i. e.Behold Pharaoh! He isthe heavenly Horus, the powerfulandglorious bull[king]in Thebes. He isthe king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Thothmes III., who has embellished the house where he was born, .........., the Sun's offspring, Thothmes III., the beloved of Rā-Hor-Khuti, who livesforever.
North Face[CENTRAL COLUMN].
i.e.Behold Pharaoh! He isthe heavenly Horus, who has crowned[11]himselfwith the white crown[12],beloved of Rā. He isThothmes III., the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the golden Horus[13],rejoicing inhisstrength, the vanquisher of the princes of the countries which are distant. He did thisbecausehisfather Rā hadsocommanded him, and had then given himvictories over the entire world, and had placedan abundance of power on his arm, so that he[the king]might enlarge the boundaries of Egypt. This was done bythe Sun's offspring, Thothmes III., who gives all life forever.
II. Inscriptions of Ramses II.
The inscriptions of Ramses II. are found in the two vertical columns to the right and left of the central column of each face and the two horizontal lines at the base of each face of the obelisk. The inscriptions are in a much better condition than those of Thothmes III., and can be more readily deciphered. They were engraved on the stone not quite three centuries after the pyramidions and the central columns were inscribed. Even a casual observer will notice that the hawk at the top of each central column is larger than those to the right and left of it, these being crowded into the remaining space.
East Face[NORTHERN COLUMN].
i. e.Behold Pharaoh! He isthe heavenly Horus, the powerful bull, beloved of Rā. He isRamses II.[14],the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Sunhimself, andthe child of the gods. He ismaster of the two countries[Egypt],the Sun's offspring, Ramses II.[15]He isa youth gloriousandbeloved like Aten[16],when he shines in the horizon. He isthe lord of the two countries[Egypt],Ramses II.[14],the Sun's offspring, Ramses II.[15],the gloriousimageof Rā, who gives life.