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Title: Egyptian Literature

Editor: Epiphanius Wilson

Release date: March 8, 2009 [eBook #28282]

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/28282

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EGYPTIAN
LITERATURE ***

Egyptian Literature
Comprising

Egyptian Tales,

Hymns, Litanies, Invocations,

The Book Of The Dead,

And

Cuneiform Writings

Edited And With A Special Introduction By

Epiphanius Wilson, A.M.
New York And London

The Co-Operative Publication Society

Copyright, 1901

The Colonial Press

Contents

Special Introduction.
The Book Of The Dead
A Hymn To The Setting Sun
Hymn And Litany To Osiris
Litany
Hymn To Rā
Hymn To The Setting Sun
Hymn To The Setting Sun
The Chapter Of The Chaplet Of Victory
The Chapter Of The Victory Over Enemies.
The Chapter Of Giving A Mouth To The Overseer
The Chapter Of Giving A Mouth To Osiris Ani
Opening The Mouth Of Osiris
The Chapter Of Bringing Charms To Osiris
The Chapter Of Memory
The Chapter Of Giving A Heart To Osiris
The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart
The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart
The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart
The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart
The Heart Of Carnelian

Preserving The Heart
Preserving The Heart
Preserving The Heart
Rubric
Beating Back The Crocodile
Beating Back The Crocodile
Repulsing Serpents
Against Snakes
Against Serpents
Driving Away Apshait
Driving Back The Merti
Living By Air
Living By Air
Driving Back Rerek
Repulsing The Eater Of The Ass
Abolishing The Slaughterings
Abolishing The Slaughterings
Air And Water
Dominion Over Elements
Dominion Over Elements
Dominion Over Elements
Preservation Of The Soul
Of Drinking Water
Of Drinking Water
Preservation From Scalding
On Coming Forth By Day
Chapter Of Knowledge
Of Gaining Mastery Over Enemies
Victory Over Enemies
Coming Forth By Day
Opening The Underworld
Coming Forth By Day
Coming Forth By Day
Coming Forth By Day
Coming Forth By Day
Coming Forth By Day
Of Lifting Up The Feet

Of Journeying To Annu
Of Transformation
Of Performing Transformations
Of Transformation Into A Hawk
Of Transformation Into A Governor
Of Transformation Into A God
Transformation Into A Lotus
Transformation Into A Lotus
Transformation Into Ptah
Transformation Into A Bennu Bird
Transformation Into A Heron
Of The Living Soul
Of The Swallow
The Serpent Sata
Of The Crocodile
Soul And Body
Of Evil Recollections
Of Rescue
Of Opening The Tomb
Of Not Sailing To The East
Of The Ink-Pot And Palette
Of Being Nigh Unto Thoth
Of Being Nigh Unto Thoth
Of Bringing A Boat Along In Heaven
Of Bringing The Makhent Boat
Of Entering The Boat Of Ra
Of Protecting The Boat Of Ra
Of Going Into The Boat Of Ra
Of Knowing The Souls Of The East
Of Sekhet-Hetepet
Of Knowing The Souls Of Pe
Of Knowing The Souls Of Nekhen
Of Knowing The Souls Of Khemennu
Of Coming Forth From Heaven
Of Knowing The Souls Of Khemennu
Of Receiving Paths
Of Coming Forth From Re-Stau

Of Coming Forth From Re-Stau
Of Going About In The Underworld
Of Entering Into The Great House
Of Entering The Presence
The Introduction To Maati
The Introduction To Maati
The Negative Confession
Address To The Gods Of The Underworld
Of The Hour Apes
Of The Praise Of The Gods
Adoration Of The Gods Of The Qerti
Hymn Of Praise To Osiris
Of Making Perfect The Khu
Of Living Nigh Unto Ra
Of Bringing Men Back To Earth
Of Making Perfect The Khu
Of Making Perfect The Khu
For The New Moon
Of Travelling In The Boat Of Ra
Of Making Perfect The Khu
Sailing In The Great Boat
Of The Four Flames
Egyptian Tales
The Taking Of Joppa
The Doomed Prince
Anpu And Bata
Setna And The Magic Book
Tales Of The Magicians
The Peasant And The Workman
The Shipwrecked Sailor
The Adventures Of Sanehat
The Tell Amarna Tablets
The Hittite Invasion Of Damascus
The Amorite Treachery
The War In Phœnicia
Northern Palestine
Southern Palestine

Royal Letters
Cuneiform Inscriptions And Hieratic Papyri
The Great Tablet Of Rameses II At Abu-Simbel
Hymn To Osiris
Travels Of An Egyptian In The Fourteenth Century B.C.
Dirge Of Menephtah
Hymn To The Nile
The Solemn Festal Dirge Of The Egyptians
Hymns To Amen
Hymn To Pharaoh
The Song Of The Harper
Hymn To Amen-Ra
Hymn To Ra-Harmachis
The Lamentations Of Isis And Nephthys
The Litany Of Ra
The Book Of Respirations
The Epic Of Penta-Our
Footnotes

[pg iii]

Special Introduction.

The wonders of Egyptian archæology are the latest and most precious
harvest of scholars and explorers. From Belzoni to Flinders Petrie there has
been a succession of discoveries in the valley of the Nile with which it is
hard for ordinary students to keep pace. Our knowledge of Egyptian life to-
day is far clearer and more complete than Bentley's or Porson's
acquaintance with the antiquities of Greece and Rome, and we have far
more complete access to the treasures of Egyptian literature than Dante or
Thomas Aquinas had to the remains of Attic poets and mystics. We know
exactly how an Egyptian of the twelfth dynasty dressed; what was the
position of women in Egypt; and what uniform was worn by the Egyptian
soldiers who took part in the campaign against Khitasis. We can see
Rameses II riding in his war-chariot; we know the very names of the horses
by whose side his tame lion is running and thirsting for the blood of his
master's foes. We know all about the domestic animals, the funeral customs,
the trades, the gods, the agriculture of the Nile valley thirty centuries ago.
We see the whole many-sided civilization portrayed in the brightest colors
in the poetry, the books of ritual, the hieratic inscriptions, the tablets,
papyri, and hieroglyphics which day by day come to light in exhaustless

abundance from the mounds and ruins of that fertile plain that stretches
from Thebes to the Mareotic lake.

For instance, we can learn exact particulars about the mode in which
Rameses II made war, from the poem of Penta-Our, a Theban writer of the
fourteenth century b.c. It is only by a figure of speech that this poem can be
called an epic; it is rather a historical narrative couched in terms of poetic
exaggeration with the object of flattering the royal vanity of Pharaoh.

The campaign in which Rameses then engaged was directed [pg iv] against
Kadesh, a city built on an island in the Orontes. It is, according to Penta-
Our, inhabited by a people known as Khita, whose spies are brought into
the tent of Rameses and questioned as to the whereabouts of the King of
Kadesh. The spies are forced by blows to answer, and they tell the Egyptian
monarch that the King of the Khita “is powerful with many soldiers, and
with chariot soldiers, and with their harness, as many as the sand of the
seashore, and they are ready to fight behind Kadesh.”

The King is very angry; for he had been deceived by false news to the effect
that his enemy had fled in terror to Khilibu. “The fault is great,” he cries,
“that the governors of the land and the vassal princes of Pharaoh have
committed, in neglecting to watch the movements of the Khita.” He sends
to bring back the legions he had sent away, and meanwhile the approach of
the enemy is announced. The camp of Rameses is surprised by the Asiatics;
many foot-soldiers are killed before they can seize their weapons, but a
faithful band rallies in front of the royal quarters. Suddenly a cry is heard;
Rameses has quickly put on his armor, seized his lance, ordered his war lion
to be loosed, and dashed into the fight. Pharaoh with his master of the
horse, Menni, is soon hemmed in by foes. “My Lord, O generous King!”
cries Menni, “Egypt's great protector in the day of battle! behold we stand
alone in the midst of the enemy, for the archers and the chariots have left us.
Let us return, that our lives may be saved. Save us, O my Lord, Rameses
Miamun!” Then Rameses called upon Amen, his god, and under his
protection charged the enemy, and “his hand devoured them in the space of
an instant.” Five times he rushed upon them, and five times they repulsed
him. The sixth time he breaks their ranks and regains his own lines. Then
the legions of Ptah, which had returned to the camp, join the battle, and the

Asiatics are routed. The first care of Rameses is to refresh his brave horses,
Victory-in-Thebes and Maut-is-Satisfied. Neither they nor Rameses and his
lion are wounded, though all stained with blood and dust, while the head-
plumes of the team are torn and tattered and their caparison broken.

This is a brief account of the main incident in this Egyptian epic, which is
written with life-like detail and animation. The [pg v] war concludes with a
treaty, and the marriage of Rameses with the daughter of the King of
Kadesh, so that henceforth “the people of Egypt were of one mind with the
princes of Khita, which had not been the case since the god Rā.”

The Egyptians have always been deeply impressed by the fact of human
mortality, and much of their religious belief and religious ritual is taken up
with the rites of burial, and detailed doctrines as to the experience of the
soul after parting from the body. Their elaborate embalming of the dead
springs from the desire to keep the mortal tenement prepared for the soul's
return to it. In their Book of the Dead is a full series of prayers, songs, and
incantations to be employed at funerals, and by the individual in his journey
beyond the tomb. The funeral procession was a very noisy company;
lamentations were heard through its whole length, but the burden of the
hymns was always, “To the West.” This was enlarged upon, “To the West,
the dwelling of Osiris; O Chief, as thou goest to the West, the Gods
themselves lament, as thou goest to the West.”

Osiris is the judge who weighs the souls, and allots them happiness or
misery, according to their deserts. “The Book of the Dead” is interesting
because it teaches how clearly and dogmatically the solemn and precise
Egyptian stated his views and held his convictions concerning the unknown
country. Four parts of man, it was said, survive after death, namely, the
soul, the spirit, the shadow, and the double. The double remains in the tomb,
and only leaves it in search of food. Sometimes it feels its loneliness and
avenges itself upon near relations who have forsaken it. But the soul hurries
to the bar of Osiris, where Thoth weighs the heart in the scales, and the
innocent are admitted into the Field of Beans, a realm of fertility, where
wheat grows seven cubits high. Immortality is spent in feasting, singing,
conversation, and games. But the whole of this wonderful book is well
worth studying. It shows how what Addison calls “this longing after

immortality” led an ancient and deeply religious people to attempt in their
burial rites to rob even the grave of its terrors, and conjured up out of the
shadows of the tomb a clear and distinct vision of future life, wherein man
in his complete individuality survived to all eternity.

[pg vi]
Among the most important results of recent Egyptian exploration must be
reckoned the discovery of the tablets of Tell Amarna. Tell Amarna is a
village in Upper Egypt, and in a pit at the foot of the mountain, at the base
of which it stands, were discovered hundreds of these relics, which have
since been distributed among the museums of London, Berlin, and Gizeh.
The writing on these tablets is cuneiform, and the matter is of profound
historic importance, illustrating, as it does, the relations between Egypt and
western Asia in the fifteenth century b.c. While the existence of these
tablets proves that cuneiform writing was common to Palestine and Syria as
well as the Euphrates Valley, yet curiously enough the manuscripts of Tell
Amarna are different from any of the same kind that have been found
elsewhere, and the language resembles somewhat the Hebrew of the Old
Testament.

While most of these tablets are letters and despatches from friendly powers
in Syria, and from vassal princes in Palestine, others contain interesting
legends. The letters are addressed to the Pharaohs known as Amenophis III
and Amenophis IV, who reigned in the sixteenth and fifteenth centuries b.c.

The Egyptians employed what practically were three alphabets—the
hieroglyphic, the hieratic, and the demotic. The hieroglyph is a symbol,
denoting something without letters or syllables; as, pictures of a bee stand
for king. The hieratic handwriting was a transition from symbols to
primitive letters; the papyrus reed, cut in slices and gummed together, was
used as paper for this writing, much of which is very beautifully executed in
black and red inks. These papyri are constantly being discovered, but
perhaps the earliest “find” of importance was that at Thebes in 1846, when
a number of literary compositions were brought to light which must have
been executed during the twelfth dynasty, about twenty-five centuries b.c.

The Egyptian Tales are works written in a lighter vein than the literature we
have already described. They will be read with delight, and none the less so

because they show that the Egyptians, who are the Chinese of the
Mediterranean, possess that saving quality in literary and political life,
namely, a sense of humor.

(signed) Epiphanius Wilson

[pg 001]

The Book Of The Dead

According to the Theban Recension

Translated by E. A. Wallis Budge, Litt.D., D.Lit.,
F.S.A.

[pg 003]

A Hymn To The Setting Sun

A Hymn of Praise to Ra when he riseth upon the horizon, and when he
setteth in the land of life. Osiris, the scribe Ani, saith:

“Homage to thee, O Rā, when thou risest [as] Tem-Heru-khuti (Tem-
Harmachis). Thou art adored [by me when] thy beauties are before mine
eyes, and [when thy] radiance [falleth] upon [my] body. Thou goest forth to
thy setting in the Sektet boat with [fair] winds, and thy heart is glad; the
heart of the Mātet boat rejoiceth. Thou stridest over the heavens in peace,
and all thy foes are cast down; the never-resting stars sing hymns of praise
unto thee, and the stars which rest, and the stars which never fail glorify
thee as thou sinkest to rest in the horizon of Manu,1 O thou who art
beautiful at morn and at eve, O thou lord who livest and art established, O
my lord!

“Homage to thee, O thou who art Rā when thou risest, and Tem when thou
settest [in] beauty. Thou risest and shinest on the back of thy mother [Nut],
O thou who art crowned king of the gods! Nut doeth homage unto thee, and
everlasting and never-changing order2 embraceth thee at morn and at eve.
Thou stridest over the heaven, being glad of heart, and the Lake of Testes is
content [thereat]. The Sebau Fiend hath fallen to the ground; his arms and
his hands have been hacked off, and the knife hath severed the joints of his
body. Rā hath a fair wind; the Sektet boat goeth forth and sailing along it
cometh into port. The gods of the south and of the north, of the west and of
the east, praise thee, O thou divine substance, from whom all forms of life
come into being. Thou sendest forth the word, and the earth [pg 004] is
flooded with silence, O thou only One, who didst dwell in heaven before
ever the earth and the mountains came into existence. O Runner, O Lord, O
only One, thou maker of things which are, thou hast fashioned the tongue of
the company of the gods, thou hast produced whatsoever cometh forth from
the waters, and thou springest up from them over the flooded land of the
Lake of Horus. Let me snuff the air which cometh forth from thy nostrils,

and the north wind which cometh forth from thy mother [Nut]. Oh, make
thou to be glorious my shining form (khu), O Osiris, make thou to be divine
my soul (ba)! Thou art worshipped [in] peace (or [in] setting), O lord of the
gods, thou art exalted by reason of thy wondrous works. Shine thou with
thy rays of light upon my body day by day, [upon me], Osiris the scribe, the
teller of the divine offerings of all the gods, the overseer of the granary of
the lords of Abtu (Abydos), the royal scribe in truth who loveth thee; Ani,
victorious in peace.”

Hymn And Litany To Osiris

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 19).]

“Praise be unto thee, O Osiris, lord of eternity, Unnefer, Heru-khuti
(Harmachis), whose forms are manifold, and whose attributes are majestic,
Ptah-Seker-Tem in Annu (Heliopolis), the lord of the hidden place, and the
creator of Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis) and of the gods [therein], the guide of the
underworld, whom [the gods] glorify when thou settest in Nut. Isis
embraceth thee in peace, and she driveth away the fiends from the mouth of
thy paths. Thou turnest thy face upon Amentet, and thou makest the earth to
shine as with refined copper. Those who have lain down (i.e., the dead) rise
up to see thee, they breathe the air and they look upon thy face when the
Disk riseth on its horizon; their hearts are at peace inasmuch as they behold
thee, O thou who art Eternity and Everlastingness!”

[pg 005]

Litany

“Homage to thee, [O lord of] starry deities in Annu, and of heavenly beings
in Kher-āba; thou god Unti, who art more glorious than the gods who are
hidden in Annu; oh grant3 thou unto me a path whereon I may pass in peace,
for I am just and true; I have not spoken lies wittingly, nor have I done
aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O An in Antes, (?) Heru-khuti (Harmachis), with long
strides thou stridest over heaven, O Heru-khuti. Oh, grant thou unto me a
path whereon I may pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken
lies wittingly, nor have I done aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O Soul of everlastingness, thou Soul who dwellest in
Tattu, Unnefer, son of Nut; thou art lord of Akert. Oh, grant thou unto me a
path wherein I may pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken
lies wittingly, nor have I done aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee in thy dominion over Tattu; the Ureret crown is
established upon thy head; thou art the One who maketh the strength which
protecteth himself, and thou dwellest in peace in Tattu. Oh, grant thou unto
me a path whereon I may pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not
spoken lies wittingly, nor have I done aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O lord of the Acacia tree, the Seker boat is set upon its
sledge; thou turnest back the Fiend, the worker of evil, and thou causest the
Utchat to rest upon its seat. Oh, grant thou unto me a path whereon I may
pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken lies wittingly, nor
have I done aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O thou who art mighty in thine hour, thou great and
mighty Prince, dweller in An-rut-f,4 lord of eternity and creator of
everlastingness, thou art the lord of Suten-henen (Heracleopolis Magna).

Oh, grant thou unto [pg 006] me a path whereon I may pass in peace, for I
am just and true; I have not spoken lies wittingly, nor have I done aught
with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O thou who restest upon Right and Truth, thou art the
lord of Abtu (Abydos), and thy limbs are joined unto Ta-tchesertet; thou art
he to whom fraud and guile are hateful. Oh, grant thou unto me a path
whereon I may pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken lies
wittingly, nor have I done aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O thou who art within thy boat, thou bringest Hāpi (i.e.,
the Nile) forth from his source; the light shineth upon thy body and thou art
the dweller in Nekhen.5 Oh, grant thou unto me a path whereon I may pass
in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken lies wittingly, nor have I
done aught with deceit.”

“Homage to thee, O creator of the gods, thou King of the North and of the
South, O Osiris, victorious one, ruler of the world in thy gracious seasons;
thou art the lord of the celestial world.6 Oh, grant thou unto me a path
whereon I may pass in peace, for I am just and true; I have not spoken lies
wittingly, nor have I done aught with deceit.”

Hymn To Rā

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 20).]

A Hymn of Praise to Rā when he riseth in the eastern part of heaven.
Those who are in his train rejoice, and lo! Osiris Ani, victorious, saith:

“Hail, thou Disk, thou lord of rays, who risest on the horizon day by day!
Shine thou with thy beams of light upon the face of Osiris Ani, who is
victorious; for he singeth hymns of praise unto thee at dawn, and he maketh
thee to set at eventide with words of adoration. May the soul of Osiris Ani,
the triumphant one, come forth with thee into heaven, may he go forth in
the Mātet boat. May he come into port in the Sektet boat, and may he cleave
his path among the never-resting stars in the heavens.”

[pg 007]
Osiris Ani, being in peace and in triumph, adoreth his lord, the lord of
eternity, saying: “Homage to thee, O Heru-khuti (Harmachis), who art the
god Khepera, the self-created; when thou risest on the horizon and sheddest
thy beams of light upon the lands of the North and of the South, thou art
beautiful, yea beautiful, and all the gods rejoice when they behold thee, the
King of heaven. The goddess Nebt-Unnut is stablished upon thy head; and
her uræi of the South and of the North are upon thy brow; she taketh up her
place before thee. The god Thoth is stablished in the bows of thy boat to
destroy utterly all thy foes. Those who are in the Tuat (underworld) come
forth to meet thee, and they bow in homage as they come toward thee, to
behold [thy] beautiful Image. And I have come before thee that I may be
with thee to behold thy Disk every day. May I not be shut up in [the tomb],
may I not be turned back, may the limbs of my body be made new again
when I view thy beauties, even as [are those of] all thy favored ones,
because I am one of those who worshipped thee [whilst I lived] upon earth.
May I come in unto the land of eternity, may I come even unto the
everlasting land, for behold, O my lord, this hast thou ordained for me.”

And lo, Osiris Ani triumphant in peace, the triumphant one, saith: “Homage
to thee, O thou who risest in thy horizon as Rā, thou reposest upon law
[which changeth not nor can it be altered]. Thou passest over the sky, and
every face watcheth thee and thy course, for thou hast been hidden from
their gaze. Thou dost shew thyself at dawn and at eventide day by day. The
Sektet boat, wherein is thy Majesty, goeth forth with might; thy beams
[shine] upon [all] faces; [the number] of thy red and yellow rays cannot be
known, nor can thy bright beams be told. The lands of the gods, and the
eastern lands of Punt7 must be seen, ere that which is hidden [in thee] may
be measured. Alone and by thyself thou dost manifest thyself [when] thou
comest into being above Nu (i.e., the sky). May Ani advance, even as thou
dost advance; may he never cease [to go forward], even as thy Majesty
ceaseth not [to go forward], even though it be for a moment; for with strides
dost thou in one little moment pass [pg 008] over the spaces which would
need hundreds of thousands and millions of years [for man to pass over;
this] thou doest, and then dost thou sink to rest. Thou puttest an end to the
hours of the night, and thou dost count them, even thou; thou endest them in
thine own appointed season, and the earth becometh light. Thou settest
thyself before thy handiwork in the likeness of Rā; thou risest in the
horizon.”

Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant, declareth his praise of thee when thou
shinest, and when thou risest at dawn he crieth in his joy at thy birth: “Thou
art crowned with the majesty of thy beauties; thou mouldest thy limbs as
thou dost advance, and thou bringest them forth without birth-pangs in the
form of Rā, as thou dost rise up into the upper air. Grant thou that I may
come unto the heaven which is everlasting, and unto the mountain where
dwell thy favored ones. May I be joined unto those shining beings, holy and
perfect, who are in the underworld; and may I come forth with them to
behold thy beauties when thou shinest at eventide and goest to thy mother
Nu. Thou dost place thyself in the west, and my two hands are [raised] in
adoration [of thee] when thou settest as a living being. Behold, thou art the
maker of eternity, and thou art adored [when] thou settest in the heavens. I
have given my heart unto thee without wavering, O thou who art mightier
than the gods.”

Osiris Ani, triumphant, saith: “A hymn of praise to thee, O thou who risest
like unto gold, and who dost flood the world with light on the day of thy
birth. Thy mother giveth thee birth upon [her] hand, and thou dost give light
unto the course of the Disk. O thou great Light, who shinest in the heavens,
thou dost strengthen the generations of men with the Nile-flood, and thou
dost cause gladness in all lands, and in all cities, and in all the temples.
Thou art glorious by reason of thy splendors, and thou makest strong thy ka
(i.e., Double) with hu and tchefau foods. O thou who art the mighty one of
victories, thou who art the Power of [all] powers, who dost make strong thy
throne against evil fiends; who art glorious in majesty in the Sektet boat,
and who art exceeding mighty in the Atet boat, make thou glorious Osiris
Ani with victory in the underworld; grant thou that in the netherworld he
may be without evil. I pray thee to put away [his] faults [pg 009] behind
thee: grant thou that he may be one of thy venerable servants who are with
the shining ones; may he be joined unto the souls which are in Ta-
tchesertet; and may he journey into the Sekhet-Aaru by a prosperous and
happy decree, he the Osiris, the scribe, Ani, triumphant.”

And the god saith:

“Thou shalt come forth into heaven, thou shalt pass over the sky, thou shalt
be joined into the starry deities. Praises shall be offered unto thee in thy
boat, thou shalt be hymned in the Atet boat, thou shalt behold Rā within his
shrine, thou shalt set together with his Disk day by day, thou shalt see the
Ant fish when it springeth into being in the waters of turquoise, and thou
shalt see the Abtu fish in his hour. It shall come to pass that the Evil One
shall fall when he layeth a snare to destroy thee, and the joints of his neck
and of his back shall be hacked asunder. Rā [saileth] with a fair wind, and
the Sektet boat draweth on and cometh into port. The mariners of Rā
rejoice, and the heart of Nebt-ānkh8 is glad, for the enemy of her lord hath
fallen to the ground. Thou shalt behold Horus on the standing-place of the
pilot of the boat, and Thoth and Maāt shall stand one upon each side of him.
All the gods shall rejoice when they behold Rā coming in peace to make the
hearts of the shining ones to live, and Osiris Ani, victorious, the scribe of
the divine offerings of the lords of Thebes, shall be along with them!”

Hymn To The Setting Sun

[From the Papyrus of Mut-hetep (British Museum No, 10,010, sheet 5).]

[Another Chapter of] the mystery of the Tuat (underworld) and of
passing through the unseen netherworld, and of seeing the Disk when he
setteth in Amentet, [when] he is adored by the gods and by the Khus in the
underworld, and [when] the Soul which dwelleth in Rā is made perfect. He
is made mighty before Tem; he is made great before Osiris; he setteth his
terror before the company of the gods who are the guides of the
netherworld; he maketh long (?) his steps and he maketh his face to enter
(?) [with that of] [pg 010] the great god. Now every Khu, for whom these
words shall have been said, shall come forth by day in any form which he is
pleased to take; he shall gain power among the gods of the Tuat
(underworld), and they shall recognize him as one of themselves; and he
shall enter in at the hidden gate with power.

The lady Mut-hetep, victorious, singeth hymns of praise to thee [saying]:
“O Rā-Tem, in thy splendid progress thou risest, and thou settest as a living
being in the glories of the western horizon; thou settest in thy territory
which is in Manu.9 Thy uræus is behind thee, thy uræus is behind thee.
Homage to thee, O thou who art in peace, homage to thee, O thou who art
in peace. Thou art joined unto the Eye of Tem, and it chooseth its powers of
protection [to place] behind thy members. Thou goest forth through heaven,
thou travellest over the earth, and thou journeyest onward. O Luminary, the
northern and southern halves of heaven come to thee and they bow low in
adoration, and they pay homage unto thee, day by day. The gods of Amentet
rejoice in thy beauties and the unseen places sing hymns of praise unto thee.
Those who dwell in the Sektet boat go round about thee, and the Souls of
the East pay homage to thee, and when they meet thy Majesty they cry:
‘Come, come in peace!’ There is a shout of welcome to thee, O lord of
heaven and governor of Amentet! Thou art acknowledged by Isis who seeth
her son in thee, the lord of fear, the mighty one of terror. Thou settest as a

living being in the hidden place. Thy father [Ta-]tunen raiseth thee up and
he placeth both his hands behind thee; thou becomest endowed with divine
attributes in [thy] members of earth; thou wakest in peace and thou settest
in Manu.10 Grant thou that I may become a being honored before Osiris, and
that I may come to thee, O Rā-Tem! I have adored thee, therefore do thou
for me that which I wish. Grant thou that I may be victorious in the
presence of the company of the gods. Thou are beautiful, O Rā, in thy
western horizon of Amentet, thou lord of Maāt, thou mighty one of fear,
thou whose attributes are majestic, O thou who art greatly beloved by those
who dwell in the Tuat (underworld); thou shinest with thy beams upon the
beings that are therein perpetually, [pg 011] and thou sendest forth thy light
upon the path of Re-stau. Thou openest up the path of the double Lion-god,
thou settest the gods upon [their] thrones, and the Khus in their abiding
places. The heart of Naarerf11 is glad [when] Rā setteth, the heart of Naarerf
is glad when Rā setteth.”

“Hail, O ye gods of the land of Amentet who make offerings and oblations
unto Rā-Tem, ascribe ye glory [unto him when] ye meet him. Grasp ye your
weapons and overthrow ye the fiend Seba on behalf of Rā, and repulse the
fiend Nebt on behalf of Osiris. The gods of the land of Amentet rejoice and
lay hold upon the cords of the Sektet boat, and they come in peace; the gods
of the hidden place who dwell in Amentet triumph.”

“Hail, Thoth, who didst make Osiris to triumph over his enemies, make
thou Mut-hetep, victorious, to triumph over her enemies in the presence of
the great divine sovereign chiefs who live with Osiris, the lord of life. The
great god who dwelleth in his Disk cometh forth, that is, Horus the avenger
of his father Unnefer-Rā. Osiris setteth, and the Khus who are in the Tuat
(underworld) say: Homage to thee, O thou who comest as Tem, and who
comest into being as the creator of the gods. Homage to thee, O thou who
comest as the holy Soul of souls, who dwellest in the horizon. Homage to
thee who art more glorious than [all] the gods and who illuminest the Tuat
with thine Eye. Homage to thee who sailest in thy glory and who goest
round about it in thy Disk.”

The following variant of the above hymn is translated from the text in the
Papyrus of Nekhtu-Amen (Naville, “Todtenbuch,” Bd. II. p. 23).

Another Chapter of the mystery of the Tuat (underworld) and of
traversing the unseen places of the underworld, of seeing the Disk when
he setteth in Amentet, [when] he is adored by the gods and by the Khus of
the Tuat (underworld), and [when] the divine Khu which dwelleth within Rā
is made perfect. He setteth his might before Rā, he setteth his power before
Tem, [he setteth his strength] before Khenti-Amentet, and he setteth his
terror before the company of the gods. The Osiris of the gods goeth as
leader [pg 012] through the Tuat (underworld), he crasheth through
mountains, he bursteth through rocks, he maketh glad (?) the heart of every
Khu. This composition shall be recited by the deceased when he cometh
forth and when he goeth in with the gods, among whom he findeth no
opposition; then shall he come forth by day in all the manifold and
exceedingly numerous forms which he may be pleased to take. [The Osiris
... saith:]

“A hymn of praise to Rā at eventide [when] he setteth as a living being in
Baakha.12 The great god who dwelleth in his Disk riseth in his two eyes13
and all the Khus of the underworld receive him in his horizon of Amentet;
they shout praises unto Heru-khuti (Harmachis) in his form of Tem, and
they sing hymns of joy to Rā when they have received him at the head of
his beautiful path of Amentet.”

He (i.e., the deceased) saith: “Praise be unto thee, O Rā, praise be unto thee,
O Tem, in thy splendid progress. Thou hast risen and thou hast put on
strength, and thou settest like a living being amid thy glories in the horizon
of Amentet, in thy domain which is in Manu. Thy uræus-goddess is behind
thee; thy uræus-goddess is behind thee. Hail to thee, in peace; hail to thee,
in peace. Thou joinest thyself unto the Eye of Horus, and thou hidest thyself
within its secret place; it destroyeth for thee all the convulsions of thy face,
it maketh thee strong with life, and thou livest. It bindeth its protecting
amulets behind thy members. Thou sailest forth over heaven, and thou
makest the earth to be stablished; thou joinest thyself unto the upper
heaven, O Luminary. The two regions of the East and West make adoration
unto thee, bowing low and paying homage unto thee, and they praise thee
day by day; the gods of Amentet rejoice in thy splendid beauties. The
hidden places adore thee, the aged ones make offerings unto thee, and they
create for thee protecting powers. The divine beings who dwell in the

eastern and western horizons transport thee, and those who are in the Sektet
boat convey thee round and about. The Souls of Amentet cry out unto thee
and say unto thee when they meet thy majesty (Life, Health, Strength!), ‘All
hail, all hail!’ When thou comest forth in [pg 013] peace there arise shouts
of delight to thee, O thou lord of heaven, thou Prince of Amentet. Thy
mother Isis embraceth thee, and in thee she recognizeth her son, the lord of
fear, the mighty one of terror. Thou settest as a living being within the dark
portal. Thy father Tatunen lifteth thee up and he stretcheth out his two
hands behind thee; thou becomest a divine being in the earth. Thou wakest
as thou settest, and thy habitation is in Manu. Grant thou that I may be
venerated before Osiris, and come thou [to me], O Rā-Tem. Since thou hast
been adored [by me] that which I wish thou shalt do for me day by day.
Grant thou victory [unto me] before the great company of the gods, O Rā
who art doubly beautiful in thy horizon of Amentet, thou lord of Maāt who
dwellest in the horizon. The fear of thee is great, thy forms are majestic, and
the love of thee is great among those who dwell in the underworld.”

Hymn To The Setting Sun

[From a Papyrus of the nineteenth dynasty preserved at Dublin (see Naville,
“Todtenbuch,” Bd. I. Bl. 19).]

A hymn of Praise To Ra-Heru-khuti (Ra-Harmachis) When He Setteth in
the Western Part of Heaven. He (i.e., the deceased) saith:

“Homage to thee, O Rā [who] in thy sitting art Tem-Heru-khuti (Tem-
Harmachis), thou divine god, thou self-created being, thou primeval matter
[from which all things were made]. When [thou] appearest in the bows of
[thy] bark men shout for joy at thee, O maker of the gods! Thou didst
stretch out the heavens wherein thy two eyes14 might travel, thou didst make
the earth to be a vast chamber for thy Khus, so that every man might know
his fellow. The Sektet boat is glad, and the Mātet boat rejoiceth; and they
greet thee with exaltation as thou journeyest along. The god Nu is content,
and thy mariners are satisfied; the uræus-goddess hath overthrown thine
enemies, and thou hast carried off the legs of Apep. Thou art beautiful, O
Rā, each day, and thy mother Nut embraceth thee; thou settest in beauty,
and thy heart is [pg 014] glad in the horizon of Manu, and the holy beings
therein rejoice. Thou shinest there with thy beams, O thou great god, Osiris,
the everlasting Prince. The lords of the zones of the Tuat in their caverns
stretch out their hands in adoration before thy Ka (double), and they cry out
to thee, and they all come forth in the train of thy form shining brilliantly.
The hearts of the lords of the Tuat (underworld) are glad when thou sendest
forth thy glorious light in Amentet; their two eyes are directed toward thee,
and they press forward to see thee, and their hearts rejoice when they do see
thee. Thou hearkenest unto the acclamations of those that are in the funeral
chest,15 thou doest away with their helplessness and drivest away the evils
which are about them. Thou givest breath to their nostrils and they take hold
of the bows of thy bark in the horizon of Manu. Thou art beautiful each day,
O Rā, and may thy mother Nut embrace Osiris ...,16 victorious.”

The Chapter Of The Chaplet Of Victory

[From Lepsius “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 13.]

The Chapter of the Chaplet of Victory. Osiris Auf-ānkh, victorious, born
of Sheret-Amsu, victorious, saith:

“Thy father Tem hath woven for thee a beautiful chaplet of victory [to be
placed] on [thy] living brow, O thou who lovest the gods, and thou shalt
live forever. Osiris-khent-Amentet17 hath made thee to triumph over thine
enemies, and thy father Seb hath decreed for thee all his inheritance. Come,
therefore, O Horus, son of Isis, for thou, O son of Osiris, sittest upon the
throne of thy father Rā to overthrow thine enemies, for he hath ordained for
thee the two lands to their utmost limits. Atem hath [also] ordained this, and
the company of the gods hath confirmed the splendid power of the victory
of Horus the son of Isis and the son of Osiris forever and forever. And
Osiris Auf-ānkh shall be victorious forever and ever. O Osiris-khent-
Amentet, the whole of the northern and southern parts of the heavens, and
every god and every goddess, who are in heaven and who are upon earth
[will] the victory of [pg 015] Horus, the son of Isis and the son of Osiris,
over his enemies in the presence of Osiris-khent-Amentet who will make
Osiris Auf-ānkh, victorious, to triumph over his enemies in the presence of
Osiris-khent-Amentet, Un-nefer, the son of Nut, on the day of making him
to triumph over Set and his fiends in the presence of the great sovereign
chiefs who are in Annu (Heliopolis); on the night of the battle and
overthrow of the Seba-fiend in the presence of the great sovereign princes
who are in Abtu; on the night of making Osiris to triumph over his enemies
make thou Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, to triumph over his enemies in the
presence of the great sovereign princes, who are in the horizon of Amentet;
on the day of the festival of Haker in the presence of the great sovereign
princes who are in Tattu; on the night of the setting up of the Tet in Tattu in
the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in the ways of the
damned; on the night of the judgment of those who shall be annihilated in

the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Sekhem (Letopolis);
on the night of the ‘things of the altars in Sekhem’ in the presence of the
great sovereign princes who are in Pe and Tepu; on the night of the
stablishing of the inheriting by Horus of the things of his father Osiris in the
presence of the great sovereign princes who are at the great festival of the
ploughing and turning up of the earth in Tattu, or (as others say), [in] Abtu;
on the night of the weighing of words,” or (as others say), “weighing of
locks in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in An-rut-f on
its place; on the night when Horus receiveth the birth-chamber of the gods
in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in the lands of
Rekhti(?); on the night when Isis lieth down to watch [and] to make
lamentation for her brother in the presence of the great sovereign princes
who are in Re-stau; on the night of making Osiris to triumph over all his
enemies.”

“Horus repeated [these] words four times, and all his enemies fell headlong
and were overthrown and were cut to pieces; and Osiris Auf-ānkh,
triumphant, repeated [these] words four times, therefore let all his enemies
fall headlong, and be overthrown and cut to pieces. Horus the son of Isis
and son of Osiris celebrated in turn millions of festivals, and all his enemies
fell headlong, and were overthrown and cut [pg 016] to pieces. Their
habitation hath gone forth to the block of the East, their heads have been cut
off; their necks have been destroyed; their thighs have been cut off; they
have been given over to the Great Destroyer who dwelleth in the valley of
the grave; and they shall never come forth from under the restraint of the
god Seb.”

this chapter shall be recited over the divine chaplet which is laid upon
the face of the deceased, and thou shalt cast incense into the fire on
behalf of osiris auf-ankh, triumphant, born of sheret-amsu, triumphant;
thus shalt thou cause him to triumph over his enemies, dead or alive, and
he shall be among the followers of osiris; and a hand shall be stretched
out to him with meat and drink in the presence of the god. [this chapter]
shall be said by thee twice at dawn—now it is a never-failing charm—
regularly and continually.

The Chapter Of The Victory Over Enemies.

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 12).]

“Hail, Thoth, who didst make Osiris to triumph over his enemies, snare
thou the enemies of Osiris, the scribe Nebseni, the lord of piety, in the
presence of the great sovereign princes of every god and of every goddess;
in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Annu (Heliopolis)
on the night of the battle and of the overthrow of the Sebau-fiend in Tattu;
on the night of making to stand up the double Tet in Sekhem (Letopolis); on
the night of the things of the night in Sekhem, in Pe, and in Tepu;18 on the
night of the stablishing of Horus in the heritage of the things of his father in
the double land of Rekhti(?); on the night when Isis maketh lamentation at
the side of her brother Osiris in Abtu (Abydos); on the night of the Haker
festival of the distinguishing [between] the dead (i.e., the damned) and the
Khus on the path of the dead (i.e., the damned); on the night of the
judgment of those who are to be annihilated at the great [festival of] the
ploughing and the turning up of the earth in Naare-rut-f19 in Re-stau; and on
the night of making Horus to triumph [pg 017] over his enemies. Horus is
mighty, the northern and southern halves of heaven rejoice, Osiris is content
thereat and his heart is glad. Hail, Thoth, make thou to triumph Osiris, the
scribe Nebseni, over his enemies in the presence of the sovereign princes of
every god and every goddess, and in the presence of you, ye sovereign
princes who passed judgment on Osiris behind the shrine.”

In the Saïte Recension this chapter has no vignette, but it has the title
“Another Chapter of the Chaplet of Victory,” and is arranged in tabular
form. The words, “Hail, Thoth, make Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, to
triumph over his enemies even as thou didst make Osiris to triumph over his
enemies,” which are written in two horizontal lines, are to be repeated
before each column of text. The “great sovereign princes” invoked are those
of: (1) Annu (Heliopolis), (2) Tattu, (3) Sekhem (Letopolis), (4) Pe and Tep,
(5) An-arut-f, (6) the double land of Rekhti, (7) Re-stau, (8) Abtu, (9) the

paths of the dead, (10) the ploughing festival in Tattu, (11) Kher-āba, (12)
Osiris, (13) heaven and earth, (14) every god and every goddess. The rubric
reads:

if this chapter be recited regularly and always by a man who hath
purified himself in water of natron, he shall come forth by day after he
hath come into port (i.e., is dead), and he shall perform all the
transformations which his heart shall dictate, and he shall come forth
from every fire.

The Chapter Of Giving A Mouth To The Overseer

The Chapter of giving a mouth to the overseer of the house, Nu,
triumphant, in the underworld. He saith:

“Homage to thee, O thou lord of brightness, thou who art at the head of the
Great House, prince of the night and of thick darkness. I have come unto
thee being a pure khu. Thy two hands are behind thee, and thou hast thy lot
with [thy] ancestors. Oh, grant thou unto me my mouth that I may speak
therewith; and guide thou to me my heart at the season when there is cloud
and darkness.”

[pg 018]

The Chapter Of Giving A Mouth To Osiris Ani

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of giving a mouth to Osiris Ani, the scribe and teller of the
holy offerings of all the gods, triumphant, in the underworld. He saith:

“I rise out of the egg in the hidden land. May my mouth be given unto me
that I may speak therewith in the presence of the great god, the lord of the
Tuat (underworld). May my hand and my arm not be forced back in the
presence of the sovereign princes of any god. I am Osiris, the lord of Re-
stau; may I, Osiris the scribe Ani, triumphant, have a portion with him who
is on the top of the steps (i.e., Osiris). According to the desire of my heart, I
have come from the Pool of Fire, and I have quenched the fire.”

Opening The Mouth Of Osiris

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of opening the mouth of Osiris. The scribe Ani, triumphant,
saith:

“May the good Ptah open my mouth, and may the god of my city loose the
swathings, even the swathings which are over my mouth. Moreover, may
Thoth, being filled and furnished with charms, come and loose the
bandages, even the bandages of Set which fetter my mouth; and may the
god Tem hurl them at those who would fetter [me] with them, and drive
them back. May my mouth be opened, may my mouth be unclosed by Shu
with his iron knife wherewith he opened the mouths of the gods. I am the
goddess Sekhet, and I sit upon [my] place in the great wind(?) of heaven. I
am the great goddess Sah who dwelleth among the Souls of Annu
(Heliopolis). Now as concerning every charm and all the words which may
be spoken against me, may the gods resist them, and may each and every
one of the company of the gods withstand them.”

[pg 019]

The Chapter Of Bringing Charms To Osiris

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of bringing charms unto Osiris Ani [in the underworld]. He
saith:

“I am Tem-Khepera, who brought himself into being upon the thigh of his
divine mother. Those who are in Nu (i.e., the sky) are made wolves, and
those who are among the sovereign princes are become hyenas. Behold, I
gather together the charm [from every place where] it is, and from every
man with whom it is, swifter than greyhounds and quicker than light. Hail,
thou who towest along the Mākhent boat of Rā, the stays of thy sails and of
thy rudder are taut in the wind as thou sailest up the Pool of Fire in the
underworld. Behold, thou gatherest together the charm from every place
where it is, and from every man with whom it is, swifter than greyhounds
and quicker than light, [the charm] which created the forms of being from
the ... mother, and which either createth the gods or maketh them silent, and
which giveth the heat of fire unto the gods. Behold, the charm is given unto
me, from wherever it is [and from him with whom it is], swifter than
greyhounds and quicker than light,” or (as others say) “quicker than a
shadow.”

The Chapter Of Memory

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No, 10,477, sheet 5).]

The Chapter of making a man to possess memory in the underworld. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, the overseer of the palace, the son of
the chief chancellor Amen-hetep, saith:

“May my name be given to me in the Great House, and may I remember my
name in the House of Fire on the night of counting the years and of telling
the number of the months. I am with the Divine One, and I sit on the eastern
side of heaven. If any god whatsoever should advance unto me, let me be
able to proclaim his name forthwith.”

[pg 020]

The Chapter Of Giving A Heart To Osiris

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of giving a heart to Osiris Ani in the underworld. He saith:

“May my heart (ab)20 be with me in the House of Hearts! May my heart
(hat) be with me in the House of Hearts! May my heart be with me, and
may it rest there, [or] I shall not eat of the cakes of Osiris on the eastern
side of the Lake of Flowers, neither shall I have a boat wherein to go down
the Nile, nor another wherein to go up, nor shall I be able to sail down the
Nile with thee. May my mouth [be given] to me that I may speak therewith,
and my two legs to walk therewith, and my two hands and arms to
overthrow my foe. May the doors of heaven be opened unto me; may Seb,
the Prince21 of the gods, open wide his two jaws unto me; may he open my
two eyes which are blindfolded; may he cause me to stretch apart my two
legs which are bound together; and may Anpu (Anubis) make my thighs
firm so that I may stand upon them. May the goddess Sekhet make me to
rise so that I may ascend unto heaven, and may that be done which I
command in the House of the foreign (double) of Ptah (i.e., Memphis). I
understand with my heart. I have gained the mastery over my heart, I have
gained the mastery over my two hands, I have gained the mastery over my
legs, I have gained the power to do whatsoever my ka (double) pleaseth.
My soul shall not be fettered to my body at the gates of the underworld; but
I shall enter in peace and I shall come forth in peace.”

[pg 021]

The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheets 15 and 16).]

The Chapter of not letting the heart (hati) of a man be taken from him in
22
the underworld. Saith Osiris Ani:

“Hail, ye who carry away hearts! [Hail,] ye who steal [hearts, and who
make the heart of a man to go through its transformations according to his
deeds, let not what he hath done harm him before you].23 Homage to you, O
ye lords of eternity, ye possessors of everlastingness, take ye not this heart
of Osiris Ani into your grasp, this heart of Osiris, and cause ye not words of
evil to spring up against it; because this is the heart of Osiris Ani,
triumphant, and it belongeth unto him of many names (i.e., Thoth), the
mighty one whose words are his limbs, and who sendeth forth his heart to
dwell in his body. The heart of Osiris Ani is triumphant, it is made new
before the gods, he hath gained power over it, he hath not been spoken to
[according to] what he hath done. He hath gotten power over his own
members. His heart obeyeth him, he is the lord thereof, it is in his body, and
it shall never fall away therefrom. I, Osiris, the scribe Ani, victorious in
peace, and triumphant in the beautiful Amenta and on the mountain of
eternity, bid thee to be obedient unto me in the underworld.”

The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 5).]

The Chapter of not letting the heart of the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, be carried away from him in the
underworld. He saith:

“Hail, thou Lion-god! I am the Flower Bush (Unb). That which is an
abomination unto me is the divine block. [pg 022] Let not this my heart
(hāti) be carried away from me by the fighting gods in Annu. Hail, thou
who dost wind bandages round Osiris and who hast seen Set! Hail, thou
who returnest after smiting and destroying him before the mighty ones!
This my heart (ab) [sitteth] and weepeth for itself before Osiris; it hath
made supplication for me. I have given unto him and I have decreed unto
him the thoughts of the heart in the House of the god Usekh-hra,24 and I
have brought to him sand (sic) at the entry to Khemennu (Hermopolis
Magna). Let not this my heart (hāti) be carried away from me! I make thee
to dwell(?) upon this throne, O thou who joinest together hearts (hātu) [in
Sekhet-hetep (with) years] of strength against all things that are an
abomination unto thee, and to carry off food from among the things which
belong unto thee, and are in thy grasp by reason of thy twofold strength.
And this my heart (hāti) is devoted to the decrees of the god Tem who
leadeth me into the dens of Suti, but let not this my heart which hath done
its desire before the sovereign princes who are in the underworld be given
unto him. When they find the leg and the swathings they bury them.”

The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of not letting the heart of a man be taken away from him in
the underworld. Osiris Ani, triumphant, saith:

“Turn thou back, O messenger of every god! Is it that thou art come [to
carry away] this my heart which liveth? But my heart which liveth shall not
be given unto thee. [As I] advance, the gods hearken unto my offerings, and
they all fall down upon their faces in their own places.”

[pg 023]

The Chapter Of Preserving The Heart

[From the Papyrus of Amen-hetep (Naville, “Todtenbuch,” Bd. I. Bl. 40).]

The Chapter of not allowing the heart of Amen-hetep, triumphant, to be
carried away dead in the underworld. The deceased saith:

“My heart is with me, and it shall never come to pass that it shall be carried
away. I am the lord of hearts, the slayer of the heart. I live in right and truth
(Maāt) and I have my being therein. I am Horus, the dweller in hearts, who
is within the dweller in the body. I live in my word, and my heart hath
being. Let not my heart be taken away from me, let it not be wounded, and
may neither wounds nor gashes be dealt upon me because it hath been taken
away from me. Let me have my being in the body of [my] father Seb, [and
in the body of my] mother Nut. I have not done that which is held in
abomination by the gods; let me not suffer defeat there, [but let me be]
triumphant.”

