A still more numerous force, led by Cambyses himself towards the Ethiopian frontier, found itself short of supplies on its march across Nubia, and was forced to return, without glory, after suffering considerable loss.
It became evident that the abilities of the Persian monarch were not equal to his ambition--that he insufficiently appreciated the difficulties and dangers of enterprises--while a fatal obstinacy prevented him from acknowledging and retrieving an error while retrieval was possible.

The Persians, we may be sure, grew dispirited under such a leader; and the Egyptians naturally took heart.

It seems to have been shortly after the return of Cambyses from his abortive expedition against Ethiopia that symptoms of an intention to revolt began to manifest themselves in Egypt.

The priests declared an incarnation of Apis, and the whole country burst out into rejoicings.

It was probably now that Psammenitus, who had hitherto been kindly treated by his captor, was detected in treasonable intrigues, condemned to death, and executed.