CHAPTER LXXIII._The Egyptian Book of the dead

Transcriber’s Note

This version of the text cannot represent certain typographical effects.

Italics are delimited with the ‘_’ character as _italic_. Superscripted

characters are noted using a carat as ‘XV^e’, or for multiple

characters, e.g., ‘I^{er}’. Bold font is delimited with ‘=’.

Most importantly, the notes for each chapter contain hieroglyphic

images, which cannot be represented here. Each is denoted by ‘⁂’.

Footnotes have been moved to follow the paragraphs in which they are

referenced.

Minor errors, attributable to the printer, have been corrected. Please

see the transcriber’s note at the end of this text for details regarding

the handling of any textual issues encountered during its preparation.

THE EGYPTIAN

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

TRANSLATION AND COMMENTARY,

BY THE LATE

SIR P. LE PAGE RENOUF, KNT.

CONTINUED AND COMPLETED BY

PROF. E. NAVILLE, _D.C.L., &c., &c.,_

_Professor of Egyptology at the University of Geneva._

_WITH VIGNETTES AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS._

PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR

THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHÆOLOGY,

37, GREAT RUSSELL STREET, BLOOMSBURY,

LONDON, 1904.

LONDON:

HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY,

ST. MARTIN’S LANE.

LADY RENOUF

THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXPRESSED WISH OF

HER LATE HUSBAND

SIR PETER LE PAGE RENOUF.

INDEX

TO THE

CHAPTERS

AND REFERENCES

TO THE

VIGNETTES.

CHAPTERS. │ VIGNETTES.

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────

I. _The Beginning of the Chapters of pages│ Plates I, II.

Coming forth by Day, of the Words 1, 2│

which bring about Resurrection and │

Glory, and of Coming out of and │

entering into Amenta. Said upon the │

Day of Burial of_ N, _the │

Victorious, who entereth after │

coming forth. Here is_ N _the │

victorious. He saith_— │

───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────

II. _Chapter for Coming forth by day and 11, 12│ No Vignettes.

Living after death._ │

III. _Another Chapter like it._ 12│ ”

IV. _Another Chapter, for travelling on 13│ ”

the road which is above the earth._ │

V. _Chapter whereby work may not be 13│ ”

imposed [upon a person] in the │

Netherworld._ │

VI. _Chapter whereby the funereal 15, 16│ ”

Statuettes may be made to do work │

for a person in the Netherworld._ │

VII. _Chapter of passing through the chine 16│ ”

of Apepi which is void._ │

VIII. _Chapter of opening the Tuat by day._ 17│ ”

IX. _Chapter for opening the Tuat._ 18│ ”

X. _Chapter for coming forth 19│ ”

victoriously._ │

XI. _Chapter for coming out against the 19│ ”

adversary in the Netherworld._ │

XII. _Chapter for entering and for coming 20│ ”

forth out of the Netherworld._ │

XIII. _Chapter for entering after coming 20│ ”

out from Amenta._ │

XIV. _Chapter for removing displeasure 21│ ”

from the heart of the god against │

the deceased person._ │

XV. HYMN I.—_A Hymn to Râ at his rising._ 22–25│ III, X, XV.

[LITANY].—_Adored be Râ as he setteth 25, 26│

in the Land of Life._ │

HYMN II.—_A Hymn to Râ at his 26, 27│

setting._ │

HYMN III.—_A Hymn to Tmu at his 27, 28│

setting._ │

XVI. . . . . . . . . . . 34│ IV, V.

XVII. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 35 40│ VI, VII.

day out of the Netherworld. Let the │

words be said_: │

XVIII. _A Litany to Thoth._ 50–53│ VIII, IX.

XIX. _Chapter of the Crown of Triumph._ 57, 58│ IX.

XX. _Another Chapter of the Crown of 59│ No Vignettes.

Triumph._ │

XXI. _Chapter whereby the Mouth of a 60│ ”

person is given to him in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXII. _Another Chapter whereby the Mouth of 61│ X, XI.

a person is given to him in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXIII. _Chapter whereby the Mouth of a 62│ X, XI.

person is opened for him in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXIV. _Chapter whereby the Words of Power 63, 64│ X.

are brought to a person in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXV. _Chapter whereby a person remembereth 66│_No Vignettes._

his name in the Netherworld._ │

XXVI. _Chapter whereby the Heart is given 66│ XII.

to a person in the Netherworld._ │

XXVII. _Chapter whereby the Heart of a 69│ XI.

person is not taken from him in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXVIII. _Chapter whereby the Heart of a 70, 71│ XII.

person is not taken from him in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXIX. _Chapter whereby the Heart of a 72│ XII.

person may not be taken from him in │

the Netherworld._ │

XXIXB. _Another Chapter of the Heart; upon 73│_No Vignettes._

Carnelian._ │

XXXA. _Chapter whereby the Heart of a 74│ XII.

person is not kept back from him in │

the Netherworld._ │

XXXB. 75│_No Vignettes._

XXXI. _Chapter whereby the Crocodiles are 77│ XII.

repulsed who come to carry off the │

Words of Power from a person in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXXII. _Chapter whereby the Crocodiles are 78, 79│_No Vignettes._

repulsed who come to carry off the │

Words of Power from the glorified │

in the Netherworld._ │

XXXIII. _Chapter whereby all Serpents are 81│ XII.

kept back._ │

XXXIV. _Chapter whereby a person is not 82│ No Vignettes.

devoured by the dweller in the │

shrine._ │

XXXV. _Chapter whereby the person is not 83│ ”

devoured by a Serpent in the │

Netherworld._ │

XXXVI. _Chapter whereby the Āpshait is kept 85│ XII, XIII.

back._ │

XXXVII. _Chapter whereby the Merta Goddesses 85│ XIII.

are kept back._ │

XXXVIII. _Chapter whereby one liveth by the 86│ XIII

breath of air in the Netherworld, │

and keepeth back Merta._ │

XXXIX. _Chapter whereby the Serpent Rekrek 87-89│ XIII, XIV.

is repulsed in the Netherworld._ │

XL. _Chapter whereby the Eater of the Ass 91, 92│ XIV.

is kept back._ │

XLI. _Chapter whereby one avoideth the 94│ XV.

Slaughter which is carried out in │

the Netherworld._ │

XLII. _Chapter whereby one hindereth the 95–98│ XVI.

Slaughter which is wrought at │

Sutenhenen._ │

XLIII. _Chapter whereby the head of a person 101│ No Vignettes.

is not severed from him in the │

Netherworld._ │

XLIV. _Chapter whereby one dieth not a 101│ ”

second time._ │

XLV. _Chapter whereby one escapeth 102│ ”

corruption in the Netherworld._ │

XLVI. _Chapter whereby he that is living is 102│ ”

not destroyed in the Netherworld._ │

XLVII. _Chapter whereby the seat of a person 102,│ XV, XVII.

is not taken from him in the 103│

Netherworld._ │

XLVIII (same as X). │

XLIX (same as XI). │

L. _Chapter whereby one cometh not to 103│ XVII.

the divine Block of Execution._ │

LI. _Chapter whereby one goeth not 104│ No Vignettes.

headlong in the Netherworld._ │

LII. _Chapter whereby one eateth not dirt 105│ ”

in the Netherworld._ │

LIIIA. _Chapter whereby one is not made to 107│ ”

eat dirt, or to drink lye._ │

LIIIB. _Whereby one eateth not dirt._ 107,│ ”

108│

LIV. _Chapter whereby air is given in the 108│ ”

Netherworld._ │

LV. _Another Chapter whereby air is 109│ ”

given._ │

LVI. _Another Chapter of breathing._ 110│ ”

LVII. _Chapter for breathing air, and 110,│ XVII.

command of water, in the 111│

Netherworld._ │

LVIII. _Chapter for breathing air and 112│ XVII.

command of water._ │

LIX. _Chapter for breathing air and 113│ No Vignettes.

command of water._ │

LX. _Another Chapter._ 113,│ ”

114│

LXI. _Another Chapter._ 114│ XVII.

LXII. _Chapter whereby water is drunk in 114,│ No Vignettes.

the Netherworld._ 115│

LXIIIA. _Chapter whereby one is not burnt 115,│ ”

with fire, but drinketh water, in 116│

the Netherworld._ │

LXIIIB. _Chapter whereby one is not boiled in 116│ ”

water._ │

LXIV. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 117–121│ XVII.

day from the Netherworld._ │

LXV. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 127│ XIX.

day and prevaileth over the │

adversaries._ │

LXVI. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 128│ No Vignettes.

day._ │

LXVII. _Chapter whereby the doors of the 128│ ”

Tuat are opened and one cometh │

forth by day._ │

LXVIII. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 129,│ XVIII, XIX.

day._ 130│

LXIX. _Otherwise said._ 130,│ No Vignettes.

131│

LXX. _Another Chapter._ 131,│ ”

132│

LXXI. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 132–134│ XIX.

day._ │

LXXII. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth by 136,│ XIX, XX.

day and passes through the 137│

Ammehit._ │

LXXIII (same as IX). │ XIX, XX.

LXXIV. _Chapter whereby the legs are set in 138│ XIX, XX.

motion upon earth._ │

LXXV. _Chapter whereby one cometh to 139,│ XXI, numbered

Heliopolis and receiveth a seat 140│ LXXVIII in

there._ │ error.

LXXVI. _Chapter whereby all forms are 140│ XX. same as

assumed which one pleaseth._ │ LXXIII.

LXXVII. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 141│ XXI.

form of the Golden Hawk._ │

LXXVIII. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 142–146│ XXI.

form of the Sacred Hawk._ │

LXXIX. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 147,│ XXI.

form of the Chief god of the Divine 148│

Cycle._ │

LXXX. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 149│_No Vignettes._

form of the god who giveth Light to │

the Darkness._ │

LXXXI. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 150│ XXI, XXII.

form of the Lotus._ │

LXXXII. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 150,│ XXII.

form of Ptah, eateth bread, 151│

drinketh beer, and sitteth in the │

midst of the great gods._ │

LXXXIII. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 151,│ XXII.

form of the Bennu bird._ 152│

LXXXIV. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 152,│ XXII.

form of the Hernshaw._ 153│

LXXXV. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 153,│ XXII.

form of a Soul, that one may not 154│

come to the dungeon. Imperishable │

is he who knoweth it._ │

LXXXVI. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 155│ XXII.

form of the Swallow._ │

LXXXVII. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 157│ XXII, XXIII.

form of Se-ta._ │

LXXXVIII. _Chapter whereby one assumeth the 157│ XXIII.

form of the Crocodile god [Sebak]._ │

LXXXIX. _Chapter whereby the Soul is united 157,│ XXIII.

to the dead Body._ 158│

XC. _Chapter whereby Memory is restored 159│ XXIII.

to a person._ │

XCI. _Chapter whereby the Soul is secured 160│_No Vignettes._

from imprisonment in the │

Netherworld._ │

XCII. _Chapter whereby the Tomb is opened 160,│ XXIII, XXIV.

to the Soul and to the Shade of the 161│

person, that he may come forth by │

day and may have mastery of his │

feet._ │

XCIII. _Chapter whereby one avoideth being 162│ XXIV.

conveyed to the East in the │

Netherworld._ │

XCIV. _Chapter whereby one prayeth for a 163│ XXIV.

Palette and an Inkstand._ │

XCV. _Chapter whereby is opened the place 163,│ XXIV.

wherein Thoth resteth._ 164│

XCVI. _Chapter whereby is opened [the 164│_No Vignettes._

place] where Thoth [resteth]._ │

XCVII. 165│ XXV.

XCVIII. _Chapter whereby one saileth a ship 165,│ XXV.

in the Netherworld._ 166│

XCIX. _Chapter whereby one saileth a ship 167–169│ XXV, XXVI.

in the Netherworld._ │

C. _The Book whereby the glorified one 171│ XXVII.

is made strong, and is made to │

embark in the boat of Rā, together │

with those who are with the god._ │

CI. _Chapter of the safeguards of the 172,│_No Vignettes._

Bark of Rā_. 173│

CII. _Chapter whereby one entereth into 173│ XXVII.

the Bark of Rā._ │

CIII. _Chapter whereby one openeth the 174│ XXV.

place where Hathor abideth._ │

CIV. _Chapter whereby one sitteth in the 174│ XXV.

midst of the great gods._ │

CV. _Chapter whereby one propitiateth the 175│ XXV.

Ka._ │

CVI. _Chapter whereby a largess is 176,│ No Vignettes.

presented at Hat-ka-Ptah._ 177│

CVII. 178│ ”

CVIII. _Chapter whereby one knoweth the 178,│ XXV, XXVII.

Powers of the West._ 179│

│

CIX. _Chapter whereby one knoweth the 181,│ XXVII.

Powers of the East._ 182│

CX. _The Beginning of the Chapters of the 193–195│ XXVIII, XXIX.

Garden of Hotepit, and of the │

Chapters of coming forth by day; │

and of entering and coming forth in │

the Netherworld, and of arriving at │

the Garden of Aarru, at the Rise in │

Hotepit and at the Grand Domain, │

blest with the breezes: that I may │

take possession there and be in │

Glory there: that there I may │

plough and mow: that there I may │

eat and drink and love: doing │

whatsoever things are done upon │

earth._ │

CXI (same as CVIII). │

CXII. _Chapter whereby one knoweth the 184,│ XXIX, XXX.

Powers of Pu._ 185│

CXIII. _Chapter whereby one knoweth the 186,│ XXX.

Powers of Nechen._ 187│

CXIV. _Chapter whereby one knoweth the 188,│ XXXI.

Powers of Hermopolis._ 189│

CXV. _Chapter whereby one cometh forth 190,│_No Vignettes._

into Heaven, and openeth the 191│

Ammehit: and whereby the Powers of │

Heliopolis are known._ │

CXVI. _Chapter whereby one knoweth the 192│ XXXI.

Power of Hermopolis._ │

CXVII. _Chapter whereby one taketh the 203│ XXXI (one

blissful path at Restau._ │ Vignette is

│ numbered CVII

│ in error).

CXVIII. _Chapter whereby one arriveth at 206│_No Vignettes._

Restau._ │

CXIX. _Chapter whereby one entereth or 206│ XXXI.

goeth forth from Restau._ │

CXX (same as XII). │

CXXI (same as XIII). │

CXXII (same as LVIII). │

CXXIII. _Chapter whereby one entereth into 208│ XXXI.

the Great House._ │

CXXIV. _Chapter whereby one cometh to the 210,│ XXXII.

Divine Circle of Osiris._ 211│

CXXV. PART I.—_Said on arriving at the Hall 212–214│ XXXII,

of Righteousness, that N may be │ XXXIII,

loosed from all the sins which he │ XXXIV,

hath committed and that he may look │ XXXV,

upon the divine countenances._ │ XXXVI,

│ XXXVIII,

│ XXXIX.

PART II.—_The Negative Confession._ 214–216│ ”

PART III.—_Said upon approaching to 216–220│ ”

the gods who are in the Tuat._ │

CXXVI. . . . . . . . . . . 244,│ XL.

245│

CXXVII. _The Book for invoking the gods of 249│ No Vignettes.

the Bounds, which the person │

reciteth when he approacheth them, │

that he may enter and see the │

Strong one in the Great Abode of │

the Tuat._ │

CXXVIII. _Invocation of Osiris_ 251,│ ”

252│

CXXIX (same as C). │ XL.

CXXX. _A Book whereby the Soul is made to 256–259│ XL.

live for ever, on the day of │

entering into the Bark of Rā, and │

to pass the Sheniu of the Tuat. │

Made on the Birthday of Osiris._ │

CXXXI. _Chapter whereby one proceedeth into 261│ XLI.

Heaven by the side of Rā._ │

CXXXII. _Chapter whereby a person is enabled 263│ XLI.

to go round, to visit his dwelling │

in the Netherworld._ │

CXXXIII. _Book whereby the deceased acquireth 264,│ XLI, XLII.

might in the Netherworld, in 265│

presence of the great cycle of the │

gods._ │

CXXXIV. _Chapter whereby the deceased 267,│ XLI.

acquireth might._ 268│

CXXXV. _Another chapter recited when the 269,│_No Vignettes._

Moon renews itself on the first day 270│

of the month._ │

CXXXVIA. _Chapter whereby one is conveyed in 270│ XLII.

the Bark of Rā._ │

CXXXVIB. _Chapter whereby one is conveyed in 271,│ No Vignettes.

the Great Bark of Rā to pass 272│

through the orbit of flame._ │

CXXXVIIA. _Chapter whereby a Light is kindled 275│ ”

for a person._ │

CXXXVIIB. _Chapter whereby a Light is kindled 275│ XLII.

for a person._ │

CXXXVIII. _Chapter whereby one is enabled to 277│ XLIII.

enter into Abydos._ │

│

CXXXIX (same as CXXIII). │

│

CXL. _The book read on the last day of 280,│ XLIII, XLIV.

Mechir, when the Eye is full on the 281│

last day of Mechir._ │

│

CXLI. to _The Book said by a man or his father 282–285│ XLIV, XLV,

CXLIII. or his son in the festival of the │ XLVI.

Amenta, and wherewith he acquires │

might with Rā, and with the gods │

when he is with them. Said on the │

day of the new Moon, when offerings │

are made of bread, beer, oxen, │

geese, and burnt incense to—_ │

CXLIV. _The Chapter of the Arrival._ 287–289│ XLVI, XLVII,

│ XLIX, L.

CXLV and _The knowing of the pylons of the 292–294│ XLIV, XLVIII,

CXLVI. house of Osiris, in the Garden of │ LIII.

Aarru._ │

CXLVII. 296–298│ XLIX, L.

CXLVIII. _Giving sustenance to the deceased in 300–301│ XLVI, XLVII,

the Netherworld, and delivering him │ LI.

from all evil things._ │

CXLIX. 302–307│ LII.

CL. 309│ LIII.

CLI. 309│ LIV, LVI.

CLIA. 313│_No Vignettes._

_bis_ │

CLIA. _Chapter of the mysterious head._ │ LIV.

_ter_ │

CLII. _Chapter of building a house on 314│ LIV.

earth._ │

CLIIIA. _Chapter of coming out of the net._ 315,│ LV.

316│

CLIIIB. _Chapter of escaping from the 320,│ LVI.

catchers of fish._ 321│

CLIV. _Chapter of not letting the body 322,│ LVI.

decay in the Netherworld._ 323│

CLV. _Chapter of the Tat of gold._ 325│ LVI, LVII.

CLVI. _Chapter of the buckle of carnelian, 326│ LVI, LVII.

which is put on the neck of the │

deceased._ │

CLVII. _Chapter of the vulture of gold, put 326,│ LVII.

on the neck of the deceased._ 327│

CLVIII. _Chapter of the collar of gold, put 327│ LVII.

on the neck of the deceased._ │

CLIX. _Chapter of the column of green 327,│ LVII.

Felspar, put on the neck of the 328│

deceased._ │

CLX. _Giving the column of green Felspar._ 328│ LVII.

CLXI. _Chapter of unfastening the opening 329,│ LV.

in the sky. Thoth does it so that 330│

it may be finished when he opens │

(the sky) with Aten._ │

CLXII. _Chapter of causing a flame to arise 330,│ LVIII.

under the head of the deceased._ 321│

CLXIII. _Chapters brought from another book, 333,│ LVIII.

in addition to the “coming forth by 334│

day.” Chapter of not letting the │

body of a man decay in the │

Netherworld, of rescuing him from │

the devourers of souls who imprison │

men in the Tuat, and of not raising │

his sins on earth against him, but │

of saving his flesh and his bones │

from the worms and from every │

evil-doing god in the Netherworld, │

so that he may go in and out as he │

likes, and do everything he desires │

without restraint._ │

CLXIV. _Another Chapter._ 336,│ LVIII.

337│

CLXV. _Chapter of landing and not being 338,│ LVIII.

obscured, so that the body may 339│

prosper in drinking water._ │

CLXVI. _Chapter of the Pillow._ 340│ LVIII.

CLXVII. _Chapter of bringing an Eye._ 341│ LVIII.

CLXVIII. 341│ No Vignettes.

CLXIX. _Chapter of raising the funereal 342–344│ ”

Bed._ │

CLXX. _Chapter of arranging the funereal 345–347│ ”

Bed._ │

CLXXI. _Chapter of wrapping up (the 347│ ”

deceased) in a pure garment._ │

CLXXII. _Beginning of the Chapter of reciting 348–351│ ”

the ceremonies made in the │

Netherworld._ │

CLXXIII. _The addresses of Horus to his father 352,│ LIX.

when he goes in to see his father, 353│

and when he comes out of his great │

sanctuary to see him Rā Unneferu, │

the master of Ta-tser, and then │

they embrace one another; therefore │

he is glorious in the Netherworld._ │

CLXXIV. _Chapter of causing the Chu to come 354,│ LX.

out of the great door in the sky._ 355│

CLXXV. _Chapter of not dying a second death 356,│ LX.

in the Netherworld._ 357│

CLXXVI. _Chapter of not dying a second time 358│ No Vignettes.

in the Netherworld._ │

CLXXVII. _Chapter of raising the Chu, of 359│ ”

vivifying his soul in the │

Netherworld._ │

CLXXVIII. _Chapter of raising the body, of 360–363│ ”

giving it eyes, of making it │

possess ears, of fixing its head, │

of putting it on its base._ │

CLXXIX. _Chapter of coming forth when going 363,│ ”

out of yesterday and coming in the 364│

(present) day, being equipped by │

one’s own hands._ │

CLXXX. _Chapter of coming forth by day, of 365–367│ LX.

giving praise to Rā in the Amenta, │

of paying homage to the inhabitants │

of the Tuat, of opening the way to │

the mighty soul in the Netherworld, │

of letting him walk, lengthen his │

strides, and go in and out in the │

Netherworld; and take the form of a │

living soul._ │

CLXXXI. _Chapter of arriving before the 368,│ LXI.

Divine circle of Osiris and before 369│

the gods, the guides in the Tuat, │

before the guards of their halls, │

the heralds of their gates and the │

doorkeepers of their pylons in the │

Amenta, and of taking the form of a │

living soul and praising Osiris the │

lord of his circle of gods._ │

CLXXXII. _Book of vivifying Osiris, of giving 370–372│ LXI.

air to him whose heart is │

motionless, through the action of │

Thoth, who repels the enemies of │

Osiris who comes there in his │

form ... as protector, saviour, │

defender in the Netherworld._ │

_It is said by Thoth himself, so that │

the morning light may shine on him │

(Osiris) every day._ │

CLXXXIII. _Adoration to Osiris, giving him 372–374│ LX.

praise, bowing down before │

Unneferu, falling on one’s face │

before the lord of Ta-tsert, and │

exalting him who is on his sand._ │

CLXXXIV. _Chapter of being near Osiris._ 375│ LX.

CLXXXV. _Giving praise to Osiris, falling on 375│ LX.

the earth before the lord of │

eternity; propitiating the god with │

what he loves, speaking the truth, │

the lord of which is not known._ │

CLXXXVI. _Adoration to Hathor, the lady of the 376│ LX, LXII.

West, falling down before Mehurit._ │

INTRODUCTION.

When, in the year 1892, Sir Peter Le Page Renouf began the publication

of his translation of the Book of the Dead, his intention was that the

work, once completed, should be preceded by an elaborate Introduction,

giving, besides all the information concerning the form and the history

of the book, his views as to its sense and its religious value.

As with the unfinished part of the translation,[1] so here, we are left

without any notes or any clue whatever as to the form which this

introduction was to have taken, and we are obliged to resort to the

fifth of the Hibbert lectures, given by Renouf in 1879, in order to know

his views about the book.[2]

Before speaking of its contents, we have to state briefly under what

form the book has come down to us. It is hardly necessary to repeat that

it is no book at all in the ordinary sense of the word. It is neither a

unity nor a whole, it is a collection which has grown by degrees, at

various epochs. Undoubtedly part of it goes back as far as the Old

Empire; the texts of the Middle Empire show already that there were

various editions, and we are forced to admit that its origin is not much

later than the beginning of Egyptian civilization, as we see that some

of the rubrics attribute certain chapters to a king of the 1st dynasty.

In the course of centuries the original text was modified and enlarged,

new chapters were added, revisions were made, without casting these

detached fragments into a whole. The various parts of the book were

always independent, like the Hebrew Psalms; the acceptance of a chapter

does not necessarily imply the acceptance of the next chapter, and it

seems as if the relatives of the deceased chose in the collection which

was at their disposal what they liked best, and the number of chapters

which corresponded to the price they wished to pay for a papyrus.

This description applies chiefly to the texts of the Book of the Dead of

the period prior to the XXVIth dynasty. Under the Saïte kings it seems

that a complete revision of the text was made; a definite order was

adopted, which was not rigidly binding on the writers, but to which they

generally adhered; various chapters were added, especially the last

ones, 162-165, which are never found in the older copies. It seems also

that something like what we should call an authorized version was

adopted; and this was done by men to whom the book was hardly

intelligible. A great many glosses were introduced, which were copied

afterwards in all the hieroglyphic and hieratic texts. Although we do

not find the strict accuracy of Hebrew manuscripts, the number of

variants in the Saïte, Ptolemaïc or Roman texts is considerably smaller

than in the manuscripts of the Theban period, and a collation of the

hundreds of papyri of late epoch which fill our museums would lead to no

great result.

However, it is from a text generally considered as Saïtic, but which I

believe to be of the Ptolemaïc epoch, that the Book of the Dead has been

first made known in all its extent. In 1842 Lepsius published the long

papyrus in the Turin Museum, a document which he called “the largest

piece of Egyptian literature which has been preserved.”

Before him Champollion had seen it, and had noticed that a great number

of repetitions of the same text existed in various museums. He made use

of it in his grammar, quoted here and there a sentence taken from it,

but he did not make a special study of the document. Lepsius understood

at once the importance of the book, which was the _vade-mecum_ of the

deceased, and seeing how much more extensive the Turin Papyrus was than

the short copies which had been published before, he traced the whole

document and published it two years afterwards.

Lepsius gave to this work the name of _Todtenbuch_, “Book of the Dead,”

in opposition to the name of “Ritual” adopted by Champollion, which is

certainly incorrect. It is no Ritual; a few chapters with a ritualistic

character have been introduced into it; for instance, the chapter

connected with the ceremony of “opening the mouth of the deceased,”

which is occasionally met with, or Chapter 171, “chapter of wrapping up

(the deceased) in a pure garment;” but these are rare exceptions. On the

whole the Book of the Dead differs widely from a Ritual. It is not the

priest who speaks, there are no minute prescriptions as to how a

ceremony is to be performed; all the prayers and hymns are put in the

deceased’s mouth, it is he whose speech is supposed to be heard in the

other world.

_Todtenbuch_, Book of the Dead, is not a translation of the Egyptian

title, which is: book of ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _pert m hru_. As Renouf

says, “Three simple words, perfectly unambiguous when taken singly, but

by no means easy of explanation when taken together without a context;”

and in fact at the present day no final translation has been given of

these three words. Renouf translates, “coming forth by day,” as will be

seen in the numerous examples which occur in this volume; but several

objections may be raised against this interpretation, to which we should

prefer, “coming out of the day,” the day being the period of a man’s

life, having its morning and its evening.

The book is divided into fragments called ⁂, to each of which Lepsius

has given a number, following the order of the great Turin Papyrus, and

which he calls chapters. Although his numbering is not quite correct, it

has been adhered to in all the subsequent editions.

In his lecture[3] on the Book of the Dead, Renouf insists on the

difficulty of translating it: “Nothing can exceed the simplicity and the

brevity of the sentences; and yet the difficulties which a translator

has to overcome are very great. In the first place, the text is

extremely corrupt. The unsatisfactory condition of the text is owing to

different causes. The reasons which writers on Hebrew, Greek or Latin

palæography have enumerated for the purpose of accounting for mistakes

in manuscripts, apply with much greater force to the funereal

manuscripts of the Egyptians; for as these were not intended to be seen

by any mortal eye, but to remain for ever undisturbed in the tomb, the

unconscientious scribe had no such check upon his carelessness as if his

work were liable to be subjected to the constant inspection of the

living. But the most conscientious scribe might easily commit numerous

errors. Many of them are to be traced to a confusion between signs which

resemble each other in the cursive, or as it is called, the hieratic

character, but not in hieroglyphic writing.

“Besides the errors of copyists, there are different readings, the

origin of which is to be traced to the period during which the chapters

were handed down by word of mouth only. There are copies which bear

evidence that a critical choice has been made between the different

readings of a passage, but the common practice was to admit the

inconsistent readings into the text itself....

“Some of the variants have unquestionably arisen from the difficulty of

understanding the ancient texts. I have no doubt whatever that some of

the chapters of the Book of the Dead were as obscure to Egyptians living

under the eleventh dynasty as they are to ourselves.... The most

accurate knowledge of the Egyptian vocabulary and grammar will however

not suffice to pierce the obscurity arising from what M. de Rougé called

symbols or allegories, which are in fact simple mythological allusions.

The difficulty is not in literally translating the text, but in

understanding the meaning which lies concealed beneath familiar words.”

These words of Renouf have still a very great force, although in the

last twenty years some progress has been made towards a better

understanding of the text. When Renouf gave the above description of the

difficulties of the translation, the main source from which he could

derive his information was what he called “the corrupt Turin text.”

Since then a critical edition has been made.[4] It is based on texts of

the XVIIIth and XIXth dynasties, written at a time when the intelligence

of the book was not lost to the same extent as under the Saïtes or the

Ptolemies, as may be ascertained from the considerable number of glosses

introduced into the Turin text which are absent from the older versions.

This edition has been compiled from various papyri, as the older ones

are much shorter than the later ones; it is not a single document like

Lepsius’s _Todtenbuch_; most of the chapters have been found in their

old form; a few are missing, but a good number have been added to the

list which have fallen out of the late versions. Generally it is from

this critical text that Renouf made his translation. Occasionally he may

choose an older version from a tomb, or perhaps a papyrus of the British

Museum, but he hardly ever reverts to the Turin _Todtenbuch_ unless he

has no other resource at his disposal.

Nevertheless the difficulties which Renouf enumerates are only partly

removed. We are still very far from being able to give a final

translation of the Book of the Dead, and I have no doubt that Renouf

would repeat about his own work what he says of Dr. Birch’s translation,

“Many parts of it, where most faithful to the original, must in

consequence of that very fidelity be utterly unintelligible to an

English reader.”

No doubt Renouf’s translation is a great step towards making the book

more intelligible; still the reader may often stumble over sentences out

of which it is hardly possible to make a reasonable sense, in spite of

their grammatical correctness, and which at first sight will seem

childish, not to say, with Renouf, “outrageous nonsense.” But we may say

with certainty that they were not so to the old Egyptians. Under this

extraordinary or even ridiculous garment may be hidden some very simple,

or even elementary truths. Let us remember that we have not yet

unravelled all the intricacies of the Egyptian mythology, which plays

such an important part in the book. Moreover, we only begin now to

understand how the Egyptians expressed abstract ideas. When we speak of

passion, shame, remorse, hope, we have so thoroughly lost sight of the

concrete element in these words, that we are apt to forget that

originally they must have been metaphors, and that they must have

expressed something striking the senses, and connected with the material

world. An instance will illustrate the difficulty in this translation.

Chapter 112 relates how, owing to an imprudent request, Horus was the

victim of Sutu, who inflicted a wound on his eye, which caused him great

suffering, and the text adds: ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, _lo! he

ate his heart_. Renouf translates, “and wrath devoured his heart.” I

should prefer, “he regretted sorely (his foolish request).” I believe to

eat one’s heart to mean, “to feel regret, repentance, or remorse.” There

the abstract meaning is not difficult to find out; but in other cases,

as long as we have not discovered the key to the metaphor, we may go far

astray, or if we do not go beyond the literal explanation, we miss the

abstract sense, which is the true one.

However, because the work will not bear the character of finality,

because some obscurities will not be removed, and some difficulties

remain unsolved, there is no reason why a scholar like Renouf should

have shrunk from attempting the translation of the Book of the Dead, a

work which he had before his eyes for years, and which he considered as

the crown of his Egyptological labours.

The lecture quoted above gives us Renouf’s ideas as to the purpose and

the sense of the book: it is the beatification of the dead considered in

three aspects:

The renewed existence “as upon earth.” The deceased enjoys an existence

similar to that which he has led upon earth; he has the use of his

limbs, he eats and drinks and satisfies every one of his physical wants

exactly as in his former life. The gods themselves minister to him

occasionally, and contribute to his welfare and to his pleasures. The

bliss of the future state consists chiefly in the pleasures of

agricultural life.

Transformation. The deceased has the range of the entire universe in

every shape and form he desires. He can assume any appearance he likes.

But these transformations are not forced upon him; he has no definite

series to go through; they depend simply on his pleasure.

Identification with Osiris and other gods. The identification with

Osiris, which is already mentioned in the earliest parts of the book, is

taken for granted later on, since the name of the deceased is always

preceded by “Osiris.” He may be assimilated to other gods; for instance,

in the 42nd chapter every limb is assimilated to a different deity. This

Osirian nature gives the deceased the power to triumph over the numerous

enemies whom he has to face.

To these three benefits which the book confers on the deceased we should

add a fourth: viz., complete preservation from dismemberment and decay.

There is evidently in some of the prayers a remembrance of a time when

the deceased were dismembered at their burial; and this way of treating

the corpse is for the deceased an object of horror. The frequent mention

of reconstituting the body, the promises that no part of it shall be

taken away, all this shows of what supreme importance it was for him

that his body should remain intact. Without a well preserved body there

could be no life in the other world; its destruction implies the

destruction of the whole individual. This belief is the origin of

mummification, for decay is the strongest agent of dismemberment and the

certain ruin of the body.

These are the outlines of the principal tenets of the Book of the Dead.

If we inquire where they originated, there is no doubt that the bulk of

the book came from Heliopolis. It is the doctrine of that ancient city

and of its priests. Some of the chapters may be attributed to the

priests at Abydos, as M. Maspero suggests; but it seems certain that,

except for a small part, the birthplace of the Book of the Dead is the

city of Ra Tmu, the place connected with the oldest religious traditions

of the country, and which may rightly be called the religious capital of

Egypt.

_January, 1904._

EDOUARD NAVILLE.

-----

Footnote 1:

See _Introductory Note to Chapter CXL_.

Footnote 2:

The Hibbert Lectures, 1879, p. 172.

Footnote 3:

See also _Life Work_, t. III, p. 51, “The title of the Book of the

Dead,” and p. 59, “The Egyptian Book of the Dead.”

