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Goldwin Smith
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RECORDS OF THE PAST:
BEING
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
OF THE
ASSYRIAN AND EGYPTIAN MONUMENTS.
PUBLISHED UNDER THE SANCTION
OF
THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY.
VOL. IV.
EGYPTIAN TEXTS.
Qo 1987
T~|
LONDON:
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS,
15, PATERNOSTER ROW.
NO TE.
Every Text here given is either now translated for the first
time, or has been specially revised by the Translator to the
date of this publication.
PREFACE.
THE success which has attended the publication of
the " RECORDS OF THE PAST " is evinced by the
appearance of the fourth volume containing another
selection of some of the most important historical
and other texts. Most of these have been previously
translated, but as they are scattered in works either
difficult of access or expensive to purchase, or else
have appeared in periodicals of scientific importance
not publicly known, or published in different Euro-
pean languages, their republication in a popular form
with the final corrections by the translators, whether
English or foreign, invests them with a fresh interest.
It is hardly necessary to refer to their value as con-
tributions to mythological, historical and philological
knowledge as this is now universally recognized.
They suddenly appear as apparitions of a departed
past, which at one time it was supposed would never
be recovered. The history of the West had been
told in the glowing pages of the Greeks and Romans,
that of the East a hazy and ill-defined conception of
thought remained so, till rock and clay, leather and
papyrus, had been compelled to reveal the secrets of
the unknown and almost magical characters in which
11 PREFACE.
that history was written. It then melted away from
the mere vague wedge or conventional sign, to appear
as the great drama of a history long passed, whose
leading characters, personal relations, and continuity
of action were again presented to the intellectual eye.
It is now removed from the closet of the student to
the wider domain of the general public, and all can
equally enjoy that which has hitherto been the
privilege of a few to attain. The course of time, the
rapid and irresistible progress of science and criticism,
may have hereafter to add some additional correc-
tions and final touches to the translations which have
hitherto been prepared. Such is however after all the
fate of translations of all books and in all languages,
each generation of mankind preferring to hear the
language of its day and each school of students
proposing its own form of transmitting thoughts.
The grand outlines and principal details remain
however essentially the same, and the highest am-
bition of improvers can neither destroy the golden
thread of the web of thought or disfigure the
immovable features of the history of the past.
S. BIRCH.
ist July, 1875.
CONTENTS.
PREFACE
HISTORICAL TEXTS.
ANNALS OF THOTHMES III. :
Inscription of Anebni ... ... ... i
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Inscription of Aahmes ... ... ... 5
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Obelisk of the Lateran 9
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Obelisk of Rameses II. ... ... ... ... 17
By FRANCOIS CHABAS.
Treaty of Peace between Rameses II. and the Hittites 25
By C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
Tablet of 400 years ... ... ... ... 33
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Invasion of Egypt by the Greeks in the reign of
Menephtah ... ... ... ... ... 37
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Dirge of Menephtah 49
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Possessed Princess ... ... ... ... ... 53
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Tablet of Ahmes ... ... ... ... ... 61
By PAUL PIERRET.
Neapolitan Stele 65
By C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
IV CONTENTS.
Rosetta Stone ... ... ... ... ... 71
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
ETHIOPIAN ANNALS :
Stele of the Dream ... 81
By G. MASPERO.
Inscription of Queen Madsenen 89
By PAUL PIERRET.
Stele of the Excommunication ... ... 95
By G. MASPERO.
MYTHOLOGICAL AND ROMANTIC TEXTS.
Hymn to Osiris 99
By FRANCOIS CHABAS.
Hymn to the Nile ... ... ... ... ... 107
By Rev. F. C. COOK, M.A.
Festal Dirge of the Egyptians 117
By C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
Book of Respirations ... ... ... ... 121
By P. J. DE HORRACK.
Tale of Setnau 131
By P. LE PAGE RENOUF.
List of Further Texts 150
ANNALS OF THOTHMES III,
THE INSCRIPTION OF ANEBNL
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
inscription is engraved on the dress of a
small statue in calcareous stone, at present in the
British Museum, representing the prince Anebni seated
on a pedestal. The inscription is in horizontal lines
of incuse hieroglyphs coloured blue. It came from
Thebes and probably from the tomb of Anebni, as
is proved by the sepulchral character of the dedica-
tion.
This small statue which was dedicated to Anebni
by the joint order of Thothmes III and the queen
VOL. IV. 2
2 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Hatasu or Hatsheps is valuable for proving their
united reign and their relationship to each other.
The whole of the prenomen Ramaka has been
erased, except a part of the seated figure of Truth,
Ma. There is however enough of this figure
remaining to show what it was and to prove the
historical fact. The statue itself was probably
made just previously to the sole reign of Thothmes
III, the revolution which took place and deprived
Hatasu of her power and probably her life, being
indicated by the erasure of her name, the sign of
the strong political feeling or passion which ac-
companied that event.
The statue has been published by Sharpe, Egyptian
Inscriptions, pi. 56. Lepsius Auswahl, Taf. xi.
INSCRIPTION OF ANEBNL
1 MADE by the desires of the good goddess the mistress
of the world RA-MA-KA living and established like the
Sun 1
2 and her brother the good god, the Lord doing things,
RA-MEN-KHEPER (THOTHMES III) the giver of life, like
the Sun eternal.
3 An act of giving peace to AMEN, Lord of the seats of
the two lands, to OSIRIS, Eternal Ruler, to ANUP" who
dwells
4 in the temple, attached to the coffin, Lord of Taser, 3 who
give sepulchral food of bread and beer, oxen, fowl,
clothes, incense, wax
5 all good and pure things, and all things, which come on
their altar
6 in the course of every day, to drink the water
7 out of the stream of the river, to breathe the delicious
air
8 of the North wind, to go in and out of the region
Ra-sta, 4 to the person
9 the perfect one, praised of his god, beloved
10 of his Lord on account of his good work, following his
Lord at his
1 Her name is partly erased, but proves their joint reign. Ramaka is
the prenomen of the Queen Hatseps.
* Anubis. 3 A region of the Hades or Cemetery.
4 Another region of the Hades, apparently that of the gates or roads
leading there.
4 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
11 footsteps in the lands of the South and North, the
royal son, Chief of the land, Superintendent of the
weapons
12 of the King, ANEBNI, justified to the company of the
great gods.
ANNALS OF THOTHMES III.
INSCRIPTION OF AAHMES.
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
'"PHIS inscription is on a stone tablet at present in
the Louvre at Paris, and came from El Kab or
Eileithyia. It completes a longer inscription found at
that spot detailing the capture of Avaris from the
Shepherds, and other wars at the beginning of the
XVIIIth dynasty and contains an abridged version
of the wars in which Egypt was engaged from the
reign of Amasis I to that of Thothmes III. It
will be seen that these wars were 'carried on simul-
taneously in the North and South and that Egypt
6 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
was pressed on both frontiers by its African and
Asiatic enemies. The Shasu are probably the Shos
or Shepherds. The inscription is however chiefly a
record of the rewards which Aahmes had received.
Published by Lepsius, Auswahl, 1842. Tav. xiv.
A. B., Prisse, Monuments Egyptiens, pi. IV. Translated
by Birch, Transactions Royal Society of Literattire,
New Series, Vol. II. p. 323.
INSCRIPTION OF AAHMES.
Line down the centre A.
(ACT of homage to OSIRIS lord of (Abydos) who gives
bread, beer, oxen, and fowl,)
clothes, incense, wax, all fruits, all good and pure things
to the Prince
Side A the lines at the commencement are wanting.
1 THE PRINCE, Chief, Chancellor, Counsellor ....
2 the Superintendent of the register of things captured,
AAHMES (surnamed) PENNISHEM
3 says ; I followed the King of Upper and Lower Egypt
the RA-NEB-PEH-TI (AAHMES I) the justified I captured
for him in the land of ....
4 one living prisoner, i hand I followed the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt the RA-TSER-KA (AMENOPHIS I)
the justified, I took for him in Kish 1
5 one prisoner alive. Again I acted for the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt the RA-TSER-KHEPER (AMENO-
PHIS I) the justified I took for him in the land of Amu-
6 -kahak 3 hands, 2 I followed the King of Upper and
Lower Egypt the RA-AA-KHEPER (THOTHMES I) the
justified I took for him in Kish
7 2 prisoners alive besides the prisoners brought by me
from Kish, I do not reckon them.
8 Again I acted for the King of Upper and Lower Egypt
the RA-AA-KHEPER (THOTHMES I) the justified I took for
him in the land of Naharai-
9 na 3 21 hands, a horse, and a chariot I followed the
King of Upper and Lower Egypt the RA-AA-EN-KHEPER
(THOTHMES II) the justified ;
1 Kush or Ethiopia. 2 The dead were counted by hands.
3 Mesopotamia.
8 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
10 I brought as tribute from the land of the Shasu 1 very
many prisoners, I do not reckon them.
Side B the lines at the commencement are wanting.
1 The Prince, the Chancellor, the Counsellor of the King
of Upper Egypt, the Instructor of the King of Lower
Egypt
2 . . construction, appointed every the palace,
(doing) the wishes in the approved palace of life and
health *
3 the . . . place . . words . . he repeated the
King of Lower Egypt to his ancestors the Superintendent
of account
4 of things captured AAHMES surnamed PENNISHEM who
says, Augmented be the (life of)
5 the Ruler, ever living, I never left the King out of sight
from
6 the King of Upper and Lower Egypt the RA-AA-
PEH-TI (AAHMES I) the justified to the King of Upper
and Lower Egypt the RA-AA-KHEPERU (THOTHMES I) the
justified. I was (living) in (the days)
7 of the reign of the King ending under the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt RA-MEN-KHEPER (THOTHMES
III) the ever-living. The King of Upper and Lower
Egypt RA-TSER-KA (AMENOPHIS I) gave me
8 2 golden armlets, 2 collars, a bracelet, a sword, a
crown inlaid with gems.
9 The King of Upper and Lower Egypt RA-AA-KHEPERU
(THOTHMES I) gave me 2 gold armlets, 4 collars, a
bracelet, (a sword ornamented with)
10 lions, 2 gold war axes. The King of Upper and
Lower Egypt RA-AA-KHEPERU (THOTHMES II) gave me
(2) gold (bracelets)
11 6 collars, 3 bracelets of lapis lazuli and a silver war axe.
1 The Arabs or Shepherds brought into the camp. 2 The Court.
ANNALS OF THOTHMES III.
OBELISK OF THE LATERAN.
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
inscription is engraved on the four sides of
a large obelisk of red granite commonly called the
Obelisk of St. John Lateran, at present existing on
the hill of the Lateran at Rome. It bears the in-
scriptions of three kings Thothmes III, Thothmes IV
of the XVIIIth Dynasty, and Rameses II of the
XlXth, who restored and set it up again. It has a
certain chronological interest from the mention of
35 years between Thothmes III and Thothmes IV.
The translation of those lines which relate to the
kings of the XVIIIth Dynasty only is given.
This obelisk appears to have been originally a
Theban one, and intended for the granite sanctuary
at Karnak. Next to the chronological data one of
IO RECORDS OF THE PAST.
the most interesting notices found in the inscription
is that of the barge of the god Amen-Ra which was
made of cedar cut down in the land of the Rutennu
or Syria. These barges each had different names,
and that of Thothmes III is mentioned in the in-
scription of Amenemheb already previously translated.
It will be observed that in the reign of Thothmes
IV Egypt is mentioned as dominant over foreign
nations and not undertaking further campaigns. These
obelisks were a kind of triumphal columns erected to
perpetuate the record of the national glories.
The text and a translation have been published by
Ungarelli, Interpretatio Obeliscorum fo. Rom. 1842,
tab. i, the text only, by Zoega, De usu et origine
Obeliscorum, fo. Rom. 1797 and also by Kircher,
CEdipus iii, 164. The latter part owing to an
incorrect joining of the fragments is confused and
unintelligible.
II
OBELISK OF THE LATERAN.
NORTH SIDE.
Scene on the Pyramidton* THOTHMES III adoring AMEN-
RA, and the inscription,
" The good god RA-MEN-KHEPER like the Sun,"
"AMEN, Tun" 3
THOTHMES III kneeling to AMEN-RA seated on his throne.
" The King of the Upper and Lower country RA-MEN-
KHEPER, Son of the Sun THOTHMES like the Sun, Immortal"
"AMEN-RA Lord of the seats of the Upper and Lower
countries, gives all life stability and power."
ON THE OBELISK.
Central Line of Hieroglyphs. THOTHMES IV. adoring the
hawk of HAR-EM-AKHU. S
The good god RA-MEN-KHEPERU Lord of the World, gives
incense that he may be made a giver of life.
Central Line. " The HARMACHIS, the living Sun, the
strong Bull beloved of the Sun, Lord of Diadems very
terrible in all lands, the Golden Hawk the Very Powerful,
the Smiter of the Libyans, the King RA-MEN-KHEPER, the
son of AMEN-RA, of his loins, whom his mother MUT gave
birth to in Asher, one flesh 4 with him who created him, the
Son of the Sun THOTHMES (III) the Uniter of Creation,
beloved of AMEN-RA Lord of the thrones of the Upper and
Lower country giver of life like the Sun for ever.
SOUTH SIDE.
Pyramidion, Upper Line. " The King RA-MEN-KHEPERU
(THOTHMES IV) giver of life beloved of AMEN-RA Lord
of the thrones of the two countries."
THOTHMES III adoring AMEN-RA
1 The Apex of the Obelisk. Titles of the god Amen-Ra.
3 Harmachis or Sun in the Horizon. 4 Or " substance."
12 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
" The Son of the Sun THOTHMES (III) giver of life like
the Sun for ever "
THOTHMES III kneeling offering wine to AMEN-RA seated
on a throne.
" The King RA-MEN-KHEPER, Son of the Sun THOTHMES
(III) giver of life like the Sun for ever "
The goddess Uat 1 gives a good life, AMEN-RA Lord of
the seats of the upper and lower country, gives life power
and stability
THOTHMES IV seated on a throne adoring the hawk of
HARMACHIS.
" The good god RA-MEN-KHEPERU giver of life like the Sun "
AMEN-RA King of the gods (says) " Thou hast received
life in thy nostril."
Central Line. " The HAR-EM-AKHU, the living Sun the
strong Bull, crowned in Thebes, Lord of diadems, aug-
menting his kingdom like the Sun in heaven, the Hawk of
Gold, the Arranger of Diadems, Very Valiant, the King RA-
MEN-KHEPER, approved of the Sun, Son of the Sun,
THOTHMES (III) has made his memorial to his father AMEN-
RA, Lord of the Seats of the upper and lower countries, has
erected an obelisk to him at the gateway of the temple
before Thebes, setting up at first an obelisk in Thebes to
be made a giver of life"
EAST SIDE.
Pyramidion. THOTHMES III taken in hand by AMEN-RA.
" The good god, RA-MEN-KHEPER, giver of life like the
Sun"
THOTHMES III kneeling and offering wine to AMEN-RA
seated on a throne.
" The King RA-MEN-KHEPER, Son of the Sun THOTHMES
giver of life like the Sun, gives water "
1 Buto, goddess of Northern Egypt.
OBELISK OF THE LATERAN. 13
"AMEN-RA King of the gods gives life stability and power"
THOTHMES III standing offering a pyramidal cake to the
hawk Of HAR-EM-AKHU. 1
" The good god, RA-MEN-KHEPER, giver of life, gives a
pyramidal cake of white bread that he may become a giver
of life "
Central Line. The HAR-EM-AKHU, the living Sun, beloved
of the Sun, having the tall crown of the upper region, the
Lord of diadems, celebrating the festivals in Truth, beloved
on earth, the Golden Hawk prevailing by strength, the King
of the Upper and Lower country, RA-MEN-KHEPER, beloved
of the Sun, giving memorials to AMEN in THEBES, augmenting
his memorials, making them as they were before, so that
each should be as at first ; never was the like done in former
times for AMEN in the house of his fathers, he made it the
Son of the Sun THOTHMES (III) Ruler of An 2 giver of life.
WEST SIDE.
Pyramidion. THOTHMES III received by AMEN-RA.
" AMEN, TUM "
"The good god, RA-MEN-KHEPER giver of life like the
Sun immortal "
THOTHMES III kneeling to AMEN-RA seated on a throne.
" The King RA-MEN-KHEPER, Son of the Sun, THOTHMES
(III), like the Sun immortal gives wine."
" UAT 3 gives life duration and health "
"AMEN-RA Lord of the seats of the upper and lower
countries, King the of gods, Ruler of An."
THOTHMES IV offering flowers to the hawk of HAR-EM-AKHU
" The good god, the Lord doing things, RA-MEN-KHEPERU,
giver of life like the Sun, gives incense that he may be
made a giver of life"
1 Harmachis or The sun in the Horizon, a title translated by Hermapion
" Apollo."
2 Heliopolis. 3 The goddess Buto.
14 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Central Line. "The HAR-EM-AKHU the living Sun, the
strong Bull, crowned by Truth, RA-MEN-KHEPER who
adores the splendour of AMEN in Thebes, AMEN welcomes
him in his heart dilates at the memorials of his
Son, increasing his kingdom as he wishes, he gives stability
and cycles to his Lord, making millions of festivals of thirty
years the Son of the Sun THOTHMES (III) uniting existence
(giver of life)"
[Two lateral lines on each side referring to Thothmes IV in
connection with the pyramidion already translated.]
NORTH SIDE.
Right Line. " The good god, the Image of diadems, es-
tablishing the kingdom like TUM, powerful in force, expeller
of the Nine bow foreigners, the King of the Upper and Lower
country, RA-MEN-KHEPER, taking by his strength like the
Lord of Thebes, very glorious like MENTU,' whom AMEN
has given strength against all countries ; the lands came in
numbers, the fear of him was in their bellies, the Son of the
Sun, THOTHMES (IV), Diadem of Diadems, beloved of
AMEN-RA, the Bull of his mother."
Left Side. " The King of the Upper and Lower country
beloved of the gods, adorer of the circle of the gods, wel-
comed by the Sun in the barge, and by TUM in the ark,
the Lord of the Upper and Lower countries, RA-MEN-
KHEPERU, 4 who has ornamented Thebes for ever, making
memorials in Thebes, the circle of gods of the house of
AMEN delight at what he has done, the son of the god TUM,
of his loins, produced on his throne, THOTHMES (IV) Diadem
of diadems."
SOUTH SIDE.
Right Line. " The Son of the Sun, THOTHMES (IV), Diadem
of Diadems, set it up in Thebes he capped it with gold, its
1 A form of Ra or the Sun an Egyptian Mars.
2 Prenomen of Thothmes IV.
OBELISK OF THE LATERAN. 15
beauty illuminates Thebes ; sculptured in the name of his
father the good god RA-MEN-KHEPER (THOTHMES III), the
King of the Upper and Lower country, Lord of the two
countries, RA-MEN-KHEPERU (THOTHMES IV) did it wishing
that the name of his father should remain fixed in the house
of AMEN. The Son of the Sun, THOTHMES (IV) giver of
life did it"
Left Line. " The King of the Upper and Lower country y
the Lord doing things, RA-MEN-KHEPERU, made by the Sun,
beloved of AMEN. His Majesty ordered that a very great
obelisk should be completed which had been brought by
his father RA-MEN-KHEPER (THOTHMES III) after His
Majesty died. This obelisk remained 35 years and upwards
in its place in the hands of the workmen at the Southern
quarters of Thebes. My father ordered it should be set up,
I his son seconded him."
EAST SIDE.
Right Line. " RA-MEN-KHEPERU (THOTHMES IV) multi-
plying memorials in Thebes of gold, lapis lazuli, and
jewellery, and the great barge on the river (named) AMEN-
USER-TA, hewn out of cedar wood which His Majesty cut down
in the land of Ruten 1 inlaid with gold throughout, and all
the decorations renewed, to receive the beauty of his father
AMEN-RA (when) he is conducted along the river. The Son
of the Sun THOTHMES (IV) Diadem of Diadems did it."
Left Line. " The good god, the powerful blade, the Prince
taking captive by his power, who strikes terror into the
Mena 3 whose roarings are in the Anu. 3 His father AMEN
brought him up, making his rule extended, the Chiefs of all
countries are attentive to the spirits of His Majesty, to the
words of his mouth, the acts of his hands, all that has been
ordered has been done. The King of the Upper and Lower
1 Syria. 2 Asiatic Shepherds. 3 Or Petti, Libyans.
1 6 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
country RA-MEN-KHEPERU, whose name is established in
Thebes giver of life."
WEST SIDE.
Right Line. "The King of the Upper and Lower country,
the Lord of the upper and lower world, RA MEN KHEPERU
son it making peaceful years, Lord of the gods,
who knew how to frame his plans and bring them to a good
end, who subdued the Nine bow foreigners under his sandals,
the King of the Upper and Lower country watched
to beautify the monuments, the King himself gave directions
for the work like him who is Southern rampart, 1 he set it
up, it remained for a while, his heart wished to create it, the
Son of the Sun THOTHMES (IV), Diadem of diadems."
Left Line. "The King of the Upper and Lower countries
RA-MEN-KHEPERU (THOTHMES IV) approved of AMEN,
dwelling amongst the Chiefs, born in him than
every King, rejoicing at seeing the beauty of his greatness:
his heart desired to place it. He gave him the North and
South submissive to his spirits, he made his monuments
to his father AMEN-RA, he set up a great obelisk to him at
the upper gate of Thebes facing Western Thebes. The Son
of the Sun whom he loves (THOTHMES IV) Diadem of
Diadems, giver of life did it."
At the base is a scene, Ra seated.
"AMEN-RA, HOR; Lord of heaven
" RA-USER-MA, approved of the Sun, RAMESES (II) beloved
of AMEN giver of life like the Sun "
The winged disk HUT, RA again
"AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of the upper and lower
countries, HAR-EM-AKHU, great god, Lord of the heaven"
" The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the two
countries, RA-USER-MA, approved of the Sun RAMESES (II)
beloved of AMEN."
1 Title of the god Ptah or Vulcan the eponymous deity of Memphis.
OBELISK OF RAMESES II.
(Now in the Place de la Concorde, Paris.)
TRANSLATED FROM THE
FRENCH TEXT OF M. FRANCOIS CHABAS.
Obelisk, the grandest monument of Egyptian
art now existing in Europe, is one of two which were
originally set up by Rameses II before the great
temple of Ammon-Ra at El Luxor. It is a monolith
of red granite. The Paris obelisk, which was the
shorter of the two, was /oft. 3 in. high (French) from
the end of the pyramidion down to the base, but ex-
clusive of the height of the pedestal which remained
at Thebes, the width of the obelisk at its base was
about /ft. 6in. and its weight upwards of 220,000
kilogrammes and contains on each face three vertical
lines of deeply cut hieroglyphics representing the
adorations of Rameses to Amen-Ra. The apex is
believed to have been originally protected by a
covering of gilded bronze.
The Viceroy of Egypt, Mohammed Ali, offered
to the British Government one of the obelisks of
VOL. IV. 3
1 8 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Alexandria, and the other to France ; but after
examination of the monolith and the difficulties of
transport, the proposal was declined by England.
When Champollion made his exploration of Egypt,
he examined the question, and upon his report the
two obelisks of Luxor were judged worth the
trouble and expense of transport. An especial vessel
the " Louqsor," was built at Toulon for the purpose,
and sailed in 1831 under the command of Ship
Lieutenant Verninhac St. Maur. The obelisk was
landed at Paris, 23 December, 1833.
The inscriptions have been several times translated
and published both on the Continent and in England.
There is a translation by Salvolini, Traduction des
Inscriptions sur Vobelisque de Paris, 4to., Paris 1837 ;
and the text is given by Champollion, Monuments,
Tome IV. pi. CCIX ; Sharpe, Egypt. Inscr., pi. 42, 43.
The translation here given is that given by M.
Chabas in Traduction complete des Inscriptions Hiero-
glyphiques de Vobelisque de Luxor, a Paris, 1868,
which has been selected as the most recent and as
combining the results of the studies of previous
Egyptologists.
OBELISK OF RAMESES II.
North side of Obelisk facing the Madeleine.
Vignette : Rameses II on his knees offering two vases of
wine to Ammon-Ra.
Cartouche of Jameses II: The master of the two worlds
OUSOR-MA-RA, Lord of the diadems, MEI-AMMON-RAMSES
The god says to the king : " I give thee perfect health, I
give thee life, stability and perfect happiness."
East side facing the Tuileries.
Vignette: The same subject as before.
Cartouche : The good god, master of the two worlds, OUSOR-
MA-RA, Son of the sun, Lord of the diadems, MEI-AMMON-
RAMSES, vivifying like the sun.
West side facing the Champs Elyse'es.
Same offering.
Cartouche : " The good god, master of the two worlds, OUSOR-
MA-RA, Son of the sun, Lord of the diadems, MEI-AMMON-
RAMSES, vivifying like the sun eternally"
South Side facing the Palais Legislatif.
Ramses II making an offering of water to Amun-Ra.
Cartouche : " The good god, OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA,
Son of the sun, MEI-AMMON-RAMSES, who gives life, stability
and happiness, like the sun. AMMON-RA tells him (to the
King) " I give thee perfect joy."
20 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
TRANSLATION
OF THE VERTICAL INSCRIPTIONS.
North side of Obelisk facing the Madeleine : Central
Column of hieroglyphics.
"The HoRUS-sun, strong bull of the Sun, who has
smitten the barbarians, 1 Lord of the diadems, who fights
millions, magnanimous lion, golden hawk, strongest on all
the world, OUSOR-MA-RA bull at his limit, obliging the
whole earth to come before him, by the will of AMMON his
august father."
" He has made (the Obelisk), the Son of the Sun MEI-
AMMON-RAMSES "living eternally."
Column of hieroglyphics, left of spectator.
" The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, the strongest (of the
strongest) who fights with his sword, King of great roarings,
master of terror, whose valour strikes the whole earth, King
of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA SOTEP-EN-RA
Son of the Sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES whose dominion is
twice cherished like that of the god inhabiting Thebes,
King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA SOTEP-EN-
RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES "The Vivifier."