The Heart Of Carnelian

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 33).]

The Chapter of a heart of Carnelian. Osiris Ani, triumphant, saith:

“I am the Bennu, the soul of Rā, and the guide of the gods in the Tuat
(underworld). Their divine souls come forth upon earth to do the will of
their kas; let, therefore, the soul of Osiris Ani come forth to do the will of
his ka.”

Preserving The Heart

[From Lepsius, “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 16.]

The Chapter of not letting the heart of a man be driven away from him in
the underworld. Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, born of Sheret-Amsu,
triumphant, saith:

“My heart, my mother; my heart, my mother! My heart of my existence
upon earth. May naught stand up to oppose [pg 024] me in judgment; may
there be no opposition to me in the presence of the sovereign princes; may
[no evil] be wrought against me in the presence of the gods; may there be
no parting [of thee] from me in the presence of the great god, the lord of
Amentet. Homage to thee, O thou heart of Osiris-khent-Amentet! Homage
to you, O my reins! Homage to you, O ye gods who dwell in the divine
clouds, and who are exalted (or holy) by reason of your sceptres! Speak ye
fair words for the Osiris Auf-ānkh, and make ye him to prosper before
Nehebka. And behold, though I be joined unto the earth, and am in the
mighty innermost part of heaven, let me remain on the earth and not die in
Amentet, and let me be a khu therein forever and ever.”

this [chapter] shall be recited over a basalt scarab, which shall be set in
25
a gold setting, and it shall be placed inside the heart of the man for
whom the ceremonies of “opening the mouth” and of anointing with
unguent have been performed. and there shall be recited by way of a
magical charm the words: “my heart, my mother; my heart, my mother!
my heart of transformations.”

Preserving The Heart

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 5).]

The Chapter of not letting the heart of the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, be driven away from him in the
underworld. He Saith:

“O my heart, my mother; O my heart, my mother! O my heart of my
existence upon earth. May naught stand up to oppose me in judgment in the
presence of the lords of the trial; let it not be said of me and of that which I
have done, ‘He hath done deeds against that which is right and true’; may
naught be against me in the presence of the great god, the lord of Amentet.
Homage to thee, O my heart! Homage to thee, O my heart! Homage to you,
O my reins! Homage to you, O ye gods who dwell in the divine clouds, and
who are exalted (or holy) by reason of your sceptres! Speak ye [for me] fair
things to Rā, and make ye me [pg 025] to prosper before Nehebka. And
behold me, even though I be joined to the earth in the mighty innermost
parts thereof, let me remain upon the earth and let me not die in Amentet,
but become a Khu therein.”

Preserving The Heart

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of not letting the heart of Osiris, the scribe of the holy
offerings of all the gods, Ani, triumphant, be driven from him in the
underworld. He saith:

“My heart, my mother; my heart, my mother! My heart whereby I came into
being! May naught stand up to oppose me at [my] judgment; may there be
no opposition to me in the presence of the sovereign princes (Tchatcha);
may there be no parting of thee from me in the presence of him that keepeth
the Balance! Thou art my ka, the dweller in my body; the god Khnemu who
knitteth and strengtheneth my limbs. Mayest thou come forth into the place
of happiness whither we go. May the Shenit (i.e., the divine officers of the
court of Osiris), who form the conditions of the lives of men, not cause my
name to stink. [Let it be satisfactory unto us, and let the listening be
satisfactory unto us, and let there be joy of heart unto us at the weighing of
words. Let not that which is false be uttered against me before the great
god, the lord of Amentet. Verily how great shalt thou be when thou risest in
triumph!]”26

Rubric

[From the Papyrus of Amen-hetep (see Naville, “Todtenbuch,” Bd. II. p.
99).]

these words are to be said over a scarab of green stone encircled with a
band of refined copper and [having] a ring of silver, which shall be
placed on the neck of the khu.

this chapter was found in the city of khemennu (hermopolis magna) under
the feet of [the statue of] this god. [it was inscribed] upon a slab of iron
of the south, in the writing of the god himself, in the time of the [pg 026]
27
majesty of the king of the north and of the south, men-kau-ra,
triumphant, by the royal son heru-ta-ta-f, who discovered it while he was
on his journey to make an inspection of the temples and of their estates.

Beating Back The Crocodile

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 5).]

The Chapter of beating back the Crocodile that cometh to carry away
the Charm from Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief,
triumphant, the son of the overseer of the palace, Amen-hetep,
triumphant, in the underworld. He saith:

“Get thee back, return, get thee back, thou crocodile-fiend Sui; thou shalt
not advance to me, for I live by reason of the magical words which I have
by me. I do not utter that name of thine to the great god who will cause thee
to come to the two divine envoys; the name of the one is Betti,28 and the
name of the other is ‘Hra-k-en-Maāt.’29 Heaven hath power over its seasons,
and the magical word hath power over that which is in its possession, let
therefore my mouth have power over the magical word which is therein.
My front teeth are like unto flint knives, and my jaw-teeth are like unto the
Nome of Tutef.30 Hail thou that sittest with thine eyeball upon these my
magical words! Thou shalt not carry them away, O thou crocodile that livest
by means of magical words!”

[In the Turin Papyrus (Lepsius, op. cit., Bl. 16) the following lines are
added to this chapter:]

“I am the Prince in the field. I, even I, am Osiris, who hath shut in his father
Seb together with his mother Nut on the day of the great slaughter. My
father is Seb and my mother is Nut. I am Horus, the first-born of Rā, who is
crowned. I am Anpu (Anubis) on the day of reckoning. I, even I, am Osiris
the prince who goeth in and declareth the offerings which are written down.
I am the guardian of the door of Osiris, [pg 027] even I. I have come, I have
become glorious (or a Khu), I have been reckoned up, I am strong, I have
come and I avenge mine own self. I have sat in the birth-chamber of Osiris,
and I was born with him, and I renew my youth along with him. I have laid

hold upon the Thigh which was by Osiris, and I have opened the mouth of
the gods therewith, I sit upon the place where he sitteth, and I write down
the number [of the things] which make strong(?) the heart, thousands of
loaves of bread, thousands of vases of beer, which are upon the altars of his
father Osiris, [numbers of] jackals, wolves, oxen, red fowl, geese and
ducks. Horus hath done away with the sacrifices of Thoth. I fill the office of
priest in the regions above, and I write down there [the things] which make
strong the heart. I make offerings (or offerings are made to me) at the altars
of the Prince of Tattu, and I have my being through the oblations [made to]
him. I snuff the wind of the East by his head, and I lay hold upon the
breezes of the West thereby.... I go round about heaven in the four quarters
thereof, I stretch out my hand and grasp the breezes of the south [which] are
upon its hair. Grant unto me air among the venerable beings and among
those who eat bread.”

if this chapter be known by [the deceased] he shall come forth by day, he
shall rise up to walk upon the earth among the living, and he shall never
fail and come to an end, never, never, never.

Beating Back The Crocodile

[From Lepsius, “Todtenbuch,” Bll. 16 and 17.]

The Chapter of beating back the Crocodile that cometh to carry away
the magical words from the Khu in the underworld. Osiris Auf-ānkh,
triumphant, saith:

“The Mighty One fell down upon the place where he is, or (as others say),
upon his belly, but the company of the gods caught him and set him up
again. [My] soul cometh and it speaketh with its father, and the Mighty One
delivereth it from these eight31 crocodiles. I know them by their names and
[what] they live upon, and I am he who hath delivered his father from
them.”

[pg 028]
“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the West, thou that livest upon
the stars which never rest, for that which is an abomination unto thee is in
my belly, O thou that hast eaten the forehead of Osiris. I am Set.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the West, for the serpent-fiend
Nāau is in my belly, and I will give him unto thee; let not thy flame be
against me.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the East, who feedest upon
those who eat their own filth, for that which is an abomination unto thee is
in my belly; I advance, I am Osiris.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the East, the serpent-fiend
Nāau is in my belly, and I will give [him] unto thee; let not thy flame be
against me.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the South, who feedest upon
filth, and waste, and dirt, for that which is an abomination unto thee is in
my belly; shall not the flame be on thy hand? I am Sept.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the South, for I am safe by
reason of my charm; my fist is among the flowers and I will not give it unto
thee.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the North, who feedest upon
what is offered(?) within the hours, for that which thou abominatest is in my
belly; let [not] thy venom be upon my head, for I am Tem.”

“Get thee back, O Crocodile that dwellest in the North, for the goddess
Serqet is in my belly and I have not yet brought her forth. I am Uatch-Maati
(or Merti).”

“The things which are created are in the hollow of my hand, and those
which have not yet come into being are in my body. I am clothed and
wholly provided with thy magical words, O Rā, the which are in heaven
above me and in the earth beneath me. I have gained power, and exaltation,
and a full-breathing throat in the abode of my father Ur (i.e., the Mighty
One), and he hath delivered unto me the beautiful Amentet which
destroyeth living men and women; but strong is its divine lord, who
suffereth from weakness,” or (as others say) “exhaustion twofold, therein
day by day. My face is open, my heart is upon its seat, and the crown with
the serpent is upon me day by day. I am Rā, who is his own protector, and
nothing shall ever cast me to the ground.”

[pg 029]

Repulsing Serpents

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of repulsing serpents (or worms). Nu, the overseer of the
palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, thou serpent Rerek, advance not hither. Behold Seb and Shu. Stand
still now, and thou shalt eat the rat which is an abominable thing unto Rā,
and thou shalt crunch the bones of the filthy cat.”

Against Snakes

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of not [letting] Osiris Nu, triumphant, be bitten by snakes
(or worms) in the underworld. He saith:

“O Serpent! I am the flame which shineth upon the Opener(?) of hundreds
of thousands of years, and the standard of the god Tenpu,” or (as others say)
“the standard of young plants and flowers. Depart ye from me, for I am the
divine Māftet.”32

Against Serpents

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of not [letting] Nu, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, be
devoured by serpents in the underworld. He saith:

“Hail, thou god Shu! Behold Tattu! Behold Shu! Hail Tattu! [Shu] hath the
head-dress of the goddess Hathor. They nurse Osiris. Behold the twofold
being who is about to eat me! Alighting from the boat I depart(?), and the
serpent-fiend Seksek passeth me by. Behold sām and aaqet flowers are kept
under guard(?). This being is Osiris, and he maketh entreaty for his tomb.
The eyes of the divine prince are dropped, and he performeth the reparation
which is to be [pg 030] done for thee; [he] giveth [unto thee thy] portion of
right and truth according to the decision concerning the states and
conditions [of men].”

Driving Away Apshait

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 8).]

The Chapter of driving away Apshait. Osiris Nu, the chancellor-in-chief,
triumphant, saith:

“Depart from me, O thou that hast lips which gnaw, for I am Khnemu, the
lord of Peshennu,33 and [I] bring the words of the gods to Rā, and I report
[my] message to the lord thereof.”34

Driving Back The Merti

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 8).]

The Chapter of driving back the two Merti goddesses. Nu, the chancellor-
in-chief, triumphant, saith:

“Homage to you, ye two Rekht goddesses,35 ye two Sisters, ye two Mert
goddesses, I bring a message to you concerning my magical words. I shine
from the Sektet boat, I am Horus the son of Osiris, and I have come to see
my father Osiris.”

Living By Air

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 12).]

The Chapter of living by air in the underworld. The scribe Nebseni, the
lord to whom veneration is paid, saith:

“[I am the god Tem], who cometh forth out of Nu into the watery abyss. I
have received [my habitation of Amentet, and have given commands] with
my words to the [Khus] whose abiding-places are hidden, to the Khus and
to the double Lion-god. I have made journeys round about and I have sung
hymns of joy in the boat of Khepera. I have eaten therein, [pg 031] I have
gained power therein, and I live therein through the breezes [which are
there]. I am the guide in the boat of Rā, and he openeth out for me a path;
he maketh a passage for me through the gates of the god Seb. I have seized
and carried away those who live in the embrace of the god Ur (i.e., Mighty
One); I am the guide of those who live in their shrines, the two brother-gods
Horus and Set; and I bring the noble ones with me. I enter in and I come
forth, and my throat is not slit; I go into the boat of Maāt, and I pass in
among those who live in the Atet boat, and who are in the following of Rā,
and are nigh unto him in his horizon. I live after my death day by day, and I
am strong even as is the double Lion-god. I live, and I am delivered after
my death, I, the scribe Nebseni, the lord of piety, who fill the earth and
come forth like the lily of mother-of-emerald, of the god Hetep of the two
lands.”

Living By Air

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

The Chapter of living by air in the underworld. Nu, the overseer of the
palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, the son of the overseer of the
palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Amen-hetep, triumphant, saith:

“I am the double Lion-god, the first-born of Rā and Tem of Ha-khebti(?),
[the gods] who dwell in their divine chambers. Those who dwell in their
divine abodes have become my guides, and they make paths for me as they
revolve in the watery abyss of the sky by the side of the path of the boat of
Tem. I stand upon the timbers(?) of the boat of Rā, and I recite his
ordinances to the beings who have knowledge, and I am the herald of his
words to him whose throat stinketh. I set free my divine fathers at eventide.
I close the lips of my mouth, and I eat like unto a living being. I have life in
Tattu, and I live again after death like Rā day by day.”

[pg 032]

Driving Back Rerek

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 53).]

The Chapter of driving back the Serpent Rerek in the underworld. Osiris
Mes-em-neter saith:

“Get thee back, depart, retreat(?) from [me], O Aāapef, withdraw, or thou
shalt be drowned at the Pool of Nu, at the place where thy father hath
ordered that thy slaughter shall be performed. Depart thou from the divine
place of birth of Rā wherein is thy terror. I am Rā who dwelleth in his
terror. Get thee back, Fiend, before the darts of his beams. Rā hath
overthrown thy words, the gods have turned thy face backward, the Lynx
hath torn open thy breast, the Scorpion hath cast fetters upon thee; and Maāt
hath sent forth thy destruction. Those who are in the ways have overthrown
thee; fall down and depart, O Apep, thou Enemy of Rā! O thou that passest
over the region in the eastern part of heaven with the sound of the roaring
thunder-cloud, O Rā who openest the gates of the horizon straightway on
thy appearance, [Apep] hath sunk helpless under [thy] gashings. I have
performed thy will, O Rā, I have performed thy will; I have done that which
is fair, I have done that which is fair, I have labored for the peace of Rā. [I]
have made to advance thy fetters, O Rā, and Apep hath fallen through thy
drawing them tight. The gods of the south and of the north, of the west and
of the east have fastened chains upon him, and they have fettered him with
fetters; the god Rekes hath overthrown him and the god Hertit hath put him
in chains. Rā setteth, Rā setteth; Rā is strong at [his] setting. Apep hath
fallen, Apep, the enemy of Rā, departeth. Greater is the punishment [which
hath been inflicted on] thee than the sting(?) which is in the Scorpion
goddess, and mightily hath she, whose course is everlasting, worked it upon
thee and with deadly effect. Thou shalt never enjoy the delights of love,
thou shalt never fulfil thy desire, O Apep, thou Enemy of Rā! He maketh
thee to go back, O thou who art hateful to Rā; he looketh upon thee, get
thee back! [He] pierceth [thy] head, [he] cutteth through thy face, [he]

divideth [thy] head at the two sides of the ways, and it is crushed in his
land; thy bones are smashed in pieces, thy members are hacked off thee, [pg
033] and the god [A]ker hath condemned thee, O Apep, thou enemy of Rā!
Thy mariners are those who keep the reckoning for thee, [O Rā, as thou]
advancest, and thou restest there wherein are the offerings made to thee [As
thou] advancest, [as thou] advancest toward the House the advance which
thou hast made toward the House is a prosperous advance; let not any
baleful obstacle proceed from thy mouth against me when thou workest on
my behalf. I am Set who let loose the storm-clouds and the thunder in the
horizon of heaven even as [doth] the god Netcheb-ab-f.”

“ ‘Hail,’ saith the god Tem, ‘make strong your faces, O soldiers of Rā, for I
have driven back the god Nentchā in the presence of the divine sovereign
princes.’ ‘Hail,’ saith the god Seb, ‘make ye firm those who are upon their
seats which are in the boat of Khepera, take ye your ways, [grasping] your
weapons of war in your hands.’ ‘Hail,’ saith Hathor, ‘take ye your armor.’
‘Hail,’ saith Nut, ‘come and repulse the god Tchā who pursueth him that
dwelleth in his shrine and who setteth out on his way alone, namely, Neb-
er-tcher, who cannot be repulsed.’ ‘Hail,’ say those gods who dwell in their
companies and who go round about the Turquoise Pool, ‘come, O mighty
One, we praise and we will deliver the Mighty One [who dwelleth in] the
divine Shrine, from whom proceeds the company of the gods, let
commemorations be made for him, let praise be given to him, let words [of
praise] be recited before him by you and by me.’ ‘Hail,’ saith Nut to thy
Sweet One. ‘Hail,’ say those who dwell among the gods, ‘he cometh forth,
he findeth [his] way, he maketh captives among the gods, he hath taken
possession of the goddess Nut, and Seb standeth up.’ Hail, thou terrible one,
the company of the gods is on the march. Hathor quaketh with terror, and
Rā hath triumphed over Apep.”

[pg 034]

Repulsing The Eater Of The Ass

[From the Papyrus of Rā (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 54) and from the
Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 8).]

The Chapter of driving back the Eater of the Ass. Osiris Rā, triumphant,
saith:

I. “Get thee back, Hai, thou impure one, thou abomination of Osiris! Thoth
hath cut off thy head, and I have performed upon thee all the things which
the company of the gods ordered concerning thee in the matter of the work
of thy slaughter. Get thee back, thou abomination of Osiris, from the
Neshmet boat ... which advanceth with a fair wind. Ye are holy, O all ye
gods, and [ye] have cast down headlong the enemies of Osiris; the gods of
Ta-ur shout for joy. Get thee back, O thou Eater of the Ass, thou
abomination of the god Haas who dwelleth in the underworld. I know thee,
I know thee, I know thee, I know thee. Who art thou? I am...”

II. “On thy face [O fiend], and devour me not, for I am pure, and I am with
the time which cometh of itself. Thou shalt not come to me, O thou that
comest36 without being invoked, and whose [time of coming] is unknown. I
am the lord of thy mouth, get thee back, thou and thy desires(?). Hail, Haas,
with his stone [knife] Horus hath cut asunder thy members, and thou art
destroyed within thy company, and thy bend (or dwelling-place) is
destroyed for thee by the company of thy gods who dwell in the cities of Pe
and Tep. He that slayeth [thee] there is in the form of the Eye of Horus, and
I have driven thee away as thou wast advancing, and I have vanquished thee
by the winds of my mouth. O thou Eater of those who commit sins, who
dost plunder and spoil, I have [committed] no sin; therefore, let my palette
and the writings with hostile charges [against me upon them] be given unto
me. I have done no wrong in the presence of the sovereign princes,
therefore shoot not thy [venom] at me. I give, do thou take according to

what I order; snatch me not away, and eat me not, for I am the lord of life,
the Prince (Life, Health, Strength!) of the horizon.”

[pg 035]

Abolishing The Slaughterings

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni, sheet 25.]

The Chapter of driving away the slaughterings which are performed in
the underworld. Nebseni, the scribe and designer in the Temples of Upper
and Lower Egypt, he to whom fair veneration is paid, the son of the scribe
and artist Thena, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, Tem, I have become glorious (or a Khu) in the presence of the double
Lion-god, the great god, therefore open thou unto me the gate of the god
Seb. I smell the earth (i.e., I bow down so that my nose toucheth the
ground) of the great god who dwelleth in the underworld, and I advance
into the presence of the company of the gods who dwell with the beings
who are in the underworld. Hail, thou guardian of the divine door of the city
of Beta, thou [god] Neti(?) who dwellest in Amentet, I eat food, and I have
life through the air, and the god Atch-ur leadeth me with [him] to the
mighty boat of Khepera. I hold converse with the divine mariners at
eventide, I enter in, I go forth, and I see the being who is there; I lift him up,
and I say that which I have to say unto him, whose throat stinketh [for lack
of air]. I have life, and I am delivered, having lain down in death. Hail, thou
that bringest offerings and oblations, bring forward thy mouth and make to
draw nigh the writings (or lists) of offerings and oblations. Set thou Right
and Truth firmly upon their throne, make thou the writings to draw nigh,
and set thou up the goddesses in the presence of Osiris, the mighty god, the
Prince of everlastingness, who counteth his years, who hearkeneth unto
those who are in the islands (or pools), who raiseth his right shoulder, who
judgeth the divine princes, and who sendeth [Osiris] into the presence of the
great sovereign princes who live in the underworld.”

[pg 036]

Abolishing The Slaughterings

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of driving back the slaughterings which are performed in
Suten-henen. Osiris Nu, triumphant, saith:

“O thou land of the sceptre! (literally, wood) O thou white crown of the
divine form! O thou resting-place of the boat! I am the Child, I am the
Child, I am the Child, I am the Child. Hail, Abu-ur, thou sayest day by day:
‘The slaughter-block is made ready as thou knowest, and thou hast come to
decay.’ I am Rā, the stablisher of those who praise [him]. I am the knot of
the god within the Aser tree, the doubly beautiful one, who is more splendid
than yesterday (say four times). I am Rā, the stablisher of those who praise
[him]. I am the knot of the god within the Aser tree, and my going forth is
the going forth [of Rā] on this day.”

“My hair is the hair of Nu. My face is the face of the Disk. My eyes are the
eyes of Hathor. My ears are the ears of Ap-uat. My nose is the nose of
Khenti-khas. My lips are the lips of Anpu. My teeth are the teeth of Serqet.
My neck is the neck of the divine goddess Isis. My hands are the hands of
Ba-neb-Tattu. My forearms are the forearms of Neith, the Lady of Sais. My
backbone is the backbone of Suti. My phallus is the phallus of Osiris. My
reins are the reins of the Lords of Kher-āba. My chest is the chest of the
Mighty one of Terror. My belly and back are the belly and back of Sekhet.
My buttocks are the buttocks of the Eye of Horus. My hips and legs are the
hips and legs of Nut. My feet are the feet of Ptah. [My fingers] and my leg-
bones are the [fingers and] leg-bones of the Living Gods. There is no
member of my body which is not the member of some god. The god Thoth
shieldeth my body altogether, and I am Rā day by day. I shall not be
dragged back by my arms, and none shall lay violent hold upon my hands.
And shall do me hurt neither men, nor gods, nor the sainted dead, nor those
who have perished, nor any one of those of ancient times, nor any mortal,

nor any human being. I am he who cometh forth, advancing, whose name is
unknown. I am Yesterday, and Seer of millions [pg 037] of years is my
name. I pass along, I pass along the paths of the divine celestial judges. I
am the lord of eternity, and I decree and I judge like the god Khepera. I am
the lord of the Ureret crown. I am he who dwelleth in the Utchat [and in the
Egg, in the Utchat and in the Egg, and it is given unto me to live [with]
them. I am he that dwelleth in the Utchat when it closeth, and I exist by the
strength thereof. I come forth and I shine; I enter in and I come to life. I am
in the Utchat],37 my seat is upon my throne, and I sit in the abode of
splendor(?) before it. I am Horus and (I) traverse millions of years. I have
given the decree [for the stablishing of] my throne and I am the ruler
thereof; and in very truth, my mouth keepeth an even balance both in
speech and in silence. In very truth, my forms are inverted. I am Un-nefer,
from one season even unto another, and what I have is within me; [I am] the
only One, who proceedeth from an only One who goeth round about in his
course. I am he who dwelleth in the Utchat, no evil thing of any form or
kind shall spring up against me, and no baleful object, and no harmful
thing, and no disastrous thing shall happen unto me. I open the door in
heaven, I govern my throne, and I open up [the way] for the births [which
take place] on this day. I am (?) the child who marcheth along the road of
Yesterday. [I am] To-day for untold nations and peoples. I am he who
protecteth you for millions of years, and whether ye be denizens of the
heavens, or of the earth, or of the south, or of the north, or of the east, or of
the west, the fear of me is in your bodies. I am he whose being has been
moulded in his eye, and I shall not die again. My moment is in your bodies,
but my forms are in my place of habitation. I am he who cannot be known,
but the Red Ones have their faces directed toward me. I am the unveiled
one. The season wherein [the god] created the heavens for me and enlarged
the bounds of the earth and made great the progeny thereof cannot be found
out; but they fail and are not united [again]. My name setteth itself apart
from all things [and from] the great evil [which is in] the mouths [of men]
by reason of the speech which I address unto you. I am he who riseth and
shineth, the wall which cometh out of a wall, an only One who proceedeth
from an only One. There is never a day that [pg 038] passeth without the
things which appertain unto him being therein; passing, passing, passing,
passing. Verily I say unto thee, I am the Sprout which cometh forth from
Nu, and my Mother is Nut. Hail, O my Creator, I am he who hath no power

to walk, the great Knot who is within yesterday. The might of my strength is
within my hand. I myself am not known, but I am he who knoweth thee. I
cannot be held with the hand, but I am he who can hold thee in his hand.
Hail, O Egg! Hail, O Egg! I am Horus who lives for millions of years,
whose flame shineth upon you and bringeth your hearts to me. I have the
command of my throne and I advance at this season, I have opened a path,
and I have delivered myself from all evil things. I am the dog-headed ape of
gold three palms and two fingers [high], which hath neither arms nor legs
and dwelleth in Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), and I go forth as goeth forth the
dog-headed ape that dwelleth in Het-ka-Ptah.”

Air And Water

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

The Chapter of snuffing the air and of having the mastery over the water
in the underworld. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, saith:

“Hail, Hāp-ur, god of heaven, in thy name of ‘Divider of heaven,’ grant
thou unto me that I may have dominion over the water, even as the goddess
Sekhet had power over Osiris on the night of the storms and floods. Grant
thou that I may have power over the divine princes who have their
habitations in the place of the god of the inundation, even as they have
power over their own holy god of whose name they are ignorant; and may
they let me have power even as [he hath let them have power].”

“My nostrils are opened in Tattu,” or (as others say), “My mouth and my
nostrils are opened in Tātāu, and I have my place of peace in Annu, which
is my house; it was built for me by the goddess Sesheta, and the god
Khnemu set it up for me upon its walls. If to this heaven it cometh by the
north, I sit at the south; if to this heaven it cometh by the south, I sit at the
north; if to this heaven it cometh by the [pg 039] west, I sit at the east; and
if to this heaven it cometh by the east, I sit at the west. I draw the hair of my
nostrils, and I make my way into every place in which I wish to sit.”

In the Papyrus of Nefer-uben-f (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 70) this
chapter ends quite differently, and reads:

“I am strong in my mouth and in my nostrils, for behold Tem has stablished
them; behold, O ye gods and Khus. Rest thou, then, O Tem. Behold the staff
which blossometh, and which cometh forth when a man crieth out in your
names. Behold, I am Tem, the tree (?) of the gods in [their] visible forms.
Let me not be turned back.... I am the Am-khent, Nefer-uben-f, triumphant.

Let neither my flesh nor my members be gashed with knives, let me not be
wounded by knives by you. I have come, I have been judged, I have come
forth therein, [I] have power with my father, the Old man, Nu. He hath
granted that I may live, he hath given strength unto me, and he hath
provided me with the inheritance of my father therein.”

Dominion Over Elements

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 16).]

The Chapter of breathing the air and of having dominion over the water
in the underworld. Osiris Ani saith:

“Open to me.” Who art thou? Whither goest thou? What is thy name? “I am
one of you.” Who are those with thee? “The two serpent goddesses Merti.
Separate thou from him, head from head, when [thou] goest into the divine
Mesqen chamber. He letteth me set out for the temple of the gods who have
found their faces. ‘Assembler of Souls’ is the name of my boat; ‘Making the
hair to stand on end’ is the name of the oars; ‘Goad’ is the name of the hold;
‘Making straight for the middle’ is the name of the rudder; likewise [the
boat] is a type of my being borne onward in the pool. Let there be given
unto me vessels of milk, together with cakes, and loaves of bread, and cups
of drink, and flesh in the Temple of Anpu.”

if he (i.e., the deceased) knoweth this chapter, he shall go into, after
coming forth from, the underworld of the [beautiful amentet].

[pg 040]

Dominion Over Elements

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 16).]

The Chapter of snuffing the air, and of having dominion over the waters
in the underworld. Osiris Ani saith:

“Hail, thou sycamore tree of the goddess Nut! Grant thou to me of [the
water and of] the air which dwell in thee. I embrace the throne which is in
Unnu (Hermopolis), and I watch and guard the egg of Nekek-ur (i.e., the
Great Cackler). It groweth, I grow; it liveth, I live; it snuffeth the air, I snuff
the air, I the Osiris Ani, in triumph.”

Dominion Over Elements

[From Lepsius, “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 23.]

Another Chapter. Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, saith:

“Let the gates of heaven be opened for me by the god [Thoth] and by Hāpi,
and let me pass through the doors of Ta-qebh38 into the great heaven,” or (as
others say), “at the time,” [or (as others say)], “with the strength(?) of Rā.
Grant ye, [O Thoth and Hāpi,] that I may have power over the water, even
as Set had power over his enemies on the day when there were storms and
rain upon the earth. Let me have power over the divine beings who have
mighty arms in their shoulders, even as the god who is apparelled in
splendor and whose name is unknown had power over them; and may I
have power over the beings whose arms are mighty.”

Preservation Of The Soul

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of not letting the soul of a man be taken from him in the
underworld. Osiris, the Scribe Ani, saith:

“I, even I, am he who came forth from the water-flood which I make to
overflow, and which becometh mighty as the river [Nile].”

[pg 041]

Of Drinking Water

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 4).]

The Chapter of drinking water in the underworld. The scribe Nebseni ...
saith:

“May be opened [to me] the mighty flood by Osiris, and may the abyss of
water be opened [to me] by Tehuti-Hāpi, the lord of the horizon, in my
name of ‘Opener.’ May there be granted [to me] mastery over the water-
courses as over the members of Set. I go forth into heaven. I am the Lion-
god Rā. I am the Bull. [I] have eaten the Thigh, and I have divided the
carcass. I have gone round about among the islands (or lakes) of Sekhet-
Aaru. Indefinite time, without beginning and without end, hath been given
to me; I inherit eternity, and everlastingness hath been bestowed upon me.”

The last three chapters, with a single vignette, are grouped in one in the
Papyrus of Nefer-uben-f (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 72); but the order
of them as there given is 61, 60, 62. In the Turin Papyrus (Lepsius, op. cit.,
Bl. 23) the vignette of each is the same, i.e., the deceased holding a sail in
his left hand.

Of Drinking Water

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 7).]

The Chapter of drinking water and of not being burnt by fire [in the
underworld]. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, saith:

“Hail, Bull of Amentet! I am brought unto thee, I am the oar of Rā
wherewith he ferried over the divine aged ones; let me neither be burnt up
nor destroyed by fire. I am Bet, the first-born son of Osiris, who doth meet
every god within his Eye in Annu. I am the divine Heir, the exalted one(?),
the Mighty One, the Resting One. I have made my name to germinate, I
have delivered [it], and thou shalt live through me day by day.”

[pg 042]

Preservation From Scalding

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

The Chapter of not being scalded with water. The overseer of the palace,
the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am the oar made ready for rowing, wherewith Rā transported the boat
containing the divine ancestors, and lifted up the moist emanations of Osiris
from the Lake of Fire, and he was not burned. I lie down like a divine Khu,
[and like] Khnemu who dwelleth among lions. Come, break away the
restraints from him that passeth by the side of this path, and let me come
forth by it.”

On Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheets 23 and
24).]

The Chapter of coming forth by day in the underworld. Nebseni, the lord
of reverence, saith:

“I am Yesterday, To-day, and To-morrow, [and I have] the power to be born
a second time; [I am] the divine hidden Soul who createth the gods, and
who giveth sepulchral meals unto the denizens of the Tuat (underworld),
Amentet, and heaven. [I am] the rudder of the east, the possessor of two
divine faces wherein his beams are seen. I am the lord of the men who are
raised up; [the lord] who cometh forth from out of the darkness, and whose
forms of existence are of the house wherein are the dead. Hail, ye two
hawks who are perched upon your resting-places, who hearken unto the
things which are said by him, who guide the bier to the hidden place, who
lead along Rā, and who follow [him] into the uppermost place of the shrine
which is in the celestial heights! [Hail,] lord of the shrine which standeth in
the middle of the earth. He is I, and I am he, and Ptah hath covered his sky
with crystal. [Hail] Rā, thou who art content, thy heart is glad by reason of
thy beautiful law of the day; thou enterest in by Khemennu(?) and comest
forth at the east, and the [pg 043] divine first-born beings who are in [thy]
presence cry out with gladness [unto thee]. Make thou thy roads glad for
me, and make broad for me thy paths when I shall set out from earth for the
life in the celestial regions. Send forth thy light upon me, O Soul unknown,
for I am [one] of those who are about to enter in, and the divine speech is in
[my] ears in the Tuat (underworld), and let no defects of my mother be
[imputed] unto me; let me be delivered and let me be safe from him whose
divine eyes sleep at eventide, when [he] gathereth together and finisheth
[the day] in night. I flood [the land] with water, and ‘Qem-ur’ is my name,
and the garment wherewith I am clothed is complete. Hail, thou divine
prince Ati-she-f, cry out unto those divine beings who dwell in their hair at

the season when the god is [lifted upon] the shoulder, saying: ‘Come thou
who [dwellest] above thy divine abyss of water, for verily the thigh [of the
sacrifice] is tied to the neck, and the buttocks are [laid] upon the head of
Amentet.’ May the Ur-urti goddesses (i.e., Isis and Nephthys) grant [such]
gifts unto me when my tears start from me as I see myself journeying with
the divine Tena in Abydos, and the wooden fastenings which fasten the four
doors above thee are in thy power within thy garment. Thy face is like that
of a greyhound which scenteth with his nose the place whither I go on my
feet. The god Akau transported me to the chamber(?), and [my] nurse is the
divine double Lion-god himself. I am made strong and I come forth like
him that forceth a way through the gate, and the radiance which my heart
hath made is enduring; ‘I know the abysses’ is thy name. I work for you, O
ye Khus—4,000,000, 600,000, 1,000, and 200 are they—concerning the
things which are there. [I am] over their affairs working for hours and days
in setting straight the shoulders of the twelve Sah gods, and joining the
hands of their company, each to each; the sixth who is at the head of the
abyss is the hour of the defeat of the Fiends. [I] have come there in triumph,
and [I am] he who is in the halls (or courtyards) of the underworld, and I am
he who is laid under tribute to Shu. I rise as the Lord of Life through the
beautiful law of this day, and it is their blood and the cool water of [their]
slaughter which make the union of the earth to blossom. [pg 044] I make a
way among the horns of all those who make themselves strong against me,
and [among] those who in secret make themselves adversaries unto me, and
who are upon their bellies. I have come as the envoy of my Lord of lords to
give counsel [concerning] Osiris; the eye shall not absorb39 its tears. I am
the divine envoy(?) of the house of him that dwelleth in his possessions,
and I have come from Sekhem to Annu to make known to the Bennu bird
therein concerning the events of the Tuat (underworld). Hail, thou Aukert
(i.e., underworld) which hidest thy companion who is in thee, thou creator
of forms of existence like the god Khepera, grant thou that Nebseni, the
scribe and designer to the temples of the South and of the North, may come
forth to see the Disk, and that his journeyings forth(?) may be in the
presence of the great god, that is to say, Shu, who dwelleth in
everlastingness. Let me journey on in peace; let me pass over the sky; let
me adore the radiance of the splendor [which is in] my sight; let me soar
like a bird to see the companies(?) of the Khus in the presence of Rā day by
day, who vivifieth every human being that walketh upon the regions which

are upon the earth. Hail, Hemti (i.e., Runner); Hail, Hemti; who carriest
away the shades of the dead and the Khus from earth, grant thou unto me a
prosperous way to the Tuat (underworld), such as is made for the favored
ones [of the god], because [I am] helpless to gather together the emanations
which come from me. Who art thou, then, who consumest in its hidden
place? I am the Chief in Re-stau, and ‘He that goeth in in his own name and
cometh forth in that of Hehi(?), the lord of millions of years, and of the
earth,’ is my name. The pregnant goddess hath deposited [upon the earth]
her load, and hath given birth to Hit straightway; the closed door which is
by the wall is overthrown, it is turned upside down and I rejoice thereat. To
the Mighty One hath his eye been given, and it sendeth forth light from his
face when the earth becometh light (or at daybreak). I shall not become
corrupt, but I shall come into being in the form of the Lion-god and like the
blossoms of Shu; I am the being who is never overwhelmed in the waters.
Happy, yea happy is he that looked [pg 045] upon the funeral couch which
hath come to its place of rest, upon the happy day of the god whose heart
resteth, who maketh his place of alighting [thereon]. I am he who cometh
forth by day; the lord of the bier which giveth life in the presence of Osiris.
In very truth the things which are thine are stable each day, O scribe, artist,
child of the Seshet chamber, Nebseni, lord of veneration. I clasp the
sycamore tree, I myself am joined unto the sycamore tree, and its arm[s] are
opened unto me graciously. I have come and I have clasped the Utchat, and
I have caused it to be seated in peace upon its throne. I have come to see Rā
when he setteth, and I absorb into myself the winds [which arise] when he
cometh forth, and both my hands are clean to adore him. I have gathered
together [all my members], I have gathered together [all my members]. I
soar like a bird and I descend upon the earth, and mine eye maketh me to
walk thereon in my footsteps. I am the child of yesterday, and the Akeru
gods of the earth have made me to come into being, and they have made me
strong for my moment [of coming forth]. I hide with the god Aba-āāiu who
will walk behind me, and my members shall germinate, and my khu shall be
as an amulet for my body and as one who watcheth [to protect] my soul and
to defend it and to converse therewith; and the company of the gods shall
hearken unto my words.”

if this chapter be known [by the deceased] he shall be victorious both
upon earth and in the underworld. he shall do whatsoever a man doeth

who is upon the earth, and he shall perform all the deeds which those do
who are [alive]. now it is a great protection [given] by the god. this
chapter was found in the city of khe-mennu inscribed upon the block of
iron in letters of lapis-lazuli which was under the feet of this god.

In the rubric to this chapter as found in the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter, the
chapter is said to have been “discovered in the foundations of the shrine of
the divine Hennu boat by the chief mason in the time of the King of the
North and of the South, Hesepti,40 triumphant,” and it is there directed that
it shall be recited by one who is ceremonially pure and clean, [pg 046] and
who hath not touched women, and who hath not eaten flesh of animals or
fish.

Chapter Of Knowledge

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 13).]

The Chapter of knowing the “Chapters of coming forth by day” in a
single Chapter. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Osiris
Nu, triumphant, begotten of the overseer of the palace, Amen-hetep,
triumphant, saith:

“I am Yesterday and To-morrow; and I have the power to be born a second
time. [I am] the divine hidden Soul, who createth the gods, and who giveth
sepulchral meals to the divine hidden beings [in the Tuat (underworld)], in
Amenti, and in heaven. [I am] the rudder of the east, the possessor of two
divine faces wherein his beams are seen. I am the lord of those who are
raised up, [the lord] who cometh forth from out of the darkness. [Hail,] ye
two divine Hawks who are perched upon your resting-places, and who
hearken unto the things which are said by him, the thigh [of the sacrifice] is
tied to the neck, and the buttocks [are laid] upon the head of Amentet. May
the Ur-urti goddesses (i.e., Isis and Nephthys) grant such gifts unto me
when my tears start from me as I look on. ‘I know the abysses’ is thy name.
[I] work for [you], O ye Khus, who are in number [four] millions, [six]
hundred, and 1,000, and 200, and they are [in height] twelve cubits. [Ye]
travel on joining the hands, each to each, but the sixth [hour], which
belongeth at the head of the Tuat (underworld), is the hour of the overthrow
of the Fiend. [I] have come there in triumph, and [I am] he who is in the
hall (or courtyard) of the Tuat; and the seven(?) come in his manifestations.
The strength which protecteth me is that which hath my Khu under its
protection, [that is] the blood, and the cool water, and the slaughterings
which abound(?). I open [a way among] the horns of all those who would
do harm unto me, who keep themselves hidden, who make themselves
adversaries unto me, and those who are upon their bellies. [pg 047] The Eye
shall not eat (or absorb) the tears of the goddess Aukert. Hail, goddess
Aukert, open thou unto me the enclosed place, and grant thou unto me

pleasant roads whereupon I may travel. Who art thou, then, who consumest
in the hidden places? I am the Chief in Re-stau, and [I] go in and come forth
in my name of ‘Hehi, the lord of millions of years [and of] the earth’; [I am]
the maker of my name. The pregnant one hath deposited [upon the earth]
her load. The door by the wall is shut fast, and the things of terror are
overturned and thrown down upon the backbone(?) of the Bennu bird by the
two Samait goddesses. To the Mighty One hath his Eye been given, and his
face emitteth light when [he] illumineth the earth, [my name is his name].41
I shall not become corrupt, but I shall come into being in the form of the
Lion-god; the blossoms of Shu shall be in me. I am he who is never
overwhelmed in the waters. Happy, yea happy, is the funeral couch of the
Still-heart; he maketh himself to alight upon the pool(?), and verily he
cometh forth [therefrom]. I am the lord of my life. I have come to this
[place], and I have come forth from Re-āa-urt the city of Osiris. Verily the
things which are thine are with the Sariu deities. I have clasped the
sycamore tree and I have divided(?) it; I have opened a way for myself
[among] the Sekhiu gods of the Tuat. I have come to see him that dwelleth
in his divine uræus, face to face and eye to eye, and [I] draw to myself the
winds [which rise] when he cometh forth. My two eyes(?) are weak in my
face, O Lion[-god], Babe, who dwellest in Utent. Thou art in me and I am
in thee; and thy attributes are my attributes. I am the god of the Inundation
(Bāh), and ‘Qem-ur-she’ is my name. My forms are the forms of the god
Khepera, the hair of the earth of Tem, the hair of the earth of Tem. I have
entered in as a man of no understanding, and I shall come forth in the form
of a strong Khu, and I shall look upon my form which shall be that of men
and women forever and forever.”
42
i. [if this chapter be known] by a man he shall come forth by day, and he
shall not be repulsed at any gate of the tuat (underworld), either in
going in or in coming [pg 048] out. he shall perform [all] the
transformations which his heart shall desire for him and he shall not
die; behold, the soul of [this] man shall flourish. and moreover, if [he]
know this chapter he shall be victorious upon earth and in the
underworld, and he shall perform every act of a living human being. now
it is a great protection which [hath been given] by the god. this chapter
was found in the foundations of the shrine of hennu by the chief mason
during the reign of his majesty the king of the north and of the south,

hesepti, triumphant, who carried [it] away as a mysterious object which
had never [before] been seen or looked upon. this chapter shall be
recited by a man who is ceremonially clean and pure, who hath not eaten
the flesh of animals or fish, and who hath not had intercourse with
women.

43
ii. if this chapter be known [by the deceased] he shall be victorious both
upon earth and in the underworld, and he shall perform every act of a
living human being. now it is a great protection which [hath been given]
by the god.

this chapter was found in the city of khemennu, upon a block of iron of
the south, which had been inlaid [with letters] of real lapis-lazuli, under
the feet of the god during the reign of his majesty, the king of the north
and of the south, men-kau-ra (mycerinus) triumphant, by the royal son
44
heru-ta-ta-f, triumphant; he found it when he was journeying about to
make an inspection of the temples. one nekht(?) was with him who was
diligent in making him to understand(?) it, and he brought it to the king
as a wonderful object when he saw that it was a thing of great mystery,
which had never [before] been seen or looked upon.

this chapter shall be recited by a man who is ceremonially clean and
pure, who hath not eaten the flesh of animals or fish, and who hath not
had intercourse with women. and behold, thou shalt make a scarab of
green stone, with a rim plated(?) with gold, which shall be placed in the
heart of a man, and it shall perform for him the “opening of the mouth.”
and thou shalt anoint it with anti unguent, and thou shalt recite over it
[these] enchantments:45

[pg 049]

Of Gaining Mastery Over Enemies

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of coming forth by day and of gaining the mastery over
enemies. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, saith:

“Rā sitteth in his habitation of millions of years, and he hath gathered
together the company of the gods, with those divine beings, whose faces are
hidden, who dwell in the Temple of Khepera, who eat the god Bāh, and who
drink the drink-offerings which are brought into the celestial regions of
light; and conversely. Grant that I may take possession of the captives of
Osiris, and never let me have my being among the fiends of Suti! Hail, let
me sit upon his folds in the habitation of the god User-ba (i.e., he of the
strong Soul)! Grant thou that I may sit upon the throne of Rā, and let me
have possession of my body before the god Seb. Grant thou that Osiris may
come forth triumphant over Suti [and over] the night-watchers of Suti, and
over the night-watchers of the Crocodile, yea the night-watchers of the
Crocodile, whose faces are hidden and who dwell in the divine Temple of
the King of the North in the apparel of the gods on the sixth day of the
festival, whose snares are like unto everlastingness and whose cords are like
unto eternity. I have seen the god Abet-ka placing the cord; the child is laid
in fetters, and the rope of the god Ab-ka is drawn tight(?) ... Behold me. I
am born, and I come forth in the form of a living Khu, and the human
beings who are upon the earth ascribe praise [unto me]. Hail, Mer, who
doest these things for me, and who art put an end to by the vigor of Rā,
grant thou that I may see Rā; grant thou that I may come forth against my
enemies; and grant thou that I may be victorious over them in the presence
of the sovereign princes of the great god who are in the presence of the
great god. If, repulsing [me], thou dost not allow me to come forth against
my Enemy and to be victorious over him before the sovereign princes, then
may Hāpi—who liveth upon law and order—not come forth into heaven—
now he liveth by Maāt—and may Rā—who feedeth upon fish—not descend

into the waters! And then, verily [pg 050] shall Rā—who feedeth upon right
and order—come forth into heaven, and then, verily, shall Hāpi—who
feedeth upon fish—descend into the waters; and then, verily, the great day
upon the earth shall not be in its season. I have come against my Enemy, he
hath been given unto me, he hath come to an end, and I have gotten
possession [of him] before the sovereign princes.”

Victory Over Enemies

[From Lepsius, “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 25.]

The Chapter of coming forth by day and of gaining the mastery over
enemies.

“Hail, [thou] who shinest from the Moon and who sendest forth light
therefrom, thou comest forth among thy multitudes, and thou goest round
about, let me rise,” or (as others say), “let me be brought in among the
Khus, and let the underworld be opened [unto me]. Behold, I have come
forth on this day, and I have become a Khu (or a shining being); therefore
shall the Khus let me live, and they shall cause my enemies to be brought to
me in a state of misery in the presence of the divine sovereign princes. The
divine ka (double) of my mother shall rest in peace because of this, and I
shall stand upon my feet and have a staff of gold,” or (as others say), “a rod
of gold in my hand, wherewith I shall inflict cuts on the limbs [of mine
enemy] and shall live. The legs of Sothis are stablished, and I am born in
their state of rest.”

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Amen-em-heb (Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 78).]

The Chapter of coming forth by day. The scribe Māhu saith:

“I have knowledge. I was conceived by the goddess Sekhet, and the
goddess Neith gave birth to me; I am Horus, and [I have] come forth from
the Eye of Horus. I am Uatchit who came forth from Horus. I am Horus and
I fly up and perch myself upon the forehead of Rā in the bows of his boat
which is in heaven.”

[pg 051]

Opening The Underworld

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 15).]

The Chapter of opening the underworld. The overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“The chamber of those who dwell in Nu is opened, and the footsteps of
those who dwell with the god of Light are set free. The chamber of Shu is
opened, and he cometh forth; and I shall come forth outside, and I shall
advance from my territory(?), I shall receive ... and I shall lay firm hold
upon the tribute in the House of the Chief of his dead. I shall advance to my
throne which is in the boat of Rā. I shall not be molested, and I shall not
suffer shipwreck from my throne which is in the boat of Rā, the mighty one.
Hail thou that shinest and givest light from Hent-she!”

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 7).]