Footnote 4:

_Das Aegyptische Todtenbuch der XVIII bis XX Dynastie_,

zusammengestellt und herausgegeben von Edouard Naville, Berlin, 1886.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER I.

(1.)_The Beginning of the Chapters of Coming forth by Day, of the_

(2.)_Words which bring about Resurrection and Glory, and of Coming out

of and entering into Amenta. Said upon the Day of Burial of_ N, _the

Victorious,_(3.) _who entereth after coming forth_.(4.) _Here is_ N

_the Victorious. He saith_—

O (5.)Bull of Amenta, It is Thoth, the everlasting King, who is here.

I am the great god in the Bark, who have fought for thee.

I am one of those gods, the (6.)Powers who effect the triumph of Osiris

over his adversaries on the day of the Weighing of the Words: I am thy

kinsman, Osiris.

I am one of those gods to whom Nut hath given birth, who slay the

adversaries of Osiris and imprison the (7.)Sebau, on his behalf: I am

thy kinsman, Horus.

I have fought for thee, and have prevailed for thy name.

I am Thoth who effect the triumph of Osiris over his adversaries on that

day of Weighing of the Words in the (8.)House of the Prince, which is in

Heliopolis.

I am (9.)Tatti, the son of Tatti, conceived in Tattu and born in Tattu;

and Tattu is my name.

I am with the mourners and weepers who wail over Osiris in (10.)Rechit,

and who effect the triumph of Osiris over his adversaries.

Rā issued the mandate to Thoth, that he should effect the triumph of

Osiris against his adversaries, and the mandate is what Thoth hath

executed.

I am with Horus on the day of covering (11.)Teshtesh and of opening the

fountains for the refreshment of (12.)the god whose heart is motionless,

and closing the entrance to the hidden things in (13.)Restau.

I am with Horus, as the avenger of that left arm of Osiris which is in

(14.)Sechem.

I enter in, and I come forth from the (15.)Tank of Flame on the day when

the adversaries are annihilated at Sechem.

I am with Horus on the day when the festivals of Osiris are celebrated,

and when offerings are made [to Rā], on the Feast of the Sixth day of

the Month, and on the Feast of Tenait(16.) in Heliopolis.

I am the Priest(17.) in Tattu and exalt him who is on the Height.(18.)

I am the Prophet in Abydos on the day when the earth is raised.

I am he who seeth what is shut up at Restau.(19.)

I am he who reciteth the liturgies of the (20.)Soul who is Lord of

Tattu.

I am the Sem-priest in all that pertaineth to his office.

I am the Arch-Craftsman, on the day in which the Ship of Sokaru is laid

upon its stocks.(21.)

I am he who seizeth the mattock, on the day of the Feast of Hoeing in

Suten-henen.(22.)

O ye who bring beneficent souls into the house of Osiris, do ye bring

the soul of _N_ together with you into the house of Osiris; let him see

as you see, let him hear as you hear, let him stand as you stand, and

sit as you sit [in the house of Osiris].

O ye who give bread and beer to beneficent souls in the house of Osiris,

do you give bread and beer at the two periods to the soul of _N_ who is

with you.

O ye who unclose the ways and open the roads to beneficent souls in the

house of Osiris, unclose then the ways and open the roads to the soul of

_N_ who is with you, let him enter boldly and come forth in peace at the

house of Osiris, without hindrance and without repulse. Let him enter at

his pleasure and go forth at his will, triumphantly with you; and let

that be executed which he shall order in the house of Osiris.

No lightness of his in the scale has been found and the Balance is

(23.)relieved of his case.

PLATE I.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER I.

Papyrus in the British Museum.

No. 9901.

_See_ NAVILLE, “Book of the Dead,” I, Pl. I and II.

]

NOTES.

The text taken for the basis of the translation of Chapter I is that of

the papyrus of Huneferu; _Ag_ of M. Naville’s edition.

1. The title here translated is that usual in all the papyri

representing the third period of the text. It occurs however in the

papyrus _Ag_ of Huneferu, who lived in the days of Seti I, at the

beginning of the XIXth dynasty. It is also found in the papyrus of Ani.

The most common title of Chapter I in the older manuscripts is

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, “Chapter of coming to the

divine Powers attached to Osiris.” These divine Powers are Amsta, Hapi,

Tuamautef and Qebehsenuf, the children of Horus, who stand upon the

lotus which springs from the water beneath the throne of Osiris, in

pictures of the Psychostasia. Chapter 124 bears the same title in the

older manuscripts, which sometimes begin with it.

2. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. These are two very difficult words,

and very different meanings have been assigned to them. But when the

entire evidence is examined the result is plain enough. Each of the

words has for determinative the sign, ⁂, expressive of some kind of

utterance. It is a λόγος of some kind has for its first letter the

causative ⁂. The question therefore is, what are the meanings of the

simpler forms ⁂⁂, _tes_, and ⁂⁂⁂, _ḫu_?

The most common, indeed the only true, meaning of ⁂⁂ is

‘rising,’ and even ‘raising.’ This is too well-known to require proof.

⁂⁂ is ‘causing to rise.’ The Pyramid text of Teta says (l. 270),

“Horus hath given his children that they may raise thee up

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.” In the same religious text, l. 248,

⁂⁂ is the _rising from the funereal couch_ after the ⁂⁂,

the recitations made over the dead.

The ‘raising up’ or ‘resurrection’ here spoken of is said not only of

the soul but of the body of the deceased person. The papyrus of Nebseni

has preserved two chapters, to which M. Naville has assigned the numbers

177 and 178.

177. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

_Chapter of raising up the Chu, and giving life to the Soul in the

Netherworld._

178.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

_Chapter of raising up the body, of giving it eyes and the possession of

ears, and establishing the head, made firm on its props._

⁂, _ḫat_, is not simply the body; it is the _dead body_, that which

has _fallen_, like the Latin _cadaver_, the Greek πτῶμα, the Hebrew

מַפֶלֶח. (See _Transactions Soc. Bib. Arch._, Vol. VIII, p. 221, note 2.)

The true meaning of ⁂⁂⁂ _ḫu_ is not ‘luminous’ but

‘clear, distinct, glittering, ‘_coruscans_,’ and hence ‘bright,

splendid, illustrious, glorious,’ and the like. Like the Greek

λαμπρός, the Latin _clarus_, the Hebrew עהל, or the French

_éclat_, it is applied to sound as well as to light. It is said of

Thoth (in the wretched orthography[5] of a tablet of the XIXth

dynasty) ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ “he glorified

them with the clear utterances of his mouth.” ⁂⁂⁂

corresponds to the Greek λαμπροφωνία. As a verb ⁂⁂ is

_clareo_, and is ⁂⁂⁂ _clarifico_, _glorifico_.

There are, it is true, variants in the title of Chapter 17, giving the

form ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. In spite of the excellent authority of

these variants, they must be considered as giving an erroneous reading.

The words ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘remember,’ and ⁂⁂⁂ are

different in origin and meaning. The latter signifies ‘confer glory,’

and the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ are religious formularies recited by

priests, identifying the deceased person with Osiris and other

divinities. There are numerous pictures in the tombs representing

priests performing this office.[6]

3. M. Déveria has produced excellent evidence showing that ⁂

_maāt-ḫeru_ has the sense of ‘victorious, triumphant.’ But the sense of

_véridique_ is untenable. ⁂⁂⁂ _ḫeru_ is ‘voice’ not ‘speech.’

In _Proceedings S.B.A._, Vol. VI, p. 192, note, I have quoted a passage

from a chapter (now numbered 181 in M. Naville’s edition) in which

⁂⁂⁂⁂ signifies ‘want of success, failure.’

⁂⁂⁂⁂ _maāt ḫeru_ really signifies “one whose voice is Law.”

It is essentially a _divine_ title (see “Altar at Turin,”

_Transactions_, III, pl. II, _line_ 10, appended to Mr. Bonomi’s

article), and in _no_ Egyptian text is it used of mortals supposed to be

living. The translation “juste de voix,” limits the conception of _maāt_

to _one_ of its secondary acceptations.

⁂⁂⁂⁂ _semaāt ḫeru_ is also, and necessarily so, a divine

act, that of Thoth; and it is done through his utterances.

4. ⁂ _ȧn_ in this place as in very many others is not a preposition,

_still less is it a verb_. It is a demonstrative particle, like the

Latin _en_, _ecce_, or the Hebrew הֵו. Nothing is more common than this

particle followed only by a proper name, _e.g._, on the funereal

figures. There is not the slightest reason for supposing that there is

an ellipse of the verb ‘saith.’ The particle is used like the

corresponding Latin one under the Scottish picture of Edward I—

‘En rex Edwardus debacchans ut leopardus.’

When I translate ⁂⁂⁂ ⁂⁂⁂, “It is Thoth—who is here,” I

do not wish to imply that ⁂⁂ is the verb _to be_, any more than I

should in the frequent expression ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ “It is his

son who revives his name.” ⁂ is a demonstrative particle and nothing

else.

Instead of looking out for moods and tenses and paradigms, Egyptologists

ought to wake to the consciousness that the Egyptians never rose to the

conception of what we mean by a _verb_.

5. The Bull of Amenta is Osiris. Bull, like Lion or Hawk, was one of the

figurative names of gods or kings, and Osiris is sometimes represented

with a Bull’s head.

6. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _T’at’at_. This word is often wrongly translated

‘judges.’ The divine judges are called _t’at’at_, but the proposition is

not simply convertible. There were the ⁂⁂⁂⁂ not only of

Osiris, but (_Todt._, 22, 2) also of every god and every goddess. And

all the ancient towns of Egypt had their divine ⁂⁂⁂⁂. It is

a term used (_cf._ p. 55) as exactly synonymous with ⁂⁂. In a

mythological system like the Egyptian no god stood alone; every god

involved others in close connection with himself, and every act of his

necessitated corresponding acts on their part.

7. The _sebȧu_ are the enemies of the _Sun_, either as Rā or Osiris. I

believe that under this mythological name the dark clouds are

personified.

8. _Het Saru_, ‘House of the Prince,’ is the name of the great Sanctuary

at Heliopolis. It must be remembered however that many of the

geographical localities named in the Book of the Dead have their

counterparts in the Egyptian heaven.

9. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂, the ‘firm, stable, unalterable,

abiding, eternal one,’ whose origin and progress are in eternity. The

city ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂ has a name like the

Palestinian עַוָֹה, Gazah, the ‘strong’ city, and many other Hebrew names

connected with the root עזז.

10. _Rechit_, a locality in the north of Egypt. The mourners and weepers

alluded to are chiefly Isis and Nephthys.

11. _Teshtesh_ is one of the names of Osiris; perhaps, as might be

inferred from a text at Dendera, of his molten image.

12. The god “whose heart is motionless” is Osiris.

13. ⁂⁂ _Re-stau_, one of the gates of the Netherworld. Its

situation is specified in Chapter 17, line 19.

14. _Sechem._ Letopolis, where the arm of Osiris had been deposited,

when the other limbs of the god were dispersed throughout the cities of

Egypt.

15. The _Tank of Flame_, as may be inferred from the vignettes of the

papyri, is where the sun rises or sets. _Cf._, Unas, 393, 506.

16. _Tenait._ Feast of the seventh day of the month.

17. The speaker now assumes the persons of various priests in

succession, the ⁂⁂ _āb_, the ⁂⁂⁂ _ḥen nutȧr_ (prophet),

the ⁂⁂⁂ _sem_, and the ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ura ḫerp ḥem_;[7] and

he describes himself as performing certain religious ceremonies. It must

never be forgotten when reading these texts that the Egyptian priests

had _divine titles_, and that their ceremonies were dramatic, and

symbolical of the acts performed by the gods.

18. The text here is hopelessly corrupt. The translation given follows

_Ag_.

Instead of ⁂⁂⁂ _exalt_, several MSS. have

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, which has been rendered _anoint with oil_. One

might translate the Turin text, “I lustrate with water in Tattu and with

oil in Abydos, exalting him who is in the heights (_in excelsis_),” for

this text combines different readings. But ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, as it

is written, may have another meaning. ⁂⁂⁂ _beq_, signifies

‘clear, bright, shining,’ and the olive tree derives its name from this.

The determinative ⁂ and the causative ⁂ furnish the sense, ‘I make

bright, illustrious, glorious,’ ‘I celebrate or glorify.’ ‘He is who on

the height’ (= עליון) is, according to Chapter 17, the Sun.

19. This is perhaps supposed to be said by the priest called ⁂⁂,

the ‘Arch-seer,’ at Heliopolis.

20. One of the designations of Osiris. Perhaps the word _Ba_ should be

translated Ram, for in the Mendesian Nome Osiris was worshipped under

this form, and was called ⁂⁂⁂ _ḣeru šefit_, ‘god of the strong

face.’ The fact is that whether applied to the _soul_ or to a _ram_, the

word _ba_ is expressive of ‘power, force.’ The same word under the form

⁂⁂⁂⁂ is used in Chapter 120, 2 (= 12, 2) in the sense of

‘splitting up.’ And this is clearly the Egyptian concept of the

soul—‘the internal force, that which works within us,’ τὸ ἐνεργοῦν.

The word is ideographically written ⁂ or ⁂,[8] both the Ram and

the cranelike bird being called _ba_. Some have cleverly inferred that

the Egyptians thought that the soul was of a birdlike form, and others

have not hesitated to consider _ba_ as expressive of the cry of the

_ram_. The odd thing is that only the ram has this name, not the _sheep_

or the _lamb_, who nevertheless indulge in the same cry. The truth is

that in spite of appearances the word _ba_ is not onomatopoeic here.

Whether applied to the ram or to the heron, the word is expressive of

human action and signifies ‘digging through, cleaving, piercing,

splitting.’ The hieroglyphic variants are very expressive: ⁂⁂⁂,

⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂

(the last is already found in _Denkm._ II, 51).

The Ram is called in Egyptian _ba_ on account of the digs which he makes

with his head, and a force which has occasioned the name of ‘ram’ to be

given to powerful engines.

The Heron is also called _ba_ because with its bill it _cleaves_ the

fishes which it attacks.

And the word which _we_ translate Soul or Spirit is called _ba_, because

it is conceived as something which ‘pierces, penetrates and divides.’

It is right to point out (to those who may wonder at this Egyptian

etymology) that the Latin _scio_ ‘I know’ is etymologically akin to

_seco_ ‘cut,’ _securis_ ‘an axe,’ and the Greek κείω, κεάζω ‘split,

cleave.’

21. The ⁂⁂⁂ _sem_, and the ⁂⁂⁂ _urȧ ḫerp ḥem_, were

priests in the service of Ptah. The latter, who held perhaps the highest

sacerdotal office in Egypt, as high priest of Ptah at Memphis, is

repeatedly found combining with his own special office that of the

_sem_. The ceremony which is here referred to consisted in a grand

procession round the walls of the great sanctuary of Ptah, conveying

upon a sledge the bark ⁂ in which the coffin of the god was supposed

to rest. Sokaru signifies ‘the coffined,’ and Ptah Sokaru is only a form

of Osiris. Abundant details of the ceremony will be found in the plates

of M. Mariette’s _Abydos_, I, pl. 36 and following. The king Seti I is

represented as a Sem priest presiding at the festival.

22. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Suten-ḥenen_ was called by the Greeks

Heracleopolis.

23. Or ‘rid of his business.’ The word ⁂ _sep_, ‘turn,’ has the

different significations of the Latin ‘vices.’

In the later recensions this chapter is lengthened out by other

petitions. The deceased asks, among other things, to appear “before

thee, O Lord of the gods, to attain the region of _Maāt_, may I rise up

a living god, let me shine like the divine host which is in heaven, let

me be as one of you. Let my steps be lifted up in Cher-ābaut. Let me see

the ship[9] of the holy Sahu [Orion], traversing the sky; let me not be

prevented from seeing the lords of the Tuat [the Netherworld], smelling

the fragrance of the sacrificial offerings made to the divine host, and

sitting with them. Let the Cher-heb [the priestly ministrant] make

invocation over my coffin. Let me hear the prayers of propitiation. Let

the divine ship Neshemet advance for me, let not my soul and its

possessor suffer repulse.”

An invocation to Osiris follows.

“Hail to thee, Prince of Amenta, Osiris, lord of Nifura; grant that I

may advance in peace towards Amenta, and that the Lords of Tasert may

receive me and say to me, ‘Salutation! Salutation! in Peace!’ let them

make for me a seat by the Prince of the divine Powers, let the two

Chenemta goddesses [Isis and Nephthys] receive me, in presence of

Unneferu, the Victorious. Let me be a follower of Horus in Re-stau, and

of Osiris in Tattu. Let me assume all forms for the satisfaction of my

heart in every place that my Genius [_Ka_] wisheth.”

The following rubric is found as early as the XIXth dynasty in

connection with this chapter, but it seems to have originally been

attached to Chapter 72.

“If this discourse is learnt upon earth, or is written upon the coffin,

he (the deceased) may come forth upon every day that he pleaseth and

again enter his house without impediment. And there shall be given to

him bread and beer and flesh meat upon the table of Râ: he shall receive

allotment in the Fields of Aarru [the Elysian fields of Egyptian

mythology], and there shall be given to him there wheat and barley, for

he shall be flourishing as when he was upon earth.”

Chapter 1 is followed in M. Naville’s edition by another, which the

learned editor calls 1 B. This chapter is found in so very few copies

that the text cannot as yet be restored. The two texts published by M.

Naville differ widely from each other. It was known however down to the

Roman period, though not inserted into copies of the Book of the Dead.

It is called _Chapter of introducing the Mummy into the Tuat on the day

of burial_. The 124th chapter bears a similar title. The word here

translated mummy is probably not to be understood of the visible mummy,

but of the living personality which it enclosed. The chapter opens with

an invocation, “Hail to thee, who art in the sacred region of Amenta,

the Osiris, [the deceased] knows thee and thy name, defend him from

those Worms which are in Restau, who live upon the flesh of men and

swallow their blood.” The names of the Worms were given, but in

consequence of the gaps in the text they cannot now be recovered. The

chapter finished with prayers in which the deceased identifies himself

with Horus, who has taken possession of the throne which his father has

given him; he has taken possession of heaven, and inherited the earth,

and neither heaven nor earth shall be taken from him, for he is Râ, the

eldest of the gods. His mother suckles him and offers him her breast,

which is on the horizon at Dawn.

[Illustration: VIGNETTE TO CHAPTER IX.]

-----

Footnote 5:

Sharpe, _E.I._, pl. 97.

The papyrus _Da_ which is of the same period reads

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ in the title of Chapter 17,

instead of ⁂⁂ ‘glory,’ ‘éclat.’ The ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

correspond by their name very closely with the _devas_ of Indian

mythology, and the dead are called ⁂⁂⁂⁂ on the pious

hypothesis of their having obtained ‘glory.’ The word has nothing to

do with ‘intelligence.’ It is particularly applicable to the heavenly

bodies, the sun, moon and stars—‘the glittering ones,’ and the horizon

at sunrise ⁂ _ḫut_, and ⁂⁂⁂ ‘fire’ derive their names from

their _éclat_.

Footnote 6:

See _Denkm._ II, 71 _b_, 72 _a_, _b_, 101 _b_; _cf._ 98 _h_, 116 _c_,

and III, 260 _c_.

Footnote 7:

The evidence produced by W. Max Müller in behalf of this reading of

the priestly name is quite convincing.

Footnote 8:

The human head (with a beard) sometimes given to the bird, merely

indicates the _aivine_ nature of the soul.

Footnote 9:

This is one of the meanings of ⁂⁂⁂, but in this place it may

simply mean ‘going round in a ship.’

------------------------------------

CHAPTER II.

_Chapter for Coming forth by day and Living after death._

Oh thou Only One,(1.) who shinest from the Moon, let me come forth amid

that train(2.) of thine, at large,(3.) and let me be revealed(4.) as one

of those in glory.(5.)

And when the Tuat is opened to the gods, let _N_ come forth to do his

pleasure upon earth amid the Living.

NOTES.

This chapter occurs in only two of the ancient MSS. collated by Naville:

_Ae_ and _Pf_. It is also found in the papyrus of Ani.

1. ⁂ ‘unicus,’ the Sole and Only One, is one of the many appellatives

of the Sun. He is here represented as shining _in_ or _from_ the Moon.

_Cf._ note on Chapter 132.

2. ⁂⁂⁂⁂, ‘multitude, throng, train,’ here put for the

‘heavenly host,’ the ἄκριτος ἄστρων ὄχλος (Euripid., _Fr._ 596), or the

Hebrew עבא חשׁמים.

Osiris is ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ‘the leader of the host,’ Sharpe, I,

105.

3. ⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ אל־מהוץ, foras, ‘forth, out of

doors, at large,’ in opposition to enclosure in the tomb.

4. ⁂⁂, explicare, ‘disclose, unfold, reveal, make clear.’

5. Or ‘among the Glorious ones,’ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER III.

_Another chapter like it._

Oh Tmu, who proceedest from Ur-henhenu,(1.) who art resplendent as the

Lion-faced,(2.) and who strewest thy words to those who are before thee;

Here cometh the faithful _N_, from the band of those who do the bidding

of thy words.

O ye seamen of Râ at the gloaming of the day, let _N_ live after death,

like Râ daily.

_Here the helmsman_: As Râ is born from Yesterday, so he too is born

from Yesterday, and as every god exulteth in life, so shall _N_ exult

even as they exult in life.

I am Thoth as he goeth forth from the House of the Prince in

Heliopolis.(3.)

NOTES.

The only ancient copy of this chapter is in the papyrus of Amen-neb

(_Ae_), and here it is imperfect.

1. A personification of the Nile, ⁂⁂⁂. The later texts read

⁂⁂⁂ ‘the great goddess in the Water.’

2. The later texts have ⁂⁂⁂⁂, implying the two lions Shu and

Tefnut. But the older texts have ⁂⁂⁂⁂, a single god, with a

lion’s face or form. The two notions, however, are found in combination

in the Pyramid texts of Unas (l. 558) and Teta (l. 332).

3. See note 8 on Chapter 1.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER IV.

_Another Chapter, for travelling on the road which is above the earth._

It is I who travel on the Stream(1.) which divideth the divine Pair,(2.)

I am come, let there be given to me the lands of Osiris.

NOTES.

This fourth chapter has not as yet been found in any of the papyri of

the best period.

1. ⁂⁂⁂⁂, literally ‘weeping,’ ‘flood of tears,’ hence

‘overflow, inundation, stream or canal.’ It is one of the names of the

Nile on earth and in heaven and of his personification as a god. See

Chapter 61, and _P.S.B.A._, XIII, p. 8 and 9.]

2. ⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ are two divinities in opposition

or contrast, like Set and Horus (Chapter 17, 25) or the sister goddesses

named ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Mertȧ_ (37, 1). Thoth is the umpire between Set

and Horus (Darkness and Light) and mediates between them, but he and Râ

(the Moon and Sun) are (Teta, l. 69) spoken of as the two Rehu gods

travelling over the sky.]

------------------------------------

CHAPTER V.

_Chapter whereby work may not be imposed [upon a person(1.)] in the

Netherworld._

Here is _N_. He saith, I am he who raiseth the hand which is motionless,

and I come forth at the hour.(2.) I am the living Soul,(3.) and there go

before me the longings(4.) of those who bring salutation.(5.)

NOTES.

This chapter is found in several of the best MSS., but the text is

extremely corrupt, and must have become absolutely unintelligible. The

Turin text differs greatly from that of the older copies, and the

transposition of words clearly shows how little the transcribers

understood what they were writing. I follow chiefly the text of _Aa_,

the papyrus of Nebseni.

1. These words only occur in the later copies.

2. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is the older reading, but ⁂⁂⁂ seems to be

the more correct.

3. The oldest text must have had simply the ideographic ⁂, _Ae_ gives

⁂⁂⁂ _Ba_, but _Pd_ has ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Ḫnemu_. The ‘living

Soul’ is that of the Sun, whether he is called Râ or Osiris.

4. ‘Desires, wishes, loves,’ literally, ‘hearts.’

5. ⁂⁂⁂ signifies ‘salute,’ as in Chapter 12, 1, and 14, 1, and

⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂ (with various other forms) the ‘saluter,’ is the

name of the Ape who is seen in the vignettes of the papyri saluting the

rising of the sun. See M. Naville’s _Todtenbuch_, I, plates 21 and 22;

the Papyrus of Ani, plate 2; the _Todtenbuch_ of Lepsius, Chapters 16

and 126.

I do not know how far it is correct to illustrate this undoubted origin

of the Egyptian name for the Ape, as ‘the saluting one,’ by the

following extract of a letter to Cuvier from M. Duvaucelle, about the

Siamang apes in the neighbourhood of Bencoolen in Sumatra. “They

assemble in numerous troops ... and thus united, they salute the rising

and the setting sun with the most terrific cries, which may be heard at

the distance of many miles; and which, when near, stun, when they do not

frighten. This is the morning call of the mountain Malays, but to the

inhabitants of the town, who are unaccustomed to it, it is a most

insupportable annoyance.”

In this place of the Book of the Dead the sign ⁂ is a mere

determinative of the sound _aān_ with the notion of _salutation_, just

as the sign ⁂ is a determinative of the sound _ȧb_ with the notion of

_thirst_.

The ‘saluters’ of the rising sun are neither real apes nor men but the

“Spirits of the East” who, as we are told in an inscription of the tomb

of Rameses VI, “effect the rising of Râ by opening the door at each of

the four portals of the eastern horizon of heaven. They it is who light

him on both sides, and go forth in advance of him.... And when he arises

they turn into six cynocephali.”[10]

The Egyptian words in the later texts are ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ the alternative reading being

itself a proof that the difficulty of the text was already felt by some

Egyptian scribe.

But if the scribe had consulted the oldest texts accessible in his day,

he would probably have seen another way out. Our oldest MS., that of

Nebseni, reads, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

_bes-kuȧ ȧbu ȧāā(n)u_, which signify literally, “antecedunt me corda

salutantium.” The word ⁂⁂⁂ _bes_ is a very common one in

pictures representing the introduction of a king or a god into a temple.

It is the technical term used in the Tablet of Canopus for the

inducting, by the king, of priests into their offices. The subject of

this verb is ⁂⁂⁂ _hearts_; an independent word, instead of

being the mere determinative of ⁂⁂⁂. The object of the verb is

the speaker—⁂⁂⁂—_kuȧ_, ‘me,’ as the papyrus _Pa_ reads, like

_Aa_. And it is easy to see how the later text, which is already found

in _Ax_, has been corrupted out of the older.

-----

Footnote 10:

Champollion, _Notices_, tom. II, p. 640.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER VI.

_Chapter whereby the funereal Statuettes may be made to do work for a

person in the Netherworld._

O Statuette(1.) there! Should I be called and appointed to do any of the

labours that are done in the Netherworld by a person according to his

abilities, lo! all obstacles have been beaten down for thee; be thou

counted for me at every moment, for planting the fields, for watering

the soil, for conveying the sands of east and west.

Here am I, whithersoever thou callest me.

NOTE.

1. This chapter is inscribed on the funereal statuettes, of which

enormous quantities are found; sometimes by hundreds in the

neighbourhood of a single mummy. Much information on the subject, both

archæological and philological, will be found in Mariette’s _Catalogue

Général des Monuments d’Abydos_, p. 25 and following, and in M. Loret’s

articles “Les Statuettes funéraires du Musée de Boulaq,” published in

the _Recueil de Travaux_, tomes IV and V.

In the earlier texts ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂; in the later

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. The latter word being read _ušebti_, has very

naturally been considered as derived from ⁂⁂⁂⁂, in Coptic

ⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ, ‘to answer.’ For the statuette is addressed at the beginning of

the chapter, and it replies at the end. But there is no reason for

supposing that the earlier form had the same meaning.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER VII.

_Chapter of passing through the chine of Apepi which is void._

Oh, One of Wax,(1.) who takest captive and seizest with violence, and

livest upon those who are motionless! Let me not become motionless

before thee, let me not be paralysed before thee, let not thy venoms

enter into my limbs, for my limbs are the limbs of Tmu.

And if thou wouldst not be paralysed, let me not be paralysed.

Let not thy languors enter these limbs of mine.

I am the One who presideth over the pole of Heaven, and the powers of

all the gods are my powers.

I am he, whose names are hidden, and whose abodes are mysterious for all

eternity.

It is I who proceed from Tmu, and I am safe and sound.(2.)

NOTES.

Apepi is the personification of the storm-cloud and, as such, is the

enemy of Râ, by whom he is vanquished. As representing a natural

phenomenon of irregular occurrence, he is not deified like Sutu, the

Darkness of Night.

On comparing this chapter with the 99th, it would appear that the

occasion for reciting it is on the journey of the heavenly boat through

ridges of cloud, which are pictured as the coils of a great serpent, and

described as ⁂⁂ inanes, empty, void. In the papyrus of Nebket

(_Pe_) the vignette shows the deceased person transfixing the dragon.

The chapter itself was said over a wax figure of the demon.

1. These wax figures of gods and other personages were used not

only for ritual but for unlawful magical purposes. The Rollin

papyrus reports about a criminal condemned to death for magical

arts. He was charged with making ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘gods of

wax,’ and some men “for the purpose of paralysing the limbs of men

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.” See Chabas, _Papyrus

Magique_, p. 170, and Devéria, _Pap. judiciaire de Turin_, p. 131.

2. The more recent texts omit this ending and substitute, “I know, I

know.” Some MSS. have both readings.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER VIII.

_Chapter of opening the Tuat by day._

The Hour(1.) discloseth what the head of Thoth keepeth close, who giveth

might to the Eye of Horus.(2.)

And I call upon the Eye of Horus which gleams as an ornament upon the

brow of Râ, the father of the gods.

I am that Osiris, the Lord of Amenta, and Osiris knoweth his day, and

that it is in his lot that he should end his being, and be no more.(3.)

I am Sutu, the father of the gods, the imperishable one.

Stay, Horus, for he is counted among the gods.

NOTES.

1. Time.

2. See note on Chapter 17, 27. It must be sufficient here to say that

Thoth is a personification of the moon, and that the relations of solar

and lunar phenomena are the sources of a great deal of Egyptian

mythology.

3. This is one of the most difficult passages in the Book of the Dead,

but I do not see how it can be grammatically understood otherwise. It is

understood from the passage from Light to Darkness and the converse.

‘In his lot,’ literally ‘in him.’

‘End his being’: more strictly, ‘bring to an end his activity’;

⁂⁂⁂. ‘_Being_’ (though inevitable in a modern language) is much

too abstract a word for these ancient texts. ⁂ implies ‘motion,

activity,’ and ⁂ is not a simple negation, but implies ‘completion,

end’ (τελέω, τέλος), though not ‘cessation.’

Our _modern_ acceptation of the word ‘perfect’ is often wrongly applied

to ⁂. We should think rather of such phrases as ‘annum perficere,’

‘sole perfecto.’

------------------------------------

CHAPTER IX.

_Chapter for opening the Tuat._

O Soul most mighty,(1.) here am I: I am come to thee that I may see

thee.

I open the Tuat that I may see my father Osiris and may drive away the

darkness.

I am he whom he loveth. I have come to see my father Osiris, to pierce

the heart of Sutu, and to perform all duties to my father Osiris.

I open all the paths in heaven and upon earth.

I am the son who loveth his father, and I am come as a mummied one,

glorious and well equipt.

Oh, all ye gods and goddesses, the path is made for me.

NOTE.

1. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘Soul most mighty,’ is one of the principal

names of Osiris. The whole chapter is spoken in the person of Horus, the

son of Osiris.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER X.

_Chapter for coming forth victoriously._

I come forth victoriously against the adversaries.

I cleave the heaven, I open the horizon and I travel over the earth on

foot. There come forward to me the Glorious and the Great ones, for I am

furnished with numberless Words of Might.

I eat with my mouth, and I chew with my jaw; for, lo, I worship the god

who is Lord of the Tuat, and that is given to me which endureth amid

overthrow.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XI.

_Chapter for coming out against the adversary in the Netherworld._

Here is the Osiris _N_.

O Eater of his arm: away from his path!

I am Râ coming forth from the horizon against his adversary, who shall

not be delivered from me.

I have stretched out my hand, as the Lord of the Crown, and lifted my

feet.

I shall not be given up; my adversary shall fall before me; he hath been

given up to me and shall not be delivered from me.

I rise up like Horus, I sit down as Ptah, I am victorious as Thoth, and

powerful as Tmu: I walk upon my feet, I speak with my mouth, searching

for him who hath been given up to me; he shall not be delivered from me.

NOTE.

There is unfortunately no early text of this chapter, which we have in a

very corrupt form, and can only restore conjecturally. The Eater of his

arm is evidently Darkness, which is destroyed by the Sun.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XII.

_Chapter for entering and for coming forth out of the Netherworld._

Salutation to thee, O Râ, who guardest the secrets of the gates(1.) over

this domain of Seb, and this Balance with which Râ raiseth up Maât (2.)

daily:

Here am I, who cleave open(3.) the earth, grant that I may come and

acquire advance in age.(4.)

NOTES.

This chapter, like the next, occurs only in _Pa_ among the older MSS. It

comes twice in the Turin copy, being repeated as Chapter 120.

1. So _Pa_; the Turin copy has ‘the Tuat.’

2. In many places it is important to treat _Maât_ as a proper name.

3. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂ , a word not confined to

agricultural operations. See note 20, p. 8.

4. As the sun, who is represented as an infant at dawn and as an aged

man at sunset.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XIII.

_Chapter for entering after coming out from Amenta._

I enter as a Hawk and come forth as a Bennu(1.) at Dawn.

Let the way be made for me that I may adore Râ at the fair Amenta, and

the locks(2.) of Osiris. I urge on the hounds of Horus.

Let the way be made for me that I may adore Osiris, the Lord of Life.

NOTES.

This chapter, in the MSS. of which the Turin copy is the type, is

repeated as Chapter 121, with the following rubric:—

“Said over an ear-ring of the flower Ânch-amu, put upon the right ear of

the deceased person, with another ear-ring, put in fine linen, upon

which is written the name of _N_, on the day of burial.”

1. The Bennu is a bird of the Heron kind. He is very commonly but, I

think, erroneously identified with the Phoenix. The bird described by

Herodotus, II, 73, was in outline and size “very like an eagle,” which

no one could say of the Bennu. He appeared only once in five hundred

years, whereas the Bennu appeared every day. The fable as told by the

Greeks is utterly unsupported by any Egyptian authority known to us.

2. This passage is, unfortunately, both in the ancient and the recent

forms, corrupt.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XIV.