Column to the right of the spectator.
" The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, the grandee of the triacon-
taerid fetes, who loves the two worlds, King strong by his
sword, who has seized both worlds, supreme Chief whose
royalty is great as that of the god TUM, King of Upper and
Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun
1 The Sati.
OBELISK OF RAMSES II. 21
MEI-AMMON-RAMSES. The Chiefs of the entire world are
under his feet ; King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-
MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES
" vivifier."
East side facing the Tuileries. Central Column :
"The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, fighting with his sword,
Lord of the diadems, who subdues (strikes down) whoever
nears him, who seizes the ends of the world, Golden Hawk,
very terrible, master of valour, King of Upper and Lower
Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA, divine 1 issue of his father AMON,
Lord of gods. Causing to be joyous the temple of the soul
and the gods of the great temple in joy. He has made the
obelisk the Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES "living
eternally."
Column at left of the spectator.
" The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, Son of AMMON, how multi-
plied are his monuments ! the very strong, beloved Son of
the sun, on his throne, King of Upper and Lower Egypt
OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-
RAMSES who has erected the dwelling of AMMON (Thebes),
like the heavenly horizon, by his great monuments for
eternity, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Son of the sun,
MEI-AMMON-RAMSES " vivifier."
Column to the right of the spectator.
"The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, beloved of the goddess
TRUTH," King doubly cherished as the god TUM, supreme
1 The recent publications of Mariette-Bey on Abydos have shewn the
real meaning of the word mdi, determined by the pebble of minerals ; it
is not the invitation mdi, but a word intimating- the idea of bodily
humours. The same word occurs with the determinative phallus, alluding
evidently to the meaning germen, semen.
* Ma.
22 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Chief, delight of AMMON-RA, for centuries ; King of
Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA Son
of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES : what is heaven, that
(such) is thy monument ; thy name will be permanent like
the heavens, King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-
MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES
"vivifier."
West side facing the Champs Elysees. Medial Column :
"The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, beloved of the goddess
TRUTH (MA) Lord of the diadems, who takes care of Egypt
and chastises nations, Golden Hawk, Master of armies, the
very strong, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-
MA-RA King of Kings, issue of TUM, one in body with him
to perform his royalty on earth for centuries, and to render
happy AMMON'S dwelling by benefactions. He has made
(the Obelisk) the Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES
" Living eternally."
Column to the left of the spectator.
" The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, rich in valour, King potent
by the sword, who has made himself master of the whole
world by his strength, King of Upper and Lower Egypt
OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-
RAMSES; all countries of the earth come to him with their
tributes, King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA-
SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES "vivifier."
Column to the right of the spectator.
" The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, beloved of the Sun, King
who is a great plague (to his enemies) ; the whole earth
trembles in terror of him, King of Upper and Lower Egypt
OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA, Son of the sun (MEI-AMMON-
OBELISK OF RAMSES II. 23
RAMSES) Son of MONT, whom MONT has formed with his
hand, King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA,
SOTEP-EN-RA, Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES
"vivifier."
South side facing the Palais Legislatif. Central Column :
"The HoRUS-sun, strong bull, very valorous, King of
Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA eldest
son of the King of the gods, who has raised him on
his throne on the earth, like an unique Lord, possessor of
the whole world ; he knows him, as he (the king) had done
homage to him by bringing to perfection his dwelling for
millions of years, mark of the preference he had in the
Southern Ap for his father, who will prefer him for millions
of years. He has made (the Obelisk) the Son of the sun
MEI-AMMON-RAMSES " vivifier " eternal as the sun."
Column to the left of the spectator.
"The HoRus-sun, strong bull, loved by the goddess
TRUTH (MA) King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-
RA, SOTEP-EN-RA, Son of the sun. MEI-AMMON-RAMSES,
Scion of the sun, protected by HARMACHIS, illustrious seed,
precious egg of the sacred Eye, emanation of the King
of the gods, to be the unique Lord possessor of the whole
world, King of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA,
SOTEP-EN-RA Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES, " eternal
vivifier."
Column to the right of the spectator.
" The HoRus-sun, strong bull, beloved of the sun, King
of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA
Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES King excellent, war-
like, vigilant to seek the favours of him who has begotten
him : thy name is permanent as the heavens ; the length
24 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
of thy life is like the solar disk therein I (the heavens), King
of Upper and Lower Egypt OUSOR-MA-RA, SOTEP-EN-RA
Son of the sun MEI-AMMON-RAMSES, eternal vivifier like
the sun."
1 Like the solar disk, eternally ranging the celestial vault.
2 5
TREATY OF PEACE
BETWEEN
RAMESES II. AND THE HITTITES,
TRANSLATED BY
C W. GOODWIN, M.A.
inscription of the Treaty of Peace in the
2 ist year between Rameses II of the XlXth
dynasty and the Kheta, supposed to be the Hittites,
occurs on an outer wall of the temple of Kar-
nak where it still remains. The text has been
published by Rosellini, Monumenti Storici, fo.,
Firenze 1832, MR. CXVI ; by M. Lepsius, Denk-
maeler, fo., Berlin, Abth. Ill, Bl. 146 ; and by M.
Brugsch, Recueil des Monuments, 4to., Leipzig 1862,
I, PL xxviii. The following are the principal trans-
lations that have been made of it : one by Rosellini,
Monumenti Storici, 8vo., Firenze 1839, Tom. 3, Pt. II,
p. 268 ; another by De Rouge in M. Egger's Etudes
sur les Traites Publics, 8vo., 1866, p. 243 ; and another
also by the same translator in the Revue Archeologique,
26 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
8vo., Paris 1866, Vol. XIII, p. 268 ; that of the present
translator in the Pantheon, 4to., London 1862, No. 14 ;
and one by M. Chabas, Voyage d'un Egyptien, 4to.,
Chalon 1866, p. 33. Unfortunately the final portion
of the inscription is very much destroyed, and as no
duplicate copy has as yet been discovered the in-
teresting details at the close are left very obscure.
It is the earliest example on record of an extra-
ditionary treaty, and the careful provisions stipulated
for the protection of the persons delivered up show
the humane state of international law prevalent at
this remote period amongst the Egyptians and neigh-
bouring nations as well as the solemn pledges and
oaths taken by the contracting parties to ratify the
treaty and carry out their engagements. The docu-
ment also throws some light upon the religion of the
Kheta, and mentions among their gods Sutech and
Astaruta or Ashtaroth. It is also remarkable for
stating that the original of the treaty was inscribed
upon a plate of silver, and as the front had the device
of the god Sutech it is probable that it was the
authenticated one of the Kheta prince, and also
in the language and character of that people.
S. B.
TREATY OF PEACE.
1 The twenty-first year, the twenty-first day of Tybi, 1 in
the reign of King RA-USER-MA, approved by the Sun, Son
of the Sun, RAMESSU-MERIAMEN, endowed with life
eternal and for ever; lover of AMEN-RA, HARMACHU,
PTAH of Memphis, MAUT Lady of Asheru, and CHENSU-
NEFERHOTEP; invested upon the throne of HORUS,
among the living, like his father HARMACHU, eternally
and for ever.
2 On this day behold His Majesty was in the city of the
House of Ramessu-Meriamen, making propitiations to
his father AMEN-RA, to HARMACHU, to ATOM Lord of
On, to AMEN of Ramessu-Meriamen, to PTAH of
Ramessu-Meriamen, to SUTECH the most glorious son of
NUT; may they grant him an eternity of thirty-years'
festivals, an infinity of years of peace, all lands, all
nations, being bowed down beneath his feet for ever.
3 There came a royal Herald (nearly a whole line is erased
here ; the sense is, two royal Heralds came, bringing a tablet
of silver, which)
4 the Grand-Duke of Kheta, KHETA-SIRA, had sent to the
King to beg for peace of King RA-USER-MA, approved of
the Sun, Son of the Sun, RAMESSU-MERIAMEN, endowed
with life for ever and ever, like his father the Sun
continually. Copy of the plate of silver which the
Grand-Duke of Kheta, KHETASIRA, sent to the King by
the hand of his Herald
5 TARTISBU, and his Herald RAMES, to beg for peace of
His Majesty RA-USER-MA, approved of the Sun, Son of
I The fifth month.
28 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
the Sun, RAMESSU-MERIAMEN, Chief 1 of rulers, whose
boundaries extend to every land at his pleasure, The
covenant made by the Grand-Duke of Kheta, KHETA-
SIRA, the puissant, son of MARASARA,
6 the Grand-Duke of Kheta, the puissant, grandson of
SAPALALA, the Grand-Duke of Kheta, the puissant; upon
the plate of silver, with RA-USER-MA, approved of the
Sun, the great ruler of Egypt, the puissant, son of RA-
MEN-MA (Seti Meneptah I.) the great ruler of Egypt, the
puissant, grandson of RA-MEN-PEHU (Ramessu I.).
7 the great ruler of Egypt, the puissant : The good con-
ditions of peace and fraternity ... to eternity, which
were aforetime from eternity. This was an arrangement
of the great ruler of Egypt with the great Prince of
Kheta, by way of covenant, that god might cause no
hostility to arise between them ! Now it happened
S in the time of MAUTENARA, the Grand-Duke of Kheta,
my brother, that he fought with . . . the great ruler of
Egypt. But thus it shall be henceforth, even from this
day Behold; KHETASIRA the Grand-Duke of Kheta
covenants to adhere to the arrangement made by the Sun,
made by SUTECH, concerning the land of Egypt,
9 with the land of Kheta, to cause no hostility to arise
between them for ever. Behold, this it is KHETASIRA
the Grand-Duke of Kheta covenants with RA-USER-MA,
approved by the Sun, the great ruler of Egypt from this
day forth, that good peace and good brotherhood shall
be between us for ever.
10 He shall fraternize with me, he shall be at peace with
me, and I will fraternize with him, I will be at peace with
him for ever. It happened in the time of MAUTENARA
the Grand-Duke of Kheta, my brother, after his decease,
KHETASIRA sat as
1 Lit., bull.
TREATY OF PEACE. 29
1 1 Grand-Duke of Kheta upon the throne of his father-
Behold I am at one in heart I with RAMESSU-MERIAMEN,
the great ruler of Egypt ... of peace, of brotherhood ;
it shall be better than the peace and the brotherhood,
which was before this. Behold, I the Grand-Duke of
Kheta with
12 RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the great ruler of Egypt, am in
good peace, in good brotherhood ; the children's children
of the Grand-Duke of Kheta shall be in good brother-
hood and peace with the children's children of RAMESSU-
MERIAMEN the great ruler of Egypt As our (treaty) of
brotherhood, and our arrangements
13 (made for the land of Egypt) with the land of Kheta r
so to them also shall be peace and brotherhood for ever ;
there shall no hostility arise between them for ever. The
Grand-Duke of Kheta shall not invade the land of Egypt
for ever, to carry away anything from it ; nor shall RAMESSU-
MERIAMEN the great ruler of Egypt invade the land
14 of Kheta for ever to carry away anything from it for
ever. The treaty of alliance which was even from the
time of SAPALALA the Grand-Duke of Kheta, as well as
the treaty of alliance which was in the time of MATENARA*
the Grand-Duke of Kheta my father, if I fulfil it,
behold RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the great ruler of Egypt
shall fulfil it
1 5 ... together with us, in each case, even from this day,
we will fulfil it, executing the design of alliance. If any
enemy shall come to the lands of RAMESSU-MERIAMEN
the great ruler of Egypt, and he shall send to the Grand-
Duke of Kheta saying, Come and give me help against
him, then shall the Grand-Duke of Kheta
1 6 ... the grand-Duke of Kheta to smite the enemy ; but
if it be that the Grand-Duke of Kheta shall not come
1 Lit., " in corde." 2 Should be Mura-sara.
30 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
(himself), he shall send his infantry and his cavalry . . .
to smite his enemy ... of the anger of RAMESSU-
MERIAMEN
17 ... the slaves of the gates, and they shall do any
damage to him, and he shall go to smite them, then shall
the Grand-Duke of Kheta together with . . .
1 8 ... to come to help to smite his enemies, if it shall
please RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the great ruler of Egypt to
go, he shall . . .
19 ... to return an answer to the land of Kheta. But if
the servants of the Grand-Duke of Kheta ' shall invade
him, namely RAMESSU-MERIAMEN . . .
(Lines 20 and 21 are nearly erased.)
22 .. from the lands of RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the great
ruler of Egypt and they shall come to the Grand-Duke
of Kheta, then shall the Grand-Duke of Kheta not
receive them, but the Grand-Duke of Kheta shall send
them to RA-USER-MA, approved of the Sun, the great
ruler of Egypt . . .
23 ... and they shall come to the land of Kheta to do
service to any one, they shall not be added to the land of
Kheta, they shall be given up to RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the
great ruler of Egypt. Or if there shall pass over . . .
24 ... coming from the land of Kheta, and they shall
come to RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the great ruler of Egypt,
then shall not RA-USER-MA, approved of the Sun, the
great ruler of Egypt . . .
25 ... and they shall come to the land of Egypt to do
service of any sort, then shall not RA-USER-MA, approved
of the Sun, the great ruler of Egypt, claim them; he
shall cause them to be given up to the Grand-Duke of
Kheta . . .
26 ... the tablet of silver, it is declared by the thousand
TREATY OF PEACE. 31
gods, the gods male, 1 the gods female, those which are of
the land of Kheta, in concert with the thousand gods, the
gods male, the gods female, those which are of the land
of Egypt, those . . .
27 ... SUTECH of Kheta, SUTECH of the city of A . . . ,
SUTECH of the city of Taaranta, SUTECH of the city of
Pairaka, SUTECH of the city of Khisasap, SUTECH of the
city of Sarasu, SUTECH of the city of Khira(bu), SUTECH
28 ... SUTECH of the city of Sarapaina, ASTARATA of
Kheta, the god of Taitatkherri, the god of Ka . . .
29 ... the goddess of the city of ... the goddess of
Tain . . . , the god of ...
30 of the hills of the rivers of the land of Kheta, the gods
of the land of Kheta, the gods of the land of Tawatana,
AMEN the Sun, SUTECH, the gods male, the gods female,
of the hills, the rivers of the land of Egypt, the ... the
the great sea, the winds, the clouds. These words
3 1 which are on the tablet of silver of the land of Kheta,
and of the land of Egypt, Whosoever shall not observe
them, the thousand gods of the land of Kheta, in concert
with the thousand gods of the land of Egypt shall be
(against) his house, his family, his servants. But who-
soever shall observe these words which are in the tablet
of silver, be he of Kheta . . .
32 ... the thousand gods of the land of Kheta, in con-
cert with the thousand gods of the land of Egypt shall
give health, shall give life to his (family) together with
himself together with his servants. If there shall pass
over one man of the (land of Egypt) or two, or three
33 (and they shall go to the land of Kheta then shall the
Grand-Duke of Kheta cause them to be) given up again
to RA-USER-MA, approved of the Sun, the great ruler of
1 Lit., warriors.
32 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Egypt, but whosoever shall be given up to RAMESSU-
MERIAMEN, the great ruler of Egypt,
34 let not his crime be set up against him let not . . .
himself, his wives, his children If there shall
pass over a man from the land of Kheta be it one only,
be it two, be it three, and they come to RA-USER-MA,
approved of the Sun
35 the great ruler of Egypt let RAMESSU-MERIAMEN the
great ruler of Egypt seize (them and cause them to be)
given up to the Grand-Duke of Kheta (but whosoever
shall be delivered up . . . ) himself, his wives, his children,
moreover let him not be smitten to death, moreover let
him not (suffer ?)
36 in his eyes, in his mouth, in his feet, moreover let not
any crime be set up against him. That which is upon
the tablet of silver upon its front side is the likeness
of the figure of SUTECH ... of SUTECH the great ruler of
heaven, the director of the Treaty made by KHETASIRA
the great ruler
37 of Kheta . . .
38 ...
33
HE TABLET OF 400 YEARS
XlXth DYNASTY.
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
PHIS Inscription is incised on a tablet of red granite
found in the ruins of the ancient Tanis, which is at
present in the Museum of Boulaq in Cairo. The
monument and a translation have been published by
Mariette Bey in the Revue Archeologique, vol. xi,
Paris, 1865 ; pi. 4, p. 169 and foil. The inscription is
in some respects peculiar if not suspicious. It is an
act of homage from a high officer of state named
Seti to the god Sut in the reign of Rameses II of the
XlXth dynasty, and gives an interval of 400 years
between his reign and that of the rule of the Hyk-
shos or Shepherds. As such it is most important for
VOL. IV. 4
34 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
the chronology although unfortunately the place of the
Shepherd king in the dynasty is not known, nor is
the regnal year of Rameses II mentioned in the
tablet, which had it been, would have given two
fixed points for the duration of the XVIIIth and
XlXth dynasties.
35
THE TABLET OF 400 YEARS.
The upper part of the tablet contains the usual vignette,
the subject being, a
Scene representing RAMESES II " giving wine to his beloved
that he may make him a giver of life." The god SUT in
his human form wearing the white crown hut, and holding
the ankh t as symbol of life and the uas, sceptre. The
officer SETI stands behind the monarch in adoration to
SUT. The inscription runs : " A gift of adoration to
thy person Oh SUT, Son of NUT, give thou a long time in
thy service to the Prince, Nomarch, Royal Scribe of the
horses, Superintendent of the countries Superintendent of
the fortress Ta-ru " (Parameses).
1 THE Living HORUS, the Living Sun, the Powerful Bull
beloved of Truth, Lord of the Festivals of Thirty Years
like his father PTAH, King of Upper and Lower Egypt
RA-USER-MA, Approved of the Sun, Son of the Sun
RAMESES beloved of AMEN Giver of Life
2 Lord of Diadems, Regulator of Egypt, Chastiser of
Foreign Lands, Sun born of the gods, Possessor of the
Upper and Lower country, the Hawk of Gold, Rich in
Years, Greatest of the Powerful
3 the King of the Upper and Lower country, RA-USER-MA,
Approved of the Sun, the Son of the Sun,. RAMESES,
beloved of AMEN, the Chief enriching the two countries
with memorials in his name,
4 the Sun has shone above to his wishes ' the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-USER-MA, Approved of
the Sun, RAMESES beloved of AMEN.
1 Or, as the king liked.
36 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
5 His Majesty ordered that a great Tablet of stone should
be made in the great name of his fathers for the sake
of setting up the name of the father of his fathers,
6 the King of the Upper country RA-MEN-MA, Son of the
Sun, SETI" beloved of PTAH, firm and prosperous for ever
like the Sun daily.
7 The 4ooth year the 4th of the month Mesori 2 (of) the
King of the Upper and Lower country SUT-AA-PEH-PEH,
Son of the Sun, whom he loves NuB-Ti 3 beloved of HAR-
EMAKHU 4 who is for evier and ever.
8 A journey was made by the Prince, the Superintendent
of the nome, the Fan Bearer at the King's right hand,
the Superintendent of bows, the Superintendent of lands,
the Superintendent of the fort of Taru, the Chief of
the Matau, the Royal Scribe of the cavalry
9 the Processional Priest of Ba-neb-tat s the High Priest of
SUT, officer 6 of Uat 7 the Ruler of the two countries,
the Superintendent of the Priests of all the gods,
SETI, justified Son of the Prince, the Governor of the
district,
10 the Superintendent of the bows, the Superintendent of
the countries, the Royal Scribe of the horses PARAMESES,
justified, born of the Lady of the house, the Singer of the
Sun, TAA, justified he says
1 1 Hail to thee SUT son of NUT, AAPEHPEH in the boat of
millions of years, overthrowing enemies before the boat
of the Sun, great are thy roarings in
12 .... grant me a good time of life to follow thy person
I have been placed in
1 Sethos I, king of the XlXth dynasty. * The i2th month.
3 Name of the Shepherd king, predecessor of Apophis, a kind of minister,
sepulchral or civil.
4 Harmachis, " The sun in the horizon."
5 Mendes. 6 The Karheb. 7 Buto.
37
THE
INVASION OF EGYPT BY THE GREEKS,
UNDER THE XlXth DYNASTY.
IN THE REIGN OF MENEPHTAH.
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
HTHE text of this inscription is found on one of the
walls of a small court lying South of the great outer
wall of the principal Temple of Karnak in Egypt.
The upper part of the inscription has been broken
away and the top of each line has lost from a fourth
to third part of its entire length, the lower portion was
encumbered with ruins and remained inaccessible till
it was uncovered by the late Vte. de Rouge. The
text has been published by Professor Lepsius Denk-
maeler Abth. Ill, 199, 2, by M. Brugsch, Geographische
Inschriften, 4to, 1858, II. Taf. LXXXV, and more
perfectly by M. Duemichen, Historische Inschriften.
Taf. I V. Translations of the inscription have also
been made by the Vte. de Rouge, Revue A rcheologique,
38 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
8vo, Paris 1867, p. 167, by M. Chabas, Etudes de
rAntiquite historique, 8vo, Paris 1870-73, the last of
which is the most complete extending to the sixty-
second line. The historical interest of this text is
that it gives an historical account of the first years of
the reign of Menephtah I. of the XlXth dynasty the
son and successor of Rameses II. In it is detailed
the invasion of Egypt from the West by the allied
army of the Libyans, the Maxyes, the supposed
Achaeans or Greeks, the Sicilians, the Tyrrhenians or
Etruscans, the Sardinians and the Lycians identified
as such by M. de Rouge. It is the earliest historical
mention hitherto discovered of the Greeks, while the
great antiquity of the inscription shows the state of
the population and colonization and civilization of the
Mediterranean at that remote period. Exhibiting as it
is thought to do the first point of contact between the
Hellenic and Italian with the Egyptian and Hamitic
races, it offers valuable data for the resolution of the
problems involved in the earliest Hellenic legends,
history and literature.
39
INVASION OF EGYPT.
Three fragments marked A, B, c.
FRAGMENT A.
Commencement of five perpendicular lines.
1 Then were smitten the Chiefs
2 of his country, in bulls, catties, and asses . . .
3 men of the fallen enemy
4 their weapons, smitten
5 unknown is the stopping of their hand, they were . . .
6 valour of the gods in the moment of time
FRAGMENT B.
Middle of seven perpendicular lines.
1 ... Total 2 . . .'
2 ... its Chief bearing . . .
3 ... divine
4 ... the powerful Sun, more powerful than the Nine
bow barbarians
5 ... victory. He was not taken the .... were
6 ... which I gave Tamera" in ....
FRAGMENT C.
End of nineteen horizontal lines.
1 the safety
2 he received without exception the morning of the
3 .... of the men who had invaded it the eye of every
god
4 great. The two lands of Tamera being given
1 Line i of this fragment perhaps continues line 3 of fragment A, line 2
B continues line 4 of the same fragment, and so on.
2 Northern Egypt.
40 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
5 the doers of evil, were pierced by every god
who was
6 ...... (beseeching) their heart -to see the breath of
BA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN.
7 the temples, they caused them to go into
8 .... (MERENPTAH) at peace through Truth, may the
time of his life be like the sun he answers on
9 ... of His Majesty, called Namaurumeri* the not
10 MERENPTAH at peace through Truth, called AMEN, the
Prince of the land of Lubu. 2 Assembled the abominable
11 ... swiftness (of ... their) swiftness. The Living
Lord will catch him, knowing
12 ... joy coming forth from the cities of Tamera 3
13 ..... gods. The Living Lord subdued him com-
manding
14 .... their hand the wells open ....
15 .... slept tranquil close to the fields
1 6 .... the well incessantly calling out at night
17 the ploughing of the .... waters
1 8 ... approaching ' 4 saying a. salutation
19 .... land of Mateni 5 and Innu
The principal portion is in seventy-seven lines.
1 ... i, the Akauasha, 6 Tursha, 7 Luku, 8 Sharutana, 9
Shekilusha, 10 (all the lands of the North of the great sea,)
came all the lands
2 ... victorious by the valour of AMEN, was the King
of the Upper and Lower Country, BA-EN-RA, beloved of
AMEN, the Son of the Son of the Sun MENEPHTAH at
peace through Truth, giver of life. Then that good god
was ....
1 Or called also " the Maurui," Mauri, Moors. 2 Libya.
3 Northern Egypt.
4 Her tet, probably in or out of the mud or dirt. 5 Greek Isles.
6 Achaioi, Achseans. 7 Tursenoi, Etruscans. 8 Lycians.
9 Sardinians. I0 Sicilians.
INVASION OF EGYPT BY THE GREEKS. 41
3 ... followed him every god as his protection, every
land was in fear at sight of him the King of the Upper
and Lower Country BA-EN-RA, beloved of AMEN, the
Son of the Sun, MENEPHTAH at peace through Truth
4 capture had been made of the places, he
had ordered that they should bow down to his rule, the
invaders of all his frontiers to (his) victory . . .
