Story: Apis (Alex POV)
Well this is sorta in response to Nicky's holiday challenge. It didn't turn out to be a holiday, per se, but it is a ritual! So I therefore decided it's still good. (shrug) What do you expect after several drinks, exams officially taken and graded, and my night off?
It's actually kinda short, just a little scene from Alexander's POV, kinda humorous, but more the just grin here and there, not laughing.
Apis
by Bagoas Alexandros
The Egyptian sun beat down on the heads of everyone around him and Alexander swore that his own head was baking like bread. Was the heat more intense because it was Egypt? Was the sun this warm in the Persian desert? It hadn't seemed so. The rays of the sun were hotter in Egypt, he was sure of it.
His army had arrived to accolades, seen as liberators from the oppressive Persian empire. That seemed to be a common theme; "liberate us from Persia, Alexander!" It was starting to get a little hubris-creating, truth be told. Egypt however had taken him to heart far more than could ever have been anticipated. They wanted to crown him Pharaoh! Him, a nobody king from Greece, ruler of the greatest land in the world. Egypt, the land of mystery and gods, wisdom older than Homer. It was humbling and so very gratifying.
The double crowns were heavy and the heat was starting to make his eyes see waves in the air. He wanted to wipe the sweat from his brow but didn't dare lest he offend Egypt's ancient and powerful gods. Osiris, he was assured, was watching him very closely. Thoth too, with his balance of judgement, was watching Alexander, making sure this man was truly worthy of being called "Son of Horus". Ammut, the Devourer, would be eagerly awaiting his soul should he be less than worthy of judgement. Alexander was certain that any goddess that could be called 'the Devourer' was not anyone he wanted to get on the bad side of.
A bull was brought before him, lavishly decorated and accompanied by a large group of equally lavishly dressed priests. Alexander blinked at it stupidly. It was a cow. What was he supposed to do with a cow? Well, it was prettily dressed bull, but it was still a cow, no matter what trinkets decorated it. The priests that accompanied the beast began to chant in Egyptian. When Alexander glanced surreptitiously at his translator the man seemed stupified. What was going on? The new Pharaoh of Egypt took a closer look at the bull; obviously the translator wasn't going to be any use. Maybe the cow would be.
The bull was black everywhere except it's forehead and flank, which had white markings. The white on the forehead was in the shape of a diamond; the flank was almost eagle shaped. Fortuitous, Alexander thought, with an inward smile. Zeus obviously blessed this bull as well as whatever Egyptian god favored the beast. Something about the markings snagged his attention, though, brushing his mind thoughts that he knew something about this. Hadn't Herodotus mentioned such a bull? As the priests droned on, Alexander cast his mind through the texts he remembered reading in regards to Egypt.
The Apis Bull, defiled by Cambryses of Persia, dishonoring the Egyptian god Osiris. Or was it Ptah? Weren't they the same god?
Alexander shook his head a moment to clear it and froze when he heard gasps. The priests had stopped their droning and were staring at him in abject horror. Stiffening in horror himself, Alexander wondered if he'd just negated some important aspect to this ritual. Were the gods of Egypt going to strike him down? He managed a swift glance into the sky, but saw no portends of disaster looming. So he put an encouraging smile on his face, silently urging the priests to continue, which they did after a moment's pause. The bull was unimpressed with the proceedings and continued to stare at Alexander in complete and utter boredom.
His thoughts of Herodotus returned. Yes, this had to be the bull. They'd brought a sacred animal to him, blessing this event. Alexander's head felt suddenly light where only moments before it had felt heavy. The Egyptian priests were blessing him, used by their gods as priests were used. It was said Egyptian gods rarely spoke to men, preferring only certain festival days, priests or Pharaoh, their mortal intermediary, to communicate with those lesser than themselves.
Another twenty minutes of chants continued and Alexander's pride grew. The bull was still looking rather bored with the whole ritual, but divine or not, Alexander reasoned, he was just a cow. It was to be expected. Alexander, however, was no longer worried about the heat or the fact that the double crowns of Egypt had to be the most uncomfortable thing he'd ever worn.