_Chapter for removing displeasure from the heart of the god against the

deceased person._

Hail to thee, oh god who sendest forth(1.) the Moment, who presidest

over all the Secret things(2.), and protectest the utterance of my

words.

Here(3.) is a god displeased against me; let wrong be overwhelmed and

let it fall upon the hands of the Lord of Law. Remove(4.) the

impediments which are in me and the evil and the darkness(5.), oh Lord

of Law, and let that god be reconciled to me, removing that which

detaineth me from thee.

Oh, lord of offerings in Kenu(6.), let me offer to thee the propitiary

offering by which thou livest, and let me live by it and be reconciled.

Let all the displeasure which is in thy heart against me be removed.

NOTES.

There is a very great difference between the earlier and the later texts

of this chapter. Former translators, having chiefly the Turin text

before them, have understood the title of the chapter as intended “to

remove the impurities from the heart of the deceased person.” The Turin

text of the chapter is really unintelligible, and even in the earlier

texts certain passages are so corrupt as to defy translation.

1. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ like the Latin ‘mittere’ has the sense of “let go,

give free course, set at liberty.”

2. ⁂⁂⁂, the _secrets_, here as elsewhere in the funereal texts,

are those of the tomb and of the world beyond the grave.

3. The older texts have ⁂⁂, the later, ⁂.

4. The Lord of Law is in the singular, but the imperative ‘remove’ is in

the plural.

5. The word ⁂⁂ was a puzzle to the oldest transcribers.

It is susceptible of different meanings. The Turin text

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘the god is joined with Law,’ which is

supported by some of the older papyri, is intelligible in itself, but

not in this context. I have understood ⁂⁂⁂⁂, coming as it

does after ⁂⁂⁂, in the sense of ⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘deep

darkness.’

6. The MSS. differ hopelessly on this proper name.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XV.

HYMN I(1.).

_Adored be Râ, when he riseth up from the eastern horizon of

Heaven; they who accompany him extol him._

Here is the Osiris _N_, the Victorious, and he saith:—

O thou radiant Orb, who arisest each day from the Horizon, shine thou

upon the face of the Osiris _N_ who adoreth thee at dawn, and

propitiateth thee at the gloaming.

Let the soul of _N_ come forth with thee into heaven, let him journey in

the Mââtit boat and finish his course in the Sektit boat(2.) till he

reach in heaven unto the Stars which set(3.).

He saith, as he invoketh his Lord, the Eternal one:—

Hail to thee, Horus of the Two Horizons(4.), who art Chepera

Self-originating(5.); Beautiful is thy rising up from the horizon,

enlightening the two Earths with thy rays. All the gods are in

exultation when they see thee the King of Heaven, with the Nebt

Unnut[11] established upon thy head (and the diadem of the South and the

diadem of the North upon thy brow) which maketh her abode in front of

thee.

Thoth abideth at the prow of thy bark that he may destroy all thine

adversaries.

They who dwell in the Tuat are coming forth to meet thy Majesty, and to

gaze upon that beautiful semblance of thine.

And I too come to thee that I may be with thee to see thine Orb each

day; let me not be detained, let me not be repulsed.

Let my limbs be renewed by the contemplation of thy glories, like all

thy servants, for I am one of those who honoured thee upon earth.

Let me reach the Land of Ages, let me gain the Land of Eternity; for

thou, my Lord, hast destined them for me.

The Osiris _N_; he saith:—

Hail to thee who risest up from the Horizon as Râ in union with Maāt;

thou dost traverse heaven in peace and all men see thee as thou goest

forward. And after being concealed from them thou presentest thyself at

the dawn of each day.

Brisk is the bark under thy Majesty.

Thy rays are upon men’s faces; the golden glories they cannot be told:

not to be described are thy beams.

The Lands of the gods, the colours of Punit(6.) are seen in them; that

men may form an estimate of that which is hidden from their faces.

Alone art thou when thy form riseth up upon the Sky; let me advance as

thou advancest, like thy Majesty, without a pause, O Râ, whom none can

outstrip.

A mighty march is thine; Leagues by millions, and hundreds of thousands,

in a small moment thou hast travelled them, and thou goest to rest.

Thou completest the hours of the Night, according as thou hast measured

them out. And when thou hast completed them according to thy rule, day

dawneth.

Thou presentest thyself at thy place as Râ, as thou risest from the

Horizon.

The Osiris _N_, he saith, as he adoreth thee when thou shinest; He saith

to thee when thou risest up at dawn, as he exalteth thine appearance;

Thou comest forth, most glorious one, fashioning and forming thy limbs,

giving birth to them without any labour, as Râ rising in heaven.

Grant that I may attain to the Heaven of eternity and the abode of thy

servants; let me be united with the venerable and mighty Chu[12] of the

Netherworld; let me come forth with them to see thy glories, as thou

shinest at the gloaming, when thy mother Nut(7.) enfoldeth thee.

And when thou turnest thy face to the West, mine hands are in adoration

to thy setting as one who liveth;[13] for it is thou who hast created

Eternity.

I have set thee in my heart unceasingly, who art more mighty than all

the gods.

The Osiris _N_, he saith:—

Adoration to thee, who arisest out of the Golden, and givest light to

the earth on the day of thy birth. Thy mother bringeth thee forth upon

her hands, that thou mayest give light to the whole circumference which

the Solar Orb enlighteneth.

Mighty Enlightener, who risest up in the Sky and raisest up the tribes

of men by thy Stream, and givest holiday to all districts, towns and

temples; and raising food, nourishment and dainties.

Most Mighty one, master of masters, who defendest every abode of thine

against wrong, Most Glorious one in thine Evening Bark, Most Illustrious

in thy Morning Bark.

Glorify thou the Osiris _N_ in the Netherworld, grant that he may come

into Amenta without defect and free from wrong, and set him among the

faithful and venerable ones.

Let him be united with the souls in the Netherworld, let him sail about

in the country of Aarru[14] after a joyful journey.

Here is the Osiris _N_.

Come forth into Heaven, sail across the firmament and enter into

brotherhood with the Stars, let salutation be made to thee in the Bark,

let invocation be made to thee in the Morning Bark. Contemplate Râ

within his Ark and do thou propitiate his Orb daily. See the Ant fish in

its birth from the emerald stream, and see the Abtu fish and its

rotations.(8.)

And let the offender[15] fall prostrate, when he meditates destruction

for me, by blows upon his back-bone.

Râ springs forth with a fair wind; the Evening Bark speeds on and

reaches the Haven; the crew of Râ are in exultation when they look upon

him; the Mistress of Life, her heart is delighted at the overthrow of

the adversary of her Lord.

See thou Horus at the Look-out of the ship,(9.) and at his sides Thoth

and Maāt. All the gods are in exultation when they behold Râ coming in

peace to give new life to the hearts of the Chu, and here is the Osiris

_N_ along with them.

[LITANY.](10.)

_Adored be Râ, as he setteth in the Land of Life._(11.)

Hail to thee, who hast come as Tmu, and hast been the creator of the

cycle of the gods,(12.)

Hail to thee, who hast come as the Soul of Souls, August one in Amenta,

Hail to thee, who art above the gods and who lightenest up the Tuat with

thy glories,

Hail to thee, who comest in splendour, and goest round in thine Orb,

Hail to thee, who art mightier than the gods, who art crowned in Heaven

and King in the Tuat,

Hail to thee, who openest the Tuat and disposest of all its doors,

Hail to thee, supreme among the gods, and Weigher of Words in the

Netherworld.

Hail to thee, who art in thy Nest, and stirrest the Tuat with thy glory,

Hail to thee, the Great, the Mighty, whose enemies are laid prostrate at

their blocks,

Hail to thee, who slaughterest the Sebau and annihilatest Âpepi,

[Each invocation of this Litany is followed by]

Give thou delicious breezes of the north wind to the Osiris _N_.

Horus openeth; the Great, the Mighty, who divideth the earths, the great

one who resteth in the Mountain of the West, and lighteneth up the Tuat

with his glories and the Souls in their hidden abode, by shining into

their sepulchres.

By hurling harm against the foe thou hast utterly destroyed all the

adversaries of the Osiris _N_.

HYMN II.(13.)

The Osiris _N_; he saith when he adoreth Râ, the Horus of the Two

Horizons, when setting in the Land of Life.

Adoration to thee, O Râ; Adoration to thee, O Tmu, at thy coming in thy

beauty, in thy manifestation, in thy mastery.

Thou sailest over the Heaven, thou travellest over earth and in

splendour thou reachest the zenith; the two divisions of Heaven are in

obeisance to thee, and yield adoration to thee.

All the gods of Amenta are in exultation at thy glory. They whose abodes

are hidden adore thee, and the Great Ones make offerings to thee, who

for thee have created the soil of earth.(14.)

They who are on the Horizon convey thee, and they who are in the Evening

Bark transport thee, and they say—Adoration at the approach of thy

Majesty, Come, Come, approach in peace, Oh to thee, Welcome, Lord of

Heaven, King of Akerta.

Thy mother Isis(15.) embraceth thee, seeing in thee her son, as the Lord

of Terror, the All-Powerful, as he setteth in the Land of Life at night.

Thy father Tatunen(16.) carrieth thee, and his arms are stretched out

behind thee, and that which hath taken place is made last upon earth.

Wake up from thy rest, thine abode is in Manu.

Let me be entrusted to the fidelity which is yielded to Osiris.

Come, O Râ, Tmu, be thou adored. Do thy will daily. Grant success in

presence of the cycle of the mighty gods.

Beautiful art thou, O Râ, in thine Horizon of the West; O Lord of Law,

in the midst of the Horizon.

Very terrible art thou, rich art thou in attributes, and great is thy

love to those who dwell in the Tuat.

_To be said, when Râ sets in the Land of Life; with hands bent

downward._(17.)

HYMN III.(18.)

_Adoration to Tmu as he setteth in the Land of Life._

The Osiris _N_; he saith:—

Adoration to Tmu as he setteth in the Land of Life.

The Osiris _N_; he saith, adoring Tmu, when setting in the Land of Life

and shedding his rays on the Tuat;

Hail to thee setting in the Land of Life, O Father of the gods, thou art

united to thy mother in Manu. Her two hands receive thee daily. Thy

Majesty hath part in the house of Sokaru. Exult thou because the doors

are opened of the Horizon, at thy setting in the Mountain of the West.

Thy rays, they run over the earth to enlighten the dwellers in Amenta.

Those who are in the Tuat worship thee with loud acclaim, and cherish

hope when they see thee daily.

Thou grantest to the gods to sit upon the earth; to those, namely, who

follow thee and come in thy train.

O august Soul, who begettest the gods, and dost invest them with thine

attributes; the Unknowable, the Ancient One, the Mighty in thy mystery.

Be thy fair face propitious to the Osiris _N_, oh Chepera, Father of the

gods(19.).

Freedom for ever from perdition is derived through this Book, and upon

it I take my firm stand.

He hath written it who spake it, and his heart resteth on the reward.

Let there be given me armfuls of bread and drink, and let me be

accompanied by this Book after my life.

NOTES.

The fifteenth chapter as it stands in the later recension (represented

by the Turin _Todtenbuch_) is of very recent origin. It is in fact a

collection of texts originally independent of each other; (1) a hymn to

Râ at his rising, (2) a litany, (3) a hymn to Râ at his setting, (4) a

hymn to Tmu at his setting, followed by a statement respecting the

spiritual importance of the document.

Of the last hymn there are no copies of ancient date, but the other

three compositions are found more or less perfect as far back as the

XIXth dynasty. The discrepancies, however, between the ancient texts

furnish so much evidence of free composition on the part of the scribes,

that it is impossible to suppose that they had before them documents

recognised as sacred and canonical. M. Naville has found it necessary to

publish four different forms of the hymn to the rising, and three of the

hymn to the setting sun. The ideas and expressions throughout these

hymns are current in the religious texts of the XVIIIth and XIXth

dynasties.

In the translation here given I have followed the _form_ adopted by the

later recension, correcting the text when necessary by the copies

written in the better periods.

1. The text of the Papyrus of Ani has been taken as the basis of the

translation of HYMN I. It is the only ancient text which gives the hymn

in the form subsequently acknowledged as canonical.

2. The sun was represented from the earliest period, as we may see in

the pyramid texts, as performing his celestial journey in a boat, which

during the morning was called the _Māāṭit_ ⁂⁂⁂ and in the

evening the _Sektit_ ⁂⁂.

3. The stars which _set_ were called the

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ȧḫmiu ureṭu_. The stars which

never set, but are always above the horizon were called

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ȧḫmiu seku_. The word _ȧḫmiu_ has

often been taken for a mere negative, but it occurs by itself with the

sign of _stars_ as a determinative ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂.

And the whole term is written ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ (_Denkm._ III.

271_d_ _twice_).

As one of the meanings of ⁂ _ḫem_ is _minuere_, and as the ordinary

meaning of the Demotic ⁂⁂⁂ is “small,” like the Coptic

ϣⲟⲙ = λεπτὸς, it is not improbable that the stars received this

appellation on account of their tiny size as compared with the Sun and

Moon. They were what Horace called the “ignes _minores_.”

The Sun and Moon, as we all know, are called in Gen. i, 16, the “Two

Great Lights.”

4. Both the Eastern and the Western horizon are mentioned in this

chapter, but “Horus of the Two Horizons,” has no reference to this

distinction. Whatever the Sun passes through or over is always conceived

as double. The _Two Earths_ imply simply the Earth as divided by the

passage of the Sun above it. It is to M. Grébaut that we are indebted

for the discovery of this important key to many Egyptian expressions.

5. ⁂ _ḫeper_, like the German _Werden_, has primarily the sense of

_turning_, hence of _becoming_. It never has the sense of _creating_.

⁂⁂ _ḫeper t’esef_ is the equivalent of the Greek αὐτογενής, like

that word is sometimes used for spontaneous productions of the mineral

kingdom, as salt or natron as contrasted with artificial products of the

same nature. It cannot be used for plants, as they have an origin in

something external to themselves.

6. _The Land of the Gods_ and _Punit_ are the countries lying east of

Egypt. When it is said that gods ‘come from Punit,’ it is not meant by

this that they are of Arabian origin, but simply that Sun, Moon, and

Stars, and Daylight rise in the East. “Ex oriente Lux.”

7. In many places the divine name Nut has for determinative the sign

⁂. Is this an oversight on the part of the scribe, or is it one more

proof that the Egyptians certainly believed in a sky below the horizon?

If so, I have never seen it misplaced.

8. The Ant and the Abṭu are sometimes represented by the side of the

solar bark. From the egg of the Abṭu there rises the great Cat, the Sun.

It is, as M. Loret has proved, the _Tortoise_ of the Nile. As

⁂⁂⁂ _ȧbṭu_, ‘the _month_,’ is phonetically homonymous with

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ȧbṭu_, the Tortoise, and that the latter is

characterised by ⁂, ⁂, ‘its rotation, revolving or turning,’ the

word _ȧbṭu_, whether applied to ‘month’ or ‘tortoise’ clearly signifies

‘the revolving one.’ Our modern words Tortoise, Tortue, Tortuga, rather

express the turning or twisting of the creature’s feet. In some texts,

_e.g._, the inscriptions of Amenhotep, the son of Hapu, Mariette,

_Karnak_, pl. 36, line 22, and at the beginning of the Ani Papyrus, the

word is written ⁂⁂⁂ _abtu_. In the later part of the Ani

Papyrus it is written with the initial ⁂⁂.

9. The Look-out of the ship, in Egyptian ⁂⁂⁂, or more fully

⁂⁂⁂⁂ _nefrit_, is written ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ in the

Papyrus of Ani. This interesting variant is of extreme value. It not

only explains a word, the very existence of which has been called in

question, but tells us the Egyptian name for that seat of Horus at the

prow of the Solar Bark about which I wrote a note in _Proc. Soc. Bib.

Arch._ of Nov. 3, 1891. See the plates attached to the note, and the

corresponding vignettes in _Todtenbuch_, Pl. VI and IX.

10. The Litany here translated is that of the Turin _Todtenbuch_. It is

found, but in a very mutilated condition, in the Papyrus of Nechtuamon

at Berlin (_Ba_), a manuscript of the XIXth dynasty.

Another Litany, preceding HYMN I, is found in the Papyrus of Ani. It is

addressed to “Osiris, the everlasting Lord, Unneferu, Horus of the Two

Horizons, of many forms and mighty of attributes. Ptah Sakru, Tmu in

Heliopolis, Lord of the Unseen World, who hath built up Memphis and its

gods.”

“Hail to thee, Chabasu[16] in Heliopolis, Hammemit in Cher-âbau, and

Unta[17] more potent than the unseen gods in Heliopolis.

Hail to thee, An in An ... Horus in the Two Horizons, who extendeth

his steps and traverseth the Heaven; he is Horchuta;

Hail to thee, eternal Soul, Soul which is in Tattu, Unneferu, Son of

Nut; he is Lord of Acherta;

Hail to thee, as thou reignest in Tattu, the royal crown is fixed upon

thy brow. Thou art the Only One, the author of his own attributes,

thou restest in Tattu;

Hail to thee, Lord of Heracleopolis, for whom the Bark of Sokru is

placed upon its sledge; who repellest the Sebau, the doers of wrong;

and who puttest the _Ut’at_ into its place;

Hail to thee, Potent One, at thine appointed moment, Most Mighty One,

Prince of An-arr-ef, Eternal Lord, author of eternity, Thou art the

Lord of Suten-henen;

Hail to thee, who restest upon Maāt; Thou art the Lord of Abydos, thy

limbs reach to Ta-tsert; Thou art he who abominatest wrong;

Hail to thee, in the midst of thy Bark, who bringest the Nile from his

fountain; upon whose dead body the light shineth; he is the One who is

in Nechen;

Hail to thee, author of the gods, King of North and South, Osiris, the

triumphant one, possessing the entire universe in his beneficent

alternations; He is the Lord of the Universe;

Grant me passage in peace. I am righteous, I speak not falsehood

knowingly, I am not guilty of duplicity.”

11. ⁂⁂⁂ ‘the Land of Life,’ one of the names given to the realm

of Osiris after death, is not, as far as I can discover, mentioned

anywhere in the earlier MSS. of the Book of the Dead.

Instead of “resting in the Land of Life,” the older texts have

⁂⁂⁂ ‘in Amenta’ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘in life in

Amenta,’ or as ‘one living, in Amenta.’

12. ⁂⁂. The word ⁂⁂ _pat_ implies going _round_ like a wheel

or in a circle; ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘going round on high with

the Sun.’ Hence the use of it as synonymous with ⁂, in the

expressions ⁂⁂ =⁂ ‘never’ and ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ = ⁂⁂

‘the first time, the beginning of time, _prima vice_.’ A sacrificial

cake is called ⁂⁂⁂ (_Denkm._, II, 28) on account of its shape,

like the Latin _rotundula_, also written ⁂⁂⁂.

And, like the Greek κύκλος, the word comes to signify a circle of

persons. This circle is not necessarily of gods. The Bremner Papyrus in

the British Museum (14, line 8), says an _apage_ not only to Âpepi, who

was no god, and to his soul and body, and ghost and shadow and children,

and to his kith and kin, but, also to his ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, that is

all associated with him, “ceux de son _entourage_.”

That ⁂⁂ should express the ‘feast of the New Moon’ is only

natural, though Lepsius has pointed out serious difficulties on the

subject.

But ⁂ also expresses the number nine. Whence in this relation arises

the Egyptian conception of the number nine? Is it the _round_ (we should

say the ‘square’) number, three times three? It certainly is merely a

round number in many instances, but what is still more certain is that

the same expression meaning ‘circle of gods’ and ‘nine gods,’ the circle

was supposed to consist of nine gods, and was enlarged to companies of

eighteen or twenty-seven. It is, I am sure, perfectly idle work to look

for more profound reasons for the theory of the ‘Ennead.’[18] _Every_

god of importance had his ⁂⁂⁂,[19] and the best theory that has

ever been given is that given at the beginning of Chapter 17.

13. The Turin text seems better adapted for the basis of a translation

of HYMN II than the older papyri. These have been used for checking the

later text whenever possible.

14. A difficult passage, but the readings are unanimous. What is ⁂?

Brugsch translates it “the Talisman of the Earth,” and Pierret “le salut

de la terre.” No objection can be raised against the truth of either of

these meanings taken by itself. But we have to look at the entire

context. The expression literally signifies “the back of the earth.” In

Latin we say _sinus_, _gremium_ and _viscera terrae_. The Egyptians

themselves talk of the back of Seb, ⁂⁂⁂, out of which the

plants grow, and in a place quoted by Duemichen (_Zeitschrift_, 1871, p.

92, note) ⁂⁂ _ta_ the _Earth_, is substituted for Seb. I believe

then that ⁂ is best translated by _Soil of the Earth_.

15. Thy mother Isis. So _Ba_. The Turin text has Nut, which is

inconsistent with what follows.

16. _La_ gives Tatunen; _Af_, Tunen; the Turin recension Tanen, names

belonging to the god also called Ptah, Sokru and Osiris. See the

inscriptions in Mariette’s _Abydos_, I, pl. 16, 6, on the Tat figures.

Horus, the son of Osiris and Isis, seems to be here addressed.

17. This rubric does not occur in the older MSS.

18. This hymn has not yet been found in the older MSS. A text carefully

corrected from the papyri of the Louvre will be found in M. Lefébure’s

_Traduction comparée des Hymnes au Soleil composant le XV^e chapitre du

Ritual Funéraire Egyptien_. Paris, 1868.

19. ‘Chepera, father of the gods.’ Expressions like this are liable to

be misunderstood by superficial readers. They are not meant to imply

that ‘father of the gods’ was the special attribute of Chepera. ‘Father

of the gods’ is predicated in Chapter 8 of Sutu, and it is predicated

elsewhere of many other divinities. As in mathematics _any_ point in

space may be conceived as the origin of a given line or surface, so in

Egyptian mythology any god may be rightly called the father of the gods.

And for the same reason. The Day precedes the Night, but not more truly

than Night precedes, or in mythological language _gives birth to_ Day.

But we may begin at Daybreak, or at Noon, or at Sunset, or with the Sun

or the Moon, or with the rising of the Nile or any other natural

phenomenon which obeys an evidently permanent fixed Law.

-----

Footnote 11:

One of the names of the Uræus on the royal crown.

Footnote 12:

‘The Glorious ones’; see Note 1 on Chapter I.

Footnote 13:

See note 11.

Footnote 14:

An abode of bliss (like the Elysian fields) frequently mentioned and

described in the Book of the Dead.

Footnote 15:

The dragon Âpepi.

Footnote 16:

Both _Chabasu_ and _Hammemit_ have the sign of the plural, which may

arise from the omission of _who art above_ before the first of these

words. Unfortunately we have no other copy to check the readings. But

it is certain that the sign of plurality is often affixed to words

which though in plural form (like the Latin _moenia_, _literae_,

_tenebrae_) have a singular meaning. _Chabasu_ means a _lamp_, and the

stars, especially the decans, were called by this appellation.

_Hammemit_ is the name given to those yet unborn.

Footnote 17:

⁂⁂⁂_Un-tȧ_, signifies the god who assumes the face or form of

a _Hare_ ⁂, just as _Mau-tȧ_ signifies the god with the face or

form of a Cat, _Tehuta_, the god with the head or form of an Ibis.

Footnote 18:

I am deeply grieved that in my conversation and correspondence with

Goodwin (see my _Miscellaneous Notes on Egyptian Philology_, p. 15), I

hit upon ‘Ennead’ as a translation of ⁂. Goodwin took it up, and

it has since been productive of much mischief. The word in itself

(like Triad), is perfectly innocent and correct, yet every word has

its ‘cycle’ of associations, and some of them lead the unwary astray.

I had just been lecturing on Plotinus when Goodwin asked me for the

word.

Footnote 19:

The _four_ children of Horus are called (_Tempelins._, I, 41, 1)

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

PLATE IV.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER XVI.

[Illustration:

=A.=—THE RISING SUN.

Papyrus, Leyden Museum, II.

]

--------------

_See_ NAVILLE’s “Book of the Dead,” I, Pl. 21.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE V.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER XVI.

[Illustration:

=B.=—THE SETTING SUN.

Papyrus, Leyden Museum.

]

--------------

_See_ NAVILLE's “Book of the Dead,” I, Pl. 22.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER XVI.

NOTE.

When Lepsius divided the _Todtenbuch_ into 165 chapters, that portion of

it which was numbered as Chapter 16, was in fact merely the Vignette of

Chapter 15.

It has been thought well to publish with this translation the Vignettes

from the great Papyrus _La_ of Leyden, representing _a_, the Rising; and

_b_, the Setting Sun. (_See plates._)

In _a_ the Sun is represented as rising into Heaven, saluted by the six

Cynocephalous Apes. He is also saluted by two goddesses kneeling. In the

Papyrus of Hunefer these goddesses say, “I am thy sister Isis,” “I am

thy sister Nephthys.” The _Tat_ ⁂ which is between them is a symbol

_both_ of Osiris and of the East, and in _Ba_ is replaced by the sign

⁂. In the later periods the Dawn was represented by the sign ⁂

consisting of the Sun rising out of the East, between Isis and Nephthys.

The sign of Life ⁂ _ānḫ_ (which primarily means _rise up_) rises out

of the _Tat_, and with hands proceeding from it raises up the Sun.

In _b_ the central object is the Sun setting in the West ⁂. He is

saluted by three hawk-headed and by three jackal-headed divinities, the

Spirits of Pu and of Nechen. Below this scene the Sun of Yesterday and

the Sun of To-day in lion forms are saluted by Isis and Nephthys.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XVII.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day out of the Netherworld. Let the

words be said_:

=I am he who closeth and he who openeth, and I am but One.=(1.)

I am Râ at his first appearance.

I am the great god, self-produced;

His Names together compose the cycle of the gods;

Resistless is he among the gods.(2.)

I, who am Osiris, am Yesterday and the kinsman of the Morrow.(3.)

A scene of strife arose among the gods when I gave the command.(4.)

=Amenta is the scene of strife among the gods.=

I know the name of the great god who is here.

=Herald[20] of Râ is his name.=

I am the great Heron who is in Heliopolis, who presideth over the

account of whatsoever is and of that which cometh into being.(5.)

=Who is that? It is Osiris who presideth over the account of all that is

and all that cometh into being, that is Endless Time and Eternity.

Endless Time is Day and Eternity is Night.=

I am Amsu in his manifestations; there have been given to me the Two

Feathers upon my head.(6.)

=Who is that, and what are his Feathers? It is Horus, the avenger of his

father, and the Two Feathers are the Uræi upon the forehead of his

father Tmu.=(7.)

I have alighted upon my Land, and I come from my own Place.

=What is that? It is the Horizon of my father Tmu.=

All defects are done away, all deficiencies are removed, and all that

was wrong in me is cast forth.

I am purified at the two great and mighty Lakes at Sutenhunen, which

purify the offerings which living men present to the great god who is

there(8.).

=Who is that? It is Râ himself.=

=Which are the two great and mighty Lakes? The Lake of Natron and the

Lake of Māāt=(9.).

=I advance over the roads, which I know, and my face is on the Land of

Māāt.=

=What is that? The road upon which father Tmu advanceth, when he goeth

to the Field of Aarru, approaching to the land of Spirits in Heaven.=

I come forth through the T’eser gate.

=What is that? This gate of the gods is Haukar. It is the gate and the

two doors and openings, through which father Tmu issueth to the Eastern

Horizon of Heaven.=(10.)

O ye who have gone before! Let me grasp your hands, me who become one of

you.

=Who are they? Those who have gone before are Hu and Sau. May I be with

their father Tmu, throughout the course of each day.=(11.)

I make full the Eye when it waxeth dim on the day of battle between the

two Opponents.(12.)

=What is that? The battle of the two Opponents is the day upon which

Horus fighteth with Sut, when he flingeth his filth upon the face of

Horus, and when Horus seizeth upon the genitals of Sut, for it is Horus

who doeth this with his own fingers.=

I lift up the hairy net from the Eye at the period of its distress.(13.)

=What is that? The right Eye of Râ in the period of its distress when he

giveth it free course, and it is Thoth who lifteth up the net from it.=

I see Râ, when he is born from Yesterday, at the dugs of the Mehurit

cows?(14.) His course is my course, and conversely mine is his.

=What is that? Râ and his births from Yesterday at the dugs of the

Mehurit cows? It is the figure of the Eye of Râ, at his daily birth. And

Mehurit is the Eye.=

I am one of those who are in the train of Horus.

=What is that—‘one of those in the train of Horus’? Said with reference

to whom his Lord loveth.=

Hail, ye possessors of Māāt, divine Powers attached to Osiris, who deal

destruction to falsehood, ye who are in the train of Hotepeschaus, grant

me that I may come to you. Do ye away the wrong which is me, as ye have

done to the Seven Glorious ones, who follow after the Coffined one, and

whose places Anubis hath fixed on that day of ‘Come thou hither’!

=Hotepeschaus is the divine Flame which is assigned to Osiris for

burning the souls of his adversaries. I know the names of the Seven

Glorious ones who follow the Coffined one, and whose places Anubis hath

fixed on the day of ‘Come thou hither.’ The leader of this divine

company,=

‘An-ar-ef, the Great’ is his name; 2, Kat-kat; 3, the Burning Bull, who

liveth in his fire; 4, the Red-eyed one in the House of Gauze; 5,

Fieryface which turneth backwards; 6, Dark Face in its hour; 7, Seer in

the Night.(15.)

I am he whose Soul resideth in a pair of gods.

=It is Osiris, as he cometh to Tattu, and there findeth the soul of Râ;

each embraceth the other, and becometh Two Souls.=

=The pair of gods are Horus, the Avenger of his Father, and Horus, the

Prince of the City of Blindness.=

I am the great Cat, who frequenteth the Persea tree in Heliopolis, on

that night of battle wherein is effected the defeat of the Sebau, and

that day upon which the adversaries of the Inviolate god(16.) are

exterminated.

=Who is that great Cat? It is Râ himself. For Sau said, He is the

likeness (Maȧu) of that which he hath created, and his name became that

of Cat (Maȧu).=(17.)

=The night of conflict is the defeat of the children of Failure at

Elephantine. There was conflict in the entire universe, in heaven and

upon the earth.=

=He who frequenteth the Persea tree is he who regulateth the children of

Failure, and that which they do.=

O Râ, in thine Egg, who risest up in thine orb, and shinest from thine

Horizon, and swimmest over the firmament without a peer, and sailest

over the sky; whose mouth sendeth forth breezes of flame, lightening up

the Two Earths with thy glories, do thou deliver _N_ from that god whose

attributes are hidden, whose eyebrows are as the arms of the Balance

upon that day when outrage is brought to account, and each wrong is tied

up to its separate block of settlement.

=The god whose eyebrows are as the arms of the Balance is “he who

lifteth up his arm.”=[21]

Deliver me from those Wardens of the Passages with hurtful fingers,

attendant upon Osiris.

=The Wardens of Osiris are the Powers who keep off the forces of the

adversaries of Râ.=

May your knives not get hold of me; may I not fall into your shambles,

for I know your names; my course upon earth is with Râ and my fair goal

is with Osiris. Let not your offerings be in my disfavour, oh ye gods

upon your altars! I am one of those who follow the Master, a keeper of

the writ of Chepera.

I fly like a Hawk, I cackle like the _Smen_-Goose, I move eternally like

Nehebkau.(18.)

Oh Tmu who art in the Great Dwelling, Sovereign of all the gods, deliver

me from that god who liveth upon the damned; whose face is that of a

hound, but whose skin is that of a man; at that angle of the pool of

fire; devouring shades, digesting human hearts and voiding ordure. One

seeth him not.

=This god whose face is that of a hound and whose skin[22] is that of a

man: Eternal Devourer is his name.=(19.)

Oh Fearful one, who art over the Two Earths, Red god who orderest the

block of execution; to whom is given the Double Crown and Enjoyment as

Prince of Sutenhunen.

=It is Osiris to whom was ordained the Leadership among the gods, upon

that day when the Two Earths were united before the Inviolate god.=

=The junction of the Two Earths is the head of the coffin of Osiris

whose father is Râ=[23] =the beneficent Soul in Sutenhunen, the giver of

food and the destroyer of wrong, who hath determined the paths of

eternity.=

=It is Râ himself.=

Deliver me from that god who seizeth upon souls, who consumeth all filth

and corruption in the darkness or in the light: all those who fear him

are in powerless condition.

=This god is Sut.=

Oh Chepera, who are in the midst of thy bark and whose body is the cycle

of the gods for ever; deliver me from those inquisitorial Wardens to

whom the Inviolate god, of Glorious Attributes, hath given guard over

his adversaries, and the infliction of slaughter in the place of

annihilation, from whose guard there is no escape. May I not fall under

your knives, may I not sit within your dungeons, may I not come to your

places of extermination, may I not fall into your pits; may there be

done to me none of those things which the gods abominate; for I have

passed through the place of purification in the middle of the Meskat,

for which are given the Mesit and the Tehenit cakes in Tanenit.

=The Meskat is the place of scourging in Sutenhunen, the Tehenit is the

Eye of Horus.... Tanenit is the resting place of Osiris.=(20.)

Tmu buildeth thy dwelling, the Lion-faced god layeth the foundation of

thy house, as he goeth his round. Horus offereth purification and Sut

giveth might, and conversely.

I have come upon this earth and with my two feet taken possession. I am

Tmu and I come from my own Place.

Back, oh Lion with dazzling mouth, and with head bent forwards,

retreating before me and my might.

I am Isis and thou findest me as I drop upon my face the hair which

falleth loosely on my brow.

I was conceived by Isis and begotten by Nephthys. Isis destroyeth what

in me is wrong, and Nephthys loppeth off that which is rebellious.

Dread cometh in my train and Might is in my hands. Numberless are the

hands who cling fast to me. The dead ones and the living come to me. I

defeat the clients of mine adversaries, and spoil those whose hands are

darkened.

I have made an agreeable alliance. I have created the inhabitants of

Cher-âbat and those of Heliopolis.(21.) And every god is in fear before

the Terrible, the Almighty one.

I avenge every god against his oppressor, at whom I shoot my arrows when

he appeareth.

I live according to my will.

I am Uat’it, the Fiery one.(22.)

And woe to them who mount up against me!

What is this? “Of unknown attributes, which Hemen(23.) hath given” is

the name of the Funereal Chest. “The Witness of that which is lifted” is

the name of the Shrine.

The Lion with dazzling mouth and with head bent forwards is the Phallus

of Osiris [_otherwise_ of Râ].