5 ... all his acts are ordered as the breath of life, he
caused men to refuse repose, preponderant was his
valour in
6 ... to guard Heliopolis, the city of the god TUM, to
protect Memphis, the fortress of Tanen and to put in
good condition what had been ruined
7 ... lines before Pa-Baris, the environs of the canal of
Shakana at the north of the pool of Har
8 ... (as the plains) uncultivated, which had been left
as pasturages on account of the Nine bow barbarians. It
had been infested in the time of the ancestors. All the
Kings of Upper Egypt reposed in secret monuments 1
9 ... and the Kings of Lower Egypt were reposing in
their city surrounded by a perishing sepulchre. 2 The
troops had not auxiliaries to answer. It happened
10 (that the King MENEPHTAH was raised) on the throne of
HORUS (where) he had been placed to give life to Man-
kind, he had gone as King to watch over mortals, there
was a courage in him to make him in the .... the two
lands, I was
n (ordering him to go) in the land of Bairu 3 he gave
orders to the elite of his troops, he sent his cavalry in all
directions, his emissaries his march in
12 his .... for he did not care for hundreds of thousands
1 Aimer, or smer, sepulchres.
1 Alluding to the tombs of the Biban-el-Moluk and the pyramids.
3 Or Mabairu.
42 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
in the day of battle. His soldiers proceeded coming in
good order, leading the auxiliaries to every land
13 .... month of the summer for the vile Chief of the
the Lubu x MARMAIU son of TAIT descended from the
land of the Tahennu 8 with his auxiliaries,
14 (the Mashuash, 3 the Kahaika, 4 ) the Sharutana, 5 the
Shakalusha, 6 the (A)kauasha, the Tursha 7 placing them at
the head of all the combatants and all the heroes of
his country. He led his wife and children
15 ... the Captains of his troops, the Chiefs of the
camp, he penetrated the Western frontier from the field of
Pa-ari-sheps. Then His Majesty arose furious against
them like a lion
1 6 (glaring He said to them), Listen ye to all the words
of your Lord, I let you know this that is to say, I am
the ruler who is leading you, I watch to find out
17 (. . . . your father. Is there one among) you like him
to give life to his children ? You tremble like geese not
knowing what is best to do, not answering the (enemy)
1 8 (Egypt is) desolated, and abandoned to the incursion
of any land, Nine 8 bow barbarians are overrunning its
frontiers; the revolters are invading it daily. Every
country is pillaging
19 (its cities coming) to devastate the harbours they go to
the fields of Egypt (and) to the river. They stand and
remain therein days and months, seated
20 (in the country) They reach the mountains of the
land of Ut, 9 ravaging the circuit of Taahu, acting like it
was under Kings in the records of other times in days not
known
1 Libyans. * Mauritania. s Maxyes. 4 Caicai.
5 Sardinians. 6 Sicilians. 7 Turseni, Etruscans.
8 Supposed to be a confederacy of Nine States.
9 A place supposed to be in the Oxyrrhynchite nome.
INVASION OF EGYPT BY THE GREEKS. 43
21 ... (coming) as reptiles, they are not made to turn
back (crawling) on their bellies, loving death and hating
life, their heart does it not revolve
22 (evil) . . . they follow their Chief, they are looking out
in the cultivated land, 1 coming fighting to fill their bellies
daily. They come to the land of Kami 2 to search for
provisions for their mouths, they give their hearts
23 (to settle in Egypt) I ... I find they are brought in
like netted fish? their Chief is like a hound a vile person
without heart, he sitsjirm
24 ... approaching the land of the Petti-Shu which I made
take corn in boats to give life to that land of the Khita,
for I am the one to whom the gods have brought all
support
25 ... (the whole world) is under my power the King of
the Upper and Lower Country BA-EN-RA beloved of
AMEN, the Son of the Sun, MENEPHTAH, at peace through
Truth, the giver of life, augmenting my support, aug-
mented is (the support of AMEN) I am firm as the ruler
of the two countries, the lands
26 ... Upper and Lower Egypt. AMEN has asserted
his word in Uast 4 he has turned back his head to the
Mashuasha 5 (they will not) see the land of
Tamahu. Are
27 ... (placed) the auxiliaries in front, let them slaughter
the land of Lubu, 6 they go forth, the hand of god with
them, AMEN (protecting] them with their bucklers. /
order the country of Kami 7 saying
28 (Let the troops be) prepared to unite in the fourteenth
day. His Majesty saw in a dream* as it were a figure of
the god PHTAH standing to prevent the advance of the King
It was as high
1 Nekhta-ta corn or arable land. a Egypt. 3 Or " fowlers."
4 The Thebaid, West Thebes. 5 Maxyes.
6 Libya. 7 Egypt. 8 Or vigil, watch.
44 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
29 .... it said to him, Make a stand. It gave him the
scimitar. Do you put away the dejected heart from you.
His Majesty then said
30 (What am I to do ? It replied) Let the infantry and
cavalry in their number, advance in front of them to the
cultivated land in the defiles of the nome of Pa-ari-sheps.
Then the vile Chief of
31 (the Libyans . . . .) the night of the first of the month
Epiphi x at dawn to meet together. The 'vile Chief of the
Lubu made a march at the date of the third of the month
Epiphi, bringing
32 (his troops) ... to fight them. An advance was made
by the army of His Majesty with his cavalry AMEN was
with them NUBTI, gave them his hand, (every) one
33 (was slaughtering the enemy fallen in) their blood
nothing remained of them? For the auxiliary forces of
His Majesty were six hours slaughtering of them, they
put them to the sword making
34 .... of the land. When they were fighting the vile
Chief of the Lubu (looked on). His cowardly heart was
afraid he stretched forth
35 (his legs in flight, he threw down under) the sandals his
bow. His weapons in haste were left behind (and all he
had) with him a violent despair took him and a great
terror circulated in his limbs
36 ... a capture was made) of his things, his money, 3 his
silver, and his gold, his vessels of brass, the ornaments of
his wives, his thrones, his bows, his weapons and all
things which he had brought
37 (with him .... an officer of) the palace to bring them
with the captives. Then the vile Chief of the Lubu was
hastening to return to his country. Was a number
1 The nth month. z Or, without respite for them.
3 Manatata minas.
INVASION OF EGYPT BY THE GREEKS. 45
38 (of the enemy escaping) the slaughter from being put to
the sword. But His Majesty made the officers who
belonged to the cavalry after them. They were falling in
39 (their blood massacreing all) Such was not beheld in
the registers of the Kings of Lower Egypt when that land
of Kami 1 was in their (power), when the plague 4 was
standing in the reigns of the Kings of Upper Egypt
40 .... so the (gods) on account of their beloved Son
to rule Kami by its Lord, to make good the temples of
the two TAMERI to declare
41 ... Western ports a despatch to the living court 3
saying the fallen MARMAIU 4 has gone flying, his limbs to
his vileness has passed by me through the favour of the
night in the cultivated lands
42 (before Paarisheps) .... his vile body every god
prostrating him on account of Kami ; the promises he
made have failed, all the words of his mouth have
recoiled on his head, it is not known if he is dead
43 (or alive). Thou hast (thrown) him from his power.
Should he be alive he will not recover, he has fallen con-
temptible to his soldiers. Thou art the one who will
take them, slaughtering
44 .... in the land of the Tamahu 5 They will set
another of his brethren in his place to contend he seems
foul to the Chiefs like filth
45 ... the officers, the auxiliary troops, the infantry, the
cavalry, all the veterans of the army and those of the
young foreign troops having ardour
46 before them laden with the cut off members
of the Lubu (and) the hands of all the nations which
1 Egypt.
* This seems to mean during- the absence of the kings of Upper Egypt,
with whom the kings of Lower Egypt are disadvantageously contrasted.
3 The Egyptian king. 4 Name recalling to mind the Marma-rica.
5 Country of the North, Cyrenaica.
46 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
were with them in skins and bunches, (all) things
47 .... were repulsed the enemies to their country.
Then the whole land shouted to heaven the villages and
nomes were delighted at the prodigies which had hap-
pened. The canals
48 ... things brought under the place of reception for
His Majesty to see his victories. The number of captives
brought from that land of the Lubu and the countries
were led with it likewise, all the things
49 ... conducted to the magazines of MENEPHTAH at
peace in truth from the Tahennu who were in Paarisheps
to the upper places of that land, commencing from (the
fort of ) MENEPHTAH (at peace in Truth
50 ... members cut of six persons, children and brethren of
the land of Lubu killed of which the members were brought
51 ... killed Lubu of whom the excised members were
brought 6359 Total of children of Chiefs
52 ... Sharutina, Shakalusha, Akaiuasha of the lands of
the sea, of whom the members 1 were not brought
53 . Shakalusha 222 persons, making 250 hands, Turusha
742 making 790 hands Shairutana
54 ... Akaiuasha who were with us we did not let
their members be excised, their fists and hands were
brought by us. We did not let
55 (to be cut off) . . . heaps their members were brought
cut off to the place where he was. 6 1 1 1 persons, making
excised members
56 ... their fists 2370 persons, Shakalusha, Turusha,
coming as the wretches of the land of Lubu
5 7 (Kanaka), Lubu, led prisoners alive 218 persons ;
women of the vanquished Chief of the land of Lubu
whom he had brought with him, they were natives of the
land of Lubu 1 2 persons Total of those brought
1 Phalli of the which the karunata was a part
INVASION OF EGYPT BY THE GREEKS. 47
58 (living prisoners) 9376, weapons which were in their
hands brought by the captives, copper swords of the
Mashauasha 9111.
59 oxen of the land of . . . 1,20,214 yoke of horses
which were bearing the vanquished of the land of Lubu
with the children of the Chiefs of the land of Lubu
brought were alive, . . . things
60 ... of the Mashauasha (who were) captured of His
Majesty the living, righting the vanquished of the land of
Lubu various kinds of bulls 1308, goats
6 1 (gold vases) various 54, silver drinking vessels other
vases, copper swords, cuirasses, razors, various vases 3134
62 ... they set fire to the skin tents, and all their provi-
sions.'' His Majesty came crowned in the hall of the palace
63 ... (was) his living Majesty rejoiced in seeing (it). He
made slaves (of them) (Said H)is Majesty shouting to
heaven My service is in the horizon
64 ... of the good things the Sun made for my supply.
I gave them praise as said by the god, giving the valour
for his words The King of the Upper and Lower
Country BA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN the Son of the Sun
MENEPHTAH at peace through Truth
65 ... altogether thou hast . . . the men in their towns,
Kush a also having ... I let him see in my hand in the
first year the dues
66 ... its Chief brought its product yearly in turn /
was making a great overthrow of them. I gave the
survivors to fill the Temples
67 ... their Chief vanquished running before me I made
. . . slaughtering them, I set fire to them, netted like
birds, I made the country.
68 ... ed, rendered divine, being the greatest of every
gods who was born. HORUS caused me to be born to be
1 Karmuta, an uncertain word, perhaps "bag-gage." 3 ./Ethiopia, Nubia.
48 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
, the sole Lord of Kami. 1 HORUS then settled and invaded
it HORUS was hidden in it under my dominions, praised
. . . PHTAH
69 ... powerful, Sun, a strong scimitar against the Nine
bow barbarians, whom 2 SET gave power and victory to the
HORUS rejoicing in Truth, whom Ra supports daily? the
King of the Upper and Lower Country BA-EN-RA beloved
of AMEN, the Son of the MENEPHTAH at peace in Truth,
the living I am
70 ... he was not taken. The Lubu were meditating
evil to do it in Kami. Lo I vanquished them I slaugh-
tered them making a spoil of their country
71 ... I made the Tamera passable and navigable as I
wished, the men also as I wished them. I gave them
breath for their cities, rejoiced in the name of Heaven
the countries
72 ... They were (<?/) found done : making my good
days in the mouths of families, as the greatest of merits I
performed for them. The whole country was set right
73 ... worshipping my gracious Lord, the taker of the
two countries, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt
BA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN the Son of the Sun MENEPHTAH
at peace through Truth, the living, their great words
Kami was
74 ... the Lubu 4 also, I vowed to lead captive, thou
lettest them be as grasshoppers also every road was
blocked up with their (hosts) . . . according thy
supplies with care, we joyfully repose at all times. There
are not
75 ... the assent it was at all turns at the house, working
the meritors, enduring in the responses
76 ... the years like TUM, the services placed on thy
assenting head do we not see.
1 Eg-ypt. 2 The king-. 3 The standard title. 4 Libyans.
49
DIRGE OF MENEPHTAH.
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
HP HE following short poetical eulogium of a king,
apparently of Menephtah or Seti II of the XlXth
dynasty, is found in Papyrus Anastasi 4 of the
British Museum. It is published Select Papyri, PL
Ixxxiv, 1. 2-9, Ixxxv, 1. i. Although not divided
by red dots it is clearly poetic in style, and is
accordingly given in paragraphs. From the final
line it appears to be addressed to the monarch
after his death. Although the titles do not exactly
correspond with those of Ramses II or Menephtah
VOL. IV. 5
50 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
it appears to relate to him, as the papyrus is of
his reign and that of Seti II of the same dynasty. It
may indeed refer to this later monarch, but as no
cartouche is given and the titles after the palatial or
so called Horus ones are doubtful, it is uncertain
who the monarch is to whom it refers. It has been
translated by M. Chabas, L* Egypt aux temps de Vexode.
Chalons 1873, p. 118.
5 1
DIRGE OF MENEPHTAH.
1 AMEN gave thy heart pleasure,
2 he gave thee a good old age,
3 a life-time of pleasure followed thee
4 blessed was thy lip, sound thy arm
5 strong thy eye to see afar
6 thou hast been clothed in linen. 1
7 Thou hast guided thy horse and chariot
8 of gold with thy hand
9 the whip in thy hand, yoked were the steeds
10 the Xaru,* and Nahsi, 3 marched before thee
11 a proof of what thou hadst done
1 2 thou hast proceeded to thy boat of as* wood
13 a boat made of it before and behind
14 thou hast approached the beautiful tower which
1 5 thou thyself made
1 6 thy mouth was full of wine, beer, bread and flesh
1 7 were slaughtered cattle and wine opened :
1 8 the sweet song was made before thee
19 thy head anointer anointed thee with kami*
20 the Chief of thy garden pools brought crown
2 1 the Superintendent of thy fields brought birds
22 thy Fisherman brought fish
1 Or gone to the gap to which the dead went to in the Sun boat.
a Syrians as prisoners of war.
3 Negroes. 4 Cedar or acacia. 5 A kind of balsam.
52 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
23 thy galley came from Xaru 1 laden with good things
24 thy stable was full of horses' 1
25 thy female slaves were strong 3
26 thy enemies were placed fallen
27 thy word no one opposed
28 Thou hast gone before the gods the victor the justified ! 4
1 Syria. - Or cattle. 3 Or industrious, rut.
4 Dead or departed.
53
THE POSSESSED PRINCESS.
TABLET OF RAMESES XII.
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.
/ T*HE Inscription of the departure of the ark of
Khonsu or Chons, is found on a sandstone tablet in
the Bibliothe'que Nationale at Paris. The tablet has
been published by M. Prisse, Monuments Egyptiens, fo.
Paris, 1847, pi. xxiv. ; and a translation by S. Birch,
Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature, New
Series, 185 3, Vol. IV. p. 217, the text and translation
of the inscription by the late Vicomte Emmanuel
De Rouge, Etude sur line stele Egyptienne, 8vo., Paris,
1858 and a translation only by M. Brugsch, Histoire
d'Egypte 4to. Berlin 1859 P- 2 6- The monarch in
whose reign the event took place is supposed to be
Rameses XII. of the XXIst dynasty but there is
54 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
some difficulty about the succession of these later
monarchs of the XXIst dynasty, as the discoveries
of new papyri and documents have had the effect
of displacing Rameses X.
An idea has been started by the Rev. D. Haigh
in the Zeitschrift fur dgyptische Sprache und Alter-
thumskunde 1874 p. 65, that Bakhten was connected
with Assyria and that the king of the land of
Bakhten mentioned in the tablet was Tiglath-
Pileser L, but it cannot be considered as proved
without further confirmation. The inscription is
one of the most remarkable of the ancient
Egyptian Monuments and records the possession
of a princess of the land of Bakhten by a spirit
or demon and the exorcism of the spirit by the
Egyptian god Khonsu or Chons sent specially from
Egypt for that purpose : similar possessions appear to
to have been not unknown to the Assyrians and
Babylonians and an incident of these possessions is
found in the Book of Tobit. It is clear from the
name of the princess that she was of the Semitic
race and that the country to which she belonged was
some distance from Egypt.
55
THE POSSESSED PRINCESS.
SCENE representing the departure of the ark of the god
KHONSU or CHONS borne by twelve priests and accompanied
by two others one reading, the ark having a feather stan-
dard in front and a flabellum behind. The ark is called
" KHONSU in Egypt NEFERHETP." Before the ark stands
Rameses XII. wearing a helmet and tunic offering burning
incense to the god. Over the head of the monarch is a
vulture flying holding a signet. The inscriptions here read,
" The King of the Upper and Lower Egypt, the Lord of
the two countries RA-TSER-MA, SATP-EN-RA the Son of the
Sun of his race RAMESES beloved of AMEN, beloved of
NISHEM, Giver of eternal life gives incense to (his) father
KHONSU in the Uas l NEFERHETP. The protection of life
behind all (his) limbs."
On the right side is seen the return of the ark of CHONS
borne by a pole on the shoulders of 4 priests and met by
Ha-neter-neb, the priest of the god offering fire. All the
priests wear sandals, and scull caps. The inscription reads
" Beloved of KHONSU the Giver of oracles in the Uas, 1
the great god, driver away, of possessing, 4 Giver of life
like the Sun. The name of the Prophet, Priest of KHONS
the Giver of oracles in Uas, 1 KHONS-PA-NETER-NEB."
Above the scene is the usual winged disk called
"Hut? the great god, Lord of Heaven."
i The HORUS, the Powerful Bull, the type of diadems,
establishing reigns, like TUM, the Hawk of gold, the
powerful (by) the scimitar, the destroyer of the Nine
bow barbarians, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt
1 The Thebaid. ' Evil spirit entering into the body.
3 Tel- hut, winged disk.
56 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Lord of the two countries, RA-TSER-MA, approved of the
Sun, the son of the Sun of his loins, RAMESES beloved of
AMEN, beloved of AMEN-RA
2 lord of the thrones of the two countries, and the circle
of the gods, Lords of the Thebaid The good god son of
AMEN, born of HORUS, engendered of HAREMAKHU, the
illustrious seed of the entire lord, the issue of KAMUTEF, 1
King of Egypt, ruler of Tesher, Chief
3 taking the Nine bow barbarians. Coming from the womb
he has arranged the forces, he has given orders as soon
as he issued from the egg, a resolute Bull, he went for-
ward, being a Bull King, a god manifest the day of
combats, like MENTU, the very valorous
4 like the son of Nut.'' His Majesty was in Naharana s
registering the annual tributes the Princes of all the
countries came prostrating and giving peaceful (words)
to the spirits, of His Majesty. The places began
bringing their tribute of gold, lapis lazuli*
5 turquoise? and all the good wood of Taneter 6 on their
backs, one outvying another. The Chief of the land of
Bakhten was causing his presents to be brought, he
placed his eldest daughter first. They entreated His
Majesty praying life of him. She
6 was a very beautiful person, and delighted the heart of
1 The mystical title of Amen Ra considered as the Father and Son, the
first and last avatar of the g-od.
2 Or Naut goddess of the celestial water or the Greek Rhea.
3 Mesopotamia.
4 Xeslet, supposed to be lapis lazuli, but two kinds mentioned in the
inscriptions, Xeslet ma real lapis, and Xesbet lapis only, possibly an
imitation. Glass, or as it is technically termed paste, imitations of lapis are
found.
5 Mafka turquoise. This like Xeslet was true or otherwise : some
suppose it to be malachite, but neither malachite nor turquoise are found
in Egyptian works of art. It is figured blue and may be intended for blue
fayence or else it was a mineral of copper for making blue paint.
6 The Holy Land, part of Arabia.
THE POSSESSED PRINCESS. 57
His Majesty beyond all things. The title of great 1 royal
wife RANEFERU was conferred on her. When His Majesty
returned to Egypt, she performed all the rites of a royal
wife. It happened on the i5th year the 22nd of the
month Payni 2 His Majesty was in Uas, 3 the powerful, the
Ruler of Temples, performing
7 the orders of father AMEN-RA, Lord of the thrones of
the two countries in his good festival of Southern
Thebes (from) the seat of his heart, at the first time, it
was sent to tell His Majesty there was an envoy of the
Chief of the Bakhten come having numerous presents
for the royal wife. When he was brought
8 before His Majesty with his presents, he said adoring
His Majesty, " Glory to thee, Sun of the Nine bow
barbarians, Let us live before thee." When he had
said his adoration before His Majesty he said again to
His Majesty "I have come to thee my
9 Lord on account of BENT-RASH the little sister of the
royal wife RANEFERU a malady has penetrated her limbs?
Would Thy Majesty send a person acquainted with
things 5 to see her?" His Majesty said " Bring me the
scribe of the houses of life and those acquainted with
mysteries
10 of the inner palace." (They) were brought forthwith. His
Majesty said, "I have called you to hear this word, bring
me one intelligent in his heart and skilful with his fingers
from amongst you." Was brought the royal
11 scribe TAHUTIEMHEB before His Majesty His Majesty
ordered that he should go to the land of Bakhten with
that envoy. The journey to the land of Bakhten was
The ur or chief wife, the superior of all the rest.
~ The loth month.
3 Uas, Thebes. The Western is sometimes added.
4 Or "there is an evil movement in her limbs."
5 Rex-xet sa, one knowing the things of books, a learned man, magus,
sacred scribe or physician.
58 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
made by the person acquainted with things. He found
BENT-RASHT in the conditions * of being under spirits.
He found
12 them hostile to contend with him. The Prince of the
land of Bakhten was a second time sending to His
Majesty saying " Prince my Lord would His Majesty
order a god be sent
13 to His Majesty." On the 26th year the ist of the month
Pashons 2 during the festival of AMEN His Majesty was
in Uas. 3 His Majesty was a second time before
KHONSU, in -Uas 3 (called) NEFERHETP,* saying " My
good Lord I am again before you on account of the
daughter of the Chief of the land
14 of Bakhten." Then was led KHONSU, in Uas 3 (called)
NEFERHETP, to KHONSU the Giver of oracles, the great
god, expeller of possessors. Then said His Majesty
before KHONSU, in Uas 3 (called) NEFERHETP " My good
Lord wouldest thou turn thy face to KHONSU
15 the Maker of oracles, the great god chaser of possessors
let him go to the land of Bakhten by a very greatfavour?"
Then said His Majesty " Give thy protection with him."
I let His Majesty go to the land of Bakhten to save the
daughter of the Prince of Bakhten.
1 6 Assented 5 favourable KHONSU in Uas 3 (called) NEFER-
HETP, he gave his divine virtue fourfold to KHONSU the
Giver of oracles in Uas, 3 His Majesty ordered that
KHONSU the Giver of oracles in Uas 3 should be made to
1 He found her in the conditions of having demons or being possessed
by demons.
1 The gth month. 3 The Thebaid.
* Khonsu was a god with two names ; the second, by which he was
known in Uas or the Thebaid, being Neferhetp.
5 Han apt ur a/car, " Moved the head " very much, assented ; " an action
probably shown by some action of the statue."
THE POSSESSED PRINCESS. 59
proceed to the great ark 1 and five small boats, a chariot
1 7 and many horses on the right and left. That god came
to the land of Bakhten at a period * of one year and five
months. The Prince of the land of Bakhten came with
his soldiers and his Chiefs before KHONSU the Giver of
oracles he placed himself
1 8 on his belly saying "Thou comest to us, thou art
peaceful to us by orders of the King of Upper and
Lower Egypt RATSER-MA approved of the Sun. That
god went to the place where BENT-RASH was. He made
a cure' 1 ' of the daughter of the Prince of the land of
Bakhten ; she was right
19 forthwith. That spirit who was with her said before
KHONSU the Giver of oracles in Uas. 4 " Thou hast
come in peace (the) great god, driver away of possessors,
the land of Bakhten is thy city, its men are thy slaves.
I am thy slave.
20 I will go to the place whence I came to give peace
(to) thy heart on account of thy journey here. Let the
Prince of the land of Bakhten order that a good day be
made with me and the Chief of the land of Bakhten."
That god intimated to his prophet saying
2 1 " Let the Prince of the land of Bakhten make a great
sacrifice before that spirit." While this agreement was
made by KHONSU the Giver of oracles in Uas 4
and (the) spirit the Prince of the land of Bakhten
and his army were in great fear.
22 He made a great sacrifice before KHONSU the Giver of
oracles in Uas 4 and that spirit, the Prince of the
1 Ua, a boat. The Eg-yptian ark was placed in a kind of boat : the
other smaller ones are called kaka-t "boats."
2 Sam, a stay or stopping".
3 The word sa, aid or protection, means here some action, and from the
context the cure or exorcism.
4 The Thebaid.
60 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
land of Bakhten on a good day for them. The spirit
went in peace wherever he chose by order of KHONSU
the Giver of oracles in Uas. 1
23 The Prince of the land of Bakhten was very much
delighted and every one in the land of Bakhten. He
communing in his heart saying " Let that god be given
to the land of Bakhten I will not let him go to Egypt.
24 That god remained 3 years, 4 months (and) 5 days in
the land of Bakhten. (When) the Prince of the land of
Bakhten was lying on his couch he saw that god who
came out of his shrine. He was like a Hawk of gold,
he flew on high to the land of Egypt.
25 (When the Prince) awoke he was as one agitated 2 (with
horror). He said to the prophet of KHONS, the Giver of
oracles in Uas * " That god is at variance with us let him
go to Egypt, let us send his chariot to Egypt."
26 The Prince of the land of Bakhten made that god to
proceed to Egypt giving to him very many presents of
all good things, troops and very many horsemen. They
approached in peace to Egypt. That god KHONSU the
Giver of oracles in Uas 1 went
2 7 to the house of KHONSU in the Thebaid NEFERHETP. He
laid the presents which the Prince of the land of
Bakhten had given of all good things before KHONSU
in Uas 1 NEFERHETP. He did not give any thing out (of
them) to his (own) house. KHONSU the Giver of oracles
in Uas 1 approached
28 his (own) house in peace on the 33rd year the i9th of
(the month) Mechir 3 of the King of Upper and Lower
Egypt RA-TSER-MA approved of the Sun, who has been
made a Giver of life like the Sun immortal.
1 The Thebaid.
3 Em ua neh neh " as one struck with horror " or " paralysed." The i
for ua " a person," one.
3 The 6th month.
6i
TABLET OF AHMES
(No. 4017 Musee du Louvre.)
EPOCH OF DARIUS.
TRANSLATED BY
PAUL PIERRET.
is one of the Apis Tablets which were dis-
covered with a large number of similar stele by
M. Mariette, on the 22nd of August, 1852, in the
sand filling up room No. 2 in the great underground
apartments of the Serapeum or temple of burial of
the Bull Apis at Memphis.
