about four in the afternoon
Ramses accepted the invitation willingly ; the holy priests Mefres and Mentezufis had no objection to the presence of the prince in honoring the goddess Astaroth . `` First of all , Astaroth , '' said the worthy Mefres to Mentezufis , `` is the same as our Is is and the Chaldean Istar ; second , if we permit Asiatics to build temples in our land it is proper to be kindly to their gods at seasons . '' `` We are obliged even to show some politeness to Phoenicians after the conclusion of such a treaty with Assyria , '' put in the worthy Mentezufis , smiling . The amphitheatre , to which the viceroy , the nomarch , and the foremost officers betook themselves about four in the afternoon was built in the garden of the temple . It was a circular space surrounded by a palisade twice the height of a man . Inside the palisade , and round about , was a multitude of boxes and seats rising one above the other . The structure had no roof , but above the boxes extended cloth of various colors , cut like wings of butterflies , which , sprinkled with fragrant water , were moved to cool the atmosphere .