And I who drop the hair which hath loosely fallen upon my brow—I am

Isis, when she concealeth herself; she hath let fall her hair over

herself.

Uat’it the Fiery is the Eye of Râ.

They who mount up against me, woe to them, they are the associates of

Sut as they approach.(24.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE VI.

BOOK OF THE DEAD. CHAPTER XVII.

PAPYRUS, TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, IV.

[Illustration]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE VII.

[Illustration]

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER XVII.

---------------------

_a._ Berlin Museum. No. 1470.

_b._ British Museum. No. 9901.

---------------------

_See_ NAVILLE, “Book of the Dead,” I, Plate.

[Illustration]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTES.

The seventeenth chapter is one of the most remarkable in the whole

collection, and it has been preserved from times previous to the XIIth

dynasty. The very earliest monuments which have preserved it have handed

it down accompanied with scholia and other commentaries interpolated

into the text. Some of the monuments enable us to some extent to divide

the original text from the additions, in consequence of the latter being

written in red. But there is really only one text where the additions

are suppressed, and which therefore offers the most ancient form, as far

as we know it, of the chapter. This is the copy on the wall of the tomb

of Horhotep. The sarcophagus itself of Horhotep contains a copy of the

text along with the additions. The chapter must already at the time have

been of the most venerable antiquity. Besides these two copies of the

chapter we have those from the sarcophagi of Hora and Sit-Bastit

(published, like those of Horhotep, by M. Maspero[24]), two from the

sarcophagi of Mentuhotep, and one from that of Sebek-āa (the three

latter published by Lepsius in his _Aelteste Texte_). The British Museum

has Sir Gardner Wilkinson’s copy of the texts inscribed on the coffin of

Queen Mentuhotep of the XIth dynasty, and also a fragment (6636 a) of

the coffin of a prince named Hornefru. Here then we have an abundance of

witnesses of the best period. They unfortunately do not agree. The

progress of corruption had no doubt begun long before, and the variants

are not simply differences of orthography but positively different

readings. The differences however are chiefly in the scholia. Even when

the explanations of the text are identical, the form differs. The latest

recensions have retained the form ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂; the

ancient added the feminine ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. _What is that?_

But some of the ancient texts give the equivalent words

⁂⁂⁂⁂, and Horhotep does without them altogether. These words

were evidently additions not merely to the text but to the scholia.

The text of the chapter grew more and more obscure to readers, and the

explanations hitherto given were so unsatisfactory as to call for

others. The texts of the manuscripts of the new empire furnish a good

deal of fresh matter, much of which is extremely ancient, though the

proof of this is unfortunately lost through the disastrous condition of

literature in the period preceding the XVIIIth dynasty. The XVIIIth

dynasty and its immediate successors inherited but did not invent the

new form of the Book of the Dead, with its succession of vignettes,

which however differing in detail bear the stamp of a common traditional

teaching. The manuscripts of a later period bear witness, with reference

to this as well as to other chapters, to a recension of an authoritative

kind. The text becomes more certain though perhaps not either more true

or more intelligible, and the notes and explanations have here reached

their fullest extent.

It would take an entire volume to give the translations of all the forms

the chapter has assumed. It must be sufficient here to give the earliest

forms known to us of the text and of the first commentaries. These are

printed in characters which show the difference between text and later

additions; all of which, it must be remembered, are of extreme

antiquity—some _two thousand years_ before any probable date of Moses.

Explanations or other interesting matter occurring in the manuscripts of

the later Empire will be referred to in the notes.

The title in the early copies is the simple one here heading the

chapter. In those which begin at the XVIIIth dynasty the title is very

like that given for the first chapter. The chief additions are that the

deceased person “_takes every form that he pleases, plays draughts, and

sits in a bower, comes forth as a soul living after death, and that what

is done upon earth is glorified_.”

1. It would be difficult for us to imagine that the very remarkable

opening of the chapter is an addition. Yet it is unknown to the

primitive recension on the walls of Horhotep’s tomb, though found

everywhere else. The texts however which contain it do not agree. “I am

He who closeth, and He who openeth, and I am but One.” ‘He who closeth’

is ⁂⁂ _Tmu_, ‘He who openeth’ ⁂ _Unen_. As the god who closes

and who opens is one and the same, ‘I am but One,’ is a very natural

ending of the sentence, and for its sense the whole may appeal to

classical, and higher than classical, authority.

“Modo namque Patulcius idem

Et modo sacrifico Clusius ore vocor.”[25]

“I am Alpha and O, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord.”[26]

The meaning of the Egyptian is quite plain, but the readings most

probably through the absence of determinatives in the oldest style are

somewhat different. Horhotep and other texts have ⁂⁂⁂⁂,

apparently as one word (compounded of _tmu_ and _unen_), which may

signify the ‘closer and opener,’ but Sebek-āa and later texts have

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. The papyrus of Nebseni has ⁂⁂, in the

third person, which does not alter the meaning, but this is quite an

isolated reading. The later recension, as represented by the Turin

_Todtenbuch_ and the Cadet papyrus, has ⁂⁂, which only prominently

brings forward, what is implied in all the other texts, that the Opener

is a god.[27] The absence of the determinative ⁂ after ⁂ is no

objection to the sense ‘opener,’ especially after ⁂⁂. It is

absolutely necessary when dealing with mythology to look to physical

rather than to metaphysical meanings. I have sufficiently discussed the

meanings of the word ⁂ in my essay on the Myth of Osiris Unnefer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE III.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER XV.

[Illustration: Horus at the Look-out of the Ship.]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

The later recensions add an interpolation (not without very different

readings) to the effect that the Sun made his first appearance when Shu

raised the Sky from the height of Chemennu, where he destroyed the

‘Children of Failure’ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

The raising of the Sky by Shu is very frequently represented in

pictures. Seb (the Earth) and Nut (the Sky) have been sleeping in each

other’s arms during the night; Shu (Daylight at sunrise) parts them, and

the sky is seen to be raised high above the earth.

⁂⁂⁂, Shu, who is of course the son of Râ, is in consequence of

this act called ⁂⁂ _Ȧn-ḥeru_, ‘The Lifter up of the Heaven.’

_Chemennu_ is the geographical name of the town called by the Greeks

Hermopolis. The mystical Chemennu, however, is alone referred to in this

place. The word itself means Eight, and Lepsius sees here a reference to

eight elementary deities. (We must remember that the passage itself is

an interpolation, of which there is no trace in the older texts.)

The ‘children of _Failure_’ (⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂ _deficere_,

_dissolvi_, _deliquium_[28]) are the elements of darkness which melt

away and vanish at the appearance of Day. This mythological expression

here found in an interpolated passage is met later on in a genuine

portion of the older text.

2. It would be impossible to find a more emphatic assertion of the

doctrine of _Nomina Numina_; and that more than 3000 years before

Christ.

The _Names_ of Râ, the Sun-god, are said, when taken together, to

compose ‘the cycle of the gods.’ ⁂⁂. Or the names which he has

created, to which he has given rise, that is the names of all the solar

phenomena, recurring as they do, day after day, to the eyes of all

beholders, compose “the cycle of the gods,” who are also called the

limbs or members of Râ.

The scholia contained in the papyri of the XVIIIth and later dynasties

explain the text as follows:—

“It is Râ as he creates the _names_ of his _limbs_ (⁂) which _become_

the gods who accompany him.”

And the present chapter later on says of Chepera, the rising Sun, that

the “cycle of the gods is his body.”

The god who has hitherto been spoken of is Râ. In glaring contradiction

to the whole text, a later note states that the resistless god is “the

Water, which is _Nu_”; that is Heaven.[29] ⁂⁂⁂ _Nu_ is not

alluded to at all in the primitive text, but the papyrus of Nebseni

already exhibits the corruption of the fine passage, “I am he who

closeth and he who openeth, and I am but One.” This is itself an

addition, the true meaning of which was afterwards destroyed by the

interpolation of the words ⁂⁂⁂⁂. These are ambiguous. They

might mean that the god was alone ‘in heaven,’ or that he was alone

‘_as_ Heaven.’ The papyrus of Ani has ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, “I was

born from Nu.” These attempted improvements do not give a favourable

impression of the exegetical acumen of Egyptian theologians.

But the mention of ‘Water’ in the scholion has nothing whatever to do

with the doctrine of Thales, and to suppose that it has implies a

confusion between two very different realms of human thought.

3. ‘The kinsman of the Morrow,’ literally ‘I know the Morrow.’ The word

⁂ signifies _can_, _ken_, and _kin_.

The papyrus of Nebseni and all the subsequent texts give the explanation

that Yesterday means Osiris, and the Morrow means Râ. And the vignette

in the papyrus of Ani gives the name of Yesterday to one of the Lions

and of Morrow to the other.

4. The earliest texts have either ⁂ ‘speak,’ or ⁂⁂ ‘command.’

The meaning is the same in both readings. Strife arose among the gods at

the bidding of Râ: that is every force in nature began its appropriate

career of activity, necessarily coming into contact and conflict with

the other forces. And of all this collision the first cause, the origin

of all activity and motion, is the Sun.

This mythological cosmology reminds one of the saying of Heraclitos that

“Strife is the father and the king of all things,” and the doctrine that

all becoming must be conceived as the product of warring

opposites—παν´ντα κατ’ ἔριν γίνεσθαι.

5. The Heron is the bird called ⁂⁂⁂ _bennu_, the numerous

pictures of which enable us to identify it with the Common Heron or

Heronshaw. The reason for connecting this bird with the Sun-god has to

be sought in the etymology of its name. ⁂⁂ _ben_ is a verb of

motion, and particularly of ‘going round.’ ⁂⁂ _benenu_ is a ring,

also a ‘round pill.’ The Sun therefore is very naturally called _bennu_,

an appellative like κυκλοέλικτος in the Orphic hymns.

⁂⁂, ‘of that which is, and of that which cometh into being.’ Here,

as in many other places, ⁂, which is a verb of motion, and really

signifies ‘rise up, spring forth,’ is pointedly distinguished from ⁂,

that which (is). So far from signifying ‘being, that which is,’ it very

much more nearly corresponds to ⁂ in the frequent expression

⁂⁂, ‘that which is and that which is not yet.’ The sense of ‘good

being’ so commonly given to the divine name Unnefer is utterly

erroneous.

6. The reading of the name ⁂ is proved by the numerous variants of

this passage to be _Ȧmsu_. In M. Naville’s edition, II, pl. 41, the

name, as written in _Ce_, would seem to be ⁂⁂⁂ _ȧm._ But I

already in _Zeitschr._, 1877 (p. 98) pointed out, that in this

manuscript the last sign ⁂ is at the top of a column, and that at the

foot of the preceding column there is a space where the signs ⁂,

following ⁂⁂ (_as they still do in the next passage_), have been

obliterated. No one from merely looking at M. Naville’s copy would guess

that there was any interval between ⁂ and ⁂.

The god’s name is written ⁂⁂⁂ on a tablet, Denkm. III, 114 i.

And the name is also written ⁂ or ⁂, which are ligatures of ⁂

and ⁂.

7. Note that in this scholion Horus, ‘the avenger of his father,’ calls

his father not Osiris but Tmu. In the more recent texts there are many

interpretations of the two Feathers. One is “his two _Eyes_F are the

Feathers.” But the favourite one is “Isis and Nephthys, who have risen

up as two kites” ⁂⁂⁂⁂.

8. The ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _reḫit_, by whom the oblation is made, the

_present_ generation as contrasted with the ⁂⁂⁂ _pāit_, the

_past_, and ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _hammemit_, the _coming_ generations.

9. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Māāāait_ is supposed to be nitre or salt, or some

other substance used in the process of embalming.

The more recent recensions thus answer the question about the lakes.

“_Eternity_ is the name of one, and the _Great green one_ that of the

other, the lake of Natron and the lake of Māāt.”

10. See the picture of this gate on the Vignette, which shows the

Sun-god passing through. One of the later explanations is that from this

gate Shu raised up Heaven. Another is that it was the gate of the Tuat.

_Haukar_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, means “behind the Shrine.”

11. _Hu_ and _Sau_, sons of Tmu, and his companions in the Solar bark,

are, like so many other gods, Solar appellatives. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Hu_

is the Nourisher, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Sau_, ‘the Knowing One.’ The god is

also called ‘the Seer’ ⁂, ‘He who heareth’ ⁂⁂. These names are

not personifications of the senses but, as in all cases, appellatives

expressing attributes.

12. See Note 2 on Chapter 4.

13. The Eye (⁂⁂⁂⁂) being the Sun or Moon, the period of

distress (⁂⁂) is that of obscuration or eclipse, and the hairy net

(⁂⁂) which is removed is the shadow which passes for a time over

the heavenly body.

The explanation which M. Maspero has recently given (P.S.B.A. XIV, 314)

of the word ⁂⁂⁂⁂, as connected with ⁂⁂⁂⁂

‘health,’ receives confirmation from the scholia in the papyri,

according to which Thoth not only delivered the Eye from the

veil of darkness which oppressed it, but carried it off

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘in life, health and strength,

without any damage.’

14. Mehurit is explained in the ancient scholion as ‘the Eye,’ but it is

really the Sky, from which the Sun is born daily. The sign of plurality

after Mehurit (if it means anything) only indicates the daily succession

of the skies whence Râ is born.

15. The ‘coffined One’ ⁂⁂⁂ is of course Osiris, as it is

plainly stated in the later scholia, which further add that the ‘Seven

glorious ones’ who follow the coffin, or, as they read it, “their Lord,”

are to be sought in the constellation of ‘the Thigh in the northern

sky,’ that is in the seven stars of the Great Bear.

These stars never set, but are perpetually revolving round the Pole. It

is therefore evidently with the Polar Star that we must identify the

coffin of Osiris. The names of the Seven Glorious ones vary according to

the different authorities. And these Stars themselves receive other

mythical forms; that of the Seven Cows and their Bull is recorded in the

148th chapter. Names like ‘the Red-eyed’ ⁂⁂⁂ or the

‘Red-haired’ cow ⁂⁂ seem to imply _double_ stars. The ‘Red-eyed’

is said to abide in ⁂⁂⁂ ‘house of gauze’ (perhaps a cobweb).

The papyri add the important note that the “day of Come thou hither”!

represents the moment “when Osiris says to Râ, Come thou hither”! or, as

some read, “Come thou to me.” The speaker adds that he sees the meeting

of the two gods in Amenta.

16. ⁂⁂⁂ possessor of completeness, integrity, hence

‘inviolate.’ This name is given to Osiris when restored to his first

condition after having been dismembered and cut into pieces. The god is

called _Râ-Tmu-Nebert’er_ in the great Harris papyrus, 15, 3.

17. It is most probable that the Cat became the representative of the

Sun because of the homonymy between the Egyptian name ⁂⁂⁂⁂

_mȧȧu_ of the animal and the attributive ⁂⁂⁂ _mau_, ‘shining’

said of the Sun. But the Egyptian scribe gives a different etymological

explanation. Sau said of Râ “he is ⁂⁂ _maȧu_ of what he hath

made.” ⁂⁂ may, like the Latin _exemplar_, be either the type or

the prototype, the copy or the original. The creatures of Râ were made

after his likeness. Sanskrit literature, from the Çatapatha Brahmana

down to the Vishnu Purâna, is full of similar etymologies. The Egyptians

from the very first delighted in this play upon words.

18. Neḥebu-kau, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is the

son of Seb and Renenut. The etymology of the name is indicated in the

Pyramid texts. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _neḥbu_ is to ‘carry, sustain, support’

(whence ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _neḥbet_ a neck, and ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _neḥb_ a

yoke), and the rest of the word is the plural of _ka_, which is

susceptible of more than one meaning. It might signify the divine or

human _ka_, but the word is sometimes (_e.g._, Todt., 125, 32) written

⁂ ‘victuals.’ The god is one of the forty-two judges of the dead, and

in some copies of the Book of the Dead he is described as coming forth

from his ⁂⁂⁂, a word most frequently used for the source of the

Nile. The serpent ⁂ which is a most frequent determinative of the

name, is an additional reason for identifying this god with the Nile: a

conclusion which seems fully justified by the Pyramid texts, which speak

of him as Water ⁂, and describe him as ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, “of

many windings.” (See Pepi I, 341 and 487.)

19. This Devourer has the same functions as the strange animal called

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Âmemit_ in the pictures of the Psychostasia. The

later scholia add that the Devourer comes from the ‘basin of Punit,’ the

Red sea. They add other names, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Mâtes_ ‘Flint,’

“stationed at the gate of Amenta,” and ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂

_Baba_, who, in ch. 63, 2, is described as the first born of Osiris. He

is a terrible god from whom the deceased prays in ch. 125, 36, to be

delivered. His name implies ‘one who searches or probes thoroughly,’ as

a digger or miner. And such are his functions at the judgment of the

dead.

Instead of ⁂⁂ _tesem_, a ‘hound,’ _La_ reads ⁂⁂⁂⁂

_sȧu_, a sheep.

20. The ⁂⁂⁂ _Mesqȧt_ is a ⁂⁂⁂ ‘a place of scourging.’

The word ⁂⁂⁂ is known as signifying violent treatment by

beating, and has been illustrated by Chabas and Goodwin. See

_Zeitschr._, 1874, p. 62. In the 72nd chapter the deceased prays that he

may not perish at the _Mesqȧt_. A kindred word ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Mesqa_

signifies ‘a hide.’ We can understand the connection between δέρω ‘flay,

cudgel, thrash’ and δέρμα ‘a hide.’ And we ourselves have the familiar

phrase of ‘giving a _hiding_.’ But purification as well as punishment

was found at the heavenly _mesqȧt_. It is mentioned in the Harris

Magical papyrus[6, 3] simply as a heavenly thing. In the more recent

scholia the purifier is said to be Anubis, who is behind the chest

containing the remains of Osiris.

After the scholion which has just been translated the early texts pass

on to the 18th chapter.

For the rest of the chapter we are compelled to follow the texts of the

papyri. The character of this portion differs considerably from the

former part, and is clearly an addition. The speakers rapidly succeed

each other. “I am Tmu,” “I am Isis,” “I was conceived by Isis,” “Isis

destroyeth what in me is wrong,” and finally “I am Uat’it.”

21. Cher-âbat and Heliopolis like all the localities here mentioned are

in heaven not upon earth.

22. Uat’it is literally ‘the pale one,’ a name of the Dawn. But here the

fiery dawn is spoken of, ἠώς φλογερά, πυρίβρομος.

23. Hemen ⁂⁂⁂ is a divinity seldom, if ever, mentioned after

the “Middle Empire.” In the Pyramid texts he has a Snake (the River) in

his hand.

24. The last line of the chapter has suffered in all the best papyri.

See M. Naville’s collation. In the papyrus of Ani the chapter is

unfinished. The later papyri end the chapter by saying that “it has been

granted to the speaker by those who are in Tattu to destroy by fire the

souls of his adversaries.” This consummation is already found in _La_.

[Illustration]

-----

Footnote 20:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, _praeconium_,

_praeco_.

Footnote 21:

The god who lifteth up his arm is ⁂ Amsu.

Footnote 22:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ȧnem_ ‘skin,’ according to Horhotep and

the first coffin of Mentuhotep at Berlin. But the second coffin of

Mentuhotep has already ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ȧnḥu_ ‘eyebrows,’

which afterwards becomes the received reading. It is that of Queen

Mentuhotep.

Footnote 23:

An interpolation in the text of Horhotep.

Footnote 24:

_Mission archéologique Française au Caire_, II.

Footnote 25:

Ovid, _Fast_, I, 129, 130.

Footnote 26:

Apocalypse i, 8.

Footnote 27:

The _last_ form of the chapter (as found in the hieratic papyrus T. 16

of Leyden, and others in the British Museum) changes the opening as

follows—“I am Atmu, who made the Sky and created all that hath come

into being.”

Footnote 28:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ in the historical inscriptions is just like

the Greek γυῖα λέλυντο, λύτο γούνατα καὶ φίλον ἡτορ.

Footnote 29:

It is certain that from the earliest times Heaven as

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘the Great Weeper,’ was considered as the

source of life to gods and men. But myths must not be mixed. One must

not be considered as the explanation of another.

PLATE VIII.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

Papyrus of Ani.

INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER XVIII.

]

[Illustration:

Leyden Papyrus.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XVIII. =Papyrus Busca.=

NAVILLE, “Book of the Dead.”

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE IX

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration: CHAPTER XVIII. BRUGSCH, “Thesaurus,” Vol. V, p. 1190.]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XIX. =Papyrus du Louvre, 440.=

E. DE ROUGÉ, “Études sur le Rituel Funéraire,” p. 14.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XIX. =Papyrus du Louvre, 3079.=

E. DE ROUGÉ, “Études sur le Rituel Funéraire,” p. 13

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XVIII.

[_Introductory._]

_The An-māut(1.) saith_:—

I come to you, ye Great Circles of gods(2.) in Heaven, upon Earth and in

the World below! I bring to you _N_ void of offence towards any of the

gods, grant that he may be with you daily.

Glory to Osiris, Lord of Restau, and to the great gods who are in the

World below. Here is _N_ who saith:—Hail to thee, Prince of Amenta,

Unneferu who presidest in Abydos, I come to thee with Righteousness;

without sin upon me. I am not knowingly a speaker of wrong; I am not

given to duplicity; grant me Bread, the right of appearance at the

tables of the Lords of Maāt, entering in and going out of the

Netherworld, and that my soul may not suffer repulse in its devotion to

the orb of the Sun and the vision of the Moon-god for ever.

_The Se-meri-f saith_:—

I come to you, O Circle of gods in Restau, and I bring to you _N_. Grant

to him Bread, Water, Air and an allotment in the Sechit-hotepu like

Horus.

Glory to Osiris, the Lord of Eternity and to the Circle of gods in

Restau. Here is _N_ and he saith:—I come to thee, I know thy will, and I

am furnished with thine attributes of the Tuat. Grant me an abiding

place in the Netherworld by the Lords of Maāt, my permanent allotment in

the Sechit-hotepu, and the receiving of cakes before thee.

[LITANY.]

1. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Circle of gods about Rā and

about Osiris and the Great Circle of gods in Heliopolis, on that Night

of the _Eve’s Provender_(3.) and the Night of Battle when there befel

the Defeat of the Sebau, and the Day of the extinction of the

adversaries of the Inviolate god.

The Great Circle of gods in Heliopolis is of Tmu, Shu and Tefnut, and

the Sebau who were defeated and extinguished were the associates of Sut

on the renewal of his assault.

2. Oh Thoth who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries before the Great Circle of gods in

Tattu, on the Night wherein the Tat is set up in Tattu.(4.)

The Great Circle of gods in Tattu is of Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Horus

the Avenger of his Father; and they who set up the Tat are the two arms

of Horus, Prince of Sechem. They are behind Osiris as bindings of his

raiment.

3. Oh Thoth who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods in

Sechem on that Night of the _Eve’s Provender_ in Sechem.

The Great Circle of gods in Sechem is of Horus in the Dark,(5.) and

Thoth, who is of the Great Circle of An-arer-ef.

The _Eve’s Provender_ is the dawn upon the Coffin of Osiris.

4. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods in Pu

and Tepu,(6.) on that Night of erecting the flag-staffs of Horus, and of

establishing him as heir of his Father’s property.

The Great Circle of gods in Pu and Tepu is of Horus, Isis, Emsta, Hapi;

and the pillars of Horus are erected when Horus saith to those who

follow him “let the flag-staffs be erected there.”

5. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods of the

Two Regions[30] of Rechit, on that Night when Isis lay watching in tears

over her brother Osiris.

The Great Circle of gods on the Two Regions of Rechit is of Isis,

Nephthys, Emsta and Hapi.

6. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods in

Abydos on the night of Hakra,(7.) when the evil dead are parted off,

when the glorious ones are rightly judged, and joy goeth its round in

Thinis.

The Great Circle of gods in Abydos is of Osiris, Isis and Apuat.

7. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods on the

Highway of the Damned,(8.) upon the Night when judgment is passed upon

those who are no more.

The Great Circle of gods on the Highway of the Damned are Thoth, Osiris,

Anubis and Astes. And judgment is passed on the Highway of the Damned

when the suit is closed[31] against the souls of the Children of

Failure.

8. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods at the

Great Hoeing in Tattu, on the Night of Hoeing in their blood and

effecting the triumph of Osiris over his adversaries.

The Great Circle of gods at the Great Hoeing in Tattu(9.) when the

associates of Sut arrive, and take the forms of goats, slay them before

the gods there, while their blood runneth down; and this is done

according to the judgment of those gods who are in Tattu.

9. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries, before the Great Circle of gods in

An-arer-ef on the Night of Hiding him who is Supreme in Attributes.[32]

The Great Circle of gods in An-arer-ef is of Shu, Babai, Rā and Osiris,

and the Night of Hiding him who is Supreme of Attributes is when there

are at the Coffin, the Thigh, the Head, the Heel and the Leg of

Unneferu.

10. Oh Thoth, who makest Osiris triumphant over his adversaries, let _N_

be made triumphant over his adversaries, even as thou makest Osiris

triumphant over his adversaries before the Great Circle of gods in

Restau on the Night when Anubis lieth(10.) with his hands upon the

objects behind Osiris, when Osiris is made to triumph over his

adversaries.

The Great Circle of gods in Restau is of Osiris, Horus, and Isis. The

heart of Horus rejoiceth, the heart of Osiris is glad and the two

Parts[33] of Heaven are satisfied when Thoth effecteth the triumph of

_N_ before these ten Great Circles about Rā and about Osiris and the

Circles of gods attached to every god and every goddess before the

Inviolate god. All his adversaries are destroyed and all that was wrong

in him is also destroyed.

_Let the person say this chapter, he will be purified and come forth by

day, after his death, and take all forms for the satisfaction of his

will, and if this chapter be recited over him, he will be prosperous

upon earth, he will come forth safe from every fire, and no evil thing

will approach him: with undeviating regularity for times infinite._(11.)

NOTES.

The eighteenth chapter is one of those found in the earliest copies of

the Book of the Dead, on the wooden coffins of the ‘Old’ and ‘Middle’

Empires; the most complete ancient copy being on the coffin of Queen

Mentuhotep of the eleventh dynasty.

It consists of a Litany addressed to Thoth, who is invoked for securing

the triumph of the departed against his adversaries in presence of the

gods of certain localities. Each petition has reference to some

mythological event, and is supplemented by the enumeration of the gods

constituting the divine company presiding at the locality named, and

sometimes by a short comment on the myth referred to.

The order of petitions is somewhat different in the later recensions,

and the text has suffered other alterations.

Copies of this chapter are extremely numerous, particularly in the later

periods.

The chapter really begins with the petitions to Thoth. The preceding

portion is, as far as I know, found only in the Papyrus of Ani. But as

the vignette which belongs to this portion has a place in the great

Leyden Papyrus of Kenna, the text cannot have been confined to a single

manuscript. It is particularly valuable as illustrative of the ritual

use of portions of the Book of the Dead.

1. The deceased person is supposed to be presented to the gods by two

priests in succession, one called _An-maut-ef_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂, and

the other ⁂⁂ _Se-meri-f_. Both names are titles of Horus, and it

is the usual thing for Egyptian priests to bear divine titles; their

ritual observances being dramatic and symbolical representations of the

actions of the gods. _An-maut-ef_ literally signifies ‘column (support)

of his mother.’ Horus is called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘the

_An-maut-ef_ of the Great Company of the gods’ (Mariette, _Abydos_, I,

p. 34), and in _Denkmäler_, III, 206 _e_, he is called the _An-maut-ef_

of Osiris (_cf._ _Abyd._ II, 54).

_Se-meri-f_ signifies ‘the Beloved Son,’ and the priest of this name in

the funereal rites personified Horus in his dutiful offices to his

father Osiris. I do not know why ⁂⁂ is _always_ translated ‘the

son who loves him,’ instead of ‘the son he loves,’ which is the right

meaning. ⁂⁂⁂ is ‘the place which he loves’ not ‘the place which

loves him.’ And similarly ⁂⁂ is ‘the wife whom he loves,’ not ‘who

loves him.’

2. There is a short note (6) on chapter 1, upon the word

⁂⁂⁂⁂, but the present seems to be the suitable place for a

more extended notice of this feminine word, which is a collective noun,

and never found in any other sense.

The ancient form ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ renders it more than probable that

⁂ is not phonetic in the later form, but that as in ⁂⁂ _kai_,

originally ⁂⁂ (whence the Coptic ⲕⲟⲧ, ⲕⲱⲧⲉ, a circle, a round

vessel, to go round), it is ideographic of _roundness_. This concept is

certainly to be found in the word ⁂⁂⁂, the Coptic ϫⲱϫ, a head

(or rather top of the head), as in the Latin _vertex_, akin to _vortex_,

from the same root as _vertere_. The sign ⁂, which in later texts

often appears as the determinative, has its origin in the cursive form

of ⁂ carelessly written. Instead of ⁂ we also find ⁂, which is

certainly not phonetic but ideographic of _enclosure_, as in the word

⁂⁂⁂⁂ a wall, _paries_, ἕρκος. This word occurs already in

the Pyramid Texts under the form ⁂⁂⁂. See Pepi I, 571, which M.

Maspero renders ‘la Grande _Enceinte_ d’On.’ The evident etymological

relationship to the Coptic ϫⲱϫ has led some scholars to translate the

Egyptian word as signifying _chiefs_, _princes_. But though the lexicons

give _dux_ and _princeps_ as meanings of the Coptic word, these are but

secondary applications of _head_. We have to enquire why ϫⲱϫ means

_head_, or _top of the head_. And the reason is its roundness, as

indicated by the ideographic signs ⁂ or ⁂.

The old Egyptian word ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ invariably implies an

association of persons, and this is why in consequence of its etymology

I translate it as ‘Circle of gods.’ It is synonymous (_cf._ chapter 41,

note 8) with ⁂⁂⁂.

3. _The Eve’s Provender._ Later authorities read

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, the ‘Provender of the altars,’ but this is a

corruption of the ancient ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, which had probably

ceased to be intelligible. According to this pantheistic system the

deceased through his identification with the Sun absorbed and consumed

all that came in his way. And this is expressed in somewhat brutal

style. Men and gods disappear before Unas, he makes his breakfast at

dawn ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, upon great gods, his dinner upon gods of

middling quality ⁂⁂, and ‘his supper at even’

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ upon the minor deities, ⁂⁂. ⁂⁂ is

the ancient dialectic variant of ⁂, which however is really the older

form. This word which means ‘things’ has, like the Latin _res_, a wide

application. It frequently means _property_, _estate_, and sometimes

_suit_.

4. On the last day of the month of Choiak the great solemnity of setting

up the Tat ⁂ as the symbol of Osiris was observed down to the latest

periods. The tablets of Pasherenptah, high priest of Ptah at Memphis,

speak of this great dignitary as the king’s second or deputy in ‘Raising

the Tat.’ But Brugsch has published a picture (_Thesaurus_, V, 1190),

copied by Dr. Erman from a tomb of the XVIIIth dynasty, in which

Amenophis III himself helps to raise the Tat, and the queen Ti and the

royal princesses take part in the ceremony. The procession is described

as marching four times round the sanctuary of Ptah-Seker-Osiris. See

Plate IX.

5. On Horus in the Dark, or Blindness, or Invisibility ⁂, see note,

_Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch._, June, 1886.

6. Pu and Tepu are named together in the earliest texts as one locality,

which is recognised by Brugsch as the metropolis of the northern nome

called by the Greeks Φθενότης.

7. The feast of ⁂⁂ derives its name, as Goodwin supposes with

great probability, from the words ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ha-k-er-ȧ_,

‘Come thou to me,’ said of a legendary incident like that mentioned at

the end of note 15 on chapter 17. The early papyri read ⁂⁂⁂⁂

but this is no objection, the sign ⁂ being here the determinative of

the entire group which gives its name to the feast.

8. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ literally the _dead_, that is those who have

died ‘the second death.’

9. The vignette is given by M. Naville from the tracing taken by Lepsius

of the now lost Papyrus Busca. It represents ‘the Great Hoeing in

Tattu.’ The long text at Dendera (Mariette, tom. IV, pl. 39) contains

directions to be observed the festival commemorative of the ancient

myth. Two black cows are put under a yoke of ⁂⁂⁂ _ȧm_ wood, the

plough is of tamarisk wood and the share of black bronze. The plougher

goes behind, with a cow led by a halter. A little child with the lock

⁂ attached to its head is to scatter the seed in the field of Osiris,

a piece of land of which the dimensions were given in the text (now

imperfect). Barley is sown at one end, spelt at the other, and flax

between the two. And the Cher-heb in chief recites the Office for the

Sowing of the Field.

10. The older texts have ⁂⁂ _lie_, the later ones ⁂ _lay_.

11. In the formula ⁂ ⁂⁂, ⁂ _šes_ is “the measuring

line used by builders,” and _em šes_ signifies ‘ad amussim,’ ‘nach der

Schnur,’ ‘au cordeau,’ ‘according to the line,’ hence ‘with the

strictest accuracy.’ _Hibbert Lectures_, 1879, p. 121. ‘According to the

line of Maāt’ means ‘with undeviating regularity.’

-----

Footnote 30:

⁂⁂⁂⁂. The later recensions read ⁂⁂⁂. The

first Coffin of Mentuhotep (_Aelteste Texte_, 4, 61) has the phonetic

⁂⁂⁂.

Footnote 31:

Literally, “when the things ⁂ are shut up.”

Footnote 32:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

Footnote 33:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, North and South.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XIX.

_Chapter of the Crown of Triumph._

Thy Father Tmu hath prepared for thee this beautiful Crown of Triumph,

the living diadem which the gods love, that thou mayest live for ever.

Osiris, Prince of Amenta, maketh thee to triumph over thine adversaries.

Thy Father Seb hath decreed that thou should be his heir, and be

heralded as Triumphant, Horus son of Isis and son of Osiris, upon the

throne of thy Father Rā, through the defeat of thine adversaries. He

hath decreed for thee the Two Earths, absolutely and without

condition(1.). And so hath Atmu decreed, and the Cycle of the gods hath

repeated the glorious act of the triumph of Horus the son of Isis and

the son of Osiris for ever and ever.

Osiris, the Prince of Amenta, the Two Parts of Heaven united, all gods

and all goddesses who are in heaven and upon earth join in effecting the

Triumph of Horus the son of Isis and son of Osiris over his adversaries

before the Great Circle of gods in Heliopolis, on the _Night_, etc.

Horus repeateth the proclamation four times. All the adversaries fall

and are overthrown and slaughtered.

_N_ repeateth the proclamation four times, and all his adversaries fall

and are overthrown and slaughtered.

