Two semi-long diaries for history

[p3t3r1]

Hi guys. Sorry to bother you all again, especially tdol, who has helpd me alot in my past articles. Thankfully the diary I am handing it in don't have alot of marks on grammar. I woul still be thankful i someone could take a quick scan and point out some grammar mistakes. They are quite intersting to read on the history of ancient Egypt. Here they are.

Diary Entry from Ancient Egypt- Ramses II
Year 5 of my reign, the third month of the inundation season, on the fifteenth day

When I was just a youth to his embrace, my father spoke to the populace concerning me. He said: “Cause him to appear as King, that I may see his beauty while I yet live!” and he said “Let him administer this land; let him show himself to the people.” Showed myself I did for I am the chosen son of Re and my father Osiris favor me with long lifespan of his son Horus. I am destined to recapture what Egypt had lost during her weakness. It is my duty therefore, to wrest from the wretched chief of Khatti the very lands that Egypt had lost.

My father had recaptured the city of Kadesh from the wretched Khattis, the very city that criminal Akhetaten and his fellows had lost. That city however, was lost again when my father signed a treaty with the vanquished Khatti chief. So on the fouth year of my reign, I led my first campaign and attacked the nearby state of Amurru. The king of Amurru trembled with fear in my presence and Amurru became a tribute paying vassal state of my land. This cleared the path for Kadesh. I prepared infantry and chariotry again on this fifth year of my reign, determined to recapture Kadesh for the glory of my people. My numerous young sons that my favorite wife Nefertari bore me accompanied me. No foreign countries dared to opposite me on my way to Kadesh. They trembled before my army and their chiefs brought me gifts and bowed down to me in the fear of my might. I was able to make rapid progress and arrived at Usermare-Meriamon, the city of cedar many days later. This city and regions around it were captured by me during my last campaign. I had reaffirmed Egypt’s possession of this area and ensured the best cedars trees go to Egypt. This I did for my people since cedar trees are in great demand.

I arrived at the city of Kadesh thirty days after I left Egypt. I stood on a hill near the city and shaded my eyes against the blazing sun. Behold! There stands the city of Kadesh encircled by two rivers and formidable walls. My officers brought a pair of wandering scouts picked by my army to my attention. “What are you” I asked. “Deserters from the wretched Khatti chief anxious to join the right side your majesty.” “Where are you chiefs?” I asked again. “In the land of Khyrbw to the north of Twni, he is afraid to come south since he heard that Pharaoh was coming north!” Such wonderful news! I questioned them no further and pushed on to set up camp on the northwest side of the city.

While I was in the camp two more scouts were brought in front of me. “What are you?” I asked. “We belong to the ruler of Khatti, he sent us to see where your majesty was.” “Where is he, the ruler of Khatti?” They replied “Behold, the ruler of Khatti has already come, together with the many foreign lands that he brought as allies. They are ready to fight behind the Kadesh!” See what state my governors and high officers are in! They say the wretched Khatti is in Khyrbw when this very hour he has come with his allies and armed right behind the city! My generals and officers in charge of my territories could not tell me that they had come! What a fool they are! All could be lost unless my army could be assembled quickly! I sent out my messengers with the message “Hurry forward! Pharaoh your lord stands in battle all alone!” I donned on my mail and readied myself for battle.


Now the wretched fallen one of Kadesh came with thousands of chariots and I being alone myself, my numerous infantry having abandoned me, not one looking at me of my chariotry. My warriors and chariots have left me to fate. I cried to Ammon: “Father Ammon, where are you. Have I done anything wrong? Have I disobeyed or broke a vow? Sure Ammon should stand higher than the wretch who knows no god? Is it not I who erected noble monuments and filled your temples with prisoners of war? Is it not I who sacrificed ten thousand oxen and burned the sweetest woods that smell on your alter? Let the wretch who refuses your commands be put to shame.” Ammon heard my call and he came to my aid. I found Ammon’s grace to be far better to me than a million men and thousands of chariots could be. I saw Menna, my shield bearer, gripped by fear so I said: “Steady yourself, shield-bearer! I shall go forth like a falon, killing and slaughtering them to the ground!” So I charged like a fierce-eyed lion hurling darts with my left hand and swinging the blade with my right. Six times I charged, creating confusion among the enemies. I was in the midst of enemies and not one of them found his hand to fight or shoot. I slaughtered them. None escaped me, I killed them all. I charged and drove the chariots back to the river where they had come from. They abandoned their chariots and swim for dear life back to the safety of their lands!


My army came to praise me, amazed at what I done. I am ashamed at them. What will people say when they heard them deserting me? I left all alone and not a single officer, captain or soldier came to give me a hand as I fought. I gathered my prisoners of war. These people shall be my slaves and they shall build me temples in honor of my victory and Ammon. It is Ammon who granted me victory this day. He is more powerful than any million fighting men or thousand chariots could be. The nations have seen me; they will repeat my name even in far away regions. I have no doubt that Kadesh will be taken next day. Surprise will be with me and victory will be achieved.

and second one.