The Chapter of coming forth by day. The overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“The doors of heaven are opened for me, the doors of earth are opened for
me, the bars and bolts of Seb are opened for me, and the first temple hath
been unfastened for me by the god Petra. Behold, I was guarded and
watched, [but now] I am released; behold, his hand had tied cords round me
and his hand had darted upon me in the earth. Re-hent hath been opened for
me and Re-hent hath been unfastened before me, Re-hent hath been given
unto me, and I shall come forth by day into whatsoever place I please. I
have gained the mastery over my heart; I have gained the mastery over my
breast(?); I have gained the mastery over my two hands; I have gained the
mastery over my two feet; I have gained the mastery over my mouth; I have
gained the mastery over my whole body; I have gained the mastery over
sepulchral offerings; I have gained the mastery over the waters; I have
gained the mastery over the air; I have gained the mastery over the canal; I
have gained the mastery over the river and over the land; I have [pg 052]
gained the mastery over the furrows; I have gained the mastery over the
male workers for me; I have gained the mastery over the female workers for
me in the underworld; I have gained the mastery over [all] the things which
were ordered to be done for me upon the earth, according to the entreaty
which ye spake for me [saying], ‘Behold, let him live upon the bread of
Seb.’ That which is an abomination unto me, I shall not eat; [nay] I shall
live upon cakes [made] of white grain, and my ale shall be [made] of the
red grain of Hāpi (i.e., the Nile). In a clean place shall I sit on the ground
beneath the foliage of the date-palm of the goddess Hathor, who dwelleth in
the spacious Disk as it advanceth to Annu (Heliopolis), having the books of
the divine words of the writings of the god Thoth. I have gained the mastery
over my heart; I have gained the mastery over my heart's place (or breast); I

have gained the mastery over my mouth; I have gained the mastery over my
two hands; I have gained the mastery over the waters; I have gained the
mastery over the canal; I have gained the mastery over the river; I have
gained the mastery over the furrows; I have gained the mastery over the
men who work for me; I have gained the mastery over the women who
work for me in the underworld; I have gained the mastery over [all] the
things which were ordered to be done for me upon earth and in the
underworld. I shall lift myself up on my left side, and I shall place myself
on my right side; I shall lift myself up on my right side, and I shall place
myself [on my left side]. I shall sit down, I shall stand up, and I shall place
myself in [the path of] the wind like a guide who is well prepared.”

if this composition be known [by the deceased] he shall come forth by
day, and he shall be in a position to journey about over the earth among
the living. and he shall never suffer diminution, never, never.

[pg 053]

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 81).]

Another Chapter.

“I am the Fire-god, the divine brother of the Fire-god, and [I am] Osiris the
brother of Isis. My divine son, together with his mother Isis, hath avenged
me on mine enemies. My enemies have wrought every [kind of] evil,
therefore their arms, and hands, and feet, have been fettered by reason of
their wickedness which they have wrought upon me. I am Osiris, the first-
born of the divine womb, the first-born of the gods, and the heir of my
father Osiris-Seb(?). I am Osiris, the lord of the heads that live, mighty of
breast and powerful of back, with a phallus which goeth to the remotest
limits [where] men and women [live]. I am Sah (Orion) who travelleth over
his domain and who journeyeth along before the stars of heaven, [which is]
the belly of my mother Nut; she conceived me through her love, and she
gave birth to me because it was her will so to do. I am Anpu (Anubis) on
the day of the god Sepa. I am the Bull at the head of the meadow. I, even I,
am Osiris who imprisoned his father together with his mother on the day of
making the great slaughter; now, [his] father is Seb, and [his] mother is Nut.
I am Horus, the first-born of Rā of the risings. I am Anpu (Anubis) [on the
day of] the god Sepa. I, even I, am the lord Tem. I am Osiris. Hail, thou
divine first-born, who dost enter and dost speak before the divine Scribe
and Doorkeeper of Osiris, grant that I may come. I have become a khu, I
have been judged, I have become a divine being, I have come, and I have
avenged mine own body. I have taken up my seat by the divine birth-
chamber of Osiris, and I have destroyed the sickness and suffering which
were there. I have become mighty, and I have become a divine being by the
side of the birth-chamber of Osiris, I am brought forth with him, I renew
my youth, I renew my youth, I take possession of my two thighs which are
in the place where is Osiris, and I open the mouth of the gods therewith, I
take my seat by his side, and Thoth cometh forth, and [I am] strengthened in

heart with thousands of cakes upon the altars of my divine father, and with
my beasts, and with my [pg 054] cattle, and with my red feathered fowl,
and with my oxen, and with my geese, and with my ducks, for Horus my
Chieftain, and with the offerings which I make to Thoth, and with the
sacrifices which I offer up to An-heri-ertaitsa.”

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Mes-em-neter (Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 82).]

Another Chapter.

“I have sacrificed unto An-heri-ertaitsa, and I am decreed to be
strengthened in heart, for I have made offerings at the altars of my divine
father Osiris; I rule in Tattu and I lift myself up over his land. I sniff the
wind of the east by its hair; I lay hold upon the north wind by its hair, I
seize and hold fast to the west wind by its body, and I go round about
heaven on its four sides; I lay hold upon the south wind by its eye, and I
bestow air upon the venerable beings [who are in the underworld] along
with the eating of cakes.”

if this composition be known [by the deceased] upon earth he shall come
forth by day, and he shall have the faculty of travelling about among
the living, and his name shall never perish.

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 16).]

The Chapter of coming forth by day. The libationer, the lord of reverence,
Nebseni, saith:

“Hail, thou hawk who risest in heaven, thou lord of the goddess Meh-urt!
Strengthen thou me according as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show
thyself upon the earth, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let
thy will be done.”

“Behold the god of One Face is with me. [I am] the hawk which is within
the shrine; and I open that which is upon the hangings thereof. Behold
Horus, the son of Isis.”

“[Behold] Horus the son of Isis! Strengthen thou me, according as thou hast
strengthened thyself, and show thyself [pg 055] upon earth, O thou that
returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done.”

“Behold, the god of One Face is with me. [I am] the hawk in the southern
heaven, and [I am] Thoth in the northern heaven; I make peace with the
raging fire and I bring Maāt to him that loveth her.”

“Behold Thoth, even Thoth! Strengthen thou me according as thou hast
strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and
withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done.”

“Behold the god of One Face is with me. I am the Plant of the region where
nothing sprouteth, and the Blossom of the hidden horizon.”

“Behold Osiris, yea Osiris! Strengthen thou me according as thou hast
strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and
withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done.”

“Behold, the god of One Face is with me. Hail, thou who [standest] upon
thy legs, in thine hour,” or (as others say), “Hail, thou who art victorious
upon thy legs in thine hour, thou lord of the two divine Tchafi,46 who livest
[in] the two divine Tchafi, strengthen thou me according as thou hast
strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that returnest and
withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done.”

“Behold, the god of One Face is with me. Hail, thou Nekhen who art in
thine egg, thou lord of the goddess Meh-urt, strengthen thou me according
as thou hast strengthened thyself, and show thyself upon earth, O thou that
returnest and withdrawest thyself, and let thy will be done.”

“Behold, the god of One Face is with me. The god Sebek hath stood up
within his ground, and the goddess Neith hath stood up within her
plantation, O thou that returnest and withdrawest thyself, show thyself upon
earth and let thy will be done.”

“Behold, the god of One Face is with me. Hail, ye seven beings who make
decrees, who support the Scales on the night of the judgment of the Utchat,
who cut off heads, who hack necks in pieces, who take possession of hearts
by violence and [pg 056] rend the places where hearts are fixed, who make
slaughterings in the Lake of Fire, I know you and I know your names,
therefore know ye me even as I know your names. I come forth to you,
therefore come ye forth to me, for ye live in me and I would live in you.
Make ye me to be vigorous by means of that which is in your hands, that is
to say, by the rod of power which is in your hands. Decree ye for me life by
[your] speech year by year; give me multitudes of years over and above my
years of life, and multitudes of months over and above my months of life,
and multitudes of days over and above my days of life, and multitudes of
nights over and above my nights of life; and grant that I may come forth
and shine upon my statue; and [grant me] air for my nose, and let my eyes
have the power to see among those divine beings who dwell in the horizon
on the day when evil-doing and wrong are justly assessed.”

if this chapter be recited for the deceased he shall be strong upon earth
before ra, and he shall have a comfortable burial (or tomb) with osiris,
and it shall be of great benefit to a man in the underworld. sepulchral

bread shall be given unto him, and he shall come forth into the presence
[of ra] day by day, and every day, regularly, and continually.47

Coming Forth By Day

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 3).]

The Chapter of coming forth by day and of opening up a way through the
Ammehet. Behold the scribe Nebseni, triumphant, who saith:

“Homage to you, O ye lords of Kas, ye who are without sin and who live
for the limitless and infinite æons of time which make up eternity, I have
opened up a way for myself to you! I have become a khu in my forms, I
have gained the mastery over my enchantments, and I am decreed to be a
khu; therefore deliver ye me from the crocodile [which liveth in] this
country of right and truth. Grant ye to me my mouth that I may speak
therewith, and cause that my sepulchral [pg 057] meals be placed in my
hands in your presence, for I know you, and I know your names, and I
know also the name of the mighty god, before whose nose ye set your
tchefau food; and his name is ‘Tekem.’ [When] he openeth up his path in
the eastern horizon of heaven, and [when] he fluttereth down in the western
horizon of heaven, may he carry me along with him and may I be safe and
sound! Let not the Mesqet make an end of me, let not the Fiend gain the
mastery over me, let me not be turned back at your portals, and let not your
doors be shut in my face, because my cakes are in the city of Pe and my ale
is in the city of Tep. And there, in the celestial mansions of heaven which
my divine father Tem hath stablished, let my hands lay hold upon the wheat
and the barley which shall be given unto me therein in abundant measure,
and may the son of mine own body make [ready] for me my food therein.
And grant ye unto me therein sepulchral meals, and incense, and wax, and
all the beautiful and pure things whereon the god liveth, in very deed
forever in all the transformations which it pleaseth me [to perform]; and
grant me the power to float down and to sail up the stream in Sekhet-Aarru
[and may I reach Sekhet-hetep!]. I am the double Lion-god.”

48
if this chapter be known [by the deceased] upon earth, [or if it be done]
in writing upon [his] coffin, he shall come forth by day in all the forms
which he is pleased [to take], and he shall enter in to [his] place and
shall not be driven back. and cakes, and ale, and joints of meat upon the
altar of osiris shall be given unto him; and he shall enter in peace into
sekhet-aarru to know the decree of him who dwelleth in tattu; there
shall wheat and barley be given unto him; there shall he flourish as he
did upon earth; and he shall do whatsoever it pleaseth him to do, even as
the company of the gods which is in the underworld, continually, and
regularly, for millions of times.

[pg 058]

Of Lifting Up The Feet

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of lifting up the feet and of coming forth upon the earth.
The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Perform thy work, O Seker, perform thy work, O Seker, O thou [who
dwellest in thy house], and who [standest] on [thy] feet in the underworld! I
am the god who sendeth forth rays of light over the Thigh of heaven, and I
come forth to heaven and I sit myself down by the God of Light (Khu).
Hail, I have become helpless! Hail, I have become helpless! but I go
forward. I have become helpless, I have become helpless in the regions of
those who plunder in the underworld.”

Of Journeying To Annu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 13).]

The Chapter of journeying to Annu (Heliopolis) and of receiving a
throne therein. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I have come forth from the uttermost parts of the earth, and [I have]
received my apparel(?) at the will(?) of the Ape. I penetrate into the holy
habitations of those who are in [their] shrines (or coffins), I force my way
through the habitations of the god Remren, and I arrive in the habitations of
the god Akhsesef, I travel on through the holy chambers, and I pass into the
Temple of the god Kemken. The Buckle hath been given unto me, it [hath
placed] its hands upon me, it hath decreed [to my service] its sister
Khebent, and its mother Kehkehet. It placeth me in [the eastern part of
heaven wherein Rā riseth and is exalted every day; and I rise therein and
travel onward, and I become a spiritual body (sāh) like the god, and they set
me]49 on that holy way on which Thoth journeyeth when he goeth to make
peace between the two Fighting-gods (i.e., Horus and Set). He journeyeth,
he journeyeth to the city of Pe, and he cometh to the city of Tepu.”

[pg 059]

Of Transformation

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of a man transforming himself into whatever form he
pleaseth. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I have come into the House of the King by means of the mantis (abit)
which led me hither. Homage to thee, O thou who fliest into heaven, and
dost shine upon the son of the white crown, and dost protect the white
crown, let me have my existence with thee! I have gathered together the
great god[s], I am mighty, I have made my way and I have travelled along
thereon.”

Of Performing Transformations

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 10).]

The Chapter of performing the transformation into a hawk of gold. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I have risen, I have risen like the mighty hawk [of gold] that cometh forth
from his egg; I fly and I alight like the hawk which hath a back four cubits
wide, and the wings of which are like unto the mother-of-emerald of the
south. I have come forth from the interior of the Sektet boat, and my heart
hath been brought unto me from the mountain of the east. I have alighted
upon the Atet boat, and those who were dwelling in their companies have
been brought unto me, and they bowed low in paying homage unto me and
in saluting me with cries of joy. I have risen, and I have gathered myself
together like the beautiful hawk of gold, which hath the head of a Bennu
bird, and Rā entereth in day by day to hearken unto my words; I have taken
my seat among those first-born gods of Nut. I am stablished, and the divine
Sekhet-hetep is before me, I have eaten therein, I have become a khu
therein, I have an abundance therein—as much as I desire—the god Nepra
hath given to me my throat, and I have gained the mastery over that which
guardeth (or belongeth to) my head.”

[pg 060]

Of Transformation Into A Hawk

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 13 and 14).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into a divine hawk. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, Great God, come now to Tattu! Make thou smooth for me the ways
and let me go round about [to visit] my thrones; I have renewed(?) myself,
and I have raised myself up. O grant thou that I may be feared, and make
thou me to be a terror. Let the gods of the underworld be afraid of me, and
may they fight for me in their habitations which are therein. Let not him
that would do me harm draw nigh unto me, or injure(?) me, in the House of
Darkness, that is, he that clotheth and covereth the feeble one, and whose
[name] is hidden; and let not the gods act likewise toward me. [Hail], ye
gods, who hearken unto [my] speech! Hail, ye rulers, who are among the
followers of Osiris! Be ye therefore silent, O ye gods, when one god
speaketh unto another, for he hearkeneth unto right and truth; and what I
speak unto [him] do thou also speak for me then, O Osiris. Grant thou that I
may journey round about [according to] that which cometh forth from thy
mouth concerning me, and grant that I may see thine own Form (or forms),
and the dispositions of thy Souls. Grant thou that I may come forth, and that
I may have power over my legs, and that I may have my existence there like
unto that of Neb-er-tcher who is over [all]. May the gods of the underworld
fear me, and may they fight for me in their habitations. Grant thou that I
may move along therein together with the divine beings who journey
onward, and may I be stablished upon my resting-place like the Lord of
Life. May I be joined unto Isis the divine lady, and may she protect me from
him that would do an injury unto me; and let not anyone come to see the
divine one naked and helpless. May I journey on, may I come into the
uttermost parts of heaven. I exchange speech with the god Seb, I make
supplication for divine food from Neb-er-tcher; the gods of the underworld
have fear of me, and they fight for me in their habitations when they see

that thou hast provided me with [pg 061] food, both of the fowl of the air
and of the fish of the sea. I am one of those Khus who dwell with the divine
Khu, and I have made my form like unto his divine Form, when he cometh
forth and maketh himself manifest in Tattu. [I am] a spiritual body (sāh) and
possess my soul, and will speak unto thee the things which concern me. O
grant thou that I may be feared, and make thou me to be a terror; let the
gods of the underworld be afraid of me, and may they fight for me in their
habitations. I, even I, am the Khu who dwelleth with the divine Khu, whom
the god Tem himself hath created, and who hath come into being from the
blossom (i.e., the eyelashes) of his eye; he hath made to have existence, and
he hath made to be glorious (i.e., to be Khus), and he hath made mighty
thereby those who have their existence along with him. Behold, he is the
only One in Nu, and they sing praises (or do homage) unto him [when] he
cometh forth from the horizon, and the gods and the Khus who have come
into being along with him ascribe [the lordship of] terror unto him.”

“I am one of those worms(?) which the eye of the Lord, the only One, hath
created. And behold, when as yet Isis had not given birth to Horus, I had
germinated, and had flourished, and I had become aged, and I had become
greater than those who dwelt with the divine Khu, and who had come into
being along with him. And I had risen up like the divine hawk, and Horus
made for me a spiritual body containing his own soul, so that I might take
possession of all that belonged unto Osiris in the underworld. The double
Lion-god, the governor of the things which belong to the Temple of the
nemmes crown, who dwelleth in his secret abode, saith [unto me]: ‘Get thee
back to the uttermost parts of heaven, for behold, inasmuch as through thy
form of Horus thou hast become a spiritual body, (sāh) the nemmes crown
is not for thee; but behold, thou hast the power of speech even to the
uttermost parts of heaven.’ And I, the guardian, took possession of the
things of Horus [which belonged] unto Osiris in the underworld, and Horus
told aloud unto me the things which his divine father Osiris spake unto him
in years [gone by] on the day of his own burial. I have given unto thee50 the
nemmes crown through the double Lion-god that thou mayest pass [pg 062]
onward and mayest come to the heavenly path, and that those who dwell in
the uttermost parts of the horizon may see thee, and that the gods of the
underworld may see thee and may fight for thee in their habitations. And of
them is the Auhet.51 The gods, each and all of them, who are the warders of

the shrine of the Lord, the only One, have fallen before my words. Hail! He
that is exalted upon his tomb is on my side, and he hath bound [upon my
head] the nemmes crown, by the decree of the double Lion-god on my
behalf, and the god Auhet hath prepared a way for me. I, even I, am exalted
in my tomb, and the double Lion-god hath bound the nemmes crown upon
my [head], and he hath also given unto me the double hairy covering of my
head. He hath stablished my heart through his own backbone, he hath
stablished my heart through his own great and exceeding strength, and I
shall not fall through Shu. I make my peace with the beautiful divine
Brother, the lord of the two uræi, adored be he! I, even I, am he who
knoweth the roads through the sky, and the wind thereof is in my body. The
bull which striketh terror [into men] shall not drive me back, and I shall
pass on to the place where lieth the shipwrecked mariner on the border of
the Sekhet-neheh (i.e., Field of illimitable time), and I shall journey on to
the night and sorrow of the regions of Amenti. O Osiris, I shall come each
day into the House of the double Lion-god, and I shall come forth therefrom
into the House of Isis, the divine lady. I shall behold sacred things which
are hidden, and I shall be led on to the secret and holy things, even as they
have granted unto me to see the birth of the Great God. Horus hath made
me to be a spiritual body through his soul, [and I see what is therein. If I
speak near the mighty ones of Shu they repulse my opportunity. I am the
guardian and I] take possession of the things which Horus had from Osiris
in the underworld. I, even I, am Horus who dwelleth in the divine Khu. [I]
have gained power over his crown, I have gained power over his radiance,
and I have travelled over the remote, illimitable parts of heaven. Horus is
upon his throne, Horus is upon his royal seat. My face is like unto that of
the divine hawk, my strength is like unto that of the divine hawk, [pg 063]
and I am one who hath been fully equipped by his divine Lord. I shall come
forth to Tattu, I shall see Osiris, I shall pay homage to him on the right hand
and on the left, I shall pay homage unto Nut, and she shall look upon me,
and the gods shall look upon me, together with the Eye of Horus who is
without sight(?). They (i.e., the gods) shall make their arms to come forth
unto me. I rise up [as] a divine Power, and [I] repulse him that would
subject me to restraint. They open unto me the holy paths, they see my
form, and they hear that which I speak. [Down] upon your faces, ye gods of
the Tuat (underworld), who would resist me with your faces and oppose me
with your powers, who lead along the stars which never rest, and who make

the holy paths unto the Hemati abode [where is] the Lord of the exceedingly
mighty and terrible Soul. Horus hath commanded that ye lift up your faces
so that I may look upon you. I have risen up like the divine hawk, and
Horus hath made for me a spiritual body, through his own soul, to take
possession of that which belongeth to Osiris in the Tuat (underworld). I
have bound up the gods with divine tresses, and I have travelled on to those
who ward their Chambers, and who were on both sides of me. I have made
my roads and I have journeyed on and have reached those divine beings
who inhabit their secret dwellings, and who are warders of the Temple of
Osiris. I have spoken unto them with strength, and have made them to know
the most mighty power of him that is provided with two horns [to fight]
against Suti; and I make them to know concerning him that hath taken
possession of the divine food, and who is provided with the Might of Tem.
May the gods of the underworld [order] a prosperous journey for me! O ye
gods who inhabit your secret dwellings, and who are warders of the Temple
of Osiris, and whose numbers are great and multitudinous, grant ye that I
may come unto you. I have bound up and I have gathered together the
powers of Kesemu-enenet,” or (as others say), “Kesemiu-enenet; and I have
made holy the Powers of the paths of those who watch and ward the roads
of the horizon, and who are the guardians of the horizon of Hemati which is
in heaven. I have stablished habitations for Osiris, I have made the ways
holy for him, I have done that which hath been commanded, I have come
forth to Tattu, I [pg 064] have seen Osiris, I have spoken unto him
concerning the matters of his first-born son whom he loveth and concerning
the wounding of the heart of Suti, and I have seen the divine one who is
without life. Yea, I have made them to know concerning the counsels of the
gods which Horus carried out while his father Osiris was not [with him].
Hail, Lord, thou most mighty and terrible Soul! Verily, I, even I, have come,
look thou upon me, and do thou make me to be exalted. I have made my
way through the Tuat (underworld), and I have opened up the paths which
belong to heaven and also those which belong to earth, and I have suffered
no opposition therein. Exalted [be thou] upon thy throne, O Osiris! Thou
hast heard fair things, O Osiris! Thy strength is vigorous, O Osiris. Thy
head is fastened unto thee, O Osiris. Thy brow is stablished, O Osiris. Thy
heart is glad, [O Osiris]. Thy speech(?) is stablished, [O Osiris], and thy
princes rejoice. Thou art stablished like the Bull of Amentet. Thy son Horus
hath risen like the sun upon thy throne, and all life is with him. Millions of

years minister unto him, and millions of years hold him in fear; the
company of the gods are his servants, and the company of the gods hold
him in fear. The god Tem, the Governor and only One of the gods, hath
spoken [these things], and his word passeth not away. Horus is both the
divine food and the sacrifice. [He] hath passed on(?) to gather together [the
members of] his divine father; Horus is [his] deliverer, Horus is [his]
deliverer. Horus hath sprung from the water of his divine father and [from
his] decay. He hath become the Governor of Egypt. The gods labor for him,
and they toil for him for millions of years; and he hath made to live millions
of years through his Eye, the only One of its Lord (or Neb-s), Nebt-er-
tcher.”

[pg 065]

Of Transformation Into A Governor

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 8 and 9).]

The Chapter of being transformed into the Governor of the sovereign
princes. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am the god Tem, the maker of heaven, the creator of things which are,
who cometh forth from the earth, who maketh to come into being the seed
which is sown, the lord of things which shall be, who gave birth to the gods;
[I am] the great god who made himself, the lord of life, who maketh to
flourish the company of the gods. Homage to you, O ye lords of divine
things (or of creation), ye pure beings whose abodes are hidden! Homage to
you, O ye everlasting lords, whose forms are hidden and whose shrines are
hidden in places which are unknown! Homage to you, O ye gods, who
dwell in the Tenait(?)! Homage to you, O ye gods of the circuit of the
flooded lands of Qebhu! Homage to you, O ye gods who live in Amentet!
Homage to you, O ye company of the gods who dwell in Nut! Grant ye that
I may come unto you, for I am pure, I am divine, I am a khu, I am strong, I
am endowed with a soul (or I am mighty), and I have brought unto you
incense, and sweet-smelling gums, and natron; I have made an end of the
spittle which floweth from your mouth upon me. I have come, and I have
made an end of the evil things which are in your hearts, and I have removed
the faults which ye kept [laid up against me]. I have brought to you the
things which are good, and I make to come into your presence Right and
Truth. I, even I, know you, and I know your names, and I know your forms,
which are unknown, and I come into being along with you. My coming is
like unto that of the god who eateth men and who liveth upon the gods. I am
mighty with you like the god who is exalted upon his resting-place; the
gods come to me in gladness, and goddesses make supplication unto me
when they see me. I have come unto you, and I have risen like your two
divine daughters. I have taken my seat in the horizon, and I receive my
offerings upon my tables, and I drink drink-offerings at eventide. My

coming is [received] with shouts of joy, and the divine beings [pg 066] who
dwell in the horizon ascribe praises unto me, the divine spiritual body
(Sāh), the lord of divine beings. I am exalted like the holy god who
dwelleth in the Great Temple, and the gods rejoice when they see me in my
beautiful coming forth from the body of Nut, when my mother Nut giveth
birth unto me.”

Of Transformation Into A God

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 28).]

[The Chapter of] making the transformation into the god who giveth
light [in] the darkness. Saith Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant:

“I am the girdle of the robe of the god Nu, which shineth and sheddeth light
upon that which belongeth to his breast, which sendeth forth light into the
darkness, which uniteth the two fighting deities who dwell in my body
through the mighty spell of the words of my mouth, which raiseth up him
that hath fallen—for he who was with him in the valley of Abtu (Abydos)
hath fallen—and I rest. I have remembered him. I have taken possession of
the god Hu in my city, for I found him therein, and I have led away captive
the darkness by my might. I have rescued the Eye [of the Sun] when it
waned at the coming of the festival of the fifteenth day, and I have weighed
Sut in the celestial houses against the Aged one who is with him. I have
endowed Thoth [with what is needful] in the Temple of the Moon-god for
the coming of the fifteenth day of the festival. I have taken possession of
the Ureret crown; Maāt (i.e., right and truth) is in my body; its mouths are
of turquoise and rock-crystal. My homestead is among the furrows which
are [of the color of] lapis-lazuli. I am Hem-Nu(?) who sheddeth light in the
darkness. I have come to give light in the darkness, which is made light and
bright [by me]. I have given light in the darkness, and I have overthrown
the destroying crocodiles. I have sung praises unto those who dwell in the
darkness, I have raised up those who wept, and who had hidden their faces
and had sunk down in wretchedness; and they did not look then upon me.
[Hail, then,] ye beings, I am Hem-Nu(?), and I will not let you hear
concerning the matter. [I] have opened [the way], I [pg 067] am Hem-
Nu(?), [I] have made light the darkness, I have come, having made an end
of the darkness, which hath become light indeed.”

Transformation Into A Lotus

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 11).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into a lotus. The overseer of
the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, saith:

“I am the pure lotus which springeth up from the divine splendor that
belongeth to the nostrils of Rā. I have made [my way], and I follow on
seeking for him who is Horus. I am the pure one who cometh forth out of
the Field.”

Transformation Into A Lotus

[From the Papyrus of Paqrer (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 93).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into a lotus. Saith Osiris
Paqrer:

“Hail, thou lotus, thou type of the god Nefer-Temu! I am the man that
knoweth you, and I know your names among [those of] the gods, the lords
of the underworld, and I am one of you. Grant ye that [I] may see the gods
who are the divine guide in the Tuat (underworld), and grant ye unto me a
place in the underworld near unto the lords of Amentet. Let me arrive at a
habitation in the land of Tchesert, and receive me, O all ye gods, in the
presence of the lords of eternity. Grant that my soul may come forth
whithersoever it pleaseth, and let it not be driven away from the presence of
the great company of the gods.”

[pg 068]

Transformation Into Ptah

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 9 and 10).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into Ptah, of eating cakes, and
of drinking ale, and of unfettering the steps, and of becoming a living
being in Annu (Heliopolis). The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I fly like a hawk, I cackle like the smen goose, and I perch upon that abode
of the underworld (aat) on the festival of the great Being. That which is an
abomination unto me, that which is an abomination unto me, I have not
eaten; filth is an abomination unto me and I have not eaten thereof, and that
which is an abomination unto my ka hath not entered into my belly. Let me,
then, live upon that which the gods and the Khus decree for me; let me live
and let me have power over cakes; let me eat them before the gods and the
Khus [who have a favor] unto me; let me have power over [these cakes] and
let me eat of them under the [shade of the] leaves of the palm tree of the
goddess Hathor, who is my divine Lady. Let the offering of the sacrifice,
and the offering of cakes, and vessels of libations be made in Annu; let me
clothe myself in the taau garment [which I shall receive] from the hand of
the goddess Tait; let me stand up and let me sit down wheresoever I please.
My head is like unto that of Rā, and [when my members are] gathered
together [I am] like unto Tem; the four [sides of the domain] of Rā, and the
width of the earth four times. I come forth. My tongue is like unto that of
Ptah and my throne is like unto that of the goddess Hathor, and I make
mention of the words of Tem, my father, with my mouth. He it is who
constraineth the handmaid, the wife of Seb, and before him are bowed [all]
heads, and there is fear of him. Hymns of praise are repeated for [me] by
reason of [my] mighty acts, and I am decreed to be the divine Heir of Seb,
the lord of the earth and to be the protector therein. The god Seb refresheth
me, and he maketh his risings to be mine. Those who dwell in Annu bow
down their heads unto me, for I am their lord and I am their bull. I am more

powerful than the lord of time, and I shall enjoy the pleasures of love, and
shall gain the mastery over millions of years.”

[pg 069]

Transformation Into A Bennu Bird

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 10).]

[The Chapter of making the transformation into a Bennu bird.] The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I came52 into being from unformed matter. I came into existence like the
god Khepera, I have germinated like the things which germinate (i.e.,
plants), and I have dressed myself like the Tortoise.53 I am [of] the germs of
every god. I am Yesterday of the four [quarters of the world] and of those
seven Uræi which came into existence in Amentet, that is to say, [Horus,
who emitteth light from his divine body. He is] the god [who] fought
against Suti, but the god Thoth cometh between them through the judgment
of him that dwelleth in Sekhem, and of the Souls who are in Annu, and
there is a stream between them. I have come by day, and I have risen in the
footsteps of the gods. I am the god Khensu, who driveth back all that
oppose him.”

[if] this chapter [be known by the deceased] he shall come forth pure by
day after his death, and he shall perform whatsoever transformations his
heart desireth. he shall be in the following of un-nefer, and he shall be
satisfied with the food of osiris and with sepulchral meals. [he] shall see
the disk, [he] shall be in good case upon earth before ra, and he shall be
triumphant before osiris, and no evil thing whatsoever shall have
dominion over him forever and ever.

Transformation Into A Heron

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 10).]

[The Chapter of making the transformation into a heron. The chancellor-
in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:]

“[I] have gotten dominion over the beasts that are brought for sacrifice, with
the knives which are [held] at their heads, and at their hair, and at their ...
[Hail], Aged ones [pg 070] [hail,] Khus, who are provided with the
opportunity, the chancellor-in-chief, the overseer of the palace, Nu,
triumphant, is upon the earth, and what he hath slaughtered is in heaven;
and what he hath slaughtered is in heaven and he is upon the earth. Behold,
I am strong, and I work mighty deeds to the very heights of heaven. I have
made myself pure, and [I] make the breadth of heaven [a place for] my
footsteps [as I go] into the cities of Aukert; I advance, and I go forward into
the city of Unnu (Hermopolis). I have set the gods upon their paths, and I
have roused up the exalted ones who dwell in their shrines. Do I not know
Nu? Do I not know Tatunen? Do I not know the beings of the color of fire
who thrust forward their horns? Do I not know [every being having]
incantations unto whose words I listen? I am the Smam bull [for slaughter]
which is written down in the books. The gods crying out say: ‘Let your
faces be gracious to him that cometh onward.’ The light is beyond your
knowledge, and ye cannot fetter it; and times and seasons are in my body. I
do not utter words to the god Hu, [I do not utter words of] wickedness
instead of [words of] right and truth, and each day right and truth come
upon my eyebrows. At night taketh place the festival of him that is dead, the
Aged One, who is in ward [in] the earth.”

Of The Living Soul

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into a living soul, and of not
entering into the chamber of torture; whosoever knoweth [it] shall not see
corruption. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am the divine Soul of Rā proceeding from the god Nu; that divine soul
which is God, [I am] the creator of the divine food, and that which is an
abomination unto me is sin whereon I look not. I proclaim right and truth,
and I live therein. I am the divine food, which is not corrupted in my name
of Soul: I gave birth unto myself together with Nu in my name of Khepera
in whom I come into being day by day. [pg 071] I am the lord of light, and
that which is an abomination unto me is death; let me not go into the
chamber of torture which is in the Tuat (underworld). I ascribe honor [unto]
Osiris, and I make to be at peace the heart[s] of those beings who dwell
among the divine things which [I] love. They cause the fear of me [to
abound], and they create awe of me in those beings who dwell in their
divine territories. Behold, I am exalted upon my standard, and upon my
seat, and upon the throne which is adjudged [to me]. I am the god Nu, and
the workers of iniquity shall not destroy me. I am the firstborn god of
primeval matter, that is to say, the divine Soul, even the Souls of the gods of
everlastingness, and my body is eternity. My Form is everlastingness, and is
the lord of years and the prince of eternity. [I am] the creator of the darkness
who maketh his habitation in the uttermost parts of the sky, [which] I love,
and I arrive at the confines thereof. I advance upon my feet, I become
master of my vine, I sail over the sky which formeth the division [betwixt
heaven and earth], [I] destroy the hidden worms that travel nigh unto my
footsteps which are toward the lord of the two hands and arms. My soul is
the Souls of the souls of everlastingness, and my body is eternity. I am the
divine exalted being who is the lord of the land of Tebu. ‘I am the Boy in
the city and the Young man in the plain’ is my name; ‘he that never

suffereth corruption’ is my name. I am the Soul, the creator of the god Nu
who maketh his habitation in the underworld: my place of incubation is
unseen and my egg is not cracked. I have done away with all my iniquity,
and I shall see my divine Father, the lord of eventide, whose body dwelleth
in Annu. I travel(?) to the god of night(?), who dwelleth with the god of
light, by the western region of the Ibis (i.e., Thoth).”

[pg 072]

Of The Swallow

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 10).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into a swallow. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am a swallow, I am a swallow. I am the Scorpion, the daughter of Rā.
Hail, ye gods, whose scent is sweet; hail, ye gods, whose scent is sweet!
[Hail,] Flame, which cometh forth from the horizon! Hail, thou who art in
the city, I have brought the Warden of his Bight therein. Oh, stretch out unto
me thy hand so that I may be able to pass my days in the Pool of Double
Fire, and let me advance with my message, for I have come with words to
tell. Oh, open [thou] the doors to me and I will declare the things which
have been seen by me. Horus hath become the divine prince of the Boat of
the Sun, and unto him hath been given the throne of his divine father Osiris,
and Set, that son of Nut, [lieth] under the fetters which he had made for me.
I have made a computation of what is in the city of Sekhem, I have
stretched out both my hands and arms at the word(?) of Osiris, I have
passed on to judgment, and I have come that [I] may speak; grant that I may
pass on and declare my tidings. I enter in, [I am] judged, and [I] come forth
worthy at the gate of Neb-er-tcher. I am pure at the great place of the
passage of souls, I have done away with my sins, I have put away mine
offences, and I have destroyed the evil which appertained unto my members
upon earth. Hail, ye divine beings who guard the doors, make ye for me a
way, for, behold, I am like unto you. I have come forth by day, I have
journeyed on on my legs, I have gained the mastery over my footsteps
[before] the God of Light, I know the hidden ways and the doors of the
Sekhet-Aaru, verily I, even I, have come, I have overthrown mine enemies
upon earth, and yet my perishable body is in the grave!”

if this chapter be known [by the deceased], he shall come forth by day, he
shall not be turned back at any gate in the underworld, and he shall

make his transformation into a swallow regularly and continually.

[pg 073]

The Serpent Sata

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 11).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into the serpent Sata. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am the serpent Sata whose years are many.54 I die and I am born again
each day. I am the serpent Sata which dwelleth in the uttermost parts of the
earth. I die, and I am born again, and I renew myself, and I grow young
each day.”

Of The Crocodile

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 11).]

The Chapter of making the transformation into a crocodile. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am the divine crocodile which dwelleth in his terror, I am the divine
crocodile, and I seize [my prey] like a ravening beast. I am the great and
Mighty Fish which is in the city of Qem-ur. I am the lord to whom bowing
and prostrations [are made] in the city of Sekhem.”

Soul And Body

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 17).]

The Chapter of causing the soul to be united to its body in the
underworld. The Osiris Ani, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, thou god Anniu (i.e., Bringer)! Hail, thou god Pehrer (i.e., Runner),
who dwellest in thy hall! [Hail,] great God! Grant thou that my soul may
come unto me from wheresoever it may be. If [it] would tarry, then let my
soul be brought unto me from wheresoever it may be, for thou shalt find the
Eye of Horus standing by thee like unto those beings who are like unto
Osiris, and who never lie down in death. Let not the Osiris Ani, triumphant,
lie down in death among those who lie down in Annu, the land wherein
souls are joined unto [pg 074] their bodies even in thousands. Let me have
possession of my ba (soul), and of my khu, and let me triumph therewith in
every place wheresoever it may be. [Observe these things which [I] speak,
for it hath staves with it];55 observe then, O ye divine guardians of heaven,
my soul [wheresoever it may be].56 If it would tarry, do thou make my soul
to look upon my body,57 for thou shalt find the Eye of Horus standing by
thee like those [beings who are like unto Osiris].”

“Hail, ye gods, who tow along the boat of the lord of millions of years, who
bring [it] above the underworld and who make it to travel over Nut, who
make souls to enter into [their] spiritual bodies, whose hands are filled with
your ropes and who clutch your weapons tight, destroy ye the Enemy; thus
shall the boat of the sun be glad and the great God shall set out on his
journey in peace. And behold, grant ye that the soul of Osiris Ani,
triumphant, may come forth before the gods and that it may be triumphant
along with you in the eastern part of the sky to follow unto the place where
it was yesterday; [and that it may have] peace, peace in Amentet. May it
look upon its material body, may it rest upon its spiritual body; and may its
body neither perish nor suffer corruption forever.”

[these] words are to be said over a soul of gold inlaid with precious
stones and placed on the breast of osiris.

Of Evil Recollections

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 8).]

The Chapter of driving evil recollections from the mouth. The overseer
of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, the son of the
overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Amen-hetep, triumphant,
saith:

“Hail, thou that cuttest off heads, and slittest brows, thou being who puttest
away the memory of evil things from the mouth of the Khus by means of
the incantations which they have within them, look not upon me with the
[same] eyes with which thou lookest upon them. Go thou round about [pg
075] on thy legs, and let thy face be [turned] behind thee so that thou
mayest be able to see the divine slaughterers of the god Shu who are
coming up behind thee to cut off thy head, and to slit thy brow by reason of
the message of violence [sent] by thy lord, and to see(?) that which thou
sayest. Work thou for me so that the memory of evil things shall dart from
my mouth; let not my head be cut off; let not my brow be slit; and let not
my mouth be shut fast by reason of the incantations which thou hast within
thee, according to that which thou doest for the Khus through the
incantations which they have within themselves. Get thee back and depart
at the [sound of] the two speeches which the goddess Isis uttered when thou
didst come to cast the recollection of evil things into the mouth of Osiris by
the will of Suti his enemy, saying, ‘Let thy face be toward the privy parts,
and look upon that face which cometh forth from the flame of the Eye of
Horus against thee from within the Eye of Tem,’ and the calamity of that
night which shall consume thee. And Osiris went back, for the abomination
of thee was in him; and thou didst go back, for the abomination of him is in
thee. I have gone back, for the abomination of thee is in me; and thou shalt
go back, for the abomination of me is in thee. Thou wouldst come unto me,
but I say that thou shalt not advance to me so that I come to an end, and [I]
say then to the divine slaughterers of the god Shu, ‘Depart.’ ”

Of Rescue

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of not letting the soul of Nu, triumphant, be captive in the
underworld. He saith:

“Hail, thou who art exalted! [Hail,] thou who art adored! O thou mighty one
of Souls, thou divine Soul, thou possessor of terrible power, who dost put
the fear of thyself into the gods, thou who art crowned upon thy throne of
majesty, I pray thee to make a way for the ba (soul), and for the khu, and for
the khaibit (shade) of the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant [and let him be] provided therewith. [pg 076] I am a perfect khu,
and I have made [my] way unto the place wherein dwell Rā and Hathor.”

if this chapter be known [by the deceased] he shall be able to transform
himself into a khu provided [with his soul and with his shade] in the
underworld, and he shall never be held captive at any door in amentet,
58
in entering in or in coming out.

Of Opening The Tomb

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of opening the tomb to the soul [and] to the shade of Osiris
the scribe Nebseni, the lord of reverence, born of the lady of the house Mut-
restha, triumphant, so that he may come forth by day and have dominion
over his fleet. [He saith:]

“That which was shut fast hath been opened, that is to say, he that lay down
in death [hath been opened]. That which was open hath been shut to my
soul through the command of the Eye of Horus, which hath strengthened
me and which maketh to stand fast the beauties which are upon the forehead
of Rā, whose strides are long as [he] lifteth up [his] legs [in journeying]. I
have made for myself a way, my members are mighty and are strong. I am
Horus the avenger of his divine father. I am he who bringeth along his
divine father, and who bringeth along his mother by means of his sceptre(?).
And the way shall be opened unto him who hath gotten dominion over his
feet, and he shall see the Great God in the Boat of Rā, [when] souls are
counted therein at the bows, and when the years also are counted up. Grant
that the Eye of Horus, which maketh the adornments of light to be firm
upon the forehead of Rā, may deliver my soul for me, and let there be
darkness upon your faces, O ye who would hold fast Osiris. Oh, keep not
captive my soul, Oh, keep not ward over my shade, but let a way be opened
for my soul [and] for my shade, and let [them] see the Great God in the
shrine on the day of the judgment of souls, and let [them] recite the
utterances of Osiris, whose habitations are hidden, to those [pg 077] who
guard the members of Osiris, and who keep ward over the Khus, and who
hold captive the shades of the dead who would work evil against me, so that
they shall [not] work evil against me. May a way for thy double (ka) along
with thee and along with [thy] soul be prepared by those who keep ward
over the members of Osiris, and who hold captive the shades of the dead.
Heaven shall [not] keep thee, the earth shall [not] hold thee captive, thou

shalt not have thy being with the divine beings who make slaughter, but
thou shalt have dominion over thy legs, and thou shalt advance to thy body
straightway in the earth [and to] those who belong to the shrine and guard
the members of Osiris.”

Of Not Sailing To The East

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

The Chapter of not sailing to the east in the underworld. The chancellor-
in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, phallus of Rā, who departest from thy calamity [which ariseth]
through opposition(?), the cycles have been without movement for millions
of years. I am stronger than the strong, I am mightier than the mighty. If I
sail away or if I be snatched away to the east through the two horns,” or (as
others say), “if any evil and abominable thing be done unto me at the feast
of the devils, the phallus of Rā shall be swallowed up, [along with] the head
of Osiris. And behold me, for I journey along over the fields wherein the
gods mow down those who make reply unto [their words]; now verily the
two horns of the god Khepera shall be thrust aside; and verily pus shall
spring into being in the eye of Tem along with corruption if I be kept in
restraint, or if I have gone toward the east, or if the feast of devils be made
in my presence, or if any malignant wound be inflicted upon me.”59

[pg 078]

Of The Ink-Pot And Palette

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

The Chapter of praying for an ink-pot and for a palette. The chancellor-
in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, aged god, who dost behold thy divine father and who art the guardian
of the book of Thoth, [behold I have come; I am endowed with glory, I am
endowed with strength, I am filled with might, and I am supplied with the
books of Thoth], and I have brought [them to enable me] to pass through
the god Aker who dwelleth in Set. I have brought the ink-pot and the palette
as being the objects which are in the hands of Thoth; hidden is that which is
in them. Behold me in the character of a scribe! I have brought the offal of
Osiris, and I have written thereon. I have made (i.e., copied) the words of
the great and beautiful god each day fairly. O Heru-khuti, thou didst order
me and I have made (i.e., copied) what is right and true, and I do bring it
unto thee each day.”

Of Being Nigh Unto Thoth

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 7).]

The Chapter of being nigh unto Thoth. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, saith:

“I am he who sendeth forth terror into the powers of rain and thunder, and I
ward off from the great divine lady the attacks of violence. [I have smitten
like the god Shāt (i.e., the god of slaughter), and I have poured out libations
of cool water like the god Ashu, and I have worked for the great divine lady
[to ward off] the attacks of violence], I have made to flourish [my] knife
along with the knife which is in the hand of Thoth in the powers of rain and
thunder.”

[pg 079]

Of Being Nigh Unto Thoth

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 19 and 20).]

The Chapter of being nigh unto Thoth and of giving glory unto a man in
the underworld. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am the god Her-ab-maat-f (i.e., ‘he that is within his eye’), and I have
come to give right and truth to Rā; I have made Suti to be at peace with me
by means of offerings made to the god Aker and to the Tesheru deities, and
by [making] reverence unto Seb.”

“[The following] words are to be recited in the Sektet boat: [Hail,] sceptre
of Anubis, I have made the four Khus who are in the train of the lord of the
universe to be at peace with me, and I am the lord of the fields through their
decree. I am the divine father Bāh (i.e., the god of the water-flood), and I do
away with the thirst of him that keepeth ward over the Lakes. Behold ye
me, then, O great gods of majesty who dwell among the Souls of Annu, for
I am lifted up over you. I am the god Menkh (i.e., Gracious one) who
dwelleth among you. Verily I have cleansed my soul, O great god of
majesty, set not before me the evil obstacles which issue from thy mouth,
and let not destruction come round about me, or upon me. I have made
myself clean in the Lake of making to be at peace, [and in the Lake of]
weighing in the balance, and I have bathed myself in Netert-utchat, which is
under the holy sycamore tree of heaven. Behold [I am] bathed, [and I have]
triumphed [over] all [mine enemies] straightway who come forth and rise
up against right and truth. I am right and true in the earth. I, even I, have
spoken(?) with my mouth [which is] the power of the Lord, the Only one,
Rā the mighty, who liveth upon right and truth. Let not injury be inflicted
upon me, [but let me be] clothed on the day of those who go forward(?) to
every [good] thing.”

[pg 080]

Of Bringing A Boat Along In Heaven

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of bringing along a boat in heaven. The chancellor-in-chief,
triumphant, saith:

“Hail to thee, O thou Thigh which dwellest in the northern heaven in the
Great Lake, which art seen and which diest not. I have stood up over thee
when thou didst rise like a god. I have seen thee, and I have not lain down
in death; I have stood over thee, and I have risen like a god. I have cackled
like a goose, and I have alighted like the hawk by the divine clouds and by
the great dew. I have journeyed from the earth to heaven. The god Shu hath
[made] me to stand up, the god of Light hath made me to be vigorous by the
two sides of the ladder, and the stars which never rest set [me] on [my] way
and bring [me] away from slaughter. I bring along with me the things which
drive back calamities as I advance over the passage of the god Pen; thou
comest, how great art thou, O god Pen! I have come from the Pool of Flame
which is in the Sekhet-Sasa (i.e., the Field of Fire). Thou livest in the Pool
of Flame in Sekhet-Sasa, and I live upon the staff of the holy [god]. Hail,
thou god Kaa, who dost bring those things which are in the boats by the ... I
stand up in the boat and I guide myself [over] the water; I have stood up in
the boat and the god hath guided me. I have stood up. I have spoken. [I am
master of the] crops. I sail round about as I go forward, and the gates which
are in Sekhem (Letopolis) are opened unto me, and fields are awarded unto
me in the city of Unnu (Hermopolis), and laborers(?) are given unto me
together with those of my own flesh and bone.”

[pg 081]

Of Bringing The Makhent Boat

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 21 and 22).]

