Legends of the Gods Part 8

Then I woke up at [the mention of] crops, my heart (or, courage) came [back], and was equal to my [former] despair, and I made the following decree in the temple of my father Khnemu:-

The king giveth an offering to Khnemu[FN#192] the Lord of the city of Qebhet,[FN#193] the Governor of Ta-Sti,[FN#194] in return for those things which thou hast done for me. There shall be given unto thee on thy right hand [the river bank] of Manu,[FN#195] and on thy left hand the river bank of Abu, together with the land about the city, for a s.p.a.ce of twenty measures,[FN#196] on the east side and on the west side, with the gardens, and the river front "everywhere throughout the region included in these measures. From every husbandman who tilleth the ground, and maketh to live again the slain, and placeth water upon the river banks and all the islands which are in front of the region of these measures, shall be demanded a further contribution from the growing crops and from every storehouse, as "thy share.

[FN#192] Or perhaps, Khnemu-Ra.

[FN#193] Qebhet is the name given to the whole region of the First Cataract.

[FN#194] The "Land of the Bow," i.e., the Northern Sudan.

[FN#195] The Land of the setting sun, the West.

[FN#196] Schoinos.

"Whatsoever is caught in the nets by every fisherman and by every fowler, and whatsoever is taken by the catchers of fish, and by the snarers of birds, and by every hunter of wild animals, and by every man who snareth lions in the mountains, when these things enter [the city] one tenth of them shall be demanded.

"And of all the calves which are cast throughout the regions which are included in these measures, one tenth of their number "shall be set apart as animals which are sealed for all the burnt offerings which are offered up daily.

"And, moreover, the gift of one tenth shall be levied upon the gold, ivory, ebony, spices, carnelians (?), sa wood, seshes spice, dum palm fruit (?), nef wood, and upon woods and products of every kind whatsoever, which the Khentiu, [FN#197] and the Khentiu of Hen- Resu,[FN#198] and the Egyptians, and every person whatsoever [shall bring in].

[FN#197] The inhabitants of the Northern Sudan, probably as far to the south as Napata.

[FN#198] The people of the Island of Meroe, and probably those living on the Blue and White Niles.

"And [every] hand shall pa.s.s them by, and no officer of the revenue whatsoever shall utter a word beyond these places to demand (or, levy on) things from them, or to take things over and above [those which are intended for] thy capital city.

"And I will give unto thee the land belonging to the city, which beareth stones, and good land for cultivation. Nothing thereof shall be [diminished] or withheld, "of all these things in order to deceive the scribes, and the revenue officers, and the inspectors of the king, on whom it shall be inc.u.mbent to certify everything.

"And further, I will cause the masons, and the hewers of ore (?), and the workers in metal, and the smelters (?) of gold, and the sculptors in stone, "and the ore-crushers, and the furnace-men (?), and handicraftsmen of every kind whatsoever, who work in hewing, and cutting, and polis.h.i.+ng these stones, and in gold, and silver, and copper, and lead, and every worker in wood who shall cut down any tree, or carry on a trade of any kind, or work which is connected with the wood trade, to "pay t.i.the upon all the natural products (?), and also upon the hard stones which are brought from their beds above, and quarried stones of all kinds.

"And there shall be an inspector over the weighing of the gold, and silver, and copper, and real (i.e., precious) stones, and the [other] things, which the metal-workers require for the House of Gold, "and the sculptors of the images of the G.o.ds need in the making and repairing of them, and [these things] shall be exempted from t.i.thing, and the workmen also. And everything shall be delivered (or, given) in front of the storehouse to their children, a second time, for the protection of everything. And whatsoever is before thy G.o.d-house shall be in abundance, just as it hath ever been from the earliest time.

"And a copy of this decree shall be inscribed upon a stele, [which shall be set up] in the holy place, according to the writing of the [original] doc.u.ment which is cut upon wood, and [figures of] this G.o.d and the overseers of the temple shall be [cut] thereon. Whosoever shall spit upon that which is on it shall be admonished by the rope. And the overseers of the priests, and every overseer of the people of the House of the G.o.d, shall ensure the perpetuation of my name in the House of the G.o.d Khnemu-Ra, the lord of Abu (Elephantine), for ever."

THE LEGEND OF THE DEATH OF HORUS THROUGH THE STING OF A SCORPION AND OF HIS RESURRECTION THROUGH THOTH, AND OTHER MAGICAL TEXTS.