Horus son of Isis and son of Horus repeateth an infinite number of

festivals, and all his adversaries fall down, are overthrown and

slaughtered. Their abode is transferred to the slaughtering block of the

East, their heads are cut away, their necks are crushed, their thighs

are lopped off, they are given to the great Annihilator who resideth in

the Valley(2.) that they may not ever escape from under the custody of

Seb.(3.)

_This chapter is said over a consecrated crown placed upon the face of

the person, and thou shalt put incense upon the flame, for N (the

deceased), effecting his triumph over all his adversaries, whether Dead

or Living, that he may become one of the followers of Osiris. And there

shall be given to him drink and food in presence of this god. Thou shall

say it at dawn twice; A great protection is it: with undeviating

regularity for times infinite._

NOTES.

The nineteenth chapter is a very recent recension of the eighteenth. The

MSS. containing it, as far as we know, are not older than the Greek

period. It derives its origin from the practice of placing garlands or

floral crowns upon the mummies. The mummy of Aahmes I, the first king of

the eighteenth dynasty, when found “portait au cou,” M. Maspero writes,

“une guirlande de jolies fleurs roses de _Delphinium orientale_.”

Remains of such crowns are to be found in our Museums. For farther

details I must refer to an excellent paper entitled _La Couronne de la

Justification_, by Dr. Pleyte of Leyden, in the second volume of the

Transactions of the Oriental Congress held at Leyden in 1884; and see

Plate VIII.

1. ⁂⁂⁂. This adverbial expression is apparently connected with

⁂⁂, and I therefore understand it in the sense of ἀποτόμως,

_praecisè_, _absolutely_, _without condition_.

2. ⁂⁂⁂ the Valley of Darkness (_Todt._, 130, 6) and Death,

“whose secrets are absolutely unknown” ⁂⁂⁂⁂ (148, 2).

3. That is they shall remain interred for ever.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XX.

The twentieth chapter is entitled _Another Chapter of Crown of Triumph_,

but it is simply a tabulated form of chapter 18, with the Rubric. _Let

the person say this Chapter, and purify himself with water of natron, he

will come forth by day after death, and take all forms according to his

wish, and escape from the fire. With undeviating regularity for times

infinite._ The earliest example of this tabulated form of the chapter is

found on the Berlin Sarcophagus of Mentuhotep.

[Illustration: DÜMICHEN; TEMPELINSCHRIFTEN, LXXV.]

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXI.

_Chapter whereby the mouth of a person is given to him in the

Netherworld._

Hail to thee, Lord of Light, who art Prince of the House which is

encircled by Darkness and Obscurity. I am come to thee glorified and

purified.

My hands are behind thee; thy portion is that of those who have gone

before thee.(1.)

Give me my mouth that I may speak with it; and guide(2.) my heart at its

hour of Darkness and Night.

NOTES.

The oldest papyrus containing this chapter is that of Ani, and the

translation is based upon it. But the text differs both from those

written on the very ancient coffins of Heru and Set-Bastit, copied by M.

Maspero,[34] and from the later texts.

The second paragraph seems to be spoken by the god, the first and third

being from the deceased.

“My hands are behind thee” is a formula implying protection.

On the coffins the invocation is addressed not to “Osiris, Lord of

Light” or “Radiant One” ⁂⁂, but to the ⁂⁂⁂, “one whose

head is clothed with radiant white, of the House of Darkness and

Obscurity.”

Instead of ⁂⁂⁂⁂ “obscurity” the coffin has ⁂⁂ without

a determinative, but ⁂⁂⁂⁂ shows what the word means.

This ancient text continues—“Come thou to me, glorified and purified;

let thy hands [_here the text is obliterated_], shine thou with thine

head (⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂). Give me my mouth that I may speak with it,

and guide me on the glorious roads which are in heaven.”

The Turin text is very corrupt, and parts of it are incapable of

translation.

1. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

2. “Let me guide,” according to the Ani Papyrus. But the later

(hieratic) texts have the second person ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, which is

more correct.

-----

Footnote 34:

_Mission Archéologique Française_, II, p. 216 and 223. The text is

unfortunately incomplete on both coffins.

PLATE X.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration: CHAPTER XV. =Papyrus of Ani.=]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXVIII.

=Papyrus, Leyden, T. 16.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXII. =Tomb of Bekenrenef.=

LEPSIUS, “Denkmäler,” Abth. III, Bl. 267.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXIII. =Tomb of Bekenrenef.=

LEPSIUS, “Denkmäler,” Abth. III, Bl. 260.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXVIII.

NICHOLSON, “Egyptiaca.”

]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XXII. =Papyrus of Ani.=]

CHAPTER XXIII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus, British Museum, 9900.=]

CHAPTER XXIV.

[Illustration: =Papyrus of Ani.=]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XI.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER XXII.

[Illustration: =Sarcophagus of Seti I.=]

CHAPTER XXIII.

[Illustration: LEPSIUS, “Todtenbuch,” 17, Vignette.]

CHAPTER XXVII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus, Musée du Louvre, III, 89.=]

CHAPTER XXVII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus, Musée du Louvre, III, 36.=]

CHAPTER XXVII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus of Ani.=]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXII.

_Another Chapter whereby the Mouth of a person is given to him in the

Netherworld._

I shine forth out of the Egg which is in the unseen world.(1.) Let there

be given my mouth that I may speak with it in presence of the great god,

Lord of the Tuat. Let not my hand be repulsed by the Divine Circle of

the great god.

I am Osiris, the Lord of Restau, the same who is at the head of the

Staircase.(2.)

I am come to do the will of my heart, out of the Tank of Flame, which I

extinguish when I come forth.(3.)

NOTES.

This is one of the chapters of which the text certainly belongs to the

earliest epoch. It is one of those copied by Wilkinson from the

coffin(2) of Queen Mentuhotep. In the Papyrus of Ani it is followed by

chapter 21 as its conclusion, and both chapters are appended to chapter

1, before the rubric belonging to that chapter.

1. The Egg in the unseen world is the globe of the Sun while yet below

the horizon. It is only through a mistranslation of chapter 54, 2 that

the Indian notion of a ‘Mundane Egg’ has been ascribed to the Egyptians.

The 17th chapter addresses “Rā in thine Egg, who risest up in thine orb,

and shinest from thine Horizon.”

2. See the picture of Osiris at the head of the Staircase, which is here

given (see Plate XI) from the alabaster sarcophagus of Seti I in the

Soane Museum. Similar pictures are given on other sarcophagi. The gods

on the stairs are called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ‘the Divine

Circle about Osiris.’

The ‘Staircase of the great god’ ⁂⁂⁂⁂ at Abydos, is

frequently mentioned on the funeral stelae.

3. The _Tank of Flame_. See chapter 1, note 15. The red glow of the Sky

disappears after the Sun has risen, he is therefore said to “extinguish

the Flame” after he has come forth. The same notion is expressed in the

myth according to which Horus strikes off the head of his mother.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXIII.

_Chapter whereby the Mouth of a person is opened for him in the

Netherworld._

_He saith_: Let my mouth be opened by Ptah, and let the muzzles which

are upon my mouth be loosed by the god of my domain.(1.)

Then let Thoth come, full and equipped with Words of Power,[35] and let

him loose the muzzles of Sutu which are upon my mouth, and let Tmu lend

a hand to fling them at the assailants.

Let my mouth be given to me. Let my mouth be opened by Ptah with that

instrument of steel(2.) wherewith he openeth the mouths of the gods.

I am Sechit(3.) Uat’it who sitteth on the right side of Heaven: I am

Sahit encircled by the Spirits of Heliopolis.[36]

And all the Words of Power, and all the accusations which are uttered

against me—the gods stand firm against them: the cycles of the gods

unitedly.

NOTES.

1. Osiris. On the sense of ⁂⁂⁂, literally ‘the god of the

domain,’ see the articles of M. Naville and Professor Piehl,

_Zeitschr._, 1880, 146; 1881, 24 and 64. I hold with Dr. Piehl that the

domain meant in this formula is Abydos, and that the god is Osiris.

2. The word here translated ‘steel’ is ⁂⁂⁂, upon which see M.

Devéria’s dissertation, “Le Fer et l’Aimant” in the _Mélanges

d’Archéologie Egyptienne et Assyrienne_, tome I, p. 2.

A description of the Ceremonies of the Opening of the Mouth as performed

at the tomb will be found in the Introduction to this translation.

3. The name of this goddess is phonetically written ⁂⁂ _Sḫt_ in

the Pyramid texts of Unas (l. 390), where the Murray Papyrus and other

texts have the ordinary ⁂⁂. The reading Sechemet is indefensible.

Cf. _Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch._, XII, p. 365.

-----

Footnote 35:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

Footnote 36:

Tmu, Shu and Tefnut.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXIV.

_Chapter whereby the Words of Power are brought to a Person in the

Netherworld._

I am Chepera, the self-produced, on his Mother’s thigh.(1.)

The speed of bloodhounds is given to those who are in Heaven,[37] and

the mettle of hyaenas(2.) to those who belong to the Divine Circle.

Lo, I bring this my Word of Power, and I collect this Word of Power from

every quarter in which it is, more persistently(3.) than hounds of chase

and more swiftly than the Light.

O thou who guidest the Bark of Rā, sound is thy rigging and free from

disaster as thou passest on to the Tank of Flame.

Lo, I collect[38] this my Word of Power from every quarter in which it

is, in behalf of every person whom it concerneth, more persistently than

hounds of chase and more swiftly than Light; the same(4.) who create the

gods out of Silence, or reduce them to inactivity; the same who impart

warmth to the gods.

Lo, I collect this my Word of Power from every quarter in which it is,

in behalf of every person whom it concerneth, more persistently than

hounds of chase and more swiftly than the Light.

NOTES.

This is another of those chapters of which the antiquity is proved by

the coffins of Horhotep and Queen Mentuhotep. And even in the early

times to which these coffins belong it must have been extremely

difficult to understand. In the translation here given I have adhered as

closely as possible to the oldest texts, but these, as the variants

show, are not entirely trustworthy.

1. _Thigh._ This is the usual translation, which accords with the

frequent pictures of the goddess Nut, as the Sky, with the divine Scarab

in the position described.[39] But ⁂⁂⁂ signifies that which

_runs_, from ⁂⁂⁂ _uār_, run, _fugere_; and the noun (_the

runner_) is often applied to _running water_. It is the geographical

name of a river or canal. M. Naville has already pointed out that in the

Book of the Dead it has for variants ⁂⁂⁂ and ⁂⁂⁂, of

which _bath_ is a fair translation.

2. The names of these two animals (especially of the second) vary

greatly in the texts. But if we wish rightly to understand the sense of

the chapter, we must bear in mind that it is not the animals themselves

that are meant, but the characteristics implied by the names of the

animals. And as the Sanskrit _vṛkas_, the Greek λύκος, the old Slavonic

_vluku_, the Gothic _vulfs_, and our own _wolf_, signify the _robber_,

so does the Egyptian ⁂⁂⁂⁂, whether signifying _wolf_,

_wolfhound_, or _bloodhound_, indicate _speed_.

The names of the second animal in the earlier texts, whether they stand

for hyænas ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, or for other animals of the chase

(⁂⁂⁂⁂), imply either _speed_ or _ferocity_. And what must we

understand under the latter term? We must look to the context. It is of

a god speaking of himself and of his attributes. He is proud of them,

and certainly does not wish them to be taken in a bad sense. Nor is it

necessary that we should do so. We have only to remember what we learnt

at school.

Cicero (_de Sen._, 10, 33) contrasts the ‘ferocitas juvenum,’ the high

_pluck_ of the young, with the ‘infirmitas puerorum,’ and the ‘gravitas’

and ‘maturitas’ of later periods of life.

Livy uses the term _ferox_, in the same sense as Cicero.

What we have to understand of the Egyptian expression is, ‘mettlesome,

of high, unbridled spirit.’

In the later texts the _Bennu_ bird has been substituted for the beasts

of the chase.

3. The later texts read ⁂⁂, but all the earlier ones give another

word ⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂. This is often used in a bad sense, when

spoken of the enemy; but it merely implies tenacity, pertinacity,

obstinacy, which are, of course, very bad things in opposition, but in

themselves virtues of a high order.[40]

The word is used as a name for the divine Cynocephali

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ who appear at sunrise over the _Tank of

Flame_.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,

_the same who bringeth into being the gods out of Silence, or reduceth

them to inactivity_.

In addition to this interesting utterance of Egyptian theology, we have

to note the idea of _Silence_ ⁂⁂⁂ as the origin of the gods, or

powers of nature. The notion was also current in the Greek world. The

writer of the _Philosophumena_ (VI, 22) speaks of ἡ ὑμνουμένη ἐκείνη

παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησι Ζιγή. It was from this source that the early Gnostic

Valentinus borrowed this item of his system. St. Irenaeus (_Haeres_, II,

14) charges him with having taken it from the theogony of the comic poet

Antiphanes.

-----

Footnote 37:

⁂⁂ _Nu_.

Footnote 38:

⁂.

Footnote 39:

See also in Plate XI the Vignette from chapter 17 in the Turin and all

the later papyri.

Footnote 40:

Columella speaks of the “contumacia pervicax boum.”

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXV.

_Chapter whereby a person remembereth his name in the Netherworld._

Let my name be given to me in the Great House. Let me remember my name

in the House of Flame(1.) on the Night wherein the Years are counted and

the Months are reckoned, one by one.

I am He who dwelleth in Heaven, and who sitteth on the Eastern side of

Heaven: and if there be any god who cometh not in my train, I utter his

name at once.

NOTES.

1. Every Egyptian Temple being symbolical of Heaven, had its Great House

⁂⁂⁂ and its House of Flame ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, as most sacred

adyta at the extremity opposite to the entrance. The former occupied the

central position, like the Ladye Chapel in our cathedrals, and the

latter stood by the side of it.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXVI.

_Chapter whereby the Heart(1.) is given to a person in the Netherworld._

He saith: Heart[41] mine to me, in the place of Hearts! Whole Heart[42]

mine to me, in the place of Whole Hearts!

Let me have my Heart that it may rest within me; but(2.) I shall feed

upon the food of Osiris, on the eastern side of the mead of amaranthine

flowers.(3.)

Be mine a bark for descending the stream and another for ascending.

I go down into the bark wherein thou art.

Be there given to me my mouth wherewith to speak, and my feet for

walking; and let me have my arms wherewith to overthrow my adversaries.

Let two hands from the Earth open my mouth: Let Seb, the Erpā of the

gods, part my two jaws;(4.) let him open my two eyes which are closed,

and give motion to my two hands which are powerless: and let Anubis give

vigour to my legs, that I may raise myself up upon them.

And may Sechit the divine one lift me up, so that I may arise in Heaven

and issue my behest in Memphis.

I am in possession of my Heart, I am possession of my Whole Heart, I am

possession of my arms and I have possession of my legs.(5.)

[I do whatsoever my Genius willeth, and my Soul is not bound to my body

at the gates of Amenta.]

NOTES.

1. The Egyptian texts have two names for the Heart, ⁂ phonetically

written ⁂⁂⁂ _ȧb_, and ⁂⁂ also written ⁂⁂⁂ and

⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ḥatu_.[43] The two words are commonly used

synonymously, but they are sometimes pointedly distinguished one from

the other. Etymologically ⁂⁂⁂ _ȧb_ is connected with the sense

of lively motion ⁂⁂⁂ _ȧb_, like the Greek καρδία, κραδίη, (δία

τὸ ἀπαύστως σαλεύεσθαι) with κραδάω and κραδαίνω. Other Indo-European

names, our own _heart_, the Latin _cor_ (_cord-is_), the Sanskrit _hṛd_,

and the corresponding Slavonic and Lithuanian names have the same

origin.

From the orthography of ⁂⁂ it seems to have been connected in

popular opinion with its position in the anterior part of the body. And

from various uses of the word it appears to denote not merely the heart,

but the heart with all that is attached to it, especially the _lungs_

which embrace it. It is for instance to the ⁂⁂ that _air_ is

conducted according to the medical Papyri. And it is not improbable that

⁂⁂⁂ and ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, organs of respiration, are

closely connected words.

But perhaps the best argument may be found in the Vignettes of chapter

28, where the two lungs are actually drawn as in the hieratic papyrus

(Pl. 2) published by Sir Charles Nicholson. In others (as Leyden, T. 16)

even the larynx is visible. (See Plate X.)

The Italian word _corata_ is immortalised through its occurrence in a

memorable passage in Dante (_Inf._, XXVIII), but for want of a better

English term than the butcher’s technical word _pluck_[44] I use the

expression _whole heart_.

2. _But_, ⁂⁂⁂. This is the most frequent reading both in the

earliest and in the latest papyri. But some texts have simply ⁂,

which is certainly a mistake, and others omit the conjunction before the

verb. The sense is not much affected by this omission. ⁂⁂⁂

signifies _if not_, _unless_, _until_, _but_, _but surely_. _Cf._ the

Semitic אִם־לֹא, ܐܷܠܴ, إلَّا

3. _The mead of amaranthine flowers._ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ḳaiu_ is the

name of a plant which frequently occurs in the medical prescriptions. It

is also mentioned among the aromatic plants (⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂)

required in the sacred laboratory of Dendera. One of the kinds is named

_ḳaiu_ of the Oasis ⁂⁂⁂. It is identified with the Coptic

ⲕⲓⲟⲱⲩ, _amaranthus_. In several copies of this chapter the name of the

plant is followed by the geographical determinative ⁂, which is

really implied in the context. Was this mythological ‘mead of amaranth’

suggested by the Oasis and its vegetation?

4. This sentence is a repetition (in other words) of the preceding one.

On the title _Erpā_, see _Trans. Soc. Bibl. Arch._, XII, 359. My chief

difficulty about understanding it as compounded of ⁂ and ⁂, and

signifying _keeper of the Pāt_, that is _of the deceased_ (human

beings), is that Seb is essentially the _Erpā of the gods_. _Erpā_ is

one of those titles which cannot be translated without perverting the

sense of the original.

5. This passage is a very frequent formula not only in the Book of the

Dead, as the papyri give it, but in other texts of the same nature; see,

_e.g._, _Aelteste Texte_, 34, 14. The next passage included in [] is an

addition to the original text. It occurs however in some excellent MSS.

-----

Footnote 41:

⁂ _ȧb_, ‘heart.’

Footnote 42:

⁂ _ḥatu_, ‘whole heart.’

Footnote 43:

This variant already occurs on the coffin of Amamu.

Footnote 44:

In late Latin _corallum_, whence the Romanic forms _corajhe_,

_corata_, _coratella_, _corée_, _couraille_. In _Garin le Loherens_ we

find “la coraille del cuers.”

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXVII.

_Chapter whereby the Heart of a person is not taken from him in the

Netherworld._

O ye gods who seize upon Hearts, and who pluck out the Whole Heart; and

whose hands fashion anew the Heart of a person according to what he hath

done; lo now, let that be forgiven to him by you.(1.)

Hail to you, O ye Lords of Everlasting Time and Eternity!

Let not my Heart be torn from me by your fingers.

Let not my Heart be fashioned anew according to all the evil things said

against me.

For this Heart of mine is the Heart of the god of mighty names(2.), of

the great god whose words are in his members, and who giveth free course

to his Heart which is within him.

And most keen of insight(3.) is his Heart among the gods. Ho to me!

Heart of mine; I am in possession of thee, I am thy master, and thou art

by me; fall not away from me; I am the dictator to whom thou shalt obey

in the Netherworld.

NOTES.

1. There is a great difference here as in so many other places between

the MSS. of different periods. I long ago translated the

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ of the _Todtenbuch_ by _non ignoretur a vobis_,

M. de Rougé, after me, by _non renuatur a vobis._ But M. Naville pointed

out the fact that in some of the oldest MSS. the particle ⁂ did not

occur. It now appears that the particle is not found in any of the older

MSS., and I have also found it omitted in hieratic papyri. The passage

therefore must be translated differently, and this is possible through a

slight change in the interpretation of ⁂ from _ignorare_ to

_ignoscere_; _ignoscatur illi a vobis_. The pronoun ⁂⁂ which in

the older texts follows ⁂⁂, ⁂ refers to ‘what he hath done’ of

the last clause.

2. _The god of mighty names_ is Thoth, and the later texts read “For

this is the Heart of the great god who is in Hermopolis.”

3. ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂. According to another reading

⁂⁂⁂⁂ _new_, _fresh_, _young_, _vigorous_.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXVIII.

_Chapter whereby the Heart of a person is not taken from him in the

Netherworld._

O Lion-god!

I am Unbu(1.), and what I abominate is the block of execution.

Let not this Whole Heart of mine be torn from me by the divine

Champions(2.) in Heliopolis!

O thou who clothest(3.) Osiris and hast seen Sutu:

O thou who turnest back after having smitten him, and hast accomplished

the overthrow:

This Whole Heart of mine remaineth weeping over itself in presence of

Osiris.

Its strength proceedeth from him, it hath obtained it by prayer from

him.

I have had granted to it and awarded to it the glow of heart at the hour

of the god of the Broad Face, and have offered the sacrificial cakes in

Hermopolis.

Let not this Whole Heart of mine be torn from me.(4.) It is I who

entrust to you its place, and vehemently stir your Whole Hearts towards

it in Sechit-hotepit and the years of triumph over all that it abhors

and taking all provisions at thine appointed time from thine hand after

thee.

And this Whole Heart of mine is laid upon the tablets(5.) of Tmu, who

guideth me to the caverns of Sutu and who giveth me back my Whole Heart

which hath accomplished its desire in presence of the divine Circle

which is in the Netherworld.

The sacrificial joint and the funereal raiment, let those who find them

bury them.(6.)

NOTES.

1. _Unbu_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is one of the names of the solar god, the

offspring (_Todt._, 42, 19) of Nu and Nut. As a common noun the word

_unbu_ means the Hawthorn or some other kind of flowering bush. This god

is called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘the golden Unbu’ in the Pyramid Texts

(Teta 39). We have no means of determining the exact sense of this word,

which as an appellative expresses an attribute possessed both by the Sun

and by the fruit, foliage, or other parts of the tree.

2. _Divine Champions._ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ in the earlier papyri,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ in the later; and sometimes both readings occur in

the same MS. Such determinatives as ⁂ certainly do not denote very

pugnacious qualities in the divine Champions.

3. _Clothest._ ⁂⁂ is a word of many meanings, and the context

generally determines which is the right one. In the present instance we

have no such help. Some of the more recent MSS. give ⁂, the

determinative of _clothing_.

4. M. Pierret here breaks off his translation of the chapter, with the

note: “La fin de ce chapitre est absolument inintelligible; les

variantes des manuscrits hiératiques ne l’éclaircissent pas.”

Like many other portions of the book this chapter is hopelessly corrupt,

and the scribes did not understand it better than we do. They have

probably mixed up different recensions without regard to grammatical

sense. The deceased addresses gods in the plural ⁂, but immediately

afterwards we have the singular suffix ⁂.

5. _Tablets_ or _records_. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ See _Zeitschr._,

1867, 50. The word already occurs in the Pyramid Texts, Pepi I, 364, in

the sense of _memory_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ‘his

memory for man and his love for the gods.’

But there is another word, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ (_Denkm._, III, 65 _a_),

which signifies a _stand_ upon which objects are placed.

6. The last words of the chapter were extremely puzzling to the scribes

of the later periods, who altered them in ever so many ways. The older

MSS. read ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

And this is borrowed from an ancient text, which may be found on the

sarcophagus of Horhotep, line 338. The variants ⁂⁂, ⁂⁂, of

the papyri, and ⁂⁂ of the sarcophagus show that it is the

sacrificial joint which is meant, and not a verb as the scribes of a

later period thought. For this verb they had to discover an object and

accordingly we find ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ ‘I trod _their

caverns_.’ ⁂⁂⁂⁂ was in like manner converted into a verb.

See the introductory note to chapter 29.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXIX.

_Chapter whereby the Heart of a person may not be taken from him in the

Netherworld._

Back thou Messenger(1.) of thy god! Art thou come to carry off by

violence(2.) this Whole Heart of mine, of the Living XYZZY(3.) But I

shall not surrender to thee this Heart of the Living. The gods have

regards to my offerings and fall upon their faces, all together, upon

their own earth.

NOTES.

The two most ancient copies of this chapter are found upon the coffins

of Amamu, Plate XXX, and of Horhotep, _Mission Arch. Française au

Caire_, t. 1, p. 157, lines 335-337. The papyrus of Ani is the only one

of the early period in which it occurs. None of these texts is perfect.

A part of the text of Amamu has been destroyed, but there remains enough

to show that Horhotep has omissions. And in the text of Ani the word

⁂⁂⁂ has slipped in from the 28th chapter, and is entirely out

of place where it now stands.

The scribes of a later period had to exercise their ingenuity on the

subject. They changed ⁂⁂⁂ _ḫenṭu_ into ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ḫenȧ_,

and this being itself a disagreeable word, they prefixed to it a

negative ⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂.

1. _Messenger_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, a word used here and elsewhere in

religious texts in the same sense as מַלְאָךְ an angel, ambassador of

God. The later texts have ⁂⁂⁂ ‘every god,’ by the change of

⁂ into ⁂.

2. _By violence_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. _Cf._

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, Harris Papyrus, 500, _verso_.

3. _The Living_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ and saved, in opposition to

the Dead and damned. This plural form is a mere sign of a common noun.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXIXB.

_Another Chapter of the Heart; upon Carnelian._

I am the Heron, the Soul of Râ, who conduct the Glorious ones to the

Tuat.

It is granted to their Souls to come forth upon the Earth to do

whatsoever their Genius willeth.

It is granted to the soul of the Osiris _N_ to come forth upon the Earth

to do whatsoever his Genius willeth.

NOTE.

Certain chapters having reference to the Heart were written upon

gems[45] and served as amulets, the 26th upon Lapis-lazuli, the 27th

upon green Felspar, the 30th upon Serpentine, and the foregoing chapter

upon Carnelian.

M. Naville has called this chapter 29B, as marking its natural place in

the Book of the Dead. It is not often found in the Papyri. M. Naville

found one copy in the Berlin Papyrus of Nechtuamen, and another traced

by Lepsius in Rome from a papyrus now lost. A third copy will be found

in the papyrus of Ani[46] in the British Museum. It differs from the two

others in “conducting the _gods_ to the Tuat,” and by omitting some

words for which there was no room in the space provided.

-----

Footnote 45:

See a charming article by Professor Ebers in the _Zeitschrift_ of

1880, entitled “Einige inedita.”

Footnote 46:

Pl. 33.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXA.

_Chapter whereby the Heart of a person is not kept back from him in the

Netherworld._

Heart mine which is that of my Mother,

Whole Heart mine which was that of my coming upon Earth,

Let there be no estoppel against me through evidence; let not hindrance

be made to me by the Divine Circle;(1.) let there not be a fall of the

scale(2.) against me in presence of the great god, Lord of Amenta.

Hail to thee, Heart mine; Hail to thee, Whole Heart mine, Hail to thee,

Liver(3.) mine!

Hail to you, ye gods who are on the side lock, conspicuous by your

sceptres,(4.) announce my glory to Râ and convey it to Nehebkau.

[And lo, though he be buried in the deep deep Grave, and bowed down to

the region of annihilation, he is glorified there(5.).]

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXB.

Heart mine which is that of my Mother,

Whole Heart mine which is that of my birth,

Let there be no estoppel against me through evidence, let no hindrance

be made to me by the divine Circle; fall thou not against me in presence

of him who is at the Balance.

Thou art my Genius, who art by me, the Artist(6.) who givest soundness

to my limbs.

Come forth(7.) to the bliss[47] towards which we are bound;

Let not those Ministrants(8.) who deal with a man according to the

course of his life(9.) give a bad odour to my name.

Pleasant for us, pleasant for the listener, is the joy of the Weighing

of the Words.

Let not lies be uttered in presence of the great god, Lord of the

Amenta.

Lo! how great art thou [as the Triumphant one.(10.)

NOTES.

This chapter is found not only on papyri but upon innumerable scarabs.

The differences of text are very great, but the principal ones may be

considered as represented by M. Naville’s 30A and 30B. They branch off

from each other after the mention of the Balance.

The oldest copy known on a scarab is that of King Sebak-em-saf of the

XIIIth dynasty. It is in the British Museum (No. 7876) and has been

described by Dr. Birch in his study[48] of the “Formulas relating to the

heart.” “This amulet,” he says, “is of unusual shape; the body of the

insect is made of a remarkably fine green jasper carved in shape of the

body and head of the insect. This is inserted into a base of gold in

shape of a tablet.... The legs of the insect are ... of gold and carved

in relief.... The hieroglyphs are incised in outline, are coarse, and

not very legible.”

1. _The Divine Circle_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. This word on the scarab of

Sebak-em-saf is written ⁂⁂⁂, which shows that ⁂ (a wall of

enclosure) is ideographic of the whole word. And this sign in hieratic,

when placed upright ⁂, has given rise to the ⁂, which takes its

place in the later texts.

2. _Fall of the scale_, ⁂⁂⁂ = the Coptic ⲣⲓⲕⲓ ⲛ̀ⲟⲩⲙⲁϣⲓ or the

Greek ῥοπὴ τοῦ ζυγοῦ.

3. _Liver_; This seems to be the real meaning of ⁂⁂⁂.

4. These gods are mentioned in the Pyramid Texts in a passage closely

resembling this one of the Book of the Dead. “They bring to Unas (line

479) the four Glorious ones who are on the side lock of Horus; who stand

upon the Eastern side of Heaven, and who are conspicuous through their

sceptres ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. They announce to Râ the glorious name of

Unas, and proclaim (⁂⁂⁂, _cf._ ⲟⲩⲱ, ⲉⲣⲟⲩⲱ) Unas to Neheb-kau.”

The text of Teta is very imperfect in this place.

The word ⁂⁂ appears to have the sense of _insignire_, _designare_.

This sense is a key to every passage in which the word occurs.

5. The few early copies of this paragraph are too fragmentary and too

contradictory to furnish a restoration of the text, which must have

meant something like what is expressed in this translation.

6. _The Artist_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, which is here a common noun rather

than a proper name.

7. The deceased addresses his heart, and thereupon speaks in the first

person plural, _we_; that is _you and I_.

8. _The Ministrants._ The ⁂⁂⁂⁂ were high officials in the

Egyptian court, but here they minister to Osiris in the Netherworld.

They are apparently the same gods who are addressed in the 27th Chapter

as fashioning the heart of a person according to his deeds when living.

9. The determinative ⁂ shows that ⁂ is here to be taken in the

sense of the duration of human life, and the pronominal suffixes ⁂ or

⁂ show whose life is spoken of. The latter suffix has reference to

⁂⁂⁂⁂, which is accordingly to be translated in the singular.

The plural sign merely indicates a common or collective noun.

10. _As the Triumphant one._ So _Aa_, the papyrus of Nebseni. Another

authority (B.M. 7865) quoted by Dr. Birch has ⁂⁂⁂⁂ like Râ,

the Triumphant One.

The formula “How great art thou!” occurs in other primitive texts; _cf._

_Aelteste Texte_, Pl. 5, lines 7 and 8. In line 8 it occurs twice.

-----

Footnote 47:

⁂⁂⁂⁂.

Footnote 48:

_Zeitschr._, 1870. p. 32.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXI.

_Chapter whereby the Crocodiles are repulsed who come to carry off the

Words of Power from a person in the Netherworld._

Back, in retreat! Back, Crocodile Sui! Come not against me, who live by

the Words of Power.(1.)

I utter(2.) that Name of the great god, who granteth that two of his

Messengers[49] should come; the name of one is Batta(3.), and the name

of the other is _Thine Aspect is Fixed Law_.(4.)

Heaven determineth(5.) its hour; my Word of Power determineth all that

which concerneth it; and my mouth determineth my Word of Power. I eat,

and my teeth are like flint, and my grinders are like the Cliff of

Tuf.(6.)

O thou who art sitting(7.) with a watchful eye against this my Word of

Power; do not thou carry it off, O Crocodile who livest by thine own

Word of Power.

NOTES.

This chapter is but rarely found in the more ancient collections. It was

on the coffin of Queen Mentuhotep, but M. Naville gives the readings of

only two early papyri. The later recensions add a text which we shall

find later on in chapter 69, and which has no connection whatever with

the present chapter.

1. The Words of Power are supplied to the deceased by Thoth in chapter

23.

2. The Turin text and those which agree with it read “Do not thou

utter,” as if the Crocodile were about to use the Word of Power. I read

⁂⁂⁂⁂. The ⁂ was first corrupted into ⁂, and ⁂⁂

was farther improved into ⁂⁂⁂, which in its turn necessitated

the addition of a suffix of the second person.

3. This name was changed in the later texts to the more familiar one of

the divine Ape ⁂⁂ _Benit_.

4. _Fixed Law_, ⁂ or ⁂⁂. The central idea of theology in the

Book of the Dead is that of _Regularity_, whether in permanence or

change. Those things alone are divine which abide unceasingly or which

recur in accordance with undeviating _rule_.

5. _Determineth._ The word ⁂⁂ here, as in other places, has the

sense of circumscribing, as in a circuit ⁂⁂, prescribing the

limits, fixing and determining.

6. _The Cliff of Tuf_ ⁂⁂, literally ‘his cliff,’ namely of Anubis,

in allusion to his frequent title ⁂⁂.

7. _Sitting._ Here I follow _Pc_ and the papyri generally in reading

⁂⁂. The scribe of _Ca_ seems to have been thinking of

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ of a well-known magic text

(Unas, 320).

-----

Footnote 49:

See chapter 21, 1.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXII.

_Chapter whereby the Crocodiles are repulsed who come to carry off the

Words of Power from the glorified in the Netherworld._

Osiris standeth up upon his feet;(1.) his company of gods raise him up.

O Son who conversest with thy father, do thou protect this Great one

from these four(2.) crocodiles here who devour the dead and live by the

Words of Power.

I know them by their names and their way of living, and it is I who

protect his own father from them.

Back, thou Crocodile of the West, who livest on the Setting Stars.(3.)

What thou execratest is upon me. Thou hast devoured the head of Osiris,

but I am Rā.(4.)

Back, thou Crocodile of the East, who livest upon those who devour their

own foulness. What thou execratest is upon me. I have come, and I am

Osiris.

Back, thou Crocodile of the South, who livest upon impurities. What thou

execratest is upon me. Let not the red flame be upon thee. For I am

Septu.(5.)

Back, thou Crocodile of the North, who livest upon that which lieth

between the hours(6.). What thou execratest is upon me. Let not thy

fiery water be inflicted upon me. [For I am Tmu.(7.)]

