Egyptian Literature Part 5

Living By Air

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

THE CHAPTER OF LIVING BY AIR IN THE UNDERWORLD. The scribe Nebseni, the lord to whom veneration is paid, saith:

"[I am the G.o.d Tem], who cometh forth out of Nu into the watery abyss. I have received [my habitation of Amentet, and have given commands] with my words to the [_Khu_s] whose abiding-places are hidden, to the _Khu_s and to the double Lion-G.o.d. I have made journeys round about and I have sung hymns of joy in the boat of Khepera. I have eaten therein, I have gained power therein, and I live therein through the breezes [which are there]. I am the guide in the boat of Ra, and he openeth out for me a path; he maketh a pa.s.sage for me through the gates of the G.o.d Seb. I have seized and carried away those who live in the embrace of the G.o.d Ur (_i.e._, Mighty One); I am the guide of those who live in their shrines, the two brother-G.o.ds Horus and Set; and I bring the n.o.ble ones with me. I enter in and I come forth, and my throat is not slit; I go into the boat of Maat, and I pa.s.s in among those who live in the _Atet_ boat, and who are in the following of Ra, and are nigh unto him in his horizon. I live after my death day by day, and I am strong even as is the double Lion-G.o.d. I live, and I am delivered after my death, I, the scribe Nebseni, the lord of piety, who fill the earth and come forth like the lily of mother-of-emerald, of the G.o.d Hetep of the two lands."

Living By Air

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

THE CHAPTER OF LIVING BY AIR IN THE UNDERWORLD. Nu, the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, triumphant, the son of the overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Amen-hetep, triumphant, saith:

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

Driving Back Rerek

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

THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING BACK THE SERPENT REREK IN THE UNDERWORLD. Osiris Mes-em-neter saith:

"Get thee back, depart, retreat(?) from [me], O Aaapef, withdraw, or thou shalt be drowned at the Pool of Nu, at the place where thy father hath ordered that thy slaughter shall be performed. Depart thou from the divine place of birth of Ra wherein is thy terror. I am Ra who dwelleth in his terror. Get thee back, Fiend, before the darts of his beams. Ra hath overthrown thy words, the G.o.ds have turned thy face backward, the Lynx hath torn open thy breast, the Scorpion hath cast fetters upon thee; and Maat hath sent forth thy destruction. Those who are in the ways have overthrown thee; fall down and depart, O Apep, thou Enemy of Ra! O thou that pa.s.sest over the region in the eastern part of heaven with the sound of the roaring thunder-cloud, O Ra who openest the gates of the horizon straightway on thy appearance, [Apep] hath sunk helpless under [thy]

gas.h.i.+ngs. I have performed thy will, O Ra, I have performed thy will; I have done that which is fair, I have done that which is fair, I have labored for the peace of Ra. [I] have made to advance thy fetters, O Ra, and Apep hath fallen through thy drawing them tight. The G.o.ds of the south and of the north, of the west and of the east have fastened chains upon him, and they have fettered him with fetters; the G.o.d Rekes hath overthrown him and the G.o.d Hert.i.t hath put him in chains. Ra setteth, Ra setteth; Ra is strong at [his] setting. Apep hath fallen, Apep, the enemy of Ra, departeth. Greater is the punishment [which hath been inflicted on]

thee than the sting(?) which is in the Scorpion G.o.ddess, and mightily hath she, whose course is everlasting, worked it upon thee and with deadly effect. Thou shalt never enjoy the delights of love, thou shalt never fulfil thy desire, O Apep, thou Enemy of Ra! He maketh thee to go back, O thou who art hateful to Ra; he looketh upon thee, get thee back! [He]

pierceth [thy] head, [he] cutteth through thy face, [he] divideth [thy]

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

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

Repulsing The Eater Of The a.s.s

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

THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING BACK THE EATER OF THE a.s.s. Osiris Ra, triumphant, saith:

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

II. "On thy face [O fiend], and devour me not, for I am pure, and I am with the time which cometh of itself. Thou shalt not come to me, O thou that comest(36) without being invoked, and whose [time of coming] is unknown. I am the lord of thy mouth, get thee back, thou and thy desires(?). Hail, Haas, with his stone [knife] Horus hath cut asunder thy members, and thou art destroyed within thy company, and thy bend (or dwelling-place) is destroyed for thee by the company of thy G.o.ds who dwell in the cities of Pe and Tep. He that slayeth [thee] there is in the form of the Eye of Horus, and I have driven thee away as thou wast advancing, and I have vanquished thee by the winds of my mouth. O thou Eater of those who commit sins, who dost plunder and spoil, I have [committed] no sin; therefore, let my palette and the writings with hostile charges [against me upon them] be given unto me. I have done no wrong in the presence of the sovereign princes, therefore shoot not thy [venom] at me. I give, do thou take according to what I order; s.n.a.t.c.h me not away, and eat me not, for I am the lord of life, the Prince (Life, Health, Strength!) of the horizon."

Abolis.h.i.+ng The Slaughterings

[From the Papyrus of Nebseni, sheet 25.]

THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING AWAY THE SLAUGHTERINGS WHICH ARE PERFORMED IN THE UNDERWORLD. Nebseni, the scribe and designer in the Temples of Upper and Lower Egypt, he to whom fair veneration is paid, the son of the scribe and artist Thena, triumphant, saith:

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

Abolis.h.i.+ng The Slaughterings

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

THE CHAPTER OF DRIVING BACK THE SLAUGHTERINGS WHICH ARE PERFORMED IN SUTEN-HENEN. Osiris Nu, triumphant, saith:

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

"My hair is the hair of Nu. My face is the face of the Disk. My eyes are the eyes of Hathor. My ears are the ears of Ap-uat. My nose is the nose of Khenti-khas. My lips are the lips of Anpu. My teeth are the teeth of Serqet. My neck is the neck of the divine G.o.ddess Isis. My hands are the hands of Ba-neb-Tattu. My forearms are the forearms of Neith, the Lady of Sais. My backbone is the backbone of Suti. My phallus is the phallus of Osiris. My reins are the reins of the Lords of Kher-aba. My chest is the chest of the Mighty one of Terror. My belly and back are the belly and back of Sekhet. My b.u.t.tocks are the b.u.t.tocks of the Eye of Horus. My hips and legs are the hips and legs of Nut. My feet are the feet of Ptah. [My fingers] and my leg-bones are the [fingers and] leg-bones of the Living G.o.ds. There is no member of my body which is not the member of some G.o.d.

The G.o.d Thoth s.h.i.+eldeth my body altogether, and I am Ra day by day. I shall not be dragged back by my arms, and none shall lay violent hold upon my hands. And shall do me hurt neither men, nor G.o.ds, nor the sainted dead, nor those who have perished, nor any one of those of ancient times, nor any mortal, nor any human being. I am he who cometh forth, advancing, whose name is unknown. I am Yesterday, and Seer of millions of years is my name. I pa.s.s along, I pa.s.s along the paths of the divine celestial judges.

I am the lord of eternity, and I decree and I judge like the G.o.d Khepera.

I am the lord of the _Ureret_ crown. I am he who dwelleth in the _Utchat_ [and in the Egg, in the _Utchat_ and in the Egg, and it is given unto me to live [with] them. I am he that dwelleth in the _Utchat_ when it closeth, and I exist by the strength thereof. I come forth and I s.h.i.+ne; I enter in and I come to life. I am in the _Utchat_],(37) my seat is upon my throne, and I sit in the abode of splendor(?) before it. I am Horus and (I) traverse millions of years. I have given the decree [for the stablis.h.i.+ng of] my throne and I am the ruler thereof; and in very truth, my mouth keepeth an even balance both in speech and in silence. In very truth, my forms are inverted. I am Un-nefer, from one season even unto another, and what I have is within me; [I am] the only One, who proceedeth from an only One who goeth round about in his course. I am he who dwelleth in the _Utchat_, no evil thing of any form or kind shall spring up against me, and no baleful object, and no harmful thing, and no disastrous thing shall happen unto me. I open the door in heaven, I govern my throne, and I open up [the way] for the births [which take place] on this day. I am (?) the child who marcheth along the road of Yesterday. [I am] To-day for untold nations and peoples. I am he who protecteth you for millions of years, and whether ye be denizens of the heavens, or of the earth, or of the south, or of the north, or of the east, or of the west, the fear of me is in your bodies. I am he whose being has been moulded in his eye, and I shall not die again. My moment is in your bodies, but my forms are in my place of habitation. I am he who cannot be known, but the Red Ones have their faces directed toward me. I am the unveiled one. The season wherein [the G.o.d] created the heavens for me and enlarged the bounds of the earth and made great the progeny thereof cannot be found out; but they fail and are not united [again]. My name setteth itself apart from all things [and from] the great evil [which is in] the mouths [of men] by reason of the speech which I address unto you. I am he who riseth and s.h.i.+neth, the wall which cometh out of a wall, an only One who proceedeth from an only One.

There is never a day that pa.s.seth without the things which appertain unto him being therein; pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing, pa.s.sing. Verily I say unto thee, I am the Sprout which cometh forth from Nu, and my Mother is Nut.

Hail, O my Creator, I am he who hath no power to walk, the great Knot who is within yesterday. The might of my strength is within my hand. I myself am not known, but I am he who knoweth thee. I cannot be held with the hand, but I am he who can hold thee in his hand. Hail, O Egg! Hail, O Egg!

I am Horus who lives for millions of years, whose flame s.h.i.+neth upon you and bringeth your hearts to me. I have the command of my throne and I advance at this season, I have opened a path, and I have delivered myself from all evil things. I am the dog-headed ape of gold three palms and two fingers [high], which hath neither arms nor legs and dwelleth in Het-ka-Ptah (Memphis), and I go forth as goeth forth the dog-headed ape that dwelleth in Het-ka-Ptah."

Air And Water

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

THE CHAPTER OF SNUFFING THE AIR AND OF HAVING THE MASTERY OVER THE WATER IN THE UNDERWORLD. The overseer of the palace, the chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

"Hail, Hap-ur, G.o.d of heaven, in thy name of 'Divider of heaven,' grant thou unto me that I may have dominion over the water, even as the G.o.ddess Sekhet had power over Osiris on the night of the storms and floods. Grant thou that I may have power over the divine princes who have their habitations in the place of the G.o.d of the inundation, even as they have power over their own holy G.o.d of whose name they are ignorant; and may they let me have power even as [he hath let them have power]."

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