for tiieir cleverness, by way of recompense for their

energy and courage, lifting himself iip on the throne of the HoRUS [of the living, even he king Nsbindidi who gives life like RÂ for ever]. »

The lacLUKo at the end of each Une hâve not allowed me to translate ail parts of this remarkable document with an equal aniount of certain ty. 1 hâve filled them up in the simplest manner I could, and I hâve tried rather to hnd a probable meaning than to restore the context in its entirety; but I believe I hâve sufficiently grasped the sensé

1. (( Tho two mountains. » The présent name of the locality, Gcbolein, is tlie Arabie tianslatioii of the Egyptian word.

2. The ancien name of the town of Taud, 8 miles south of Luxor.

262 STELE OF KING SMENDES

of tlie narrative to make it clear to the reader. King Smendes was at Memphis wlien the events recorded took place; he occupied himself with matters which concerned Tliebes and gave orders to open a quarry at Gebclein. His power therefore extendcd over the whole of Egypt, or at ail events from the First Cataract to the Mediterranean Sea. There is nothing in the inscription wliich allows us to détermine whether lie was idenlical or not with the Hrihor Siamon of the Theban monuments ; for my own part I am inclined to separate them, without, however, having as yet any définitive évidence on the subject.

The matter about which the inscription treats relates to the restoration of the buildings of the temple of Amon at Thebes. It seems that the pièce of water and the canal made by Thothmes III., to which there seems to be a référence in the mutilated stèle of that prince which is now in tlie muséum at Gizeh', were partly destroyed; the water had drained olî from them and excavated a channel in the soil which extended from the front to the back of the principal édifice, thus endangering the safety of the latter. The king déclares that he is constantly occupied in remedying ail the disasters which hâve happened in his time, and tliat he will be able to remedy this fresh one. The measures which he takes to ensure the rapid exécution of the work are very interesting; unfortunately the lacunœ do not allow us to know them ail. I think I can see that he employed compulsory labour by means of relays of men changing each month, in which ail the population of the districts around Gebelein had to take part. The passage in which it is said that (( even the infants on the breast of their mother ran to eut [the stone] », is less hyperbolical than we should be tempted to believe. Even to-day, when a corvée has been ordered for the repair of a canal, the women who are em-