All things which exist are in my grasp, and those depend upon me which

are not yet.

I am arrayed and equipped with thy Words of Power, O Rā; with that which

is above and with that which is below me.

I have received increase of length and depth, and fulness of breathing

within the domain of my father, the Great one.

He hath given to me that beautiful Amenta in which the living are

destroyed. But strong is its possessor though he faint in it daily.

My face is unveiled, and my heart is in its place.

The Uræus is upon me daily.

I am Rā, who protecteth himself, and no evil things can overthrow me.

NOTES.

This chapter is in even worse condition than the one which precedes it.

There are a few scraps of it on a coffin at St. Petersburg which M.

Golenischeff assigns to the earliest period. The only early MS. which is

of any use, _Ba_, the Berlin papyrus of Nechtuamon, is here in a very

mutilated condition, as may be seen on referring to M. Naville’s

edition.

1. _Osiris standeth up upon his feet._ So _Ba_; but the coffin at St.

Petersburg lends its support to the text of Bekenrenef (of the] 26th

Dynasty), which opens the chapter with the name of a crocodile

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. “Let the Great one fall upon his belly”!

2. The ancient text had only four crocodiles, and only four are

mentioned in the text of Bekenrenef. The Turin text speaks of eight; two

for each of the cardinal points. But the Saitic text already has two

invocations instead of one for each crocodile.

3. The sense of this myth is obvious. Every star which _sets_ is

supposed to be swallowed by the Crocodile of the West. It was stated

in note 3 to chapter 15 that the ⁂⁂⁂ are _stars_.[50]

Besides the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ the _stars which set_

and the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ the _circumpolar stars_, whose

navigation ⁂⁂⁂ ⲥⲱⲕ is continuous, there are the

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ whose name is very significant.

⁂⁂⁂ and ⁂⁂ have the sense of _turning back_,[51] and

the only stars whose apparent motion is ever retrograde are the

_planets_.

All these stars are supposed as divinities to aid in the navigation of

the Bark of Rā. The Egyptians could not have had a correct planetary

theory (which only became possible through Kepler), but they understood

at least that the motions of the planets were _regular_, and that they

depended upon the Sun. Eudoxus is reported to have derived the data for

his theory from his Egyptian instructors.

4. Instead of Rā the name of Sut is found in the later texts. Bekenrenef

has ⁂⁂.

5. _Septu_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂, the ‘armed,’ one of the

Solar appellations, already found in the Pyramid texts (_Unas_, 281). He

appears in chapter 130, 7, in connection with the block of execution.

6. The text is here hopelessly corrupt. M. Pierret has ‘offrande,’ which

he most probably derives from ⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂, a reading

found in some papyri. But _Ba_, our oldest authority, has ⁂⁂, and

Bekenrenef has ⁂⁂⁂⁂. The Turin copy has ⁂; and the

context does not help us. Of these four readings (and there are probably

others which I do not know) that of Bekenrenef seems to me the best; but

⁂ has so many possible applications that I will not venture to

suggest one.

7. [I am Tmu.] These words are not in _Ba_, but they occur in all other

copies, and the omission of the divine name which stops the crocodile is

an evident fault.

The chapter ends here, and what follows is an addition for which our

earliest authority is that of Bekenrenef. But even this text is already

corrupt, and requires to be corrected by more recent ones.

-----

Footnote 50:

⁂⁂⁂⁂ as a feminine noun and proper name occurs in the

Pyramid Texts (Unas, 644).

Footnote 51:

Brugsch has produced excellent evidence for the supposition that

⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂ signifies _the two turnings_

of the Sun, that is at the solstices, ⁂⁂ being the southern

solstice and ⁂⁂ the northern.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXIII.

_Chapter whereby all Serpents are kept back._

Oh serpent Rerek, advance not! Here are the gods Seb and Shu!

Stop! or thou shalt eat the rat which Rā execrateth, and gnaw the bones

of a putrid she-cat.

NOTE.

This chapter is often found in coffins. There is a chapter much

resembling it in the tomb of Horhotep (line 364), at least as regards

the opening words. It addresses Rerek and tells him that Shu and another

deity are coming, and that the speaker is Horus. No allusion, however,

is made to the dead rat and cat. These typify the impurities and

abominations to which the damned are liable in the world to come.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXIV.

_Chapter whereby a person is not devoured by the dweller in the

shrine._(1.)

O Uræus! I am the Flame which shineth, and which openeth out

eternity,(2.) the column of Tenpua(3.) [_otherwise said_—the column on

which are blossoming plants.]

Away from me! I am the Lynx goddess.(4.)

NOTES.

1. It is not possible to say what is here actually meant by ⁂⁂⁂

_ḥat._ Every word almost in this tiny chapter was a puzzle to the

Egyptian scribes, who altered the text in a hundred ways. The Turin text

provides against the persons being _bitten by the Eater of the head_,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, instead of ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ as even Bekenrenef

has it.

2. _Open out Eternity_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂. This is the oldest and most

approved reading even in later times. But in _Pe_ the flame ‘shineth on

the brow of the Glorified ones.’

3. A quite unknown deity and most probably a mere blunder. The MS. which

contains it, _Ca_, suggests another reading _Tenpua_ with ⁂, the

determinative of _plants_. This not proving satisfactory,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _renpit_ was substituted. But all this was mere

conjectural emendation.

4. _The Lynx goddess_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ Maftit. The name of this deity

is generally translated Lynx, and it is certainly applied to an animal

of the feline species closely resembling the cat. But the notion

expressed by the name is that of _swift speed_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂. (See

Dümichen, _Rec._ IV, 100, where this verb is in parallel with others of

the same sense.)

This deity is again mentioned in the 39th chapter as taking part in the

conflict with the dragon of darkness, and it is named in the strange

magic formulæ already found in the Pyramid texts. She is called

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ (Teta 310), and she apparently defends the

deceased (_ib._, l. 303) against two serpent divinities, one of whom at

least, ⁂⁂⁂ _T’eser-ṭepu_ (_praeclaro capite_), is known to us

as one of the forty-two assessors of Osiris (_Todtenbuch_, 125-33).

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXV.

_Chapter whereby the person is not devoured by a Serpent in the

Netherworld._

Oh Shu, here is Tattu, _and conversely_, under the wig(1.) of Hathor.

They scent(2.) Osiris.

Here is the one who is to devour me. They wait apart.(3.) The serpent

Seksek passeth over me.

Here are wormwood bruised(4.) and reeds.

Osiris is he who prayeth that he may be buried.

The eyes of the Great One are bent down, and he doth for thee the work

of cleansing;(5.) marking out what is conformable to law and balancing

the issues.(6.)

NOTES.

The translator of this chapter cannot pretend to do more than give an

accurate meaning to each word. The true sense of the chapter must have

been lost when the earliest copies known to us were written.

1. _Wig_, ⁂⁂. The head-dress of the gods is one of the mythical

forms of representing the light cloud at sunrise or sunset, in which the

deity is _pileatus_.

2. _Scent_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂. The Egyptian word is also used for

_nursing_, _putting to sleep_, probably through influencing the

breathing. The _nose_ as a determinative is used in the different senses

of the word.

3. _They wait apart._ The early MSS. do not agree here in a single word,

and they defy translation. The later MSS. are scarcely less discordant.

⁂⁂ is _to alight_, _rest_, and this must also be the meaning of

⁂⁂. ⁂⁂⁂ is connected with ⁂. ⲛⲉϩ in the sense of

_dispersing_, _separating_.

4. _Bruised_, or _trodden_. There being no rational context it is

impossible to fix the sense of a word like ⁂⁂⁂, which may mean

either _guard_ or _bruise_ by _beating_ or _treading down_.

5. _Cleansing_ ⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂. The result of the process is

certainly _cleansing_, but the operation itself is generally supposed to

be _washing_. This agrees with the Coptic ⲣⲁϩⲧ _a fuller_, of which the

old Egyptian form is ⁂⁂. But ⲣⲁϩⲧ has also the sense of

_beating_, and the operation is in many countries thought to be one of

the most important duties of washerwomen. With this sense of the word I

would connect the names _Rechit_ given to Isis and Nephthys, as

signifying ‘mourners.’ Compare the Greek τύπτεσθαί τινα, κόπτεσθαί τινα,

_to mourn a person_, and the Latin _plangere_.

6. _Balancing the issues_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. The first of these

words is unambiguous. ⁂⁂⁂ signifies literally ‘standing,’ like

_status_, or στάσις, and like those words also signifies position,

situation, condition, circumstances, and also the point at issue, the

question to be decided.

A well known passage in Cicero’s _Topics_ (93, c. 35) may be quoted

here: “Refutatio accusationis, in quae est depositio criminis, Graece

στάσις dicitur, Latine _status_ appelletur: in quo insistit, quasi ad

repugnandum congressa defensio.”

Perhaps the passage in chapter 30 B, in which “the divine ministrants

are said to deal with a man” according to his ⁂⁂ may have

reference to the circumstances of his life.

Chapters like this, however worthless in themselves, contain small

fragments highly illustrative of the ideas of the Egyptians at an

extremely remote period.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XII.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXVIII.

=Papyrus, Brocklehurst, II.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXVIII.

=Papyrus, Musée du

Louvre, III, 93.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTERS XXVI-XXIX.

=Papyrus, Berlin Museum, 22.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXX.

=Papyrus, Musée du Louvre, III, 93.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXI.

=Papyrus, Musée du Louvre, III, 89.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXIII.

=Papyrus, Leyden Museum, IV.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXVI.

=Papyrus, Leyden Museum, IV.=

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XIII.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXVI.

=Papyrus, Berlin Museum, 2.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXVII.

=Papyrus, Cairo, Bulaq, 21.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

=Papyrus, Musée du Louvre,

Cat. des Médailles.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

=Papyrus, Leyden Museum, V.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXIX. =Saqâra, Grab 24.=

LEPSIUS, “Denkmäler,” Abth. III, Bl 266.

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXVI.

_Chapter whereby the Āpshait is kept back._

Away from me, thou with parted lips! I am Chnemu, the Lord of Shennu,

who am bringing the words of the gods to Rā. And I announce the news to

Nebes.

NOTE.

The insect called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _āpšai_ or ⁂⁂⁂ _āpsȧit_

is difficult of identification. It is certainly not a tortoise as was

formerly thought, but looks rather like the voracious _Blatta

orientalis_. The form in _Le_ is peculiar, but I have met it in a later

papyrus. The last word of the chapter is doubtful. The most recent

papyri have ⁂⁂ ‘their Lord,’ which gives a very good sense, but

even the Turin copy has ⁂ ‘her Lord’ which agrees with the oldest

papyrus. Bekenrenef has ⁂⁂ _Nebes_, a lion-headed goddess.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXVII.

_Chapter whereby the Merta goddesses are kept back._

Hail ye Pair of goddesses Merta, Sister Pair, Merta!(1.) I inform you of

my Words of Power.

It is I who rise up from the Sektit boat. I am Horus the son of Isis,

and I am come to see my father, Osiris.

NOTE.

1. The _Pair of goddesses_ consists of Isis and Nephthys

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, _Rehetȧ_, as the word is written at Denderah.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, _Mertȧ_ signifies _two eyes._

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

_Chapter whereby one liveth by the breath of air in the Netherworld, and

keepeth back Merta._

I am the god in Lion form; the heir of Râ and Tmu in Chemmis,(1.) the

Master in their halls.

Those who are in their cells(2.) accompany me as guides. I have made my

way and gone round the heavenly Ocean on the path of the Bark of Râ, and

standing on the girders[52] of the Bark of Râ.

I utter his words to the men of the present generation[53] and I repeat

his words to him who is deprived of breath.(3.)

I spy out for my father Râ at sunset, compressing my mouth,(4.) and

feeding upon life.

I live in Tattu, and I repeat my life after death like the Sun daily.

NOTES.

There are two recensions of this chapter, and both are found in the

papyrus _Lb_. They are called by M. Naville, 38A and 38B. The latter is

that adopted as canonical by all the manuscripts of a later date, and is

the one here translated. The other recension is longer, and contains

passages which are also found in other chapters, to which it accordingly

furnishes important variants. It may possibly be older than those

chapters.

1. _In Chemmis._ The name of the place where Isis gave birth to Horus is

in the Pyramid texts written ⁂⁂⁂⁂ (Pepi I, 428), and

⁂⁂⁂ (Merenra I, 683), _aḫ-ḫebit_ or _ḫebit-aḫ_; but simply

_ḫebit_ in the texts of the eighteenth dynasty, as in the annals of

Thothmes III (Mariette, _Karnak_c pl. 16, line 47),[54] or in the divine

and proper names ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, and ⁂⁂,

⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂. It is certain therefore that the

sign ⁂ is here only an ideogram of ⁂⁂⁂, not of the ancient

⁂⁂⁂. From the eighteenth dynasty at least, and for a time

belonging to a period of unknown length between the sixth and the

eighteenth dynasties, and for ever afterwards, the name of the place was

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Ḫebit_, where, as the _Tablet of the Dream_ says,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ (Mariette, _Mon. div._, pl. 7).

2. _In their cells_: ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. Here 38A has:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _in their shrines_, followed in

some papyri by ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ “I fraternize with Horus and

Sut.”

3. _Deprived of breath_, ‘the dead.’ In 38A, the privation of breath is

mentioned but in a different connection. But the text of the passage is

uncertain. Here as in chapter 41, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

‘the Breathless one’ is Osiris.

4. _Compressing my mouth_: ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is the ancient reading, not

⁂⁂⁂⁂, as in the more recent texts. The same observation

applies to the name of the god in chapter 125, 15.

-----

Footnote 52:

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

Footnote 53:

_The men of the present generation, the Reḫit._

Footnote 54:

Here the king is compared to the god called

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ and in the next line ⁂⁂⁂. And

Thothmes IV (_Denkm._, III, 63) is compared

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XXXIX.

_Chapter whereby the Serpent Rekrek is repulsed in the Netherworld._

Back! down with thee, stabber(1.) from Apepi! Drown in the lake of

Heaven, in the spot wherein thy father ordered that thy murder should be

carried out. Away from this birth-place of Râ, the god encompassed

by[55] his terrors.

I am Râ, encompassed by his terrors.

Back! the dark demon and the sword which he maketh to flash!

Râ flingeth down thy words; thy face is twisted round by the gods; thy

whole heart is torn out by the Lynx goddess; chains are flung upon thee

by the Scorpion goddess; and slaughter is dealt upon thee by Maāt.

The gods who are on the roads overthrow thee.

Apep falleth down, the enemy of Râ.

O thou who removest the bolt from the East of Heaven at the stormy voice

of bellowings, and openest the gates of the Horizon before Râ: he cometh

forth fainting from the wounds.

I am a doer of thy will, I am a doer of thy will, O Râ.

I have done well, I have done well; I have done to the satisfaction of

Râ.

And I raise shouts of acclamation at thy success at fettering, O Râ.

Apep is fallen and is in bonds.

The gods of the South, the North, the West and the East bind him; their

bonds are upon him. Aker(2.) overthroweth him, and the lord of the ruddy

sky doth bind him.

Râ is satisfied; Râ is satisfied; Râ maketh his progress peacefully.

Apep falleth; Apep goeth down; the enemy of Râ. And more grave for thee

is the proof(3.) than that sweet proof through the Scorpion goddess,

which she practised for thee, in the pain which she suffered...(4.).

Be thou emasculate, O Apep, enemy of Râ; be thou repulsed whom Râ

hateth; look behind thee: a chopper is over thy head to divide it into

two parts, and those who are above thy head assail it. Thy bones are

broken, thy limbs are severed under the direction of Aker, O Apep, enemy

of Râ.

Thy boatmen [O Râ], succeed in measuring out thy path, and a journey,

with which thou art satisfied; a progress, a progress towards home; and

the progress which thou hast made towards home is a fair progress.

Let no evil hindrances come forth against me from thy mouth in what thou

doest towards me.

I am Sutu, who causeth the storms and tempests, and who goeth round in

the Horizon of Heaven, like to one whose heart is veiled.

Tmu saith: Let your countenances be raised up, ye soldiers of Râ, and

drive back Nebtu in presence of the Divine Circle.

Seb saith: establish those who are upon their thrones in the middle of

the Bark of Chepera; seize your shields and spears, and hold them in

your hands.

Hathor saith: Seize your daggers.

Nut saith: Come and drive back Nebtu, who cometh against him who

dwelleth in his shrine, and maketh his voyage in solitary guise: the

Inviolate god, the resistless one.

O ye gods in your Divine cycles, who travel round the lake of Emerald,

come and defend the Great one who is in the shrine from which all the

Divine cycle proceedeth. Let glory be ascribed to him, and let honour be

given to him. Oh then, proclaim him with me.

Nut saith, the mother of the gods: He cometh forth and findeth his path,

and maketh captures of the gods; he hath the first place in the two

houses of Nut.

Seb standeth still, the great cycle of the gods is in terror, Hathor is

under terror, and Râ is triumphant over Apep.

NOTES.

The extreme uncertainty of the text is such that no translation at

present can be other than conjectural.

1. _Back, down with thee, Stabber._ The first word is clear enough; not

so the two next.

Are we to read ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂? for each

of M. Naville’s authorities gives a different word. The last of these

readings has some support in a subsequent passage, but almost all copies

have ⁂⁂⁂. There has evidently been a confusion between ⁂⁂

and ⁂⁂, and the determinative ⁂ of the latter word has been

transferred to the first. I believe that the true word is ⁂⁂⁂

which is used in the ancient forms of conjuration (see the texts of

Unas, 304, 311, 542, 545, 554, _etc._). It is always used in expressions

of _lying down_ or _falling down_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, and it is also found in parallelism with

⁂⁂⁂.

⁂⁂ without a determinative is susceptible of different meanings,

and the very recent texts have it written with the determinative of

motion ⁂ or ⁂, as significant of retreat. But the oldest

determinative in this place is ⁂, and this inclines me to identify

the word with ⁂⁂⁂, and translate it ‘stabber.’ But this is mere

conjecture. See note 5 on chapter 40.

2. _Akar._ The older MSS. differ hopelessly from each other as to the

name of the god.

In order to understand the nature of the god ⁂⁂⁂ _Akar_, we

have to imagine a _tunnel_ starting from the spot where the sun sets,

and _extending through the earth_ as far as where the sun rises. Each

end of the tunnel has a sphinx-like form. A human-headed lion stands at

the entrance and also at the terminus. It is through the paws of this

double sphinx that the galley of the Sungod enters on the Western

horizon and comes out on the Eastern.

In the picture Plate XV, taken from the tomb of Rameses IV, ⁂⁂,

_Fair Entrance_, is written at one end of the tunnel; ⁂⁂, _Fair

Exit_, at the other. As the solar bark could not be represented inside

the dark tunnel, it is placed above.

3. _The proof._ Lit. _the taste_, ⁂⁂ _ṭepit_, with the tongue as a

determinative, in the sense of a _probe_. The hand of an Egyptian hero

is said to _taste_ his enemy. In the Bremner Papyrus the god _tastes_

Apep four times. The same conception is found in the Homeric poems,

ἀλλ’ ἄγε, θᾶσσον

γευσόμεθ’ ἀλλήλων χαλκήρσεσιν ἐγχείησιν.[56]

though in Greek the _taste_ comes generally to the _patient_ rather than

to the agent.

4. This passage, which would be most interesting if we could only get it

accurately, is wretchedly corrupt. It is impossible from the variants to

obtain a text grammatically intelligible. The Scorpion goddess is Isis.

-----

Footnote 55:

⁂⁂⁂ _between_, _in the midst of_, _surrounded by_.

Footnote 56:

_Iliad_, 20, 258.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XIV.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXIX. =Sâqara. Grab 24.=

LEPSIUS, _Denkmäler_, Abth. III, Bl. 265.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XXXIX.

=Papyrus, Musée du Louvre, 93.=

]

[Illustration: CHAPTER XL. =Papyrus, Leyden Museum, No. IV.=]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XL.

_Chapter whereby the Eater of the Ass is kept back._

Back, serpent Haiu,(1.) whom Osiris execrateth. May Thoth cut off thy

head, and may there accrue to me whatsoever property proceedeth from

thee [according to] what was decreed against thee by the Company of the

gods for the accomplishment of thy slaughter.

Back, thou whom Osiris execrateth, from the Neshemet galley, which

saileth towards the south with favourable breeze.

Pure are ye, all ye gods who overthrow the enemy of Osiris.

The gods upon the larboard utter loud acclamation.

Back, thou Eater of the Ass, whom the god Chas,(2.) who is in the Tuat,

execrateth.

Know me! (_Repeated_ four times).

“Who art thou?”

I am....[57]

Down upon thy face!(3.) thou who art eating at my sanctuary.

I am the Season, which cometh at its own will.

“Come not against me; thou who comest without being called, and who art

unknown.”

I am the master of thine utterance, and the check upon thy pride.(4.)

O Ha-as, whose horns(5.) Horus doth cut: by my children, the cycle of

gods in Pu and Tepit, thou art severed from thy fold and thy fold is

severed from thee.

And he who cutteth thee off cometh forth as the Eye of Horus; thou art

kept back and assailed, and stopped(6.) by the breath of my speech.

O thou god who devourest all wrong, and carriest off with violence;(7.)

there is no wrong in me, my tablets(8.) are free from wrong. Let me not

suffer violence before the Divine Circle; let not disaster be hurled

upon me.

I am he who giveth or taketh according to thy behest.

Let not _N_ be seized, let him not be devoured.(9.)

He is Possessor of Life, and Sovereign Lord(10.) on the Horizon.

NOTES.

The translation of this chapter is based upon the important papyrus T 5

of Leyden, known as _Lb_. This is the only MS. which contains the whole

chapter. All other copies begin after the sixth line. The usual chapter

begins in _Lb_ with a ⁂⁂, which is the ordinary way of indicating

a various reading. But the difference of reading applies rather to a

mere paragraph than to the whole chapter. In this case we should expect

⁂ or something equivalent.

The Eater of the Ass is a Serpent, but who is the Ass?

Here, as in each case of mythological name, the animal is not meant, but

something which is connoted by it. The name of the ass is given to it in

consequence of one of its characteristics. It is ⁂⁂⁂. But this

is one of the seventy-five names of the Sun-god in the Solar Litany.[58]

And he derives this appellation from his fructifying power.

But if the Ass is the Sun, who is the _Eater_ of the Ass? This must be

Darkness or Eclipse of some kind.

1. _Haiu_, the serpent who devours the sun, is undoubtedly the same as

⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Haiu_, the serpent who in the Pyramid texts is ordered

to lie down (Unas, 545, &c.), and cease from his attacks.

2. _The god Chas_, ⁂⁂.

3. The usual chapter begins here. The text of _Lb_ has generally been

followed, but in some places later authorities have been preferred.

4. _Pride_ or _boastings_, ⁂⁂⁂ _ānta_, “glory,” _cf._

_glorior_. The speaker addresses his adversary as being a _miles

gloriosus_.

5. _Horns_ or _barbed hooks_, ⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or

⁂⁂⁂⁂. The horns here spoken of, as possessed by a viper, are

those of the deadly Cerastes, which are spines projecting from the

arched eye-brows of the creature. See picture in Long’s _Egyptian

Antiquities of British Museum_, II, p. 316, copied from the great French

work.

But the Sun-god is also called in his Litany[59]

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. And a picture of the god[60] under

the name ⁂⁂⁂ exhibits him as characterized by a pair of hooked

weapons, suggested apparently by the mandibles of a beetle.

6. _Stopped._ There are three important variants here ⁂, ⁂, and

⁂. And the last of these is possibly a corrupt reading from ⁂⁂.

The first two are synonymous. ⁂ may in certain contexts mean

_destroy_, but it only signifies ‘bring to a limit, to an end, stop,’

like the τερ in τερ-μα, _ter-min-o_. It is used in many cases, such as

the staunching of blood, where no destruction is intended.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ is _stop in thy place_.

7. There is a picture in _Denkm._, III, 279, of the god who carrieth off

with violence ⁂⁂⁂⁂. But it is a mummied form holding the

_T’ām_ sceptre.

8. _Tablets_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. These are the tablets on which Thoth

has written down the evidence taken at the _Weighing of the Words_, the

examination at the Psychostasia. They are mentioned again at the end of

Chapter 41.

9. Here I follow the general authority of the later texts.

10. _Sovereign Lord_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂. This word is closely connected,

and was so from the first, with ⁂ ‘seize.’ The best commentary upon

it may be derived from the legal terms _usucapio_, _saisine_, _seisin_.

The Sovereign Lord of Egypt is in our current legal phrase “_seized_ of

the Two Earths,” that is of the whole Universe, North and South.

-----

Footnote 57:

There is a lacuna here in the only MS. containing the text. The

dialogue continues through the next line of the original.

Footnote 58:

Naville, _La Litanie du Soleil_, p. 49 and 55, with the plates

corresponding.

Footnote 59:

In the 64th invocation.

Footnote 60:

Lefébure Tombeau de Seti I, pl. XVII.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLI.

_Chapter whereby one avoideth the Slaughter which is carried out in the

Netherworld._

O Tmu, let me be glorified in presence of the god in Lion form, the

great god; that he may open to me the gate of Seb.

I prostrate myself to earth to the great god who is in the Netherworld.

Let me be introduced into the presence of the company of gods who

preside over those who are in Amenta.

O thou who art at the gate of Tebat; god with the Red Crown,(1.) who art

in Amenta; let me feed, let me live by the breath of air and accompany

the great Cleaver,(2.) and the Bark of Chepera.

Let me speak to the divine Boatman at the gloaming, let me enter in and

let me go out; that I may see who is there; that I may raise him up and

speak my words to him.

O Breathless one:(3.) Let me live and be saved after death.

O thou Bearer of peace offerings, who openest thy mouth for the

presentation of the tablets,(4.) for the acceptation(5.) of the

offerings and for the establishment of Maāt upon her throne; let the

tablets be brought forward, and let the goddess be firmly established.

I am Osiris, the great god, the eternal king, who numbereth his seasons

and who lifted up his right arm, who judgeth the great ones and giveth

mission to the gods of the great Circle(6.) which is in the Netherworld.

NOTES.

The most noteworthy difference between the older recension of this

chapter and that of the Saitic and later periods is that in the latter

the god addressed at the opening is Osiris Unneferu, who is identified

with Tmu. In the older recensions the identification may be seen in

another way. Tmu is the god invoked, and in answer he says that he is

Osiris, the great god.

1. _God with the Red Crown_ ⁂⁂ is ⁂⁂⁂, one of titles of

Osiris with the ⁂ crown. See Plate XV from Lefébure, _Tombeau de Seti

I_, part IV, pl. 34. This title, derived from the crown ⁂⁂, is

_Net-tȧ_ or _Nait-tȧ_. It was borne by the high priest at Coptos

(Brugsch, _Dict. Geogr._, pp. 1374, 1377), and the King of Egypt derived

his title ⁂ from the Crown ⁂ of the North which he wore as

representing Osiris, or rather the _heir_ of Osiris, Horus.

2. _The great Cleaver_, ⁂⁂⁂, the name of the god who cleaves

his path through the sky.

3. _Breathless one_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ Osiris.

4. Thoth is the person here addressed, and the speaker is Osiris. The

tablets are those containing the evidence at the trial at the Balance.

5. _Acceptation_ ⁂⁂⁂ _peḳa_, besides the physical sense of

_comprehendere_, ‘to lay hold of’ with the hands, has that of ‘taking

in, embracing with the mind,’ and perhaps ‘setting forth in words.’

6. On the Sarcophagus of Seti (Bonomi, pl. 3. D), and the

other copies of the same text, there is a picture of these

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. Such is the title written over

them. But the text speaks of them as ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XV.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

=Tomb of Rameses IV.= (Musée Guimet, Vol. XV, Plate 27.)

CHAPTER XV. Notes 3 and 9.

]

[Illustration: =Tomb of Rameses IV.= (Musée Guimet, Vol. XV, Plate 40.)]

[Illustration: =Tomb of Rameses IX.= (Musée Guimet, Vol. XVI, Plate 6.)]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XLI. Note 1.

=Tombeau de Seti I.=

(Musée Guimet, Vol. IX, Plate 34.)

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER XLVII.

=Leyden Papyrus, No. 16.=

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XVI.

BOOK OF THE DEAD. CHAPTER XLII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus du Boulaq, 21.= (Mariette Papyrus, Bd. III.)]

[Illustration: =Papyrus of Ani.=]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLII.

_Chapter whereby one hindereth the slaughter which is wrought at

Sutenhenen._(1.)

Land of the Rod, of the White Crown of the Image, and the Pedestal of

the gods.

I am the Babe.(2.) (_Said Four Times._)

O Serpent Abur!(3.) Thou sayest this day, “The Block of Execution is

furnished with what thou knowest,” and thou art come to soil(4.) the

Mighty One.

But I am he whose honours are abiding.

I am the Link,(5.) the god within the Tamarisk,(6.) who connecteth(7.)

the Solar orb with Yesterday. (_Four Times._)

I am Râ, whose honours are abiding.

I am the Link, the god within the Tamarisk.

My course is the course of Râ, and the course of Râ is my course.

My hair is that of Nu,(8.)

My two eyes are those of Hathor,

My two ears those of Apuat,

My nose that of Chenti-chas,

My two lips those of Anubis,

My teeth those of Selkit,

My neck that of Isis, the Mighty,

My two hands those of the Soul most Mighty, Lord of Tattu,

My shoulders those of Neith, Mistress of Sais,

My back is that of Sut,

My phallus that of Osiris,

My liver is that of the Lords of Cher-ābat,

My knees those of the most Mighty one,

My belly and my back are those of Sechit,

My hinder parts are those of the Eye of Horus,

My legs and thighs those of Nut,

My feet those of Ptah,

My nails and bones those of the Living Uræi.

There is not a limb in me which is without a god. And Thoth is a

protection to my flesh.

I shall not be grasped by my arms or seized by my hands.

Not men or gods, or the glorified ones or the damned; not generations

past, present, or future, shall inflict any injury upon me.

I am he who cometh forth and proceedeth, and whose name is unknown to

man.

I am Yesterday, “Witness of Eternity” is my Name: the persistent

traveller upon the heavenly highways which I survey. I am the

Everlasting one.

I am felt and thought of as Chepera. I am the Crowned one.

I am the Dweller in the Eye and in the Egg.

It is an attribute of mine that I live within them.

I am the Dweller in the Eye, even in its closing.

I am that by which it is supported.

I come forth and I rise up: I enter and I have life.

I am the Dweller in the Eye; my seat is upon my throne, and I sit

conspicuously upon it.

I am Horus, who steppeth onwards through Eternity.

I have instituted the throne of which I am the master.

As regards my mouth: whether in speech or in silence, I am right and

fair.

As regards my attributes: I hasten headlong, I the god Unen,[61] with

all that pertaineth to me, hour proceeding from hour, the One proceeding

from the One, in my course.

I am the Dweller in the Eye; no evil or calamitous things befall me.

It is I who open the gates of Heaven; it is I who am master of the

throne, and who open the series of births upon this day.

I am the Babe, who treadeth his path of Yesterday.

I am “This Day” to generation of men after generation.

I am he who giveth you stableness for eternity, whether ye be in heaven

or upon earth; in the South or in the North, in the West or in the

East—and the fear of me is upon you.

I am he who fashioneth with his eye, and who dieth not a second time.

A moment of mine belongeth to you, but my attributes belong to my own

domain.

I am the Unknown one, but the gods of Ruddy Countenance belong to me.

I am the Gladsome one, and no time hath been found, but served to create

for me the Heaven and the increase of Earth, and the increase of their

offspring.

They sever and join not—they sever my name from all evil things,

according to the words which I say unto you.

It is I who rise up and shine forth; strength proceeding from

strength(9.), the One proceeding from the One.

There is not a day devoid of that which belongeth to it; for ever and

for ever(10.).

I am Unbu,[62] who proceedeth from Nu, and my mother is Nut.

O thou who hast set me in motion(11.)! for I was motionless, a mighty

link within the close of Yesterday; my present activity is a link within

the close of my hand.

I am not known, but I am one who knoweth thee.

I am not to be grasped, but I am one who graspeth thee.

[Oh Dweller in the Egg! Oh Dweller in the Egg!]

I am Horus, Prince of Eternity, a fire before your faces, which

inflameth your hearts towards me.

I am master of my throne and I pass onwards. The present time is the

path which I have opened, and I have set myself free from all things

evil.

I am the golden Cynocephalus, three palms in height, without legs or

arms in the Temple of Ptah(12.); and my course is the course of the

golden Cynocephalus, three palms in height, without legs or arms in the

Temple of Ptah.

_Let these words be said—Âbabak ṭer-ek_(13.).

NOTES.

This chapter is in itself most interesting, and it is one of the most

important as illustrative of Egyptian mythology. It is impossible at

present to explain every detail, but the general drift of the chapter is

not to be mistaken. And the same drift is to be recognised in the whole

course of Egyptian religious literature from the beginning.

The speaker throughout identifies himself with the divinity whose

manifestation is the Sun; he is not the Sun of this or that moment but

of Yesterday, To-day and of all eternity, the “One proceeding from the

One.”

1. _Sutenḥenen._ The later texts say the “Netherworld.”

2. The _Babe_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂, an appellative applied to the rising

Sun. _See_ Brugsch, _Rev._ II, pl. 71, 3, where this babe is

compared to the Lotus coming forth from the great stream

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

The word signifies that which is “lifted up,” “un élève,” ⁂⁂⁂.

3. _Serpent Ab-ur_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. The two important MSS. _Ca_

and _Pb_ seem to imply a female personage, but as the verb in connection

with the name is masculine the final ⁂ cannot be meant for a feminine

ending, and it is peculiar to those two MSS. _Ȧb-ur_ “the very thirsty,”

as the appellative of a viper, recalls that of the διψάς, whose bite

caused intense thirst. But it may have originated in the fact that these

reptiles are in the habit of lying in wait by the water side for the

sake of the animals who come there to drink.

4. _To soil_: ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is the type of the word in the earlier

texts. The late ones have the well known ⁂⁂⁂⁂.

5. _The Link_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂. Another appellative of the Sun god,

applied to Tmu and Horus in the oldest texts. The notion of ⁂ is

that of _concatenation_, _connecting_, _combining_, _fastening_,

_binding_, _setting in order together_, σύνταγμα, σύνταξις, as in

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _nectere coronam_. Hence its occurrence in words

signifying ‘the vertebral column,’ ‘a row of teeth,’ ‘a chain of

hills,’ ‘a body of troops’ (σύνταγμα ἱππέων or πέζων), or their

‘captains,’ literary ‘composition’ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

(Pap. Prisse V, 6), and the seven divine ⁂⁂⁂⁂ οἱ

συντάσσοντες, the first authors of artistic composition. See note to

chapter 71.

