Part 54 (1/2)

My father had built part of the temple, and very proud of it he had been On the teypt he had been--carved in stone, at least--the warrior king he had not been in the flesh I reht me here as a child to show ht tellingfrom Kom Ombo to the Red Sea, where once the African elephants had been brought north to be trained for the Egyptian ar it still cast a spell

In the reeds a stirring announced that the crocodiles were beginning their day, and it was ti across the mudbank, with protectivethe crocodiles, which were still sluggish in the early light We climbed quickly up the little hill where the te out over the countryside The golden pillars, carved with scenes of all the rulers who had helped build the te ceremonially cleansed by Horus and Sobek, for this temple was dedicated to both the falcon God and the crocodile God Sobek, the crocodile God, stood taller than a man, with a man's body, broad shoulders, and kilt, and then the snouted head of a crocodile, wearing a headdress and crown His shrine and hall were on the right, and we h the roofed hall fro dimness, and finally to the inner darkness of Sobek's sacred shrine

We lit candles, and approached the shrine holding the divine statue of the God, carved of dark granite Frolared back at us, white and rounded, the perfectly rendered scales of his long snouthim look lifelike

As Queen, and incarnation on earth of Isis herself, I spoke to him face-to-face ”Great Sobek, why do you trouble ions of crocodiles to infest the waters downriver fro you lack? Let me provide it, so that you may call your creatures ho flame of the candle played over his impassive features

”I will provide what you lack, but I must ask you to desist froed at own ”Don't sound so peremptory,” he whispered ”You shouldn't talk to hi I was Queen, indwelt by Isis, and he was--let us be frank--a minor God, restricted to this little area Other Gods had beaten hio, and Horus had even taken over half his tereat God of the crocodiles, but in the naypt, who are in my care, I insist that you call your creatures back”

Or else Olympos and I would devise a way to poison the waters and kill the crocodiles

Together, Ptoleifts of flowers, wine, and precious ointment before his sacred barque We stood in silence for a few moments, then departed

The sun ell up now, and war the courtyard of the temple Over to one side stretched the necropolis of reat rounded well attached to a lower Niloe

I was surprised to find that the water had not risen very high yet Along the Nilometer's wall the line of the ”cubits of death” was clearly marked, belohich famine would result The Nile was still quite a bit below this cutoff point, but the season of flooding should be well advanced by now I felt a wave of unease

We hastened back to the boat, rushi+ng over the gangplank serving as a bridge across the crocodiles, ere now eagerly awaiting food They snapped to attention as our shadows flitted before their eyes; one large fellow opened his ue, as pink as a flower Obviously, Sobek was taking good care of his own

Now may Isis be so kind to us as Sobek is to his creatures! I prayed We would press on to Philae, lay our concerns before the great Goddess, and give Ptoleently swelling Nile before we reached the vicinity of the First Cataract The usual roar of it was h that ed, and we could sail--albeit very carefully--through the area that was norerous The wide boso the sky at twilight, where we anchored within sight of Philae

In the dying light, the tiny island glowed froh the walls of the great Teht they looked like the thinnest alabaster, white and translucent

I had vowed never to return, after the strange cereh there with Caesar, which afterward seemed a mockery Noas not so sure Perhaps cereues--have a power in and of themselves Perhaps Caesar had found hihts flickered out, snuffed by the wind, and the outline of the teling halfeverywhere

I lay onprotected by Isis, hovering over her holy island

We went ashore at first light, before the throng of pilgrims would arrive We wanted time alone with the Goddess Ptole the short distance froateway of the te to the first pylon, where our father was depicted in full glory, ar enemies

”Yes, yes, I see,” he said wearily

A white-robed priest of Isislow ”Your Majesties,” he said, his voice low and melodious ”In the name of Isis, elcome you to the shrine”

”We have co,” I said

”Ah yes,” he replied, s left in the courtyard ”Many hundreds come here--tribes of Nubians from the south, Greeks, Arabs, even Ro, the fountain of it, so near the source of the Nile And the burial place of Osiris It is truly holy ground” He looked at Ptolemy kindly, and would have reached out to touch him, but it was forbidden

I put my arm around Ptolemy's shoulder ”May we approach the sanctuary?” I asked ”Our gift-bearers follow” I indicated the four menservants, dressed in the requisite new unbleached linen, carrying gold caskets with old, cinnamon, and sacred white sine fro in the slow, h the portals of the first pylon into the sh the second doorway that led into the darkened interior, where sacred chapels flanked the inht entered here; the stones were fitted together so closely that no sea sun In the left chapel, intricate candle stands flanked a life-size gold statue of Isis standing on a pedestal, throwing a soft yellow light upon her

She was beautiful, serene, all-co on her, I felt a tranquillity, a peace that I had seldoreat Goddess! I et your face?

I bowed, feeling supremely blessed and yet supremely humble that I was chosen of all women on earth to be herincense into the thurible at her feet, and a piercingly sweet scent filled the air He began to pray, reciting a hy in the Sacred Mound She is the one who pours out the Inundation That row Who provides divine offerings for the Gods And invocation-offerings for the| Transfigured Ones

Because she is the Lady of Heaven Her man is Lord of the Netherworld Her son is Lord of the Land Her eh at his time

Indeed, she is the Lady of Heaven, Earth, and the Netherworld Having brought theh what Her heart conceived and her hands created She is the Bai that is in every city Watching over her son Horus and her brother Osiris

I stepped forward and, laying down hter of Re, I, Cleopatra, have coiver of life, that I ive me all the lands in obeisance, forever” I inclinedher a hy my favorite, the joyful one I had not spoken since the ceremony with Caesar

O Isis the Great, God's mother, Lady of Philae Isis the Great, God's mother, Lady of Philae God's Wife, God's Adorer, and God's Hand God's mother and Great Royal Spouse Adornment and Lady of the Ornareen fields Nursling who fills the palace with her beauty Fragrance of the palace, mistress of joy Who completes her course in the Divine Place

Raincloud that reen the fields when it descends Maiden, sweet of love, Lady of Upper and Lower Egypt, Who issues orders a to whose coreat of praise, lady of char of fresh h-voiced priest answered in her nahter, Isis, iven you this land, joy to your spirit forever” There was the dry, silvery rattle of a sistrum, and the disehout the land; I have given you all the lands in peace; I instill the fear of you in foreign countries”

Fear of you in foreign countriesto what destiny was she calling enerations, and it was Ron countries now to what destiny was she calling enerations, and it was Ron countries now

I bowed to show that I accepted her benefactions and gifts

Beside

”You must speak to her now,” I said ”She awaits”

Still he stood silent, as if he were afraid to utter a sound

”I will leave you in private,” I said Perhaps that was better