rhadopis of nubiaAgainst the background of the high politics of Sixth Dynasty Egypt, a powerful love grows between Rhadopis, a courtesan whose ravishing beauty is unmatched in time or place, and youthful, headstrong Pharaoh Merenra, worshiped by his people as a divine presence on earth. Rhadopis comes of poor peasant stock, but her star rises until she become the most celebrated woman in the kingdom, entertaining her countless lovers, who include the most powerful men in the realm, with her dancing, singing, and stimulating intellectual conversation in her white palace on an island in the Nile. Despite the attention and the endless stream of suitors, however, Rhadopis's heart remains cold and loveless -- until events conspire in the strangest of ways to bring her to the attention of Pharaoh himself. From there the two of them embark on a journey of intense passion that is totally absorbing and ultimately tragic. As their obsession for one another burns wildly, they become caught up in the violent turbulence of the politics of the day -- Merenra through his desire to sequester the properties of the priesthood and Rhadopis by her efforts to control the march of destiny and avoid their untimely but inevitable fate. But for Rhadopis, who has played with men's minds and danced on the scattered shards of their broken hearts, and Pharaoh, who has sought to flaunt ancient tradition for his own ends, can the power of love ultimately offer protection? |
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 17 |
Section 3 | 29 |
Section 4 | 49 |
Section 5 | 57 |
Section 6 | 66 |
Section 7 | 73 |
Section 8 | 79 |
Section 11 | 102 |
Section 12 | 110 |
Section 13 | 117 |
Section 14 | 122 |
Section 15 | 125 |
Section 16 | 138 |
Section 17 | 171 |
Section 18 | 178 |
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Common terms and phrases
anger Anin arrow asked beautiful Benamun bowed breast breath Cairo chariots chest commander courtesan cried deep desire despair door doubt dreams ears Egypt emotions eyes face falcon fear feel feet felt garden glory gods governor greeted hand happy head heart high priest hope Khnumhotep king king's kissed lady land laughed letter lips listened looked lord chamberlain loyal Maasayu Mahfouz Majesty Merenra messenger mind Naguib Mahfouz never night Nile Nitocris Nubia pain palace of Biga Pharaoh Pharaoh of Egypt prime minister queen rage Ramon Hotep ravishing beauty Rhadopis Rhadopis of Nubia Rhadopis's sacred Safkhotep sandal Shayth shook sighed silence Sixth Dynasty slave girl smiled Sofkhatep Sonallah Ibrahim Sothis soul spoke stood summer room Tahu Tahu's temple Thebes thought throne trembling truth turned violent voice waiting whispered white palace wish woman wonder words young