On the summit of this tablet is represented the
ordinary winged disk adorned with two pendant asps,
62 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
with his hieroglyphic name ; Hut. Underneath, is a
figure of the bull Apis, who, standing near an altar,
receives the offerings of Ahmes the Chief of soldiers.
The text beneath this scene is worded as follows :
63
TABLET OF AHMES.
THE Devotee of OSORAPIS, the smer-ua? Chief of Soldiers,
AHMES, son of P-SAB-EN-HOR and of the lady TA-AP-EN-HA
saith :
When they had brought this god 2 for his reunion
with the good region of the West, 5
after all the ceremonies in the sanctuary
had been made to him, and he had been clothed
with his covering (?)... when they had brought this god
to his western abode, 3 (then) I, thy slave, 4
I have made the shrouding of thy person, 10
I have watched each day,
I have not slumbered to accomplish all thy ceremonies ;
I have established thy veneration
in the hearts of all the men of the country,
as well as of every locality 1 5
as far as the limit of the district,
by the things that I have done in thy sanctuary.
I have despatched my orders
to the South as to the North
to convoke in thy sanctuary all the Chiefs of Ponds 5 20
with the load of their contributions.
Here . . 6 . . O Prophets of the temple of PTAH
is what I say : OSORAPIS ! prostration before thee
of him whose respirations are for the accomplishment
of thy ceremonies, of the Chief of soldiers AHMES, 25
who hath made thy . . 6 . who came himself
1 Great familiar of the King-. (?) 2 Apis. 3 His tomb.
4 By a familiar turn in the Egyptian language, the discourse changes
persons, and Ahmes addresses Apis directly.
5 Conservators of the Sacred Lakes. 6 Lacunae.
64 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
to bring silver, gold, stuffs, royal linen, perfumery,
precious stones and all the good things.
Make him a recompense according to what he hath done
for thee ; 3
prolong his years, perpetuate his person eternally ;
establish for him the duration
of the existence of HORUS in the upper region,
that his name may be remembered for ever.
NEAPOLITAN STELE.
AN INSCRIPTION OF THE PERSIAN PERIOD.
TRANSLATED BY
C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
inscription of which the following is a trans-
lation is at present in the Museum of Naples, and has
been published by M. Brugsch, die Geographic des
alien Aegyptens, 4to., Leipzic 1857, Taf. Iviii., and some
remarks on it are given in the same work, S. 40, 41,
but it has not been previously translated. It as will
be seen refers to events of the Persian period, and
according to M. Brugsch is of the time of the
conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great, but no
king is actually mentioned in the inscription by name,
nor is the particular battle described in which the
person for whom the inscription was made happened
VOL. IV. 6
66 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
to be engaged. It is in fact an adoration to the god
Chnoumis of whom the person was the priest. This
sacerdotal personage appears to have taken part in
the military operations although it is not mentioned
that he held any military office. It has been arranged
in paragraphs of sentences, and is an interesting
example of the inscriptions of this later period, which
is not much illustrated by contemporaneous monu-
ments although well known from other sources. It
is however always desirable to know the state of
Egypt from its own contemporay documents of which
this is an interesting example.
S. B.
6 7
NEAPOLITAN STELE.
1 The PRINCE, President, Keeper of the seal,
Companion of the javelin, Prophet of HAR,
Lord of Hebnu, 1 Prophet of the gods of Sah, 2
Prophet of SAMTATI of Ahehu,
2 Spiritual superior of the Un,
Chief of the Priests of SEXET in the whole land,
SAMTATI-TAF-NEXT, son of the housemaster,
3 Prophet of AMEN-RA, Shat-tdt-Samtati-Afanx?
born of the lady ANXTA : saith :
" O ! Lord of Gods, XNUM, King of the double land,
4 Ruler of the Districts, who risest to enlighten the earth,
whose right eye is the Solar Disk,
whose left eye is the Moon, whose spirit is
5 Shu 4 from whose nostrils issues the North wind,
to enliven all creatures : I am thy Prophet, my heart
is according to thy ways, I have been faithful unto thee,
6 I have made no dwelling (for myself) except thy dwelling,
I have not turned away from doing Every one's
heart rejoiced, there was exultation in every house,
7 on seeing what thou hast done for me to their advantage,
many and many times.
Thou didst give me entrance to the palace,
the heart of the good god (king) was pleased
8 with my words. Thou didst grant to me the oil of gladness,
in that thou didst spare Egypt. Thou didst put kindness
into the heart of the ruler of Asia,
9 his councillors did honour to me,
he gave me the post of Chief of the Priests of SEXET
in Es-Senem s Chief of the Priests of SEXET,
i o of the double land, Head of the park. Thou didst defend
me in the battle of the Greeks,
when thou didst smite Asia,
1 Hipponomi in i6th N.E. Nome. * i6th N.E. Nome.
3 Sacerdotal name. 4 The Dawn.
5 IsleofBigeh.
. 68 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
1 1 (when) they killed many of my companions. He x raised
not his hand against me, (his) eyes were dull.
12 Afterwards Thy Majesty said to me, Go thou to
Suten-senen a Be thou diligent to traverse the regions
13 alone by thyself. I embarked at Uat-Ur, 3
I feared no difficulty,
I disobeyed not thy command, I reached Suten-senen.
14 Not a hair of my head was hurt.
The beginning was observed in accordance
with that which thou hadst commanded ;
in the end, thou gavest me a long space of repose.
15 O ! all ye priests who serve this great god,
XNUM, King of the double land, HAR of the horizons,
Lord of all things, the beneficent spirit in Suten-senen,
1 6 TUM first in .... King of generations
the kingdom for the ruler of lands,
17 (causing) his beloved son to be King of both lands,
who comes to the heavens and beholds therein XNUM,
King of both lands, TUM in his sanctuary ;
1 8 the great god who approaches the shrine of the King
of Lower and Upper Egypt Unnofer. May your names
remain upon earth, (may ye be) in favour
19 with XNUM King of both lands, while ye say, May the
gods, the Eyes, who are in Suten-senen be favourable
to his reverence, the devoted to his district, SAMTATI-
TAF-NEXT.
20 May ye yourselves be blessed.
May others repeat your names for years and years."
1 The enemy. a Heracleopolis.
3 Pehu of ist N.E. Nome.
6 9
THE GREEK INSCRIPTION
ON
THE ROSETTA STONE
THE FRENCH TRANSLATION OF
M. LETRONNE.
BY S. BIRCH, LL.D.
HTHIS inscription in the Egyptian hieroglyphic, and
enchorial or demotic, and in Greek, being a tri-
lingual version of a synodical act of the priesthood
assembled at Memphis in honour of Ptolemy V, or
B.C. 198, is engraved on a fragment of a tablet of black
granite at present in the British Museum. About one
third of the hieroglyphic text and nearly all the de-
motic and Greek texts are complete. It was discovered
at Rosetta the ancient Bolbitane, in 1799, and a
facsimile of the inscription published by the Society
of Antiquaries of London in 1802. Besides the pub-
lications of Heyne and Beck, that of Ameilhon,
Eclaircissements sur ^inscription grecque trouvee d
70 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Rosette, Paris, 1803, of Person, Tracts and Miscel-
laneous Criticisms edited by Kidd 1812, of Drumann,
Commentationes, Konigsberg 1822, die Inschrift von
Rosette, Konigsberg 1823, of Lenormant, le texte grec
de r inscription de Rosette, 1841, and of Letronne,
Fragmenta historicorum grcecorum, 1841, and Recueil
des Inscriptions, 1 842, and of Franz in Bockh, Corpus
Inscriptionum grecarum, Vol. III. 1853, p. 334 and
foil, are the most remarkable. The hieroglyphic
text has been translated by Brugsch, Inscriptio Ro-
settana, 4to., Berlin, 1851, Chabas, U Inscription
hieroglyphique de Rosette, 8vo, Paris, 1 867, and Sharpe,
The Rosetta Stone in hieroglyphics and Greek, 8vo,
London, 1871. The first attempt to translate the
whole of the demotic version is that of Young,
Hieroglyphics, PL X and foil. Brugsch, die Inschrift
von Rosette, 1850. As the hieroglyphic text is too
imperfect and the demotic as yet untranslated, the
translation here given is from the Greek, of which
a translation from the amended text of Letronne, has
already been given by Birch in Arundale and Bonomi,
Gallery of Antiquities, p. 114.
THE ROSETTA STONE.
1 UNDER the reign of YOUTH, and immediate successor
of his father, Lord of the diadems, very glorious ; having
established order in Egypt ;
2 pious towards the gods ; superior to his adversaries ;
having ameliorated the life of men; Master of the
festivals of thirty years, like HEPHAISTOS the Great ; like
the Sun
3 great King of the Upper and Lower regions ; born of
the gods PHILOPATORES approved by HEPHAISTOS ; to
whom the sun has given victory ; living image of ZEUS ;
Son of Sun, PTOLEMY,
4 always living, beloved of PHTHAS, the ninth year;
Aetes son of Aetes, being Priest of ALEXANDER and of
the gods SOTERES, and of the gods ADELPHOI, and of
the gods EVERGETAI, and of the gods PHILOPATORES, and
5 of the god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES, PYRRHA, daughter
of PHILINOS, being the Athlophoros 1 of BERENICE EVER-
GETES, ARIA daughter of DIOGENES : being the Kanephoros
of ARSINOE PHILADELPHOS
6 EIRENE, daughter of PTOLEMY : being Priestess of
ARSINOE PHILOPATOR on the 4th of the month XANDIKOS;
and the i8th of the month of the Egyptians, MECHIR"
A DECREE.
The High Priests and Prophets, and those who go into
the sanctuary for the clothing of the
7 gods, and Pterophoroi 3 and Hierogrammateis, 4 and
1 A kind of standard-bearer. 2 The month of March.
3 Feather bearers, as appears from the decree of Canopus, a kind of
sacred scribe. They wore feathers on the head.
4 Sacred scribes.
72 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
all the other Priests, who from the temples of the country,
had assembled at Memphis, before the King, at the
festival of the reception of the
8 crown, of PTOLEMY, ever living, beloved of PHTHAS,'
the god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES, which he received
direct from his father, assembled in the temple at
Memphis, this same day, have said:
9 Inasmuch as King PTOLEMY, ever living, beloved of
PHTHAS, god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES, issue of the
King PTOLEMY and of the Queen ARSINOE, gods PHILO-
PATORES, has filled the temples with benefactions and
10 those therein dwelling, and all those who are placed
under his dominion, being god, born of a god and a
goddess, like HORUS, the son of Isis and OSIRIS, who
has avenged his father OSIRIS ; towards the gods,
11 full of generous piety, has consecrated to the
temples revenues of money and provisions; and has
supported great expenses in order to bring tranquillity
to Egypt, and to establish order in all that concerns
sacred affairs
12 has manifested with all his own power his senti-
ments of humanity; and of the public revenues and
imposts collected in Egypt, he has finally suppressed
some, and lightened others, so that the people and all
the others
13 may have plenty under his reign; the sums due to the
treasury by the inhabitants of Egypt, and those of the
rest of his kingdom, which were very considerable, he
has generally remitted ; and those
14 imprisoned and those against whom law suits had
commenced long since, he has freed them from all claims;
he has moreover ordered that the revenues of the temples,
1 Phthas is the Egyptian Ptah or Vulcan, called in the Greek protocol
1. 3, Hephaistos.
THE ROSETTA STONE. 73
and the contributions which had been granted them
yearly, whether in
1 5 provisions or money, as also the proper portions assigned
to the gods, as the vineyards, gardens, and other lands,
that belonged to the gods under the reign of his father,
1 6 should remain on the same footing. As to the Priests,
he has also commanded that they should pay nothing
more to the appointment l fund than what they had been
taxed to the first year under his father ; he has further
remitted to those amongst the
17 sacred body 2 annual voyage to Alexandria, he has
likewise ordered that there should no longer be levied
the contribution for the navy ; of the byssus 3 delivered in
the temples to the royal treasury
1 8 he has remitted two thirds; and all that had been
previously neglected, he has re-established in proper
order, taking all care that which it had been customary to
perform for the gods should be executed as
19 it ought to be; at the same time he has distributed
justice to all like HERMES, the twice great 4 ; he has moreover
ordered, that the returned emigrants, both of the soldiers
and all others who
20 had shown opposition in time of troubles, should
keep the property in the possession of which they had
re-entered : he has provided also that of cavalry and
infantry forces and ships should be sent against those
who had advanced
2 1 against Egypt, whether by land or sea, supporting great
expenses in money and provisions, so that the temples and
all the inhabitants of Egypt should be in safety.
1 Telestikon, a payment on promotion.
" The ethnos of the priests, the tribes were the phylai.
3 A kind of fine linen.
4 Lit., " The great and great." At a latter period Hermes was called
Trismegist or " Thrice great."
74 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
22 Having gone to Lycopolis which is in Busirite nome,
a city which had been seized and fortified against a siege,
by great depots of arms and every other kind of muni-
tions, the spirit of revolt having strengthened itself
there for
23 a long time, among the impious are who assembled in
it, had done much mischief to the temples and inhabi-
tants of Egypt : and having laid siege to
24 this place, he surrounded it with entrenchments, ditches
and strong walls. The Nile having made a great flood
in the eighth year, and as it usually does, inundating the
25 plains, the King has restrained it, in many places, by
dyking the mouths of the rivers, for which works he has
spent no small sum : after having established both
cavalry and infantry troops to watch
26 them, he took in a short time the city by storm, and
destroyed all the impious ones found there, like HERMES
and HORUS, sons of Isis and OSIRIS had mastered in these
same
2 7 localities, the former revolters : as to the ringleaders
of the rebels, under his father, and who had vexed the
country without respecting the temples, he having come
to Memphis to avenge
28 his father and his own crown, he has punished them
all as they deserved, at the time when he came to
celebrate the ceremonies prescribed on receiving his
crown he further remitted from
29 the temples that which was due to the royal treasury
up to the eighth year, amounting, in provisions and
money, to no small matter : similarly he remitted the
value of the cloth of the byssus which had not been
furnished to the royal treasury
30 as also the expenses of verification for those which
had been so, up to the same period : he has freed the
THE ROSETTA STONE. 75
temples from the tax of an artabe* per aroura 1 of sacred
land : also
31 of the Keramion 1 per aroura of vineyard: he made
many donations to the APIS, to the MNEVIS, and to the
other sacred animals in Egypt, taking far more care than
the Kings his predecessors of what relates to
32 these animals in every circumstance : and what was
necessary to their burial, he has given largely and nobly,
as well as the sums granted for their special worship,
comprising therein the sacrifices, panegyrics and other
prescribed ceremonies :
33 the privileges of the temples of Egypt, he has main-
tained them on the same footing, conformably to the
laws, he has embellished the Apeion 4 with magnificent
work, having spent for this temple in gold, silver,
34 and precious stones, a no small quantity : he has
founded temples, shrines and altars : he has restored in
turn those that required repairs, having for all that
concerns
35 the divinity, the zeal of a beneficent god : after new
information, he has repaired the chief honoured temples
under his reign as is fit, in reward of which, the gods
have given him health, victory, might, and all other good
things,
36 the crown to remain with him and his children for all
time.
To GOOD FORTUNE. It has seemed fit to the Priests
of all the temples in the country that all the honours
bestowed
1 The artabe was equal to 50 litres, or 10 gallons.
3 The aroura was the acre of the Egyptians, 100 square cubits.
3 The Keramion was either the measure called the amphora equal to
7 gallons i pint, or else an unknown Egyptian quantity, " a vat."
4 The Apeium attached to the Serapeum at Memphis where the Apis
was kept.
76 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
37 to the ever-living King PTOLEMY, beloved of PHTHAS,
the god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES, as well as those of
his parents, gods PHILAPATORES, and those of his grand-
parents, gods EVERGETAI, and those
38 of the gods ADELPHI, and those of the gods SOTERES,
should be newly greatly increased ; and to raise to the
ever-living King PTOLEMY god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES
an image in each temple, in the most visible part
39 which should bear the name of PTOLEMY, the avenger
of Egypt : that close by should be placed standing the
principal god of the temple, presenting him a weapon of
victory, the whole disposed in the Egyptian fashion
40 that the Priests should perform thrice daily religious
services at the images, and place sacred decorations on
them : and they should execute the other prescribed
ceremonies, as for the other gods in the pangyries cele-
brated in Egypt
41 that they should raise to King PTOLEMY, god EPI-
PHANES, EUCHARISTES, born of the King PTOLEMY and
the Queen ARSINOE, the gods PHILOPATORES, a statue of
wood and gilt shrine, in each of the
42 temples : that they should place them in the sanc-
tuaries with the other shrines ; and that at the great
panegyrics when the shrines are taken out, that of the
god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES,
43 should be taken out at the same time : in order that
his shrine should be distinguished from the others, now
and hereafter, it should be surmounted with the ten gold
diadems of the King, before which should be placed an
asp, as with all the diadems
44 which bear asps on the other shrines : that amidst them
should be placed the headdress called Pschent, 1 wherewith
1 Consisting of the upper white crown hut and the lower red crown
teser, with a serpent in front.
THE ROSETTA STONE. 77
the King was covered when he entered the temple at
Memphis, there to
45 accomplish the ceremonies prescribed when taking
possession of the throne : that should be placed on the
square face 1 of the headdresses to the aforesaid royal
ornament, ten golden phylacteries, whereon shall be
written
46 that it is that of the King who has rendered illustrious
the Upper Country and the Lower Country : and since
the thirtieth of Mesori, when the King's birthday is
celebrated as also the seventeenth of Mechir
47 when he received the crown from his father (the
Priests) have recognized them as eponymous in the
temples, which days are really cause of many good things
for all men : that they should be celebrated in honour
of him by a panegyry in the temples
48 of Egypt, monthly that they should perform in them
sacrifices, libations and all other things appointed, as in
the other panegyrics, as well as the
49 in the temples : that they should celebrate a feast and
a panegyry for the ever-living and beloved of PHTHAS,
King PTOLEMY, god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES yearly in
all the temples of the
50 country, from the first of Thoth, 8 during five days,
wherein they should also bear crowns, performing the
sacrifices and libations and all that is proper : that the
Priests of the other gods should receive the name of
51 Priests of the god EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES besides
the other names of the gods of whom they are the Priests :
and that they should mention, in all the decrees and
declarations that be written by them, the
5 2 Priesthood of the King, that every individual may be
1 Probably the shrine for the image of the king.
* The ist month of the Egyptian year.
78 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
permitted to celebrate the fete, to set up the aforesaid
shrine, and to have it by him, accomplishing all the
ceremonies prescribed in the festivals monthly
53 and annually, so that it may be known that the
Egyptians increase the honours and honour the god
EPIPHANES, EUCHARISTES the King, as it is legal to do :
finally that this decree be engraved on a tablet of
54 hard stone, in hieroglyphic, enchorial, 1 and Greek
characters: and place it in every temple of the first,
second, and third class near the image of the ever-living
King.
Also called demotic. The cursive or written characters of the period.
79
ETHIOPIAN ANNALS.
THE STELE OF THE DREAM
TRANSLATED BY
G. MASPERO.
'"PHE Stile du Songe was discovered together with
those of Piankhij Horsiatew, the Steles de I* In-
tronisation and de V Excommunication, at Napata,
amongst the ruins of the Temple of Amen-Ra, Lord
of the seats of both worlds, residing in Du-uab, that
is on the Sacred Hill, the present Gebel Barkal. It
was first analysed by Mariette-Bey in the Revue
Archeologique, 1865, Tome II, p. 161, and was then
published and translated by G. Maspero in the same
Review, 1868, Tome I, p. 329. The text is to be found
in Mariette's Monuments Divers Tome I, pi. 7, 8.
The inscription is surmounted by a picture repre-
senting two scenes : in the first of which
" The King of Upper and Lower Countries, Lord of
both worlds RABAKA, Son of the Sun, Lord of the
diadems NUAT (MEI)AMOUN, beloved by AMEN, ever-
living like unto RA,"
accompanied by
"The Royal Sister, Queen of the land Qens (Nubia),
QELHATAT,"
offers a great collar to his father
" AMEN-RA Lord of the seats of both worlds residing
in Du-uab,"
who says :
So RECORDS OF THE PAST.
" I give thee all life and power ; I give thee the rising
as a King of Upper and Lower Countries upon the seat
of HOR of the living, like unto RA for ever."
The Queen " shakes the sistrum and pours a libation."
In the second picture, the same king is represented
" giving RA to the father AMEN, that he (the god) may
do (for him, the King) the Du-ankh"' i
Behind the king,
" The Royal Sister and Wife, Queen of Egypt, GARARAI,
shakes the sistrum and pours a libation "
" AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of both worlds, residing
in Thebes, saith : I give thee life and power all ; I give
thee all the lands, all the foreign countries, the barbarians
collected under thy two sandals, for ever."
The king's name is difficult to ascertain owing to
the form of one of the signs in it. After a careful
inspection of the paper impression in the Louvre, I
think that the uncertain sign is the syllable meri, mei,
a little flattened as is usual in Ethiopian inscriptions.
Some have sought to identify Nuat (Mei)amoun
with the Urdamani of Assyrian texts, the stepson of
Tahraqa. 2 I hold him to have been a successor of
Urdamani and to have conquered Egypt about the
time of the Dodecharchy, somewhere between 664
and 654 B.C.
1 The gx>ds are often represented proffering" to king's the sacred Taw, symbol
of life, saying at the same time Du-ni-nak a?ikh, " I give thee life."
Hence the name of Du-ankh for the ceremony and the idiom ar du-ankh,
"do the Du-ankh, the giving of life."
' Tirhakah of the XXVth dynasty, 2 Kings xix. 9.
8i
STELE OF THE DREAM.
OBVERSE OF THE TABLET.
1 The good god, in the day of his appearing he is a
TUM for all the beings, the Two-horned one, the Regent
of the living men, the Prince who holds the whole earth,
the valiant with his sword on a battle-day, the one whose
face is terrible in the day of the (con-)
2 flict, Lord of strength like unto MENTU, most valiant
like unto an awful lion, gentle-hearted like unto KHENT-
H'ESERT,' good in his ship, after he reached the UAZ-UZ, S
.... He (went again)
3 to this land, 3 without fight, there being no one to stand
his onslaught, the King of Upper and Lower Countries
RABAKA, Son of the Sun, NUAT MEI(AMOUN), beloved by
AMEN of Napata. The year of his rise (to the dignity)
of King, (lo !)
4 His Majesty beheld a dream in the night, two snakes
one to his right, the other to his left, (and) when His
Majesty awoke he found them no more. He said :
" (Explain)
5 these things to me on the moment," and lo ! they
explained it to him, saying : " Thou wilt have the
Southern lands, and seize the Northern, and the two
crowns will be put upon thy head, (for) there is given
unto thee, the earth in all its width and its breadth (and
there will not be).
6 another (can compete) with thee in power." His
Majesty having risen upon the seat of HOR this (very)
1 Thoth. * The Mediterranean sea.
3 The kingdom of Ethiopia in opposition to the kingdom of Egypt.
VOL. IV. 7
82 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
year, when His Majesty went out of the spot which he
was in, even like HOR goes out of his place of state,
when he went out as (a King, he found)
7 thousands and thousands, 1 coming after him, (and) said
His Majesty: "Verily it was true what I dreamt! A
boon it is for him who acts after god's heart, a plague
for him who does not know it!" 2 When His Majesty went
to Napata, there was no one who withstood
8 his march. When His Majesty proceeded to the
Temple of AMEN of Napata residing in Du-uab, His
Majesty rejoiced in his heart after he saw the father
AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of both worlds, residing in
Du-uab, there were brought to him /2&fo-flowers of this
god;
9 then His Majesty feasted AMEN of (Napa)ta, (and) made
to Him great offerings, and set before him .... thirty-six
oxen, twenty barrels of <iy^-beer, one hundred ostrich-
feathers. When His Majesty sailed down to the Northern
Land, 3 he saw
10 (the god) whose name is more hidden than (all) the
gods. 4 When His Majesty reached Abu, 5 then His
Majesty crossed to Abu. When His Majesty reached
the Temple of KHNUM-RA, Lord of Qebeh, 6
11 he feasted this god, made to him great offerings, gave
cakes and beer to the gods of the cataracts, and honoured
HAPI 7 in his shrine. When His Majesty sailed down to
the Theban (Temple) of AMEN, when His Majesty
12 (sailed) into Thebes, and entered the Temple of
1 Lit., " one million and one hundred thousand men."
3 Xet pun ar-n-het-e.w sau n khem-s, lit., " A thing it (viz., a dream) is of
the man \vho acts after his (the god's) heart, a plague for the man who
does not know (the meaning of) it."
3 Egypt. 4 Khnum. 5 Elephantine.
6 The cataract. 7 The Nile-god.
THE STELE OF THE DREAM. 83
AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of both worlds, the Priest
SENT-UR T came to His Majesty with the Hourly Priests
of the Temple of AMEN-RA,
13 Lord of the seats of both worlds, and they brought
him dn&Az-ftowers of (the god) whose name is hidden.
His Majesty rejoiced in his heart, after he saw this
temple, he feasted AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of
both worlds, making a great feast in the whole land.
When
14 His Majesty sailed down to the Northern Land, the
West and East rejoiced with great rejoicing, saying :
" Go on, in peace ! Be thou in peace ! Mayest thou
vivify both worlds !
15 "(Thou) wilt repair the temples which go to ruin, set
again their mystic statues upon their pedestals, make
offerings to the gods and goddesses, funereal banquets
for the dead ;
1 6 "thou wilt put the Priest on his place again, to make
what is prescribed for the worshipping of gods." Those
who had been resolved to fight, became joyous (and
peaceful). When His Majesty reached Mennower,' and
the
17 sons of rebellion 3 went out to fight with His Majesty,
His Majesty made a great slaughter amongst them :
there is no knowing the number of the dead. His
Majesty took Mennower, entered the Temple of
18 PTAH-RES-ANB-EW, made great offerings to PTAH-
SOKAR and SEKHET, the great goddess whom he 4 loves.
