CHAPTER C.

The Book whereby the glorified one is made strong, and is made to embark in the boat of Rā, together with those who are with the god.

Let me convey the divine Heron to the East, Osiris to Tattu. Let me open the caverns of Hāpu,(1) clear the path of the Solar Orb and tow along Sekaru upon his sledge. Let the Great one give me strength at her fixed hour.

I hail and give worship to the Orb, and associate myself with those in adoration, I am one of them.

Let me be a second to Isis; and let her glorified ones give me strength.

Let me fasten my tackle, let me stop the adversary, and force him to turn back his steps.

Let Rā lend me his two hands, let not his divine Boatmen prevent me. Let my strength be that of the divine Eye, and conversely.

[As to the sundering of me in the Bark of Rā, let the sundering be as that of the Egg and the Tortoise.(2)]

Said over the Figure in the Text, which is written upon clean paper, with artist’s ink, fresh and mixed with essence of Ānta; let the dead person have it put upon his body without inserting it into his limbs; he will enter into the Bark of Rā at the round of each day, Thoth will appreciate him, on his coming forth or entering, undeviatingly for times infinite.

Notes.

This chapter appears a second time in the TurinTodtenbuchas chapter 129. But in the papyrus of Nebseni it is found no less than three times.

1.Cavernsof Hāpu. Two of the copies of this chapter in the papyrus of Nebseni give the interesting variant⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.⁂is the well known equivalent of⁂⁂, and the fountains of the Nile are also indicated by the group⁂.

2.This passage does not occur in chapter 129, and is apparently an interpolation, which however is already found in ancient copies.

CHAPTER CI.

Chapter of the Safeguards of the Bark of Rā.

O thou who art devoid of moisture in coming forth from the stream; and who restest upon the deck of thy Bark: as thou proceedest in the direction of Yesterday, and restest upon the deck of thy Bark, let me join thy boatmen.

I am a powerful Chu.

O Rā, in that thy name of Rā, since thou passest through an Eye of seven cubits, whose pupil is of three: do thou then make me sound, I am a powerful Chu, let thy soundness be my soundness.

O Rā, in that thy name of Rā, since thou passest through those who are perishing headlong: do thou then keep me standing on my feet. I am a powerful Chu, let thy soundness be my soundness.

O Rā, in that thy name of Rā, since thou openest the secrets of the Ammehit, which gladdeneth the hearts of the Divine Circle: do thou then give me my heart. I am a powerful Chu, let thy soundness be my soundness, and the soundness of thy limbs be the soundness of my limbs.

Secured by reason of the writing with gum mixed with colours upon a strip of royal papyrus, put at the throat of the deceased on the day of burial. If these phylacteries are put at his throat, he will rise up as one of the Divine Circle, and be united to the followers of Horus, whilst his Lamp is made firm by Isis in heaven beside Sothis. He followeth Horus who resideth in Sothis.(1) His Shade becomethdivine as well as human. Vegetation is made to grow out of his body through the goddess Menkit.(2) He becometh a god for ever, and his limbs are made vigorous in the Netherworld through Thoth, who hath done the like to Osiris, in causing the light to rise out of his dead body; undeviatingly and for times infinite.

Notes.

This chapter does not occur in the earlier collections known to us.

1.Horus who resideth in Sothis⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂;cf.Teta, 277.

2.Menkitis one of the names of Hathor, but the place is corrupt and the true reading uncertain.

CHAPTER CII.

Chapter whereby one entereth into the Bark of Rā.

O Great One in thy Bark, let me be lifted into thy Bark. Let me make head for thy staircase. Let me have charge of those who convey thee, who are attached to thee, who are of the Stars which never set.

That which I abominate, I eat not: and that which I abominate is Dirt, let me not eat of it, but of peace offerings and ofKa-offerings, by which I shall not be upset.

Let me not approach it with my hands, let me not tread upon it with my sandals, because my bread is of the white corn and my beer of the red corn of the Nile.

It is the Sektit boat and the Āātit which have brought me to the food and raiment which are upon the altar of the Spirits of Annu.