[p3t3r1]

Diary entry from an Egyptian Solider
Year 5 of his majesty’s reign, the third month of the inundation season, on the seventeenth day

The past few days have been exhausting. We marched on without much resistance from the foreign lands. My division marched behind the Amun division and ahead of the Ptah division following his majesty into Kadesh. I thank Amun that I am still alive at this very moment. Many of my fellow men have either fallen or wounded. They will be quickly replaced by eager young men. Who can resist the wondrous offers from the army? A talented individual like me can rise through the ranks quickly and have no concerns at all about wealth. Gifts of lands and slaves are frequent from his majesty in return for bravery or courage. My wife is now the owner of two such slaves. Home seems so far away now.


Three nights ago, the priests performed a ceremony in our camp to curse the wretched Khatti chief whom we were to do battle with. The priests wrote the chief’s name on a rough figurine along with some curse texts. They flung down the figurine on ground and shattered the wretched chief’s life along with the figurine. Everyone’s spirits were raised by this ritual and the fact that Kadesh was almost within sight after a long march.


We passed the camps of men of Sardis early in the morning. These people are like the fatted bullocks of the army. They, motivated by gold alone, are no better than the sea people we just captured. Those sea people are truly fools. Their ships, outfitted with masts, were made for the sea but they sailed into the Nile anyway, never suspecting that we were waiting for them. Our ships, more advanced than theirs in design, could be rowed or sailed at the same time. That gave us some advantage since the Nile has so little wind to power their masts! Our ships blocked their passage and our arrows pierced through their hearts. We destroyed their ships and captured these people in hordes. Instead of slavery, these captured men are handed arms! Can’t Egypt find more capable soldiers than these fools? Who can trust their loyalty? Who knows that they won’t turn against us in the battlefield?

Not long after we passed the Sardan camp we received the vizier who in a state of shock told us that the pharaoh is in danger and we must hurry. Hurry we did, speeding toward the north. I never thought we would be ambushed. Shortly after the vizier left, enemy men in chariots appeared suddenly out of the forests on our right. They covered the grounds like grasshoppers in their multitude. They were more than the grasshoppers and they were innumerable. I never even managed to fire a single arrow. There was no time, they came too quickly. Our leather jackets with metal scales are no match for their arrows. Many of us fell to their arrows. The infantry abandoned us, running for their dear life at the sight of the enemy chariots. Our division, the glorious division of Re, the very division that stands for Abounding in Valor, scattered.

I told my driver to bring us to safety and he drove the horses wild, heading north. Behind us, it was a slaughter. Men who couldn’t run fell by spears of the wretched Khatti chariots. Those who run often fell to arrows. I covered myself and the driver with my shield, praying to Amun that all would be well. The chariots in front of us tipped but the horses never stopped; the men were dragged to death. My driver swung violently to the left to avoid hitting the tipped chariot. I had to grasp the sides of the chariot to avoid falling but my bow fell out of my hands. There was no time to pick it up. The enemy dust cloud was right behind us. Armed with only a number of spears and my arrows, I was useless as an infantry without his axe.

Behold! We arrived at the Amun division camp. There were shields all around it, protecting the camp. I thought we were saved. My driver drove the horses straight toward the camp entrance. Behold! The men inside the camp started to run! Those cowards are fleeing before even engaging the enemy! What madness! I had no choice but to run with them. The blinding lights bouncing off my necklace of golden flies seemed to insult me. I had received this very necklace from his majesty for valor. Where was my valor? I seem to have lost it in the confusion of the battle. It was no use to stand and fight, the enemy was too strong.

So we fled, not daring to look at our back. We went northward and only stopped when the horses were exhausted. There were no enemy chariots in sight. We returned back to the way we came, not wanting to be labeled as deserters. We saw no more enemy chariots on the way back, everything was quiet. The sky was dark when we returned to the Amun camp. Behold! The camp was still there! The camp was surrounded by camps of other divisions! Amun most have protected us! We weren’t defeated! Feeling ashamed, I quietly located my division’s camp and slipped in. I learned later from those who survived that the wretched Khatti chariots broke down at the Amun camp. The enemy stopped to plunger the loots! His majesty led a furious charge, aided by the newly arrived Nearin support division. Together they crushed the enemy chariots and sent them swimming back to the river. I slept restlessly that night. I remembered what his majesty told me the day I received the necklace: “The name of the brave man will last because of what he has done. It will never disappear from this earth.” I wasn’t brave. I, a captain of the chariotry, fled the battle like a worthless pig.

The next morning, we attacked wretched Khattis again. This time we had the surprise and we were able to push them back during our first initial assault. Our battle tactic worked well this time. I let loose my volley of arrows before letting the runners and infantry run in. They took advantage of the chaos and slaughtered the enemy ranks. After the infantry assault my squad of ten chariots was able to drive the enemy before us, spearing them left and right. The enemy was pushed back but there were so many of them. We were called back after a period of little advancement in ground. Three chariots in my squad were lost, the enemy still innumerable. The enemy didn’t chase us; their chariots were mostly destroyed the day before.

An envoy from the enemy camp arrived at his majesty’s camp. Soon after the Ami-Re-sesemut told us to pack up and get ready for the journey away from the oppression of the enemy sword. I guess peace with the wretched Khattis has been reached.

Thanks alot.