It was official. Alexander of Macedon was the Son of Horus, The Living God, Lord of the Two Lands, King of Upper and Lower Egypt. Pharaoh.
B
It's actually kinda short, just a little scene from Alexander's POV, kinda humorous, but more the just grin here and there, not laughing.
Apis
by Bagoas Alexandros
The Egyptian sun beat down on the heads of everyone around him and Alexander swore that his own head was baking like bread. Was the heat more intense because it was Egypt? Was the sun this warm in the Persian desert? It hadn't seemed so. The rays of the sun were hotter in Egypt, he was sure of it.
His army had arrived to accolades, seen as liberators from the oppressive Persian empire. That seemed to be a common theme; "liberate us from Persia, Alexander!" It was starting to get a little hubris-creating, truth be told. Egypt however had taken him to heart far more than could ever have been anticipated. They wanted to crown him Pharaoh! Him, a nobody king from Greece, ruler of the greatest land in the world. Egypt, the land of mystery and gods, wisdom older than Homer. It was humbling and so very gratifying.
The double crowns were heavy and the heat was starting to make his eyes see waves in the air. He wanted to wipe the sweat from his brow but didn't dare lest he offend Egypt's ancient and powerful gods. Osiris, he was assured, was watching him very closely. Thoth too, with his balance of judgement, was watching Alexander, making sure this man was truly worthy of being called "Son of Horus". Ammut, the Devourer, would be eagerly awaiting his soul should he be less than worthy of judgement. Alexander was certain that any goddess that could be called 'the Devourer' was not anyone he wanted to get on the bad side of.
A bull was brought before him, lavishly decorated and accompanied by a large group of equally lavishly dressed priests. Alexander blinked at it stupidly. It was a cow. What was he supposed to do with a cow? Well, it was prettily dressed bull, but it was still a cow, no matter what trinkets decorated it. The priests that accompanied the beast began to chant in Egyptian. When Alexander glanced surreptitiously at his translator the man seemed stupified. What was going on? The new Pharaoh of Egypt took a closer look at the bull; obviously the translator wasn't going to be any use. Maybe the cow would be.
The bull was black everywhere except it's forehead and flank, which had white markings. The white on the forehead was in the shape of a diamond; the flank was almost eagle shaped. Fortuitous, Alexander thought, with an inward smile. Zeus obviously blessed this bull as well as whatever Egyptian god favored the beast. Something about the markings snagged his attention, though, brushing his mind thoughts that he knew something about this. Hadn't Herodotus mentioned such a bull? As the priests droned on, Alexander cast his mind through the texts he remembered reading in regards to Egypt.
The Apis Bull, defiled by Cambryses of Persia, dishonoring the Egyptian god Osiris. Or was it Ptah? Weren't they the same god?
Alexander shook his head a moment to clear it and froze when he heard gasps. The priests had stopped their droning and were staring at him in abject horror. Stiffening in horror himself, Alexander wondered if he'd just negated some important aspect to this ritual. Were the gods of Egypt going to strike him down? He managed a swift glance into the sky, but saw no portends of disaster looming. So he put an encouraging smile on his face, silently urging the priests to continue, which they did after a moment's pause. The bull was unimpressed with the proceedings and continued to stare at Alexander in complete and utter boredom.
His thoughts of Herodotus returned. Yes, this had to be the bull. They'd brought a sacred animal to him, blessing this event. Alexander's head felt suddenly light where only moments before it had felt heavy. The Egyptian priests were blessing him, used by their gods as priests were used. It was said Egyptian gods rarely spoke to men, preferring only certain festival days, priests or Pharaoh, their mortal intermediary, to communicate with those lesser than themselves.
Another twenty minutes of chants continued and Alexander's pride grew. The bull was still looking rather bored with the whole ritual, but divine or not, Alexander reasoned, he was just a cow. It was to be expected. Alexander, however, was no longer worried about the heat or the fact that the double crowns of Egypt had to be the most uncomfortable thing he'd ever worn.
It was official. Alexander of Macedon was the Son of Horus, The Living God, Lord of the Two Lands, King of Upper and Lower Egypt. Pharaoh.
B