Salutation to thee, Ur-ar-set, in that voyage of heaven and the disaster in Tennu, when those dogs were gathered together, not without giving voice.

I have come myself and delivered the god from that pain and suffering, that was in trunk, in shoulder and in leg.

I have come and healed(1) the trunk, and fastened the shoulder and made firm the leg.

And I embark for the voyage of Rā.

Note.

1.Healed.Such is the meaning of⁂⁂⁂, as in chapter 147, 17, and Unas 214, no less than in a passage which does not occur in the most ancient texts of chapter 17, but which is found in the papyri and is derived from the early traditions. Thoth healed the face of Horus.

CHAPTER CIII.

Chapter whereby one openeth the place where Hathor abideth.

I am a pure follower. O Ahi; O Ahi;(1) let me become one of the followers of Hathor.

Note.

1.Ahi⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, theStrikeris one of the names of Horus, who in the inscriptions of Benihassan is called⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, “Horus who striketh down men.” The notion of striking was in later days confined to the beating of the sistrum. Priestly persons bore the title ofAhias representatives of the youthful Horus, son of Hathor. SeeProc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., XII, p. 460, on “The Sun-stroke in Egyptian.”

CHAPTER CIV.

Chapter whereby one sitteth in the midst of the great gods.

Let me sit in the midst of the great gods. Let me pass through the place of the Sektit boat. It is the Bird-fly deity(1) that shall convey me to see the great gods who are in the Netherworld, and I shall be triumphant in their presence.

Note.

1.The Bird-fly deity, Abait;seechapter 76,note.

CHAPTER CV.

Chapter whereby one propitiateth(1)the Ka.

Hail to thee, my Ka, my coeval.(2)

May I come to thee and be glorified and made manifest and ensouled, let me have strength and soundness.

Let me bring to thee grains of incense wherewith I may purify myself and may also purify thine own overflow.

The wrong assertions that I have uttered, and the wrong resistance which I have offered: let them not be imputed to me.

For I am the green gem, fresh at the throat of Rā, given by those who are at the Horizon: their freshness is my freshness [said twice], the freshness of my Ka is like theirs, and the dainties of my Ka are like theirs.

Thou who liftest the hand at the Balance, and raisest Law to the nose of Rā in this day [of my Ka]: do not thou put my head away from me. For I am the Eye which seeth and the Ear which heareth; and am I not the Bull of the sacrificial herd, are not the mortuary gifts(3) upon me and the supernal powers [otherwise said: the powers above Nut].

Grant that I may pass by thee, and may purify myself and cause the triumph of Osiris over his adversaries.(4)

Notes.

1.Propitiate,⁂. The simple root⁂ḥetepsignifies, what is implied by the ideographic sign⁂, thetaking hold,embracing, and kindred notions (Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch., Vol. X, p. 578). The notion of appeasing an angry personage is no more necessarily involved in the Egyptian word than in the Latinpropitiare. M. Léfebure’s translation,réunir, in the title of this chapter is perfectly correct as far as it goes.

See inDenkm., III, pl. 34, b, the picture of Thothmes III being greeted by hiska. Rameses II and other kings are often represented in the act of supplicating their ownka.

2.My coeval⁂⁂⁂⁂or, as some might prefer, myduration of life.

The pictures in the temple of Luxor (Denkm., III, 74 and 75) are well known which represent the birth of Amenophis III. Theinfant prince in each of these pictures is accompanied by hiska, his exact image. Thekais nursed and suckled by the same goddesses.

But perhaps the best commentary on our text is to be found in the picture recently published by the French Mission Archéologique (Temple de Luxor, fig. 203), in which both the royal infant and hiskaare being fashioned by the hand of Chnum, upon his potter’s wheel.

3.Mortuary gifts⁂⁂⁂, meals offered to the departed. The meaning of the compound group is plain enough from the determinatives, and such frequent forms as⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂“consisting of bread and beer,” but the origin of it is not so clear. The usual meaning of⁂⁂like that of the Copticϧⲣⲱⲟⲩisvoice, but in the present group it stands for⁂⁂⁂corresponding toϧⲣⲉ, plur.ϧⲣⲏⲟⲩⲓ, τροφὴ, βρώματα, ἐδέσματα,, and⁂is to be understood as in the very common formula⁂⁂⁂⁂.