His Majesty, his heart was full of the great things which
1 A high sacerdotal title on the Theban clergy of Amen.
2 Memphis.
3 Mesu leden. The princes who ruled over the Delta and their subjects.
4 The god Ptah.
84 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
the father AMEN of Napata had done (for him) and sent
an order to
19 (prescribe) that a great hall should be built to him,
since there was no one built 1 in the time of the
ancestors ; His Majesty made it of stone covered with
gold,
REVERSE OF THE TABLET.
1 Its panelling of cedar-wood
2 rubbed over with the perfumes of Fount? its doors
overlaid with clectrum, the
3 hinges being of lead. He built another court behind
(the temple) for the milk
4 of the god 3 and for his cattle which is multiplying by
myriads, (thousands), hundreds and tens : there is no
knowing the number of the young calves
5 with their mothers. After that His Majesty having
sailed to fight with the Chiefs of the North,
6 they entered their walled towns, (so that there was no
reaching) their retreats. His Majesty spent a great
many days before them, but no one of them
7 went out to fight with His Majesty. His Majesty
having sailed up again to the White Wall 4 sat in his
palace thinking in
8 his (heart), how to cause his soldiers to reach them
(and His Majesty was about to) say (unto his people :
" Go ! ") when one came to report to him, saying : " The
great Chiefs are come to the spot
1 Lit., " there was no one found in the time of the ancestors."
* The Yemen or the Cinnamomifera regio of ancient writers.
3 Hdit n per, " a hall for going- out for his milk."
4 The Greek Leukon teichos (Aeu/cbj/ TZXOS), a name of Memphis.
STELE OF THE DREAM. 85
9 where His Majesty is (to salute the King) our Lord."
Said His Majesty : " Do they come to fight, (or) do
they come to serve me ? (If the last), let them live
instantly ! " They said
10 to His Majesty: "They come to serve the King our
Lord." Said His Majesty : " Truly, my Lord this
venerable god, AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of both
worlds, residing in Du-uab, the great god, who benefits
him who knows his name, watchful
1 1 over whom he loves, giving strength to him who obeys
him, 1 for there is no injuring the man who follows his
resolutions, no driving back whom he leads, truly, what
he said unto me in the night,
12 I see it in the day!" Said His Majesty: "(Where
are they) now?" They said before His Majesty : "They
are outside standing before the gate" When His Majesty
went out
13 of his (palace, like unto this god) RA (when he is) on
the horizon, he found them stretched on their bellies,
smelling (the) earth to his face. Said His Majesty : " It
was true what he bade
14 me to do .... Lo, the event happens, the decree
of this venerable god is fulfilled. By my life, by the love
I have for RA, by my worshipping AMEN in his temple,
by my having been oarsman to this venerable god AMEN
15 of Napata, residing in Du-uab behold ! He
said unto me ' I will lead thy march on all roads. Thou
shalt not even have to say O ! that I may get that ! ' "
16
a Then they answered to him saying
" Truly, this venerable god,
1 Lit., "who is over his water ! "
2 A very much mutilated phrase.
86 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
17 He has (given) thee
. . .* Never (fails) the word issued from out his mouth,
O King, our Lord ! " After the hereditary Prince of
Pa-supti, PAQRUR, had risen to speak, he said :
1 8 "Thou smitest whom thou likest to, thou causest to
live whom thou likest to : "' Then they answered
him (all) at once saying : " Grant us all the breath of
life ; there is no living of the man who
19 does not know him. Let us serve him, like people
subjected to him, even as thou hast said, the first time,
the day thou becamest a King ! " The heart of His
Majesty was rejoiced after he heard this speech, he
20 gave them bread, beer, all kind of good things. A
great many days after that * they said : "Why
do we remain here, O King, our Lord ? " Said
21 His Majesty, saying: "Why?" They said before His
Majesty: "Let us go to our towns; let us order our
men, that (we may bring) our tributes to (thy town)!''
His Majesty sent them
22 to their towns with life safe; 3 the men of the South
went down (the river), the men of the North sailed up to
the spot where His Majesty was, with all kind of good
things of the Southern Lands, and all the produces
23 of the Northern Lands, to soften the heart of His
Majesty being the King of Upper and Lower Countries
RABAKA, Son of the Sun NUAT (MEI)AMOUN, L. h. s., 3
rising upon the seat of HOR for ever.
1 Lacuna.
a Lit., " they were in the number of living- men."
5 L. h. s. is the usual abbreviation for the royal formula, Ankh, Uza,
Senl; " Life ! health ! strength ! "
INSCRIPTION OF QUEEN MADSENEN.
TRANSLATED FROM THE EGYPTIAN TEXT
BY
PAUL PI ERRET,
Conservateur du Musee Egyptian du Louvre.
AND TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY
G. MASPERO.
HTHE Inscription of Queen Madsenen on a tablet
of gray granite was probably found at Gebel-Barkal.
After belonging successively to Linant-Bey, Prince
Napoleon, and Vte. Emmanuel de Rouge, it has been
recently given by M. Jacques de Rouge to the Musee
Egyptien du Louvre where it stands now in the Salle
Henri IV. It has been published and translated for
the first time by M. P. Pierret, in his Etudes Egyplo-
logiques, Tome I, p. 96 to 106, pi. 2, 4to., Paris, 1873.
It is surmounted by a picture in which
88 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
The King of Upper and Lower countries, RAMERKA,
Son of the Sun ASPALUT
is represented offering the goddess Ma, to
AMEN-RA, Bull of the land Kens, rejoicer of all lands,
giver of life ;
MUT, the eye of RA, Lady of Heaven, giver of all life
for ever ;
KHONSU, giver of life for ever.
Three females are standing behind the king :
First The Royal Sister, Royal Mother, Queen of the
land of Kush, NENSALA
pouring a libation with the left hand ;
Second. (The Royal Sister, Royal Mother, wife of
THE LIFE,') MADSENEN,
holding a sistrum in her left hand, pouring a libation
with her right one ;
Third. The Royal Daughter ,*
name erased by accident, probably a daughter of king
Aspalut and Queen Madsenen.
1 A surname of Pharaoh. 2 Lacuna.
8 9
INSCRIPTION OF QUEEN MADSENEN.
1 In the third year, the third month of SHAT/ the twenty-
fourth under His Majesty, the Hor, splendour of the
rising (sun), Lord of Southern and Northern countries,
splendour of the rising (sun), the strong-hearted one,
King of both lands RAMERKA, Son of the Sun ASPALUT,
ever living,
2 beloved by AMEN-RA, Bull of the land Kens ; that
great day, came to the temple of AMEN-RA, Bull of the
land Kens, to do honour (unto AMEN), the head officers
of His Majesty : the Chief of the Signet-bearers
3 of the Palace, Duke of the land Kens, Superintendent
of the vineyards RAMAAMEN; the Chief of the Signed
bearers of the Palace of the (royal) children AMENTOL . . .
4 AKENEN ; the Chief of the Signet-bearers of the Royal
House of the goddess UAZ,* 3 AAMENSAKENEN ;
the Chief of the Signet-bearers of the Royal House of
AAAUASA-
5 su, KARAMENTONEN ; the Chief of the Signet-bearers
1 The first season or Autumn.
* The BOVTW, or Buto, of Grecian writers. 3 Lacuna.
90 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
of the Royal House of DIKHENTDESHERT, *
ABMAKHINEN :
6 the Chief of the Signet-bearers of the Royal House,
Superintendent of the Great Hall, NASANABUSAKENEN ;
the Head Scribe of Kush, MAROIUA-
7 -AMEN; the Royal Scribe, Superintendent of the
granaries, KHONSUAIRITIS ; the Chief of the Signet-
bearers of the land Kens, AAA ; the Royal Scribe of the
granaries,
8 KEKARA ; the Signet-Bearer of the King, PADUNUB,
(being) in all, men eleven, who came to the temple of
AMEN-RA, Bull of the land Kens, to say on behalf
9 of His 2 Royal Son PHARAOH to the Prophets and Priests
of this temple : "( This is) the Royal Sister, Royal Wife ot
THE LiFE, 3 MADSENEN, her Mother, the Royal Sister,
Royal
10 Mother, Queen of the sweet land of Kush, NENSAU,
whom PHARAOH, the love of AMEN, sets before the father
AMEN, Bull of the land Kens, to be Sistrum-bearer 4 (unto
him). There was
11 put a stiam-cup of silver, into the god's right hand
there was put a cup of silver into the god's left hand to
conciliate the heart of this god ; there were put
12 a great many d^-loaves into the temple, for every day,
ten measures of &z#-cakes and five measures of white
1 Lacuna.
8 The god's. 3 A surname of Pharaoh.
4 The Sistrum or Shaking-rod is still used by the Abyssinian Christians
in their public services.
INSCRIPTION OF QUEEN MADSENEN. 91
bread, for every month, fifteen barrels of beer for every
year, and oxen
13 three for every feast, with one barrel of asti-beer and
two of hubu. These things were given by the Royal Sister,
Royal Daughter, Queen of the lower land, eldest daughter
of the Royal
14 Sister, Royal Wife of THE LIFE," MADSENEN, for ever
and ever ; they are to be continued by her children and
then by the children
15 of her children, being established for ever and ever and
there must be no interruption of them for ever and ever.
If there be one who cause
1 6 this decree to stand in the temple of AMEN-RA, Bull of
the land Kens, may he partake of the favour of AMEN-RA,
may his son continue into his place (after him) ; if there
be one who (dare to) remove
17 this decree from the temple of AMEN-RA, Bull of the
land of Kens cut off from AMEN-RA, may he burn in the
fire of SEKHET' may his son
1 8 never continue into his place (after him) : before the
second Prophet of AMEN-RA, Bull of the land Kens,
UAHMANIAMEN, before the third Prophet of AMEN, Bull
of Kens, TONENAMEN,
19 before the fourth Prophet of AMEN, Bull of the land
Kens, NEBNENBUTA, before the High Priest of this god,
20 SAPAKHI, before the High Priest of this god SAB, before
the High Priest of this god PETAMEN, before the High
1 A surname of Pharaoh.
* Lit., " may he be master of the fire of Sekhet."
92 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
21 Priest of this god NEBUKHI, before the High Priest
of this god KASMUT, before the High Priest of this
god,
22 before the High Priest of this god KARTONENAMEN,
before the Keeper of this god NESANHOUR, before the
Keeper of this god, BES . . . .*
23 before the Keeper of this god, UNNOWER, before the
Scribe of the temple of this god, NESMUT.
Lacuna.
93
ETHIOPIAN ANNALS.
STELE OF THE EXCOMMUNICATION.
TRANSLATED BY
G. M A S P E RO.
tablet was found at Gebel-Barkal, and was
analysed by M. Mariette in the Revue Archeologique,
1865, Tome II, p. 161. It was published in the
Monuments Divers, Tome I, pi. 10 by the same, and
translated by G. Maspero in the Revue Archeologique,
1871, Tome I, p. 8. Under the two-winged disk at
the top of the tablet is
"HuT, the great god, the giver of life,"
A king whose head and names have been carefully
defaced, entitled " The good god, Lord of both Lands
. . . . ever living" presents the goddess Ma to the
trinity of Ethiopia, Amen-Ra, Mut, and Khonsu-m-
uas. 1 Behind the king are various symbols of
Eternity ; before him stands the legend :
1 Khonsu of Thebes.
94 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
I give MA unto AMEN, that he may do (for me) the
Dfi-ankh, like unto RA.
Before Amen is :
AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of both worlds, residing in
Du-uab, saith : " I give thee all life and power."
The inscription for Mut is :
MUT, Lady of heaven, Queen of gods, saith : " I give
thee all health."
That of Khonsu-m-uas :
KHONSU-M-UAS, Clerk of the divine cycle, HOR, Lord
of joy, saith : " I give thee all joy."
The unknown king who erected the tablet must
have been contemporaneous with the first sovereigns
of the XXVI th dynasty, or about 600 B. C.
95
STELE OF THE EXCOMMUNICATION.
1 The good god, the like of TUM the creator god, the
one who knows . . . , the fleet of foot ' the duplicate of
ATEN ; giver of breath to all nostrils, he causes all
creatures to subsist, (he) reigns in his strength, like (the
god)
2 his begetter who leads His Majesty in each turn of all
his beneficent exertions ; the first-born who framed (his)
answer
3 at the time he succeeded to his seat, 2 the King of
Upper and Lower Countries , Son of the Sun,
3 beloved by AMEN-RA, Lord of the seats of
both worlds, residing in Du-uab, the giver of life for ever.
4 In the second year after his rise, being His Majesty
upon the seat of SEE, His Majesty went in state to the
temple of (his) father AMEN of Napat, residing in Du-uab
to expel that
5 sect, hateful unto god, which they call Tum-pesiu Per-
tot khdiuf saying : " Let not
6 them enter the Temple of AMEN of Napat, residing in
Du-uab, because of that word, a sin it is to tell it (anew),
which they spoke in the Temple of AMEN. (For) they
told
1 Lit., " stretching- (his) feet."
2 This is an allusion to the Osirian myth. The "first-born son who framed
an answer when he succeeded (lit., exchanged,) to his seat," Se semsem
nuzti-w ushl sep deb er ast-w, is Hor-si-esi, who pleaded (gave answer, ushb)
for his father against Set before the tribunal of gods when first he suc-
ceeded to the inheritance of his father. All dead men being identified
with Osiris, all first-born sons were or might have been identified with
Hor-si-esi, like the king who erected our tablet.
3 The names have been erased on purpose.
4 Lit., " The men (who say) : Do not cook, let violence kill ! "
96 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
7 a word, but god granted that it had not effect, (and)
they plotted a plot in their hearts to slay the man who
would not partake of their sin, 1 but god granted not
8 that it had effect : god caused the speech of their
mouth which they had spoken to that effect to become
the ruin of them, he smote them, causing the King's fire
to pass (in the middle of them)."
9 To impress respectful dread in (the bosom of) all
Prophets and of all Priests who go in to that august god 2
by the greatness of his spirits and the magnitude of his
might, decrees the King : "If ever Prophet or Priest do
an evil doing in the temples, let god smite
10 them; let not their feet be any more upon earth; let
not their posterity continue after them so that the temple
be not supplied with their crimes, but be free of their lie !" 3
The sectarians so solemnly condemned by this King, would
have been utterly unknown but for their proscription. Their
name is composed with two sentences Turn pesi, " Do not
cook," Per-tot khtii, " Let violence kill," which may be said to
embody the principal articles of their creed. If so it would
not be unreasonable to compare the meaning of Turn pesi
with a curious custom in Abyssinia that of eating brinde or
raw meat. The use of brinde is probably a last remnant
of former pagan habits. That it was held heretical by
kings of the old Egyptian persuasion is sufficiently shown
by the tenour of this document ; that it ended by upsetting
old prejudices may be drawn from the fact of this king's face
and names having been carefully erased afterwards.
1 Lit., " the man there is no sin of his."
* Amen of Napat.
3 Lit., "but their lie, it (the temple) be free of it (their lie)."
97
HYMN TO OSIRIS.
STELE OF AMEN-EM-HA, XVIIIth DYNASTY.
TRANSLATED BY
M. FRANCOIS CHABAS.
Stele is one of the usual funereal tablets
which are found in the cemeteries at Memphis
and Thebes. The upper part of the tablet is round,
and has the two sacred eyes and symbolical signets,
which, as well as the winged globe, almost invariably
surmount these sacred inscriptions, and of which the
meaning has not yet been satisfactorily determined.
Immediately below this emblem are two vignettes,
in the first a functionary named Amen-em-ha (Amen
at the beginning) presents a funereal offering to his
father Amen-mes (Amends son, or, born of Amen} the
steward of the deity's flocks, 1 beside whom is his
deceased wife Nefer-t-aru and a young boy, his son,
Amen-em-ua (Amen in the bark). In the second
vignette, a principal priest (heb) of Osiris, dressed in
the sacerdotal leopard's skin, offers incense to the
lady Te-bok, (The servant maid); below is a row
of kneeling figures, namely : two sons, Si-t-mau
1 I.e., the flocks of the temple's estates.
VOL. IV. 8
98 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
(Son of the mother], Amen-Ken (Amon the warlike),
and four daughters, Meri-t-ma (Loving justice],
Amen-Set (Daughter of Amen}, Souten-mau (Royal
Mother}, and Hui-em-neter (Food for god}. As there
is no indication of relationship between the subjects
of the two vignettes, it may be inferred that Te-Bok
was a second wife of Amen-em-ha.
The lower portion of the tablet is filled up with the
following Hymn to Osiris, written in twenty-eight
lines of hieroglyphics which are very well preserved
except wherever the name of the deity Amen occurs,
which has been hammered out 1 evidently at the
time of the religious revolution in Egypt under the
reign of Amenophis IV. who assuming the name of
Chu-en-aten (Splendour, or, Glory of the solar disk},
overthrew the worship of the older divinities and
principally that of Amen-Ra ; a change which was
again overthrown in the period of his successors, who
restored the former letters. From the style of art
and other indications it is almost certain that the
monument was erected in the reign of Thothmes I of
the XVIIIth dynasty.
The Stele is now deposited in the Bibliotheque
Nationale, Paris, and has been published by M.
Chabas in the Revue Archeologique, May-June, 1857*
after a paper stamp taken by the late M. Deveria.
1 The defaced passages ran thus, " Adoration of Osiris by the steward
of the flocks (slmen-mes), son of the Lady Nefer-t-ari."
99
A HYMN TO OSIRIS.
1 Adoration of OSIRIS by the Steward of the flocks,
AMEN-EM-HA, Son of the Lady NEFER-T-ARI : he says,
Welcome to thee 1 OSIRIS, Lord of length of times, King
of the gods, of many names, of holy transformations, of
mysterious forms in the temples, august being, residing
in Tattu, Great One contained
2 in Sokhem, Master of invocations in Ant. 2 Principle
of abundance in On ; who has the right to command in
the place of double justice, mysterious soul, Lord of
Kerer, Holy One of the White Wall, Soul of the sun, his
very body reposing in
3 Souten-Khnen ; author of invocations in the region of
the tree Ner : whose soul is existing for vigilance ; Lord
of the great dwelling in Sesennou 3 the very awful in Shas-
hotep ; Lord of the length of times in Abydos.
The road to his dwelling is in the To-sar ; 4 his name
is stable in
4 men's mouths. He is the paut-ti* of the world, Atum,
feeder of beings among the gods, beneficent spirit in the
abode of spirits.
From him the heavenly Nile 6 derives its waters \ from
1 Ave!
a Vide Goodwin, in Chabas; Melanges III, Tom. I, pi. 257.
3 Hermopolis magna.
4 The entrance to the dwelling 1 of the dead.
5 The word paut and paut-ti or double-pant is connected with the idea of
creation. 6 uoTKI, vovv t abyssus.
100 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
him comes the wind, and respirable air I is in his nostrils,
for his satisfaction, and
5 taste of his heart. For him, the ground brings forth
to abundance ; in obedience to him is the upper heaven
and its stars, and he opens the great gates; he is the
Master of invocations in the south heavens, and of
adorations in the north heavens : the moving
6 constellations are under the place of his face, they are
his dwellings, as also the reposing constellations. To
him SEE orders offerings to be presented : the gods
adore him ; those who are in the lower heaven bow
to him, the divine Chiefs 9 doing reverence, all suppli-
cating.
7 They see him, those who are there, the august ones,
and stand in awe from him ; the whole earth glorifies him
when his holiness proceeds (on the vault of the sky) : he is
a Sahou illustrious among the Sahous, great in dignity,
permanent in empire. He is the excellent master of the
gods, fair and
8 beloved by all who see him. He imposes his fear to
all lands so that they like to exalt his name to the first
rank. Through him all are in abundance ; Lord of fame
in heaven and on earth. Multiplied (are his) acclamations
in the feast of Ouak ; acclamations are made to him by
the
9 two worlds unanimously. He is the eldest, the first of
his brothers, the Chief of the gods, he it is who maintains
justice in the two worlds, and who places the son in
the seat of his father ; he is the praise of his father SEE,
the love of his mother Nou ; very valiant, he overthrows
the impure ; invincible, he strikes
1 Mesess, sky, vault, and veil.
9 Ritual, ch. XVIII. Lepsius, Todtenluch, xi. ch. XVIII, ix. e. 17, 1. 62.
HYMN TO OSIRIS. IOI
10 his opponent, he inspires his fear to his enemy ; he
seizes the wicked one's boundaries ; firm of heart, his feet
are vigilant : he is the offspring of SEE, ruling the two
worlds. He (SEE) has seen his virtues and has com-
manded him to conduct
11 the nations by the hand continually. 1 He has made
this world with his hand, its waters, its atmosphere, its
vegetation, all its flocks, all its flying things, all its fish,
all its reptiles and quadrupeds. Justice is rendered to
the
1 2 Son of Nou and the world is at quiet when he ascends
the seat of his father like the sun : he shines at the
horizon, he enlightens the darkness, he illuminates shades
by his double plume :* he inundates the world like
13 the sun every morning. His diadem predominates at
top of heaven and accompanies 3 the stars : he is the
guide 4 of all the gods.
He is beneficent in will and words : he is the praise of
the great gods and the love of the small gods.
His sister took care of him, by dissipating his enemies,
14 repelling (bad) luck; she sends forth her voice by the
virtues * of her mouth : wise of tongue, no word of hers
fails. She is beneficent in will and speech : It is Isis the
beneficent, the avenger of her brother : she unrepiningly
sought him :
1 5 she went the round of the world lamenting him : she
stopped not till she found him : she shadowed with her
wings ; her wings caused wind, making the invocation of
her brother's burial ;
1 Lit. " for a number of times."
* The two long feathers which adorn the head attire of the Sun-god.
3 Sensen, fraternize. 4 Sam.
5 Beneficent force.
102 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
1 6 she raised the remains of the god of the resting heart :
she extracted his essence : she had a child, she suckled
the baby in (loneliness) secret ; none know where that
happened.
The arm (of the child) has become strong in the great
dwelling
17 of SEE/ The gods are joyous at the arrival of OSIRIS,
son of HORUS intrepid, justified, son of Isis, heir of
OSIRIS. The divine Chiefs join him : the gods recognize
the Universal Lad himself. The Lords of justice there
united
1 8 to watch over iniquity and sit in SEB'S great dwelling
are giving authority to its Lord. 2 The reign of justice
belongs to him. HORUS has found his justification ;
given to him is the title of his father, he appears with the
royal fillet,
19 by the orders of SEE. He takes the royalty of the
two worlds ; the crown of the superior region is fixed on
his head. He judges the world as he likes : heaven and
earth are below the place of his face : he commands
mankind, the intelligent beings, the race of the Egyptians,
and the northern barbarians. 3 The circuit
20 of the solar disk is under his management, the winds,
the waters, the wood of the plants and all vegetables. A
god of seeds, he gives all herbs and the abundance of the
ground. He affords plentifulness 4 and gives it to all the
earth.
21 All men are in ectasy, hearts in sweetness, bosoms in
joy; everybody is in adoration. Everyone glorifies his
goodness : mild is his love for us ; his tenderness en-
1 The great dwelling of Seb is the earth itself.
8 I.e., To the lord of justice. 3 The entire north.
4 Or, satiating abundance.
HYMN TO OSIRIS. 103
virons (our) hearts : great is his love in all bosoms.
The
22 Son of Isis has justice rendered him : his foe falls
under his fury, and the evil-doer at the sound of his
voice : the violent is at his final hour, the Son of Isis,
father avenger, approaches him.
23 Sanctifying, beneficent is his name ; veneration finds
its place : respect immutable for his laws : the path
is open, the footpaths are opened : both worlds are at
rest : evil flies and earth becomes fecundant peaceably
under its Lord. Justice is confirmed
by its Lord who pursues iniquity.
24 Mild is thy heart, O OUNNEFER, son of Isis ! he has
taken the crown of the Upper region : to him is acknow-
ledged his father's authority in the great dwelling of SEE :
PHRA when speaking, THOTH in writing,
25 the divine Chiefs are at rest.
What thy father SEE has commanded for thee, let that
be done according to his word.
(This Egyptian " So be it " ends the hymn. Below this
is the usual formula.)
Oblation to OSIRIS living in the west, Lord of Abydos :
may he allow funereal gifts : bread, liquor, oxen, geese,
clothes, incense, oil, all gifts of vegetation :
To make the transformations, to enjoy the Nile, to
appear as a living soul, to see the solar disk every morn-
ing : to go and to come in the Ru-sat : that the soul may
not be repulsed in the Neter-Kher. To be gratified 1
amongst the favoured ones, in presence of OUNNEFER, to
take the aliments presented on the altars of the great god,
1 The exact meaning is the French combler.
IO4 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
to breathe the delicious air and to drink of the rivers
current To the steward of the flocks of AMMON, AMEN-
MES, justified " Son of Lady HEN-T, justified, his consort,
who loves him "
(The name of Nefer-t-aru, which ought to end the phrase
has been completely chiselled out)
HYMN TO THE NILE
TRANSLATED BY
REV. F. C. COOK,
Canon of Exeter, Preacher of Lincoln's Inn, Chaplain in Ordinary
to the Queen.
'"THIS Hymn is important as bearing witness to the
state of religious thought in Egypt in the time of
Merneptah, the son of Rameses II, XlXth dynasty,
according to the generality of Egyptologers, contem-
porary with Moses. 1 It is extant in two papyri, Sallier
ii. p. ii, Select Papyri, pi. xx.-xxiii., and Anastasi vii.
Select Papyri, pi. cxxxiv.-cxxxix., published by the
Trustees of the British Museum.
The name of the author Enna is well known. He
wrote the Romance of the Two Brothers, and other
works preserved in the Select Papyri, and partially
1 See, however, my Essay on Egyptian history in the first volume of
the Commentary on the Bible.
106 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
translated by Mr. Goodwin, in Cambridge Essays, 1858,
p. 257, and M. G. Maspero, Genre epistolaire chez les
anciens Egyptiens. Paris, 1872.
