Evening star., 1949-08-21
Ancient Egypt
Comes to Life
In New Novel
THE EGYPTIAN


ndm's Sons; $3.75.J
Mr.. Waltari, Finnish novelist
has written a historical novel rare
indeed in these days when the
species seems to stem mostly from
the genus tripe. 1t is novel OF
full stature, with characters that
think and act like human beings,
drawn against, background In
which the faded colors Of antiq-
uity have been retouched bril-
liantly.
THE Egyptian" is more than a
story of an era so remote that we
hear of it with fragmentary vague
ness. With sharp understanding
and artistry of expression, the
author has conjured up in plau-
sible detail the way of life in the
Egypt OF. the Pharaohs. Somehow
he has brushed aside the mists of
5000 years and imbued his peo-
pie and scenes with a sense of re-
ality. The book is a remarkable
blending of imagination with pro-
found historical insight.
Not only Egypt. but Syria, Haiti,
Mitanni, Babylonia. the whole an
cient world that clustered about
the Mediterranean comes under
the purview of an exciting story.
The Egyptian who in his old
age tells the story of his life is
Sinuhe, son of a physician of
Thebes. Sinuhe, too, became a
doctor. and Egyptian physicians of
that time were, if you can trust
Mr.. Waltari's research, surpris-
ingly gifted in the healing art.
They were particularly adept at
surgery, and could even remove
brain tumors, sometimes without
fatal results. ..a
Wandering Surgeon.
Sinuhe became surgeon to the
Pharaoh. But his first youthful
indiscretion, a love affair with a
brazen courtesan, led him to deeds
that shamed him so he fled Egypt
and wandered in other countries
for years Of self-imposed exile.
He practiced his art so success
fully, restoring kings and rich men
to health, that he prospered.
There were many adventures. the
most bizarre an episode in the
strange island of Crete, whose
pleasure-mad inhabitants wor-
SHIPPED a terrifying sea god that
demanded regular sacrifices of
maidens. Finally Sinube returned
to Egypt to find a new turmoil
involving the people and their
gods.
There is a central theme, histo-
rically authentic. When a sickly
young man ascended the throne
of the Pharaohs, he took the
name of Akhnaton in honor of
his new god, Atom. Atom was
entirely different from ~Ammon,
the deity Thebes worshiped
Ammon ruled by fear, Furnishing
his enemies ruthlessly. Atom was
a god of love. He lived, within
people rather than in temples. He
wanted peace and denounced
cruelty and slavery. Akhnaton
ordered every statue Of Ammon
destroyed and replaced by shrines
in honor of Atom. There were
riots, almost civil war, but Atom
triumphed. The Pharaoh ordered
his commander to stop waging war
on the Hittites and others, to send
the Nubian mercenaries home and
disarm sthe home. forces. But
Egypt's enemies took the gestures
of peace for weakness and at
tackled on all fronts. And instead
of love, there was only trouble at
home. Eventually Ammon was re-
stored. Horemheb, the command
a, became Pharaoh, and the old
ways returned. -
''The Egyptian" is a long book
but I think it will hold your un-
Tagging interest. The writing, at
least in the smooth translation by
Naomi Walford, seems to strike q
happy middle course between the
pseudo-b biblical style which some
writers about the ancient world
affect and a modern colloquial
idiom. &C. B. j.