbanding of the Libyans brought them much advantage.

First of all, Sargon and his associates signed and swore to a treaty of
ten years with the pharaoh, during which time, according to predictions
of priests in Chaldea, evil fates were impending over Egypt.

Second, the disbanding of twenty thousand men spared four thousand
talents to the treasury; this was greatly important.

Third, a war with Libya on the western boundary was an outlet for the
heroic instincts of the viceroy, and might turn his attention from
Asiatic questions and the eastern boundary for a long time. His
worthiness Herhor and the supreme council had calculated very keenly
that some years would pass before the Libyans, trained