The Chapter of bringing along a boat in the underworld. The chancellor-
in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Hail, ye who bring along the boat over the evil back [of Apepi], grant that I
may bring the boat along, and coil up [its] ropes in peace, in peace. Come,
come, hasten, hasten, for I have come to see my father Osiris, the lord of the
ansi garment, who hath gained the mastery with joy of heart. Hail, lord of
the rain-storm, thou Male, thou Sailor! Hail, thou who dost sail over the evil
back of Apep! Hail, thou that dost bind up heads and dost stablish the bones
of the neck when thou comest forth from the knives. Hail, thou who art in
charge of the hidden boat, who dost fetter Apep, grant that I may bring
along the boat, and that I may coil up the ropes and that I may sail forth
therein. This land is baleful, and the stars have overbalanced themselves
and have fallen upon their faces therein, and they have not found anything
which will help them to ascend again: their path is blocked by the tongue of
Rā. Antebu [is] the guide of the two lands. Seb is stablished [through] their
rudders. The power which openeth the Disk. The prince of the red beings, I
am brought along like him that hath suffered shipwreck; grant that my Khu,
my brother, may come to me, and that [I] may set out for the place whereof
thou knowest.”

“Tell me my name,” saith the wood whereat I would anchor; “Lord of the
two lands who dwellest in the Shrine,” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Rudder; “Leg of Hāpiu” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Rope; “Hair with which Anpu (Anubis)
finisheth the work of my embalment” is thy name.

“Tell us our name,” say the Oar-rests; “Pillars of the underworld” is your
name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Hold; “Akar” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Mast; “He who bringeth back the great lady
after she hath gone away” is thy name.

[pg 082]
“Tell me my name,” saith the Lower deck; “Standard of Ap-uat” is thy
name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Upper post; “Throat of Mestha” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Sail; “Nut” is thy name.

“Tell us our name,” say the Pieces of leather; “Ye who are made from the
hide of the Mnevis Bull, which was burned by Suti,” is your name.

“Tell us our name,” say the Paddles; “Fingers of Horus the first-born” is
your name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Mātchabet; “The hand of Isis, which wipeth
away the blood from the Eye of Horus,” is thy name.

“Tell us our names,” say the Planks which are in its hulk; “Mesthi, Hāpi,
Tuamāutef, Qebh-sennuf, Haqau (i.e., he who leadeth away captive), Thet-
em-āua (i.e., he who seizeth by violence), Maa-an-tef (i.e., he who seeth
what the father bringeth), and Ari-nef-tchesef (i.e., he who made himself),”
are your names.

“Tell us our name,” say the Bows; “He who is at the head of his nomes” is
your name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Hull; “Mert” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Rudder; “Aqa” (i.e., true one) is thy name, O
thou who shinest from the water, hidden beam(?) is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Keel; “Thigh (or Leg) of Isis, which Rā cut
off with the knife to bring blood into the Sektet boat,” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Sailor; “Traveller” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Wind by which thou art borne along; “The
North Wind which cometh from Tem to the nostrils of Khenti-Amenti”60 is
thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the River, “if thou wouldst travel upon me;”
“Those which can be seen,” is thy name.

“Tell us our name,” say the River-Banks; “Destroyer of the god Au-ā (i.e.,
he of the specious hand) in the water-house” is thy name.

“Tell me my name,” saith the Ground, “if thou wouldst [pg 083] walk upon
me;” “The Nose of heaven which proceedeth from the god Utu, who
dwelleth in the Sekhet-Aaru, and who cometh forth with rejoicing
therefrom,” is thy name.

Then shall be recited before them these words:

“Hail to you, O ye divine beings with splendid Kas, ye divine lords of
things, who exist and who live forever, and [whose] double period of an
illimitable number of years is eternity, I have made a way unto you, grant
ye me food and sepulchral meals for my mouth, [and grant that] I may
speak therewith, and that the goddess Isis [may give me] loaves and cakes
in the presence of the great god. I know the great god before whose nostrils
ye place tchefau food, and his name is Thekem; both when he maketh his
way from the eastern horizon of heaven and when he journeyeth into the
western horizon of heaven may his journey be my journey, and his going
forth my going forth. Let me not be destroyed at the Mesqet chamber, and
let not the devils gain dominion over my members. I have my cakes in the
city of Pe, and I have my ale in the city of Tepu, and let the offerings [which
are given unto you] be given unto me this day. Let my offerings be wheat
and barley; let my offerings be ānti unguent and linen garments; let my
offerings be for life, strength, and health: let my offerings be a coming forth

by day in any form whatsoever in which it may please me to appear in
Sekhet-Aarru.”

if this chapter be known [by the deceased] he shall come forth into
sekhet-aarru, and bread, and wine, and cakes shall be given unto him at
the altar of the great god, and fields, and an estate [sown] with wheat
and barley, which the followers of horus shall reap for him. and he
shall eat of that wheat and barley, and his limbs shall be nourished
therewith, and his body shall be like unto the bodies of the gods, and he
shall come forth into sekhet-aarru in any form whatsoever he pleaseth,
and he shall appear therein regularly and continually.

[pg 084]

Of Entering The Boat Of Ra

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 27 and 28).]

The Book of making perfect the Khu and of causing him to go forth into
the boat of Ra along with those who are in his following(?). The overseer
of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I have brought the divine Bennu to the east, and Osiris to the city of Tattu.
I have opened the treasure-houses of the god Hāp, I have made clean the
roads of the Disk, and I have drawn the god Sekeri along upon his sledge.
The mighty and divine Lady hath made me strong at her hour. I have
praised and glorified the Disk, and I have united myself unto the divine
apes who sing at the dawn, and I am a divine Being among them. I have
made myself a counterpart of the goddess Isis, and her power (Khu) hath
made me strong. I have tied up the rope, I have driven back Apep, I have
made him to walk backward. Rā hath stretched out to me both his hands,
and his mariners have not repulsed me; my strength is the strength of the
Utchat, and the strength of the Utchat is my strength. If the overseer of the
house, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, be separated [from the boat
of Rā], then shall he (i.e., Rā) be separated from the Egg and from the Abtu
fish.”

[this chapter] shall be recited over the design which hath been drawn
above, and it shall be written upon papyrus which hath not been written
upon, with [ink made of] grains of green abut mixed with anti water, and
the papyrus shall be placed on the breast of the deceased; it shall not
enter in to (i.e., touch) his members. if this be done for any deceased
person he shall go forth into the boat of ra in the course of the day
every day, and the god thoth shall take account of him as he cometh
forth from and goeth in the course of the day every day, regularly and
continually, [into the boat of ra] as a perfect khu. and he shall set up

the tet and shall stablish the buckle, and shall sail about with ra into
any place he wisheth.

[pg 085]

Of Protecting The Boat Of Ra

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 27).]

[The Chapter of protecting the Boat of Ra.]61

“O thou that cleavest the water as thou comest forth from the stream and
dost sit upon thy place in thy boat, sit thou upon thy place in thy boat as
thou goest forth to thy station of yesterday, and do thou join the Osiris, the
overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, the perfect
Khu, unto thy mariners, and let thy strength be his strength. Hail, Rā, in thy
name of Rā, if thou dost pass by the eye of seven cubits, which hath a pupil
of three cubits, then verily do thou strengthen the Osiris, Nu, triumphant,
the perfect Khu, [and let him be among] thy mariners, and let thy strength
be his strength. Hail, Rā, in thy name of Rā, if thou dost pass by those who
are overturned in death then verily do thou make the Osiris, Nu, triumphant,
the perfect soul, to stand up upon his feet, and may thy strength be his
strength. Hail, Rā, in thy name of Rā, if the hidden things of the underworld
are opened unto thee and thou dost gratify(?) the heart of the cycle of thy
gods, then verily do thou grant joy of heart unto the chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, and let thy strength be his strength. Thy members, O Rā, are
established by (this) Chapter(?).”

[this chapter] shall be recited over a bandlet of the fine linen of kings
[upon which] it hath been written with anti, which shall be laid upon the
neck of the perfect khu on the day of the burial. if this amulet be laid
upon his neck he shall do everything which he desireth to do even like
the gods; and he shall join himself unto the followers of horus; and he
shall be stablished as a star face to face with septet (sothis); and his
corruptible body shall be as a god along with his kinsfolk forever; and
the goddess menqet shall make plants to germinate upon his body; and
the majesty of the god thoth lovingly shall make the light to rest upon

his corruptible body at will, even as he did for the majesty of the king of
the north and of the south, the god osiris, triumphant.

[pg 086]

Of Going Into The Boat Of Ra

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 28).]

The Chapter of going into the boat of Ra. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, saith:

“Hail, thou Great God who art in thy boat, bring thou me into thy boat. [I
have come forward to thy steps], let me be the director of thy journeyings
and let me be among those who belong to thee and who are among the stars
which never rest. The things which are an abomination unto thee and the
things which are an abomination unto me I will not eat, that which is an
abomination unto me, that which is an abomination unto me is filth and I
will not eat thereof; but sepulchral offerings and holy food [will I eat], and I
shall not be overthrown thereby. I will not draw nigh unto filth with my
hands, and I will not walk thereon with my sandals, because my bread [is
made] of white barley, and my ale [is made] of red barley; and behold, the
Sektet boat and the Atet boat have brought these things and have laid the
gifts(?) of the lands upon the altar of the Souls of Annu. Hymns of praise be
to thee, O Ur-arit-s, as thou travellest through heaven! Let there be food [for
thee], O dweller in the city of Teni (This), and when the dogs gather
together let me not suffer harm. I myself have come, and I have delivered
the god from the things which have been inflicted upon him, and from the
grievous sickness of the body of the arm, and of the leg. I have come and I
have spit upon the body, I have bound up the arm, and I have made the leg
to walk. [I have] entered [the boat] and [I] sail round about by the command
of Rā.”

Of Knowing The Souls Of The East

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

The Chapter of knowing the Souls of the East. The chancellor-in-chief,
Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I, even I, know the eastern gate of heaven—know its southern part is at the
Lake of Kharu and its northern part [pg 087] is at the canal of the geese—
whereout Rā cometh with winds which make him to advance. I am he who
is concerned with the tackle(?) [which is] in the divine bark, I am the sailor
who ceaseth not in the boat of Rā. I, even I, know the two sycamores of
turquoise between which Rā showeth himself when he strideth forward over
the supports of Shu62 toward the gate of the lord of the East through which
Rā cometh forth. I, even I, know the Sektet-Aarru of Rā, the walls of which
are of iron. The height of the wheat therein is five cubits, of the ears thereof
two cubits, and of the stalks thereof three cubits. The barley therein is [in
height] seven cubits, the ears thereof are three cubits, and the stalks thereof
are four cubits. And behold, the Khus, each one of whom therein is nine
cubits in height, reap it near the divine Souls of the East. I, even I, know the
divine Souls of the East, that is to say, Heru-khuti (Harmachis), and the Calf
of the goddess Khera, and the Morning Star63 [daily. A divine city hath been
built for me, I know it, and I know the name thereof; ‘Sekhet-Aarru’ is its
name].”64

Of Sekhet-Hetepet

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 17).]

Here begin the Chapters of Sekhet-Hetepet, and the Chapters of Coming
forth by Day; of going into and of coming out from the underworld; of
coming to Sekhet-Aaru; of being in Sekhet-hetepet, the mighty land, the
lady of winds; of having power there; of becoming a Khu there; of
ploughing there; of reaping there; of eating there; of drinking there; of
making love there; and of doing everything even as a man doeth upon
earth. Behold the scribe and artist of the Temple of Ptah, Nebseni, who
saith:

“Set hath taken possession of Horus, who looked with the two eyes upon
the building(?) round Sekhet-hetep, but I have unfettered Horus [and taken
him from] Set, and Set hath [pg 088] opened the ways of the two eyes
[which are] in heaven. Set hath cast(?) his moisture to the winds upon the
soul [that hath] his day (or his eye) and who dwelleth in the city of Mert,
and he hath delivered the interior of the body of Horus from the gods of
Akert. Behold me now, for I make this mighty boat to travel over the Lake
of Hetep, and I brought it away with might from the palace of Shu; the
domain of his stars groweth young and reneweth its former strength. I have
brought the boat into the lakes thereof so that I may come forth into the
cities thereof, and I have sailed into their divine city Hetep. And behold, it
is because I, even I, am at peace with his seasons, and with his guidance,
and with his territory, and with the company of the gods who are his first-
born. He maketh the two divine fighters (i.e., Horus and Set) to be at peace
with those who watch over the living ones whom he hath created in fair
form, and he bringeth peace [with him]; he maketh the two divine fighters
to be at peace with those who watch over them. He cutteth off the hair from
the divine fighters, he driveth away storm from the helpless, and he keepeth
away harm from the Khus. Let me gain dominion within that Field, for I
know it, and I have sailed among its lakes so that I might come into its

cities. My mouth is strong; and I am equipped [with weapons to use]
against the Khus; let them not have dominion over me. Let me be rewarded
with thy fields, O thou god Hetep; that which is thy wish, shalt thou do, O
lord of the winds. May I become a khu therein, may I eat therein, may I
drink therein, may I plough therein, may I reap therein, may I fight therein,
may I make love therein, may my words be mighty therein, may I never be
in a state of servitude therein, but may I be in authority therein. Thou hast
made strong(?) the mouth and the throat(?) of the god Hetep; Qetetbu is
its(?) name. He is stablished upon the watery supports(?) of the god Shu,
and is linked unto the pleasant things of Rā. He is the divider of years, he is
hidden of mouth, his mouth is silent, that which he uttereth is secret, he
fulfilleth eternity and taketh possession of everlastingness of existence as
Hetep, the lord Hetep. The god Horus maketh himself to be strong like unto
the Hawk which is one thousand cubits in length and two thousand [cubits
in width] in life; he hath equipments with him, and [pg 089] he journeyeth
on and cometh where the seat of his heart wisheth in the Pools thereof and
in the cities thereof. He was begotten in the birth-chamber of the god of the
city, he hath offerings [made unto him] of the food of the god of the city, he
performeth that which it is meet to do therein, and the union thereof, in the
matter of everything of the birth-chamber of the divine city. When [he]
setteth in life like crystal he performeth everything therein, and these things
are like unto the things which are done in the Lake of double Fire, wherein
there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are all manner of evil things. The
god Hetep goeth in, and cometh out, and goeth backward [in] that Field
which gathereth together all manner of things for the birth-chamber of the
god of the city. When he setteth in life like crystal he performeth all manner
of things therein which are like unto the things which are done in the Lake
of double Fire, wherein there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are no evil
things whatsoever. [Let me] live with the god Hetep, clothed and not
despoiled by the lords of the north(?), and may the lords of divine things
bring food unto me; may he make me to go forward and may I come forth,
and may he bring my power to me there, and may I receive it, and may my
equipment be from the god Hetep. May I gain the mastery over the great
and mighty word which is in my body in this my place, and by it I will
remember and I will forget. Let me go forward on my journey, and let me
plough. I am at peace in the divine city,65 and I know the waters, cities,
nomes, and lakes which are in Sekhet-hetep. I exist therein, I am strong

therein, I become a khu therein, I eat therein, I sow seed therein, I reap the
harvest therein, I plough therein, I make love therein, I am at peace with the
god Hetep therein. Behold I scatter seed therein, I sail about among its
Lakes and I come forward to the cities thereof, O divine Hetep. Behold, my
mouth is equipped with my horns [for teeth], grant me an overflowing
supply of the food whereon the kas and khus [live]. I have passed the
judgment of Shu upon him that knoweth him, so that I may go forth to the
cities thereof, and may sail about among its lakes and may walk about in
Sekhet-hetep; and behold, Rā is in heaven, and behold, the god Hetep is its
[pg 090] double offering. I have come onward to its land, I have put on my
girdle(?), I have come forth so that the gifts which are about to be given
unto me may be given, I have made gladness for myself. I have laid hold
upon my strength which the god Hetep hath greatly increased for me. O
Unen-em-hetep,66 I have entered in to thee and my soul followeth after me,
and my divine food is upon both my hands, O Lady of the two lands,67 who
stablishest my word whereby I remember and forget; I would live without
injury, without any injury [being done] unto me, oh, grant to me, oh, do
thou grant to me, joy of heart. Make thou me to be at peace, bind thou up
my sinews and muscles, and make me to receive the air. O Un[en]-em-
hetep, thou Lady of the winds, I have entered in to thee and I have opened
(i.e., shown) my head. Rā falleth asleep, but I am awake, and there is the
goddess Hast at the gate of heaven by night. Obstacles have been set before
me, but I have gathered together what he hath emitted. I am in my city. O
Nut-urt,68 I have entered into thee and I have counted my harvest, and I go
forward to Uakh.69 I am the Bull enveloped in turquoise, the lord of the
Field of the Bull, the lord of the divine speech of the goddess Septet
(Sothis) at her hours. O Uakh, I have entered into thee, I have eaten my
bread, I have gotten the mastery over choice pieces of the flesh of oxen and
of feathered fowl, and the birds of Shu have been given unto me; I follow
after the gods and [I come after] the divine kas. O Tchefet,70 I have entered
in to thee. I array myself in apparel, and I gird myself with the sa garment
of Rā; now behold, [he is] in heaven, and those who dwell therein follow
Rā, and [I] follow Rā in heaven. O Unen-em-hetep, lord of the two lands, I
have entered in to thee, and I have plunged into the lakes of Tchesert;
behold me, for all filth hath departed from me. The Great God groweth
therein, and behold, I have found [food therein]; I have snared feathered
fowl and I feed upon the finest [of them]. O Qenqentet,71 I have entered into

thee, and I have seen the Osiris [my father], and I have gazed upon my
mother, and I [pg 091] have made love. I have caught the worms and
serpents, and I am delivered. And I know the name of the god who is
opposite to the goddess Tchesert, and who hath straight hair and is equipped
with two horns; he reapeth, and I both plough and reap. O Hast, I have
entered in to thee, I have driven back those who would come to the
turquoise [sky], and I have followed the winds of the company of the gods.
The Great God hath given my head unto me, and he who hath bound on me
my head is the Mighty one who hath turquoise(?) eyes, namely, Ari-en-ab-f
(i.e., he doeth as he pleaseth). O Usert,72 I have come into thee at the head
of the house wherein divine food is brought for me. O Smam,73 I have come
into thee. My heart watcheth, my head is equipped with the white crown, I
am led into celestial regions, and I make to flourish terrestrial objects, and
there is joy of heart for the Bull, and for celestial beings, and for the
company of the gods. I am the god who is the Bull, the lord of the gods, as
he goeth forth from the turquoise [sky]. O divine nome of wheat and barley,
I have come unto thee, I have come forward to thee and I have taken up that
which followeth me, namely, the best of the libations of the company of the
gods. I have tied up my boat in the celestial lakes, I have lifted up the post
at which to anchor, I have recited the prescribed words with my voice, and I
have ascribed praises unto the gods who dwell in Sekhet-hetep.”

Of Knowing The Souls Of Pe

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

Another Chapter of knowing the Souls of Pe. The overseer of the palace,
the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“[Hail,] Khat, who dwellest in Khat, in Anpet,74 and in the nome of Khat!
[Hail,] ye goddesses of the chase who dwell in the city of Pe, ye celestial
lands(?), ye stars, and ye divine beings, who give cakes and ale(?), do ye
know for what reason [pg 092] the city of Pe hath been given unto Horus? I,
even I, know though ye know it not. Behold, Rā gave the city unto him in
return for the injury in his eye, for which cause Rā said to Horus, ‘Let me
see what is coming to pass in thine eye,’ and forthwith he looked thereat.
Then Rā said to Horus, ‘Look at that black pig,’ and he looked, and
straightway an injury was done unto his eye, [namely,] a mighty storm
[took place]. Then said Horus unto Rā, ‘Verily, my eye seems as if it were
an eye upon which Suti had inflicted a blow;’ [and thus saying] he ate his
heart.75 Then said Rā to those gods, ‘Place ye him in his chamber, and he
shall do well.’ Now the black pig was Suti who had transformed himself
into a black pig, and he it was who had aimed the blow of fire which was in
the eye of Horus. Then said Rā unto those gods, ‘The pig is an abominable
thing unto Horus; oh, but he shall do well although the pig is an
abomination unto him.’ Then the company of the gods, who were among
the divine followers of Horus when he existed in the form of his own child,
said, ‘Let sacrifices be made [to the gods] of his bulls, and of his goats, and
of his pigs.’ Now the father of Mesthi, Hāpi, Tuamāutef and Qebhsennuf is
Horus, and their mother is Isis. Then said Horus to Rā, ‘Give me two divine
brethren in the city of Pe and two divine brethren in the city of Nekhen,
who [have sprung] from my body and who shall be with me in the guise of
everlasting judges, then shall the earth blossom and thunder-clouds and rain
be blotted out.’ And the name of Horus became ‘Her-uatch-f’ (i.e., Prince of

his emerald stone). I, even I, know the Souls of Pe, namely, Horus, Mesthi,
and Hāpi.”

Of Knowing The Souls Of Nekhen

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

The Chapter of knowing the Souls of Nekhen. The overseer of the palace,
the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I know the hidden things of the city of Nekhen, that is to [pg 093] say, the
things which the mother of Horus did for him, and how she [made her voice
to go forth] over the waters, saying, ‘Speak ye unto me concerning the
judgment which is upon me, [and shew me] the path behind you, and let me
discover [it];’ and how Rā said, ‘This son of Isis hath perished;’ and what
the mother of Horus did for him [when] she cried out, saying, ‘Sebek, the
lord of the papyrus swamp, shall be brought to us.’ [And Sebek] fished for
them and he found them, and the mother of Horus made them to grow in the
places to which they belonged. Then Sebek, the lord of his papyrus swamp,
said, ‘I went and I found the place where they had passed with my fingers
on the edge of the waters, and I enclosed them in [my] net: and strong was
that net.’ And Rā said, ‘So then, there are fish with the god Sebek, and [he]
hath found the hands and arms of Horus for him in the land of fish;’ and
[that] land became the land of the city of Remu (i.e., Fish). And Rā said, ‘A
land of the pool, a land of the pool to this net.’ Then were the hands of
Horus brought to him at the uncovering of his face at the festivals of the
month and half month in the Land of Remu. And Rā said, ‘I give the city of
Nekhen to Horus for the habitation of his two arms and hands, and his face
shall be uncovered before his two hands and arms in the city of Nekhen;
and I give into his power the slaughtered beings who are in them at the
festivals of the month and half month.’ Then Horus said, ‘Let me carry off
Tuamāutef and Qebhsennuf, and let them watch over my body; and if they
are allowed to be there, then shall they be subservient to the god of the city
of Nekhen.’ And Rā said, ‘It shall be granted unto thee there and in the city,
of Senket (i.e., Sati), and there shall be done for them what hath been done
for those who dwell in the city of Nekhen, and verily they shall be with

thee.’ And Horus said, ‘They have been with thee and [now] they shall be
with me, and shall hearken unto the god Suti when he calleth upon the
Souls of Nekhen.’ Grant to me [that I, even I, may pass on to the Souls of
Nekhen, and that I may unloose the bonds of Horus]. I, even I, know the
Souls of Nekhen, namely, Horus, Tuamāutef, and Qebhsennuf.”

[pg 094]

Of Knowing The Souls Of Khemennu

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 7).]

The Chapter of knowing the Souls of Khemennu (Hermopolis).

“The goddess Maāt is carried by the arm at the shining of the goddess Neith
in the city of Mentchat, and at the shining of the Eye when it is weighed. I
am carried over by it and I know what it bringeth from the city of Kesi,76
and I will neither declare it unto men nor tell it unto the gods. I have come,
being the envoy of Rā, to stablish Maāt upon the arm at the shining of Neith
in the city of Mentchat and to adjudge the eye to him that shall scrutinize it.
I have come as a power through the knowledge of the Souls of Khemennu
(Hermopolis) who love to know what ye love. I know Maāt, which hath
germinated, and hath become strong, and hath been judged, and I have joy
in passing judgment upon the things which are to be judged. Homage to
you, O ye Souls of Khemennu, I, even I, know the things which are
unknown on the festivals of the month and half month. Rā knoweth the
hidden things of the night, and know ye that it is Thoth who hath made me
to have knowledge. Homage to you, O ye Souls of Khemennu, since I know
you each day.”

Of Coming Forth From Heaven

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

The Chapter of coming forth from Heaven, and of making a way through
the Ammehet, and of knowing the Souls of Annu (Heliopolis). The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I have passed the day since yesterday among the great divine beings, and I
have come into being along with the god Khepera. [My] face is uncovered
before the Eye, the only One, and the orbit of the night hath been opened. I
am a divine being among you. I know the Souls of Annu. [pg 095] Shall not
the god Ur-ma pass over it as [he] journeyeth forward with vigor? Have I
not overcome(?), and have I not spoken to the gods? Behold, he that is the
heir of Annu hath been destroyed. I, even I, know for what reason was made
the lock of hair of the Man. Rā spake unto the god Ami-haf, and an injury
was done unto his mouth, that is to say, he was wounded in [that] mouth.
And Rā spake unto the god Ami-haf, saying, ‘O heir of men, receive [thy]
harpoon;’ and the harpoon-house came into being. Behold, O god Ami-haf,
two divine brethren have come into being, [that is to say], Senti-Rā came
into being, and Setem-ansi-f came into being. And his hand stayed not, and
he made his form into that of a woman with a lock of hair which became
the divine lock in Annu, and which became the strong and mighty one in
this temple; and it became the strong one of Annu, and it became the heir of
the heir of Ur-maat-f (i.e., the mighty one of the two eyes), and it became
before him the god Urma of Annu. I know the Souls of Annu, namely, Rā,
Shu, and Tefnut.”

Of Knowing The Souls Of Khemennu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 18).]

Another Chapter of knowing the Souls of Khemennu (Hermopolis). The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“The goddess Neith shineth in Matchat, and the goddess Maāt is carried by
the arm of him who eateth the Eye, and who is its divine judge, and the Sem
priest carrieth me over upon it. I will not declare it unto men, and I will not
tell it unto the gods; I will not declare it unto men, and I will not tell it unto
the gods. I have entered in being an ignorant man, and I have seen the
hidden things. Homage to you, O ye gods who dwell in Khemennu, ye
know me even as I know the goddess Neith, and [ye give] to the Eye the
growth which endureth. There is joy [to me] at the judgment of the things
which are to be judged. I, even I, know the Souls of Annu; they are great at
the festival of the month, and are little at [pg 096] the festival of the half
month. They are Thoth the Hidden one, and Sa, and Tem.”

if this chapter be known [by the deceased] offal shall be an abomination
unto him, and he shall not drink filthy water.

Of Receiving Paths

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of receiving paths [whereon to walk] in Re-stau. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“The paths which are above me [lead] to Re-stau. I am he who is girt about
with his girdle and who cometh forth from the [goddess of] the Ureret
crown. I have come, and I have stablished things in Abtu (Abydos), and I
have opened out paths in Re-stau. The god Osiris hath eased my pains. I am
he who maketh the waters to come into being, and who setteth his throne
[thereon], and who maketh his path through the funeral valley and through
the Great Lake. I have made my path, and indeed I am [Osiris].

“[Osiris was victorious over his enemies, and the Osiris Nebqet is
victorious over his enemies. He hath become as one of yourselves, [O ye
gods], his protector is the Lord of eternity, he walketh even as ye walk, he
standeth even as ye stand, he sitteth even as ye sit, and he talketh even as ye
talk in the presence of the Great God, the Lord of Amentet.]”77

Of Coming Forth From Re-Stau

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of coming forth from Re-stau. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, saith:

“I was born in Re-stau, and splendor hath been given unto me by those who
dwell in their spiritual bodies (sāhu) in the habitation where libations are
made unto Osiris. The divine ministers who are in Re-stau shall receive
[me] when Osiris [pg 097] is led into the twofold funeral region of Osiris;
oh, let me be a divine being whom they shall lead into the twofold funeral
region of Osiris.”

Of Coming Forth From Re-Stau

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of coming forth from Re-stau.78 The chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, saith:

“I am the Great God who maketh his light. I have come to thee, O Osiris,
and I offer praise unto thee. [I am] pure from the issues which are carried
away from thee. Thy name is made in Re-stau, and thy power is in Abtu
(Abydos). Thou art raised up, then, O Osiris, and thou goest round about
through heaven with Rā, and thou lookest upon the generations of men, O
thou One who circlest, thou Rā. Behold, verily, I have said unto thee, O
Osiris, ‘I am the spiritual body of the God,’ and I say, ‘Let it come to pass
that I shall never be repulsed before thee, O Osiris.’ ”

The following is the chapter in a fuller form:79

The Chapter of knowing the name of Osiris and of entering into and of
going out from Re-stau [in all the forms wherein he willeth to come
80
forth]. The scribe Mes-em-neter, triumphant, saith:

“I am the Great Name who maketh his light. I have come to thee, O Osiris,
and I offer praise unto thee. I am pure from the issues which are carried
away from thee. [Thy] name hath been made in Re-stau when it hath fallen
therein. Homage to thee, O Osiris, in thy strength and in thy power, thou
hast obtained the mastery in Re-stau. Thou art raised up, O Osiris, in thy
might and in thy power, thou art raised up, O Osiris, and thy might is in Re-
stau, and thy power is in Abtu (Abydos). Thou goest round about through
heaven, and thou sailest before Rā, and thou lookest upon the generations of
men, O thou Being who circlest, thou Rā. Behold, [pg 098] verily, I have
said unto thee, O Osiris, ‘I am the spiritual body of the God,’ and I say, ‘Let
it come to pass that I shall never be repulsed before thee, O Osiris.’ ”

Of Going About In The Underworld

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 9).]

The Chapter of going in after coming forth [from the underworld]. The
overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Open unto me? Who then art thou? Whither goest thou? What is thy name?
I am one of you, ‘Assembler of Souls’ is the name of my boat; ‘Making the
hair to stand on end’ is the name of the oars; ‘Watchful one’ is the name of
its bows; ‘Evil is it’ is the name of the rudder; ‘Steering straight for the
middle’ is the name of the Mātchabet; so likewise [the boat] is a type of my
sailing onward to the pool. Let there be given unto me vessels of milk,
together with cakes, and loaves of bread, and cups of drink, and pieces of
meat in the Temple of Anpu,” or (as others say), “Grant thou me [these
things] wholly. Let it be so done unto me that I may enter in like a hawk,
and that I may come forth like the Bennu bird, [and like] the Morning Star.
Let me make [my] path so that [I] may go in peace into the beautiful
Amentet, and let the Lake of Osiris be mine. Let me make my path, and let
me enter in, and let me adore Osiris, the Lord of life.”

Of Entering Into The Great House

From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 10).]

The Chapter of entering into the Great House. The overseer of the palace,
the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Homage to thee, O Thoth. I am Thoth, who have weighed the two divine
Fighters (i.e., Horus and Set), I have destroyed their warfare and I have
diminished their wailings. [pg 099] I have delivered the Atu fish in his
turning back, and I have performed that which thou didst order concerning
him, and afterward I lay down within my eye. [I am he who hath been
without opposition. I have come; do thou look upon me in the Temple of
Nem-hra (or Uhem-hra).] I give commands in the words of the divine aged
ones, and, moreover, I guide for thee the lesser deities.”

Of Entering The Presence

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 10).]

The Chapter of going into the presence of the divine sovereign Princes of
Osiris. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant,
saith:

“My soul hath built for me a habitation in the city of Tattu; I sow seed in the
city of Pe, and I plough my field with my laborers(?), and for this reason
my palm tree is like Amsu. That which is an abomination unto me, that
which is an abomination unto me I shall not eat. That which is an
abomination unto me, that which is an abomination unto me is filth. I shall
not eat thereof; by sepulchral meals and food I shall not be destroyed. [The
abominable thing] I shall not take into my hands, I shall not walk upon it in
my sandals, because my cakes are [made] of white grain, and my ale is
[made] of red grain, and behold, the Sektet boat and the Mātet boat bring
them to me, and I eat [thereof] under the branches of [the trees], the
beautiful arms [of which] I know. Oh, let splendor be prepared for me with
the white crown which is lifted up upon me by the uræi-goddesses. Hail,
thou guardian of the divine doors of the god Sehetep-taui (i.e., ‘he who
maketh the world to be at peace’), bring [thou] to me that of which they
make sepulchral meals; grant thou that I may lift up the branches(?). May
the god of light open to me his arms, and may the company of the gods
keep silence while the denizens of heaven talk with the chancellor-in-chief,
Nu, triumphant. I am the leader of the hearts of the gods which strengthen
me, and I am a mighty one among the divine beings. If any god or any
goddess shall come forth against me he shall [pg 100] be judged by the
ancestors of the year who live upon hearts and who make(?) cakes(?) for
me, and Osiris shall devour him at [his] coming forth from Abtu (Abydos).
He shall be judged by the ancestors of Rā, and he shall be judged by the
God of Light who clotheth heaven among the divine princes. I shall have
bread in my mouth at stated seasons, and I shall enter in before the gods

Ahiu. He shall speak with me, and I shall speak with the followers of the
gods. I shall speak with the Disk and I shall speak with the denizens of
heaven. I shall put the terror of myself into the blackness of night which is
in the goddess Meh-urt, [who is near] him that dwelleth in might. And
behold, I shall be there with Osiris. My condition of completeness shall be
his condition of completeness among the divine princes. I shall speak unto
him [with] the words of men, and he shall repeat unto me the words of the
gods. A khu who is equipped [with power] shall come.81 I am a khu who is
equipped [with power]; I am equipped [with the power] of all the khus,
[being the form of the Sāhu (i.e., spiritual bodies) of Annu, Tattu, Suten-
henen, Abtu, Apu, and Sennu.82 The Osiris Auf-ānkh is victorious over
every god and every goddess who are hidden in Neter-khertet].”83

The Introduction To Maati

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 30).]

The Chapter of entering into the Hall of double Maāti; a hymn of praise
to Osiris, the governor of Amentet. Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant,
saith:

“I have come, and [I] have drawn nigh to see thy beauties; my hands [are
raised] in adoration of thy name ‘Right and Truth.’ I came and I drew nigh
unto [the place where] the acacia-tree groweth not, where the tree thick with
leaves existeth not, and where the ground yieldeth neither herb nor grass.
[pg 101] Then I entered into the hidden place, and I spake with the god Set,
and my protector(?) advanced to me, and his face was clothed (or covered),
and [he] fell upon the hidden things. He entered into the Temple of Osiris,
and he looked upon the hidden things which were therein; and the sovereign
chiefs of the pylons [were] in the form of khus. And the god Anpu spake [to
those who were on] both sides of him with the speech of a man [as he]
came from Ta-mera;84 he knoweth our paths and our cities. I make
offerings(?), and I smell the odor of him as if he were one among you, and I
say unto him, I am Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant in peace, triumphant! I
have come, and (I) have drawn nigh to see the great gods, and I feed upon
the offerings which are among their food. I have been to the borders [of the
territory of] Ba-neb-Tettet (i.e., the ‘Soul, the lord of Tattu,’ or Osiris), and
he hath caused me to come forth like a Bennu bird, and to utter words. I
have been in the water of the stream, and I have made offerings of incense.
I have guided myself to the Shentet tree of the [divine] children. I have been
in Abu (or Abu, i.e., Elephantine[?]) in the Temple of the goddess Satet. I
have submerged the boat of mine enemies [while] I myself have sailed over
the Lake in the Neshmet boat. I have seen the Sāhu (i.e., the spiritual
bodies) [in] the city of Qem-ur. I have been in the city of Tattu, and I have
brought myself to silence [therein]. I have caused the god to have the
mastery over his two feet. I have been in the Temple of Tep-tu-f (i.e., ‘he

that is on his hill,’ or Anubis), and I have seen him that is lord of the divine
temple. I have entered into the Temple of Osiris, and I have arrayed myself
in the apparel of him that is therein. I have entered into Re-stau, and I have
seen the hidden things which are therein. I was shrouded [therein], but I
found a way for myself. I have gone into the city of An-aarret-f (i.e., the
place where nothing groweth), and I covered my nakedness with the
garments which were therein. There was given unto me the ānti unguent
[such as] women [use], along with the powder of human beings. Verily
Sut(?) hath spoken unto me the things which concern himself, and I said,
‘Let thy weighing be in(?) us.’ ”

[pg 102]
“The Majesty of the god Anpu saith, ‘Knowest thou the name of this door
so as to declare it unto me?’ And Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant in peace,
triumphant! saith, ‘Destroyer of the god Shu’ is the name of this door. The
Majesty of the god Anpu saith, ‘Knowest thou the name of the upper leaf
and of the lower leaf?’ ‘Lord of Maāt upon his two feet’ is the name of the
upper leaf, and ‘Lord of twofold strength, the subduer of cattle,’ [is the
name of the lower leaf. The Majesty of the god Anpu saith], ‘Since thou
knowest pass on, O Osiris the scribe, the teller of the divine offerings of all
the gods of Thebes, Ani, triumphant, the lord of reverence.’ ”

The Introduction To Maati

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10477, sheet 22).]

[The following] shall be said when the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, cometh forth into the Hall of
85
double Maāti so that he may be separated from every sin which he hath
done and may behold the faces of the gods. The Osiris Nu, triumphant,
saith:

“Homage to thee, O Great God, thou Lord of Double Maāti, I have come to
thee, O my Lord, and I have brought myself hither that I may behold thy
beauties. I know thee, and I know thy name, and I know the name[s] of the
two and forty gods who exist with thee in this Hall of double Maāti, who
live as warders of sinners and who feed upon their blood on the day when
the lives of men are taken into account in the presence of the god Un-nefer;
in truth ‘Rekhti-merti-neb-Maāti’ (i.e., ‘twin-sisters with two eyes, ladies of
double Maāti’) is thy name. In truth I have come to thee, and I have brought
Maāt (i.e., right and truth) to thee, and I have destroyed wickedness for
thee. [I have not done evil to] mankind. I have not oppressed the members
of my family, I have not wrought evil in the place of right and truth. I [pg
103] have had no knowledge of worthless men. I have not wrought evil. I
have not made to be the first [consideration] of each day that excessive
labor should be performed for me. [I have] not brought forward my name
for [exaltation] to honors. I have not ill-treated servants. [I have not thought
scorn of God.] I have not defrauded the oppressed one of his property.86 I
have not done that which is an abomination unto the gods. I have not caused
harm to be done to the servant by his chief. I have not caused pain. I have
made no man to suffer hunger. I have made no one to weep. I have done no
murder. I have not given the order for murder to be done for me. I have not
inflicted pain upon mankind. I have not defrauded the temples of their
oblations. I have not purloined the cakes of the gods. I have not carried off
the cakes offered to the khus. I have not committed fornication. I have not

polluted myself [in the holy places of the god of my city],87 nor diminished
from the bushel. I have neither added to nor filched away land. I have not
encroached upon the fields [of others]. I have not added to the weights of
the scales [to cheat the seller]. I have not misread the pointer of the scales
[to cheat the buyer]. I have not carried away the milk from the mouths of
children. I have not driven away the cattle which were upon their pastures. I
have not snared the feathered fowl of the preserves of the gods. I have not
caught fish [with bait made of] fish of their kind. I have not turned back the
water at the time [when it should flow]. I have not cut a cutting in a canal of
running water. I have not extinguished a fire (or light) when it should burn.
I have not violated the times88 [of offering] the chosen meat-offerings. I
have not driven off the cattle from the property of the gods. I have not
repulsed God in his manifestations. I am pure. I am pure. I am pure. I am
pure. My purity is the purity of that great Bennu which is in the city of
Suten-henen (Heracleopolis), for, behold, I am the nose of the God of the
winds, who maketh all mankind to live on the day when the Eye (Utchat) of
Rā is full in Annu (Heliopolis) [pg 104] at the end of the second month89 of
the season Pert (i.e., the season of growing) [in the presence of the divine
lord of this earth].90 I have seen the Eye of Rā when it was full in Annu,
therefore let not evil befall me in this land and in this Hall of double Maāti,
because I, even I, know the name[s] of these gods who are therein [and who
are the followers of the great god].”91

The Negative Confession

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni (British Museum No. 9,900, sheet 30).]

The scribe Nebseni, triumphant, saith:

1. “Hail, thou whose strides are long, who comest forth from Annu
(Heliopolis), I have not done iniquity.

2. “Hail, thou who art embraced by flame, who comest forth from Kher-
āba,92 I have not robbed with violence.

3. “Hail, thou divine Nose (Fenti), who comest forth from Khemennu
(Hermopolis), I have not done violence [to any man].

4. “Hail, thou who eatest shades, who comest forth from the place where
the Nile riseth,93 I have not committed theft.

5. “Hail, Neha-hāu,94 who comest forth from Re-stau, I have not slain man
or woman.

6. “Hail, thou double Lion-god, who comest forth from heaven, I have not
made light the bushel.

7. “Hail, thou whose two eyes are like flint,95 who comest forth from
Sekhem (Letopolis), I have not acted deceitfully.

8. “Hail, thou Flame, who comest forth as [thou] goest back, I have not
purloined the things which belong unto God.

9. “Hail, thou Crusher of bones, who comest forth from Suten-henen
(Heracleopolis), I have not uttered falsehood.

10. “Hail, thou who makest the flame to wax strong, who comest forth from
Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), I have not carried away food.

[pg 105]
11. “Hail, Qerti, (i.e., the two sources of the Nile), who come forth from
Amentet, I have not uttered evil words.

12. “Hail, thou whose teeth shine, who comest forth from Ta-she (i.e., the
Fayyûm), I have attacked no man.

13. “Hail, thou who dost consume blood, who comest forth from the house
of slaughter, I have not killed the beasts [which are the property of God].

14. “Hail, thou who dost consume the entrails, who comest forth from the
mābet chamber, I have not acted deceitfully.

15. “Hail, thou god of Right and Truth, who comest forth from the city of
double Maāti, I have not laid waste the lands which have been ploughed(?).

16. “Hail, thou who goest backward, who comest forth from the city of Bast
(Bubastis), I have never pried into matters [to make mischief].

17. “Hail, Aati, who comest forth from Annu (Heliopolis), I have not set my
mouth in motion [against any man].

18. “Hail, thou who art doubly evil, who comest forth from the nome of
Ati,96 I have not given way to wrath concerning myself without a cause.

19. “Hail, thou serpent Uamemti, who comest forth from the house of
slaughter, I have not defiled the wife of a man.

20. “Hail, thou who lookest upon what is brought to him, who comest forth
from the Temple of Amsu, I have not committed any sin against purity.

21. “Hail, Chief of the divine Princes, who comest forth from the city of
Nehatu,97 I have not struck fear [into any man].

22. “Hail, Khemiu (i.e., Destroyer), who comest forth from the Lake of
Kaui, I have not encroached upon [sacred times and seasons].

23. “Hail, thou who orderest speech, who comest forth from Urit, I have not
been a man of anger.

24. “Hail, thou Child, who comest forth from the Lake of Heq-āt,98 I have
not made myself deaf to the words of right and truth.

25. “Hail, thou disposer of speech, who comest forth from the city of
Unes,99 I have not stirred up strife.

[pg 106]
26. “Hail, Basti, who comest forth from the Secret city, I have made [no
man] to weep.

27. “Hail, thou whose face is [turned] backward, who comest forth from the
Dwelling, I have not committed acts of impurity, neither have I lain with
men.

28. “Hail, Leg of fire, who comest forth from Akhekhu, I have not eaten my
heart.100

29. “Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth from [the city of] Kenemet, I have
abused [no man].

30. “Hail, thou who bringest thine offering, who comest forth from the city
of Sau (Saïs), I have not acted with violence.

31. “Hail, thou god of faces, who comest forth from the city of Tchefet, I
have not judged hastily.

32. “Hail, thou who givest knowledge, who comest forth from Unth, I have
not ... and I have not taken vengeance upon the god.

33. “Hail, thou lord of two horns, who comest forth from Satiu, I have not
multiplied [my] speech overmuch.

34. “Hail, Nefer-Tem, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), I
have not acted with deceit, and I have not worked wickedness.

35. “Hail, Tem-Sep, who comest forth from Tattu, I have not uttered curses
[on the king].

36. “Hail, thou whose heart doth labor, who comest forth from the city of
Tebti, I have not fouled(?) water.

37. “Hail, Ahi of the water, who comest forth from Nu, I have not made
haughty my voice.

38. “Hail, thou who givest commands to mankind, who comest forth from
[Sau(?)], I have not cursed the god.

39. “Hail, Neheb-nefert, who comest forth from the Lake of Nefer(?), I
have not behaved with insolence.

40. “Hail, Neheb-kau, who comest forth from [thy] city, I have not sought
for distinctions.

41. “Hail, thou whose head is holy, who comest forth from [thy]
habitations, I have not increased my wealth, except with such things as are
[justly] mine own possessions.

42. “Hail, thou who bringest thine own arm, who comest forth from Aukert
(underworld), I have not thought scorn of the god who is in my city.”

[pg 107]

Address To The Gods Of The Underworld

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 24).]

[Then shall the heart which is righteous and sinless say:]101

The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“Homage to you, O ye gods who dwell in the Hall of double Maāti, I, even
I, know you, and I know your names. Let me not fall under your knives of
slaughter, and bring ye not forward my wickedness unto the god in whose
train ye are; and let not evil hap come upon me by your means. Oh, declare
ye me right and true in the presence of Neb-er-tcher, because I have done
that which is right and true in Ta-mera (Egypt). I have not cursed God, and
let not evil hap come upon me through the king who dwelleth in my day.
Homage to you, O ye gods, who dwell in the Hall of double Maāti, who are
without evil in your bodies, and who live upon right and truth, and who
feed yourselves upon right and truth in the presence of the god Horus, who
dwelleth in his divine Disk: deliver ye me from the god Baba who feedeth
upon the entrails of the mighty ones upon the day of the great judgment.
Oh, grant ye that I may come to you, for I have not committed faults, I have
not sinned, I have not done evil, I have not borne false witness; therefore let
nothing [evil] be done unto me. I live upon right and truth, and I feed upon
right and truth. I have performed the commandments of men [as well as] the
things whereat are gratified the gods, I have made the gods to be at peace
[with me by doing] that which is his will. I have given bread to the hungry
man, and water to the thirsty man, and apparel to the naked man, and a boat
to the [shipwrecked] mariner. I have made holy offerings to the gods, and
sepulchral meals to the Khus. Be ye then my deliverers, be ye then my
protectors, and make ye not accusation against me in the presence of [the
great god]. I am clean of [pg 108] mouth and clean of hands; therefore let it
be said unto me by those who shall behold me, ‘Come in peace; come in
peace,’ for I have heard that mighty word which the spiritual bodies

(sāhu)102 spake unto the Cat in the House of Hapt-re. I have been made to
give evidence before the god Hra-f-ha-f (i.e., he whose face is behind him),
and he hath given a decision [concerning me]. I have seen the things over
which the persea tree spreadeth [its branches] within Re-stau. I am he who
hath offered up prayers to the gods and who knoweth their persons. I have
come and I have advanced to make the declaration of right and truth, and to
set the balance upon what supporteth it within the region of Aukert. Hail,
thou who art exalted upon thy standard, thou lord of the Atefu crown, whose
name is proclaimed as ‘Lord of the winds,’ deliver thou me from thy divine
messengers who cause dire deeds to happen, and who cause calamities to
come into being, and who are without coverings for their faces, for I have
done that which is right and true for the Lord of right and truth. I have
purified myself and my breast with libations, and my hinder parts with the
things which make clean, and my inner parts have been in the Pool of Right
and Truth. There is no single member of mine which lacketh right and truth.
I have been purified in the Pool of the South, and I have rested in the
northern city which is in the Field of the Grasshoppers, wherein the divine
sailors of Rā bathe at the second hour of the night and at the third hour of
the day. And the hearts of the gods are gratified(?) after they have passed
through it, whether it be by night, or whether it be by day, and they say unto
me, ‘Let thyself come forward.’ And they say unto me, ‘Who, then, art
thou?’ And they say unto me, ‘What is thy name?’ ‘I am he who is equipped
under the flowers [and I am] the dweller in his olive-tree,’ is my name. And
they say unto me straightway, ‘Pass thou on’; and I passed on by thy city to
the north of the olive-tree. What, then, didst thou see there? The leg and the
thigh. What, then, didst thou say unto them? Let me see rejoicings in those
lands of the Tenkhu.103 And what did they give unto thee? A flame of fire
and a tablet (or sceptre) of crystal. [pg 109] What, then, didst thou do
therewith? I buried them by the furrow of Mānāat as ‘things for the night.’
What, then, didst thou find by the furrow of Mānāat? A sceptre of flint, the
name of which is ‘Giver of winds.’ What, then, didst thou do to the flame of
fire and the tablet (or sceptre) of crystal after thou hadst buried them? I
uttered words over them in the furrow, [and I dug them out therefrom];104 I
extinguished the fire, and I broke the tablet (or sceptre), and I created a pool
of water. ‘Come, then,’ [they say,] ‘and enter in through the door of this
Hall of double Maāti, for thou knowest us.’ ”

“ ‘We will not let thee enter in through us,’ say the bolts of the door, ‘unless
thou tellest [us] our names;’ ‘Tongue [of the Balance] of the place of right
and truth’ is your name. ‘I will not let thee enter in by me,’ saith the [right]
lintel of the door, ‘unless thou tellest [me] my name;’ ‘Balance of the
support of right and truth’ is thy name. ‘I will not let thee enter in by me,’
saith the [left] lintel of the door, ‘unless thou tellest [me] my name;’
[‘Balance of] wine’ is thy name. ‘I will not let thee pass over me,’ saith the
threshold of this door, ‘unless thou tellest [me] my name;’ ‘Ox of the god
Seb’ is thy name. ‘I will not open unto thee,’ saith the fastening of this door,
‘unless thou tellest [me] my name;’ ‘Flesh of his mother’ is thy name. ‘I
will not open unto thee,’ saith the socket of the fastening of the door,
‘unless thou tellest me my name;’ ‘Living eye of the god Sebek, the lord of
Bakhau,’ is thy name. ‘I will not open unto thee [and I will not let thee enter
in by me,’ saith the guardian of the leaf of] this door, ‘unless thou tellest
[me] my name;’ ‘Elbow of the god Shu when he placeth himself to protect
Osiris’ is thy name. ‘We will not let thee enter in by us,’ say the posts of this
door, ‘unless thou tellest us our names;’ ‘Children of the uræi-goddesses’ is
your name.105 ‘Thou knowest us,’ [they say,] ‘pass on, therefore, by us.’