The reading⁂⁂⁂⁂which is sometimes found in late texts is faulty and leads to an erroneous interpretation.⁂is a mistake either for⁂or for⁂, the phonetic of⁂.

In such passages of the Pyramid texts as⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂(Unas 36)⁂is a demonstrative not a negative particle, “Here is the mortuary meal presented for thee, andhereare the two Eyes, the White and the Black, of Horus.”

4.All the early MSS. exceptPdomit this last passage.

CHAPTER CVI.

Chapter whereby a largess is presented at Hat-ka-Ptah.(1)

Oh thou god of nutriment, oh great one who presidest over the mansions on high; [to whom bread cometh from Annu] ye who give bread to Ptah [from Annu], give me bread and beer: let mebe made pure by the sacrificial joint, together with the white bread.(2)

Oh thou ship of the Garden of Aarru, let me be conveyed to that bread of thy canal; as my father, the Great one, who advanceth in the Divine ship [because I know thee].

Notes.

This is one of the chapters found on the sarcophagus of Horhotep. It is also inscribed on a statue, now in the Berlin Museum, belonging to the early part of the XVIIIth dynasty (Denkm., III, 25 h and k). These authorities do not give the title found in the papyri. The allusions to Annu are confined to the earliest text, which somewhat differs from the later authorities, and finishes sooner than they do.Cf.alsoTeta, l. 331.

1.Hat-ka-Ptahis the name of Memphis, but as in so many other places it is not the earthly city which is meant. M. Naville has pointed out that the words “in the Netherworld” are added in the papyrus of Nebseni.

2.Bread and beer are not mentioned in the earliest text, which has other important variants. The latest texts have the verb⁂⁂,wash,make clean,purify, of which⁂⁂⁂on the Berlin statue and the Theban papyri may fairly be considered an older form. But Horhotep has⁂⁂⁂, a different word and occurring in a grammatical construction differing from that of the other texts.

The words⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂occur as a familiar formula in the Pyramid texts (Unas, 185, 205; Teta, 91); but Horhotep interpolates⁂⁂after⁂⁂⁂. The determinatives of the group⁂⁂⁂(sometimes⁂or⁂), show that the copyist understood the word as meant for the sacrificial joint.

It is not uninteresting to note, with reference to the correctness of the title of this chapter, that the Pyramid ritual (Unas, 205) expressly says of the deceased that “the sacrificial joint with the white bread” are the “largess”(⁂⁂)which he receives.

PLATE XXVII.PLATE XXVIII.

PLATE XXVII.

PLATE XXVIII.

CHAPTER CVII.

[The chapter so called consists, in fact, of the first two lines of chapter 109. The vignette over it really belongs to chapter 108. It has no separate existence in any of the papyri of the best periods.]

CHAPTER CVIII.

Chapter whereby one knoweth the Powers of the West.

In respect of the Hill of Bachau(1) upon which heaven resteth, it presenteth itself(2) three hundred cubits in length(3) and two hundred cubits in breadth.

Sebak, the Lord of Bachau, is at the east of the Hill, and his temple is upon it.

There is a serpent on the brow of that hill, five hundred cubits in length, three cubits of his forepart are pierced with swords.

I know the name of this serpent on his hill: “He who dwelleth in his own flame” is his name.(4)

Now, at the close of day(5) he turneth down his eyes to Rā; for there cometh a standing still in the Bark and a deep slumber within the ship. And now he swalloweth three cubits of the Great Water.

Then Sutu is made to flee with a chain upon him of steel(6) and he is forced to vomit all that he hath swallowed. Then Sutu is put into his prison.

And then he saith with Words of Power:—

Away with thee! Steel, which art made fast upon my hand. I remain in thy prison, the Bark sails on and thou seest the path; but thine eyes close, [thine eye is delivered to me], thy head is veiled,(7) and I go on and stay thy steps.

