Brugsch, Heinrich: Egypt under the pharaohs: a history derived entirely from the monuments (London, 1891)

»ra. xix. RAMSES II. ASSOCIATE KING 251

head of them all the Canaanitish Baal-Sutekh or Set,
after whose name, his father, Eamses I., had called him
Seti—the ' follower of Set.' Thus he had to avoid an
open breach, and though as a conqueror Seti had done
his part for Egypt, he was bound to try to win over the
priests as a benefactor and a generous king. Yet he
seems to have had but little success, since at an early
period he conferred the highest dignity of the empire
orj- his infant heir, Ea-messu, and made him associated
king. In. the great historical inscription at Abydos
Ramses EL relates that

the lord of all himself nurtured me, and brought me up. I was a
little boy before I attained the lordship ; then he gave over to me
the land. I was yet in my mother's womb, when the great ones
saluted me full of veneration. I was solemnly inducted as the
eldest son into the dignity of heir of the throne on the chair of the
earth-god Seb. And I gave my orders as chief of the body-guard
and of the chariot-lighters. Then my father presented me publicly
to the people : I was a boy on his lap, and he spake thus : ' I will
have him crowned as king, for I desire to behold his grandeur while
I am still alive.' [Then came forward] the officials of the court
to place the double crown on my head (and my father spake),
' Place the regal circlet on his brow.' Thus he spake of me while
he still remained on earth, ' May he restore order to the land ;
may he set up again [what has fallen into decay]. May he care for
the inhabitants.' Thus spake he [with good intention] in his very
great love for me. Still he left me in the house of the women and of
the royal concubines, after the manner of the damsels of the palace.
He chose me [women] from among the [maidens], who .wore a
harness of leather.

In another inscription of the times of Eamses II.,
the early reign of the king is mentioned in the following
Words :—

Thou wast a lord (Adon) of this land, and thou actedst wisely,
when thou wast still in the egg. In thy childhood what thou
saidst took place for the welfare of the land. When thou wast
a boy, with the youth's locks of hair, no monument saw the light
without thy command; no business was done without thy know-
ledge. Thou wast raised to be a governor (Rohir) of this land