A translation of this hymn was published by
Maspero, Hymne au Nil, in 1868, with an introduc-
tion and critical notes of great value.
The attention of the reader is specially called to the
metrical structure of this poem. The stanzas, con-
taining upon an average ten couplets, are distinctly
marked in the original, the first word in each being
written in red letters ; hence the origin of rubricated
MSS. Each clause also has a red point at the close.
The resemblance with the earliest Hebrew poems has
been pointed out by the translator in the Introduction
to the Book of Psalms, and in the Notes on Exodus,
in the Speakers Commentary on the Bible.
icy
HYMN TO THE NILE.
I. STROPHE.
Adoration of the Nile.
1 HAIL to thee O Nile !
2 Thou shewest thyself in this land,
3 Coming in peace, giving life to Egypt :
4 O AMMON, (thou) leadest night unto day, 1
5 A leading that rejoices the heart !
6 Overflowing the gardens created by RA. S
7 Giving life to all animals ;
8 Watering the land without ceasing :
9 The way of heaven descending : 3
10 Lover of food, bestower of corn,
1 1 Giving light to every home, O PTAH !
1 If this rendering is correct, the meaning must be that the god of the
Nile is the secret source of light, see section 3, line 5, and section 8, line i.
The attributes of Egyptian gods, who represent the unknown under
various aspects, are interchangeable to a great extent; here the Nile is
Ammon, doing also the work of Ra. Dr. Birch suggests that the rendering
may be, " hiding his course night and day."
2 Ra, the sun-god, who is represented as delighting in flowers, see
Ritual, c. LXXXI, " I am the pure lily which comes out of the fields of Ra."
3 The Nile-god traverses heaven ; his course there corresponds to that
of the river on earth.
I08 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
II.
1 Lord of fishes, when the inundation returns
2 No fowls fall on the cultures. 1
3 Maker of spelt ; creator of wheat :
4 who maintaineth the temples !
5 Idle hands he loathes 2
6 For myriads, for all the wretched.
7 If the gods in heaven are grieved, 3
8 Then sorrow cometh on men.
III.
1 He maketh the whole land open to the oxen, 4
2 And the great and the small are rejoicing;
3 The response of men at his coming ! *
4 His likeness is NUM ! 6
5 He shineth, then the land exulteth !
6 All bellies are in joy !
7 Every creature receives nourishment !
8 All teeth get food.
IV.
1 Bringer of food ! Great Lord of provisions !
2 Creator of all good things !
1 See x. 6. This is obscure, but it may mean that the Nile-god protects
the newly sown fields from the birds.
2 I.e., he sets them at work. Thus Ritual, c. xv. 20, " Ra, the giver of
food, destroys all place for idleness, cuts off all excuse."
3 As they are by idleness; see Ritual, cxxv, p. CCLV, Birch.
4 I.e., he makes it ready for cultivation.
5 Their joy and gratitude respond to his advance.
6 Num is the Nile-god regarded as giving life.
HYMN TO THE NILE. 109
3 Lord of terrors * and of choicest joys !
4 All are combined in him.
5 He produceth grass for the oxen ;
6 Providing victims for every god.
7 The choice incense is that which he supplies.
8 Lord in both regions,
9 He filleth the granaries, enricheth the storehouses,
10 He careth for the state of the poor.
V.
1 He causeth growth to fulfil all desires,
2 He never wearies of it.
3 He maketh his might a buckler. 2
4 He is not graven in marble, 3
5 As an image bearing the double crown.
6 He is not beheld :
7 He hath neither ministrants nor offerings :
8 He is not adored in sanctuaries :
9 His abode is not known :
10 No shrine is found with painted figures. 4
1 The Egyptian word corresponds to Apo-a^i]?, which according" to
Plutarch, signifies TO avSpelov. his et Osiris, c. 37. The Egyptians, like
all ancient people, identify terror with strength or greatness.
2 This scriptural phrase comes in abruptly. It is probably drawn from
some older source.
3 The True Deity is not represented by any image. This is a relic of
primeval monotheism : out of place as referring to the Nile, but pointing
to a deeper and sounder faith. Compare the laws of Manu, i. 5-7.
4 See last line of section 13. There are no shrines covered, as usual,
with coloured hieroglyphics. The whole of this passage is of extreme im-
portance, showing that, apart from all objects of idolatrous worship, the
old Egyptian recognised the existence of a Supreme God, unknown and
inconceivable ; the true source of all power and goodness. Compare the
oldest forms of the i7th chapter of the funeral Ritual in Lepsius Aelteste
Texte.
IIO RECORDS OF THE PAST.
VI.
1 There is no building that can contain him I 1
2 There is no counsellor 2 in thy heart !
3 Thy youth delight in thee, thy children :
4 Thou directest 3 them as King.
5 Thy law is established in the whole land,
6 In the presence of thy servants in the North : 4
7 Every eye is satisfied with him : s
8 He careth for the abundance of his blessings.
VII.
1 The inundation comes, (then) cometh rejoicing ;
2 Every heart exulteth,:
3 The tooth of the crocodiles, the children of NEITH 6
4 (Even) the circle of the gods who are counted with thee.
5 Doth not its outburst water the fields,
6 Overcoming mortals (with joy) :
7 Watering one to produce another. 7
8 There is none who worketh with him ;
9 He produces food without the aid of NEITH. 8
10 Mortals he causes to rejoice.
1 i Ki. viii. 27. 2 Is. xi. 13, 14.
3 Or "thou givest them counsels, orderest all their goings."
4 I.e. " all magistrates are the servants of the deity, and administer his
law from South to North."
5 Maspero " par lui est hue 1'eau (les pleurs) de tous les yeux," i.e. " he
wipes away tears from all eyes."
6 Dr. Birch, to whom I am indebted for this rendering, observes that
the goddess Neith is often represented with two crocodiles sucking her
breasts.
7 I.e. " The Nile fills all mortals with the languor of desire, and gives
fecundity."
8 I.e. "without needing rain, the gift of the goddess of heaven." Such
seems to be the meaning of a very obscure passage.
HYMN TO THE NILE. Ill
VIII.
1 He giveth light on his coming from darkness : '
2 In the pastures of his cattle
3 His might produceth all :
4 What was not, his moisture bringeth to life.
5 Men are clothed to fill his gardens :
6 He careth for his labourers.
7 He maketh even and noontide,
8 He is the infinite PTAH and KABES.'
9 He createth all works therein,
10 All writings, all sacred words,
1 1 All his implements in the North. 3
IX.
1 He enters with words the interior of his house, 4
2 When he willeth he goeth forth from his mystic fane.
3 Thy wrath is destruction of fishes. 5
4 Then 6 men implore thee for the waters of the season.
5 "That the Thebaid may be seen like the Delta.
6 That every man be seen bearing his tools,
7 No man left behind his comrade !
8 Let the clothed be unclothed,
1 See note on section i.
3 The meaning is, evidently, that he combines the attributes of Ptah
the Demiurge, and Kabes, an unknown god.
3 All things serviceable to man, arms, implements, etc.
4 This seems to mean, he gives oracles at his shrine. Observe the in-
consistency of this with section 5.
5 Causing scarcity of food in the land. See Ex. viii. 18, 21.
6 In a season of scarcity prayers are offered for supply of water. The
following lines seem to describe great haste when the inundation comes
on; none wait for their clothing, even when valuable, and the nightly
solemnities are broken up : but the passage is obscure.
112 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
9 No adornments for the sons of nobles,
TO No circle of gods in the night !"
1 1 The response (of the god) is refreshing water,
1 2 Filling all men with fatness.
X.
1 Establisher of justice ! men rejoice
2 With flattering words to worship 1 thee,
3 Worshipped together with the mighty water !
4 Men present offerings of corn,
5 Adoring all the gods :
6 No fowls fall on the land. 2
7 Thy hand is adorned with gold, 3
8 As moulded of an ingot of gold,
9 Precious as pure lapis lazuli, 4
10 Corn in its state of germination is not eaten. 5
XL
1 The hymn is addressed to thee with the harp ;
2 It is played with a (skilful) hand to thee !
3 The youths rejoice at thee !
4 Thy own children.
5 Thou hast rewarded their labour.
6 There is a great one adorning the land ;
7 An enlightener, a buckler in front of men,
8 Quickening the heart in depression.
9 Loving the increase of all his cattle.
1 Lit. answer, "i.e., with thanks and prayers, when them bringest the
water in abundance."
2 See II. 2.
3 The gold represents the preciousness of the gift of food.
4 This is often mentioned in the inscriptions amongst the most precious
stones.
5 See note on II. 4.
HYMN TO THE NILE. 113
XII.
1 Thou shinest in the city of the King j
2 Then the householders are satiated with good things,
3 The poor man laughs at the lotus. 1
4 All things are perfectly ordered.
5 Every kind of herb for thy children.
6 If food should fail,
7 All enjoyment is cast on the ground,
8 The land falls in weariness.
XIII.
1 O inundation of Nile, offerings are made to thee :
2 Oxen are slain to thee :
3 Great festivals are kept for thee ;
4 Fowls are sacrificed to thee ;
5 Beasts of the field are caught for thee
6 Pure flames are offered to thee j
7 Offerings are made to every god,
8 As they are made unto Nile.
9 Incense ascends unto heaven,
10 Oxen, bulls, fowls are burnt !
i T Nile makes for himself chasms in the Thebaid ;*
1 2 Unknown is his name in heaven,
13 He doth not manifest his forms!
14 Vain are all representations ! 3
XIV.
1 Mortals extol (him), and the cycle of gods !
2 Awe is felt by the terrible ones ;
1 Which he ate when he could get nothing else.
3 An allusion to the legend that the Nile comes forth from two openings
in the South.
3 See V., last line.
VOL. IV. 9
114 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
3 His son 1 is made Lord of all,
4 To enlighten all Egypt. 8
5 Shine forth, shine forth, O Nile ! shine forth !
6 Giving life to men by his oxen :
7 Giving life to his oxen by the pastures !
8 Shine forth in glory, O Nile.
1 The Pharaoh. a The two regions.
THE SOLEMN
FESTAL DIRGE OF THE EGYPTIANS
TRANSLATED BY
C W. GOODWIN, M.A.
HTHIS Dirge or Hymn, which is that alluded to by
Herodotus, 1 is contained in one of the Harris Papyri
(No. 500), the same from which I have already trans-
lated the " Story of the Doomed Prince." The first
line of the Hymn ascribes it to the authorship of King
Antuf, one of the Pharaohs of the Xlth Dynasty.
l "At the entertainments of the rich, just as the company is about to rise
from the repast, a small coffin is carried round, containing a perfect
representation of a dead body ; it is in size sometimes of one, but never
more than two cubits, and as it is shown to the guests in rotation the
bearer exclaims, ' Cast your eyes on this figure, after death you yourself
will resemble it ; drink then> and be happy.' " Herodotus, Euterpe,
Il6 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
The papyrus itself is however of the time of Thothmes
III, XVII I th Dynasty, but that is no reason why all the
Texts in the MSS. should be of the latter date. The
translation here given was printed by myself for the
first time in the Transactions of the Society of Biblical
ArcJuzology, Vol. iii., part I, but the Hieroglyphic
Text remains yet to be published. A fragment of
another copy of this identical Hymn is to be found in
the Monumens du Musee de Leide iii. partie, pi. 12,
and from it several words which were wanting in the
Harris papyrus have been restored.
FESTAL DIRGE.
1 wanting.
2 The song of the house of King ANXUF, deceased, which
is (written) in front of
3 the player on the harp. 1
All hail to the good Prince,
the worthy good (man),
the body is fated (?) to pass away,
the atoms 2
4 remain, ever since the time of the ancestors.
The gods who were beforetime rest in their tombs,
the mummies
5 of the saints likewise are enwrapped in their tombs.
They who build houses, and they who have no houses,
see !
6 what becomes of them.
I have heard the words of IMHOTEP 3 and HARXAXEF.*
It is said in their sayings,
7 " After all, what is prosperity ?
Their fenced walls are dilapidated.
Their houses are as that which has never existed.
8 No man comes from thence
who tells of their sayings,
who tells of their affairs,
1 The Song of the Harper in the tomb of Nefer-hotep bears a great re-
semblance to this composition ; see Diimichen, Historische. Inschriften ii.,
pi. 40.
2 Or perhaps " the little ones, the children."
3 Imhotep, the son of the primaeval deity Ptah, was the mythical author
of various arts and sciences. The Greeks spelt the name 'I^ovQ-ns Imopth,
but more frequently substituted the name 'AO-K^TTIO?, Asclepios.
4 Hartatef was the son of King Menkera (Mycerinus), to whom the dis-
covery of part of the Ritual, cap. Ixiv. is attributed, and who was the
author of a mystical work.
Il8 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
who encourages our hearts.
Ye go
9 to the place whence they return not. 1
Strengthen thy heart to forget how thou hast enjoyed
thyself,
fulfil thy desire whilst thou livest.
10 Put oils upon thy head
clothe thyself with fine linen adorned with precious
metals
1 1 with the gifts of God
multiply thy good things,
yield to thy desire,
fulfil thy desire with thy good things
12 (whilst thou art) upon earth,
according to the dictation of thy heart.
The day will come to thee,
when one hears not the voice
when the one who is at rest hears not
13 their voices. 2
Lamentations deliver not him who is in the tomb. 3
14 Feast in tranquillity
seeing that there is no one who carries away his goods
with him.
Yea, behold, none who goes thither comes back again.
1 Compare the Assyrian phrase " The land men cannot return from "
" Descent of Ishtar," Records of the Past, Vol. i. p. 143, p. 5.
a I.e. " of the mourners." * Here follows a lacuna.
THE
BOOK OF RESPIRATIONS.
TRANSLATED BY
P. J. DE HORRACK.
'"THE manuscript, a translation of which here
follows, belongs to the Museum of the Louvre in
Paris, where it is registered under the No. 3284,
(Deve'ria, Catalogue des MS. tgypt. p. 132). It pro-
bably dates from the epoch of the Ptolemies. It is
in hieratic writing and generally known by the name
of Book of Respirations, or Book of the Breaths of Life
according to Mr. Le Page Renouf's ingenious inter-
pretation. This book seems to have been deposited
exclusively with the mummies of the priests and
priestesses of the god Ammon-Ra, if we may judge
from the titles inserted into the manuscripts.
Dr. Brugsch, in 1851, first directed the attention of
Egyptologists to this curious work, by publishing a
120 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
transcription in hieroglyphics of a hieratic text in the
Berlin Museum, with a Latin translation, under the
title of Skat an Smsm, sive liber MetempsycJwsis, etc.
He added to this a copy of a hieratic text of the
same book found in Denon, Voyage en Egypte,
pi. 136.
A full analysis of this literary composition has also
been given by Dr. Samuel Birch, in his Introduction
to the Rhind Papyri, London 1863.
The Paris manuscript is as yet unpublished, but a
copy of it will be produced ere long by the present
translator. A few passages corrupted by the ancient
scribe have been restored from copies of the same
text, which are in the Egyptian Museum of the
Louvre.
The Book of Respirations has a great analogy with
that of the Lamentations of I sis and Nephthys. It
not only makes allusion to the formulae and acts by
means of which the resurrection is effected, but also
treats of the life after death ; thus greatly increasing
our knowledge of the religious system of the ancient
Egyptians.
121
THE BOOK OF RESPIRATIONS.
COMMENCEMENT of the Book of Respirations
made by Isis for her brother OSIRIS,
to give life to his soul,
to give life to his body,
to rejuvenate all his members anew ;
that he may reach the horizon with his father, the Sun ;
that his soul may rise to Heaven in the disk of the Moon ;
that his body may shine in the stars of Orion on the bosom
ofNu-x; 1
in order that this may also happen
to the OSIRIS, divine Father, Prophet of AMMON-RA, King
of the gods,
Prophet of KHEM, of AMMON-RA, bull of his mother,
in his great abode,
ASAR-AAU, justified,
Son of the Prophet of the same order, NES-PAUT-TA-TT,
justified.
Conceal (it), conceal (it) !
Let it not be read by any one.
It is profitable to the person who is in the divine Nether-
World.
He liveth in reality millions of times anew.
Words spoken :
Hail to the OSIRIS N ! 2 thou art pure ;
thy heart is pure,
thy fore-part is purified,
1 Nut personified the Upper Hemisphere of Heaven.
2 Here was written the name of the deceased.
122 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
thy hind-part is cleansed,
thy middle is in Bat ' and natron.
No member in thee is faulty.
The OSIRIS N is (made) pure by the lotions
from the Fields of Peace, at the North of the Fields of
Sanehem-u.
The goddesses UATI (and) SUBEN have purified thee
at the eighth hour of the night
and at the eighth hour of the day.
Come OSIRIS N !
Thou dost enter the Hall of the Two Goddesses of Truth.
Thou art purified of all sin, of all crime.
Stone of Truth is thy name.
; Hail to the OSIRIS N !
Thou, being very pure, dost enter the Lower Heaven.
The Two goddesses of Justice have purified thee in the
great Hall.
A purification hath been made to thee in the Hall of Seb.
Thy members have been purified in the Hall of Shu. 3
Thou seest RA in his setting,
(as) Atum 4 in the evening.
AMMON is near to thee, to give thee breath,
PTAH, to form thy members.
Thou dost enter the horizon with the Sun.
Thy soul is received in the barque Neshem 5 with OSIRIS.
Thy soul is divinized in the Hall of Seb.
Thou art justified for ever and ever.
I. Hail to the OSIRIS N !
Thine individuality is permanent.
Thy body is durable.
1 Probably a substance used for purifying and perfuming.
2 The earth. 3 Heaven. 4 The setting sun.
5 The solar barque.
BOOK OF RESPIRATIONS. 123
Thy mummy doth germinate.
Thou art not repulsed from heaven, (neither from) earth.
Thy face is illuminated near the Sun.
Thy soul liveth near to AMMON.
Thy body is rejuvenated near to OSIRIS.
Thou dost breathe for ever and ever.
5 Thy soul maketh thee offerings, each day,
of bread, of drinks, of oxen, of geese, of fresh water, of
condiments.
Thou comest to justify it.
Thy flesh is on thy bones,
like unto thy form on earth.
Thou dost imbibe into thy body.
Thou eatest with thy mouth.
Thou receivest bread, with the souls of the gods.
ANUBIS doth guard thee.
He is thy protection.
Thou art not repulsed from the gates of the Lower Heaven.
THOTH, the doubly great, the Lord of Sesennu, cometh to
thee.
He writeth for thee the Book of Respirations, with his own
fingers.
Thy soul doth breathe for ever and ever.
Thou dost renew thy form on earth, among the living.
Thou art divinized with the souls of the gods.
Thy heart is the heart of RA.
Thy members are the members of the great god. 1
Thou livest for ever and ever.
6 Hail to the OSIRIS N !
AMMON is with thee each day
to render thee life.
APHERU openeth to thee the right way.
Thou seest with thine eyes ;
1 Osiris.
124 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
thou hearest with thine ears ;
thou speakest with thy mouth ;
thou walkest with thy legs ;
Thy soul is divinized in Heaven,
to make all the transformations it desireth.
Thou makest the joy of the sacred persea in An.
Thou awakenest each day.
Thou seest the rays of RA.
AMMON cometh to thee with the breath of life.
He granteth to thee to breathe in thy coffin.
Thou comest on earth each day,
the Book of Respirations of THOTH being thy protection.
Thou breathest by it each day.
Thine eyes behold the rays of the disk.
Truth is spoken to thee before OSIRIS.
The formulae of justification are on thy body.
HORUS, the defender of his father, protecteth thy body.
He divinizeth thy soul as well as (those) of all the gods.
The soul of RA giveth life to thy soul.
The soul of SHU filleth thy respiratory organs with soft
breath. 1
Hail to the OSIRIS N !
Thy soul doth breathe in the place thou lovest.
Thou art in the dwelling of OSIRIS, who resideth in the
West.
Thy person is most pure.
Thou dost arrive in Abydos.
He (Osmis) filleth thy dwelling Hotep with provisions.
! Hail to the OSIRIS N !
The gods of all Egypt come to thee.
Thou art guided towards the end of centuries.
Thy soul liveth.
Thou dost follow OSIRIS.
1 Another version : uniteth itself (to) the breath of thy nostrils.
BOOK OF RESPIRATIONS. 125
Thou breathest in Rusta.
Secret care is taken of thee by the Lord of Sati '
and by the great god. 2
Thy body liveth in Tattu (and in) Nifur.
Thy soul liveth in Heaven for ever.
9 Hail to the OSIRIS N !
SECRET prevaileth against what is injurious to thee.
HAR-AA-HETU taketh care of thee.
HAR-SHET doth form thy heart.
HAR-MAA doth guard thy body.
Thou continuest in life, health (and) strength.
Thou art established upon thy throne in Ta-ser.
Come, OSIRIS N !
Thou appearest in thy form.
Strengthened by thine ornaments 3
thou art prepared for life.
Thou remainest in a healthful state ;
thou walkest, thou breathest everywhere. 4
The Sun doth rise upon thine abode.
. Like unto OSIRIS, thou breathest, thou livest by his rays.
AMMON-RA giveth life to thee.
He doth enlighten thee by the Book of Respirations.
Thou dost follow OSIRIS and HORUS, Lord of the sacred
barque.
Thou art as the greatest of the gods among the gods.
Thy beautiful face liveth (in) thy children.
Thy name doth always prosper.
Come to the great temple in Tattu.
Thou wilt see him who resideth in the West,
in the Ka-festival.
1 Another version : by thy Lord, Ra. 2 Osiris.
3 Those of the mummy.
4 This is the acknowledgment of the resurrection effected by the cere-
monies of the mummification. I am indebted to the friendly aid of M.
Chabas for the translation of this and one or two other passages.
126 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Delicious is thy perfume as that of the blessed ;
great thy name among the elect.
10 Hail to the OSIRIS N !
Thy soul liveth by the Book of Respirations.
Thou unitest thyself to the Book of Respirations.
Thou dost enter the Lower Heaven ;
thine enemies are not (there).
Thou art a divine soul in Tattu. 1
Thy heart is thine ;
it is (no longer) separated from thee.
Thine eyes are thine ;
they open each day.
i i a Words spoken by the gods who accompany OSIRIS,
to the OSIRIS N :
Thou dost follow RA.
Thou dost follow OSIRIS.
Thy soul liveth for ever and ever.
n b Words spoken by the gods who dwell in the Lower
Heaven (like) OSIRIS of the West, to the OSIRIS N :
Let them open to him at the gates of the Lower Heaven.
He is received 9 in the divine Nether- World,
that his soul may live for ever.
He buildeth a dwelling in the divine Nether- World.
He is rewarded. 3
He hath received the Book of Respirations,
that he may breathe.
1 2 Royal offering to OSIRIS who resideth in the West,
great god, Lord of Abydos,
that he may give offerings
of bread, of hak, of oxen, of geese, of wine, of the liquor
aket, of bread Hotep,
1 Corrupted passage restored by means of the manuscripts of the Louvre.
8 Another version : " thou art received."
3 Corrupted passage : translation uncertain.
BOOK OF RESPIRATIONS. 127
of good provisions of all kinds,
to the OSIRIS N.
Thy soul liveth.
Thy body doth germinate,
by order of RA himself,
without pain, without injury,
like unto RA for ever and ever.
13 Oh Strider, coming out of AN,'
the OSIRIS N hath not committed any sin.
Oh Mighty of the Moment, coming out of Kerau,
the OSIRIS N hath not done any evil.
Oh Nostril, coming out of Sesennu, 8
the OSIRIS N hath not been exacting.
Oh Devourer of the Eye, coming out of Kerti,
the OSIRIS N hath not obtained anything by theft.
Oh Impure of visage, coming out of Rusta,
the OSIRIS N hath not been angry.
Oh Lion-gods, coming forth from heaven,
the OSIRIS N hath not committed any sin by reason
of hardness of heart (?)
Oh Fiery-Eyed, coming out of Sechem,
the OSIRIS N hath not been weak.
14 Oh ye gods who dwell in the Lower Heaven,
hearken unto the voice of OSIRIS N.
He is near unto you.
There is no fault in him.
No informer riseth up against him.
He liveth in the truth.
He doth nourish himself with truth.
The gods are satisfied with all that he hath done.
He hath given food to the hungry,
drink to the thirsty,
clothes to the naked.
1 Heliopolis. * Hermopolis.
128 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
He hath given the sacred food to the gods,
the funeral repasts to the pure Spirits.
No complaint hath been made against him before any of
the gods.
Let him enter (then) into the Lower Heaven
without being repulsed.
Let him follow OSIRIS, with the gods of Kerti.
He is favoured among the faithful, 1
(and) divinized among the perfected.
Let him live !
Let his soul live !
His soul is received wherever it willeth.
(He) hath received the Book of Respirations,
that he may breathe with his soul,
(with) that of the' Lower Heaven,
and that he may make any transformation at his will,
like (the inhabitants) of the West -*
that his soul may go wherever it desireth,
living on the earth for ever and ever.
He is towed (like) OSIRIS into the Great Pool of Khons.
When he has retaken possession of his heart 3
the Book of Respirations is concealed in (the coffin).
It is (covered) with writing upon Suten,
both inside and outside (and)
placed underneath his left arm,
evenly with his heart ;
When the Book has been made for him
then he breathes with the souls of the gods for ever and ever. 4
It is finished.
1 Another version : " the living."
3 Literally: " the Westerners."
3 Illegible passage restored by means of the manuscripts of the Louvre.
4 Another version : "this volume of the Book of Respirations is made for
him and the souls of the gods."
I2 9
THE
TALE OF SETN A U.
FROM THE VERSION
OF
DR. HEINRICH BRUGSCH-BEY.