I am the Manful one, who veileth thy head and who cooleth the hollow of thy hand: thy strength is my strength.

I am the Master of the Words of Power.

Who is this who hath been delivered to me?

This Bright One, who cometh on his belly, on his hind parts and on the joints of his back.

Lo! then, I come, and thy might is in my hand. It is I whocarry away thy might, that I may come and seize upon the Tunnels of Rā who is united to me at sunset as he goeth round heaven.(8)

But thou art pierced with hooks, as was decreed against thee of old.

I know the powers of the West, they are Tmu, Sebak the Lord of Bachau, and Hathor, Mistress of Sunset.

Notes.

The chapters 108, 109, 112, 113, and 114 being so analogous to each other, in form, matter, style, and composition, and each being concerned with the divinePowers⁂of some locality, it is interesting to know that one at least of these chapters is found on a monument of the Middle Empire. The others are probably not less ancient, and the text published by Dr. Golenischef (Zeitschr. f. Aegypt. Spr., 1874, p. 84) from the Sarcophagus at St. Petersburg already bears manifest signs of antiquity.

Another sign of antiquity as regards the present chapter may be seen in the numerous forms in which it has come down to us. These are so different, and sometimes so irreconcileable, that it seems evident that tradition has handed down very corrupt texts, and that the original meaning of this chapter had been entirely lost at a very early date and cannot be discovered now. The oldest text is the shortest of all, but it is both imperfect and incorrect. The earliest papyri differ greatly from the later ones. But both the earlier and the later papyri have the 149th chapter which contains another recension of the 108th, and chapter 111 in the Turin and later papyri is another form of it.

1.The Hill ofBachau.⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂has for determinative the sign⁂which connects the word with the Copticⲃⲟⲩϩⲓ‘eyelids.’ In the later texts the word has for determinative either awomanor acowin the act of parturition, as if it were connected with⁂⁂⁂and its variants, with which⁂⁂⁂⁂another name of the Dawn is identified.

2.Presenteth itself,⁂⁂. This Egyptian verb is always expressive of activity, and perhaps ought never to be translatedbeing.⁂are ‘things which are,’ but⁂⁂are ‘things whichspringspringforth’ ‘come to light.’

3.The oldest text (which is here the best authority) does not give the dimensions of the hill, but only of the serpent. The earliest papyri give the dimensions of both, but make the hill so absurdly small that the serpent could not rest upon it. Later papyri beginning withPfhave corrected the texts so as to give the hill a length of 300 cubits, or⁂(each of which is 100 cubits long). They omit the statement that the cubit in question is of 7½ palms (the Royal cubit being of 7 palms), and also the interesting mention of the⁂⁂⁂“balance (or measurement) of the earth.” The relation of this ‘balance’ to the rest of the sentence is not clear, because the MSS. differ as to the preposition which precedes.

The Papyrus of Nebseni gives the hill 300 cubits in breadth. TheTodtenbuchof Turin reads 370⁂in length, and 140 cubits in breadth.

4.The serpent’s name is not mentioned in chapter 111, nor is it in the earliest text. But in chapter 149 the usual name is⁂⁂⁂, more fully written⁂⁂in the Papyrus of Nebseni. The determinative⁂commonly attached to the name of Âpepi, expresses the meaning ‘sword smitten,’ ‘shot with swords,’ ξιφόκτονος. We might otherwise have understood the term in the sense of ξιφοκτόνος, ‘slayer with swords.’ The Papyrus of SutimesPdcalls the serpent⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂‘knife-wounded.’

The proper name⁂⁂⁂⁂, also written⁂⁂⁂,Māṭes, an epithet of Âpepi, or of Sutu, also means “pierced with swords.” But the expression itself seems sometimes to be found in the active sense, “piercing like a sword.”

5.Close of Day, when daylight has come to ‘astand’⁂⁂⁂. This is the reading of the papyri. The oldest reading is⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂‘at the time of sunset.’