6. _The god within the Tamarisk._ The rising sun under his various names

is frequently represented as being in a tree or bush, which partly

conceals him. This is a mythological way of treating the light cloud or

mist which so commonly accompanies the sun’s first appearance.

_Tamarisk_ is only a provisional translation of ⁂⁂⁂. The god

Apuat, who is identical with Osiris, is said in the Pyramid Texts

(_Unas_ 107, _Teta_ 66) to come forth from the ⁂⁂⁂.

7. _Who connecteth._ This I believe to be the sense of ⁂⁂⁂ if

the next word is ⁂⁂. But the text is quite uncertain.

⁂⁂⁂ is a _rope_ or _cable_ (Bonomi, Sarc. II, c, 34), and like

the Latin _copula_ or the Semitic חבל, حبل has the sense of _tie_,

_bond_, _connection_.[63]

When the prince of Tennu (_Berlin Pap._ 1, line 31) proposed a family

alliance to Senehat, he said to him ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _lie-toi

avec moi!_ And he gave him his daughter to wife.

In the expression ⁂⁂⁂⁂, _nefrit_ signifies _continuously_,

_connectedly_, and the sense of _until_ is only completed by the

addition of the preposition ⁂.

Instead of ⁂⁂ ‘the Solar orb,’ some MSS. read ⁂⁂⁂,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂, or ⁂⁂⁂ and in each of these

cases ⁂⁂ must be understood as an adjective raised to the

comparative degree by the preposition ⁂: “More beautiful [my]

splendour (colour, hair or veil) than Yesterday.” None of these readings

seem very attractive.

8. Here follows the identification of the limbs of the deceased person

with those of various gods. There are many similar texts belonging to

all the periods of the Egyptian religion. For the Pyramid Texts, _see

e.g. Unas_, line 218 &c., _ib._ line 570, &c., _Pepi I_, line 565, &c.

Compare the _Coffin of Amamu_, pl. XXIV, line 11, &c., Naville, _Litanie

de Râ_, p. 96, and Golenischeff, _Metternichstele_, lines 9-35.

9. _Strength_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂, literally a _wall_ or _tower_, like the

מגדל־עז of Ps. XI, 4.

10. ⁂⁂⁂ ‘continuously, continuously.’

11. The interjection ⁂⁂ seems to imply that a second person is

addressed. The passage would otherwise be translated, “I have set myself

in motion,” which would be more consistent with the doctrine contained

in this chapter.

12. All the more recent copies have ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, the Sanctuary

of Ptah at Memphis.

13. _Âbaba-k ṭer-ek._ This is only one of the readings of a formula

which had soon become utterly unintelligible to the copyists. Hieratic

copies like _Louvre_ 3079, published by M. de Rougé, B.M. 10,257

(Rollin) and Leyden, T. 16, record several conjectural emendations, to

which modern scholars might add others, were they so disposed.

-----

Footnote 61:

Another reading is Unneferu.

Footnote 62:

See note 1 on chapter 28.

Footnote 63:

“حبل non modo _funem_, sed et in Alcorano saepe _foedus_ significat.”

Gesenius, _Thesaur in voc._ חבל.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLIII.

_Chapter whereby the head of a person is not severed from him in the

Netherworld._

I am a Prince, the son of a Prince; a Flame, the Son of a Flame, whose

head is restored to him after it hath been cut off.

The head of Osiris is not taken from him, and my head shall not be taken

from me.

I raise myself up, I renew myself, and I grow young again.

I am Osiris.

NOTE.

An early recension of this chapter is found in the tomb of Horhotep

(_Miss. Arch. II_, p. 159), and an apparent reference on the _Coffin of

Amamu_.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLIV.

_Chapter whereby one dieth not a second time._

Let the Cavern of Putrata(1.) be opened for me, where the dead fall into

the darkness, but the Eye of Horus supporteth me, and Apuat reareth me

up. I hide myself among you, O ye Stars that set not. My front is that

of Râ, my face is revealed, according to the words of Thoth; my heart is

in its place, my speech is intelligent.

I am Râ himself, I am not to be ignored, I am not to be molested.

Thy father liveth for thee, O Son of Nut! I am thy son Horus, I see thy

mysteries, and am crowned as King of the gods. I die not a second time

in the Netherworld.

NOTE.

1. _Putrata_ ⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. This name has

disappeared in nearly all the MSS. It is mentioned in the Pyramid Texts

(_Pepi I_, 332, Merirā 635) as a lake traversed by the glorified

personage.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLV.

_Chapter whereby one escapeth corruption in the Netherworld._

Here is the Osiris _N._, motionless, motionless like Osiris; motionless

his limbs like Osiris—let them not remain motionless, let them not

corrupt. They move not, they stir not: be it done for me as for Osiris.

I am Osiris.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLVI.

_Chapter whereby he that is living is not destroyed in the Netherworld._

Oh ye recent offspring of Shu, who dawn after dawn is possessor of his

diadem at sunrise; ye future generations of men, my springing forth[64]

is the springing forth of Osiris.

NOTE.

This chapter is addressed to the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _hammemit_,

who are known from other quarters to be _human beings_, as the

younglings of the god Shu. But the reference is not to men who have yet

lived upon the earth. They are spoken of as _men of a future

generation_. Queen Hatshepsu on her obelisk when speaking of them

connects them with the period of 120 years, that is as if we said “men

of the next century.” Before their appearance upon the earth they circle

round the Sun, and the glorified dead hold converse with them (chapter

124, 6).

The Egyptians, like many other ancient nations, held the doctrine of the

preexistence of souls. They held it not like philosophers or poets, but

as an article of their popular and traditional creed.

-----

Footnote 64:

The _Day-Spring_.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XVII.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

CHAPTER XLVII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus of Ani.=]

CHAPTER L.

[Illustration:

=Nicholson Papyrus.=

(Ægyptiaca, Plate 5.)

]

CHAPTER L.

[Illustration: =Papyrus of Ani.=]

CHAPTER LVII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus, British Museum, No. 9949.=]

CHAPTER LVIII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus of Ani.=]

CHAPTER LXI.

[Illustration: =Papyrus du Louvre, III, 93.=]

CHAPTER LXIV.

[Illustration: =Papyrus du Louvre, III, 93.=]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XVIII.

BOOK OF THE DEAD. CHAPTER LXVIII.

[Illustration: =Papyrus du Louvre, III, 93.=]

[Illustration: LANZONE (Diz. Egiz.).]

[Illustration: =Saquara.= LEPSIUS (Denkm., Abth. III, Bl. 264).]

[Illustration]

LANZONE (Diz. Egiz.).

[Illustration: =Leyden Sarcophagus.=]

[Illustration: WILKINSON (Mat. Hierog., Plate 23.)]

[Illustration: LEPSIUS (Todt., Plate 21).]

[Illustration: LEPSIUS (Todt., Plate 23).]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------

CHAPTER XLVII.

_Chapter whereby the Seat of a person is not taken from him in the

Netherworld._

Chair and Throne of mine, which are coming to me and circling round to

me; divine ones!

I am a noble Sāhu(1.), grant that I may become one of those who follow

the great god.

I am the Son of Maāt, and wrong is what I execrate.

I am the Victorious one.

NOTE.

1. _Sāḥu_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ is not a mummy, as it is sometimes

rendered, but a living personality in mummied form.

------------------------------------

CHAPTERS XLVIII and XLIX

are identical with X and XI respectively.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER L.

_Chapter whereby one cometh not to the divine Block of Execution._

The four(1.) fastenings of the hinder part of my head are fastened.

He who is in heaven it was who made firm the fastening for him who was

fainting upon his two haunches on that day when the fleece was shorn.

The fastenings of the hinder part of my head were fastened by Sutu and

the company of gods in his first triumph. Let there be no disaster.

Preserve me safe from him who slew my father.

I am seized of the ‘Two Earths.’

The fastenings of the hinder part of my head were fastened by Nu, on the

first time of my beholding the Law in virtue of which the gods and their

symbols(2.) come into existence.

I am the Heedful one, and become the executioner for you, ye great

gods(3.).

NOTES.

The antiquity of the chapter is proved by its occurrence on the second

coffin of Mentuhotep; but its condition there is such that no one can

read it who is not already familiar with it from other sources. It

begins, _Aelteste Texte_, p. 22, line 34, and goes on till the red

letters at line 50. The text, in spite of its importance, is very

inaccurate.

1. _The four fastenings._ The number _four_ is only found in the oldest

copies. The later copies have a different text. It is impossible to say

_what_ kind of fastening is meant. ⁂ might be a ligament or a

vertebra—though more probably the latter. But it might be a combination

of several pieces. ⁂⁂⁂ is the occiput, and this suggests the

hypothesis of cervical vertebrae. But the number of these is not four

but seven. Of these _three_ are peculiar; the Atlas which supports the

head, the Axis upon which the head turns, and the Vertebra prominens

with its long spinal process. But see the Vignette of chapter 42 from

_Pd_ where four vertebrae are figured.

2. _Symbols_, or symbolical representations, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or

⁂⁂⁂⁂.

3. _The Heedful one_ ⁂⁂, perhaps ⁂⁂⁂, Unas 584, Pepi I,

199 and 667.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LI.

_Chapter whereby one goeth not headlong in the Netherworld._

I execrate, I execrate, I do not eat it.

That which I execrate is dirt. I eat it not, that I may appease my

Genius.

Let me not fall into it; let me not approach it with my hands, let me

not tread upon it with my sandals.

NOTE.

The Chapters numbered 51 and 52 are not found in the most ancient

papyri, but the substance of them and their formulas are met with on the

ancient coffins[65] and in the Pyramid texts. See, for instance, Unas

189, Teta 68, with M. Maspero’s note on the latter text. I do not,

however, believe, as M. Maspero does, that these texts convey the idea

“so frequent[!] among half-civilised peoples, of another life in which

the deceased will have nothing to eat and drink but excremental matter.”

That the ⁂⁂⁂ which I translate ‘dirt’ and ⁂⁂ ‘lye’ are of

this nature is quite certain, but they are objects of abhorrence to the

Sun-god, like the dead rat and the putrid cat in chapter 33, because he

is a consuming fire, and “whatsoever he findeth upon his path he

devoureth it,” ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ Unas 515. It is only

natural then that the deceased who is identified with the Sun-god in

these texts should express his execration of such offensive matter. He

is not afraid of being limited to this food, his fear springs from the

opposite extreme.

-----

Footnote 65:

There is a chapter in Lepsius, _Älteste Texte_, p. 34, with the same

title as chapter 51, but the contents are different.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LII.

_Chapter whereby one eateth not dirt in the Netherworld._

I execrate, I execrate, I do not eat it.

That which I execrate is dirt. I eat it not, that I may appease my

Genius(1.).

Let it not fall upon me; let me not approach it with my hands, let me

not tread upon it with my sandals.

Henceforth let me live upon corn(2.) in your presence, ye gods, and let

there come one who bringeth to me that I may feed from those seven

loaves which he hath brought for Horus and upon the loaves for Thoth.

“What willst thou eat?” say the gods to him.

Let me eat under the Sycamore of Hathor the Sovereign, and let my turn

be given to me among those who rest there.

And let me manage the fields in Tattu and prosper in Heliopolis.

And let me feed upon the bread of the white corn and upon the beer of

the red barley.

And let the forms(3.) of my father and of my mother be granted to me;

the gate-keepers of the stream.

Let room be thrown open for me, let the path be made, and let me sit in

any place that I desire.

NOTES.

1. Here, as in the corresponding passage in the preceding chapter and in

several other places, the later texts often read ⁂, which is a

serious error.

2. The unintelligible ⁂⁂⁂ of the later texts should be

corrected to ⁂⁂ (_Älteste Texte_ 42, lines 50, 54 and 67). The

error may be traced to a form of the word with the prothetic ⁂. There

are several words varying in their applications which may be traced to

the same origin.

⁂⁂ _šeser_ ‘spica’ a point, hence an ear of corn, and ⁂⁂,

⁂⁂, ‘spiculum,’ an arrow, a javelin, are very clearly connected,

and the notion in both is, as in the Hebrew אביב, that of ‘shooting

forth,’ _proferre_, _protendere_.

⁂⁂, a term applied to horned animals, has surely nothing to do

with the Coptic ϣⲣⲱ of Leviticus XV, 19. It refers to the _pointed_

weapons presented by the beasts.

⁂⁂ is ‘put forward’ in the way of speech, and may be command or

prayer, or simple statement.

⁂⁂ the builder’s line is something ‘stretched out’ _prolatum_,

_protensum_.

And with reference to walls, buildings, and the like, ⁂⁂ may

always be translated by _proferre, protendere_.

3. _The forms_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ not ⁂⁂⁂⁂, as the Turin

Todtenbuch. There is a most interesting text but unfortunately imperfect

on the Leyden Coffin M. 3 (M. Pl. 13). The deceased is told that on

arriving at the mysterious gate he will find his father and his mother,

⁂⁂⁂⁂. This is followed by ⁂ and then apparently by ⁂

but the middle sign is almost entirely effaced. This would mean ‘at the

resurrection of thy body.’

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LIIIA.

_Chapter whereby one is not made to eat dirt or to drink lye._

I am the sharp-horned Bull, who regulateth the sky, the Lord of the

risings in heaven; the great Giver of Light, who issueth from Flame; the

Bond of Time, richly supplied with years; the god in Lion form, to whom

is given a march of Glory.

I execrate, I execrate, I do not eat that which my Genius execrateth.

Let it not enter into my stomach, let it not approach to my hands, let

me not tread upon it with my sandals.

Let me not drink lye, let me not advance headlong in the Netherworld.

I am the possessor of bread in Heliopolis, who hath bread in Heaven with

Râ, and bread upon earth with Seb.

It is the Sektit boat which hath brought it from the house of the great

god in Heliopolis.

I am gladdened in my very entrails, and am associated with the divine

mariners, who circle round to the East of Heaven. I eat as they eat, and

I feed upon what they feed. I eat bread from the house of the Lord of

offerings.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LIIIB.

_Whereby one eateth not dirt._

I execrate, I execrate! I do not eat it.

Dirt is what I execrate; I do not eat it.

I execrate lye, I do not drink it.

Let me not approach it with my fingers, let me not tread upon it with my

sandals.

Seb, the father of Osiris, hath ordained that I should not eat dirt or

drink lye, but my father hath four times said that I should eat of the

red corn.

There are seven loaves in Heaven at Heliopolis with Râ, and there are

seven loaves upon earth with Seb, and there are seven loaves with

Osiris.

It is the god of the Sektit galley, and of the Mââtit galley, who hath

brought them to me at Heliopolis.

I shout with joy, and my Genius shouteth with joy, because I am in

Heliopolis, and I live in excellent condition before Râ, on the day when

bread is presented in Heliopolis.

NOTE.

Chapter 53A is taken from the papyri of the older period, 53B is a still

older text from the Coffin of Horhotep.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LIV.

_Chapter whereby air is given in the Netherworld._

I am the god in Lion-form(1.), the Egg in the Great Cackler, and I watch

over that great Egg which Seb hath parted from the earth(2.); my Life is

the Life thereof, and the same is true of my advance in life and of my

breathing of the air.

I am the god who keepeth opposition in equipoise(3.) as his Egg circleth

round. For me dawneth(4.) the moment of the most mighty one, Sut.

O ye gods who are pleasant through the alternate successions of the

Earth, who preside over sustenance and who live in the Blue(5.), do ye

keep watch over him who abideth in his Nest; the Infant god who cometh

forth towards you.

NOTES.

The text here followed is that of _Pa_ which is much preferable to that

of Ani. There is a far older text, that of Horhotep, line 344 and

_sqq._, but it is too inaccurate to serve as the basis of a translation.

It is however very valuable for other purposes.

1. _The god in Lion form._ These words are not in Horhotep, the chapter

beginning as in later texts “Oh Tmu let there come to me the air which

is in thy nostrils.” The word for air is written ⁂⁂⁂ (lines 344

and 346) as in other places.

2. It is a mistake to speak of a _mundane_ egg, of which there is no

trace in Egyptian mythology. Seb, the great cackling goose, lays the

golden egg, which is the Sun; but ⁂⁂ does not mean ‘lay upon the

earth,’ but ‘_divide_, _separate_ from the earth.’ The egg springs from

the back of Seb.

3. _Who keepeth opposition in equipoise._ This sense may be inferred

from _Pa_, but is made very clear by the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ of

Horhotep. The equilibrium of forces is maintained by the revolution of

the Sun.

4. _Dawneth_, ⁂⁂⁂, Horhotep; whose text breaks off without a

word on Sutu.

5. _The Blue_, ⁂⁂⁂ ‘lapis lazuli.’ The French _l’azur_ exactly

corresponds to the Egyptian, for the word _azure_ is derived from

_lazulum_.

Ancients and modern differ greatly, as is well known, from each other as

to the impressions derived from colour. It seems strange to read in the

tale of the _Destruction of Mankind_ that the ‘hair of Râ was of real

_chesbet_,’ that is ‘dark blue.’ But we have an exact parallel to this

in Greek. Κύανος is _lapis lazuli_ in Theophrastus, who even mentions

the artificial lapis made in Egypt. But in the Homeric poems the hair of

Hector (_Il._, 22, 401), and the hair and beard of Odysseus (_Od._, 16,

176), as well as the eyebrows of Zeus (_Il._,1, 528; 17, 209) are

described as κυάνεαι.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LV.

_Another chapter whereby air is given._

I am the Jackal of jackals, I am Shu, who convey breezes, in presence of

the Glorious one(1.), to the ends of the sky, to the ends of the earth,

to the ends of the filaments of Cloud(2.).

I give air to those Younglings as I open my mouth and gaze with my two

eyes.

NOTES.

1. _The Glorious one._ This is the most usual reading. _Pa_ has Râ.

2. _Filaments of Cloud._ _Cloud_ is the sense, not the translation of

⁂⁂⁂, or, as it is also written, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, which is the

name of some tree or shrub which has not been identified. The

_filaments_ ⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂, which are among its characteristics,

point in this context to the long fibrous forms presented by the cirrus

cloud.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LVI.

_Another chapter of breathing._

Oh Tmu! give me that delicious air which is in thine own nostrils.

It is I who hold that great station which is in the heart of

Heracleopolis.

I watch over that egg of the Great Cackler, my strength is the strength

thereof, my life is the life thereof, and my breath is the breath

thereof.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LVII.

_Chapter for breathing air and command of water in the Nether world._

Let the Great One(1.) be opened to Osiris; let the two folding doors of

Kabhu(2.) be thrown wide to Râ.

O thou great Coverer(3.) of Heaven, in thy name of Stretcher(4.) [of

Heaven], grant that I may have the command of water, even as Sut hath

command of force(5.) on the night of the Great Disaster: grant that I

may prevail over those who preside at the Inundation, even as that

venerable god prevaileth over them, whose name they know not. May I

prevail over them.

---------------------

My nostril is opened in Tattu, and I go to rest in Heliopolis, my

dwelling, which the goddess Seshait(6.) built, and which Chnum raised on

its foundation.

If the Sky is at the North I sit at the South; if the Sky is at the

South I sit at the North; if the Sky is at the West I sit at the East;

and if the Sky is at the East I sit at the West.

And drawing up my eyebrows(7.) I pierce through into every place that I

desire.

NOTES.

This chapter and the following are recensions and combinations of

extremely ancient texts.

The first portion of the present chapter follows the ancient text of

Horhotep. Even at that early period two recensions were in existence,

and are copied one after the other. The translation here given is the

nearest possible approach to the original text.

The second portion (beginning with _My nostril_) dates from the papyri

of the Theban period, though we must depend upon later authorities for

the entire Section.

1. _The Great One_ ⁂⁂ _urit_—Heaven.

2. _Kabhu_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, literally the _Cool_ (water) is

another name for the Sky,[66] and is here in parallelism with the Great

One.

3. _Coverer_ ⁂⁂⁂, a name applied both to the Nile, as covering

the land during the inundation, and to the Sky as the covering above us.

_Cf._ my paper on _Nile Mythology_, P.S.B.A., November, 1890.

4. _Stretcher_ ⁂⁂⁂, which I consider as a nasalised (perhaps

the original) form of ⁂⁂ _stretch_. The papyri read ⁂⁂⁂

_āt pet_ ‘Cleaver of the Sky,’ but the word _āt_, without the

determinative ⁂, may also mean _stretch_, as in the expression

⁂⁂⁂.

5. _Force_ ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂, like the Latin _vis_, may, but

need not, be of a criminal nature. The name of the goddess ⁂⁂⁂

in this place is a manifest blunder of the more recent scribes.

6. The goddess _Seshait_ ⁂⁂ commonly but erroneously called

_Safch_, through an error against which Lepsius (_Aelt. Texte_, p. 3)

and Brugsch (_Zeitschr._, 1872, p. 9) have both spoken. The real name of

the goddess, as I have elsewhere[67] shown by actual variants, is

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Seshait_ (Teta, l. 268) or ⁂⁂⁂ (Louvre,

A. 97). She is so called from the root ⁂, ⁂⁂, _writing_, that

being one of her occupations.

7. _Drawing up my eyebrows_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, in

scornful pride, superciliously, like the Greek τὰς ὀφρῦς ἀνασπᾶν.

-----

Footnote 66:

The name occurs repeatedly in the Pyramid Texts, and even the very

expression ⁂⁂⁂ _e.g._ Unas, 375, and the Litany at Pepi I,

631.

Footnote 67:

_On some Religious Texts of the Early Egyptian Period_ in _Trans. Soc.

Bibl. Arch._, Vol. IX, p. 303.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LVIII.

_Chapter for breathing air and command of water._

Let the door be opened to me!

Who art thou? What is thy name?

I am One of You!

Who is with thee?

It is the Merta.

Turn away then(1.) front to front, on entering the Meskat.(2.)

He grants that I may sail to the Abode of those who have found their

faces.

_Collector of Souls_ is the name of my Bark, _Bristler of Hair_ is the

name of the Oars, _Point_[68] is the name of its Hatch, _Right and

Straight_ the name of the Rudder.

The picture of it is the representation of my glorious journey upon the

Canal.

Give me jars of milk and cakes and flesh meat at the House of Anubis.

_If this chapter is known he entereth after having gone out._

NOTES.

The 58th and 122nd chapters are reproductions of the same text, the

earliest copy known being that of Ani.

1. _Turn away then._ Merta as we have seen is the name given to the

goddess pair Isis and Nephthys. It is therefore not possible to account

for the masculine pronoun ⁂ as having reference to Merta. ⁂ must

be taken in the sense of _ideo_, _idcirco_, _then_, _therefore_.

2. _Meskat_, or according to another reading _Meschenit_.

-----

Footnote 68:

All this part is corrupt.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LIX.

_Chapter for breathing air and command of water._

Oh thou Sycomore of Nut, give me of the water and of the wind which are

within thee.

It is I who hold that abode which is in Heracleopolis, I watch over that

Egg of the Great Cackler. My strength is the strength thereof, my life

the life thereof, and my breath the breath thereof.

NOTES.

On the mythological tree in heaven which produces both wind and water,

that is the rain-cloud, see my _Egyptian Mythology, particularly with

reference to Mist and Cloud_, in _Trans. Soc. Bibl. Arch._, Vol. VIII.

The same kind of imagery is still current in Europe. German authorities

tell us about the ‘Wetterbaum,’ which in some places is called

‘Abraham’s Tree,’ in others, ‘Adam’s Tree.’ The Yggdrasill myth is

supposed to have the same origin. The Rainbow is the heavenly Mountain

Ash of a well known Swedish and Esthonian riddle. The water from heaven

was supposed in Egypt to be especially refreshing for the dead.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LX.

_Another Chapter._

Let the doors of Heaven be open to me, let the doors of Kabhu be thrown

wide to me; by Thoth and by Hapi, the great Coverer of Heaven, at

daybreak.

Grant ye that I may have the command of water even as the mighty Sut had

the command of his enemies on the Day of Disaster to the Earth. May I

prevail over the Long-armed ones in their corners,[69] even as that

glorious and ready god prevaileth over them, whose name they know not.

May I prevail over the Long-armed ones.

-----

Footnote 69:

The four cardinal points; the Eastern and the Western ⁂⁂, and

the Southern and the Northern ⁂⁂⁂.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXI.

_Another Chapter._

I, even I, am he who proceedeth from the Weeper(1.), and whose attribute

is Overflowing.(2.) I(3.) have the command of it as Hâpu.

NOTES.

1. The great Weeper is primarily Heaven, and it is so in this place. The

Nile god who proceeds from it also bears the same name.

2. _Overflowing_: ⁂⁂⁂⁂.

3. _I._ The original is in the third person; in reference to “he who

proceedeth,” &c.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXII.

_Chapter whereby water is drank in the Netherworld._

Let the Great One be opened to Osiris; let the Kabhu be thrown wide to

Thoth, the Coverer, Lord of the Horizon in his name of the Divider of

the Earth.

May I have command of the water even as the might of Sutu had over his

enemies.

It is I who traverse the Heaven:

I am Râ:

I am the god in Lion form:

I am the Steer;(1.)

I eat the haunch, and pierce through the joint.[70]

I go round the Sechit-Aarru.

There hath been assigned to me Eternity, without end.

And lo! I am the Heir of Endless Time, and my attribute is Eternity.

NOTE.

1. _The Steer_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _smau_, a solar title frequent in the

Pyramid texts. His mother, Heaven, is called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ or

(as the name is written Teta 359) ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. She is called

the Spouse on the Mountain ⁂⁂⁂, and by a play upon words

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ Unas, 493.

The usual meaning of ⁂⁂⁂, like that of the Greek χλόη or the

Hebrew דֶּשֶׁא, is the light green shoot of plants in spring, and this is

the key to the sense of the proper name. The goddess Demeter had a

temple at Athens under the name of _Chloe_, and it is in allusion to

this that Sophocles calls her εὔχλοος (_Oed. Col._ 1600).

This Egyptian goddess was ⁂⁂⁂⁂, a principal deity at

Enchebit, she had the White Crown and the wig with two plumes. She is

described as having drooping dugs, and as suckling her son. _Cf._ with

this information from Unas the whole chapter beginning with line 283 of

Pepi I.

-----

Footnote 70:

The sacrificial offerings ⁂ and ⁂.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXIIIA.

_Chapter whereby one is not burnt with fire, but drinketh water in the

Netherworld._

O Bull of Amenta! let me be borne to thee!

I am that Rudder of Râ, wherewith he conveyeth the Ancient(1.) ones.

I am not burnt, I am not consumed.

I am Babai, the eldest son of Osiris, who striketh the eye of every

god(2.) in Heliopolis.

I am the Heir, the primary power of motion and of rest(3.).

I have made firm my name, and have preserved it that I may have life

through it.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXIIIB.

_Chapter whereby one is not boiled in water._

I am that ready Rudder wherewith Râ conveyeth the Ancient ones, and I

raise the effluxes(4.) of Osiris to the Tank from flames impassable; a

wrecked one,(5.) but not to be consumed.

I lie helpless as a dead person,(6.) and I arrive at the lair of the

Lion who defieth slaughter, ...(7.) following the road by which I set

out.

NOTES.

The Chapters 63A and 63B are united into one in the later MSS. without

any other division than ⁂, indicative of a different reading. None

of the early papyri contains both chapters. The text of 63B is extremely

corrupt, and without rational interpretation.

1. _I am that Rudder of Râ, wherewith he conveyeth the Ancient ones._

This passage is twice found in Horhotep (311 and 329), the word for

Rudder being written ⁂⁂⁂⁂.

2. _Who striketh the eye_, ⁂⁂⁂. The peaceful determinative may

perhaps be intended to diminish the force of the very expressive ⁂ in

the verb of striking. But I believe that this passage may fairly be

illustrated by the words of Lucretius IV, 324 and following:—

Splendida porro oculi fugitant vitantque tueri,

Sol etiam caecat, contra si tendere pergas.

Praeterea splendor quicumque est acer adurit

Saepe oculos ideo quod semina possidet ignis

Multa, dolorem oculis quae gignunt insinuando.

3. _The primary power of motion and of rest._ These words have a

modern sound, but they express the sense of the original,

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

4. _Effluxes_, ⁂⁂⁂, the ἰχώρ, the vital _sap_, as it were, of

the body of Osiris, which is the source of life both to men and to

gods,[71] and in default of which his own heart (Unas 12) would cease to

beat. It is celebrated in all the mythological texts extant from the

time of the Pyramids down to the latest inscriptions of Denderah and

Edfu, and even in Demotic documents.[72] All moisture was supposed to

proceed from it, and the Nile was naturally identified with it.

In the Pyramid texts (Pepi 66) ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ is put

in parallelism with ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

5. _A wrecked one._ So I understand ⁂ from Chapter 125, 38, but the

whole context here is so doubtful that no translator who respects

himself would warrant the sense.

6. _I lie helpless like a dead person._ ⁂⁂⁂, _ḥefṭ_ is the

condition of an infant on the knees of its nurse. And I understand

⁂⁂⁂ in its well known euphemistic application to the dead.

7. ⁂⁂⁂ is the most probable reading here, but it is a

_hapax legomenon_ with nothing in the context to explain it.

-----

Footnote 71:

In one of the ancient chapters preserved in the tomb of Horhotep, the

deceased, speaking in the person of Horus, talks (319) of quenching

his thirst with the ⁂⁂⁂ of his father Osiris.

Footnote 72:

See a very interesting passage in _Pap. Rhind_ 4, 4, with Brugsch’s

translation.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXIV.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day from the Netherworld._

I am Yesterday, To-day, and To-morrow, for I am born again and again;

mine is the unseen Force,(1.) which createth the gods and giveth food to

those in the Tuat(2.) at the West of Heaven; I am the Eastern

Rudder,(3.) the Lord of Two Faces, who seeth by his own light; the Lord

of Resurrections, who cometh forth from the dusk and whose birth is from

the House of Death.

Ye two divine Hawks(4.) upon your gables, who are giving attentive heed

to the matter; ye who accompany the bier to the tomb, and who conduct

the ship of Râ, advancing onwards from the highest place of the Ark in

heaven—the Lord of the Shrine(5.) which standeth in the centre of the

Earth;

He is I, and I am He.(6.)

Mine is the radiance in which Ptah floateth over his firmament.(7.)

Oh Râ, who smileth cheerfully, and whose heart is delighted with the

perfect order of this day as thou enterest into Heaven and comest forth

in the East: the Ancients and those who are gone before acclaim thee.

Let thy paths be made pleasant for me; let thy ways be made wide for me

to traverse the earth and the expanse of Heaven.

Shine thou upon me, oh gracious Power;(8.) as I draw nigh to the divine

words which my ears shall hear in the Tuat; let no pollution of my

mother be upon me; deliver me, protect me from him who closeth his eyes

at twilight and bringeth to an end in darkness.

I am the Overflower, and Kam-ura(9.) is my name: I bring to its

fulness(10.) the Force which is hidden within me.

Oh thou Great One, who art Shoreless,(11.) and callest upon the Powers

of the South, at the moment when the god is carried forth, saying:—

“Behold the Lord of his Flood; see, the Shoulder is fastened(12.) upon

his neck and the Haunch upon the head of the West” offerings which the

two goddesses of the West(13.) present to me when the weeping bursteth

forth from me at what I witness, as I am borne round on the Tenait in

Abydos,(14.) and the bolts made fast on the gateways(15.) above your

images are in the reach of thine hand and from within thee.

Thy face is as that of a hound whose nostril sniffeth at the covert to

which my feet convey me.

Anubis is my bearer, for he who lulleth me to rest(16.) is the god in

Lion form.

Do thou save me!

I am He who cometh forth as one who breaketh through the door; and

everlasting is the Daylight which his will hath created.

“I know the deep waters” is my name.

I satisfy the desires of the Glorified, who are by millions and hundreds

of thousands....[73] I am the guardian of their interests, actively

working at the hours of the day and adjusting the arms of Sahu; twelve

in circling round, uniting hands, each of them with another. But the

sixth of them in the Tuat is the ‘Hour of the overthrow of the Sebau,’

which cometh here in triumph; the same which maketh way into the Tuat;

the same which is yoked with Shu.

I shine forth as the Lord of Life and the glorious order of this day:

the blood which purifieth and the vigorous sword-strokes by which the

Earth is made one.

I sever the horns(17.) from those who unite in resistance to me; the

hidden ones who rise up in opposition against me; those who go upon

their bellies.

I come as the ambassador of the Lord of lords to avenge the cause of

Osiris in this place. Let not[74] the Eye consume its tears.

I am the Guide of the house of Him who dwelleth in his treasures.

I am come from Sechem to Heliopolis to inform the Bennu of the matters

of the Tuat.

Oh goddess Aucherit, who concealest that is within thee, but raisest up

forms, like Chepera, grant that I may come forth and see the orb of the

sun, and walk forth in the presence of the great god, who is Shu and

abideth for eternity.

I travel on high, I tread upon the firmament, I raise a flame with the

daylight which mine eye hath made, and I fly forward towards the

splendours of the Glorified in presence of Râ daily, giving life to

every man who treadeth on the lands(18.) which are upon the earth.

Oh thou who leapest forth, conductor of the Shades and Glorified ones

from the Earth, let the fair path to the Tuat be granted to me, which is

made in behalf of those who are in faint condition and for the

restoration of those who are in pain.

Who art thou, who devourest in Amenta?

I am He who presideth in Restau. “He who entereth in his own name, and

cometh forth in quest; the Lord of the Eternity of the Earth” is my

name.

She who hath conceived hath set down her burden; _which turneth round

before descending; the door is shut at the wall which is

reversed_....[75]

His Eye hath been given to Horus and his face brighteneth at the dawning

of the day.

I am not exhausted: I become the Lion god and the palm flowers of Shu

are upon me.

I am not one who drowneth.

Blessed are they who see(19.) the Bourne:(20.) beautiful is the god of

the motionless heart who causeth the stay of the Overflowing.

Behold! there cometh forth the Lord of Life, Osiris thy support, who

abideth day after day.

I embrace the Sycomore,(21.) I am united to the Sycomore.

I part the two deities of morning that I may come to hold the Eye,(22.)

and cause it to rest in its place.

I am come to see Râ at his setting, and I unite with the breeze at his

coming forth: my two hands are pure for adoring him.

May I be restored! May I be restored!