'"THE original of the following tale is written in
the Demotic character and represents a stage of the
Egyptian language intermediate between the ancient
language and the Coptic. The manuscript which
contains it is one of the treasures of the Vice Regal
Museum at Boulaq, and was discovered at Thebes
VOL. iv. 10
130 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
in a wooden box containing other manuscripts in
hieratic and Coptic writing which had belonged to
a Coptic monk and had been deposited with him in
his tomb. Towards the end of 1865 M. Mariette
brought the papyrus under the notice of Dr. Brugsch
who stands without a rival in the decipherment and
interpretation of demotic texts. Dr. Brugsch's trans-
lation of the document appeared in the Revue Ar-
cheologique of 1867. A facsimile of the original text
was published in the first volume of the Papyrus
Egyptiens du Musee de Boulaq edited by M. Mariette
The manuscript at present consists of four pages,
and they are numbered, the first being marked as
page 3 ; from which it is clear that two pages are
missing, and their destruction has been fatal to the
first words of each of the forty lines of the third
page.
If we possessed the first two pages of the papyrus,
says Dr. Brugsch, we should probably be able at
once to explain the origin or the occasion of the facts
which are developed in the narrative before the eyes
of the reader and which prove that the Egyptian
TALE OF SETNAU. 13!
writer is not describing the acts and fortunes of living
persons but, on the contrary, of the dead, of mum-
mies, who not only converse in. their catacomb about
certain circumstances of their past life upon earth,
but have even the power of leaving their tomb and
coffin and mixing in the society of the living. Or if
this hypothesis is not acceptable we should be obliged
to suppose that we have to do with a mere recital of
a dream.
The principal personage of the story is Setnau
Cha-em-uset son of a king named User-mat, whom
Dr. Brugsch considers as identical with the great
Rameses II. Ptah-nefer-ka and Ahura, a brother
and sister marrieU together are children of a king
Mer-neb-ptah whose name (in this orthography at
least) is unknown to history. Merhu is the child of
Ptahneferka and Ahura. The scene is placed at
Memphis in lower Egypt and at Coptos in Upper
Egypt on the eastern bank of the Nile, a place re-
nowned for a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess
Isis and her son Harpocrates.
The first page of our manuscript in its present
state begins in the middle of a conversation wherein
132 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
the lady Ahura, sister and wife of Ptah-nefer-ka relates
to Setnau the events of her life since her marriage
with Ptah-nefer-ka until her own death and the deaths
of her husband and child.
f
P. LE PAGE RENOUF.
133
THE TALE OF SETNAU.
" IT is thou who wouldst have turned me away
from it if I had had no child after the two children. Ought
not the two to be married together? I shall marry PTAH-
NEFER-KA to the daughter of a captain of soldiers
(and) AHURA to the son of another Captain of soldiers, as it
has long been the custom in our family.
The time came for beginning the rejoicings before the
King. I was called and conducted to the festive entertain-
ments (of the King). (I was) richly attired. I had not the
same look as on the previous day. Did not the King say
to me, " AHURA, it is not thou who hast sent them to me,
on the occasion of this dispute, to say I would wish to
marry (the son of a) great (personage)?" I said to him,
" I would wish to marry the son of a Captain of soldiers.
He would wish to marry the daughter of another Captain of
soldiers, as it has long been the custom in our family." I
laughed and the King laughed. (Then said) the King to
the Chief of the palace : " Let AHURA be conducted during
the night to the house of PTAH-NEFER-KA, let all kinds of
beautiful things be taken with her." My marriage took place
in the house of PTAH-NEFER-KA to bring the
presents in silver and in gold. They were all brought to me
from the royal palace. PTAH-NEFER-KA spent a happy day
with me he received all the precious things of the royal
palace and he slept with me that night. He did not recognise
me "except that one of us loves the other."
The time of my usual disturbances arrived, and I had them
not The King was informed of this and he was much
pleased. The King sent many things he caused
134 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
most beautiful presents to be brought to me in silver and
gold and raiment of byssus. The time of my delivery
arrived and I brought into the world this son who is before
thee and who was named MER-HU. It was inscribed in the
register of the house of the Sacred Scribes.
PTAH-NEFER-KA, my brother, remained upon
earth. Having gone to the Necropolis of Memphis, he read
the writings which are in the tombs of the Kings, and the
tablets in hieroglyphic writing and the writings which are
on (the ... for he was very learned . . . . ) exceedingly,
with respect to writings. After this, there was a Cher 1
named NESPTAH. PTAH-NEFER-KA having gone to the
temple to offer his prayer, it happened that he walked
behind the Cher reading the writings which are on the
chapels of the gods. ( ... he laughed.) PTAH-NEFER-KA
said to him: "Wherefore laughest thou at me?" He
said " I am not laughing at thee, but ought I not to laugh
when thou readest some writings without ( ... if) thou
desirest to read a writing, come to me. I will conduct thee
to the spot where the book is which the god THOTH wrote
with his hand. Its commencement .... below, after the
gods. Two pages of the writing, those which are on the
back, if thou (recitest, thou shalt) charm heaven, the earth,
the abyss, the mountains, the seas. Thou shalt know what
relates to the birds of the sky and the reptiles, and all that
is said of them. Thou shalt see the fishes of the water and
(the divine power will raise them to the surface of
the water). If thou readest the second page, it will happen
that if thou art in the Amenti, thou wilt have power to resume
the form which thou hadst upon earth. Thou shalt see the
Sun-god RA who riseth up in heaven and the cycle of his
nine gods, and the moon in its form at its rising." ....
" (By) the King who liveth. Let a good word be said to
1 A sort of priest.
TALE OF SETNAU. 135
me. Whatsoever them askest I will give it to thee. Send
me to the place where the book is." The Priest said to
PTAH-NEFER-KA : " If thou askest to be sent (to this place)
(I shall do it on condition) that thou shalt give me a hundred
pieces of silver for my burial; if thou givest me them" . . .
. . PTAH-NEFER-KA called a young servant. He caused the
hundred pieces of silver to be given to the Priest .... he
caused them to be given. . . . (Then the Priest said to)
PTAH-NEFER-KA : " The book in question is in the middle of
the river of Coptos, in a box of iron, the box of iron is in a
box of (brass, the box of brass is) in a box of bronze, the
box of bronze is in a box of ivory and ebony, the box of
ivory and ebony is in a (box of silver,) the box of silver is in
a box of gold and the book is in this. There are a serpent,
a scorpion and all sorts of reptiles together in the box in
waich the book is. It is . ." . . of this box at the time of
the discourse which had the Priest . . . had held to PTAH-
MEFER-KA. He knew not where in the world he was. He
went forth out of the temple and he said (" Let me remember)
all the (words) that he has (said). I will go to Coptos and
take the book, without stopping at the north. But if I were
to suppose that the Priest has told lies speak before
him. . . . The war, the nome of Thebes .... my hand
and that of PTAH-NEFER-KA that he should not go to Coptos.
He did not listen to (this word}. He presented himself
before (the King. He repeated) to the King all that the
Priest had said. The King said to him "What is it that
thou desirest? I said to him "Let a royal bark be
given to me with all its crew (Let me be permitted) to
take AHURA (and MERHU) her young child to the south
with me. I shall bring back -this book. I shall not stop."
The royal bark was given to him, with its crew. We em-
barked in the ship at the port, we sailed and we arrived
(at Coptos) .... and lo, the Priests of the goddess Isis of
136 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Coptos and the High Priest of Coptos came down before
us. They delayed not to present themselves before PTAH-
NEFER-KA. Their wives came down before me. (We
entered) the temple of Isis and HARPOCRATES. PTAH-
NEFER-KA sent for an ox, a goose and some wine to make a
sacrifice and a libation in the presence of Isis of Coptos and
HARPOCRATES. We were conducted into a very beautiful
house. (We entered.) PTAH-NEFER-KA remained four days.
He made holiday with the Priests of Isis of Coptos. The
wives of the Priests of Isis made holiday with me in my
presence. The morning of our fifth day arrived. PTA.H-
NEFER-KA (gave orders to the High) Priest who was by Jim
to make a construction filled with his workmen and tools. He
told them of the writing. He made them alive and ga^e
them the breath. He made them go down to the sea side.
He filled the royal bark with sand he ... to the
harbour.
I approached till in front of the river of Coptos before me,
for I wished to know what was in it. He said " Workmen,
work for me till the place in which the book is." . . (they
worked) by night as well as by day. Having arrived at it,
in three days, he caused the sand to be thrown before him.
A .... took place in the river, announcing that one had
reached the serpent, the scorpion and all the reptiles which
were together with (the box . . . ) in it, from the discovery
of a small serpent with the box aforesaid. He read the
writing when he came to the serpent, the scorpion and all
the reptiles which were together with the box. He was not
able to make them come out. (But he seized) .... the
little serpent which was inside. Having a knife with him he
killed it : but it came to life again and resumed its former
shape. Taking a sword he killed it a second time ; it came
to life once more having resumed its form. He killed it a
TALE OF SETNAU. 137
third time and it then remained in two pieces. He placed
sand between the two. The serpent did not resume its
former shape. PTAH-NEFER-KA went to the place where the
box was. (He discovered the box. It was) of iron, this one.
He opened it and perceived a box of brass. He opened it
and perceived a box of bronze. He perceived a box of
ivory and ebony. (He perceived a box of silver.) He
opened it and perceived a box of gold. He opened it and
perceived the box within. He took the book out of the
golden box. He read a page of the writing. (He charmed
heaven, the earth, the abyss) the mountains, the seas. He
understood what related to the birds of the sky and to the
fishes of the sea and the fourfooted beasts of the moun-
tain. It was spoken in it of them all. He read another
page of the writing and he saw (the sun rising in heaven and
the cycle of his nine) gods and the moon which was rising
and the stars in their forms. He saw the fishes of the water.
The divine power made them rise above the water. He
read the writing to the .... river. He said to the work-
men, " Work for me as far as the place (....) them."
They worked for him by night as well as by day, in order
that he might arrive at the place where I was (....) in
front of the river of Coptos. I did not drink (...)! did
nothing at all, I was in the condition of a person who has
arrived at the " good dwelling " (the grave). I said to PTAH-
NEFER-KA (it is absolutely necessary for me) to see this
book. We have suffered this misfortune (?) ( ) on
account of it. He put the book into my hand. I recited
a page of its writing. I charmed. I charmed the sky, the
earth, the abyss, the mountains, the seas. I learnt all that
relates to the birds of heaven, the fish of the sea and four-
footed beasts. It was spoken of them all. I recited the
other page of the writing. I saw the sun rising in the sky
and the cycle of his nine gods. I saw the moon rise with
138 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
all the stars of heaven in all their forms. I saw the fishes
of the water. The divine power made them rise above the
water this writing ? So spake I to PTAH-NEFER-KA,
my eldest brother, who was a good writer and a very learned
man. He took a new piece of papyrus before him. He
copied each word which was on the roll before him. He
had it filled with (....) He had it dissolved in water.
When he saw it dissolved he drank it. He knew all that it
contained,
We returned to Coptos on the same day. We made
holiday before Isis of Coptos and HARPOCRATES. We went
up to the harbour, we sailed and at the north of Coptos sud-
denly encountered the god THOTH, who knew all that had
happened to PTAH-NEFER-KA as regards the book. THOTH
tarried not to report this to RA, saying, " Know that my law
and my science is with PTAH-NEFER-KA, son of King MER-
NEB-PTAH ; he hath gone into my great dwelling. He hath
stolen them. He hath taken my box beneath my (....).
He hath slain my guardian who watched over it." It was
answered to him, " He is abandoned to thee with all the
persons who belong to him." A divine power was made to
descend from heaven to prevent PTAH-NEFER-KA from again
entering Memphis. He was enchanted with all the persons
who belonged to him. ' An hour passed thus, and then the
young child MERHU went out under the shadow of the royal
bark. He fell into the water, invoking RA, and calling upon
all the people of the harbour, who stirred not. PTAH-NEFER-
KA went out beneath the (....) He read over him the
writing. He made him come up. The divine power brought
him to the surface of the water. He read the writing and
made him tell all that had happened to him and (also) of
the form of the report which THOTH had addressed to RA.
We returned to Coptos with him. We conducted him
TALE OF SETNAU. 139
to the good dwelling, we celebrated the rites for him; we
embalmed him as became the greatness of an exalted
personage and we buried him in a chest in the Necropolis
of Coptos.
PTAH-NEFER-KA my brother said : " Let us embark without
delay, lest the King learn what hath happened, and his
heart be sad in consequence of it." We went up to the
harbour and embarked. We made no delay at the north of
Coptos, but on arriving at the place where the young child
MERHU had fallen into the river, I went out beneath the
shadow of the royal bark and fell into the river. I made
invocation to RA, and called upon the people who had re-
mained in the harbour. It was told to PTAH-NEFER-KA, who
came out beneath the shadow of the royal bark. He read
the writing over me. It made me rise up. The divine
power brought me up to the surface of the water. He made
me tell him all that had happened to me and of the form of
the report which THOTH had addressed to RA. He returned
to Coptos with me and had me taken to the " good dwelling."
He celebrated the rites for me. He had me embalmed with
the embalmment suited to the greatness of a most high per-
sonage, and caused me to be buried in the tomb wherein
the young child MERHU was buried.
He went up to the harbour and embarked. He staid not
at the north of Coptos. And when he came to the place
where we had fallen into the river, he spake to himself,
saying, " Shall I go to Coptos to be united with them ? If
not, it will come to pass that when I come to Memphis, the
King will straightway ask for my children. What shall I
say to him ? I cannot tell him thus : ' I have taken thy
children to the Thebais. I have slain them and I am alive/
If I go to Memphis shall I still live ? "
140 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
He caused strips of byssus to be brought to him, where-
with to make a binding-band. He wrapped the book in it
and placed it on his side. It made him powerful. PTAH-
NEFER-KA went out beneath the shadow of the royal bark,
and fell into the river invoking RA and calling upon the
people who remained in the harbour. They said, " A great
misfortune ! A frightful misfortune ! Returneth he not, the
good scribe, without a peer ? " The royal bark was made to
sail, without any one knowing the place where PTAH-NEFER-
KA was. It arrived in Memphis and the news was told to
the King.
The King came down before the royal bark arrayed
in a linen robe and the Menefti who all had linen vest-
ments and the Priests of PTAH and the High Priest of
PTAH and all the officers of the palace. And when they
saw PTAH-NEFER-KA, who occupied the interior of the
royal bark in consequence of his position as good scribe,
he was taken up, and they saw the book at his side. The
King said " Let the book be taken from his side ! " The
officers of the King and the Priests of PTAH and the
High Priest of PTAH said before the King " O our great
Master and King, to whom be granted the duration of RA !
PTAH-NEFER-KA was a good scribe and a very learned man."
The King caused him to be taken to the " good dwelling "
till the sixteenth day, had him arrayed with ornaments till
the thirty-fifth day and embalmed till the seventieth day.
He was buried in his own tomb and sepulture.
I have undergone these misfortunes on account of this
book whereof thou sayest, " Let it be given to me ! " Speak
not to me of it for because of it we have lost the duration of
our life upon earth. SETNAU says " AHURA, let the book be
given to me that I may see it, between thee and PTAH-NEFER-
TALE OF SETNAU. 141
KA, otherwise I shall take it by force." Then PTAH-
NEFER-KA rose upon his bed, and he said "Art thou not
SETNAU, to whom this lady hath told all this fatal history ?
Beware of taking the book in question. How couldst thou
retain it, in consequence of the force of its extraordinary
contents?"
[SETNAU in spite of these counsels insists upon having the
book and proposes to PTAH-NEFER-KA to play a game of fifty-
two points for the possession of it. PTAH-NEFER-KA accepts
the proposal, but attempts to cheat SETNAU and is found out by
him, and loses the game.]
SETNAU called AN-HA-HOR-RAU his brother, who was by
him, saying, " Go without delay upon earth and tell the
King all that has happened to me. Bring the talismans ot
PTAH which belong to my father, and my magical books."
He went to the earth without delay, and told what had hap-
pened to SETNAU. The King told him to take the talismans
of PTAH, of his father and his magical books. Then straight-
way AN-HA-HOR-RAU descended into the tomb. He applied
the talismans to the body of SETNAU, and at the same
moment he flew up to heaven. SETNAU stretched out his
hand towards the book and took it. Then SETNAU went
out of his tomb and light went before him and darkness
behind him. AHURA wept after him saying, "Glory to
thee King of darkness ! glory to thee King of light ! " It
was all (....) in the tomb. PTAH-NEFER-KA said to
AHURA : " Let not thy heart be sad. I will make him bring
back this book. A knife and a stick shall be in his hand
and a brazier of fire upon his head."
SETNAU left the tomb, strong in the possession of the book,
and he came into the King's presence and told him all that
had happened to him and that he possessed the book.
142 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
The King said to SETNAU, " This book is taken from the
tomb of PTAH-NEFER-KA, be prudent or he will cause thee
to be taken. He will be a knife and a stick in thy hand,
and a brazier of fire upon thy head." SETNAU listened to
him, but it was by no means his design to separate himself
from the book. He read it in presence of every one.
After this, it happened one day that SETNAU was walking
in the dromos of the temple of PTAH. And he saw a very
beautiful woman. No woman was comparable to her in
beauty. There was much gold upon her, and many beautiful
maidens were walking behind her. One man was their
guard. They were fifty-two in number. As soon as
SETNAU saw her he no longer knew where in the world he
was. He called his young attendant SETEM-ASH and said
Go, forthwith, to the place where that lady is and try to find
out what relates to .... The youthful SETEM-ASH went
straightway to the place where the lady was. He called the
young maid who was walking behind her. He addressed
her, saying, "Who is that lady?" And she answered, "It
is TABUBU, the daughter of the Priest of the goddess BAST,
the Lady of the quarter Anch-ta (of Memphis) who is going
into the temple to make her prayer before PTAH, the great
god." The youth returned to SETNAU, and repeated all that
she had said. SETNAU told the youth "Go and tell that
maiden it is SETNAU CHA-EM-USET, the son of King USER-
MAT who sendeth me saying "I will give ten pieces of silver
to pass an hour with thee. If not you are warned that force
will be employed. I will give them to thee and I will con-
duct thee to a secret place without any one recognising
thee." The youth returned to the place where TABUBU was.
He called her young maid and spoke to her. She seemed
annoyed at his words as if what he said were shameful.
TABUBU said to the young man "Cease talking to that silly
TALE OF SETNAU. 143
girl, come and talk to me." The boy went in where TABUBU
was and he said to her " I will give thee ten pieces of silver
if you will spend an hour with SETNAU CHA-EM-USET, the
son of USERMAT. If you do not accept it, he will do you
.... He will take you to a secret place, so that no one
will recognise you." TABUBU said, "Go and tell SETNAU
what I say. I am no mean person but a sacred one. If
you desire to do your will, come to the temple of BAST, at
my house. Every thing is ready. You will do with me
what you please. Nobody knows me and I shall not tell it
in the street."
The lad returned to SETNAU and repeated all that she had
said to him. He (the lad) said, what was true, " It is a shame
for any one to be in company with SETNAU !" SETNAU
procured a boat for himself and embarking at the harbour
lost no time in making his way to the temple of BAST. He
advanced to the western portion of the space till he recog-
nised a well-built house. There was a wall of the same
height and a garden in the middle. There was a platform
before the door. When before it SETNAU said "Whose
house is this ? " He was told " It is the house of TABUBU."
SETNAU went into the interior of the enclosure in order to
face the hall looking upon the garden. TABUBU was told of
this. She came down, seized the hand of SETNAU and said
to him, The house of the Priest of BAST, Lady of Anchta,
into which thou hast entered is of great splendour. Come
up with me. SETNAU went in and ascended the staircase
of the house with TABUBU until they perceived the terrace
of the house. It was adorned and decorated, and its orna-
ments were of real lapis lazuli and real malachite. There
were numerous couches draped with byssus. Many cups of
gold were ranged upon a sideboard and each cup was filled
with wine. They were placed in the hand of SETNAU. She
144 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
said to him " Be pleased to eat." He replied " That is not
what I ask for." Baked bread was offered to him and oil
was brought before him according to the usages of the royal
table.
SETNAU made holiday with TABUBU but he did not yet see
her face. Then SETNAU said to TABUBU " Let us make
an end, and for this purpose let us go within !" She replied
" Thou hast reached thy house, that in which thou art. I
am no mean person but a sacred one, and if thou desirest to
do thy will with me a contract must be made ceding to me
all thy property and every kind of thing belonging to thee."
An hour had passed and SETNAU was told " Thy children
are below." He said " Let them be brought up !" TABUBU
arose and clothed herself in a dress of byssus. SETNAU saw
all her limbs through the tissue. His desire for her went on
increasing very much more than at first. SETNAU said to
TABUBU, " Let me come to an end, and for that let me enter
the house." She said to him " Thou hast reached thy house,
that in which thou art. I am not a mean person but a sacred
one ; if thou desirest to have thy will with me thou must
cause thy children to sign their names at the foot of my
contract, in order that they may not make any quarrel with
my children for thy property." He caused his children to
enter and he made them sign at the foot of the contract.
SETNAU said to TABUBU " Let me finish and go within for
this purpose." She replied to him " Thou hast reached thy
house, that in which thou art. I am not a mean person but
a sacred one ; if thou desirest to have thy will with me thou
must cause thy children to be slain, in order that they may
not make any quarrel with my children for thy property."
SETNAU said, " Let this wicked deed be done which has
TALE OF SETNAU. 145
taken possession of thy heart." She caused his children to
be slain before him, and had them thrown down through the
window to the dogs and the cats who eat their flesh, and he
heard them as he was drinking with TABUBU.
SETNAU said to TABUBU " Let us have done, and go inside
for that purpose. All that thou hast told me I have done."
She replied " Enter into that chamber." SETNAU entered
the chamber and he lay down on a couch of ivory and ebony.
His wish was to have gold. TABUBU lay down in a corner.
SETNAU put forth his hand to touch her foot.
[A short passage here occurs which, at present, baffles
translation. When SETNAU awoke he found himself in a bake-
house.]
His member was imprisoned in a sehi. He had no
clothes on his back. After an hour had passed SETNAU
perceived a man of high stature. He was like a Mako,
and many tetau were under his feet. He was like a King.
SETNAU was about to rise, but he could not through shame,
no clothes being on his back. The King said to him,
" SETNAU what is this state in which thou art ?" He replied,
" It is PTAH-NEFER-KA, who has done me all this." The
King said " Go to Memphis ; thy children, lo, they are
asking for thee; lo, they present themselves before the
King."
SETNAU said to the King : " My great Master, to whom
be granted the duration of the sun ! how can I go to
Memphis, not having any clothes upon my back?" The
King called a servant who was standing by him and made
him give a dress to SETNAU. The King said to SETNAU,
" Go to Memphis ; thy children lo, they are living ; lo, they
are presenting themselves before the King."
VOL. iv. 11
146 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
SETNAU went to Memphis, and there he embraced his
children, who were alive. The King said, "Is it not in-
toxication which has made thee do all this?" And SETNAU
related all that had passed between him and TABUBU and
PTAH-NEFER-KA. The King said, " SETNAU I had already
raised my hand against thee, I had told thee to kill them,
and not to carry off this book from the place whence thou
hast taken it. Thou hast not obeyed me until now. Let
that book of PTAH-NEFER-KA be removed. A knife and a
stick shall be in thy hand and a brazier of fire upon thy
head."
SETNAU went out from the presence of the King. A knife
and a stick were in his hand and a brazier of fire was upon
his head. He went down into the tomb where PTAH-NEFER-
KA was. AHURA said to him, " O SETNAU, the great god
PTAH, he it is who supports thee ; may he preserve thee !"
PTAH-NEFER-KA laughed, saying, "This is the business
which I had foretold thee." SETNAU agreed. He acknow-
ledged what they had .... saying, the god RA, he it was
who was in the entire tomb. AHURA and PTAH-NEFER-
KA stoutly affirmed this. SETNAU said : " PTAH-NEFER-KA
is it not a bad business ?" PTAH-NEFER-KA replied : "SET-
NAU, thou hast made it known, saying ; AHURA and MERHU
her son are at Coptos ; in order to (...) them in a tomb
according to the good book. Let them (....) before
thee. Go take a ( . . . . ) go to Coptos and enter into the
interior."
SETNAU went out of the tomb. He presented himself to
the King, and spoke to him exactly as PTAH-NEFER-KA had
said. The King said " SETNAU, go thou to Coptos in order
to (discover] AHURA and her son MERHU." He said to
TALE OF SETNAU. 147
the King " Let the royal bark be given to me with its crew."
He went up to the harbour, embarked and ceased not sailing
till he came to Coptos. The news was told to the Priests
of Isis at Coptos and to the High Priest of Isis. Behold
they came down to meet him. They seized his hand to
salute him on his arrival. He went out and betook him-
self to the temple of Isis of Coptos and of HARPOCRATES.
He caused a goose and some wine to be brought, wherewith
to make a sacrifice and a libation to Isis of Coptos and
HARPOCRATES. Then he proceeded to the Necropolis of
Coptos with the Priests of Isis and with the High Priests of
Isis. They spent three days and three nights in searching
all the tombs of the Necropolis of Coptos, and in examining
the tablets of hieroglyphic writing, and reading the letters
engraved upon them, without discovering the burial places
of AHURA and her son MERHU.
PTAH-NEFER-KA knew that they would recognise the
burial places of AHURA and her son MERHU. He presented
himself under the form of a very aged man. He advanced
towards SETNAU who saw him and said, "Thou hast the
appearance of a very aged man. Knowest thou not the
burial places in which are laid AHURA and her son MERHU ? "
The old man said " The father of my father's father has said
to my father's father, and my father's father has said to my
father : ' The burial places of AHURA and MERHU are in the
corner of the southern tract of the place called Pe-he-mato.' "
SETNAU said to the old man " Cause the Pe-he-mato to
be mined so that we get into this place." The old man
said to SETNAU " Let a warrant be given to me that if the
Pe-he-mato be pierced without our finding AHURA and her
son MERHU, under the south corner of the place, no hurt
shall be done me." And the warrant was granted to the old
man.
148 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
The burial places of AHURA and her son MERHU were
discovered at the south corner of the place called Pe-he-mato.