6.The earliest text says nothing of this, though it mentions the “prison of Sutech,” in a passage corresponding to what the papyri include in the ‘Words of Power’ which follow. The TurinTodtenbuchsays that, “Sutu is put into his prison, and that a chain of steel is put upon his neck.” Pictures of the serpent with the chain upon him will be found in Bonomi,Sarcoph., plates 10 and 11.[93]There is an evident fusion in this chapter, in its later form at least, as in chapter 39, of the personages of Sutu and Âpepi.

7.Thy head is veiled.The ‘veiling of the head,’ and ‘closing of the eyes’ of the sun are of course mythological terms for night time. But the mythological event was celebrated on the festival called⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

8.Chapter 111 stops at the word “Sunset.” And after this, the text in chapter 149 changes the third to the first person, and reads: “But I go round the heaven whilst thou art pierced with hooks,” as if Rā were replying to the words of Sutu. This, I confess, appears to me to offer a better sense than that of chapter 108. And I should now alter the word “stabber” in the first line of chapter 39 to “pierced with hooks.”

93. On this picture (plate 11) may also be seen an interesting illustration of chapter 39; the scorpion goddess putting the chain upon Âpepi, in front of whom are the divinities to execute, with swords and hooks, the decree passed against him. The children of Horus are also seen occupied in the execution.

CHAPTER CIX.

Chapter whereby one knoweth the Powers of the East.

I know that Eastern Gate of Heaven (the South of it is by the lake of Cha-ru, and the north of it by the stream of Reu), from whence Rā saileth with favouring gales.(1)

I am the Teller(2) in the divine ship: I am the unresting navigator in the Bark of Rā.

I know those two Sycomores of Emerald between which Rā cometh forth, as he advanceth over what Shu hath lifted up,[94]to every gate(3) through which he proceedeth.

I know the Garden of Aarru: the wall of it is of steel. The wheat of it is of 7 cubits, the ears of it of 2 cubits, the stalk of it of 4 cubits. The barley of it is of 7 cubits, and the ears are of 4 cubits, and the stalk of 3 cubits.

It is the glorified ones, each of whom is 9 cubits in height, who reap them, in presence of the Powers of the East.

I know the Powers of the East: Horus of the Solar Mount, the Calf in presence of the God,(4) and the Star of Dawn.

A divine Domain(5) hath been constructed for me; I know the name of it; the name of it is the garden of Aarru.

Notes.

Another recension of this chapter has been incorporated into chapter 149. The differences lie chiefly in the order assigned to each of the component sentences.

1.Favouring gales⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂“sailing breezes,” correspond to phrases like ἴκμενος οὖρος, venti secundi, trade winds, tail wind, stern wind. There is not the faintest authority from the older papyri (which are very numerous, and remarkably unanimous on this point) in favour of the determinative⁂, of the TurinTodtenbuch, which gives the sense of violent or tempestuous winds.

2.Teller,⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

3.Every gate.“Rā at his rising is adored by the Powers of the East. They it is who effect the rising of Rā, by opening the door at each of the four portals of the Eastern horizon of heaven.” (Inscr. in tomb of Rameses VI, Champollion,Notices, Tom. II, p. 640.)

4.The Calf in presence of the god.TheCalfis seen in the vignettes of this chapter and also of chapter 1. Brugsch (Rev. Egypt, I, p. 38) quotes texts showing that the Milch-cow⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂Hor-sechauit, is the mother of the Sun-god, and that the infant god is the calf to whom she gives birth. The words “in presence of the god” are probably corrupt, but the variants are apparently worse. The Morning Star was equally identified with Horus.

5.The divine Domain.See M. Maspero’s important article“Sur le sens des mots Nouit et Hait,”inP.S.B.A., XII, p. 235-257. “⁂Nouitsert à désigner un domaine rural d’étendue plus ou moins considérable, portant ou ne portant pas de village ou demaison d’habitation.... Il était une personne réelle, formant un corps complet en soi, et c’est pour cela qu’on le représente sous la forme d’un homme ou d’une femme apportant des produits agricoles et des offrandes.”

Back to Index Next