mphal return, must all be rejected.
Brugsch accepted as actual history a poetical passage where
the king identifies himself with Horus son of Isis, and
goes so far as to attribute to himself the adventures of the
god.

She was forced to yield him precedence in those religious ceremonies
which could be performed by a man only, such as the dedication of one of
the city gates of Ombos, and the foundation and marking out of a temple
at Medinet-Habu; but for the most part she obliged him to remain in
the background and take a secondary place beside her. We are unable to
determine the precise moment when this dual sovereignty came to an end.
It was still existent in the XVIth year of the reign, but it had ceased
before the XXIInd year. Death alone could take the sceptre from the
hands that held it, and Thutmosis had to curb his impatience for many
a long day before becoming the real master of Egypt. He was about
twenty-five years of age when this event took place, and he immediately
revenged himself for the long repression he had undergone, by
endeavouring to destroy the very remembrance of her whom he regarded as
a usurper. Every portrait of her that he could deface without exposing
himself to being accused of sacrilege was cut away, and he substituted
for her name either that of Thutmosis I. or of Thutmosis II.

[Illustration: 372.jpg THUTMOSIS III., FROM HIS STATUE IN THE TURIN
MUSEUM]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a photograph by Petrie.

A complete political change was effected both at home and abroad from
the first day of his accession to power. Hatshopsitu had been averse to
war. During the whole of her reign there had not been a single campaign
undertaken beyond the isthmus of Suez, and by the end of her life she had
lost nearly all that her father had gained in Syria; the people of Kharu
had shaken off the yoke,* probably at the instigation of the king of the
Amorites,** and nothing remained to Egypt of the Asiatic province but
Gaza, Sharuhana,*** and the neighbouring villages. The young king set
out with his army in the latter days of the year XXII. He reached Gaza
on the 3rd of the month of Pakhons, in time to keep the anniversary
of his coronation in that town, and to inaugurate the 24th year of his
reign by festivals in honour of his father Amon.**** They lasted the
usual length of time, and all the departments of State took part in
them, but it was not a propitious moment for lengthy