SETNAU made all the great personages of the royal bark
come in. He caused the place Pe-he-mato to be rebuilt as it
was at first. And PTAH-NEFER-KA discovered himself to
SETNAU as the person who had come to Coptos in order to
identify the burial places in which AHURA and her son
MERHU were laid.
SETNAU went down to the harbour in the royal bark. He
entered into it and ceased not to sail until he arrived at
Memphis with all the Menefti who were with him. The
news was told to the King, who came down to meet the
royal bark. He made the great personages enter into the
place where PTAH-NEFER-KA was. (He made them all come
up together)
This is the end of the manuscript which contains the tale of
SETNAU CHA-EM-USET and of PTAH-NEFER-KA and of
AHURA, his wife and her son MERHU. This was written
in the year 35, on the . . .' day of the month Tybi.
Lacuna.
149
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS FOR TRANSLATION.
ASSYRIAN.
ARRANGED BY
GEORGE SMITH.
Works on History and Chronology.
Eponym Canon (Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill, p. i).
Historical Canon (Cun. Ins., Vol. II, p. 52).
Synchronous History (Cun. Ins., Vol. II., p. 65).
Historical.
Legends of Izdubar (texts unpublished). (Deluge Tablets.)
Inscriptions of Urukh king of Babylonia (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
p. i).
Inscriptions of Dungi son of Urukh (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, p. 2).
Inscriptions of various other early Babylonian Sovereigns
(Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar., Vol. I, pp. 37-46).
Inscription of Sargon I, king of Babylonia (Cun. Ins., Vol.
Ill, p. 4).
Inscription of Sargon and his son Naram-sin (Trans. Soc.
Bib. Ar., pp. 49'S 1 )-
Various Inscriptions of Kudur-mabuk and Rim-sin his son
(see Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar., p. 42, and notes).
Early Babylonian Dated Tablets (texts unpublished).
Brick of Samsi-vul I, ruler of Assyria (Cun. Ins., Vol. i, p. 6).
Brick of Kara-indas king of Babylon (Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar.
p. 68).
Inscription of Agu and other early kings (unpublished).
150 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Inscriptions of Burna-buriyas king of Babylon (Gun. Ins.,
Vol. I, p. 4, etc.).
Inscriptions of Kuri-galzu king of Babylon (Gun. Ins.,
Vol. I, p. 4, etc.).
Inscriptions of Pudil king of Assyria (Revue Ar., Nov., 1869).
Monolith of Maruduk-bal-idina I, king of Babylonia (text
unpublished).
Tablet of Vul-nirari I, king of Assyria (text unpublished).
Small Inscriptions of Vul-nirari (various).
Inscriptions of Shalmaneser I, king of Assyria (various).
Inscriptions of Tugulti-ninip, king of Assyria (various un-
published ; one Gun. Ins., Vol. Ill, p. 4).
Inscriptions of Assur-risilim, king of Assyria (Gun. Ins.,
Vol. Ill, p. 3).
Brick and Cone Inscriptions of Vul-bal-idina, king of Babylon
(various).
Inscriptions of Nebuchadnezzar I, king of Babylonia (un-
published).
Cylinder of Tiglath-Pileser I, king of Assyria (Gun. Ins.,
Vol. I, pp. 9-16).
Other fragments of Tiglath-Pileser (various).
Contracts dated in the reign of Maruduk-nadin-ahi, king of
Babylon (various).
Inscriptions of Assur-bel-kala, king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I, p. 6).
Inscriptions of Samsivul IV, king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. Ill, p. 3).
Contract dated in the reign of Simma-sihu king of Babylon
(Layard's Ins., p. 53).
Annals of Assur-nazir-pal king of Assyria, from pavement
slabs (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, pp. 17-26).
Other Inscriptions of Assur-nazir-pal (various).
Kurkh Monolith of Shalmaneser II (Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill,
pp. 7, 8).
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 151
Bull Inscription of Shalmaneser II (Layard's Ins., p. 12, etc.).
Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser II (Layard's Ins., p. 87).
Inscriptions of Vul-nirari III, king of Assyria (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I. p. 35).
Fragments of Annals of Tiglath-Pileser II, king of Assyria
(various).
Fragments of Inscriptions Shalmaneser IV, king of Assyria
(various).
Inscription of the Second Year of Sargon (unpublished).
Nimrud Inscription of Sargon (Layard's Ins., p. 33).
Cylinder (Barrel) of Sargon (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, p. 36).
Prism of Sargon (unpublished).
Fastes of Sargon (Botta).
Annals of Sargon (Botta).
Other Inscriptions of Sargon (various).
Tablet of Kalah Shergat.
Nebbi Yunas Tablet (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, pp. 43, 44).
Bull Inscriptions of Sennacherib (Cun. Ins., Vol. Ill, pp. 12
and 13).
Other Inscriptions of Sennacherib (various).
Cylinder oj Esarhaddon king of Assyria (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
pp. 45-47)-
Various other Inscriptions of Esarhaddon (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I, etc.).
Egyptian Campaign of Esarhaddon (S. 2027).
Portions of Cylinders B, C, D, and E, of Assurbanipal
(Smith's Assurbanipal).
Various Historical Tablets of Assurbanipal (Smith's Assur-
banipal).
Hunting Texts of Assurbanipal (Cun. Ins., Vol. I, p. 7).
Inscriptions of Assur-ebel-ili king of Assyria (Cun. Ins., Vols.
I and III).
Cylinder of Bel-zakir-iskun king of Assyria (Cun. Ins. Vol. I,
p. 8).
152 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Inscription of Nabopalassar king of Babylonia (unpublished).
Inscription (India House) of Nebuchadnezzar (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I, pp. 53 to 64).
Senkereh Cylinder of Nebuchadnezzar (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
P-5i)-
Borsippa Cylinder of Nebuchadnezzar (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
P- 5 1 )-
Various other texts of Nebuchadnezzar.
Tablet dated in the reign of Evil Merodach, king of Babylon.
Cylinder of Nergal-shar-ezer king of Babylon (Cun. Ins.,
Vol. I, p. 67).
Cylinders of Nabonidas king of Babylon (Cun. Ins., Vol. I,
pp. 68, 69).
Other texts of Nabonidas (various).
Brick of Cyrus, king of Babylon (Trans. Soc. Bib. Ar., Vol. II,
pt.;). '
Inscription on Tomb of Cyrus.
Dated Tablets in reign of Cambyses (various).
Inscriptions of Darius.
Inscriptions of Xerxes, king of Persia.
Inscriptions of Artaxerxes, king of Persia.
Later Inscriptions of Persian, Greek, and Parthian periods.
Mythology and Religion (mostly unpublished}.
History of the Evil Spirits.
Hymn to the Moon God.
Hymns to Ninip.
The War of the Gods.
Names and Titles of Ishtar.
Incantations for removing Curses.
Prayers of Amil-urgal.
Prayer against Eclipses.
Various other Prayers.
Various Mythological Stories and Invocations.
Tablets against Witchcraft.
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 153
Fable (unpublished}.
The Horse and the Ox.
Government (mostly unpublished}.
Tablet with Advice and Cautions to Kings.
Various Reports and Despatches.
Various Tablets with Laws and Reports of Law Cases.
Private Life.
Further Deeds of Sale and Barter.
Further Loan Tablets.
Private Letters..
Lists of Property.
Science, etc. (partly unpublished}.
Geographical Lists.
Lists of Animals and Birds (Delitzsch).
Lists of Minerals and their uses.
Lists of Wooden Objects.
Grammatical Tablets (a selection from).
Mathematical Tablets.
Astrology and Astronomy.
Further Selections from the great Chaldean Work on As-
trology.
Further Selections from Astronomical and Astrological
Reports.
A Selection of Omens from Terrestrial Objects and Events. 1
PHCENICIAN.
Sarcophagus of Ashmunazer (Due' de Luynes, Memoir e,
1856).
Marseilles Inscription (Judas, 1857).
The Moabite Stone (Ginsburg, 1871).
Selected Mortuary Inscriptions.
1 Selections of these only printed in Vol. I.
154
EGYPTIAN,
(Tentative List only.}
ARRANGED BY
P. LE PAGE RENOUF, F.R.S.L.
Historical Documents.
Ancient Empire :
Inscription of Tomb of Ameni (Benihassan I).
Tomb of Nahre-si Chnum-hotep (Beni-
hassan II).
Xlth Dynasty :
Sepulchral Inscription of Ameni (Birch).
XVIIIth Dynasty :
Inscription of Aahmes son of Abna(Denk. Ill, pi. 12).
Aahmes, formerly called Pensouvan
(Louvre C, 49).
Thothmes I, at Karnak (Denk. Ill, 18).
Hatasu (Duemichen, Hist. Ins., 19, 20).
Other Monuments of Thothmes III (Birch and De
Rouge).
Inscription of Amen-em-heb at Abd-el-Gurnah (Ebers).
Inscription of Haremhebi.
Inscriptions of Amenophis III (Denk. Ill, 65 and
following).
Monuments of the Disk Worshippers.
XlXth Dynasty :
Triumphal Inscription of Seti I at Karnak (Denk. Ill,
126).
Inscription of Seti I, at Radesieh.
Sarcophagus of Seti I (Bonomi).
The Great Harris Papyrus of Rameses II.
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 155
Dedicatory Inscription of Rameses II, at Abydos
(Maspero).
Triumphal Inscriptions (Denk. Ill, 165, etc.).
Historical Inscription at Abusimbel (187).
Great Tablet at Abusimbel (194).
Inscription of Bek-en-Chonsu (Deveria).
List of Kings :
Turin Papyrus.
Tablet of Abydos.
Tablet of Sakkarah.
XXth Dynasty :
Inscription of Seti II (Duemichen, Hist. Ins., 1-5).
Rameses III (Rosellini, Burton, Greene,
and Duemichen, ubi supra 13 to -15).
XXIst Dynasty :
Tablet 4th year of Rameses IV.
Tablet of Temple of Chonsu at Karnak.
Ethiopic period :
Inscription of Queen Madsenenl
Inscription of King Nastoseneu LMariette's Monuments.
"Stele de Tinthronisation." J
Persian and Ptolemaic :
Tablet of Aahmes (Pierret).
Statuette Naophore du Vatican.
Tablet of Tafnecht at Naples.
Inscription of Ptolemy son of Lagos.
Inscription of Alexander Aegos (Zeitschrift).
Tablet of Canopus.
"Bauurkunde der Tempelanlagen von Edfu" (Due-
michen).
Two Ptolemaic Tablets (Birch).
Selection of Obelisk Inscriptions.
Apis Tablets.
156 RECORDS OF THE PAST.
Religious or Magical Texts.
Ancient Forms of Sepulchral Offerings, etc. (Tablets of
Ancient Empire).
Book of the Dead.
Spells in Lepsius (" Aelteste Texte").
Harris Magical Papyrus.
Magical Text in British Museum (Salt 825. Birch).
" Horus on Crocodiles" (various texts, Leydenand elsewhere).
Spells in Tomb of Bek-en-ren-ef.
" Metternich Tablet."
Legend of Horus (Naville).
Rhind Papyri.
-Sarcophagus of Aroeri (Bonomi).
Necht-en-heb.
T'at-hra (Louvre).
British Museum, 32.
Litanies of the Sun (Denk. Ill, 203).
Apis Stelae (a very large number).
Selection of Hymns, such as the following :
To Ammon (Denk. Ill, 237).
Other Hymns to Ammon (Goodwin).
Ap-heru-mes (Berlin, in Brugsch Monumens, pi. III).
Meri ( pi. IV).
Fragments of the Hymns of the Disk Worshippers.
Several in British Museum.
Duemichen's publications.
Great Psalm to Ammon (Leyden I, 350).
Calendar of Lucky and Unlucky days (Sallier, Chabas).
Calendars of Festivals from as Early Date as possible to
Roman Period.
Literature, Philosophy, Science, Economy.
Proverbs, Prisse Papyrus (Chabas).
Tale of the Garden of Flowers (Chabas).
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS. 157
Tale of the " Saneha " (Goodwin).
" Rules of Life " (Papyrus at Boulaq, lately published by
Marriette).
Song of the Oxen (Denk. Ill, 10).
Lay of the Harper.
Three Amatory Songs (Goodwin).
Medical Papyrus (Berlin).
(British Museum).
(Ebers Papyrus).
Geometrical Papyrus (British Museum).
Calendar of Astronomical Observations in Tombs of XXth
Dynasty (Renouf).
Letters on all varieties of subjects in the Sallier, Anastasi,
Leyden, and Bologna Papyri.
Registers, etc., (Rollin and other Papyri).
Accounts.
Receipts for making Kyphi, etc.
Catalogues of the Temple Library at Edfu.
Law and Police.
Abbott Papyrus (Spoliation of Tombs).
" Pap. Judiciaire de Turin " (Deveria).
"Pap. Judiciaire Amhurst" (Chabas).
Report on Capture of Fugitive Slaves (Leyden I, 368,
Chabas).
Complaint against Paneba (British Museum Papyrus, Salt,
Chabas).
Petition to king Amenophis (Chabas).
Complaint against Thefts committed by certain Workmen
(Chabas).
LIST OF TRANSLATIONS
Which have appeared in the "RECORDS OF THE PAST"
/// to this date, July, 1875.
EGYPTIAN TEXTS.
Inscription of Una.
Annals of Thothmes III.
Statistical Tablet.
Tablet of Thothmes III.
Battle of Megiddo.
Inscription of Amen-em-heb.
Inscription of Anebni.
Inscription of Aahmes.
Obelisk of the Lateran.
The Tablet of 400 Years.
The Invasion of Egypt by the Greeks in the reign of
Meneptah.
Dirge of Menepthah.
The Possessed Princess.
The Rosetta Stone.
By S. BIRCH, LL.D.
Hymn to Amen-Ra.
Tale of the Doomed Prince.
Treaty of Peace Between Rameses II. and the Hittites.
The Neapolitan Stele.
The Festal Dirge of the Egyptians.
By C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
Instructions of Amenemhat I.
Ethiopian Annals.
Stele of the Dream.
Stele of the Excommunication.
By G. MASPERO.
War of Rameses II with the Khita.
By PROF. E. L. LUSHINGTON.
LIST OF TRANSLATIONS. 159
Inscription of Pianchi Mer-Amon.
Hymn to the Nile.
By REV. F. C. COOK, M.A., CANON OF EXETER.
Tablet of Newer-Hotep.
The Tablet of Ahmes.
Inscription of Queen Madsenen.
By PAUL PIERRET.
Travels of an Egyptian.
Obelisk of Rameses II.
Hymn to Osiris.
By FRANCOIS CHABAS.
Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys.
The Book of the Respirations.
By P. J. DE HORRACK.
Tale of the Two Brothers.
The Tale of Setnau.
By P. LE PAGE RENOUF.
Egyptian Calendar.
Table of Dynasties.
Measures and Weights.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS.
Inscription of Rimmon-Nirari.
Monolith Inscription of Samas-Rimmon.
Babylonian Exorcisms.
Private Will of Sennacherib.
Assyrian Private Contract Tablets.
Assyrian Astronomical Tablets.
Assyrian Calendar.
Tables of Assyrian Weights and Measures.
Synchronous History of Assyria and Babylonia.
Tablet of Ancient Accadian Laws.
l6o LIST OF TRANSLATIONS.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS, continued.
Kurkh Inscription of Shalmaneser.
Table of Assyrian Laws.
Accadian Liturgy.
Babylonian Charms.
By REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
Inscription of Khammurabi.
Bellino's Cylinder of Sennacherib.
Taylor's Cylinder of Sennacherib.
Legend of the Descent of Ishtar.
Inscription of Esarhaddon.
Second Inscription of Esarhaddon.
Assyrian Sacred Poetry.
By H. Fox TALBOT, F.R.S.
Annals of Assurbanipal.
Early History of Babylonia.
By GEORGE SMITH.
Behistun Inscription of Darius.
By SIR H. RAWLINSON, K.C.B., D.C.L.
Annals of Assur-nasir-pal.
By REV. J. M. RODWELL.
ARCHAIC CLASSICS.
THE Volumes announced by Messrs. S. BAGSTER AND
SONS under the above title, are now ready. The ASSYRIAN
ELEMENTARY GRAMMAR AND READING BOOK by the Rev.
A. H. SAYCE, M.A., contains the most complete Syllabary
yet extant and serves also as a Vocabulary of both
Accadian and Assyrian. The ELEMENTARY MANUAL OF
THE EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE by Mr. P. LE PAGE RENOUF,
F.R.S.L, contains a carefully prepared introduction to
the Hieroglyphic Vocabulary, and a series of interlineary
examples. The two special features which these Grammars
possess above all others in English are, first, that the
Syllabaries are in both cases revised to the present
time; and second, that the verbs and nouns are accom-
panied with the original characters as well as being trans-
literated, an advantage which every Oriental student will
know well how to appreciate. By a special arrangement
with the Authors, Messrs. BAGSTER are enabled to offer
the Volumes at a price to render them accessible to
every student, and it is to be hoped that the success
of these Volumes will be such as to encourage further
Works of a similar nature, and to roll away much of the
difficulty and obscurity which has hitherto been generally
associated with the very names of the Archaic languages of
the historic world. [See next page.
15, Paternoster Row, London.
VOL. iv. 12
ARCHAIC CLASSICS.
AN ELEMENTARY
GRAMMAR AND READING BOOK
OF
THE ASSYRIAN LANGUAGE,
IN THE
CUNEIFORM CHARACTER ;
CONTAINING THE MOST
COMPLETE SYLLABARY YET EXTANT;
AND WHICH WJLL SERVE ALSO AS A
VOCABULARY OF BOTH ACCADIAN AND ASSYRIAN.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
Cloth, 75. 6d.
AN ELEMENTARY MANUAL
OF
THE EGYPTIAN LANGUAGE;
WITH AN
INTERLINEARY READING BOOK
IN THE
HIEROGLYPHIC CHARACTER.
BY P. LE PAGE RENOUF,
One of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, Corresponding' Member of the
" Institutio A rcheologico " of Rome, &c., &*c.
IN TWO PARTS : Part I. Grammar ; nearly ready.
Part II. Reading Book ; in December ; 1875.
EXERCISE SHEETS.
These Sheets have been prepared to enable the Student to test his
progress, by translating" a 'short passage from some well-known Text. In
Sheet No. i of each series, Assyrian and Egyptian, will be given an inter-
lineated Text, with space left between the lines for the translation. The
succeeding Sheets will contain another portion of Text, for translation,
and the correct rendering of the passage given in the preceding Sheet.
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS, 15, PATERNOSTER Row.
RECORDS OF THE PAST.
VOL. I.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS.
CONTENTS :
INSCRIPTION OF R I M MO N -N I R A R I.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
INSCRIPTION OF K H A M M U R A B I .
BY H. FOX TALBOT, F.R.S.
MONOLITH INSCRIPTION OF S AM AS-RIMMO N.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
SELLING'S CYLINDER OF SENNACHERIB.
BY H. FOX TALBOT, F.R.S.
TAYLOR'S CYLINDER OF SENNACHERIB.
BY H. FOX TALBOT, F.R.S.
ANNALS OF AS S U R B A N I P A L (CYLINDER A).
BY GEORGE SMITH.
BEHISTUN INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS.
BY SIR H. RAWLINSON, K.C.B., D.C.L.
BABYLONIAN EXORCISMS.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
PRIVATE WILL OF SENNACHERIB.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
ASSYRIAN PRIVATE CONTRACT TABLETS.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
LEGEND OF THE DESCENT OF ISHTAR.
BY H. FOX TALBOT, F.R.S.
ASSYRIAN ASTRONOMICAL TABLETS.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
ASSYRIAN CALENDAR.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
TABLES OF ASSYRIAN WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS, ASSYRIAN AND
EGYPTIAN.
SELECTED BY GEORGE SMITH, AND P. LE PAGE RENOUF.
RECORDS OF THE PAST.
VOL. II.
EGYPTIAN TEXTS.
CONTENTS:
INSCRIPTION OF UNA.
BY S. BIRCH, LL.D.
INSTRUCTIONS OF AMENEMHAT I.
BY G. MASPERO.
ANNALS OF THOTHMES III.
STATISTICAL TABLET. TABLET OF THOTHMES III. BATTLE OF MEGIDDO.
INSCRIPTION OF AMEN-EM-HEB.
BY S. BIRCH, LL.D.
THE WARS OF RAMESES II WITH THE KHITA.
BY PROF. E. L. LUSHINGTON.
INSCRIPTION OF PIANCHI MER-AMON.
BY REV. F. C. COOK, M.A., CANON OF EXETER.
TABLET OF NEWER-HOTEP.
BY PAUL PIERRET.
TRAVELS OF AN EGYPTIAN.
BY FRANCOIS CHABAS.
THE LAMENTATIONS OF ISIS AND NEPHTHYS.
BY P. J. DE HORRACK.
HYMN TO AM.EN-RA.
BY C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
THE TALE OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
BY P. LE PAGE RENOUF.
THE TALE OF THE DOOMED PRINCE.
BY C. W. GOODWIN, M.A.
EGYPTIAN CALENDAR. TABLE OF DYNASTIES.
EGYPTIAN MEASURES AND WEIGHTS.
LISTS OF FURTHER TEXTS, ASSYRIAN AND
EGYPTIAN.
SELECTED BY GEORGE SMITH AND P. LE PAGE RENOUF.
RECORDS OF THE PAST.
VOL. III.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS.
CONTENTS:
EARLY HISTORY OF BABYLONIA.
BY GEORGE SMITH.
TABLET OF ANCIENT ACCADIAN LAWS.
SYNCHRONOUS HISTORY OF ASSYRIA AND
BABYLONIA.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
ANNALS OF ASS U R-N AS I R-P AL.
BY REV. J. M. RODWELL, M.A.
KURKH INSCRIPTION OF SHALMANESER.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
INSCRIPTION OF ESARHADDON.
SECOND INSCRIPTION OF ESARHADDON.
BY H. F. TALBOT, F.R.S.
AN ACCADIAN LITURGY.
BY REV. A. ,H. SAYCE, M.A.
SACRED ASSYRIAN POETRY.
BY H. F. TALBOT, F.R.S.
BABYLONIAN CHARMS.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE, M.A.
LIST OF FURTHER TEXTS.
RECORDS OF THE PAST.
VOL. V.
ASSYRIAN TEXTS.
Tentative List:
HISTORICAL TEXTS:
INSCRIPTION OF T I GL AT H- PI LES E R I.
BY SIR HENRY RAWLINSON.
EARLY HISTORY OF BABYLONIA, PART II.
BY GEORGE SMITH.
INSCRIPTION OF NABONIDUS.
SECOND INSCRIPTION OF NABONIDUS.
INSCRIPTION OF DARIUS AT N AK H-I-RUSHT AN.
INSCRIPTION OF SARGON I.
INSCRIPTION ON THE TOMB OF CYRUS.
BY H. FOX TALBOT.
INDIA HOUSE INSCRIPTION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR.
INSCRIPTIONS OF TIGLATH-PILESER II.
INSCRIPTION OF NERIGLISSAR.
BY REV. J. M. RODWELL.
ACCADIAN HYMN TO ISTAR.
BLACK OBELISK OF SHALMANESER.
OMENS FURNISHED BY DOGS.
BY REV. A. H. SAYCE.
MYTHICAL TEXT:
WAR OF THE SEVEN EVIL SPIRITS.
BY H. FOX TALBOT.
SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY,
9, CONDUIT STREET, LONDON, W.
Instituted for the investigation of the Archaeology^
History, Arts, and Chronology of Ancient and Modern
Assyria, Palestine, Egypt, Arabia, and other Biblical
Lands : the promotion of the study of the Antiquities of
those countries, and the Record of Discoveries hereafter
to be made in connection therewith.
To institute a Library of Geographical and Archaeo-
ogical Works, and under due regulation to circulate the
same among the Members.
The Meetings are held on the first Tuesdays in the
month from November to June at 8.30 p.m.
MEMBERSHIP.
Ladies and Gentlemen desirous of becoming Members
of the Society are requested to communicate by letter with
the Secretary, Mr. W. R. COOPER, 9, Conduit Street, W.,
who will submit their names to the Council, by whom all
Candidates are nominated. The Subscription is one guinea
per annum, payable in advance, which entitles the Member
to receive all the Publications, and attend all the meetings
of, and to borrow books from, the Library of the Society.
There is no Entrance Fee.
THE ASSYRIAN CANON.
BY GEORGE SMITH.
In the Press.
THE HEROINES OF THE PAST.
A Lecture delivered at the Working- Mens' Institute, Leighton Buzzard,
on February 23, 1875.
BY W. R. COOPER, F.R.A.S., M.R.A.S.
Secretary of the Society of Biblical Archeology
Paper Wrapper. Price is. 6d.
THE RESURRECTION OF ASSYRIA.
A Lecture delivered in Renfield Presbyterian Church, Glasgow,
on January 31, 1875.
BY W. R. COOPER, F.R.A.S., M.R.A.S.,
Secretary of the Society of Biblical Archaeology.
Paper Wrapper. Price is. 6d.
ARABIC READING LESSONS.
Containing Extracts from the Koran and other sources, grammati-
cally analysed and translated ; with the Elements of Arabic Grammar.
Post octavo, Cloth, 35. 6d.
CHALDEE READING LESSONS.
Containing a Preface; the whole of the Biblical Chaldee, with a
Grammatical Praxis and an interlineary Translation ; and a series of
Chaldee Paradigms.
Foolscap octavo, Cloth, 35. 6d.
SYRIAC READING LESSONS.
Containing Extracts from the Peschito Version of the Old and New
Testaments; and the Crusade of Richard I., from the Chronicles of Bar
Hebrseus; grammatically analysed and translated : with the Elements of
Syriac Grammar.
Post octavo, Cloth, 35. 6d.
A SAMARITAN GRAMMAR.
duction ; and the Gra
and Vocabulary. By G
Post octavo, Cloth, 65.
Containing an Introduction ; and the Grammar of the Samaritan
Language, with Extracts and Vocabulary. By G. F. NICHOLLS.
SAMUEL BAGSTER AND SONS,
15, PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.
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