I.-INCANTATIONS AGAINST REPTILES AND NOXIOUS CREATURES IN GENERAL.

Get thee back, Apep, thou enemy of Ra, thou winding serpent in the form of an intestine, without arms [and] without legs. Thy body cannot stand upright so that thou mayest have therein being, long is thy[FN#199] tail in front of thy den, thou enemy; retreat before Ra. Thy head shall be cut off, and the slaughter of thee shall be carried out. Thou shalt not lift up thy face, for his (i.e., Ra's) flame is in thy accursed soul. The odour which is in his chamber of slaughter is in thy members, and thy form shall be overthrown by the slaughtering knife of the great G.o.d. The spell of the Scorpion-G.o.ddess Serq driveth back thy might. Stand still, stand still, and retreat through her spell.

[FN#199] Literally, "his."

Be vomited, O poison, I adjure thee to come forth on the earth. Horus uttereth a spell over thee, Horus hacketh thee in pieces, he spitteth upon thee; thou shalt not rise up towards heaven, but shalt totter downwards, O feeble one, without strength, cowardly, unable to fight, blind, without eyes, and with thine head turned upside down. Lift not up thy face. Get thee back quickly, and find not the way. Lie down in despair, rejoice not, retreat speedily, and show not thy face because of the speech of Horus, who is perfect in words of power. The poison rejoiced, [but] the heart[s] of many were very sad thereat. Horus hath smitten it with his magical spells, and he who was in sorrow is [now] in joy. Stand still then, O thou who art in sorrow, [for] Horus hath been endowed with life. He coineth charged, appearing himself to overthrow the Sebiu fiends which bite. All men when they see Ra praise the son of Osiris. Get thee back, Worm, and draw out thy poison which is in all the members of him that is under the knife. Verily the might of the word of power of Horus is against thee. Vomit thou, O Enemy, get thee back, O poison.

9. THE CHAPTER OF CASTING A SPELL ON THE CAT.

Recite [the following formula]:-

"Hail, Ra, come to thy daughter! A scorpion hath stung her on a lonely road. Her cry hath penetrated the heights of heaven, and is heard along the paths. The poison hath entered into her body, and circulateth through her flesh. She hath set her mouth against it;[FN#200] verily the poison is in her members.

[FN#200] i.e., she hath directed her words against it.

"Come then with thy strength, with thy fierce attack, and with thy red powers, and force it to be hidden before thee. Behold, the poison hath entered into all the members of this Cat which is under my fingers. Be not afraid, be not afraid, my daughter, my splendour, [for] I have set myself near (or, behind) thee. I have overthrown the poison which is in all the limbs of this Cat. O thou Cat, thy head is the head of Ra, the Lord of the Two Lands, the smiter of the rebellious peoples. Thy[FN#201] fear is in all lands, O Lord of the living, Lord of eternity. O thou Cat, thy two eyes are the Eye of the Lord of the Khut uraeus, who illumineth the Two Lands with his Eye, and illumineth the face on the path of darkness. O thou Cat, thy nose is the nose of Thoth, the Twice Great, Lord of Khemenu (Hermopolis), the Chief of the Two Lands of Ra, who putteth breath into the nostrils of every person. O thou Cat, thine ears are the ears of Nebertcher, who hearkeneth unto the voice of all persons when they appeal to him, and weigheth words (i.e., judgeth) in all the earth. O thou Cat, thy mouth is the mouth of Tem, the Lord of life, the uniter (?) of creation, who hath caused the union (?) of creation; he shall deliver thee from every poison. O thou Cat, thy neck (nehebt) is the neck of Neheb-ka, President of the Great House, vivifier of men and women by means of the mouth of his two arms. O thou Cat, thy breast is the breast of Thoth, the Lord of Truth, who hath given to thee breath to refresh (?) thy throat, and hath given breath to that which is therein. O thou Cat, thy heart is the heart of the G.o.d Ptah, who healeth thy heart of the evil poison which is in all thy limbs. O thou Cat, thy hands 25 are the hands of the Great Company of the G.o.ds and the Little Company of the G.o.ds, and they shall deliver thy hand from the poison from the mouth of every serpent. O thou Cat, thy belly is the belly of Osiris, Lord of Busiris, the poison shall not work any of its wishes in thy belly. O thou Cat, thy thighs are the thighs of the G.o.d Menthu, who shall make thy thighs to stand up, and shall bring the poison to the ground. O thou Cat, thy leg-bones are the leg-bones of Khensu,[FN#202] who travelleth over all the Two Lands by day and by night, and shall lead the poison to the ground. O thou Cat, thy legs (or, feet) are the legs of Amen the Great, Horus, Lord of Thebes, who shall stablish thy feet on the earth, and shall overthrow the poison. O thou Cat, thy haunches are the haunches of Horus, the avenger (or, advocate) of his father Osiris, and they shall place Set in the evil which he hath wrought. O thou Cat, thy soles are the soles of Ra, who shall make the poison to return to the earth. O thou Cat, thy bowels are the bowels of the Cow- G.o.ddess Meh-urt, who shall overthrow and cut in pieces the poison which is in thy belly and in all the members in thee, and in [all] the members of the G.o.ds in heaven, and in [all] the members of the G.o.ds on earth, and shall overthrow every poison in thee. There is no member in thee without the G.o.ddess who shall overthrow and cut in pieces the poison of every male serpent, and every female serpent, and every scorpion, and every reptile, which may be in any member of this Cat which is under the knife. Verily Isis weaveth and Nephthys spinneth against the poison. This woven garment strengtheneth this [being, i.e., Horus], who is perfect in words of power, through the speech of Ra Heru-khuti, the great G.o.d, President of the South and North: 'O evil poison which is in any member of this Cat which is under the knife, come, issue forth upon the earth.'"