“ ‘I will not let thee tread upon me,’ saith the floor of the Hall of double
Maāti, ‘because I am silent and I am holy, and because I do not know the
name[s] of thy two feet wherewith thou wouldst walk upon me; therefore
tell them to me.’ [pg 110] ‘Traveller(?) of the god Khas’ is the name of my
right foot, and ‘Staff of the goddess Hathor’ is the name of my left foot.
‘Thou knowest me,’ [it saith,] ‘pass on therefore over me.’ ”

“ ‘I will not make mention of thee,’ saith the guardian of the door of this
Hall of double Maāti, ‘unless thou tellest [me] my name;’ ‘Discerner of
hearts and searcher of the reins’ is thy name. ‘Now will I make mention of
thee [to the god]. But who is the god that dwelleth in his hour? Speak thou
it’ (i.e., his name). Māau-Taui (i.e., he who keepeth the record of the two
lands) [is his name]. ‘Who then is Māau-Taui?’ He is Thoth. ‘Come,’ saith
Thoth. ‘But why hast thou come?’ I have come, and I press forward that I
may be mentioned. What now is thy condition? I, even I, am purified from
evil things, and I am protected from the baleful deeds of those who live in
their days; and I am not among them. ‘Now will I make mention of thee [to
the god].’106 ‘[Tell me now,] who is he107 whose heaven is of fire, whose

walls [are surmounted by] living uræi, and the floor of whose house is a
stream of water? Who is he? I say.’ It is Osiris. ‘Come forward, then: verily
thou shalt be mentioned [to him]. Thy cakes [shall come] from the Eye of
Rā, and thine ale [shall come] from the Eye of Rā, and the sepulchral meals
[which shall be brought to thee] upon earth [shall come] from the Eye of
Rā. This hath been decreed for the Osiris the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant.’ ”

(the making of the representation of what shall happen in this hall of
double maati.) this chapter shall be said [by the deceased] after he hath
been cleansed and purified, and when he is arrayed in apparel, and is shod
with white leather sandals, and his eyes have been painted with antimony,
and [his body] hath been anointed with unguent of anti, and when he
offereth oxen, and feathered fowl, and incense, and cakes, and ale, and
garden herbs. and, behold, thou shalt draw a representation of this in
color upon a new tile moulded from earth upon which neither a pig nor
other animals have trodden. and if [thou] doest this book upon it [in
writing, the deceased] shall flourish, and his children shall flourish,
and [his name] shall never fall into oblivion, and he shall be as one who
filleth (i.e., satisfieth) the heart of the king and of [pg 111] his princes,
and bread, and cakes, and sweetmeats, and wine, and pieces of flesh shall
be given unto him upon the altar of the great god; and he shall not be
turned back at any door in amentet, and he shall be brought in along
with the kings of upper and lower egypt, and he shall be in the train of
108
osiris continually and regularly forever.

Of The Hour Apes109

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 24).]

The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, the son
of the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Amen-hetep,
triumphant, saith:

“Hail, ye four apes who sit in the bows of the boat of Rā, who convey right
and truth to Neb-er-tcher, who sit in judgment on my misery and on my
strength, who make the gods to rest contented by means of the flame of
your mouths, who offer holy offerings to the gods and sepulchral meals to
the khus, who live upon right and truth, and who feed upon right and truth
of heart, who are without deceit and fraud, and to whom wickedness is an
abomination, do ye away with my evil deeds, and put ye away my sin
[which deserved stripes upon earth, and destroy ye any evil whatsoever that
belongeth unto me],110 and let there be no obstacle whatsoever on my part
toward you. Oh, grant ye that I may make my way through the underworld
(ammehet), let me enter into Re-stau, let me pass through the hidden pylons
of Amentet. Oh, grant that there may be given to me cakes, and ale, and
sweetmeats(?), even as [they are given] to the living khus, and grant that I
may enter in and come forth from Re-stau.”

“[The four apes make answer, saying], ‘Come, then, for we have done away
with thy wickedness, and we have put away thy sin, along with the [sin
deserving of] stripes which thou [didst commit] upon earth, and we have
destroyed [all] the evil which belonged to thee upon the earth. Enter,
therefore, into Re-stau, and pass thou through the hidden pylons [pg 112] of
Amentet, and there shall be given unto thee cakes, and ale, and
sweetmeats(?), and thou shalt come forth and thou shalt enter in at thy
desire, even as do those khus who are favored [of the god], and thou shalt
be proclaimed (or called) each day in the horizon.’ ”

Of The Praise Of The Gods

[From the Tomb of Rameses IV (see Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 141;
Lefébure, “Tombeau de Ramsès IV,” Plate 13).]

The Book of the praise of the gods of the Qerti111 which a man shall
recite when he cometh forth before them to enter in to see the god in the
Great Temple of the underworld. And he shall say:

“Homage to you, O ye gods of the Qerti, ye divine dwellers in Amentet!
Homage to you, O ye guardians of the doors of the underworld, who keep
ward over the god, who bear and proclaim [the names of those who come]
into the presence of the god Osiris, and who hold yourselves ready, and who
praise [him], and who destroy the Enemies of Rā. Oh, send ye forth your
light and scatter ye the darkness [which is about] you, and behold ye the
holy and divine Mighty One, O ye who live even as he liveth, and call ye
upon him that dwelleth within his divine Disk. Lead ye the King of the
North and of the South, (Usr-Maāt-Rā-setep-en-Amen), the son of the Sun,
(Rā-meses-meri-Amen-Rā-heq-Maāt), through your doors, may his divine
soul enter into your hidden places, [for] he is one among you, and he hath
shot forth calamities upon the serpent fiend Apep, and he hath beaten down
the obstacles [which Apep set up] in Amentet. Thy word hath prevailed
mightily over thine enemies, O great God, who livest in thy divine Disk; thy
word hath prevailed mightily over thine enemies, O Osiris, Governor of
Amentet; thy word hath prevailed mightily over thine enemies in heaven
and in earth, O thou King of the North and of the South, (Usr-Maāt-Rā-
setep-en-Amen), the son of the Sun, (Rā-meses-meri-Amen-Rā-heq-Maāt),
and over the sovereign princes of every god and of every goddess, O Osiris,
Governor [pg 113] of Amentet; he hath uttered words in the presence [of the
god in] the valley of the dead, and he hath gained the mastery over the
mighty sovereign princes. Hail, ye doorkeepers(?), hail, ye doorkeepers,
who guard your gates, who punish souls, who devour the bodies of the
dead, who advance over them at their examination in the places of

destruction, who give right and truth to the soul and to the divine khu, the
beneficent one, the mighty one, whose throne is holy in Akert, who is
endowed with soul like Rā and who is praised like Osiris, lead ye along the
King of the North and of the South, (Usr-Maāt-Rā-setep-en-Amen), the son
of the Sun, (Rā-meses-meri-Amen-Rā-heq-Maāt), unbolt ye for him the
doors, and open [ye] the place of his Qerti for him. Behold, make ye his
word to triumph over his enemies, and indeed let meat-offerings and drink-
offerings be made unto him by the god of the double door, and let him put
on the nemmes crown of him that dwelleth in the great and hidden shrine.
Behold the image of Heru-khuti (Harmachis), who is doubly true, and who
is the divine Soul and the divine and perfect Khu; he hath prevailed with his
hands. The two great and mighty gods cry out to the King of the North and
South (Usr-Maāt-Rā-setep-en-Amen), the son of the Sun, (Rā-meses-meri-
Amen-Rā-heq-Maāt), they rejoice with him, they sing praises to him [and
clap] their hands, they accord him their protection, and he liveth. The King
of the North and South (Usr-Maāt-Rā-setep-en-Amen), the son of the Sun,
(Rā-meses-meri-Amen-Rā-heq-Maāt), riseth like a living soul in heaven.
He hath been commanded to make his transformations, he hath made
himself victorious before the divine sovereign chiefs, and he hath made his
way through the gates of heaven, and of earth, and of the underworld, even
as hath Rā. The King of the North and South, (Usr-Maāt-Rā-setep-en-
Amen), the son of the Sun, (Rā-meses-meri-Amen-Rā-heq-Maāt), saith,
‘Open unto me the gate[s] of heaven, and of earth, and of the underworld,
for I am the divine soul of Osiris and I rest in him, and let me pass through
their halls. Let [the gods] sing praises unto me [when] they see me; let me
enter and let favor be shown unto me; let me come forth and let me be
beloved; and let me go forward, for no defect or failure hath been found
clinging unto me.’ ”

[pg 114]

Adoration Of The Gods Of The Qerti

[From the Papyrus of Ptah-mes (Naville, op. cit., Bd. I. Bl. 142).]

A Chapter to be recited on coming before the divine sovereign chiefs of
Osiris to offer praise unto the gods who are the guides of the
underworld. Osiris, the chief scribe and draughtsman, Ptah-mes,
triumphant, saith:

“Homage to you, O ye gods who dwell in the Qerti, ye gods who dwell in
Amentet, who keep ward over the gates of the underworld and are the
guardians [thereof], who bear and proclaim [the names of those who come]
into the presence of Osiris, who praise him and who destroy the enemies of
Rā. Oh, send forth your light and scatter ye the darkness [which is about]
you, and look upon the face of Osiris, O ye who live even as he liveth, and
praise [ye] him that dwelleth in his Disk, and lead [ye] me away from your
calamities. Let me come forth and let me enter in through your secret
places, for I am a mighty prince among you, for I have done away with evil
there, and I have beaten down the obstacles(?) [which have been set up] in
Amentet. Thou hast been victorious over thine enemies, O thou that
dwellest in thy Disk; thou hast been victorious over thine enemies, O Thoth,
who producest(?) statutes; thou hast been victorious over thine enemies, O
Osiris, the chief scribe and draughtsman, Ptah-mes, triumphant; thou hast
been triumphant over thine enemies, O Osiris, thou Governor of Amentet,
in heaven and upon earth in the presence of the divine sovereign chiefs of
every god and of every goddess; and the food(?) of Osiris, the Governor of
Amentet, is in the presence of the god whose name is hidden before the
great divine sovereign chiefs. Hail ye guardians of the doors, ye [gods] who
keep ward over their habitations(?), who keep the reckoning and who
commit [souls] to destruction, who grant right and truth to the divine soul
which is stablished, who are without evil in the abode of Akert, who are
endowed with soul even as is Rā, and who are ... as is Osiris, guide ye
Osiris the chief scribe, the draughtsman, Ptah-mes, triumphant, open ye

unto him the gates of the underworld, and the uppermost part of his estate
and his Qert. Behold, make [ye him] to be victorious [pg 115] over his
enemies, provide [ye him] with the offerings of the god of the underworld,
make noble the divine being who dwelleth in the nemmes crown, the lord of
the knowledge of Akert. Behold, stablish ... this soul in right and truth, [and
let it become] a perfect soul that hath gained the mastery with its two hands.
The great and mighty gods cry out, ‘He hath gotten the victory,’ and they
rejoice in him, and they ascribe praise unto him with their hands, and they
turn unto him their faces. The living one is triumphant, and is even like a
living soul dwelling in heaven, and he hath been ordered to perform [his]
transformations. Osiris triumphed over his enemies, and Osiris, the chief
scribe and draughtsman, Ptah-mes, triumphant, hath gained the victory over
his enemies in the presence of the great divine sovereign chiefs who dwell
in heaven, and in the presence of the great divine sovereign chiefs who
dwell upon the earth.”

Hymn Of Praise To Osiris

[From Lepsius, “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 51.]

A Hymn of Praise to Osiris. The Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, saith:

“Homage to thee, O Osiris Un-nefer, triumphant, thou son of Nut, thou
first-born son of Seb, thou mighty one who comest forth from Nut, thou
King in the city of Nifu-ur,112 thou Governor of Amentet, thou lord of Abtu
(Abydos), thou lord of souls, thou mighty one of strength, thou lord of the
atef crown in Suten-henen, thou lord of the divine form in the city of Nifu-
ur, thou lord of the tomb, thou mighty one of souls in Tattu, thou lord of
[sepulchral] offerings, thou whose festivals are many in Tattu. The god
Horus exalteth his father in every place (or shrine), and he uniteth [himself]
unto the goddess Isis and unto the goddess Nephthys; and the god Thoth
reciteth for him the mighty glorifyings which are within him, [and which]
come forth from his mouth, and the heart of Horus is stronger than that of
all the gods. Rise up, then, O Horus, thou son of Isis, and avenge thy father
Osiris. Hail, O Osiris, I have come unto thee; I am Horus and I have [pg
116] avenged thee, and I feed this day upon the sepulchral meals of oxen,
and feathered fowl, and upon all the beautiful things [offered] unto Osiris.
Rise up, then, O Osiris, for I have struck down for thee all thine enemies,
and I have taken vengeance upon them for thee. I am Horus upon this
beautiful day of thy fair rising in thy Soul which exalteth thee along with
itself on this day before thy divine sovereign princes. Hail, O Osiris, thy ka
hath come unto thee and is with thee, and thou restest therein in thy name of
Ka-Hetep. I maketh thee glorious in thy name of Khu, and it maketh thee
like unto the Morning Star in thy name of Pehu, and it openeth for thee the
ways in thy name of Ap-uat. Hail, O Osiris, I have come unto thee and I
have set thine enemies under [thy feet] in every place, and thou art
triumphant in the presence of the company of the gods and of the divine
sovereign chiefs. Hail, O Osiris, thou hast received thy sceptre and the place
whereon thou art to rest, and thy steps are under thee. Thou bringest food to

the gods, and thou bringest sepulchral meals unto those who dwell in their
tombs. Thou hast given thy might unto the gods and thou hast created the
Great God; thou hast thy existence with them in their spiritual bodies, thou
gatherest thyself unto all the gods, and thou hearest the word of right and
truth on the day when offerings to this god are ordered on the festivals of
Uka.”

Of Making Perfect The Khu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 17).]

Another Chapter of making perfect the Khu, which is [to be recited on]
113
the birthday of Osiris, and of making to live the soul forever. The
chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“The heavens are opened, the earth is opened, the West is opened, the East
is opened, the southern half of heaven is opened, the northern half of
heaven is opened, the doors are opened, and the gates are thrown wide open
to Rā [as] he cometh forth from the horizon. The Sektet boat openeth for [pg
117] him the double doors and the Mātet boat bursteth open [for him] the
gates; he breatheth, and the god Shu114 [cometh into being], and he createth
the goddess Tefnut. Those who are in the following of Osiris follow in his
train, and the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu,
triumphant, followeth on in the train of Rā. He taketh his iron weapon and
he forceth open the shrine even as doth Horus, and pressing onward he
advanceth unto the hidden things of his habitation with the libations of his
divine shrine; the messenger of the god that loveth him. The Osiris Nu, the
overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, bringeth forth
the right and the truth, and he maketh to advance the going forward115 of
Osiris. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief,
triumphant, taketh in [his] hand[s] the cordage and he bindeth fast the
shrine. Storms are the things which he abominateth. Let no water-flood be
nigh unto him, let not the Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, be repulsed before Rā, and let him not be
made to turn back; for, behold, the Eye is in his two hands. Let not the
Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant,
walk in the valley of darkness, let him not enter into the Lake of those who
are evil, and let him have no existence among the damned, even for a
moment. Let not the Osiris Nu fall headlong among those who would lead

him captive, and let not [his] soul go in among them. Let his divine face
take possession of the place behind the block, the block of the god Septu.”

“Hymns of praise be unto you, O ye divine beings of the Thigh, the knives
of God [work] in secret, and the two arms and hands of God cause the light
to shine; it is doubly pleasant unto him to lead the old unto him along with
the young at his season. Now, behold, the god Thoth dwelleth within his
hidden places, and he performeth the ceremonies of libation unto the god
who reckoneth millions of years, and he maketh a way through the
firmament, and he doeth away with storms and whirlwinds from his
stronghold, and the Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-
chief, triumphant, arriveth in the places of his habitations. [O ye divine
beings of the Thigh], do ye away with his sorrow, and [pg 118] his
suffering, and his pain, and may the sorrow of the Osiris Nu be altogether
put away. Let the Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-
chief, triumphant, gratify Rā, let him make a way into the horizon of Rā, let
his boat be made ready for him, let him sail on happily, and let Thoth put
light into [his] heart; then shall the Osiris Nu, triumphant, praise and glorify
Rā, and Rā shall hearken unto his words, and he shall beat down the
obstacles which come from his enemies. I have not been shipwrecked, I
have not been turned back in the horizon, for I am Rā-Osiris, and the Osiris
Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, shall not be
shipwrecked in the Great Boat. Behold him whose face is in the god of the
Thigh, because the name of Rā is in the body of the Osiris Nu, the overseer
of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, and his honor is in his mouth; he shall
speak unto Rā, and Rā shall hearken unto his words.”

“Hymns of praise unto thee, O Rā, in the horizon, and homage unto thee, O
thou that purifiest with light the denizens of heaven, O thou who hast
sovereign power over heaven at that supreme moment when the paddles of
thine enemies move with thee! The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace,
the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, cometh with the ordering of right and
truth, for there is an iron firmament in Amentet which the fiend Apep hath
broken through with his storms before the double Lion-god, and this will
the Osiris Nu set in order; O hearken ye, ye who dwell upon the top of the
throne of majesty. The Osiris Nu shall come in among thy divine sovereign
chiefs, and Rā shall deliver him from Apep each day so that he may not

come nigh unto him, and he shall make himself vigilant. The Osiris Nu
shall have power over the things which are written, he shall receive
sepulchral meals, and the god Thoth shall provide him with the things
which should be prepared for him. The Osiris Nu maketh right and truth to
go round about the bows in the Great Boat, and hath triumph among the
divine sovereign chiefs, and he establisheth [it] for millions of years. The
divine chiefs guide him and give unto him a passage in the boat with joy
and gladness; the first ones among the company of the sailors of Rā are
behind him, and he is happy. Right and truth are exalted, and they have
come unto their divine lord, and praises have been ascribed [pg 119] unto
the god Neb-er-tcher. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, hath taken in his hands the weapon and he
hath made his way through heaven therewith; the denizens thereof have
ascribed praises unto him as [unto] a divine being who standeth up and
never sinketh to rest. The god Rā exalteth him by reason of what he hath
done, and he causeth him to make of none effect the whirlwind and the
storm; he looketh upon his splendors, and he stablisheth his oars, and the
boat saileth round about in heaven, rising like the sun in the darkness.
Thoth, the mighty one, leadeth the Osiris Nu within his eye, and he sitteth
[upon his] thigh[s] in the mighty boat of Khepera; he cometh into being,
and the things which he saith come to pass. The Osiris Nu advanceth, and
he journeyeth round about heaven unto Amentet, the fiery deities stand up
before him, and the god Shu rejoiceth exceedingly, and they take in their
hands the bows [of the boat] of Rā along with his divine mariners. Rā goeth
round about and he looketh upon Osiris. The Osiris Nu is at peace, the
Osiris Nu is at peace. He hath not been driven back, the flame of thy
moment hath not been taken away from him, [O Rā,] the whirlwind and
storm of thy mouth have not come forth against him, he hath not journeyed
upon the path of the crocodile—for he abominateth the crocodile—and it
hath not drawn nigh unto him. The Osiris Nu embarked in thy boat, O Rā,
he is furnished with thy throne, and he receiveth thy spiritual form. The
Osiris Nu travelleth over the paths of Rā at daybreak to drive back the fiend
Nebt; [he] cometh upon the flame of thy boat, [O Rā,] upon that mighty
Thigh. The Osiris Nu knoweth it, and he attaineth unto thy boat, and behold
he [sitteth] therein; and he maketh sepulchral offerings.”

[this chapter shall be] recited over a boat of the god ra which hath been
painted in colors in a pure place. and behold thou shalt place a figure of
the deceased in the bows thereof, and thou shalt paint a sektet boat upon
the right side thereof, and an atet boat upon the left side thereof, and
there shall be made unto them offerings of bread, and cakes, and wine,
and oil, and every kind of fair offering upon the birthday of osiris. if
these ceremonies be performed his soul shall have existence, and shall
live forever, and shall not die a second time.

[pg 120]
The following is from the rubric to this chapter in the Saïte Recension (see
Lepsius, op. cit., Bl. 53):

“[He shall know] the hidden things of the underworld, he shall penetrate the
hidden things in Neter-khertet (the underworld).”

“[This chapter] was found in the large hall(?) of the Temple under the reign
of his Majesty Hesepti, triumphant, and it was found in the cavern of the
mountain which Horus made for his father Osiris Un-nefer, triumphant.
Now since Rā looketh upon this deceased in his own flesh, he shall look
upon him as the company of the gods. The fear of him shall be great, and
the awe of him shall be mighty in the heart of men, and gods, and Khus, and
the damned. He shall be with his soul and shall live forever; he shall not die
a second time in the underworld; and on the day of weighing of words no
evil hap shall befall him. He shall be triumphant over his enemies, and his
sepulchral meals shall be upon the altar of Rā in the course of each day, day
by day.”

Of Living Nigh Unto Ra

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 17 and 18).]

The Chapter of having existence nigh unto Rā.116 The overseer of the
palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

“I am that god Rā who shineth in the night. Every being who followeth in
his train shall have life in the following of the god Thoth, and he shall give
unto him the risings of Horus in the darkness. The heart of Osiris Nu, the
overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, is glad because
he is one of those beings, and his enemies have been destroyed by the
divine princes. I am a follower of Rā, and [I have] received his iron
weapon. I have come unto thee, O my father Rā, and I have advanced to the
god Shu. I have cried unto the mighty goddess, I have equipped the god Hu,
and I alone have removed the Nebt god from the path of Rā. I am a Khu,
and I have come to the divine prince at the bounds of the horizon. I have
met and I have received the mighty goddess. I [pg 121] have raised up thy
soul in the following of thy strength, and my soul [liveth] through thy
victory and thy mighty power; it is I who give commands in speech to Rā,
in heaven. Homage to thee, O great god in the east of heaven, let me
embark in thy boat, O Rā, let me open myself out in the form of a divine
hawk, let me give my commands in words, let me do battle in my
Sekhem(?), let me be master under my vine. Let me embark in thy boat, O
Rā, in peace, and let me sail in peace to the beautiful Amentet. Let the god
Tem speak unto me, [saying], ‘Wouldst [thou] enter therein?’ The lady, the
goddess Mehen, is a million of years, yea, two million years in extent, and
dwelleth in the House of Urt and Nif-urt [and in] the Lake of a million
years; the whole company of the gods move about among those who are at
the side of him who is the lord of divisions of places(?). And I say, ‘On
every road and among these millions of years is Rā the lord, and his path is
in the fire, and they go round about behind him, and they go round about
behind him.’ ”

Of Bringing Men Back To Earth

[From the Papyrus of Ani (British Museum No. 10,470, sheet 18).]

The Chapter of causing a man to come back to see his house upon earth.117
The Osiris Ani saith:

“I am the Lion-god coming forth with extended strides. I have shot arrows
and I have wounded the prey; I have shot arrows and I have wounded the
prey. I am the Eye of Horus, and I pass through the Eye of Horus at this
season. I have arrived at the furrows; let the Osiris Ani advance in peace.”118

[pg 122]

Of Making Perfect The Khu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 16).]

The Book of making perfect the Khu, which is to be recited on the day of
the month. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-
chief, triumphant, saith:

“Rā riseth in his horizon, and his company of the gods follow after him. The
god cometh forth out of his hidden habitations, and food falleth out of the
eastern horizon of heaven at the word of the goddess Nut who maketh plain
the paths of Rā, whereupon straightway the Prince goeth round about. Lift
up then thyself, O thou Rā, who dwellest in thy divine shrine, draw thou
into thyself the winds, inhale the north wind, swallow thou the skin(?) of
thy net on the day wherein thou breathest right and truth. Thou separatest
the divine followers, and thou sailest in [thy] boat to Nut; the divine princes
march onward at thy word. Thou takest count of thy bones, thou gatherest
together thy members, thou settest thy face toward the beautiful Amentet,
and thou comest, being renewed each day. Behold, thou art that Image of
gold, and thou dost possess the splendors of the disks of heaven and art
terrible; thou comest, being renewed each day. Hail, the horizon rejoiceth,
and there are shouts of joy in the rigging [of thy boat]; when the gods who
dwell in the heavens see the Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the
chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, they ascribe unto him as his due praises
which are like unto those ascribed unto Rā. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of
the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, is a divine prince and he
seeketh(?) the ureret crown of Rā, and he, the only one, is strong in good
fortune (?) in that supreme body which is of those divine beings who are in
the presence of Rā. The Osiris Nu is strong both upon earth and in the
underworld; and the Osiris Nu is strong like unto Rā every day. The Osiris
Nu shall not tarry, and he shall not lie without motion in this land forever.
Being doubly beautiful [he] shall see with his two eyes, and he shall hear
with his two ears; rightly and truly, rightly and truly. The Osiris Nu is like

unto Rā, and he setteth in order the oars [of his boat] among those who are
in the train of Nu. He doth not tell that which [pg 123] he hath seen, and he
doth not repeat that which he hath heard in the secret places. Hail, let there
be shouts of joy to the Osiris Nu, who is of the divine body of Rā, as he
journeyeth over Nu, and who propitiateth the Ka of the god with that which
he loveth. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief,
is a hawk, the transformations of which are mighty (or manifold).”119

[this chapter shall be] recited over a boat four120 cubits in its length and
made of green porcelain [on which have been painted] the divine sovereign
chiefs of the cities; and a heaven with its stars shall [also] be made, and
this thou shalt have made ceremonially pure by means of natron and
incense. and, behold, thou shalt make an image of ra in yellow(?) color
upon a new plaque and set it at the bows of the boat. and behold, thou
shalt place an image of the khu which thou dost wish to make perfect
[and place it] in this boat, and thou shalt make it to travel about in the
boat [which shall be made in the form of the boat] of ra; and he shall see
the god ra himself therein. let not the eye of any man whatsoever look
121
upon it with the exception of thine own self, or thy father, or thy son,
122
and guard [this] with great care. [now these things] shall make the
khu perfect in the heart of ra, and it shall give unto him power with the
company of the gods; and the gods shall look upon him as a divine being
like unto themselves; and mankind and the dead shall look upon him and
shall fall down upon their faces, and he shall be seen in the underworld
in the form of the radiance of ra.

Of Making Perfect The Khu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 17).]

Another Chapter of making perfect the Khu.123 The Osiris Nu, the
overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, saith:

“Homage to thee, O thou who art within thy divine shrine, [pg 124] who
shinest with rays of light and sendest forth radiance from thyself, who
decreest joy for millions of years unto those who love him, who givest their
hearts' desire unto mankind, thou god Khepera within thy boat who hast
overthrown Apep. O ye children of the god Seb, overthrow ye the enemies
of Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant,
and destroy ye them from the boat of Rā; and the god Horus shall cut off
their heads in heaven [where they are] in the form of feathered fowl, and
their hind parts shall be on the earth in the form of animals and in the Lake
in the form of fishes. Every male fiend and every female fiend shall the
Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, destroy,
whether he descendeth from the heaven, or whether he cometh forth from
the earth, or whether they come upon the waters, or whether they advance
toward the stars, the god Thoth, the son of Aner, coming forth from the
Anerti, shall hack them in pieces. The Osiris Nu is silent and dumb(?);
cause ye this god, the mighty one of slaughter, the being greatly to be
feared, to make himself clean in your blood and to bathe himself in your
gore, and ye shall certainly be destroyed by him from the boat of his father
Rā. The Osiris Nu is the god Horus to whom his mother the goddess Isis
hath given birth, and whom the goddess Nephthys hath nursed and dandled,
even like Horus when [he] repulsed the fiends of the god Suti; and when
they see the ureret crown stablished upon his head they fall down upon their
faces and they glorify [him]. Behold, when men, and gods, and Khus, and
the dead see the Osiris Nu in the form of Horus with the ureret crown
stablished upon his head, they fall down upon their faces. And the Osiris
Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, is

victorious over his enemies in the heights of heaven, and in the depths
thereof, and before the divine sovereign chiefs of every god and of every
goddess.”

[this chapter] shall be recited over a hawk standing and having the white
crown upon his head, [and over figures of] tem, shu, tefnut, seb, nut,
osiris, isis, suti, and nephthys painted in yellow color upon a new plaque,
which shall be placed in [a model of] the boat [of the sun], along with a
figure of the deceased whom thou wouldst make perfect. these shalt thou
anoint with cedar oil, and incense shall be offered up to [pg 125] them on
the fire, and feathered fowl shall be roasted. it is an act of praise to ra
as he journeyeth, and it shall cause a man to have his being along with ra
day by day, whithersoever the god voyageth; and it shall destroy the
enemies of ra in very truth regularly and continually.

For The New Moon

[From Lepsius “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 55.]

Another Chapter to be recited when the Moon reneweth itself on the
day of the month. The Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, saith:

“Osiris unfettereth,” or, as others say, “openeth the storm cloud [in] the
body of heaven, and is unfettered himself; Horus is made strong happily
each day. He whose transformations are great (or many) hath offerings
made unto him at the moment, and he hath made an end of the storm which
is in the face of the Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant. Verily he cometh, and he
is Rā in [his] journeying, and he is the four celestial gods in the heavens
above. The Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, cometh forth in his day, and he
embarketh among the tackle of the boat.”

if this chapter be known by the deceased he shall become a perfect khu in
the underworld, and he shall not die therein a second time, and he shall
eat his food side by side with osiris. if this chapter be known by him upon
earth he shall be like unto thoth, and he shall be adored by the living
ones; he shall not fall headlong at the moment of royal flame of the
goddess bast, and the mighty princess shall make him to advance happily.

Of Travelling In The Boat Of Ra

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 28).]

Another Chapter of travelling in the Great Boat of Ra. The Osiris Nu,
the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, saith:

“Behold now, O ye luminaries in Annu, ye people in Kher-āba, the god
Kha(?) hath been born; his cordage hath been [pg 126] completed, and the
instrument wherewith he maketh his way hath [he] grasped firmly. I have
protected the implements of the gods, and I have delivered the boat Kha(?)
for him. I have come forth into heaven, and I have travelled therein with Rā
in the form of an ape, and have turned back the paths of Nut at the staircase
of the god Sebek.”

Of Making Perfect The Khu

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 16).]

Another Chapter of making perfect the Khu; [it shall be recited] on the
festival of Six. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-
chief, triumphant, saith:

“Behold now, O ye luminaries in Annu (Heliopolis), ye people in Kher-āba,
the god hath been born; his cordage(?) hath been completed, and the
instrument wherewith he maketh his way he hath grasped firmly; and the
Osiris Nu is strong with them to direct the implement of the gods. The
Osiris Nu hath delivered the boat of the sun therewith ... and he cometh
forth into heaven. The Osiris Nu sailed round about in heaven, he travelleth
therein unto Nut, he journeyeth along with Rā, and he voyageth therein in
the form of apes; [he] turneth back the water-flood which is over the Thigh
of the goddess Nut at the staircase of the god Sebaku. The hearts of Seb and
Nut are glad and repeat the name which is new. Un-neferu reneweth [his]
youth, Rā is in his splendors of light, Unti hath his speech, and lo, the god
of the Inundation is Prince among the gods. The taste of sweetness hath
forced a way into the heart of the destitute one, and the lord of thy outcries
hath been done away with, and the oars(?) of the company of the gods are
in vigorous motion. Adored be thou, O divine Soul, who art endowed more
than the gods of the South and North [in] their splendors! Behold, grant
thou that the Osiris Nu may be great in heaven even as thou art great among
the gods; deliver thou him from every evil and murderous thing which may
be wrought upon him by the Fiend, and fortify thou his heart. Grant thou,
moreover, that the Osiris Nu may be stronger than all the gods, all the Khus,
and all the dead. The Osiris Nu is strong and is the lord of [pg 127] powers.
The Osiris Nu is the lord of right and truth which the goddess Uatchit
worketh. The strength which protects the Osiris Nu is the strength which
protects the god Rā in heaven. O god Rā, grant thou that the Osiris Nu may
travel on in thy boat in peace, and do thou prepare a road whereon [thy]

boat may journey onward; for the force which protecteth Osiris is the force
which protecteth thee. The Osiris Nu driveth back the Crocodile from Rā
day by day. The Osiris Nu cometh even as doth Horus in the splendors(?) of
the horizon of heaven, and he directeth Rā through the mansions of the sky;
the gods rejoice greatly when the Osiris Nu repulseth the Crocodile. The
Osiris Nu hath the amulet(?) of the god, and the cloud of Nebt shall not
come nigh unto him, and the divine guardians of the mansions of the sky
shall not destroy him. The Osiris Nu is a divine being whose face is hidden,
and he dwelleth within the Great House [as] the chief of the Shrine of the
god. The Osiris Nu carrieth the words of the gods to Rā, and he cometh and
maketh supplication unto the divine lord with the words of his message.
The Osiris Nu is strong of heart, and he maketh his offering at the moment
among those who perform the ceremonies of sacrifice.”

[this chapter] shall be said over a figure of the deceased which shall be
placed in [a model of] the boat of the sun, and behold, [he that reciteth
it] shall be washed, and shall be ceremonially pure, and he shall have
burnt incense before ra, and shall have offered wine, and cakes, and
roasted fowl for the journey [of the deceased] in the boat of ra. now,
every khu for whom such things are done shall have an existence among
the living ones, and he shall never perish, and he shall have a being like
unto that of the holy god; no evil thing whatsoever shall attack him. and
he shall be like unto a happy khu in amentet, and he shall not die a
second time. he shall eat and he shall drink in the presence of osiris each
day; he shall be borne along with the kings of the north and of the south
each and every day; he shall quaff water at the fountain-head; he shall
come forth by day even as doth horus; he shall live and shall become
like unto god; and he shall be hymned by the living ones, even as is ra
each and every day continually and regularly forever.

[pg 128]

Sailing In The Great Boat

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 28).]

The Chapter of sailing in the Great Boat of Rā to pass over the circle of
bright flame. The Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-
chief, triumphant, saith:

“[Hail], ye bright and shining flames that keep your place behind Rā, and
which slay behind him, the boat of Rā is in fear of the whirlwind and the
storm; shine ye forth, then, and make [ye yourselves] visible. I have come
[daily] along with the god Sek-hra from the bight of his holy lake, and I
have seen the Maāt [goddesses] pass along, and the lion-gods who belong
unto them. Hail, thou that dwellest in the coffer who hast multitudes of
plants(?), I have seen [what is] there. We rejoice, and their princes rejoice
greatly, and their lesser gods(?) are glad. I have made a way in front of the
boat of Rā, I have lifted myself up into his divine Disk, I shine brightly
through his splendors; he hath furnished himself with the things which are
his, taking possession thereof as the lord of right and truth. And behold, O
ye company of the gods, and thou ancestor of the goddess Isis,124 grant ye
that he may bear testimony to his father, the lord of those who are therein. I
have weighed the ... in him [as] chief, and I have brought to him the
goddess Tefnut and he liveth. Behold, come, come, and declare before him
the testimony of right and truth of the lord Tem. I cry out at eventide and at
his hour, saying, Grant ye unto me that I may come. I have brought unto
him the jaws of the passages of the tomb; I have brought unto him the bones
which are in Annu (Heliopolis); I have gathered together for him his
manifold parts; I have driven back for him the serpent fiend Apep; I have
spit upon his gashes for him; I have made my road and I have passed in
among you. I am he who dwelleth among the gods, come, let [me] pass
onward in the boat, the boat of the lord Sa. Behold, O Heru-ur, there is a
flame, but the fire hath been extinguished. I have made [my] road, O ye
divine fathers and your divine apes! I have entered upon the horizon, and I

have [pg 129] passed on to the side of the divine princes, and I have borne
testimony unto him that dwelleth in his divine boat. I have gone forward
over the circle of bright flame which is behind the lord of the lock of hair
which moveth round about. Behold, ye who cry out over yourselves, ye
worms in [your] hidden places, grant ye that I may pass onward, for I am
the mighty one, the lord of divine strength, and I am the spiritual body (sāh)
of the lord of divine right and truth made by the goddess Uatchit. His
strength which protecteth is my strength which protecteth, which is the
strength which protecteth Rā. [Grant ye that I may be in the following of
Rā], and grant ye that I may go round about with him in Sekhet-hetep [and
in] the two lands. [I am] a great god, and [I have been] judged by the
company of his gods; grant that divine, sepulchral meals may be given unto
me.”

Of The Four Flames

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 26).]

The Chapter of the four blazing flames which are made for the Khu.
Behold, thou shalt make four square troughs of clay, whereon thou shalt
scatter incense, and thou shalt fill them with the milk of a white cow, and by
means of these thou shalt extinguish the flame. The Osiris Nu, the overseer
of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, saith:

“The fire cometh to thy Ka, O Osiris, governor of Amenti; the fire cometh
to thy Ka, O Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief,
triumphant. He that ordereth the night cometh after the day. [The flame
cometh to thy Ka, O Osiris, governor of those in Amenti]125 and the two
sisters(?) of Rā come likewise. Behold, [the flame] riseth in Abtu (Abydos)
and it cometh; and I cause it to come [to] the Eye of Horus. It is set in order
upon thy brow, O Osiris, governor of Amenti,126 and it is fixed within thy
shrine and riseth upon thy brow; it is set in order upon thy breast, O Osiris
Nu, and it is fixed upon thy brow. The Eye of Horus is protecting thee, O
Osiris, governor of Amenti, and it keepeth thee in [pg 130] safety; it casteth
down headlong all thine enemies for thee and all thine enemies have fallen
headlong before thee. O Osiris Nu, the Eye of Horus protecteth thee, it
keepeth thee in safety, and it casteth down headlong all thine enemies.
Thine enemies have fallen down headlong before thy Ka, O Osiris,
governor of Amenti, the Eye of Horus protecteth thee, it keepeth thee in
safety, and it hath cast down headlong all thine enemies. Thine enemies
have fallen down headlong before thy Ka, O Osiris Nu, the overseer of the
palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, the Eye of Horus protecteth
thee, it keepeth thee in safety, it hath cast down headlong for thee all thine
enemies, and thine enemies have fallen down headlong before thee. The
Eye of Horus cometh, it is sound and well, and it sendeth forth rays like
unto Rā in the horizon; it covereth over with darkness the powers of Suti, it
taketh possession thereof and it bringeth its flame against him upon [its]

feet(?). The Eye of Horus is sound and well, thou eatest the flesh(?) of thy
body by means thereof, and thou givest praise(?) thereto. The four flames
enter into thy Ka, O Osiris, governor of Amenti, the four flames enter into
thy ka, O Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief,
triumphant. Hail, ye children of Horus, Mesthi, Hāpi, Tuamāutef and
Qebhsennuf, ye have given your protection unto your divine Father Osiris,
the governor of Amenti, grant ye your protection to the Osiris Nu,
triumphant. Now, therefore, inasmuch as ye have destroyed the opponent[s]
of Osiris, the governor of Amenti, he liveth with the gods, and he hath
smitten Suti, with his hand and arm since light dawned upon the earth, and
Horus hath gotten power, and he hath avenged his divine Father Osiris
himself; and inasmuch as your divine father hath been made vigorous
through the union which ye have effected for him with the Ka of Osiris, the
governor of Amenti—now the Eye of Horus hath avenged him, and it hath
protected him, and it hath cast down headlong for him all his enemies, and
all his enemies have fallen down before him—even so do ye destroy the
opponent[s] of the Osiris Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-
chief, triumphant. Let him live with the gods, let him smite down his
enemy, let him destroy [him] when light dawneth upon the earth, let Horus
gain power and avenge the Osiris Nu, let the Osiris Nu have vigor through
the union [pg 131] which ye have effected for him with his ka. O Osiris Nu,
the Eye of Horus hath avenged thee, it hath cast down headlong all thine
enemies for thee, and all thine enemies have fallen down headlong before
thee. Hail, Osiris, governor of Amenti, grant thou light and fire to the happy
soul which is in Suten-henen (Heracleopolis); and [O ye children of Horus]
grant ye power unto the living soul of the Osiris Nu within his flame. Let
him not be repulsed and let him not be driven back at the doors of Amentet;
oh let his offerings of bread and of linen garments be brought unto him
among [those of] the lords of funeral oblations, oh, offer ye praises as unto
a god, to the Osiris Nu, destroyer of his opponent[s] in his form of right and
truth and in his attributes of a god of right and truth.”

[pg 133]

Egyptian Tales

Translated from the Papyri

Edited by Wm. Flinders Petrie, Hon. D.C.L., LL.D.,
Edwards Professor of Egyptology, University
College, London.

[pg 135]

The Taking Of Joppa

There was once in the time of King Men-kheper-ra a revolt of the servants
of his Majesty who were in Joppa; and his Majesty said, “Let Tahutia go
with his footmen and destroy this wicked Foe in Joppa.” And he called one
of his followers, and said moreover, “Hide thou my great cane, which works
wonders, in the baggage of Tahutia that my power may go with him.”

Now when Tahutia came near to Joppa, with all the footmen of Pharaoh, he
sent unto the Foe in Joppa, and said, “Behold now his Majesty, King Men-
kheper-ra, has sent all this great army against thee; but what is that if my
heart is as thy heart? Do thou come, and let us talk in the field, and see each
other face to face.” So Tahutia came with certain of his men; and the Foe in
Joppa came likewise, but his charioteer that was with him was true of heart
unto the King of Egypt. And they spoke with one another in his great tent,
which Tahutia had placed far off from the soldiers. But Tahutia had made
ready 200 sacks, with cords and fetters, and had made a great sack of skins
with bronze fetters, and many baskets: and they were in his tent, the sacks
and the baskets, and he had placed them as the forage for the horses is put
in baskets. For while the Foe in Joppa drank with Tahutia, the people who
were with him drank with the footmen of Pharaoh, and made merry with
them. And when their bout of drinking was past, Tahutia said to the Foe in
Joppa, “If it please thee, while I remain with the women and children of thy
own city, let one bring of my people with their horses, that they may give
them provender, or let one of the Apuro run to fetch them.” So they came,
and hobbled [pg 136] their horses, and gave them provender, and one found
the great cane of Men-kheper-ra (Tahutmes III), and came to tell of it to
Tahutia. And thereupon the Foe in Joppa said to Tahutia: “My heart is set on
examining the great cane of Men-kheper-ra, which is named ‘... tautnefer.’
By the ka of the King Men-kheper-ra it will be in thy hands to-day; now do
thou well and bring thou it to me.” And Tahutia did thus, and he brought the
cane of King Men-kheper-ra. And he laid hold on the Foe in Joppa by his
garment, and he arose and stood up, and said, “Look on me, O Foe in

Joppa; here is the great cane of King Men-kheper-ra, the terrible lion, the
son of Sekhet, to whom Amen his father gives power and strength.” And he
raised his hand and struck the forehead of the Foe in Joppa, and he fell
helpless before him. He put him in the sack of skins and he bound with
gyves the hands of the Foe in Joppa, and put on his feet the fetters with four
rings. And he made them bring the 200 sacks which he had cleaned, and
made to enter into them 200 soldiers, and filled the hollows with cords and
fetters of wood, he sealed them with a seal, and added to them their rope-
nets and the poles to bear them. And he put every strong footman to bear
them, in all 600 men, and said to them, “When you come into the town you
shall open your burdens, you shall seize on all the inhabitants of the town,
and you shall quickly put fetters upon them.”

Then one went out and said unto the charioteer of the Foe in Joppa, “Thy
master is fallen; go, say to thy mistress, ‘A pleasant message! For Sutekh
has given Tahutia to us, with his wife and his children; behold the beginning
of their tribute,’ that she may comprehend the two hundred sacks, which are
full of men and cords and fetters.” So he went before them to please the
heart of his mistress, saying, “We have laid hands on Tahutia.” Then the
gates of the city were opened before the footmen: they entered the city, they
opened their burdens, they laid hands on them of the city, both small and
great, they put on them the cords and fetters quickly; the power of Pharaoh
seized upon that city. After he had rested Tahutia sent a message to Egypt to
the King Men-kheper-ra his lord, saying: “Be pleased, for Amen thy good
father has given [pg 137] to thee the Foe in Joppa, together with all his
people, likewise also his city. Send, therefore, people to take them as
captives that thou mayest fill the house of thy father Amen Ra, king of the
gods, with men-servants and maid-servants, and that they may be
overthrown beneath thy feet for ever and ever.”

The Doomed Prince

There once was a king to whom no son was born; and his heart was grieved,
and he prayed for himself unto the gods around him for a child. They
decreed that one should be born to him. And his wife, after her time was
fulfilled, brought forth a son. Then came the Hathors to decree for him a
destiny; they said, “His death is to be by the crocodile, or by the serpent, or
by the dog.” Then the people who stood by heard this, and they went to tell
it to his Majesty. Then his Majesty's heart sickened very greatly. And his
Majesty caused a house to be built upon the desert; it was furnished with
people and with all good things of the royal house, that the child should not
go abroad. And when the child was grown, he went up upon the roof, and
he saw a dog; it was following a man who was walking on the road. He
spoke to his page, who was with him, “What is this that walks behind the
man who is coming along the road?” He answered him, “This is a dog.” The
child said to him, “Let there be brought to me one like it.” The page went to
repeat it to his Majesty. And his Majesty said, “Let there be brought to him
a little pet dog, lest his heart be sad.” And behold they brought to him the
dog.

Then when the days increased after this, and when the child became grown
in all his limbs, he sent a message to his father saying, “Come, wherefore
am I kept here? Inasmuch as I am fated to three evil fates, let me follow my
desire. Let God do what is in his heart.” They agreed to all he said, and
gave him all sorts of arms, and also his dog to follow him, and they took
him to the east country, and said to him, “Behold, go thou whither thou
wilt.” His dog was with him, and he went northward, following his heart in
the desert, while [pg 138] he lived on all the best of the game of the desert.
He went to the chief of Naharaina.

And behold there had not been any born to the chief of Naharaina, except
one daughter. Behold, there had been built for her a house; its seventy
windows were seventy cubits from the ground. And the chief caused to be

brought all the sons of the chiefs of the land of Khalu, and said to them,
“He who reaches the window of my daughter, she shall be to him for a
wife.”