I fly up to heaven and I alight upon the earth; and mine eye turneth

back there towards the traces of my footsteps.

I am the offspring of Yesterday; the tunnels(23.) of the earth have

given me birth, and I am revealed at my appointed time.

May I be under shelter from the warlike handed god who cometh behind me,

may my flesh be sound and may my glories be a protection to the limbs of

one who waiteth for the purpose of taking counsel. May the Cycle of the

gods listen to what I say.

_To be said on coming forth by day; that one may not be kept back on the

path of the Tuat, whether on entering or on coming forth; for taking all

the forms which one desireth; and that the soul of the person die not a

second time._

_If then this chapter be known the person is made triumphant upon earth

[and in the Netherworld] and he performeth all things which are done by

the living._

_This chapter was discovered on a plinth of the god of the Hennu Bark_

(24.) _by a master builder of the wall in the time of King Septa, the

Victorious._(25.)

_This composition is a secret; not to be seen or looked at._

_Recite the chapter when sanctified and pure; not approaching women, not

eating goat’s flesh or fish._

NOTES.

This is one of the most important as it is one of the most ancient

chapters. The text of it was already doubtful at the time of the XIth

dynasty. It had been handed down in two recensions, both of which were

inscribed on the coffin of Queen Mentuhotep, the discovery of one of

these being attributed to the time of King Septa of the 1st dynasty, and

that of the second to the time of Menkaurâ, the king of the third

pyramid. These two recensions are also found in the papyrus of Nebseni.

The MSS. present innumerable various readings, few of which are of the

slightest value. These have been collected, as far as they could be

discovered, in the French and some other Museums in 1876, in a very

admirable work upon the chapter, by M. Paul Guieysse,[76] who has

translated and commented upon it and and all the variations of it known

to him at the time. Since then the papyrus of Nebseni has been

published, and M. Naville has given all the variants found in the few

existing papyri of the best period. I have notes of the readings of the

papyri in the British Museum, and also those of a cast (now in the

British Museum) taken from a block in serpentine, belonging to the

Museum of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

With such light as could be derived from these extremely divergent

authorities I have done my best (taking as the basis of my translation

the texts in the papyrus of Nebseni and the rubric in which the

discovery is ascribed to the time of king Septa) towards exhibiting the

chapter in as intelligible a form as seems to me possible. Some passages

as yet defy translation in consequence of the corruption of the text.

Some years before his untimely death M. de Rougé read his translation of

this chapter before the Académie des Sciences. It is much to be lamented

that this has never been published. I have, in addition to the versions

of other scholars, a copy of one by Mr. Goodwin, with whom I read this

and other chapters nearly thirty years ago. But this kind of literature

is not one of those in which his marvellous sagacity showed to

advantage.

In reading this and almost every other chapter of the _Book of the

Dead_, it is absolutely necessary to bear in mind that different divine

names do not necessarily imply different personalities. A name expresses

but _one_ attribute of a person or thing, and one person having several

attributes may have several names. It is not implied in this chapter

that the Sun is the Nile or the Inundation, but that the same invisible

force which is manifested in the solar phenomena is that which produces

the inundation; He is the Inundator. But he has many other names and

titles. In this chapter, as in others before it, the speaker at one time

talks in terms identifying him with some divinity, and at another as a

simple mortal petitioning some favour.

1. ⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or, at a later period ⁂⁂, signifies

_one whose force is concealed or unseen_. It is a theological term,

frequent at all periods of the Egyptian religion, and implies that the

deity is not to be confounded with its external manifestation. The Sun

that we see _hides_ as truly as it reveals the Sun-god; who, as this

chapter shows, has other manifestations.

2. _Those in the Tuat_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ called in the Pyramid Texts

⁂⁂⁂⁂, Pepi I, 185. The more recent texts read

⁂⁂⁂⁂ “the gods of the West.”

3. _Cf._ Pepi I, 174.

4. _Two divine Hawks upon your gables._ They are mentioned in the

Pyramid Texts[77] as ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, Teta, 183. They represent

the two divisions, North and South, of the kingdom of Horus. _Cf._

Rochemonteix, _Edfu_, p. 55 and many other such passages as that found

there.

5. _The Shrine which standeth in the centre of the Earth._ This Shrine

is also mentioned in the ‘Book of Hades.’ _Cf._ Bonomi, Sarc. 4c.

6. _He is I, and I am He._ _Cf._ the Pyramid Text—“Oh Râ.... Teta is

thou, and thou art Teta...., thou risest as Teta, and Teta riseth in

thee, etc.,” Teta, 337.

7. _Ptah floateth over his firmament._ The meaning of the verb is shown

in early texts by the determinative, as in the parallel passage of the

17th chapter.

8. _Oh gracious Power_, ⁂⁂⁂. The adjective is also written

⁂⁂⁂. The usual determinative ⁂ has its origin in the

hieratic form of ⁂, see Prisse Papyrus.

9. _Kam-urȧ_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂, “The great Extender,” a name applied to

Osiris, as the Nile. “Thy two sisters, Isis and Nephthys, come to thee,

and they convey to thee _Kamit urit_ [the great Extent] in thy name of

_Kam-urȧ_ [the great Extender].” Teta, 274.

10. _I bring to its fulness, etc._ The yearly inundation is the mature

result of the innate force belonging to the god; the ἐνέργημα of his

ἐνεργεία. This translation remains the same whether the reading be ⁂

or ⁂.

11. _Shoreless_, ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂ or ⁂, implies an enclosed space,

a basin or channel with fixed limits. The inundation has no determinate

banks. Its course is from south to north, hence the reference to the

deities of the South.

12. _Shoulder_ and _Haunch_. The usual sacrificial joints. This passage

was at an early date added to the paragraph which opens the chapter.

13. _The two goddesses of the West_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

It is said of Râ at Edfu ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. “He setteth in the West.”

The deities in question are Isis and Nephthys, who are also the deities

of the East or Sunrise under the name of ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂;

Unas, 461.

In the passage of the Pyramid Texts just referred to it is stated that

these “divinities in _Ununait_ open their arms to the god as he stands

up erect on the eastern side of the firmament.”

_Ununait_ is the place of _rising_, _springing up_.

14. _The Tenait in Abydos._ This feast has already been mentioned in

Chapter I. It was one of those commemorative and representative of the

death of Osiris, of his mutilation, mummification and burial.

Prescriptions for carrying it out are found in the great text at

Denderah, published by Dümichen and Mariette, and translated by Brugsch,

and Loret, and (in part) by Dümichen.

_Tenait_ is also the name of certain days of the month, and (Teta, 229)

of the fifth hour of the day.

15. _The bolts made fast on the gateways._ The Pyramid Texts

on behalf of the deceased invoke the

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ‘the bolt

which closes the gateway of Heaven,’ with a prayer that it may open to

him (Teta, 235, compare line 200).

16. _He who lulleth me_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. The word is here

in the dual, as corresponding to the double lion. _Cf._

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, Teta 261. The

important variant ⁂⁂⁂ is found at Edfu (Rochemonteix, p. 78).

17. _I sever the horns._ _Cf._ Psalm lxxv, 11.

18. The _lands_. The Egyptian word varies in the texts. The most

authorized reading ⁂⁂ is used in different senses: one of which

(and perhaps the original one) is _put_, _put on_; _ponere_, _locare_,

_induere_, _figere_, _addere_. Here it would seem from the context to

mean locality, post, spot of earth. And I am inclined to identify

⁂⁂ in this place with the well-known ⁂, or ⁂⁂⁂, as an

equivalent if not as a phonetic variant.

19. _Blessed are they who see_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ written

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ in the Pyramid Texts (Unas, 584, Teta, 42,

Pepi I, 181 and 199), where it is in parallelism with ⁂⁂⁂⁂.

20. _The Bourne_, ⁂⁂⁂. On the goddess ⁂⁂⁂⁂,

_Menait_, _cf._ Teta 288, Pepi I, 70, 154, 163.

21. _The Sycomore_ of Dawn repeatedly mentioned in the Book of the Dead.

The Pyramid Texts also (Pepi I, 174) speak of the tall Sycomore of Sut

in the Eastern Sky on which the gods congregate and sit, in expectation

of the arrival of the Glorified one.

22. _To hold the Eye_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. Later texts, like

the Turin copy, have ⁂⁂⁂⁂. The two verbs here (like

⁂⁂⁂⁂ which is also found as a variant) are synonymous in the

sense of _embracing_, _holding_,[78] _enclosing_, _fastening_,

_staying_, _propping_.

According to the ancient myth Sut deprived Horus of his Eye, which was

recovered by Thoth, and by him restored to its owner. The following

passage from an inscription at Edfu (Rochemonteix, p. 25) is in strict

accordance with the oldest mythological texts.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

“Asten, who restored the Eye of Horus to its Lord, who preserved the Eye

(_ut’ at_) from suffering harm, who made fast the Eye (_nutrit_) in its

place, and who pacified Horus with his Eye.” The different synonyms

designating the Eye are important as showing that the word

⁂⁂⁂⁂ is here used in the sense of the _daily_ light of the

sun.

The other part of the same text as Edfu gives additional variants.

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

and ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. Here the Eye is called ⁂⁂,

⁂⁂, and ⁂⁂. But in other places the _Ut’ at_ stands for a

less frequent moment of the solar progress. In the Pyramid Texts for

instance ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ “holder of the _Southern_ Eye

of Horus” might perhaps designate the Summer Solstice. And a later text

connects the Eye with the opening of the year.

The priestly title ⁂⁂⁂, ‘holder of the Eye,’ is like all such

titles, that of the divinity whom the priest personates. The god himself

is hieroglyphically represented by the sign ⁂⁂ of an ape holding

the Eye.

23. _The tunnels_, ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂, Teta, 291;

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, Horhotep, 213. See my note _Proc. Soc.

Bibl. Arch._, 1873, p. 385. The Coptic ⲁⲕⲟⲣⲓ, which is generally

supposed to be a serpent, is more probably an _earth-worm_, like

⁂⁂.

The Pyramid Texts have another word which I understand of the

tunnels through which the Sun, Moon, and Stars pass from West to

East, ⁂⁂⁂, as opposed to ⁂⁂⁂, the paths of the

upper world. Anubis is called ⁂⁂⁂⁂ (Pepi I, 80), and

these passages are ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

(_ib._, 73), “between the two divine forms” (a lion at each end).

_Cf._ Teta, 319, where it is said of the Stars

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,

that at their triumphant course through the tunnels the bones of

the Akeru gods quake.

24. _The god of the Hennu Bark_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, he who

resides in the ⁂⁂⁂⁂ ship referred to in chapter I. The god

of this ship is commonly named Sekaru in the texts, but Hennu is also

one of the names of Horus. On the connection between the two names see

Teta, line 270.

25. King Septa ⁂ of the 1st dynasty, who has been identified with the

Usaphais of Manetho.

The other account of the discovery of the chapter is thus described in

the rubric of the second recension.

_This chapter was discovered at Hermopolis upon a slab of alabaster,

inscribed in blue, under the feet of this god_ [Osiris], _at the time of

King Menkarā, the victorious, by the royal prince Hortâtâf, when he was

journeying for the purpose of inspecting the temples_ ...[79] _and he

carried off the slab in the royal chariot, when he saw what was on it._

The rubric farther prescribes that a scarab of hard stone encircled and

purified with gold[80] should be placed upon the place of the heart of

the deceased, and that the ‘words of power’ contained in the 30th

chapter, “Heart mine of my mother,” etc., should be repeated. The gold

leaf or plate has been found on some scarabs, but has disappeared from

nearly all.

The ‘Ritual of Parma,’ which speaks of two metals, ⁂⁂⁂ _smu_,

and silver (the latter for the rim), directs that the scarab should be

put at the throat of the deceased. According to this authority it was

the 30th chapter, not the 64th, which was discovered by Prince Hortâtâf

in his inspectorial tour.

-----

Footnote 73:

The text is too corrupt here for any plausible translation.

Footnote 74:

_Not_ is omitted in many copies.

Footnote 75:

The copies of this paragraph are as discordant as they are

unintelligible. It is idle to guess at the meaning until a better text

can be discovered.

Footnote 76:

Etudes Egyptologiques; sixième livraison.

Footnote 77:

Here as in the name of ⁂ Tmu, the _long_ sign is written first

though read last.

Footnote 78:

_Cf._ the expressions ⁂⁂⁂⁂ as, Teta, 258, 262, and

⁂⁂⁂⁂. ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is not a mere _gate_, but

a _hold_, or _keep_.

Footnote 79:

There is no certainty about the text of the next few words.

Footnote 80:

I understand by this that the gold is intended to krep the scarab free

from defilement.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXV.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day and prevaileth over the

adversaries._

Oh thou who shinest forth from the Moon, thou who givest light from the

Moon, let me come forth at large amid thy train, let me be revealed as

one of those in glory. Let the Tuat be opened for me. Here am I: let me

come forth upon this day, and be glorified. Let the glorified ones grant

to me that I live and that mine adversaries be brought to me in bonds

before the divine Circle; may the Genius of my mother be propitiated

thereby, as I rise up upon my feet with a sceptre of gold in my hand,

and lop off the limbs. May I rise up, a Babe [from between] the knees of

Sothis, when they close together.(1.)

NOTES.

The first part of this chapter is nearly identical with Chapter 2. No

copy of it is found in the papyri of the older period. In place of it M.

Naville has published a chapter bearing the same title, and which is

found in five ancient papyri. These texts however are extremely

discordant and corrupt, and in the more difficult, and to us more

interesting, passages must have been quite unintelligible to the

copyists. The second word, for instance, of line 8 is _ri_ in _Ca_, the

corresponding word is .. _ḥtu_ in _Ta_, _ṭāi_ in _Pb_, _rāu_ in _Ia_ and

_ḥti_ in _Aa_. A discrepancy not less violent is encountered after the

next three words. The oldest extant form of the chapter is that of _Aa_,

the papyrus of Nebseni; it is also the shortest, and the other forms

appear to me to exhibit signs of interpolation. But M. Naville was quite

right in taking the text of _Ca_ as his basis for the collation of the

texts.

1. This whole passage, as it stands, in the MSS. is extremely obscure,

and I can only make sense of it by conjecturing that a preposition has

been omitted by the copyists.

The knees of a goddess are frequently mentioned in connection with the

birth of a divinity. Here the Babe is mentioned (_cf._ opening of

Chapter 42), and the closing of the knees. The word _ānḫ_, ‘live,’ has

for its primitive meaning ‘rise up,’ and it is in this sense that I

translate it here.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXVI.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day._

I know that I have been conceived by Sechit and that I am born of Neith.

I am Horus, who proceedeth from the Eye of Horus; I am Uat’it, and I

come forth like the Hawk which soareth aloft and resteth upon the brow

of Rā at the prow of his Bark in Heaven.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXVII.

_Chapter whereby the doors of the Tuat are opened and one cometh forth

by day._

Let the doors be opened of the caverns of Nu, and let the feet be

loosened of those who are in glory.

Let the caverns of Shu be opened, that he may come forth at large, and

that I may issue from my funereal pit to my seat which is at the prow of

the Bark of Rā; let me issue without disaster to my seat which is at the

prow of the Bark of Rā, the all-radiant one, as he riseth up from his

lair.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXVIII.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day._

Let the two doors of Heaven be opened to me: let the two doors of Earth

be opened to me: let the bolts of Seb open to me, and let the First

Mansion be opened to me, that he may behold me who hath kept guard over

me: and let him unloose me who hath wound his arms around me and hath

fastened his arms upon me into the earth.

Let the Re-hunit(1.) be opened to me, let me pass into the Re-hunit; let

the Re-hunit be given to me, that I may come forth by day whithersoever

my heart desireth.

Let me have possession of my heart, let me have possession of my Whole

heart; let me have possession of my mouth, let me have possession of my

legs, let me have possession of my arms, let me have possession of my

limbs absolutely; let me have possession of my funereal meals, let me

have possession of air, let me have possession of water, let me have

possession of the stream, let me have possession of the river, let me

have possession of the banks.

Let me have possession of all things soever which were ritually offered

for me in the Netherworld. Let me have possession of the table which was

made for me upon earth—the solicitations(2.) which were uttered for me

“that he may feed upon the bread of Seb.”

That which I execrate, I eat it not. Let me feed upon the bread of the

red corn of the Nile in a pure place, let me sip beer of the red corn of

the Nile in a pure place; let me sit under the branches of the palm

trees [in Heliopolis] in the train of Hathor, when the solar orb

broadeneth(3.), as she proceedeth to Heliopolis with the writings of the

divine words of the Book of Thoth.

Let me have possession of my heart, let me have possession of my Whole

heart; let me have possession of my arms, let me have possession of my

legs, let me have possession of my funereal meals, let me have

possession of air, let me have possession of water, let me have

possession of the stream, let me have possession of the river, let me

have possession of the barks.

Let me have possession of all things soever which were ritually offered

for me in the Netherworld. Let me have possession of the table which was

made for me upon earth.

Let me be raised up on the left and on the right; let me be raised up on

the right and on the left.

Let me sit down and let me stand up, and strain for the breeze [with] my

tongue and mouth like a skilled pilot.(4.)

_If this scripture is known, he will come forth by day and he will

travel over the earth in the midst of the living, uninjured for ever._

NOTES.

Copies of this chapter are found on the coffins of Mentuhotep and

Sebak-āa at Berlin, and have been published by Lepsius in his _Aelteste

Texte_, pl. 8, 21, 22, and 34. They are unfortunately in very mutilated

condition, and my translation follows the text of the Theban papyri.

1. The _Re-ḥunit_ in this place is clearly not an Egyptian locality, but

a passage between the Netherworld and heaven or earth.

2. _Solicitations_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _ambire_, _ambitio_, and in a

bad sense _ambages_.

3. This passage explains what is meant in Chapter 28 by the _god of the

Broad Face_. One of the papyri (_Ia_) adds the well known epithet of the

setting sun ⁂⁂ ‘old.’

It is Hathor who proceeds to Heliopolis, as the feminine suffix which is

used in the oldest texts, proves.

4. M. Lefébure (Papyrus de Soutimès, p. 3, note 8) understands the

passage as meaning “_I seek_ the direction of _the wind_ in order to

avoid it.” But I am inclined to recognize a superstition still current

among sailors, the “whistling for a breeze.”

The oldest copies and the more recent ones have different readings, and

though the words _uḫa ḫemu_ occur repeatedly in the Pyramid Texts, the

second word is not written ⁂⁂⁂⁂, as in the Theban papyri,

but ⁂⁂⁂⁂.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXIX.

_Otherwise said_:

I am a Flaming One, and brother to a Flaming One.

I am Osiris, brother to Isis. He who avengeth me is my son Horus, in

company with his mother, upon mine adversaries; adversaries who have

done to me all wicked and evil things.

Chains have been put upon their arms and hands and feet in consequence

of the evil things which they have done to me.

I am Osiris, the eldest of the great cycle of the gods(1.) and heir of

his father Seb.

I am Osiris, the Lord of the heads of life; powerful before and behind;

his phallus extendeth to the limits of the human race.[81]

I am Sahu, who assigneth the bounds as he saileth round the starry

throng of Heaven, the body of my mother Nut, who conceived me at her

will and brought me forth at her desire.

I am Anubis on the day of the Rending asunder.

I am the Bull in the Field; I, even I, Osiris, who shut up his father

and his mother on the day when the great slaughter took place. My father

is Seb and my mother is Nut.

I am Horus, the eldest of Rā as he riseth.

I am Anubis on the day of Rending asunder: I am Osiris.

O great One, who enterest and speakest to him who presenteth the tablets

and guardeth the door of Osiris,(2.) grant that I may come in and be

glorified, let me be appraised, and let me be made vigorous, that I may

come and avenge myself.

Let me sit at the cradle(3.) of Osiris, and put an end to my suffering

and pain; let me be made strong and vigorous at the cradle of Osiris, so

that I may be born with him and renewed. _Said twice._

Let me seize that Thigh(4.) which is under the place of Osiris, with

which I may open the mouth of the gods and sit by him, like Thoth the

Scribe, sound of heart,(5.) with thousands of loaves, beer, beef, and

fowl upon the table of my father, and the flesh of oxen and birds of

various kinds,(6.) which I offer to Horus, which I present to Thoth, and

which I sacrifice to the Lord of Heaven.

-----

Footnote 81:

_Cf._ note on the _Ass_ of Chapter 40.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXX.

_Another Chapter._

I have come to an end(7.) for the Lord of Heaven. I am written down as

sound of heart, and I rest at the table of my father Osiris, King of

Tattu, and my heart is stirred by his country. I breathe the eastern

breeze by its hair(8.); I grasp the north wind by its side lock; I grasp

the south wind by the skin as I make the circuit of heaven on its four

sides; I seize the east wind by the skin, and I give the breezes to the

faithful dead amid those who eat bread.

_If this scripture is known upon earth he will come forth by day, he

will walk upon earth amid the living: his name will be uninjured for

ever._

ce NOTES TO CHAPTERS LXIX AND LXX.

These last two chapters are always found together, and always appended

to the ancient Chapter 68. This is the case not only in the papyri, but

in tombs like that of Bakenrenef.

1. The later texts say “the eldest of the five gods.”

2. _Who presenteth the tablets and guardeth the door of Osiris._ See

picture of Thoth in the Psychostasia.

3. Where Osiris renews his birth.

4. _The Thigh._ The iron instrument so called used in the ceremony of

‘Opening the mouth’ of the deceased.

5. _Sound of heart_ implies that the conscience of the deceased has been

recognized as blameless.

6. _Oxen and birds of various kinds._ These kinds are named in the text,

but we have no corresponding European names.

7. _I have come to an end._ The first two words of this chapter are

evidently copied from the end of the last, but instead of _menḥu_,

‘sacrificial slaughter,’ the notion of _menȧ_ or _meni_ ‘coming to an

end,’ has been substituted. Later texts read “I do _not_ come to an

end.”

8. _Its hair._ All this paragraph sounds very strangely, and translators

are tempted to understand that the _hair_, _side-lock_, and _skin_ of

the deceased are acted upon by the winds.[82] But the feminine suffix

shows that the converse is the case. The speaker catches the air and

distributes it, as we are afterwards told, to the faithful departed.

-----

Footnote 82:

But we “catch Time by the forelock,” and so did the Greeks.

------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXXI.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day._(1.)

O Divine Hawk, who comest forth in Heaven, Lord of Mehurit.(2.)

Make thou me sound,(3.) even as thou hast made thyself sound, who

revealest thyself,(4.) who disrobest thyself, and presentest thyself to

the Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the Lord of the One

Face(5.).

I am the Hawk in the Tabernacle and I pierce through [that which is

upon] the Vail.(6.)

Here is Horus, the Son of Isis: Horus the Son of Isis.

Make thou me sound, even as thou hast made thyself sound, who revealest

thyself, who disrobest thyself, and presentest thyself to the Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the One Face.

I am the Hawk in the Southern Heaven, and Thoth in the Northern Heaven,

who appease the Flame when raging and who convey Law to the god who

loveth it.

Here is Thoth: Thoth.

Make thou me sound, even as thou hast made thyself sound, who revealest

thyself, who disrobest thyself, and presentest thyself to the Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the One Face.

I am Unbu of En-areref, the Flower of the Abode of Occultation.

Here is Osiris: Osiris.

Make thou me sound, even as thou hast made thyself sound, who revealest

thyself, who disrobest thyself, and presentest thyself to the Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the One Face.

O thou who art upon thy two legs [_or_ who art terrible upon thy two

legs], at thine own hour, owner of the Two Twin Souls, and who livest in

Two Twin Souls.

Make thou me sound, even as thou hast made thyself sound, who revealest

thyself, who disrobest thyself, and presentest thyself to the Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the One Face.

O thou who circlest round, within thine Egg, Lord of Mehurit.

Make thou me sound, even as thou hast made thyself sound, who revealest

thyself, who disrobest thyself, and presentest thyself to the Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the One Face.

Sebak standeth erect, surrounded by his high places, and Neith standeth

erect in the midst of her alluvial grounds, in order to reveal

themselves, to disrobe themselves and to present themselves to the

Earth.

May his will towards me be done by the Lord of the One Face.

Oh ye Seven Divine Masters,(7.) who are the arms of the Balance on the

Night wherein the Eye is fixed; ye who strike off the heads and cleave

the necks, who seize the hearts and drag forth the whole hearts, and

accomplish the slaughter in the Tank of Flame: ye whom I know and whose

names I know, know you me as I know your names.

I advance to you, advance ye to me: live in me and let me live in you.

Convey to me the Symbol of Life which is in your hands, and the Sceptre

which ye grasp.(8.)

Award to me the life of yearly speech through countless years of life in

addition to my years of life; countless months in addition to the months

of my life; countless days in addition to the days of my life; and

countless nights in addition to the nights of my life, that I may come

forth and beam upon my own images, with breath for my nostrils, and eyes

which see, amid those who are at the Horizon, on that day when brute

Force(9.) is brought to a reckoning.

_If this Chapter is known there is well-being on earth with Rā and a

fair abode with Osiris, and the person is glorified in the Netherworld.

There are granted to him the sacred cakes and the coming forth into the

presence,[83] in the course of each day, undeviatingly, for times

infinite._

NOTES.

1. The title as here translated is taken from the oldest known MS., that

of Nebseni. But the Papyrus _Pc_, which is of the same period, has

“_Chapter for entering after going forth by day, and for making

transformations in all forms_,” and this title or a very similar one is

found on other papyri. The most recent form is that in the Turin

copy—_Chapter for coming forth by day and repelling brute Force, so that

the person may not be seized in the Netherworld, but that his soul may

be made sound in the Ta-t’ eserit._

2. _Lord of Mehurit_ = Lord of Heaven, that is the Sun-god. The

invocation is repeated a little farther on, “O thou who circlest within

thine Egg, Lord of Mehurit.” The god is also said to be the owner of

“the Two Twin Souls,” namely Rā and Osiris.

3. The verb is here in the second person, not in the first. This is

shown by those texts which give the name of the person, instead of the

pronominal suffix, as the object of the verb.

4. _Thyself_ = Here, in all but the later copies, the pronoun of the

third person is used, in accordance with a well known Egyptian idiom.

5. _Lord of the One Face_ = μονοπρόσωπος in opposition to πολυπρόσωπος

which is an epithet of the Sky, on account of its many changes of

aspect. The Moon too has a variety of phases, whereas the Sun is

eminently the “Lord of One Face.” From another point of view the god, at

the beginning of chapter 64, is called the “Lord of Two Faces,” the

bright and the dark. The Pyramid Texts have the parallel conception of

the Two Eyes of Horus, one white and one black, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂

(Unas 37).

6. This passage receives illustration from the great inscription of

Piānchi, who at Heliopolis paid a visit to the great Tabernacle

(⁂⁂⁂) of the Sun-god, the doors of which he opened and

afterwards sealed up with the royal seal. Before going up the steps to

it he had to lift the _Vail_ (⁂⁂⁂⁂) or Curtains which

concealed it, and perform sprinklings and offer incense and flowers. Two

important words (of which the first has the interesting variant ⁂ and

the second is written ⁂⁂⁂ in the oldest texts) are thus made

clear.

The god is said, according to the different readings, to pierce

“through, the Vail” or “through _what is upon_ the Vail.”

It will be remembered that the Hebrew Holy of Holies was separated from

the Sanctuary by a curtain upon which the figures of Cherubim were

woven, that before the curtain of the Holy of Holies stood the altar

upon which incense was offered each morn and evening, and that in

sin-offerings the priest sprinkled blood seven times before the Vail of

the Sanctuary.

7. _The Seven Divine Masters_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or

⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,[84] were the offspring of Mehurit, and

assumed the form of Hawks.[85] They were the inventors and patrons of

all the arts and sciences, and they assisted Thoth in composition and in

the measurement of the earth. See references in Brugsch’s article,

_Zeits._, 1872, p. 6.

They are, I believe, to be identified, like the Seven Rishis of the

later Sanskrit literature, with the seven stars of the Great Bear. In

this conception the Polar star is represented by Thoth.

8. _The Symbol of Life and the Sceptre_, the ⁂ and ⁂.

9. _Brute Force_ ⁂⁂⁂, see chapter 57, note 5.

-----

Footnote 83:

Namely, “of the great god.” This ellipse is very frequent.

Footnote 84:

In the Prisse Papyrus this word is to be understood of a scholar or

sage, whose word is of authority.

Footnote 85:

They have human heads on the Louvre Sarcophagus D. 7.

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PLATE XIX.

BOOK OF THE DEAD

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXV.

=Papyrus du Louve, III, 93.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXVIII.

=Papyrus du Louvre, III, 89.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXVIII.

LEPSIUS, “Todt.,” Plate XXV.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXI.

=LEPSIUS, “Todt.,” Plate XXVI=.

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXI.

=Papyrus of Nebseni, British Museum, 9900.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXII.

=Papyrus du Louvre, III, 93.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXII.

=Papyrus, Berlin Museum, II.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXIII.

=Papyrus of Ani, British Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXIV.

=Papyrus of Ani, British Museum.=

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XX.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXII.

LEPSIUS, “Todt.,” Plate XXVII.

]

[Illustration:

CHAP. LXXIV. CHAP. LXXIII.

LEPSIUS, “Todt.,” Plate XXVII.

]

[Illustration]

[Illustration:

CHAPTERS OF THE TRANSFORMATIONS OR CHANGES.

=Cedar Coffin, in the Gizeh Museum.=

Published by BRUGSCH-PASHA, “Zeitschr. für Aeg. Spr.,” 1867.]

]

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CHAPTER LXXII.

_Chapter whereby one cometh forth by day and passeth through the

Ammchit._(1.)

Hail to you, ye Lords of Rule,(2.) devoid of Wrong, who are living for

ever, and whose secular period is Eternity.(3.) I make my way towards

you. Let me be glorified through my attributes; let me prevail through

my Words of Power, and let me be rated according to my merit.

Deliver me from the Crocodile(4.) of this Land of Rule.

Let me have a mouth wherewith I may speak, and let my oblations be

placed before you; because I know you, and I know your names: and I know

the name of that great god to whose nostrils ye present delicacies:

Tekmu is his name. And whether he maketh his way from the Eastern

Horizon of Heaven, or alighteth at the Western Horizon of Heaven, let

his departure be my departure, and his progress be my progress.

Let me not be stopped at the Meskat; let not the Sebau have mastery over

me; let me not be repulsed at your gates, let not your doors be closed

against me; for I have bread(5.) in Pu and beer in Tepu. And let me join

my two hands together(6) in the divine dwelling which my father Tmu hath

given me, who hath established for me an abode above the earth wherein

is wheat and barley of untold quantity, which the son of my own body

offereth to me there as oblations upon my festivals.

Grant me the funereal gifts, beef, fowl, bindings, incense, oil, and all

things good and pure upon which a deity subsists, regularly and

eternally, in all the forms I please.

Let me come down or go up to Sechit-aarru and arrive in Sechit-hotep.

I am the god in Lion form.

_If this book is learnt upon earth, or executed in writing upon the

coffin, he will come forth by day in all the forms he pleaseth, with

entrance into his house without repulse. And there shall be given to him

bread and beer and flesh-meat upon the table of Osiris. He will come

forth to Sechit-aarru, and there shall be given to him wheat and barley

there, for he will flourish as though he were upon earth, and he will do

all that pleaseth him, like those gods who are there: undeviatingly, for

times infinite._

NOTES.

This chapter is often found not only in papyri but upon coffins, in

accordance with the rubric at the end. The earliest copy is on the

coffin of Queen Mentuhotep. A very fine copy is on the alabaster

sarcophagus of Seti I, and our museums are rich in funereal monuments

inscribed with this ancient text. A very similar text is found at the

end of chapter 99.

1. _Ammehit_ is the name given in chapter 149 to the sixth abode in

Amenta, but here and in other places it is simply one of the names of

the Netherworld. In the inscriptions, for instance, of the tomb of Queen

Tita,[86] “passing through the two folding doors of the Ammehit” is in

parallelism with “going in and out of the divine Netherworld.”

2. _Lords of Rule._ This is the reading in most documents, but there are

others which have an equal claim to authority. The invocation is

sometimes made to the ⁂⁂ “those who are possessed of a _ka_,” that

is the “spirits made perfect,” those who have already passed through the

requisite trials, besides the gods who have never passed through the

stage of mortality, all of whom are possessed of a _ka_.

The invocation, according to another reading, which is that of chapter

99, is addressed to the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ “those who are beautiful or

perfect of _ka_.” Here the papyri add _lords of rule_, and the

invocation, whatever the reading may be, is always addressed to those

who have in their power the laws which regulate the universe.

3. _Whose secular period is Eternity._ ⁂⁂⁂ _ḥentȧ_ is the

period of 120 years (see _Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch._, XIV, 264) which was

their αἰών, _aevum_, corresponding in idea, not in actual time, to our

century. The secular period of the gods is eternity.

4. _The Crocodile._ Are we to understand this of the crocodile-headed

monster pictured in the representations of the Psychostasia? These

pictures are not known to us from as early a date as the chapter itself,

but they may have existed. Perhaps, however, this passage may have

suggested them.

5. _Bread._ The Egyptian word ⁂ _ta_, like its homonym ⁂, implies

something _pierced_ or _perforated_. The sacrificial cake חַלָּה in

Leviticus viii, 26 has the same meaning and, like חַלִיל _a pipe_, is

connected with חָלָל, _perforavit_, _confodit_, _aperuit_, _profanavit_.

See _Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch._, 1893, p. 386.

⁂ _ta_, a door or gate, and some other homonyms evidently come under

the same conception; cf. _porta_ and πείρω.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XXI.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXVII.

=Papyrus of Ani, British Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

=Papyrus of Ani, British Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

LEPSIUS, “Todt.”

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

=Leiden Papyrus,

T. 16.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

LEPSIUS, “Todt.”

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXIX.

=Papyrus du Louvre, III, 89.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXIX.

=Papyrus of Sutimes, Bibl. Nat.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXI.

=Papyrus of Ani, British Museum.=

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLATE XXII.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

=Papyrus of Ani,

British Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

=Papyrus of Ani,

British Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXIA.

=Papyrus of Nebseni, British Museum, No. 9900.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXV.

=Papyrus du Louvre, III, 89.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXII.

=Papyrus of Ani, British

Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

=Papyrus, Berlin Museum,

No. 2.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

=Papyrus, Leyden

Museum, II.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXVI.

=Papyrus of Ani, British

Museum.=

]

[Illustration:

CHAPTER LXXXVII.

=Papyrus, Berlin

Museum, No. 1.=

]

------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER LXXIII.

is identical with Chapter IX.

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