And many days after these things, as they were in their daily task, the youth
rode by the place where they were. They took the youth to their house, they
bathed him, they gave provender to his horses, they brought all kinds of
things for the youth, they perfumed him, they anointed his feet, they gave
him portions of their own food; and they spake to him, “Whence comest
thou, goodly youth?” He said to them, “I am son of an officer of the land of
Egypt; my mother is dead, and my father has taken another wife. And when
she bore children, she grew to hate me, and I have come as a fugitive from
before her.” And they embraced him, and kissed him.

And after many days were passed, he said to the youths, “What is it that ye
do here?” And they said to him: “We spend our time in this: we climb up,
and he who shall reach the window of the daughter of the chief of
Naharaina, to him will be given her to wife.” He said to them, “If it please
you, let me behold the matter, that I may come to climb with you.” They
went to climb, as was their daily wont: and the youth stood afar off to
behold; and the face of the daughter of the chief of Naharaina was turned to
them. And another day the sons came to climb, and the youth came to climb
with the sons of the chiefs. He climbed, and he reached the window of the
daughter of the chief of Naharaina. She kissed him, she embraced him in all
his limbs.

And one went to rejoice the heart of her father, and said to him, “One of the
people has reached the window of thy daughter.” And the prince inquired of
the messenger, saying, “The son of which of the princes is it?” And he
replied to him, “It is the son of an officer, who has come as a fugitive [pg
139] from the land of Egypt, fleeing from before his stepmother when she
had children.” Then the chief of Naharaina was exceeding angry; and he
said: “Shall I indeed give my daughter to the Egyptian fugitive? Let him go
back whence he came.” And one came to tell the youth, “Go back to the
place thou camest from.” But the maiden seized his hand; she swore an oath
by God, saying, “By the being of Ra Harakhti, if one takes him from me, I
will not eat, I will not drink, I shall die in that same hour.” The messenger

went to tell unto her father all that she said. Then the prince sent men to
slay the youth, while he was in his house. But the maiden said: “By the
being of Ra, if one slay him I shall be dead ere the sun goeth down. I will
not pass an hour of life if I am parted from him.” And one went to tell her
father. Then the prince made them bring the youth with the maiden. The
youth was seized with fear when he came before the prince. But he
embraced him, he kissed him all over, and said: “Oh, tell me who thou art;
behold, thou art to me as a son.” He said to him: “I am a son of an officer of
the land of Egypt; my mother died, my father took to him a second wife;
she came to hate me, and I fled a fugitive from before her.” He then gave to
him his daughter to wife; he gave also to him a house, and serfs, and fields,
also cattle and all manner of good things.

But after the days of these things were passed, the youth said to his wife, “I
am doomed to three fates—a crocodile, a serpent, and a dog.” She said to
him, “Let one kill the dog which belongs to thee.” He replied to her, “I am
not going to kill my dog, which I have brought up from when it was small.”
And she feared greatly for her husband, and would not let him go alone
abroad.

And one went with the youth toward the land of Egypt, to travel in that
country. Behold the crocodile of the river, he came out by the town in which
the youth was. And in that town was a mighty man. And the mighty man
would not suffer the crocodile to escape. And when the crocodile was
bound, the mighty man went out and walked abroad. And when the sun rose
the mighty man went back to the house; and he did so every day, during two
months of days.

Now when the days passed after this, the youth sat making [pg 140] a good
day in his house. And when the evening came he lay down on his bed, sleep
seized upon his limbs; and his wife filled a bowl of milk, and placed it by
his side. Then came out a serpent from his hole, to bite the youth; behold
his wife was sitting by him, she lay not down. Thereupon the servants gave
milk to the serpent, and he drank, and was drunk, and lay upside down.
Then his wife made it to perish with the blows of her dagger. And they
woke her husband, who was astonished; and she said unto him: “Behold thy
God has given one of thy dooms into thy hand; he will also give thee the

others.” And he sacrificed to God, adoring him, and praising his spirits from
day to day.

And when the days were passed after these things, the youth went to walk
in the fields of his domain. He went not alone, behold his dog was
following him. And his dog ran aside after the wild game, and he followed
the dog. He came to the river, and entered the river behind his dog. Then
came out the crocodile, and took him to the place where the mighty man
was. And the crocodile said to the youth, “I am thy doom, following after
thee....”

(Here the papyrus breaks off.)

Anpu And Bata

Once there were two brethren, of one mother and one father; Anpu was the
name of the elder, and Bata was the name of the younger. Now, as for Anpu
he had a house, and he had a wife. But his little brother was to him as it
were a son; he it was who made for him his clothes; he it was who followed
behind his oxen to the fields; he it was who did the ploughing; he it was
who harvested the corn; he it was who did for him all the matters that were
in the field. Behold, his younger brother grew to be an excellent worker,
there was not his equal in the whole land; behold, the spirit of a god was in
him.

Now after this the younger brother followed his oxen in his daily manner;
and every evening he turned again to the house, laden with all the herbs of
the field, with milk and with wood, and with all things of the field. And he
put them down [pg 141] before his elder brother, who was sitting with his
wife; and he drank and ate, and he lay down in his stable with the cattle.
And at the dawn of day he took bread which he had baked, and laid it
before his elder brother; and he took with him his bread to the field, and he
drave his cattle to pasture in the fields. And as he walked behind his cattle,
they said to him, “Good is the herbage which is in that place”; and he
listened to all that they said, and he took them to the good place which they
desired. And the cattle which were before him became exceeding excellent,
and they multiplied greatly.

Now at the time of ploughing his elder brother said unto him: “Let us make
ready for ourselves a goodly yoke of oxen for ploughing, for the land has
come out from the water, it is fit for ploughing. Moreover, do thou come to
the field with corn, for we will begin the ploughing in the morrow
morning.” Thus said he to him; and his younger brother did all things as his
elder brother had spoken unto him to do them.

And when the morn was come, they went to the fields with their things; and
their hearts were pleased exceedingly with their task in the beginning of
their work. And it came to pass after this that as they were in the field they
stopped for corn, and he sent his younger brother, saying, “Haste thou,
bring to us corn from the farm.” And the younger brother found the wife of
his elder brother, as she was sitting tying her hair. He said to her: “Get up,
and give to me corn, that I may run to the field, for my elder brother
hastened me; do not delay.” She said to him: “Go, open the bin, and thou
shalt take to thyself according to thy will, that I may not drop my locks of
hair while I dress them.”

The youth went into the stable; he took a large measure, for he desired to
take much corn; he loaded it with wheat and barley; and he went out
carrying it. She said to him, “How much of the corn that is wanted, is that
which is on thy shoulder?” He said to her: “Three bushels of barley, and
two of wheat, in all five; these are what are upon my shoulder.” Thus said
he to her. And she conversed with him, saying, “There is great strength in
thee, for I see thy might every day.” And her heart knew him with the
knowledge of youth. And she arose and came to him, and conversed with
him, saying, “Come, stay with me, and it shall be well [pg 142] for thee,
and I will make for thee beautiful garments.” Then the youth became like a
panther of the south with fury at the evil speech which she had made to
him; and she feared greatly. And he spake unto her, saying: “Behold thou art
to me as a mother, thy husband is to me as a father, for he who is elder than
I has brought me up. What is this wickedness that thou hast said to me? Say
it not to me again. For I will not tell it to any man, for I will not let it be
uttered by the mouth of any man.” He lifted up his burden, and he went to
the field and came to his elder brother; and they took up their work, to labor
at their task.

Now afterward, at eventime, his elder brother was returning to his house;
and the younger brother was following after his oxen, and he loaded himself
with all the things of the field; and he brought his oxen before him, to make
them lie down in their stable which was in the farm. And behold the wife of
the elder brother was afraid for the words which she had said. She took a
parcel of fat, she became like one who is evilly beaten, desiring to say to
her husband, “It is thy younger brother who has done this wrong.” Her

husband returned in the even, as was his wont of every day; he came unto
his house; he found his wife ill of violence; she did not give him water upon
his hands as he used to have, she did not make a light before him, his house
was in darkness, and she was lying very sick. Her husband said to her,
“Who has spoken, with thee?” Behold she said: “No one has spoken with
me except thy younger brother. When he came to take for thee corn he
found me sitting alone; he said to me, ‘Come, let us stay together, tie up thy
hair.’ Thus spake he to me. I did not listen to him, but thus spake I to him:
‘Behold, am I not thy mother, is not thy elder brother to thee as a father?’
And he feared, and he beat me to stop me from making report to thee, and if
thou lettest him live I shall die. Now behold he is coming in the evening;
and I complain of these wicked words, for he would have done this even in
daylight.”

And the elder brother became as a panther of the south; he sharpened his
knife; he took it in his hand; he stood behind the door of his stable to slay
his younger brother as he came in the evening to bring his cattle into the
stable.

Now the sun went down, and he loaded himself with herbs [pg 143] in his
daily manner. He came, and his foremost cow entered the stable, and she
said to her keeper, “Behold thou thy elder brother standing before thee with
his knife to slay thee; flee from before him.” He heard what his first cow
had said; and the next entering, she also said likewise. He looked beneath
the door of the stable; he saw the feet of his elder brother; he was standing
behind the door, and his knife was in his hand. He cast down his load to the
ground, and betook himself to flee swiftly; and his elder brother pursued
after him with his knife. Then the younger brother cried out unto Ra
Harakhti, saying, “My good Lord! Thou art he who divides the evil from
the good.” And Ra stood and heard all his cry; and Ra made a wide water
between him and his elder brother, and it was full of crocodiles; and the one
brother was on one bank, and the other on the other bank; and the elder
brother smote twice on his hands at not slaying him. Thus did he. And the
younger brother called to the elder on the bank, saying: “Stand still until the
dawn of day; and when Ra ariseth, I shall judge with thee before him, and
he discerneth between the good and the evil. For I shall not be with thee any

more forever; I shall not be in the place in which thou art; I shall go to the
valley of the acacia.”

Now when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Ra Harakhti
arose, and one looked unto the other. And the youth spake with his elder
brother, saying: “Wherefore earnest thou after me to slay me in craftiness,
when thou didst not hear the words of my mouth? For I am thy brother in
truth, and thou art to me as a father, and thy wife even as a mother: is it not
so? Verily, when I was sent to bring for us corn, thy wife said to me, ‘Come,
stay with me’; for behold this has been turned over unto thee into another
wise.” And he caused him to understand of all that happened with him and
his wife. And he swore an oath by Ra Harakhti, saying, “Thy coming to slay
me by deceit with thy knife was an abomination.” Then the youth took a
knife, and cut off of his flesh, and cast it into the water, and the fish
swallowed it. He failed; he became faint; and his elder brother cursed his
own heart greatly; he stood weeping for him afar off; he knew not how to
pass over to where his younger brother was, because of the crocodiles. And
the younger brother called [pg 144] unto him, saying: “Whereas thou hast
devised an evil thing, wilt thou not also devise a good thing, even like that
which I would do unto thee? When thou goest to thy house thou must look
to thy cattle, for I shall not stay in the place where thou art; I am going to
the valley of the acacia. And now as to what thou shalt do for me; it is even
that thou shalt come to seek after me, if thou perceivest a matter, namely,
that there are things happening unto me. And this is what shall come to
pass, that I shall draw out my soul, and I shall put it upon the top of the
flowers of the acacia, and when the acacia is cut down, and it falls to the
ground, and thou comest to seek for it, if thou searchest for it seven years
do not let thy heart be wearied. For thou wilt find it, and thou must put it in
a cup of cold water, and expect that I shall live again, that I may make
answer to what has been done wrong. And thou shalt know of this, that is to
say, that things are happening to me, when one shall give to thee a cup of
beer in thy hand, and it shall be troubled; stay not then, for verily it shall
come to pass with thee.”

And the youth went to the valley of the acacia; and his elder brother went
unto his house; his hand was laid on his head, and he cast dust on his head;

he came to his house, and he slew his wife, he cast her to the dogs, and he
sat in mourning for his younger brother.

Now many days after these things, the younger brother was in the valley of
the acacia; there was none with him; he spent his time in hunting the beasts
of the desert, and he came back in the even to lie down under the acacia,
which bore his soul upon the topmost flower. And after this he built himself
a tower with his own hands, in the valley of the acacia; it was full of all
good things, that he might provide for himself a home.

And he went out from his tower, and he met the Nine Gods, who were
walking forth to look upon the whole land. The Nine Gods talked one with
another, and they said unto him: “Ho! Bata, bull of the Nine Gods, art thou
remaining alone? Thou hast left thy village for the wife of Anpu, thy elder
brother. Behold his wife is slain. Thou hast given him an answer to all that
was transgressed against thee.” And their hearts were vexed for him
exceedingly. And Ra Harakhti [pg 145] said to Khnumu, “Behold, frame
thou a woman for Bata, that he may not remain alive alone.” And Khnumu
made for him a mate to dwell with him. She was more beautiful in her
limbs than any woman who is in the whole land. The essence of every god
was in her. The seven Hathors came to see her: they said with one mouth,
“She will die a sharp death.”

And Bata loved her very exceedingly, and she dwelt in his house; he passed
his time in hunting the beasts of the desert, and brought and laid them
before her. He said: “Go not outside, lest the sea seize thee; for I cannot
rescue thee from it, for I am a woman like thee; my soul is placed on the
head of the flower of the acacia; and if another find it, I must fight with
him.” And he opened unto her his heart in all its nature.

Now after these things Bata went to hunt in his daily manner. And the
young girl went to walk under the acacia which was by the side of her
house. Then the sea saw her, and cast its waves up after her. She betook
herself to flee from before it. She entered her house. And the sea called unto
the acacia, saying, “Oh, would that I could seize her!” And the acacia
brought a lock from her hair, and the sea carried it to Egypt, and dropped it
in the place of the fullers of Pharaoh's linen. The smell of the lock of hair
entered into the clothes of Pharaoh; and they were wroth with the fullers of

Pharaoh, saying, “The smell of ointment is in the clothes of Pharaoh.” And
the people were rebuked every day, they knew not what they should do.
And the chief fuller of Pharaoh walked by the bank, and his heart was very
evil within him after the daily quarrel with him. He stood still, he stood
upon the sand opposite to the lock of hair, which was in the water, and he
made one enter into the water and bring it to him; and there was found in it
a smell, exceeding sweet. He took it to Pharaoh; and they brought the
scribes and the wise men, and they said unto Pharaoh: “This lock of hair
belongs to a daughter of Ra Harakhti: the essence of every god is in her, and
it is a tribute to thee from another land. Let messengers go to every strange
land to seek her: and as for the messenger who shall go to the valley of the
acacia, let many men go with him to bring her.” Then said his Majesty,
“Excellent exceedingly is what has been said to us”; and they sent them.
And many days [pg 146] after these things the people who were sent to
strange lands came to give report unto the King: but there came not those
who went to the valley of the acacia, for Bata had slain them, but let one of
them return to give a report to the King. His Majesty sent many men and
soldiers, as well as horsemen, to bring her back. And there was a woman
among them, and to her had been given in her hand beautiful ornaments of a
woman. And the girl came back with her, and they rejoiced over her in the
whole land.

And his Majesty loved her exceedingly, and raised her to high estate; and he
spake unto her that she should tell him concerning her husband. And she
said, “Let the acacia be cut down, and let one chop it up.” And they sent
men and soldiers with their weapons to cut down the acacia; and they came
to the acacia, and they cut the flower upon which was the soul of Bata, and
he fell dead suddenly.

And when the next day came, and the earth was lightened, the acacia was
cut down. And Anpu, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house, and
washed his hands; and one gave him a cup of beer, and it became troubled;
and one gave him another of wine, and the smell of it was evil. Then he
took his staff, and his sandals, and likewise his clothes, with his weapons of
war; and he betook himself forth to the valley of the acacia. He entered the
tower of his younger brother, and he found him lying upon his mat; he was
dead. And he wept when he saw his younger brother verily lying dead. And

he went out to seek the soul of his younger brother under the acacia tree,
under which his younger brother lay in the evening. He spent three years in
seeking for it, but found it not. And when he began the fourth year, he
desired in his heart to return into Egypt; he said, “I will go to-morrow
morn.” Thus spake he in his heart.

Now when the land lightened, and the next day appeared, he was walking
under the acacia; he was spending his time in seeking it. And he returned in
the evening, and labored at seeking it again. He found a seed. He returned
with it. Behold this was the soul of his younger brother. He brought a cup of
cold water, and he cast the seed into it: and he sat down, as he was wont.
Now when the night came his soul sucked up the water; Bata shuddered in
all his limbs, and he [pg 147] looked on his elder brother; his soul was in
the cup. Then Anpu took the cup of cold water, in which the soul of his
younger brother was; Bata drank it, his soul stood again in its place, and he
became as he had been. They embraced each other, and they conversed
together.

And Bata said to his elder brother: “Behold I am to become as a great bull,
which bears, every good mark; no one knoweth its history, and thou must sit
upon my back. When the sun arises I shall be in the place where my wife is,
that I may return answer to her; and thou must take me to the place where
the King is. For all good things shall be done for thee; for one shall lade
thee with silver and gold, because thou bringest me to Pharaoh, for I
become a great marvel, and they shall rejoice for me in all the land. And
thou shalt go to thy village.”

And when the land was lightened, and the next day appeared, Bata became
in the form which he had told to his elder brother. And Anpu sat upon his
back until the dawn. He came to the place where the King was, and they
made his Majesty to know of him; he saw him, and he was exceeding joyful
with him. He made for him great offerings, saying, “This is a great wonder
which has come to pass.” There were rejoicings over him in the whole land.
They presented unto him silver and gold for his elder brother, who went and
stayed in his village. They gave to the bull many men and many things, and
Pharaoh loved him exceedingly above all that is in this land.

And after many days after these things, the bull entered the purified place;
he stood in the place where the princess was; he began to speak with her,
saying, “Behold, I am alive indeed.” And she said to him, “And, pray, who
art thou?” He said to her, “I am Bata. I perceived when thou causedst that
they should destroy the acacia of Pharaoh, which was my abode, that I
might not be suffered to live. Behold, I am alive indeed, I am as an ox.”
Then the princess feared exceedingly for the words that her husband had
spoken to her. And he went out from the purified place.

And his Majesty was sitting, making a good day with her: she was at the
table of his Majesty, and the King was exceeding pleased with her. And she
said to his Majesty, “Swear [pg 148] to me by God, saying, ‘What thou
shalt say, I will obey it for thy sake.’ ” He hearkened unto all that she said,
even this. “Let me eat of the liver of the ox, because he is fit for naught.”
Thus spake she to him. And the King was exceeding sad at her words, the
heart of Pharaoh grieved him greatly. And after the land was lightened, and
the next day appeared, they proclaimed a great feast with offerings to the
ox. And the King sent one of the chief butchers of his Majesty, to cause the
ox to be sacrificed. And when he was sacrificed, as he was upon the
shoulders of the people, he shook his neck, and he threw two drops of blood
over against the two doors of his Majesty. The one fell upon the one side,
on the great door of Pharaoh, and the other upon the other door. They grew
as two great Persea trees, and each of them was excellent.

And one went to tell unto his Majesty, “Two great Persea trees have grown,
as a great marvel of his Majesty, in the night by the side of the great gate of
his Majesty.” And there was rejoicing for them in all the land, and there
were offerings made to them.

And when the days were multiplied after these things, his Majesty was
adorned with the blue crown, with garlands of flowers on his neck, and he
was upon the chariot of pale gold, and he went out from the palace to
behold the Persea trees: the princess also was going out with horses behind
his Majesty. And his Majesty sat beneath one of the Persea trees, and it
spake thus with his wife: “Oh thou deceitful one, I am Bata, I am alive,
though I have been evilly entreated. I knew who caused the acacia to be cut

down by Pharaoh at my dwelling. I then became an ox, and thou causedst
that I should be killed.”

And many days after these things the princess stood at the table of Pharaoh,
and the King was pleased with her. And she said to his Majesty, “Swear to
me by God, saying, ‘That which the princess shall say to me I will obey it
for her.’ ” And he hearkened unto all she said. And he commanded, “Let
these two Persea trees be cut down, and let them be made into goodly
planks.” And he hearkened unto all she said. And after this his Majesty sent
skilful craftsmen, and they cut down the Persea trees of Pharaoh; and the
princess, the royal wife, was standing looking on, and they did all that [pg
149] was in her heart unto the trees. But a chip flew up, and it entered into
the mouth of the princess; she swallowed it, and after many days she bore a
son. And one went to tell his Majesty, “There is born to thee a son.” And
they brought him, and gave to him a nurse and servants; and there were
rejoicings in the whole land. And the King sat making a merry day, as they
were about the naming of him, and his Majesty loved him exceedingly at
that moment, and the King raised him to be the royal son of Kush.

Now after the days had multiplied after these things, his Majesty made him
heir of all the land. And many days after that, when he had fulfilled many
years as heir, his Majesty flew up to heaven. And the heir said, “Let my
great nobles of his Majesty be brought before me, that I may make them to
know all that has happened to me.” And they brought also before him his
wife, and he judged with her before him, and they agreed with him. They
brought to him his elder brother; he made him hereditary prince in all his
land. He was thirty years King of Egypt, and he died, and his elder brother
stood in his place on the day of burial.

Excellently finished in peace, for the ka of the scribe of the treasury
Kagabu, of the treasury of Pharaoh, and for the scribe Hora, and the scribe
Meremapt. Written by the scribe Anena, the owner of this roll. He who
speaks against this roll, may Tahuti smite him.

Setna And The Magic Book

The mighty King User.maat.ra (Rameses the Great) had a son named Setna
Kha.em.uast who was a great scribe, and very learned in all the ancient
writings. And he heard that the magic book of Thoth, by which a man may
enchant heaven and earth, and know the language of all birds and beasts,
was buried in the cemetery of Memphis. And he went to search for it with
his brother An.he.hor.eru; and when they found the tomb of the King's son,
Na.nefer.ka.ptah, son of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Mer.neb.ptah,
Setna opened it and went in.

Now in the tomb was Na.nefer.ka.ptah, and with him was [pg 150] the ka of
his wife Ahura; for though she was buried at Koptos, her ka dwelt at
Memphis with her husband, whom she loved. And Setna saw them seated
before their offerings, and the book lay between them. And Na.nefer.ka.ptah
said to Setna, “Who are you that break into my tomb in this way?” He said,
“I am Setna, son of the great King User.maat.ra, living forever, and I come
for that book which I see between you.” And Na.nefer.ka.ptah said, “It
cannot be given to you.” Then said Setna, “But I will carry it away by
force.”

Then Ahura said to Setna, “Do not take this book; for it will bring trouble
on you, as it has upon us. Listen to what we have suffered for it.”

Ahura's Tale

“We were the two children of the King Mer.neb.ptah, and he loved us very
much, for he had no others; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah was in his palace as heir
over all the land. And when we were grown, the King said to the Queen, ‘I
will marry Na.nefer.ka.ptah to the daughter of a general, and Ahura to the

son of another general.’ And the Queen said, ‘No; he is the heir, let him
marry his sister, like the heir of a king; none other is fit for him.’ And the
King said, ‘That is not fair; they had better be married to the children of the
general.’

“And the Queen said, ‘It is you who are not dealing rightly with me.’ And
the King answered, ‘If I have no more than these two children, is it right
that they should marry one another? I will marry Na.nefer.ka.ptah to the
daughter of an officer, and Ahura to the son of another officer. It has often
been done so in our family.’

“And at a time when there was a great feast before the King, they came to
fetch me to the feast. And I was very troubled, and did not behave as I used
to do. And the King said to me, ‘Ahura, have you sent someone to me about
this sorry matter, saying, “Let me be married to my elder brother”?’ I said to
him, ‘Well, let me marry the son of an officer, and he marry the daughter of
another officer, as it often happens so in our family.’ I laughed, and the
King laughed. And the King told the steward of the palace, ‘Let them take
Ahura to the house of Na.nefer.ka.ptah to-night, and all kinds [pg 151] of
good things with her.’ So they brought me as a wife to the house of
Na.nefer.ka.ptah; and the King ordered them to give me presents of silver
and gold, and things from the palace.

“And Na.nefer.ka.ptah passed a happy time with me, and received all the
presents from the palace; and we loved one another. And when I expected a
child, they told the King, and he was most heartily glad; and he sent me
many things, and a present of the best silver and gold and linen. And when
the time came, I bore this little child that is before you. And they gave him
the name of Mer-ab, and registered him in the book of the ‘House of life.’

“And when my brother Na.nefer.ka.ptah went to the cemetery of Memphis,
he did nothing on earth but read the writings that are in the catacombs of the
kings, and the tablets of the ‘House of life,’ and the inscriptions that are
seen on the monuments, and he worked hard on the writings. And there was
a priest there called Nesi-ptah; and as Na.nefer.ka.ptah went into a temple to
pray, it happened that he went behind this priest, and was reading the
inscriptions that were on the chapels of the gods. And the priest mocked
him and laughed. So Na.nefer.ka.ptah said to him, ‘Why are you laughing at

me?’ And he replied, ‘I was not laughing at you, or if I happened to do so, it
was at your reading writings that are worthless. If you wish so much to read
writings, come to me, and I will bring you to the place where the book is
which Thoth himself wrote with his own hand, and which will bring you to
the gods. When you read but two pages in this you will enchant the heaven,
the earth, the abyss, the mountains, and the sea; you shall know what the
birds of the sky and the crawling things are saying; you shall see the fishes
of the deep, for a divine power is there to bring them up out of the depth.
And when you read the second page, if you are in the world of ghosts, you
will become again in the shape you were in on earth. You will see the sun
shining in the sky, with all the gods, and the full moon.’

“And Na.nefer.ka.ptah said: ‘By the life of the King! Tell me of anything
you want done and I'll do it for you, if you will only send me where this
book is.’ And the priest answered Na.nefer.ka.ptah, ‘If you want to go to the
place where the book is, you must give me 100 pieces of silver for [pg 152]
my funeral, and provide that they shall bury me as a rich priest.’ So
Na.nefer.ka.ptah called his lad and told him to give the priest 100 pieces of
silver; and he made them do as he wished, even everything that he asked
for. Then the priest said to Na.nefer.ka.ptah: ‘This book is in the middle of
the river at Koptos, in an iron box; in the iron box is a bronze box; in the
bronze box is a sycamore box; in the sycamore box is an ivory and ebony
box; in the ivory and ebony box is a silver box; in the silver box is a golden
box, and in that is the book. It is twisted all round with snakes and
scorpions and all the other crawling things around the box in which the
book is; and there is a deathless snake by the box.’ And when the priest told
Na.nefer.ka.ptah, he did not know where on earth he was, he was so much
delighted.

“And when he came from the temple he told me all that had happened to
him. And he said: ‘I shall go to Koptos, for I must fetch this book; I will not
stay any longer in the north.’ And I said, ‘Let me dissuade you, for you
prepare sorrow and you will bring me into trouble in the Thebaid.’ And I
laid my hand on Na.nefer.ka.ptah, to keep him from going to Koptos, but he
would not listen to me; and he went to the King, and told the King all that
the priest had said. The King asked him, ‘What is it that you want?’ and he
replied, ‘Let them give me the royal boat with its belongings, for I will go

to the south with Ahura and her little boy Mer-ab, and fetch this book
without delay.’ So they gave him the royal boat with its belongings, and we
went with him to the haven, and sailed from there up to Koptos.

“Then the priests of Isis of Koptos, and the high-priest of Isis, came down
to us without waiting, to meet Na.nefer.ka.ptah, and their wives also came
to me. We went into the temple of Isis and Harpokrates; and
Na.nefer.ka.ptah brought an ox, a goose, and some wine, and made a burnt-
offering and a drink-offering before Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. They
brought us to a very fine house, with all good things; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah
spent four days there and feasted with the priests of Isis of Koptos, and the
wives of the priests of Isis also made holiday with me.

“And the morning of the fifth day came; and Na.nefer.ka.ptah called a priest
to him, and made a magic cabin that was [pg 153] full of men and tackle.
He put the spell upon it, and put life in it, and gave them breath, and sank it
in the water. He filled the royal boat with sand, and took leave of me, and
sailed from the haven: and I sat by the river at Koptos that I might see what
would become of him. And he said, ‘Workmen, work for me, even at the
place where the book is.’ And they toiled by night and by day; and when
they had reached it in three days, he threw the sand out, and made a shoal in
the river. And then he found on it entwined serpents and scorpions and all
kinds of crawling things around the box in which the book was; and by it he
found a deathless snake around the box. And he laid the spell upon the
entwined serpents and scorpions and all kinds of crawling things which
were around the box, that they should not come out. And he went to the
deathless snake, and fought with him, and killed him; but he came to life
again, and took a new form. He then fought again with him a second time;
but he came to life again, and took a third form. He then cut him in two
parts, and put sand between the parts, that he should not appear again.

“Na.nefer.ka.ptah then went to the place where he found the box. He
uncovered a box of iron, and opened it; he found then a box of bronze, and
opened that; then he found a box of sycamore wood, and opened that; again,
he found a box of ivory and ebony, and opened that; yet, he found a box of
silver, and opened that; and then he found a box of gold; he opened that,
and found the book in it. He took the book from the golden box, and read a

page of spells from it. He enchanted the heaven and the earth, the abyss, the
mountains, and the sea; he knew what the birds of the sky, the fish of the
deep, and the beasts of the hills all said. He read another page of the spells,
and saw the sun shining in the sky, with all the gods, the full moon, and the
stars in their shapes; he saw the fishes of the deep, for a divine power was
present that brought them up from the water. He then read the spell upon the
workmen that he had made, and taken from the haven, and said to them,
‘Work for me, back to the place from which I came.’ And they toiled night
and day, and so he came back to the place where I sat by the river of
Koptos; I had not drunk nor eaten anything, and had done nothing on earth,
but sat like one who is gone to the grave.

[pg 154]
“I then told Na.nefer.ka.ptah that I wished to see this book, for which we
had taken so much trouble. He gave the book into my hands; and when I
read a page of the spells in it I also enchanted heaven and earth, the abyss,
the mountains, and the sea. I also knew what the birds of the sky, the fishes
of the deep, and the beasts of the hills all said. I read another page of the
spells, and I saw the sun shining in the sky with all the gods, the full moon,
and the stars in their shapes; I saw the fishes of the deep, for a divine power
was present that brought them up from the water. As I could not write, I
asked Na.nefer.ka.ptah, who was a good writer, and a very learned one; he
called for a new piece of papyrus, and wrote on it all that was in the book
before him. He dipped it in beer, and washed it off in the liquid; for he
knew that if it were washed off, and he drank it, he would know all that
there was in the writing.

“We returned back to Koptos the same day, and made a feast before Isis of
Koptos and Harpokrates. We then went to the haven and sailed, and went
northward of Koptos. And as we went on Thoth discovered all that
Na.nefer.ka.ptah had done with the book; and Thoth hastened to tell Ra, and
said, ‘Now know that my book and my revelation are with Na.nefer.ka.ptah,
son of the King Mer.neb.ptah. He has forced himself into my place, and
robbed it, and seized my box with the writings, and killed my guards who
protected it.’ And Ra replied to him, ‘He is before you, take him and all his
kin.’ He sent a power from heaven with the command, ‘Do not let
Na.nefer.ka.ptah return safe to Memphis with all his kin.’ And after this

hour, the little boy Mer-ab, going out from the awning of the royal boat, fell
into the river: he called on Ra, and everybody who was on the bank raised a
cry. Na.nefer.ka.ptah went out of the cabin, and read the spell over him; he
brought his body up because a divine power brought him to the surface. He
read another spell over him, and made him tell of all what happened to him,
and of what Thoth had said before Ra.

“We turned back with him to Koptos. We brought him to the Good House,
we fetched the people to him, and made one embalm him; and we buried
him in his coffin in the cemetery of Koptos like a great and noble person.

[pg 155]
“And Na.nefer.ka.ptah, my brother, said: ‘Let us go down, let us not delay,
for the King has not yet heard of what has happened to him, and his heart
will be sad about it.’ So we went to the haven, we sailed, and did not stay to
the north of Koptos. When we were come to the place where the little boy
Mer-ab had fallen into the water, I went out from the awning of the royal
boat, and I fell into the river. They called Na.nefer.ka.ptah, and he came out
from the cabin of the royal boat; he read a spell over me, and brought my
body up, because a divine power brought me to the surface. He drew me
out, and read the spell over me, and made me tell him of all that had
happened to me, and of what Thoth had said before Ra. Then he turned
back with me to Koptos, he brought me to the Good House, he fetched the
people to me, and made one embalm me, as great and noble people are
buried, and laid me in the tomb where Mer-ab my young child was.

“He turned to the haven, and sailed down, and delayed not in the north of
Koptos. When he was come to the place where we fell into the river, he said
to his heart: ‘Shall I not better turn back again to Koptos, that I may lie by
them? For, if not, when I go down to Memphis, and the King asks after his
children, what shall I say to him? Can I tell him, “I have taken your children
to the Thebaid, and killed them, while I remained alive, and I have come to
Memphis still alive”?’ Then he made them bring him a linen cloth of striped
byssus; he made a band, and bound the book firmly, and tied it upon him.
Na.nefer.ka.ptah then went out of the awning of the royal boat and fell into
the river. He cried on Ra; and all those who were on the bank made an

outcry, saying: ‘Great woe! Sad woe! Is he lost, that good scribe and able
man that has no equal?’

“The royal boat went on, without anyone on earth knowing where
Na.nefer.ka.ptah was. It went on to Memphis, and they told all this to the
King. Then the King went down to the royal boat in mourning, and all the
soldiers and high-priests of Ptah were in mourning, and all the officials and
courtiers. And when he saw Na.nefer.ka.ptah, who was in the inner cabin of
the royal boat—from his rank of high scribe—he lifted him up. And they
saw the book by him; and the King said, ‘Let one hide this book that is with
him.’ And [pg 156] the officers of the King, the priests of Ptah, and the
high-priest of Ptah, said to the King, ‘Our Lord, may the King live as long
as the sun! Na.nefer.ka.ptah was a good scribe, and a very skilful man.’ And
the King had him laid in his Good House to the sixteenth day, and then had
him wrapped to the thirty-fifth day, and laid him out to the seventieth day,
and then had him put in his grave in his resting-place.

“I have now told you the sorrow which has come upon us because of this
book for which you ask, saying, ‘Let it be given to me.’ You have no claim
to it; and, indeed, for the sake of it, we have given up our life on earth.”

And Setna said to Ahura, “Give me the book which I see between you and
Na.nefer.ka.ptah; for if you do not I will take it by force.” Then
Na.nefer.ka.ptah rose from his seat and said: “Are you Setna, to whom my
wife has told of all these blows of fate, which you have not suffered? Can
you take this book by your skill as a good scribe? If, indeed, you can play
games with me, let us play a game, then, of 52 points.” And Setna said, “I
am ready,” and the board and its pieces were put before him. And
Na.nefer.ka.ptah won a game from Setna; and he put the spell upon him,
and defended himself with the game board that was before him, and sunk
him into the ground above his feet. He did the same at the second game, and
won it from Setna, and sunk him into the ground to his waist. He did the
same at the third game, and made him sink into the ground up to his ears.
Then Setna struck Na.nefer.ka.ptah a great blow with his hand. And Setna
called his brother An.he.hor.eru and said to him, “Make haste and go up

upon earth, and tell the King all that has happened to me, and bring me the
talisman of my father Ptah, and my magic books.”

And he hurried up upon earth, and told the King all that had happened to
Setna. The King said, “Bring him the talisman of his father Ptah, and his
magic books.” And An.he.hor.eru hurried down into the tomb; he laid the
talisman on Setna, and he sprang up again immediately. And then Setna
reached out his hand for the book, and took it. Then—as Setna went out
from the tomb—there went a Light before him, and Darkness behind him.
And Ahura wept at him, and [pg 157] she said: “Glory to the King of
Darkness! Hail to the King of Light! all power is gone from the tomb.” But
Na.nefer.ka.ptah said to Ahura: “Do not let your heart be sad; I will make
him bring back this book, with a forked stick in his hand, and a fire-pan on
his head.” And Setna went out from the tomb, and it closed behind him as it
was before.

Then Setna went to the King, and told him everything that had happened to
him with the book. And the King said to Setna, “Take back the book to the
grave of Na.nefer.ka.ptah, like a prudent man, or else he will make you
bring it with a forked stick in your hand, and a fire-pan on your head.” But
Setna would not listen to him; and when Setna had unrolled the book he did
nothing on earth but read it to everybody.

[Here follows a story of how Setna, walking in the court of the temple of
Ptah, met Tabubua, a fascinating girl, daughter of a priest of Bast, of
Ankhtaui; how she repelled his advances, until she had beguiled him into
giving up all his possessions, and slaying his children. At the last she gives
a fearful cry and vanishes, leaving Setna bereft of even his clothes. This
would seem to be merely a dream, by the disappearance of Tabubua, and by
Setna finding his children alive after it all; but on the other hand he comes
to his senses in an unknown place, and is so terrified as to be quite ready to
make restitution to Na.nefer.ka.ptah. The episode, which is not creditable to
Egyptian society, seems to be intended for one of the vivid dreams which
the credulous readily accept as half realities.]

So Setna went to Memphis, and embraced his children for that they were
alive. And the King said to him, “Were you not drunk to do so?” Then Setna
told all things that had happened with Tabubua and Na.nefer.ka.ptah. And

the King said, “Setna, I have already lifted up my hand against you before,
and said, ‘He will kill you if you do not take back the book to the place you
took it from.’ But you have never listened to me till this hour. Now, then,
take the book to Na.nefer.ka.ptah, with a forked stick in your hand, and a
fire-pan on your head.”

So Setna went out from before the King, with a forked stick in his hand, and
a fire-pan on his head. He went down to the tomb in which was
Na.nefer.ka.ptah. And Ahura said to him, “It is Ptah, the great god, that has
brought you back safe.” [pg 158] Na.nefer.ka.ptah laughed, and he said,
“This is the business that I told you before.” And when Setna had praised
Na.nefer.ka.ptah, he found it as the proverb says, “The sun was in the whole
tomb.” And Ahura and Na.nefer.ka.ptah besought Setna greatly. And Setna
said, “Na.nefer.ka.ptah, is it aught disgraceful (that you lay on me to do)?”
And Na.nefer.ka.ptah said, “Setna, you know this, that Ahura and Mer-ab,
her child, behold! they are in Koptos; bring them here into this tomb, by the
skill of a good scribe. Let it be impressed upon you to take pains, and to go
to Koptos to bring them here.” Setna then went out from the tomb to the
King, and told the King all that Na.nefer.ka.ptah had told him.

The King said, “Setna, go to Koptos and bring back Ahura and Mer-ab.” He
answered the King, “Let one give me the royal boat and its belongings.”
And they gave him the royal boat and its belongings, and he left the haven,
and sailed without stopping till he came to Koptos.

And they made this known to the priests of Isis at Koptos and to the high-
priest of Isis; and behold they came down to him, and gave him their hand
to the shore. He went up with them and entered into the temple of Isis of
Koptos and of Harpokrates. He ordered one to offer for him an ox, a goose,
and some wine, and he made a burnt-offering and a drink-offering before
Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. He went to the cemetery of Koptos with the
priests of Isis and the high-priest of Isis. They dug about for three days and
three nights, for they searched even in all the catacombs which were in the
cemetery of Koptos; they turned over the steles of the scribes of the “double
house of life,” and read the inscriptions that they found on them. But they
could not find the resting-place of Ahura and Mer-ab.

Now Na.nefer.ka.ptah perceived that they could not find the resting-place of
Ahura and her child Mer-ab. So he raised himself up as a venerable, very
old, ancient, and came before Setna. And Setna saw him, and Setna said to
the ancient, “You look like a very old man; do you know where is the
resting-place of Ahura and her child Mer-ab?” The ancient said to Setna: “It
was told by the father of the father of my father to the father of my father,
and the father of my father has told it to my father; the resting-place of
Ahura and of her [pg 159] child Mer-ab is in a mound south of the town of
Pehemato(?).” And Setna said to the ancient, “Perhaps we may do damage
to Pehemato, and you are ready to lead one to the town for the sake of that.”
The ancient replied to Setna: “If one listens to me, shall he therefore destroy
the town of Pehemato! If they do not find Ahura and her child Mer-ab under
the south corner of their town may I be disgraced.” They attended to the
ancient, and found the resting-place of Ahura and her child Mer-ab under
the south corner of the town of Pehemato. Setna laid them in the royal boat
to bring them as honored persons, and restored the town of Pehemato as it
originally was. And Na.nefer.ka.ptah made Setna to know that it was he
who had come to Koptos, to enable them to find out where the resting-place
was of Ahura and her child Mer-ab.

So Setna left the haven in the royal boat, and sailed without stopping, and
reached Memphis with all the soldiers who were with him. And when they
told the King he came down to the royal boat. He took them as honored
persons escorted to the catacombs, in which Na.nefer.ka.ptah was, and
smoothed down the ground over them.

This is the completed writing of the tale of Setna Kha.em.uast, and
Na.nefer.ka.ptah, and his wife Ahura, and their child Mer-ab. It was written
in the 35th year, the month Tybi.

Tales Of The Magicians

One day, when King Khufu reigned over all the land, he said to his
chancellor, who stood before him, “Go call me my sons and my councillors,
that I may ask of them a thing.” And his sons and his councillors came and
stood before him, and he said to them, “Know ye a man who can tell me
tales of the deeds of the magicians?”

Then the royal son Khafra stood forth and said, “I will tell thy Majesty a
tale of the days of thy forefather Nebka, the blessed; of what came to pass
when he went into the temple of Ptah of Ankhtaui.”

[pg 160]

Khafra's Tale

“His Majesty was walking unto the temple of Ptah, and went unto the house
of the chief reciter Uba-aner, with his train. Now when the wife of Uba-aner
saw a page, among those who stood behind the King, her heart longed after
him; and she sent her servant unto him, with a present of a box full of
garments.

“And he came then with the servant. Now there was a lodge in the garden
of Uba-aner; and one day the page said to the wife of Uba-aner, ‘In the
garden of Uba-aner there is now a lodge; behold, let us therein take our
pleasure.’ So the wife of Uba-aner sent to the steward who had charge over
the garden, saying, ‘Let the lodge which is in the garden be made ready.’
And she remained there, and rested and drank with the page until the sun
went down.

“And when the even was now come the page went forth to bathe. And the
steward said, ‘I must go and tell Uba-aner of this matter.’ Now when this
day was past, and another day came, then went the steward to Uba-aner, and
told him of all these things.

“Then said Uba-aner, ‘Bring me my casket of ebony and electrum.’ And
they brought it; and he fashioned a crocodile of wax, seven fingers long:
and he enchanted it, and said, ‘When the page comes and bathes in my lake,
seize on him.’ And he gave it to the steward, and said to him, ‘When the
page shall go down into the lake to bathe, as he is daily wont to do, then
throw in this crocodile behind him.’ And the steward went forth bearing the
crocodile.

“And the wife of Uba-aner sent to the steward who had charge over the
garden, saying, ‘Let the lodge which is in the garden be made ready, for I
come to tarry there.’

“And the lodge was prepared with all good things; and she came and made
merry therein with the page. And when the even was now come, the page
went forth to bathe as he was wont to do. And the steward cast in the wax
crocodile after him into the water; and, behold! it became a great crocodile
seven cubits in length, and it seized on the page.

“And Uba-aner abode yet seven days with the King of [pg 161] Upper and
Lower Egypt, Nebka, the blessed, while the page was stifled in the
crocodile. And after the seven days were passed, the King of Upper and
Lower Egypt, Nebka, the blessed, went forth, and Uba-aner went before
him.

“And Uba-aner said unto his Majesty, ‘Will your Majesty come and see this
wonder that has come to pass in your days unto a page?’ And the King went
with Uba-aner. And Uba-aner called unto the crocodile and said, ‘Bring
forth the page.’ And the crocodile came forth from the lake with the page.
Uba-aner said unto the King, ‘Behold, whatever I command this crocodile
he will do it.’ And his Majesty said, ‘I pray you send back this crocodile.’
And Uba-aner stooped and took up the crocodile, and it became in his hand
a crocodile of wax. And then Uba-aner told the King that which had passed
in his house with the page and his wife. And his Majesty said unto the

crocodile, ‘Take to thee thy prey.’ And the crocodile plunged into the lake
with his prey, and no man knew whither he went.

“And his Majesty the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebka, the blessed,
commanded, and they brought forth the wife of Uba-aner to the north side
of the harem, and burned her with fire, and cast her ashes in the river.

“This is a wonder that came to pass in the days of thy forefather the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebka, of the acts of the chief reciter Uba-aner.”

His Majesty the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, then said, “Let
there be presented to the King Nebka, the blessed, 1,000 loaves, 100
draughts of beer, an ox, two jars of incense; and let there be presented a
loaf, a jar of beer, a jar of incense and a piece of meat to the chief reciter
Uba-aner; for I have seen the token of his learning.” And they did all things
as his Majesty commanded.

Bau-F-Ra's Tale

The royal son Bau-f-ra then stood forth and spake. He said, “I will tell thy
Majesty of a wonder which came to pass in the days of thy father Seneferu,
the blessed, of the deeds of the chief reciter Zazamankh. One day King
Seneferu, being weary, went throughout his palace seeking for a pleasure
[pg 162] to lighten his heart, but he found none. And he said, ‘Haste, and
bring before me the chief reciter and scribe of the rolls Zazamankh;’ and
they straightway brought him. And the King said, ‘I have sought in my
palace for some delight, but I have found none.’ Then said Zazamankh to
him, ‘Let thy Majesty go upon the lake of the palace, and let there be made
ready a boat, with all the fair maidens of the harem of thy palace; and the
heart of thy Majesty shall be refreshed with the sight, in seeing their rowing
up and down the water, and seeing the goodly pools of the birds upon the
lake, and beholding its sweet fields and grassy shores; thus will thy heart be
lightened. And I also will go with thee. Bring me twenty oars of ebony
inlaid with gold, with blades of light wood inlaid with electrum; and bring
me twenty maidens, fair in their limbs, their bosoms, and their hair, all

virgins; and bring me twenty nets, and give these nets unto the maidens for
their garments.’ And they did according to all the commands of his Majesty.

“And they rowed down the stream and up the stream, and the heart of his
Majesty was glad with the sight of their rowing. But one of them at the
steering struck her hair, and her jewel of new malachite fell into the water.
And she ceased her song, and rowed not; and her companions ceased, and
rowed not. And his Majesty said, ‘Row you not further?’ And they replied,
‘Our little steerer here stays and rows not.’ His Majesty then said to her,
‘Wherefore rowest thou not?’ She replied, ‘It is for my jewel of new
malachite which is fallen in the water.’ And he said to her, ‘Row on, for
behold I will replace it.’ And she answered, ‘But I want my own piece back
in its setting.’ And his Majesty said, ‘Haste, bring me the chief reciter
Zazamankh,’ and they brought him. And his Majesty said, ‘Zazamankh, my
brother, I have done as thou sayedst, and the heart of his Majesty is
refreshed with the sight of their rowing. But now a jewel of new malachite
of one of the little ones is fallen in the water, and she ceases and rows not,
and she has spoiled the rowing of her side. And I said to her, “Wherefore
rowest thou not?” and she answered to me, “It is for my jewel of new
malachite which is fallen in the water.” I replied to her, “Row on, for behold
[pg 163] I will replace it;” and she answered to me, “But I want my own
piece again back in its setting.” ’ Then the chief reciter Zazamankh spake
his magic speech. And he placed one part of the waters of the lake upon the
other, and discovered the jewel lying upon a shard; and he took it up and
gave it unto its mistress. And the water, which was twelve cubits deep in the
middle, reached now to twenty-four cubits after he turned it. And he spake,
and used his magic speech; and he brought again the water of the lake to its
place. And his Majesty spent a joyful day with the whole of the royal house.
Then rewarded he the chief reciter Zazamankh with all good things. Behold,
this is a wonder that came to pass in the days of thy father, the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt, Seneferu, of the deeds of the chief reciter, the
scribe of the rolls, Zazamankh.”

Then said the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, the
blessed, “Let there be presented an offering of 1,000 cakes, 100 draughts of
beer, an ox, and two jars of incense to the King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Seneferu, the blessed; and let there be given a loaf, a jar of beer, and a jar of

incense to the chief reciter, the scribe of the rolls, Zazamankh; for I have
seen the token of his learning.” And they did all things as his Majesty
commanded.

Hordedef's Tale

The royal son Hordedef then stood forth and spake. He said: “Hitherto hast
thou only heard tokens of those who have gone before, and of which no
man knoweth their truth. But I will show thy Majesty a man of thine own
days.” And his Majesty said, “Who is he, Hordedef?” And the royal son
Hordedef answered, “It is a certain man named Dedi, who dwells at
Dedsneferu. He is a man of 110 years old; and he eats 500 loaves of bread
and a side of beef, and drinks 100 draughts of beer, unto this day. He knows
how to restore the head that is smitten off; he knows how to cause the lion
to follow him trailing his halter on the ground; he knows the designs of the
dwelling of Tahuti. The majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Khufu, the blessed, has long sought for the designs of the dwelling of
Tahuti, that he may make the like of them in his pyramid.”

[pg 164]
And his Majesty said, “Thou, thyself, Hordedef, my son, bring him to me.”
Then were the ships made ready for the King's son Hordedef, and he went
up the stream to Dedsneferu. And when the ships had moored at the haven,
he landed, and sat him in a litter of ebony, the poles of which were of cedar
wood overlaid with gold. Now when he drew near to Dedi, they set down
the litter. And he arose to greet Dedi, and found him lying on a palmstick
couch at the door of his house; one servant held his head and rubbed him,
and another rubbed his feet.

And the King's son Hordedef said, “Thy state is that of one who lives to
good old age; for old age is the end of our voyage, the time of embalming,
the time of burial. Lie, then, in the sun, free of infirmities, without the
babble of dotage: this is the salutation to worthy age. I come from far to call
thee, with a message from my father Khufu, the blessed, for thou shalt eat

of the best which the King gives, and of the food which those have who
follow after him; that he may bring thee in good estate to thy fathers who
are in the tomb.”

And Dedi replied to him: “Peace to thee! Peace to thee! Hordedef, son of
the King, beloved of his father. May thy father Khufu, the blessed, praise
thee, may he advance thee among the elders, may thy ka prevail against the
enemy, may thy soul know the right road to the gate of him who clothes the
afflicted; this is the salutation to the King's son.” Then the King's son,
Hordedef, stretched forth his hands to him, and raised him up, and went
with him to the haven, giving unto him his arm. Then said Dedi, “Let there
be given me a boat, to bring me my youths and my books.” And they made
ready for him two boats with their rowers. And Dedi went down the river in
the barge in which was the King's son, Hordedef. And when he had reached
the palace, the King's son, Hordedef, entered in to give account unto his
Majesty the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Khufu, the blessed. Then said
the King's son Hordedef, “O King, life, wealth, and health! My lord, I have
brought Dedi.” His Majesty replied, “Bring him to me speedily.” And his
Majesty went into the hall of columns of Pharaoh (life, wealth, and health),
and Dedi was led before him. And his Majesty said, “Wherefore [pg 165] is
it, Dedi, that I have not yet seen thee?” And Dedi answered: “He who is
called it is that comes; the King (life, wealth, and health) calls me, and
behold I come.” And his Majesty said, “Is it true, that which men say, that
thou canst restore the head which is smitten off?” And Dedi replied, “Truly,
I know that, O King (life, wealth, and health), my lord.” And his Majesty
said, “Let one bring me a prisoner who is in prison, that his punishment
may be fulfilled.” And Dedi said: “Let it not be a man, O King, my lord;
behold we do not even thus to our cattle.” And a duck was brought unto
him, and its head was cut off. And the duck was laid on the west side of the
hall, and its head on the east side of the hall. And Dedi spake his magic
speech. And the duck fluttered along the ground, and its head came
likewise; and when it had come part to part the duck stood and quacked.
And they brought likewise a goose before him, and he did even so unto it.
His Majesty caused an ox to be brought, and its head cast on the ground.
And Dedi spake his magic speech. And the ox stood upright behind him,
and followed him with his halter trailing on the ground.

And King Khufu said, “And is it true what is said, that thou knowest the
number of the designs of the dwelling of Tahuti?” And Dedi replied,
“Pardon me, I know not their number, O King (life, wealth, and health), but
I know where they are.” And his Majesty said, “Where is that?” And Dedi
replied: “There is a chest of whetstone in a chamber named the plan-room,
in Heliopolis; they are in this chest.” And Dedi said further unto him, “O
King (life, wealth, and health), my lord, it is not I that is to bring them to
thee.” And his Majesty said, “Who, then, is it that shall bring them to me?”
And Dedi answered to him, “It is the eldest of the three children who are in
the body of Rud-didet who shall bring them to thee.” And his Majesty said:
“Would that it may be as thou sayest! And who is this Rud-didet?” And
Dedi replied: “She is the wife of a priest of Ra, lord of Sakhebu. And she
has conceived these three sons by Ra, lord of Sakhebu, and the god has
promised her that they shall fulfil this noble office (of reigning) over all this
land, and that the eldest of them shall be high-priest in Heliopolis.” And his
Majesty's heart became [pg 166] troubled for this; but Dedi spake unto him:
“What is this that thou thinkest, O King (life, wealth, health), my lord? Is it
because of these three children? I tell thee thy son shall reign, and thy son's
son, and then one of them.” His Majesty said, “And when shall Rud-didet
bear these?” And he replied, “She shall bear them on the twenty-fifth of the
month Tybi.” And his Majesty said, “When the banks of the canal of
Letopolis are cut, I will walk there that I may see the temple of Ra, lord of
Sakhebu.” And Dedi replied, “Then I will cause that there be four cubits of
water by the banks of the canal of Letopolis.” When his Majesty returned to
his palace, his Majesty said: “Let them place Dedi in the house of the royal
son Hordedef, that he may dwell with him, and let them give him a daily
portion of 1,000 loaves, 100 draughts of beer, an ox, and 100 bunches of
onions.” And they did everything as his Majesty commanded.

And one day it came to pass that Rud-didet felt the pains of birth. And the
majesty of Ra, Lord of Sakhebu, said unto Isis, to Nebhat, to Meskhent, to
Hakt, and to Khnumu: “Go ye, and deliver Rud-didet of these three children
that she shall bear, who are to fulfil this noble office over all this land; that
they may build up your temples, furnish your altars with offerings, supply
your tables of libation, and increase your endowments.” Then went these
deities; their fashion they made as that of dancing-girls, and Khnumu was
with them as a porter. They drew near unto the house of Ra-user, and found

him standing, with his girdle fallen. And they played before him with their
instruments of music. But he said unto them, “My ladies, behold, here is a
woman who feels the pains of birth.” They said to him, “Let us see her, for
we know how to help her.” And he replied, “Come, then.” And they entered
in straightway to Rud-didet, and they closed the door on her and on
themselves. Then Isis stood before her, and Nebhat stood behind her, and
Hakt helped her. And Isis said, “O child, by thy name of User-ref, do not do
violence.” And the child came upon her hands, as a child of a cubit; its
bones were strong, the beauty of its limbs was like gold, and its hair was
like true lapis-lazuli. They washed him, and prepared him, and placed him
on a carpet on the brickwork. Then [pg 167] Meskhent approached him and
said, “This is a king who shall reign over all the land.” And Khnumu gave
strength to his limbs. Then Isis stood before her, and Nebhat stood behind
her, and Hakt helped her. And Isis said, “O child, by thy name of Sah-ra,
stay not in her.” Then the child came upon her hands, a child of a cubit; its
bones were strong, the beauty of its limbs was like gold, and its hair was
like true lapis-lazuli. They washed him, and prepared him, and laid him on a
carpet on the brickwork. Then Meskhent approached him and said, “This is
a king who shall reign over all the land.” And Khnumu gave strength to his
limbs. Then Isis stood before her, and Nebhat stood behind her, and Hakt
helped her. And Isis said, “O child, by thy name of Kaku, remain not in
darkness in her.” And the child came upon her hands, a child of a cubit; its
bones were strong, the beauty of its limbs was like gold, and its hair was
like true lapis-lazuli. And Meskhent approached him and said, “This is a
king who shall reign over all the land.” And Khnumu gave strength to his
limbs. And they washed him, and prepared him, and laid him on a carpet on
the brickwork.

And the deities went out, having delivered Rud-didet of the three children.
And they said, “Rejoice! O Ra-user, for behold three children are born unto
thee.” And he said unto them, “My ladies, and what shall I give unto ye?
Behold, give this bushel of barley here unto your porter, that ye may take it
as your reward to the brew-house.” And Khnumu loaded himself with the
bushel of barley. And they went away toward the place from which they
came. And Isis spake unto these goddesses, and said, “Wherefore have we
come without doing a marvel for these children, that we may tell it to their
father who has sent us?” Then made they the divine diadems of the King

(life, wealth, and health), and laid them in the bushel of barley. And they
caused the clouds to come with wind and rain; and they turned back again
unto the house. And they said, “Let us put this barley in a closed chamber,
sealed up, until we return northward, dancing.” And they placed the barley
in a close chamber.

And Rud-didet purified herself, with a purification of fourteen days. And
she said to her handmaid, “Is the house made [pg 168] ready?” And she
replied, “All things are made ready, but the brewing barley is not yet
brought.” And Rud-didet said, “Wherefore is the brewing barley not yet
brought?” And the servant answered, “It would all of it long since be ready
if the barley had not been given to the dancing-girls, and lay in the chamber
under their seal.” Rud-didet said, “Go down, and bring of it, and Ra-user
shall give them in its stead when he shall come.” And the handmaid went,
and opened the chamber. And she heard talking and singing, music and
dancing, quavering, and all things which are performed for a king in his
chamber. And she returned and told to Rud-didet all that she had heard. And
she went through the chamber, but she found not the place where the sound
was. And she laid her temple to the sack, and found that the sounds were in
it. She placed it in a chest, and put that in another locker, and tied it fast
with leather, and laid it in the storeroom, where the things were, and sealed
it. And Ra-user came returning from the field; and Rud-didet repeated unto
him these things; and his heart was glad above all things; and they sat down
and made a joyful day.

And after these days it came to pass that Rud-didet was wroth with her
servant, and beat her with stripes. And the servant said unto those that were
in the house: “Shall it be done thus unto me? She has borne three kings, and
I will go and tell this to his Majesty King Khufu the blessed.” And she
went, and found the eldest brother of her mother, who was binding his flax
on the floor. And he said to her, “Whither goest thou, my little maid?” And
she told him of all these things. And her brother said to her: “Wherefore
comest thou thus to me? Shall I agree to treachery?” And he took a bunch of
the flax to her, and laid on her a violent blow. And the servant went to fetch
a handful of water, and a crocodile carried her away.

Her uncle went therefore to tell of this to Rud-didet; and he found Rud-
didet sitting, her head on her knees, and her heart beyond measure sad. And
he said to her, “My lady, why makest thou thy heart thus?” And she
answered, “It is because of this little wretch that was in the house; behold
she went out saying, ‘I will go and tell it.’ ” And he [pg 169] bowed his
head unto the ground, and said, “My lady, she came and told me of these
things, and made her complaint unto me; and I laid on her a violent blow.
And she went forth to draw water, and a crocodile carried her away.”

(The rest of the tale is lost.)

The Peasant And The Workman

There dwelt in the Sekhet Hemat—or Salt Country—a peasant called the
Sekhti, with his wife and children, his asses and his dogs; and he trafficked
in all good things of the Sekhet Hemat to Henenseten. Behold now he went
with rushes, natron, and salt, with wood and pods, with stones and seeds,
and all good products of the Sekhet Hemat. And this Sekhti journeyed to the
south unto Henenseten; and when he came to the lands of the house of Fefa,
north of Denat, he found a man there standing on the bank, a man called
Hemti—the workman—son of a man called Asri, who was a serf of the
high-steward Meruitensa. Now said this Hemti, when he saw the asses of
Sekhti, that were pleasing in his eyes, “Oh that some good god would grant
me to steal away the goods of Sekhti from him!”

Now the Hemti's house was by the dike of the tow-path, which was
straightened, and not wide, as much as the width of a waistcloth: on the one
side of it was the water, and on the other side of it grew his corn. Hemti said
then to his servant, “Hasten! bring me a shawl from the house,” and it was
brought instantly. Then spread he out this shawl on the face of the dike, and
it lay with its fastening on the water and its fringe on the corn.

Now Sekhti approached along the path used by all men. Said Hemti: “Have
a care, Sekhti! you are not going to trample on my clothes!” Said Sekhti, “I
will do as you like, I will pass carefully.” Then went he up on the higher
side. But Hemti said, “Go you over my corn, instead of the path?” Said
Sekhti: “I am going carefully; this high field of corn is not my choice, but
you have stopped your path with your clothes, and will you then not let us
pass by the side of the path?” And one of the asses filled its [pg 170] mouth
with a cluster of corn. Said Hemti: “Look you, I shall take away your ass,
Sekhti, for eating my corn; behold it will have to pay according to the
amount of the injury.” Said Sekhti: “I am going carefully; the one way is
stopped, therefore took I my ass by the inclosed ground; and do you seize it
for filling its mouth with a cluster of corn? Moreover, I know unto whom

this domain belongs, even unto the lord steward Meruitensa. He it is who
smites every robber in this whole land; and shall I then be robbed in his
domain?”

Said Hemti, “This is the proverb which men speak: ‘A poor man's name is
only his own matter.’ I am he of whom you spake, even the lord steward of
whom you think.” Thereon he took to him branches of green tamarisk and
scourged all his limbs, took his asses, and drave them into the pasture. And
Sekhti wept very greatly, by reason of the pain of what he had suffered.
Said Hemti, “Lift not up your voice, Sekhti, or you shall go to the demon of
silence.” Sekhti answered: “You beat me, you steal my goods, and now
would take away even my voice, O demon of silence! If you will restore my
goods, then will I cease to cry out at your violence.”

Sekhti stayed the whole day petitioning Hemti, but he would not give ear
unto him. And Sekhti went his way to Khenensuten to complain to the lord
steward Meruitensa. He found him coming out from the door of his house
to embark on his boat, that he might go to the judgment-hall. Sekhti said:
“Ho! turn, that I may please thy heart with this discourse. Now at this time
let one of thy followers, whom thou wilt, come to me that I may send him
to thee concerning it.” The lord steward Meruitensa made his follower,
whom he chose, go straight unto him, and Sekhti sent him back with an
account of all these matters. Then the lord steward Meruitensa accused
Hemti unto the nobles who sat with him; and they said unto him: “By your
leave: As to this Sekhti of yours, let him bring a witness. Behold thou it is
our custom with our Sekhtis; witnesses come with them; behold, that is our
custom. Then it will be fitting to beat this Hemti for a trifle of natron and a
trifle of salt; if he is commanded to pay for it, he will pay for it.” But the
high steward Meruitensa held his [pg 171] peace; for he would not reply
unto these nobles, but would reply unto the Sekhti.

Now Sekhti came to appeal to the lord steward Meruitensa, and said, “O my
lord steward, greatest of the great, guide of the needy:

When thou embarkest on the lake of truth—
Mayest thou sail upon it with a fair wind;
May thy mainsail not fly loose.

May there not be lamentation in thy cabin;
May not misfortune come after thee.
May not thy mainstays be snapped;
Mayest thou not run aground.
May not the wave seize thee;
Mayest thou not taste the impurities of the river;
Mayest thou not see the face of fear.

May the fish come to thee without escape;
Mayest thou reach unto plump water-fowl.
For thou art the orphan's father, the widow's husband,
The desolate woman's brother, the garment of the motherless.
Let me celebrate thy name in this land for every virtue,
A guide without greediness of heart;
A great one without any meanness.

Destroying deceit, encouraging justice;
Coming to the cry, and allowing utterance.

Let me speak, do thou hear and do justice;
O praised! whom the praised ones praise.

Abolish oppression, behold me, I am overladen,
Reckon with me, behold me defrauded.”

Now the Sekhti made this speech in the time of the majesty of the King
Neb-ka-n-ra, blessed. The lord steward Meruitensa went away straight to
the King and said: “My lord, I have found one of these Sekhti, excellent of
speech, in very truth; stolen are his goods, and he has come to complain to
me of the matter.”

His Majesty said: “As thou wishest that I may see health! lengthen out his
complaint, without replying to any of his speeches. He who desireth him to
continue speaking should be silent; behold, bring us his words in writing,
that we may listen to them. But provide for his wife and his children, and
[pg 172] let the Sekhti himself also have a living. Thou must cause one to
give him his portion without letting him know that thou art he who is giving
it to him.”

There were given to him four loaves and two draughts of beer each day;
which the lord steward Meruitensa provided for him, giving it to a friend of
his, who furnished it unto him. Then the lord steward Meruitensa sent the
governor of the Sekhet Hemat to make provision for the wife of the Sekhti,
three rations of corn each day.

Then came the Sekhti a second time, and even a third time, unto the lord
steward Meruitensa; but he told two of his followers to go unto the Sekhti,
and seize on him, and beat him with staves. But he came again unto him,
even unto six times, and said:

“My Lord Steward—
Destroying deceit, and encouraging justice;
Raising up every good thing, and crushing every evil;
As plenty comes removing famine,
As clothing covers nakedness,
As clear sky after storm warms the shivering;
As fire cooks that which is raw,
As water quenches the thirst;
Look with thy face upon my lot; do not covet, but content me without fail; do
the right and do not evil,”

But yet Meruitensa would not hearken unto his complaint; and the Sekhti
came yet, and yet again, even unto the ninth time. Then the lord steward
told two of his followers to go unto the Sekhti; and the Sekhti feared that he
should be beaten as at the third request. But the lord steward Meruitensa
then said unto him: “Fear not, Sekhti, for what thou hast done. The Sekhti
has made many speeches, delightful to the heart of his Majesty, and I take
an oath—as I eat bread, and as I drink water—that thou shalt be
remembered to eternity.” Said the lord steward, “Moreover, thou shalt be
satisfied when thou shalt hear of thy complaints.” He caused to be written
on a clean roll of papyrus each petition to the end, and the lord steward
Meruitensa sent it to the majesty of the King Neb-ka-n-ra, blessed, and it
was good to him more than anything that is in the whole land: but his
Majesty said to Meruitensa: “Judge it thyself; I do not desire it.”

[pg 173]
The lord steward Meruitensa made two of his followers to go to the Sekhet
Hemat, and bring a list of the household of the Sekhti; and its amount was
six persons, beside his oxen and his goats, his wheat and his barley, his
asses and his dogs; and moreover he gave all that which belonged unto the
Hemti to the Sekhti, even all his property and his officers, and the Sekhti
was beloved of the King more than all his overseers, and ate of all the good
things of the King, with all his household.

The Shipwrecked Sailor

The wise servant said: “Let thy heart be satisfied, O my lord, for that we
have come back to the country; after we have long been on board, and
rowed much, the prow has at last touched land. All the people rejoice, and
embrace us one after another. Moreover, we have come back in good health,
and not a man is lacking; although we have been to the ends of Wawat, and
gone through the land of Senmut, we have returned in peace, and our land
—behold, we have come back to it. Hear me, my lord; I have no other
refuge. Wash thee, and turn the water over thy fingers; then go and tell the
tale to the Majesty.”

His lord replied: “Thy heart continues still its wandering words! but
although the mouth of a man may save him, his words may also cover his
face with confusion. Wilt thou do then as thy heart moves thee? This that
thou wilt say, tell quietly.”

The sailor then answered: “Now I shall tell that which has happened to me,
to my very self. I was going to the mines of Pharaoh, and I went down on
the sea on a ship of 150 cubits long and forty cubits wide, with 150 sailors
of the best of Egypt, who had seen heaven and earth, and whose hearts were
stronger than lions. They had said that the wind would not be contrary, or
that there would be none. But as we approached the land the wind arose,
and threw up waves eight cubits high. As for me, I seized a piece of wood;
but those who were in the vessel perished, without one remaining. A wave
threw me on an island, after that I had been three [pg 174] days alone,
without a companion beside my own heart. I laid me in a thicket, and the
shadow covered me. Then stretched I my limbs to try to find something for
my mouth. I found there figs and grapes, all manner of good herbs, berries
and grain, melons of all kinds, fishes and birds. Nothing was lacking. And I
satisfied myself; and left on the ground that which was over, of what my
arms had been filled withal. I dug a pit, I lighted a fire, and I made a burnt-
offering unto the gods.

“Suddenly I heard a noise as of thunder, which I thought to be that of a
wave of the sea. The trees shook, and the earth was moved. I uncovered my
face, and I saw that a serpent drew near. He was thirty cubits long, and his
beard greater than two cubits; his body was as overlaid with gold, and his
color as that of true lazuli. He coiled himself before me.

“Then he opened his mouth, while that I lay on my face before him, and he
said to me: ‘What has brought thee, what has brought thee, little one, what
has brought thee? If thou sayest not speedily what has brought thee to this
isle, I will make thee know thyself; as a flame thou shalt vanish, if thou
tellest me not something I had not heard, or which I knew not, before thee.’

“Then he took me in his mouth and carried me to his resting-place, and laid
me down without any hurt. I was whole and sound, and nothing was gone
from me. Then he opened his mouth against me, while that I lay on my face
before him, and he said, ‘What has brought thee, what has brought thee,
little one, what has brought thee to this isle which is in the sea, and of
which the shores are in the midst of the waves?’

“Then I replied to him, and holding my arms low before him, I said to him:
‘I was embarked for the mines by the order of the majesty, in a ship; 150
cubits was its length, and the width of it forty cubits. It had 150 sailors of
the best of Egypt, who had seen heaven and earth, and the hearts of whom
were stronger than lions. They said that the wind would not be contrary, or
that there would be none. Each of them exceeded his companion in the
prudence of his heart and the strength of his arm, and I was not beneath any
of them. A storm came upon us while we were on the sea. Hardly could we
reach to the shore when the wind waxed yet greater, [pg 175] and the waves
rose even eight cubits. As for me, I seized a piece of wood, while those who
were in the boat perished without one being left with me for three days.
Behold me now before thee, for I was brought to this isle by a wave of the
sea.’

“Then said he to me: ‘Fear not, fear not, little one, and make not thy face
sad. If thou hast come to me, it is God who has let thee live. For it is he who
has brought thee to this isle of the blest, where nothing is lacking, and
which is filled with all good things. See now, thou shalt pass one month
after another, until thou shalt be four months in this isle. Then a ship shall

come from thy land with sailors, and thou shalt leave with them and go to
thy country, and thou shalt die in thy town.’

“ ‘Converse is pleasing, and he who tastes of it passes over his misery. I will
therefore tell thee of that which is in this isle. I am here with my brethren
and my children around me; we are seventy-five serpents, children and
kindred; without naming a young girl who was brought unto me by chance,
and on whom the fire of heaven fell, and burnt her to ashes.

“ ‘As for thee if thou art strong, and if thy heart waits patiently, thou shalt
press thy infants to thy bosom and embrace thy wife. Thou shalt return to
thy house, which is full of all good things; thou shalt see thy land, where
thou shalt dwell in the midst of thy kindred.’

“Then I bowed, in my obeisance, and I touched the ground before him.
‘Behold now that which I have told thee before. I shall tell of thy presence
unto Pharaoh, I shall make him to know of thy greatness, and I will bring to
thee of the sacred oils and perfumes, and of incense of the temples with
which all gods are honored. I shall tell, moreover, of that which I do now
see (thanks to him), and there shall be rendered to thee praises before the
fulness of all the land. I shall slay asses for thee in sacrifice, I shall pluck
for thee the birds, and I shall bring for thee ships full of all kinds of the
treasures of Egypt, as is comely to do unto a god, a friend of men in a far
country, of which men know not.’

“Then he smiled at my speech, because of that which was in his heart, for
he said to me: ‘Thou art not rich in perfumes, for all that thou hast is but
common incense. As for me I am Prince of the land of Punt, and I have
perfumes. [pg 176] Only the oil which thou sayest thou wouldst bring is not
common in this isle. But, when thou shalt depart from this place, thou shalt
never more see this isle; it shall be changed into waves.’

“And, behold, when the ship drew near, according to all that he had told me
before, I got me up into an high tree, to strive to see those who were within
it. Then I came and told to him this matter; but it was already known unto
him before. Then he said to me: ‘Farewell, farewell; go to thy house, little
one, see again thy children, and let thy name be good in thy town; these are
my wishes for thee.’

“Then I bowed myself before him, and held my arms low before him, and
he, he gave me gifts of precious perfumes, of cassia, of sweet woods, of
kohl, of cypress, an abundance of incense, of ivory tusks, of baboons, of
apes, and all kinds of precious things. I embarked all in the ship which was
come, and, bowing myself, I prayed God for him.

“Then he said to me, ‘Behold thou shalt come to thy country in two months,
thou shalt press to thy bosom thy children, and thou shalt rest in thy tomb.’
After this I went down to the shore unto the ship, and I called to the sailors
who were there. Then on the shore I rendered adoration to the master of this
isle and to those who dwelt therein.

“When we shall come, in our return, to the house of Pharaoh, in the second
month, according to all that the serpent has said, we shall approach unto the
palace. And I shall go in before Pharaoh, I shall bring the gifts which I have
brought from this isle into the country. Then he shall thank me before the
fulness of all the land. Grant them unto me a follower, and lead me to the
courtiers of the King. Cast thy eye upon me, after that I am come to land
again, after that I have both seen and proved this. Hear my prayer, for it is
good to listen to people. It was said unto me, ‘Become a wise man, and thou
shalt come to honor,’ and behold I have become such.”

This is finished from its beginning unto its end, even as it was found in a
writing. It is written by the scribe of cunning fingers Ameni-amen-aa; may
he live in life, wealth, and health!

[pg 177]

The Adventures Of Sanehat

The hereditary prince, royal seal-bearer, confidential friend, judge, keeper
of the gate of the foreigners, true and beloved royal acquaintance, the royal
follower Sanehat says:

I attended my lord as a follower of the King, of the house of the hereditary
princess, the greatly favored, the royal wife, Ankhet-Usertesen, who shares
the dwelling of the royal son Amenemhat in Kanefer.

In the thirtieth year, the month Paophi, the seventh day the god entered his
horizon, the King Sehotepabra flew up to heaven and joined the sun's disk,
the follower of the god met his maker. The palace was silenced, and in
mourning, the great gates were closed, the courtiers crouching on the
ground, the people in hushed mourning.

His Majesty had sent a great army with the nobles to the land of the Temehu
(Lybia), his son and heir, the good god King Usertesen as their leader. Now
he was returning, and had brought away living captives and all kinds of
cattle without end. The councillors of the palace had sent to the West to let
the King know the matter that had come to pass in the inner hall. The
messenger was to meet him on the road, and reach him at the time of
evening: the matter was urgent. “A hawk had soared with his followers.”
Thus said he, not to let the army know of it. Even if the royal sons who
commanded in that army send a message, he was not to speak to a single
one of them. But I was standing near, and heard his voice while he was
speaking. I fled far away, my heart beating, my arms failing, trembling had
fallen on all my limbs. I turned about in running to seek a place to hide me,
and I threw myself between two bushes, to wait while they should pass by.
Then I turned me toward the south, not from wishing to come into this place
—for I knew not if war was declared—nor even thinking a wish to live after
this sovereign, I turned my back to the sycamore, I reached Shi-Seneferu,
and rested on the open field. In the morning I went on and overtook a man,

who passed by the edge of the road. He asked of me mercy, for he feared
me. By the evening I drew near to Kher-ahau (? old Cairo), and I crossed
the river on a raft [pg 178] without a rudder. Carried over by the west wind,
I passed over to the east to the quarries of Aku and the land of the goddess
Herit, mistress of the red mountain (Gebel Ahmar). Then I fled on foot,
northward, and reached the walls of the prince, built to repel the Sati. I
crouched in a bush for fear of being seen by the guards, changed each day,
who watch on the top of the fortress. I took my way by night, and at the
lighting of the day I reached Peten, and turned me toward the valley of
Kemur. Then thirst hasted me on; I dried up, and my throat narrowed, and I
said, “This is the taste of death.” When I lifted up my heart and gathered
strength, I heard a voice and the lowing of cattle. I saw men of the Sati, and
one of them—a friend unto Egypt—knew me. Behold he gave me water and
boiled me milk, and I went with him to his camp; they did me good, and
one tribe passed me on to another. I passed on to Sun, and reached the land
of Adim (Edom).

When I had dwelt there half a year Amu-an-shi—who is the Prince of the
Upper Tenu—sent for me and said: “Dwell thou with me that thou mayest
hear the speech of Egypt.” He said thus for that he knew of my excellence,
and had heard tell of my worth, for men of Egypt who were there with him
bore witness of me. Behold he said to me: “For what cause hast thou come
hither? Has a matter come to pass in the palace? Has the King of the two
lands, Sehetepabra, gone to heaven? That which has happened about this is
not known.” But I answered with concealment, and said: “When I came
from the land of the Tamahu, and my desires were there changed in me, if I
fled away it was not by reason of remorse that I took the way of a fugitive; I
have not failed in my duty, my mouth has not said any bitter words, I have
not heard any evil counsel, my name has not come into the mouth of a
magistrate. I know not by what I have been led into this land.” And Amu-
an-shi said: “This is by the will of the god (King of Egypt); for what is a
land like if it know not that excellent god, of whom the dread is upon the
lands of strangers, as they dread Sekhet in a year of pestilence?” I spake to
him, and replied: “Forgive me; his son now enters the palace, and has
received the heritage of his father. He is a god who has none like him, and
there is none before him. He is a master of wisdom, prudent in his designs,
excellent [pg 179] in his decrees, with good-will to him who goes or who

comes; he subdued the land of strangers while his father yet lived in his
palace, and he rendered account of that which his father destined him to
perform. He is a brave man, who verily strikes with his sword; a valiant
one, who has not his equal; he springs upon the barbarians, and throws
himself on the spoilers; he breaks the horns and weakens the hands, and
those whom he smites cannot raise the buckler. He is fearless, and dashes
the heads, and none can stand before him. He is swift of foot, to destroy
him who flies; and none who flees from him reaches his home. His heart is
strong in his time; he is a lion who strikes with the claw, and never has he
turned his back. His heart is closed to pity; and when he sees multitudes, he
leaves none to live behind him. He is a valiant one who springs in front
when he sees resistance; he is a warrior who rejoices when he flies on the
barbarians. He seizes the buckler, he rushes forward, he never needs to
strike again, he slays and none can turn his lance; and when he takes the
bow the barbarians flee from his arms like dogs; for the great goddess has
given to him to strike those who know her not; and if he reaches forth he
spares none, and leaves naught behind. He is a friend of great sweetness,
who knows how to gain love; his land loves him more than itself, and
rejoices in him more than in its own god; men and women run to his call. A
king, he has ruled from his birth; he, from his birth, has increased births, a
sole being, a divine essence, by whom this land rejoices to be governed. He
enlarges the borders of the South; but he covets not the lands of the North:
he does not smite the Sati, nor crush the Nemau-shau. If he descends here,
let him know thy name, by the homage which thou wilt pay to his majesty.
For he refuses not to bless the land which obeys him.”

And he replied to me: “Egypt is indeed happy and well settled; behold thou
art far from it, but whilst thou art with me I will do good unto thee.” And he
placed me before his children, he married his eldest daughter to me, and
gave me the choice of all his land, even among the best of that which he had
on the border of the next land. It is a goodly land, Iaa is its name. There are
figs and grapes; there is wine commoner than water; abundant is the honey,
many are its olives; [pg 180] and all fruits are upon its trees: there are
barley and wheat, and cattle of kinds without end. This was truly a great
thing that he granted me, when the prince came to invest me, and establish
me as prince of a tribe in the best of his land. I had my continual portion of
bread and of wine each day, of cooked meat, of roasted fowl, as well as the

wild game which I took, or which was brought to me, beside what my dogs
captured. They made me much butter, and prepared milk of all kinds. I
passed many years, the children that I had became great, each ruling his
tribe. When a messenger went or came to the palace, he turned aside from
the way to come to me; for I helped every man. I gave water to the thirsty, I
set on his way him who went astray, and I rescued the robbed. The Sati who
went far, to strike and turn back the princes of other lands, I ordained their
goings; for the Prince of the Tenu for many years appointed me to be
general of his soldiers. In every land which I attacked I played the
champion, I took the cattle, I led away the vassals, I carried off the slaves, I
slew the people, by my sword, my bow, my marches and my good devices.
I was excellent to the heart of my prince; he loved me when he knew my
power, and set me over his children when he saw the strength of my arms.

A champion of the Tenu came to defy me in my tent: a bold man without
equal, for he had vanquished the whole country. He said, “Let Sanehat fight
with me”; for he desired to overthrow me; he thought to take my cattle for
his tribe. The prince counselled with me. I said: “I know him not. I certainly
am not of his degree, I hold me far from his place. Have I ever opened his
door, or leaped over his fence? It is some envious jealousy from seeing me;
does he think that I am like some steer among the cows, whom the bull
overthrows? If this is a wretch who thinks to enrich himself at my cost, not
a Bedawi and a Bedawi fit for fight, then let us put the matter to judgment.
Verily a true bull loves battle, but a vainglorious bull turns his back for fear
of contest; if he has a heart for combat, let him speak what he pleases. Will
God forget what he has ordained, and how shall that be known?” I lay
down; and when I had rested I strung my bow, I made ready my arrows, I
loosened my poniard, I furbished my arms. At dawn the land of the Tenu
came together; [pg 181] it had gathered its tribes and called all the
neighboring people, it spake of nothing but the fight. Each heart burnt for
me, men and women crying out; for each heart was troubled for me, and
they said: “Is there another strong one who would fight with him? Behold
the adversary has a buckler, a battle-axe, and an armful of javelins.” Then I
drew him to the attack; I turned aside his arrows, and they struck the ground
in vain. One drew near to the other, and he fell on me, and then I shot him.
My arrow fastened in his neck, he cried out, and fell on his face: I drove his
lance into him, and raised my shout of victory on his back. While all the

men of the land rejoiced, I, and his vassals whom he had oppressed, gave
thanks unto Mentu. This prince, Amu-an-shi, embraced me. Then I carried
off his goods and took his cattle, that which he had wished to do to me, I
did even so unto him; I seized that which was in his tent, I spoiled his
dwelling. As time went on I increased the richness of my treasures and the
number of my cattle.

Petition To The King Of Egypt

“Now behold what the god has done for me who trusted in him. Having
once fled away, yet now there is a witness of me in the palace. Once having
fled away, as a fugitive—now all in the palace give unto me a good name.
After that I had been dying of hunger, now I give bread to those around. I
had left my land naked, and now I am clothed in fine linen. After having
been a wanderer without followers, now I possess many serfs. My house is
fine, my land wide, my memory is established in the temple of all the gods.
And let this flight obtain thy forgiveness; that I may be appointed in the
palace; that I may see the place where my heart dwells. How great a thing is
it that my body should be embalmed in the land where I was born! To return
there is happiness. I have made offering to God to grant me this thing. His
heart suffers who has run away unto a strange land. Let him hear the prayer
of him who is afar off, that he may revisit the place of his birth, and the
place from which he removed.

“May the King of Egypt be gracious to me that I may live of his favor. And
I render my homage to the mistress of the land, who is in his palace; may I
hear the news of her [pg 182] children. Thus will my limbs grow young
again. Now old age comes, feebleness seizes me, my eyes are heavy, my
arms are feeble, my legs will not move, my heart is slow. Death draws nigh
to me, soon shall they lead me to the city of eternity. Let me follow the
mistress of all (the queen, his former mistress); lo! let her tell me the
excellencies of her children; may she bring eternity to me.”

Then the majesty of King Kheper-ka-ra, the blessed, spake upon this my
desire that I had made to him. His Majesty sent unto me with presents from
the King, that he might enlarge the heart of his servant, like unto the
province of any strange land; and the royal sons who are in the palace
addressed themselves unto me.

Copy of the Decree Which Was Brought, To Me Who Speak To You, To
Lead Me Back Into Egypt

“The Horus, life of births, lord of the crowns, life of births, King of Upper
and Lower Egypt, Kheper-ka-ra, son of the Sun, Amen-em-hat, ever living
unto eternity. Order for the follower Sanehat. Behold this order of the King
is sent to thee to instruct thee of his will.

“Now, although thou hast gone through strange lands from Adim to Tenu,
and passed from one country to another at the wish of thy heart—behold,
what hast thou done, or what has been done against thee, that is amiss?
Moreover, thou reviledst not; but if thy word was denied, thou didst not
speak again in the assembly of the nobles, even if thou wast desired. Now,
therefore, that thou hast thought on this matter which has come to thy mind,
let thy heart not change again; for this thy Heaven (queen), who is in the
palace is fixed, she is flourishing, she is enjoying the best in the kingdom of
the land, and her children are in the chambers of the palace.

“Leave all the riches that thou hast, and that are with thee, altogether. When
thou shalt come into Egypt behold the palace, and when thou shalt enter the
palace, bow thy face to the ground before the Great House; thou shalt be
chief among the companions. And day by day behold thou growest old; thy
vigor is lost, and thou thinkest on the day of burial. Thou shalt see thyself
come to the blessed state, they shall give thee the bandages from the hand
of Tait, the night of [pg 183] applying the oil of embalming. They shall
follow thy funeral, and visit the tomb on the day of burial, which shall be in
a gilded case, the head painted with blue, a canopy of cypress wood above
thee, and oxen shall draw thee, the singers going before thee, and they shall
dance the funeral dance. The weepers crouching at the door of thy tomb
shall cry aloud the prayers for offerings: they shall slay victims for thee at
the door of thy pit; and thy pyramid shall be carved in white stone, in the
company of the royal children. Thus thou shalt not die in a strange land, nor
be buried by the Amu; thou shalt not be laid in a sheepskin when thou art
buried; all people shall beat the earth, and lament on thy body when thou
goest to the tomb.”

When this order came to me, I was in the midst of my tribe. When it was
read unto me, I threw me on the dust, I threw dust in my hair; I went around

my tent rejoicing and saying: “How may it be that such a thing is done to
the servant, who with a rebellious heart has fled to strange lands? Now with
an excellent deliverance, and mercy delivering me from death, thou shalt
cause me to end my days in the palace.”

Copy Of The Answer To This Order

“The follower Sanehat says: In excellent peace above everything consider
of this flight that he made here in his ignorance; Thou, the Good God, Lord
of both Lands, Loved of Rā, Favorite of Mentu, the Lord of Thebes, and of
Amen, lord of thrones of the lands, of Sebek, Rā, Horus, Hathor, Atmu, and
of his fellow-gods, of Sopdu, Neferbiu, Samsetu, Horus, lord of the east,
and of the royal uræus which rules on thy head, of the chief gods of the
waters, of Min, Horus of the desert, Urrit, mistress of Punt, Nut, Harnekht,
Rā, all the gods of the land of Egypt, and of the isles of the sea. May they
give life and peace to thy nostril, may they load thee with their gifts, may
they give to thee eternity without end, everlastingness without bound. May
the fear of thee be doubled in the lands of the deserts. Mayest thou subdue
the circuit of the sun's disk. This is the prayer to his master of the humble
servant who is saved from a foreign land.

“O wise King, the wise words which are pronounced in the wisdom of the
majesty of the sovereign, thy humble servant [pg 184] fears to tell. It is a
great thing to repeat. O great God, like unto Rā in fulfilling that to which he
has set his hand, what am I that he should take thought for me? Am I among
those whom he regards, and for whom he arranges? Thy majesty is as
Horus, and the strength of thy arms extends to all lands.

“Then let his Majesty bring Maki of Adma, Kenti-au-ush of Khenti-keshu,
and Tenus from the two lands of the Fen-khu; these are the princes who
bear witness of me as to all that has passed, out of love for thyself. Does not
Tenu believe that it belongs to thee like thy dogs? Behold this flight that I
have made: I did not have it in my heart; it was like the leading of a dream,
as a man of Adehi (Delta) sees himself in Abu (Elephantine), as a man of
the plain of Egypt who sees himself in the deserts. There was no fear, there
was no hastening after me, I did not listen to an evil plot, my name was not
heard in the mouth of the magistrate; but my limbs went, my feet wandered,
my heart drew me; my god commanded this flight, and drew me on; but I

am not stiff-necked. Does a man fear when he sees his own land? Rā spread
thy fear over the land, thy terrors in every strange land. Behold me now in
the palace, behold me in this place; and lo! thou art he who is over all the
horizon; the sun rises at thy pleasure, the water in the rivers is drunk at thy
will, the wind in heaven is breathed at thy saying.

“I who speak to thee shall leave my goods to the generations to follow in
this land. And as to this messenger who is come even let thy majesty do as
pleaseth him, for one lives by the breath that thou givest. O thou who art
beloved of Rā, of Horus, and of Hathor; Mentu, lord of Thebes, desires that
thy august nostril should live forever.”

I made a feast in Iaa, to pass over my goods to my children. My eldest son
was leading my tribe, all my goods passed to him, and I gave him my corn
and all my cattle, my fruit, and all my pleasant trees. When I had taken my
road to the south, and arrived at the roads of Horus, the officer who was
over the garrison sent a messenger to the palace to give notice. His Majesty
sent the good overseer of the peasants of the King's domains, and boats
laden with presents from the King for the Sati who had come to conduct me
to the roads of Horus. I spoke to each one by his name, and I gave [pg 185]
the presents to each as was intended. I received and I returned the
salutation, and I continued thus until I reached the city of Thetu.

When the land was brightened, and the new day began, four men came with
a summons for me; and the four men went to lead me to the palace. I
saluted with both my hands on the ground; the royal children stood at the
courtyard to conduct me: the courtiers who were to lead me to the hall
brought me on the way to the royal chamber.

I found his Majesty on the great throne in the hall of pale gold. Then I threw
myself on my belly; this god, in whose presence I was, knew me not. He
questioned me graciously, but I was as one seized with blindness, my spirit
fainted, my limbs failed, my heart was no longer in my bosom, and I knew
the difference between life and death. His Majesty said to one of the
companions, “Lift him up, let him speak to me.” And his Majesty said,
“Behold thou hast come, thou hast trodden the deserts, thou hast played the
wanderer. Decay falls on thee, old age has reached thee; it is no small thing
that thy body should be embalmed, that the Pedtiu shall not bury thee. Do

not, do not, be silent and speechless; tell thy name; is it fear that prevents
thee?” I answered in reply, “I fear, what is it that my lord has said that I
should answer it? I have not called on me the hand of God, but it is terror in
my body, like that which brings sudden death. Now behold I am before
thee; thou art life; let thy Majesty do what pleaseth him.”

The royal children were brought in, and his Majesty said to the Queen,
“Behold thou Sanehat has come as an Amu, whom the Sati have produced.”

She cried aloud, and the royal children spake with one voice, saying, before
his Majesty, “Verily it is not so, O King, my lord.” Said his Majesty, “It is
verily he.” Then they brought their collars, and their wands, and their sistra
in their hands, and displayed them before his Majesty; and they sang—

“May thy hands prosper, O King;
May the ornaments of the Lady of Heaven continue.
May the Goddess Nub give life to thy nostril;
May the mistress of the stars favor thee, when thou sailest south and north.
All wisdom is in the mouth of thy Majesty;
[pg 186]
Thy uræus is on thy forehead, thou drivest away the miserable.
Thou art pacified, O Ra, lord of the lands;
They call on thee as on the mistress of all.
Strong is thy horn,
Thou lettest fly thine arrow.
Grant the breath to him who is without it;
Grant good things to this traveller, Samehit the Pedti, born in the land of
Egypt,
Who fled away from fear of thee,
And fled this land from thy terrors.
Does not the face grow pale, of him who beholds thy countenance;
Does not the eye fear, which looks upon thee.”

Said his Majesty, “Let him not fear, let him be freed from terror. He shall be
a Royal Friend amongst the nobles; he shall be put within the circle of the
courtiers. Go ye to the chamber of praise to seek wealth for him.”

When I went out from the palace, the royal children offered their hands to
me; we walked afterward to the Great Gates. I was placed in a house of a
king's son, in which were delicate things, a place of coolness, fruits of the
granary, treasures of the White House, clothes of the King's guardrobe,
frankincense, the finest perfumes of the King and the nobles whom he
loves, in every chamber. All the servitors were in their several offices.

Years were removed from my limbs: I was shaved, and polled my locks of
hair; the foulness was cast to the desert with the garments of the Nemau-
sha. I clothed me in fine linen, and anointed myself with the fine oil of
Egypt; I laid me on a bed. I gave up the sand to those who lie on it; the oil
of wood to him who would anoint himself therewith. There was given to me
the mansion of a lord of serfs, which had belonged to a royal friend. There
many excellent things were in its buildings; all its wood was renewed.
There were brought to me portions from the palace, thrice and four times
each day; beside the gifts of the royal children, always without ceasing.
There was built for me a pyramid of stone among the pyramids. The
overseer of the architects measured its ground; the chief treasurer wrote it;
the sacred masons cut the well; the chief of the laborers on the tombs
brought the bricks; all things used to make a strong building were there
used. There were given to me peasants; there were made for [pg 187] me a
garden, and fields in it before my mansion, as is done for the chief royal
friend. My statue was inlaid with gold, its girdle of pale gold; his majesty
caused it to be made. Such is not done to a man of low degree.

May I be in the favor of the King until the day shall come of my death!

(This is finished from beginning to end, as was found in the writing.)

[pg 189]

The Tell Amarna Tablets

Translated by C. R. Conder, D.C.L., LL.D., M.R.A.S.

[pg 191]

The Hittite Invasion Of Damascus

No. 36 B. M.—“To King Annumuria127 (Amenophis III) Son of the Sun, my
Lord thus (says) this thy servant Akizzi.128 Seven times at the feet of my
Lord I bow. My Lord in these my lands I am afraid. Mayst thou protect one
who is thy servant under the yoke of my Lord. From the yoke of my Lord I
do not rebel. Lo! there is fear of my foes. The people of this thy servant are
under thy yoke: this country is among thy lands: the city Katna129 is thy
city: I am on the side of my Lord's rule (yoke). Lo! the soldiers and the
chariots of my Lord's government have received corn and drink, oxen and
beasts (oil and honey?), meeting the soldiers and the chariots of my Lord's
dominion (coming?) to me. And now let my Lord ask the great men of his
dominion. My Lord, all lands tremble before thy soldiers and thy chariots.
If these lands are under the dominion of my Lord's land, and they are
seizing them, let him order his soldiers and his chariots this year, and let
him take the land of Marhasse,130 the whole of it, to the yoke of my Lord,
when—my Lord—the soldiers of the slaves131 are132 ... For six days ago he
went out into the land of Hu(ba), and truly Aziru is sending them, and if in
this year my Lord does not send out the soldiers and the chariots of his
government ... to meet Aziru (and) make him flee ... all will rebel ... My
Lord, know him. My Lord (know) the men who are [pg 192] his foes ... And
lo! now the King of the land of the Hittites ... with pride rebels against his
gods. And men who are destroyers serve the King of the land of the Hittites:
he sends them forth. My Lord, my servants, the men of the city of Katna,
Aziru expels, and all that is theirs, out of the land of the dominion of my
Lord; and behold (he takes?) the northern lands of the dominion of my
Lord. Let (my Lord) save the ... of the men of the city Katna. My Lord truly
they made ... he steals their gold my Lord; as has been said there is fear, and
truly they give gold. My Lord—Sun God, my fathers' god133—the men have
made themselves your foes, and they have wasted from over against the
abode of their camp (or fortress); and now behold—O Sun God of my
fathers—the King of the Hittites makes them march. And know of them, my
Lord—may the gods make slack their hand. As has been said there is fear.

And lo! perchance the Sun God of my fathers will turn his heart toward me.
My Lord's word is sure, and let the (increase or tithe of gold?) be given him,
as we have purposed for the Sun God of my fathers. As has been said they
have done to me; and they have destroyed the ... of my Lord. For this corner
—the dwelling of their fortress (or camp)—is out of sight of the Sun God.”

37 B. M.—“To King Annumuria, Son of the Sun, my Lord, thus (says)
Akizzi thy servant: seven times ... at the feet of my Lord I bow. My Lord,
now there is flight and no breathing of the ... of the King my Lord. And
behold now the ... of this dominion of my Lord, in these lands ... and behold
now ... the King of the land of the Hittites ... sends forth ... and the heart of
... smites him. And now behold the King my Lord sends to me, and is
complaining ... with me as to the rule of the King of the land of the Hittites.
And as for me ... the King of the land of the Hittites. As for me I am with
the King my Lord, and with the land of Egypt. I sent and ... as to the rule of
the King of the land of the Hittites.”

[pg 193]
This text is much damaged; it goes on to speak of Aidugama,134the Hittite
King, in the country of the King of Egypt, who has taken various things—
enumerated, but not intelligible—including, perhaps, ships or boats, and
dwellings; and it mentions Neboyapiza. It then continues:

“My Lord: Teuiatti of the city of Lapana,135 and Arzuia of the city
Ruhizzi,136 minister before Aidugama; but this land is the land of the
dominion of my Lord. He is burning it with fire. My Lord, as said, I am on
the side of the King my Lord. I am afraid also because of the King of the
land of Marhasse, and the King of the land of Ni, and the King of the land
of Zinzaar,137 and the King of the land of Canaan. And all of these are kings
under the dominion (or, of the rule) of my Lord—chiefs who are servants.
As said let the King my Lord live and become mighty, and so O King my
Lord wilt not thou go forth? and let the King my Lord despatch the bitati138
soldiers, let them expel (them) from this land. As said, my Lord, these kings
have ... the chief of my Lord's government, and let him say what they are to
do, and let them be confirmed. Because my Lord this land ministers heartily
to the King my Lord. And let him speed soldiers, and let them march; and
let the messengers of the dominion of the King my Lord arrive. For my

Lord Arzuia of the city Ruhizzi, and Teuiatti of the city Lapana, dwelt in the
land of Huba,139 and Dasru dwelt in the land Amma,140 and truly my Lord
has known them. Behold the land of Hobah was at peace my Lord in the
days of this government. They will be [pg 194] subject to Aidugama.
Because we ask, march thou here and mayest ... all the land of Hobah. My
Lord, as said, the city Timasgi,141 in the land of Hobah, is without sin at thy
feet; and aid thou the city Katna which is without sin at thy feet. It has been
feeble. And my Lord in presence of my messenger the master shall ordain
(our) fate. As has been said, have not I served in the presence of the bitati
soldiers of my Lord? Behold, as said, my Lord has promised soldiers to this
my land, and they shall ... in the city Katna.”

96 B., a letter mainly complimentary, from Neboyapiza142 to the King of
Egypt, ends as follows:

“Behold I myself, with my soldiers and my chariots, with my brethren and
with (men of blood?) and with my people the men of my kindred go to meet
the Egyptian soldiers, as far as the ground which the King my Lord will
name.”

142 B.—“To the King my Lord thus saith this thy servant. At the feet of my
Lord my Sun seven times on my face, seven times I bow. My Lord I am thy
servant, and they will devour me—Neboyapiza: we abide before thy face,
my Lord, and lo! they will devour me in your sight. Behold every fortress
of my fathers is taken, by the people out of the city Gidisi.143 And my
fortresses (say) ‘Speed us avengers.’ I make ready, and (because that?) the
Pakas144 of the King my Lord, and the chiefs of his land have known my
faithfulness, behold I complain to the ruler being one approved; let the ruler
consider that (Neboyapiza) has given proof ... for now they have cast thee
out. As for me, I have (gathered?) all my brethren, and we have made the
place strong for the King my Lord. I have caused them to march with my
soldiers and with my chariots, and with all my people. And behold
Neboyapiza has sped to all the fortresses of the King my Lord. Part of the
men of blood are from the land Ammusi,145 and (part) from the land of Hubi,
and it is won (or reached). But march fast, thou who art a God146 and a Sun
in my sight, and restore the strongholds [pg 195] holds to the King my Lord
from the men of blood. For they have cast him out; and the men of blood

have rebelled, and are invaders of the King my Lord. We were obedient to
thy yoke, and they have cast out the King my Lord, and all my brethren.”

It appears, from other letters, that the city of this chief was the important
town Cumidi, now Kamid, in the southern Lebanon, at the south end of the
Baalbek plain, west of Baal Gad. In Abu el Feda's time this town was the
capital of the surrounding district.

189 B. is much broken. It is from Arzana, chief of the city Khazi.147 He
speaks of an attack on Tusulti, by bloody soldiers fighting against the place,
and perhaps of the city Bel Gidda (Baal Gad),148 and mentions a Paka, or
Egyptian official, called Aman Khatbi, named after the Egyptian god Amen.
The foes are spoiling the valley (of Baalbek) in sight of the Egyptian
general, and are attacking Khazi, his city. They had already taken Maguzi,149
and are spoiling Baal Gad. It seems that he asks the King not to blame his
general, and speaks finally of friendly and faithful men.

43 B. M., broken at the top, reads thus:

“... his horses and his chariots ... to men of blood and not ... As for me, I
declare myself for the King my Lord, and a servant to preserve these to the
King entirely. Biridasia perceives this, and has betrayed it, and he has
secretly passed beyond my city Maramma;150 and the great pass is open
behind me. And he is marching chariots from the city Astarti,151 and
commands them for the men of blood, and does not command them for the
King my Lord. Friendly to him is the King of the city Buzruna;152 and the
King of the [pg 196] city of Khalavunni153 has made promises to him: both
have fought with Biridasia against me. Wickedly they vex us. I have
marched our kinsmen—the people of Neboyapiza—but his success never
fails ... and he rebels. As for me from ... and he sends out from ... the city
Dimasca (Damascus) behold ... they complain ... they afflict. I am
complaining to the King of Egypt as a servant; and Arzaiaia is marching to
the city Gizza,154 and Azi (ru) takes soldiers ... The Lord of the city Saddu155
declares for the men of blood, and her chief does not declare for the King
my Lord; and as far as this tribe marches it has afflicted the land of Gizza.
Arzaiaia with Biridasia afflicts the land (which is wretched? or Abitu), and
the King witnesses the division of his land. Let not men who have been
hired disturb her. Lo! my brethren have fought for me. As for me, I will

guard the town of Cumidi (Kamid), the city of the King my Lord. But truly
the King forgets his servant ... his servant, O King ... have arrayed kings ...
the men of the wretched land” (or of the land Abitu).

152 B.—“... thus Ara (ga?) chief of the city Cumidi156 (Kamid) ... at the feet
of the King my Lord seven times seven times I bow. Behold as to me I am
thy faithful servant: let the King my Lord ask of his Pakas (chiefs) as to me,
a faithful servant of the King my Lord, one whom they have ruined. Truly I
am a faithful servant of the King my Lord, and let the King my Lord excuse
this dog, and let him (bear me in remembrance?). But never a horse and
never a chariot is mine, and let this be considered in sight of the King my
Lord; and closely allied157 is his servant; and to explain this I am
despatching my son to the land of the King my Lord, and let the King my
Lord deign to hear me.”

46 B. M.—“At the feet of the King my Lord seven and seven (times) I bow.
Behold what this our saying tells, as to [pg 197] the land Am (Ham) the
fortresses of the King my Lord. A man named Eda ... has arisen, a chief of
the land Cinza east of the land of the Hittites, to take the fortresses of the
King my Lord ... and we made the fortresses for the King my Lord my God
my Sun, and we have lived in the fortresses of the King my Lord.”

125 B.—“To the King my Lord thus Arzaiaia, chief of the city Mikhiza.158
At the feet of my Lord I bow. King my Lord, I have heard as to going to
meet the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord who are with us, to
meet the general (Paka) with (all the infantry?) ... all who have marched to
overthrow the King my Lord. Truly a (great strength to the people?) are the
Egyptian (bitati) soldiers of the King my Lord, and his commander (Paka).
As for me, do I not order all to ... after them? Behold they have been
speedy, O King my Lord, and his foes are delayed by them by the hand of
the King my Lord.”

126 B.—The same writer, in a broken letter, calls himself a faithful servant
of the King. This was perhaps at an earlier period of the war, before the
events recorded by Neboyapiza (189 B., 43 B. M.).

75 B. M.—A short letter from Dasru to say he has heard the King's
message. He lived in the land of Ham (37 B. M.).

127 B. M.—The same writer says that all that the King does for his land is
of good omen.

171 B.—“A message and information from the servant of the King my Lord
my God.... And behold what the chief of Simyra has done to my brethren of
the city of Tubakhi;159 and he marches to waste the fortresses of the King
my Lord my God my Sun ... the land of the Amorites. He has wearied out
our chiefs. The fortresses of the King my Lord my God ... are for men of
blood. And now strong is the god of the King my Lord my God my Sun;
and the city of Tubakhi goes forth to war, and I have stirred up my brethren,
[pg 198] and I guard the city of Tubakhi for the King my Lord my God my
Sun. And behold this city of Tubakhi is the city of the plains of my fathers.”

132 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus (says) Artabania, chief of the
city Ziribasani160 thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times,
on my face, seven times I bow. Behold a message to me to speed to meet
the Egyptian (bitati) soldiers. And who am I but a dog only, and shall I not
march? Behold me, with my soldiers and my chariots meeting the Egyptian
soldiers at the place of which the King my Lord speaks.”

78 B. M.—“To the King my Lord thus the chief of the city Gubbu161 thy
servant. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun (permit?) that seven times,
on my face, seven times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the
Egyptian soldiers, and now I with my soldiers and my chariots meet the
soldiers of the King my Lord, at the place you march to.”

64 B. M.—“To Yankhamu162 my Lord by letter thus Muu-taddu thy servant.
I bow at my Lord's feet as this says, announcing that the enemy is hastening
speedily as—my Lord—was announced to the King of the city Bikhisi163
from friends164 of his Lord. Let the King my Lord speed: let the King my
Lord fly: for the foe is wasting in the city Bikhisi this two months, there is
none ... On account of (Bibelu?) having told me this one has asked then ...
until by the arrival of Anamarut (Amenophis IV)165 the city of [pg 199]
Ashtoreth is occupied.166 Behold they have destroyed all the fortresses of
neighboring lands: the city Udumu,167 the city Aduri,168 the city Araru,169 the
city Meis(pa?),170 the city Macdalim,171 the city Khini.172 I announced that
they had taken the city Zaar.173 They are fighting this city, the city Yabisi.174
Moreover, fearing the force against me, I am watching it till you arrive. One

has come from your way to the city Bikhisi,175 and he has made us hear the
news.”

134 B.—“To the King my Lord by letter thus Abdmelec the chief of this city
Saskhi176 thy servant. At the feet of the King my Lord ... on my face seven
times I bow. Thou hast sent as to going to meet the Egyptian soldiers,
accordingly I with my soldiers and my chariots (am) meeting the soldiers of
the King my Lord, at the place to which you will march.”

143 B.—“To the King our Lord thus (says) Addubaya and thus also Betili.
At the feet of our Lord we bow. Peace indeed to the face of our Lord. And
(as is fit?) from the lands of our Lord, much they salute. O our Lord, will
not you settle everything in your heart? Will not you harden your heart as to
this combat O our Lord? But their intention is clear—to make war on the
stations, as in our country they do not follow after thee. Lupackhallu177 has
removed the soldiers of the Hittites; they will go against the cities of the
land of Ham (Am) and from Atadumi they will (take?) them. And let our
Lord know, since we hear that Zitana178 the Phœnician (Kharu) has
deserted, who will march. And nine chiefs of the soldiers of the government
are with us, who march, and the message is unfavorable: a gathering in the
land they have made; and they will arrive from the land of Marhasse
(Mer'ash). [pg 200] But I cause Betili to send against this (foe). Thus we
wage war against them. And my trusty messenger I cause to be sent to your
presence, as said; for you to return an order whether we shall do so or
whether not. To Raban and Abdbaal, to Rabana and Rabziddu thus: behold
to all of you be peace indeed, and will not you harden your hearts, and will
not you settle all in your hearts, and do what is fitting from your places?
Much peace; and to (the people?) peace be increased.”

91 B.—“To the King my Lord thus (says) the city Gebal179 (and) thus
Rabikhar (‘the Lord of Phœnicia’) thy servant. At the feet of my Lord the
Sun seven times I bow. Do not be angry, O King my Lord, with the city of
Gebal (Gubla) thy handmaid—a city of the King from of old, obeying what
the King commands as to Aziru, and it did as he wished. Behold Aziru slew
Adunu, Lord of the land of Ammia,180 and the King of the land of Ardata,181
and has slain the great men, and has taken their cities for himself. The city
Simyra is his. Of the cities of the King only the city Gebal escapes for the

King. Behold the city Simyra is subjected. He has smitten the city Ullaza.182
The captains of both have gone into exile. Behold this sin Aziru wrought.
Sinful are his strivings against her ... he has smitten all the lands of Ham
(Am), lands of the King; and now he has despatched his men to destroy all
the lands of Ham; and the King of the land of the Hittites, and the king of
the land of Nereb (Nariba)183 (have made?) the land conquered land.”

From these letters we learn clearly that the Mongol kings near the
Euphrates (and, as appears later, in Armenia) were leagued with the Hittites
of Mer'ash in the extreme north of Syria, and of Kadesh on the Orontes, and
were supported by the Amorites of the northern Lebanon and by some of
the Phœnicians; that the enemy marched south, a distance of 300 miles,
taking all the towns in the Baalbek Valley, reaching Damascus by the gorge
of the Barada River, and advancing into the land of Ham—in Bashan—
where all the chief towns [pg 201] fell. This serves to make clear the
treachery of Aziru's letters which follow. The Amorite advance on the
Phœnician coast was contemporary, and extended to Tyre. It appears,
however, that the Amorites were a Semitic people, while the names of the
Hittites are Mongolic.

The Amorite Treachery

No. 35 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun Aziru thy servant; and
seven times at the feet of my Lord my God my Sun I bow.” The letter is
much broken, but promises he will never rebel, and says he is sincere. He
desires land of the King (at Simyra), and says the men of the government
are friendly, but that the city of Simyra is to be made promptly to fulfil its
engagements.

35 B. M.—“To the Great King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this
thy servant Aziru. Seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord my
God my Sun I bow. My Lord I am thy servant, and (from my youth?) in the
presence of the King my Lord, and I fulfil all my orders to the sight of my
Lord. And what they who are my (agents?) shall say to my Lord as to the
chiefs who are faithful, in the sight of the King my Lord, will not you hear
me speak, I who am thy servant sincere as long as I live? But when the
King my Lord sent Khani,184 I was resting in the city of Tunip (Tennib) and
there was no knowledge behold of his arriving. Whereupon he gave notice,
and coming after him also, have I not reached him? And let Khani speak to
testify with what humility, and let the King my Lord ask him how my
brethren have prepared to tend (him), and Betilu will send to his presence
oxen and beasts and fowls: his food and his drink will be provided. I shall
give horses and beasts for his journey; and may the King my Lord hear my
messages, with my assurances in the presence of the King my Lord. Khani
will march much cared for in my sight, he accompanies me as my comrade,
like my father; and lo! my Lord says, ‘You turn away from the [pg 202]
appearance of Khani.’ Thus thy Gods and the Sun-God truly had known if I
did not stay in the city of Tunip. Moreover because of the intention to set in
order the city of Simyra, the King my Lord has sent word (and) the Kings
of the land of Marshasse (Mer'ash) have been foes to me. They have
marched on my cities: they have observed the desire of Khatib,185 and has
not he promised them? lo! hastily he has promised them. And truly my Lord
has known that half of the possessions that the King my Lord has given

Khatib takes: the tribute, and the gold and the silver that the King my Lord
has given me; and Khatib takes all the tribute; and truly my Lord has
known. Moreover as against my Lord the King's having said, ‘Why dost
thou yield service to the messenger of the King of the land of the Hittites,
and dost not yield service to my messenger?’ this region is the land of my
Lord, he establishes me in it, with men of government. Let a messenger of
my Lord come, and all that I speak of in the sight of my Lord let me give.
Tin and ships, men186 and weapons, and trees let me give.”

40 B.—“To Dudu187 my Lord my father thus (says) Aziru your son your
servant: at the feet of my father I bow. Lo! let Dudu send the wishes of my
Lord ... and I ... Moreover behold thou shalt not reject (me) my father, and
whatever are the wishes of Dudu my father, send, and will not I ... Behold
thou art my father and my Lord: I am thy son: the land of the Amorites is
your land; and my house is your house.188 Say what you wish and I will
truly perform your wishes.” The latter part is broken, but states that he will
not rebel against the wishes of the King or those of Dudu.

38 B.—“To Dudu my Lord my father thus Aziru thy servant. At my lord's
feet I bow. Khatib will march, and has carefully followed the messages (or
orders) of the King my Lord before (he goes); and what is good increases;
and I have been gladdened very much; and my brethren, men serving the
King my Lord, and men who are servants of Dudu my Lord. They had
feared exceedingly. Behold he will march, to command for the King my
Lord with me. From the [pg 203] orders of my Lord my God and my Sun,
and from the orders of Dudu my Lord, I will never depart. My Lord now
Khatib goes forth with me, and also he will march to strengthen me. My
Lord, the King of the land of the Hittites will march from the land of
Marhasse (Mer'ash), and has he not boasted to meet me? and the King of
the Hittites will rebel, and behold I and Khatib will march. Let the King my
Lord hear my messages. I have feared without the countenance of the King
my Lord, and without the countenance of Dudu; and now (my Gods and my
messenger189). And truly these are my brethren—Dudu and the great men of
the King my Lord; and truly I will march; and since O Dudu both the King
my Lord and the chiefs thus are ready, everything against Aziru is forgiven
which has been unfavorable for my God,190 and for us. And now I and

Khatib have appeared servants of the King. Truly thou knowest Dudu,
behold I go forth mightily.”

31 B.—“To Khai191 my brother thus (says) this thy brother Aziru. With thee
(be) peace indeed, and from the Egyptian soldiers of the King my Lord
there is much safety. Whoever (is) against it the promise remains, in sight of
the King my Lord; being formerly promised it remains. I and my sons and
my brethren are all servants of the King: it is good for me. Now I and
Khatib will both march, behold, with speed. O Khai, as among you truly it
is known, lo! I have been troubled. From the orders of my Lord there is no
rebellion, nor from your orders. I am a servant of my Lord. The King of the
land of the Hittites dwells in the land of Marhasse (Mer'ash) and I have
feared his appearance. They who are in the West lands192 have armed. He
gathers; and while the city of Tunip is unoccupied, he dwells two swift
marches from the city. And I have been afraid of his appearance; and
contrary to messages of promise he goes forth to his rebellions. But now we
shall both march, I and Khatib, with speed.”

32 B. repeats the preceding—perhaps to another correspondent: it mentions
Dudu, and says: “I have been afraid of [pg 204] this rebel son of a dog, and
I have been troubled. Now he has sent a message from the Western land—
the land of my Lord: they will both march together, and I have been afraid
for my Lord's land.”

33 B., much broken at the top, refers to the existing promise or treaty, and
continues: “I cause the land of my Lord to be guarded, and my countenance
is toward the men who are servants of the King my Lord in peace. My Lord
now I and Khatib are made friends,193 and let my Lord know behold I have
... in haste. The King of the land of the Hittites dwells ... and I have been
afraid ... have armed ... of the land ... my Lord I remain quietly ... in the
West land ... King my Lord to defend his land ... and now behold in the land
of Marhasse he dwells—two swift marches from the city of Tunip; and I
fear his wastings. Let the city of Tunip be defended: my Lord is a shield to
men who serve him; mayst thou hear what is said and my sons will ...
forever.”

39 B., broken at the top. “I have strengthened this ... I have strengthened
this wall in front of the mouth of the great pass,194 and my Lord's fortress.

And let my Lord hear as to the servants of his servant—thy servant Aziru:
they will keep watch: strife surrounds us: I trust there will be an expedition;
and let us watch the lands of the King our Lord. Moreover to Dudu my
Lord. Hear the message of the King of the land of Marhasse to me. They
said: ‘Your father195 what gold has this King of Egypt given him, and what
has his Lord promised him out of the Land of Egypt; and all the lands, and
all the soldier slaves they have fought against?’ (thus) they said ... to Aziru
... out of the Land of Egypt, and behold the slaves come round from the
Land of ... Ni196: they have rebelled; and I repeat that thirty chiefs push on
against me ... land of Egypt he remains ... my Lord to Aziru ... soldiers ...
Marhasse.”

[pg 205]
34 B.—“To the King my Lord my God my Sun thus (says) this Aziru thy
servant: seven times and seven times at the feet of my Lord I bow. Now
what you wish is desirable. Sun God my Lord I am thy servant forever; and
my sons serve thee.... Now two men ... I have commanded as envoys ...
what he says ... and let him rule ... in the land of the Amorites.”

34a B.—The salutation of the usual type is here injured. The letter
continues: “My Lord my God my Sun, I am thy servant and my sons and
my brethren, to serve the King my Lord forever. Now all my Lord's wishes,
and what he causes to be despatched, duly ... the King my Lord having
despatched. Now eight chiefs who are great, and many (decrees?) we ... all
of which ... from ... the King my Lord ... And the Kings of the Land of
Marhasse will follow with ... and are these not promised (or leagued) to the
city Simyra these thirty years? I turn me to the city Simyra. My Lord I am
thy servant forever, and a King of men who are friends; will not my
(agents?) ... my Lord (wilt not thou hear?). And the King is my Lord my
God and my Sun: let him send his messenger with my messenger, and let
them go up who serve the King ...”

36 B.—“To the King ... thus Aziru: seven times and seven times at ... of my
God and Sun. Behold truly thou hast known this, O King my Lord; behold I
am thy servant forever; from my Lord's commands I never rebel: my Lord
from of old (it has been) thus. I am kind to the men who are servants of my
King; but the chiefs of the city Simyra have not kept faith righteously with

us; and behold neither one nor all are with us: my Lord the King did not
you cause to be asked? The King my Lord has known that the chiefs are
sinful; and why ask, ‘What does he contend for?’ I say nay ...”

From these letters by Aziru, we must conclude either that he was a great liar
or that he was induced to change sides later. The other correspondents seem
to have believed that he had long deceived the King of Egypt; but, in the
end, his invasion of Phœnicia—perhaps cloaked by pretences of hostility to
the Hittite league—caused him, as we shall see, to be proclaimed a rebel.
The quarrel with Simyra may have been due to his [pg 206] being pushed
south, out of his dominions, but is here said to be due to a Phœnician league
with his foes. It does not appear who Khatib was. Perhaps the name was
Hittite,197 and he may have been the Prince of Hamath or of Emesa. The
following letter from Aziru's father, Abdasherah, belongs to a later period of
the war, when Ullaza and all the cities north of Gebal had been conquered
by the Amorites. It is couched in the same insidious language; and the
letters of Ribadda, which follow, show that Amenophis was not open to
conviction for a long time, though warned by his true friends. The
proclamation is still later, after the attack on Sidon, and may fitly conclude
the Amorite correspondence.

97 B.—“To the King my Son my Lord thus Abdasratu198 thy servant, the
dust of thy feet. At the feet of the King my Lord seven times and seven
times I bow. Behold I am the King's servant, and a dog who is his neighbor
(or his ‘friend’?); and all the land of the Amorites is his. I often said to
Pakhanati199 my Paka (Egyptian resident), ‘Let him gather soldiers to
defend the people of this King.’ Now all (cursed?) as King, the King of the
Phœnician (Kharri) soldiers ... Kharri: the King shall ask if I do not guard
the city of Simyra (and) the city Ullaza. Lo my Paka is in her: I proclaim
the Sun-King; and I have (given orders?) to obey. The city Simyra is a
neighbor,200 and all the lands are the King's—my Sun, my Lord; I watch for
him: and I know that the King my Lord is very glorious; and Pakhanati my
Paka is established to judge therein.”

Copy of a Proclamation against Aziru, sent to Egypt by Khanni, when
sent again to Syria

92 B.—“To the Chief of the Amorite city by letter thus (says) your Lord. A
chief of the city of Gebal has said thus [pg 207] in his petition: ‘Send him
away from my gate (he says); he is robbing me and disputes with me in my
chief city.’201 And I have heard this and much beside which they have said
to me as I now speak to say.

“Thou hast sent to the King thy Lord (saying thus), ‘I am thy servant as all
former guardians202 who have been in this city.’ And you do well to say
thus. (But) I hear so to say a ruler of ours whose petition (is), ‘Send him
away from my gate, (he is) out of his city.’ And in the city Zituna (Sidon) he
abides, and has subjected himself among chiefs who are governors; and,
though certainly knowing what is said, thou dost not confess the
persecution of these chiefs. If thou art, as is assured, a servant of the King,
how is his cutting off lawful in the sight of the King your Lord? Thus this
ruler beseeches me, ‘Let a supplicant be protected, for he is disputing my
chief city with me.’ And if you do as is asserted, and not according to all the
messages that I send against these things, you are hindering the King
traitorously. So will be understood all that has been said.

“And now a certain Chief hears of a gathering with the Chief of the city of
Ciidsa (Kadesh on Orontes, the capital of the southern Hittites); devising
hostilities, ready to fight, you have made alliance. And if so, why dost thou
so? Why should a chief foregather with a chief save that he is on his side?
But if you cause what is assured to be done, and you respect the orders to
yourself and to him, I say nothing more as to the messages you formerly
made (and) as to what was pretended by you in them. But thou art not on
the side of the King thy Lord.

“Lo! this is the message, that their fortress burns in flames through (your
burning?) and thou ragest against everything grievously. But if thou dost
service to the King thy Lord, what is it that I will not do to interceding with
the King? If then thou ragest against everything, I make God my witness;
and if you persist, God is my witness, that messages of war (will be) in your
midst, and by the might of the King thou diest, and as many as are with
thee.

[pg 208]

“But do service to the King thy Lord and live. And thou thyself knowest
that the King does not deem needful a subjection of the land of Canaan.203
So he is wroth. And as I sent, truly was commanded me of the King my
Lord this year and not ... in another year. My son (this) contumacy in the
sight of the King thy Lord is vain.

“And now the King thy Lord is anxious as to thee this year. If it is difficult
for thee to come, then send thy son. And thou beholdest a King at whose
commands many lands tremble: and dost not thou (fear?): thus truly is
ordered this year concerning us; failing to go to the presence of the King
thy Lord, send thy son to the King thy Lord as a hostage, and let him not
delay at all.

“And now the King thy Lord hears, for I send to the King. Thus truly has
the King commanded me—Khanni—a second time a messenger of the
King. Truly it is to fetch to his hands men who are the foes of his house.
Behold now I have been sent, as they are troublous; and moreover thou
shalt bind them, and shalt not leave one among them. Now I am desired by
the King thy Lord to name the men who are foes of the King in the letter
from Khanni the King's messenger; and once more I am obeying the King
thy Lord; and thou shalt not leave one among them. A chain of bronze
exceeding heavy shall shackle their feet. Behold the men thou shalt fetch to
the King thy Lord. Sarru with all his sons; Tuia; Lieia with all his sons:
Pisyari204 with all his sons: the son-in-law of Mania with all his sons, with
his wives, the women of his household: the chief of Pabaha,205 whose
wickedness is abhorred, who made the trumpet to be blown: Dasarti:
Paluma: Numahe—a fugitive in the land of the Amorites.

“And knowest thou not that the glory of the King is as the Sun in heaven;
his soldiers and his chariots are many. From the shore lands to the land of
Gutium,206 from the rising of the [pg 209] Sun to the going down of the
same, there is much salutation.”

The attack on Sidon was thus apparently the fact which opened the eyes of
Amenophis. It appears to have preceded the final success, when the wealthy
city of Gebal was taken by Aziru.

The War In Phœnicia

Letters from Cities near Gebal

No. 42 B. M.—“This letter is the letter of the city Irkata207 to the King. O
our Lord, thus (says) the city of Irkata, and her men, her (flock? or lords?).
At the feet of the King our Lord seven times seven times they bow. To the
King our Lord thus (saith) the city of Irkata. Knowing the heart of the King
our Lord we have guarded the city of Irkata for him ... Behold the King our
Lord orders Abbikha ... he speaks to us thus, O King ... to guard it. The city
of Irkata answers ... the man ruling for the King.... ‘It is well. Let us save ...
the city of Irkata. It is well to save (a city?) faithful to the King.’ ... Behold
many fight ... the people ... are frightened ... Thirty horses and chariots enter
the city of Irkata. Lo! has arrived ... a letter of the King as to arriving ... thy
land they reach. The men of the city ... (belonging) to the King have made
... to fight with us for the King our Lord. You send your chief to us that he
may be our protector. Let the King our Lord hear the message of these his
servants, and appoint us provision for his servant, and thou shalt exult over
our foes and thou shalt prevail. The message of command of the King thou
shalt not deny us. Our destroyer was troubled at the coming of the King's
order to us. Mightily he has fought against us, exceeding much.”

128 B.—“To Yankhamu by letter thus (says) Yapaaddu.208 Why is it spoken?
Lo! from the city of Simyra a destruction by Aziru of all the lands, in length
from the city of Gebal to the [pg 210] city of Ugariti;209 and the destruction
of this the city Sigata,210 and of the city Ambi.211 Behold ... the slave has
(broken?) the ships ... in the city Ambi and in the city Sigata, and in all
which dispute for the lands with the city of Simyra: and shall we not arise to
enter the city Simyra,212 or what shall we ourselves do? But send this news
to your great city (or palace).213 It is regretted that the ... is unfortunate.”

44 B. M.—This letter seems to be an appeal by the cities of Phœnicia on
behalf of Ribadda, the brave King of Gebal, during the time of his

resistance to Aziru, which failed because no help was given to him from
Egypt, where Aziru was still thought faithful. The spokesman Khaia is
perhaps the same Egyptian mentioned in Aziru's letters.

“Thus (saith) our confederacy to the King and the men of Sidon and the
men of Beruta (Beirût). Whose are these cities—are not they the King's?
Place a chief one chief in the midst of the city, and shall not he judge the
ships of the land of the Amorites? and to slay Abdasherah the King shall set
him up against them. Does not the King mourn for three cities and the ships
of the men of Misi?214 and you march not to the land of the Amorites, and
Abdasherah has gone forth to war; and judge for thine own self, and hear
the message of thy faithful servant. Moreover, who has fought as a son for
the King—is it not Khaia? Will you gather us ships of men of Misi for the
land of the Amorites and to slay Abdasherah? Lo! there is no message as to
them and no memorial: they have shut the road—they have closed the way.
In order to give passage to the land of Mitana215 he has left the fleet which
he has built. Was not this a plot against me of the men of Arāda?216 But if
behold [pg 211] they are with you, seize the ships of the men of the city of
Arāda which they have made in the land of Egypt. Again behold Khaiya
laments ... for you do not ... and as for us we ... by the land of the
Amorites.”

45 B. M., a broken letter with passages of interest as follows:

“Moreover, now this city of Gula217 is afflicted. The region behold of the
city of Gula is for the King my Lord. Cannot you do what we desire? But
he has done as his heart (desired) with all the lands of the King. Behold this
sin which Aziru ... with the King; (he has slain) the King of the land of
Ammiya218 and (the King of Ar) data: and the King of the Land of Ni ... (has
slain?) a Paka (‘chief’) of the King my Lord ... and the King knows his
faithful servant, and he has despatched a garrison from his city, thirty men
and fifty chariots, to the city of Gebal. I have been right. He had turned, O
King, his heart from everything that Aziru orders him. For everything that
he orders, the messages are unanswered. But every governor of the King he
has ordered to be slain. I am forgotten. Behold Aziru has cursed the King
my Lord.”

158 B.—The greater part of this letter is too broken to read, but refers to
Abdasherah, and appears to be written to Yankhamu. The city of Simyra is
mentioned, and the city Arpad,219 and the palace or fortress of the former,
with certain men therein. The soldiers of a city Sekhlali are also noticed, but
it is not clear where this place is to be sought.

Ribadda's Letters from Gebal

47 B.—“Ribadda220 of the city of Gebal221 (Gubla) to his Lord the King of
many lands, the prosperous King. Baalath of [pg 212] Gebal she hath given
power to the King my Lord. At the feet of the King my Lord my Sun seven
times seven times I bow. Behold this ... it will grieve me ... our city ... my
foes ... the chief ... watches O King ... no men of garrison ... were given to
the King's chiefs, or preservation by the King against him, and this I (say) is
not defended, and the King has not preserved me; and being angry Pakhura
has gathered and has despatched men of the land Umuti (Hamath).222 They
have slain a chief servant; and three chiefs (he has bound?) without appeal
to the land of Egypt; and he has made gifts seducing the city against me;
and woe to the place, she has become ungrateful: the city which was not
base in old times is base to us. But the King shall hear the message of his
servant and you shall give orders to the chiefs. Do not you ... this sin they
do? ... my destruction is before me, and is it not my order that chiefs in the
sight of the King should ... my destruction. Behold now since I shall gather
to ... and (perchance I shall repel this?).”

46 B.—The salutation, as in the preceding letter, is peculiar to Ribadda.
“Lo! the King is sending to me Irimaia223: maybe, he will arrive to gladden
us from before thee: he has not come before me. The King sends to me the
most distinguished of thy great men, the chiefest of the city of the King that
thou hast, who shall defend me ... mighty before my foes ... Now they will
make a government: the city they rule shall be smitten like as (is smitten?) a
dog, and none that breathes shall be left behind him, for what they have
done to us. I am laid waste (by foes?) by men of blood: thus on account of
this slave there was no help from the King for me. (But?) my free men of
the lands have fought for me. If the heart of the King is toward the guarding
of his city, and of his servant, thou wilt order men to guard, and thou shalt
defend the city, thou shalt guard my ... made prosperous ...”

18 B. M.—The salutation as in the first letter (47 B.). “Again behold thy
faithful city of Gebal. Abdasherah was coming out against me aforetime
and I sent to thy father who ordered soldiers of the King (bitati) to speed,
and I went [pg 213] up over all his land. No allies marched to Abdasherah.
But behold this: Aziru has chosen all the men of blood and has said to them:
‘If the city of Gebal is not ... he has come ..., then Yankhamu is with thee,
and ... if I am not obedient to his wishes. Thou art deceived ... Abdasherah
has marched without stopping to ... but he has watched the city of the King
his Lord obediently. So now as to Paia ... and is it not heard from the
messages of Kha ... their father, as he desires ... This Khaib gave to the city
Simyra. Lo! I lament that the King is not able to do this (for) the Paka
(general) when behold it has been asked. And Bikhura has not marched
from the city Cumidi (Kamid). I have been friends with all the men of thy
Government ... Lo whereas I was upright to the King ... and he makes no
sign (to me?) Despatch soldiers: thou shalt march with every ... Five
thousand men and 3,000 ... fifty chariots, 1,000 ... the bitati soldiers, and
cause (them) to take captive ... the land.’ ”

13 B. M.—The usual salutation, as given in the first letter. “Does the King
know? Behold Aziru has fought my chiefs, and has taken twelve of my
chiefs, and has insisted on receiving at our expense fifty talents; and the
chiefs whom I despatched to the city Simyra he has caused to be seized in
the city. Both the city Beruta (Beirût) and the city Ziduna (Sidon) are
sending ships to the city Simyra. All who are in the land of the Amorites
have gathered themselves. I am to be attacked; and behold this: Yapaaddu
has fought for me with Aziru, but afterward behold he was entangled in the
midst of the enemy when my ships were taken. And the King sees as to his
city and his servant, and I need men to save the rebellion of this land if you
will not come up to save from the hands of my enemies (or destroyers).
Send me back a message, and know the deed that they have done. Now as
they send to thee concerning the city Simyra he now marches. But (give?)
me soldiers for ... and these shall deliver her ... they have tried but ... now.”

61 B.—The usual salutation precedes, here much broken. “Does the King
my Lord know? Lo! we know that he has fought mightily. Lo! they tell of
us in thy presence what the city Simyra has done to the King. Know O King
boldly marching [pg 214] they have contrived to seize her—the sons of

Abdasherah, and (there is) none who lives to carry the message to the King.
But counsel now thy faithful servant. I say also the whole of the fortress
they have destroyed ... I sent to the King ... of advice as to the city Simyra.
As a bird in the midst of the net she has remained. The siege of the usurpers
is exceeding strong, and the messenger who from...”

The letter is much broken. It refers to Yapaaddu and to his own faithfulness
to the Pakas (“chiefs”) of the King. He also appears to refer to the King
destroying the Amorites, and goes on:

“The ruins perchance he will assign to his servant; and he has been constant
and is upright against this thing—to subdue all the King's (provinces?). He
has lost all the cities which ... this has befallen to ... and from the
destruction ... against me none who ... them. The two or three that have held
fast are turning round. But he hears his faithful servant's message, and a
servant who has been constant in all labor, and his handmaid the city of
Gebal (is) the only one that holds fast for me. The evils of this deed are
equally thine, but I am broken in pieces. Henceforth Aziru is the foe of
Yapaaddu. They have marched; and (there is) news that they have been
cruel in their ravages against me. They rest not: they desire the evil of all
that are with me. So they have waxed strong, powerful against me (a
servant) faithful to the King from of old ... Moreover, behold I am a faithful
servant: this evil is wrought me: behold this message: lo! I am the dust of
the King's feet. Behold thy father did not wring, did not smite the lands of
his rulers (Khazani) and the Gods established him—the Sun God, the God
... and Baalath of Gebal. But the sons of Abdasherah have destroyed from
... us the throne of thy father's house, and ... to take the King's lands for
themselves. They have joined the King of the land of Mitana,224 and the
King of the land of Casi225 and the King of the land of the Hittites ... the
King [pg 215] will order soldiers (bitati). Yankhamu with the ... of my poor
land ... The Paka of the city Cumidi ... and they have marched ... Gebal ... to
a faithful servant.”

83 B.—A much broken fragment, referring to the taking of Simyra, appears
to belong to this period.

43 B.—“Ribadda speaks to the King of many lands. At the feet (of my
Lord) seven times and seven times I bow (a servant) forever. Lo! the city of

Gebal is his place—the Sun-God revered by many lands. Lo! I am the
footstool at the feet of the King my Lord; I am also his faithful servant.
Now as to the city Simyra the sword of these fellows226 has risen very
strong against her and against me. And so now the destruction of the city of
Simyra is at her gates. She has bowed down before them and they have
conquered her power.

“To what purpose have they sent here to Ribadda a letter (saying) thus:
‘Peace to the palace from its brethren before Simyra.’ Me! they have fought
against me for five years, and thus they have sent to my Lord. As for me not
(to be forgotten is?) Yapahaddu not to be forgotten is Zimridi.227 All the
fortresses they have ruined ... there was no cause of strife with the city of
Simyra...” The next passage is much damaged. “And as said to what
purpose have they sent a letter to Ribadda? In the sight of the King my Lord
they have feigned to please me, they have pretended to please me, and now
they proclaim peace. Truly thus behold it is with me. Let me learn the
intention of my Lord, and will not he order Yankhamu with the Paka,
Yankhamu joined beside the King my Lord, to lay waste? From before the
chiefs of the Hittite chief men have fled and all the chiefs are afraid thereat.
May it please my Lord also shall not he be (degraded?) who was thy
commander of the horse with thy servant, to move the chiefs when we two
went forth to the wars of the King my Lord, to occupy my cities which I
name before my Lord. Know my Lord when they went forth with the [pg
216] ally he has left your soldiers fighting hard, and all have been slain.”

52 B.—The ordinary salutation. The letter is much damaged. It states that
the land of Mitana had formerly fought against the King's enemies; that the
sons of the dog Abdasherah destroy the cities and the corn, and attack the
governors, and had demanded fifty talents. It appears that Yankhamu has
arrived, and has known the chief whom the King had established.
Apparently a written letter has been sent “to the Amorite land for them to
swallow.” He continues: “Behold I am a faithful servant of the King, and
there was none was like me a servant, before this man lied to the King of
the Land of Egypt. But they have mastered the lands of our home.” They
have slain Egyptians, he continues, and have done something (the verb is
lost) to the temples of the Gods of Gebal; they have carried off a chief and
shed his blood. He finally mentions his son Khamu.

25 B. M., a short letter with the usual salutation. He requests soldiers to
guard the lands for the rulers, which have been torn in pieces. The King
sends no messages about himself to the writer or to Yankhamu. The
governor's men have gathered to fight (for the Khar or Phœnicians?).

42 B. begins with the usual salutation given in the first letter. “Having just
heard the chiefs from the presence of the King it is fit that I send back a
messenger (or message). Behold O Sun descending from heaven, the Sons
of Abdasherah are wasting (shamefully?), as among them there is not one
of the horses of the King or chariots, and the chiefs have devised evil—a
rebellious race. And a chief is here with us of the Amorite country, with a
written message from the allies which is with me. They have demanded
what is shameful. Hereby is spoken a friendly message in the presence of
the King—the Sun God. As for me I am thy faithful servant, and the news
which is known, and which I hear, I send to the King my Lord. (What are
they but dogs trembling?) in the presence of the Egyptian soldiers (bitati) of
the King—the Sun God. I sent to your father and he ... ‘to my servant ...
soldiers’ ... they have not marched ... Abdasherah ... the chiefs of this
government ... their faces against him. So now they have joined ... [pg 217]
But the Misi men (Egyptians) ... have brought us, with speed, corn ... So
now not without favor ... I have become a great man, behold: strong and
powerful in their sight we have been made. But mighty and rebellious to the
King is this power. (His land does not intend to help the land?) Behold I am
despatching two men to the city of Simyra, and all the men of its chief have
gathered in order to consult as to messages to the King, who will know why
you hear from us your chiefs. Good is the letter they have brought us, and
the letter which the messengers of the King have uttered to us.228 Through
the pretensions of this dog the King's heart has been grieved with men, and
... has been unrighteously set up, devising in their hearts ... and ... (your
chief?). I go against the men of blood from the city Simyra ... to keep ... and
whatsoever I have been commanded. And let the King ... the news of his
servant. I have despatched ten chiefs of the Land of Nubia,229 twenty chiefs
of the Land of Egypt, as a guard to the King. Sun-God and Lord thy servant
is faithful to thee.”

73 B.—“To the King ... thus says Ribadda thy servant, the footstool of the
feet of the Sun-God my Lord. Seven times and seven times at his feet I bow.

Grievous it is to say what, in the sight of the King, he has done—the dog
Abdasherah. Behold what has befallen the lands of the King on account of
him; and he cried peace to the land, and now behold what has befallen the
city of Simyra—a station of my Lord, a fortress ... and they spoil our
fortress ... and the cries of the place ... a violent man and a dog.”

The next message is too broken to read, but refers to the city of Gebal. The
letter continues:

“Will not the King order his Paka to pronounce judgment? and let him
guard the chief city of my Lord, and order me as I (say), and let my Lord
the Sun set free the lands, and truly my lord shall order the wicked men all
of them to go out. I present my memorial in the sight of my Lord, but this
dog has not taken any of thy Gods. Prosperity has fled which abode in
Gebal, which city of Gebal was as a city very friendly to the King. It is
grievous. Behold I have associated Abdbaal [pg 218] the prefect with Ben
Khia (or Ben Tobia) a man of (war?); but despatch thou him to thy
servant...”

57 B.—The salutation as usual mentions Baalath of Gebal. “Why shall the
King my Lord send to me? The best indeed trembles, of those who watch
for him against my foes, and of my freemen. What shall defend me if the
King will not defend his servant?... if the King will order for us chiefs of
the Land of Egypt, and of the Land of Nubia, and horses, by the hand of this
my chief as I hope, and preservation for the servants of the King my Lord.
If none at all ... to me ... to march horses ... my land is miserable. By my
soul's life! if the King cared at heart for the life of his servant, and of his
chief city, he would have sent a garrison, and they had guarded thy city and
thy servant. That the King shall know ... of our lands; and Egyptian soldiers
(bitati) shall be ordered; and to save all that live in his land, therefore it is
spoken as a message to the King (with thy messengers?) As to the ... of this
dispute of Khaia with the city of Simyra, that they should send us without
delay thirteen talents (or pieces of gold): I gave the proclamation. The men
of blood are named in the letter to the city of Simyra.230 It avails not. Ask
Khaia as to the letter of our previous dispute with the city of Simyra—to
satisfy the King, and to give security to the King, they are sending again,
and...”

24 B. M.—This is broken at the top.

“And King my Lord, soldiers are moving to the city of Gebal, and behold
the city Durubli231 has sent forth soldiers to war to the city Simyra. If the
heart of the King my Lord is toward the city of Durubli my Lord will also
order many soldiers, thirty chariots and an hundred chief men of your land;
and you will halt at the city Durubli, my Lord's city. If the lands are to be
defended, the King will order the departure of Egyptian soldiers (bitati) to
the city of Gebal, and (I doubt not?) you will march to us. And I ... to slay
him, and ... behold the King my Lord ... faithful; [pg 219] and they have
warred with the men Kau Paur232 (Egyptian magnates) of the King. Lo!
they have slain Biari the Paur (magnate) of the King, and he has given gifts
to my ... and they are helping. And none are servants of the King. And evil
in our eyes behold is this. I am spoiled, and I fear lest ... no wish of the
faithful chief be granted to him. Lo! you will make my kindred to be
afflicted. The King shall arm the land ... thy soldiers great and small, all of
them; and Pakhamnata233 did not listen to me and they do a deed that ... and
thou shalt tell him this, that he shall set free the city of Simyra; and (the
King) will listen to the message of his servant, and shall (send) Egyptian
soldiers. Behold he will say to the King that the Egyptian soldiers have no
corn or food to eat, all the enemies have cut off from the midst of the cities
of the King my Lord the food and the corn ... and (I) have raised soldiers
gathering (in) the city of Gebal ... there is not ... you shall send to us ... and
to march to it, and I have stopped ... and not one of the lands of the
Canaanites helps Yankhamu though he is for the King.”

58 B.—This is a large and important tablet, but much broken; it begins with
a short salutation, and then says at once, “I am laid low.” It refers to the loss
of the city Abur,234 and mentions the names of Aziru and Abdasherah, and
says there is no garrison. The enemy are marching on to the capital. He
says: “I sent to the palace (or capital of Egypt) for soldiers and you gave me
no soldiers.” “They have burned the city Abur, and have made an end in the
sight of Khamu my son.” “The man of sin Aziru has marched ... he has
remained in the midst ... I have despatched my son to the palace more than
three months (ago) who has not appeared before the King. Thus (says) my
chief of the city of Takhida235—they are reaching him: of what use are the
fortifications to the men left therein?” “The chief who came [pg 220] out of

the lands of Egypt to inform, whom you announced us on account of Aziru
formerly, I shall send to the King. You will not have heard this message as
to the city Abur. The dogs are wasting, as is said, do you not mark the
news? If the King had thought of his servant, and had given me soldiers. ..”
The next passages are much damaged, but refer to the same general subject
of complaint. The next intelligible sentence is: “The people have been
enraged expecting that the King my Lord would give me for my chief city
corn for the food of the people of the strongholds.” He then protests his
good faith, and says finally: “And my sons are servants of the King, and our
expectation is from the King ... The city is perishing, my Lord has
pronounced our death ...”

77 B.—After a short salutation: “Let the King hear the news of his faithful
servant. It is ill with me: mightily fighting, the sons of Abdasherah have
striven in the land of the Amorites. They had subdued all the land of the city
of Simyra, and they have wrecked the city Irkata (Arkah) for its ruler. And
now they are coming out of the city of Simyra, and it is ill for the ruler (who
is) in face of the foes who come out.” The tablet is here broken, but refers to
Gebal and to the rulers Zimridi and Yapaaddu. The writer hopes for the
arrival of troops. “Egyptian soldiers; and the Sun-King will protect me.
Friendly men have been (shut up?) in the midst of his land. Moreover, the
King my Lord shall hear the message of his servant, and deliver the
garrison of Simyra and of Irkata: for all the garrison have ... out of the city
Simyra and ... Sun-God Lord of the lands will order for me also twenty
(companies?—tapal) of horse, and, as I trust, to the city of Simyra (to
defend her) you will speed (a division?) instructing the garrisons to be
strong and zealous, and to encourage the chiefs in the midst of the city. If
also you grant us no Egyptian soldiers no city in the plains will be zealous
for thee. But the chain of the Egyptian soldiers has quitted all the lands—
they have disappeared to the King.”236

14 B. M.—“Ribadda speaks to his Lord the King of many lands the Great
King. Baalath of Gebal has given power to [pg 221] the King my Lord: at
the feet of my Lord, my Sun, seven times seven times I bow. Why wilt not
thou utter for us a message to me? And (now) know the demand which my
chief is despatched to make in presence of the King my Lord; and his
division of horse has marched, but the man has delayed marching—its chief