[FN#201] Literally "his."

[FN#202] He was the messenger of the G.o.ds, and travelled across the sky under the form of the Moon; he sometimes appears as a form of Thoth.

ANOTHER CHAPTER.

Say the [following] words:-

"O Ra-[Khuti], come to thy daughter. O Shu, come to thy wife. O Isis, come to thy sister, and deliver her from the evil poison which is in all her members. Hail, O ye G.o.ds, come ye and overthrow ye the evil poison which is in all the members of the Cat which is under the knife.

"Hail, O aged one, who renewest thy youth in thy season, thou old man who makest thyself to be a boy, grant thou that Thoth may come to me at [the sound of] my voice, and behold, let him turn back from me Netater. Osiris is on the water, the Eye of Horus is with him. A great Beetle spreadeth himself over him, great by reason of his grasp, produced by the G.o.ds from a child. He who is over the water appeareth in a healthy form. If he who is over the water shall be approached (or, attacked), the Eye of Horus, which weepeth, shall be approached.

"Get ye back, O ye who dwell in the water, crocodiles, fish, that Enemy, male dead person and female dead person, male fiend and female fiend, of every kind whatsoever, lift not up your faces, O ye who dwell in the waters, ye crocodiles and fish. When Osiris journeyeth over you, permit ye him to go to Busiris. Let your nostrils [be closed], your throats stopped up.

"Get ye back, Seba fiends! Lift ye not up your faces against him that is on the water ..... Osiris-Ra, riseth up in his Boat to look at the G.o.ds of Kher-ahat, and the Lords of the Tuat stand up to slay thee when [thou] comest, O Neha-her, against Osiris. [When] he is on the water the Eye of Horus is over him to turn your faces upside down and to set you on your backs.

"Hail, ye who dwell in the water, crocodiles and fish, Ra shutteth up your mouths, Sekhet stoppeth up your throats, Thoth cutteth out your tongues, and {cont} Heka blindeth your eyes. These are the four great G.o.ds who protect Osiris by their magical power, and they effect the protection of him that is on the water, of men and women of every kind, and of beasts and animals of every kind which are on the water by day. Protected are those who dwell in the waters, protected is the sky wherein is Ra, protected is the great G.o.d who is in the sarcophagus, protected is he who is on the water.

"A voice [which] crieth loudly is in the House of Net (Neith), a loud voice is in the Great House, a great outcry from the mouth of the Cat. The G.o.ds and the G.o.ddesses say, 'What is it? What is it?' [It] concerneth the Abtu Fish which is born. Make to retreat from me thy footsteps, O Sebau fiend. I am Khnemu, the Lord of Her-urt. Guard thyself again from the attack which is repeated, besides this which thou hast done in the presence of the Great Company of the G.o.ds. Get thee back, retreat thou from me. I am the G.o.d. Oh, Oh, O [Ra], hast thou not heard the voice which cried out loudly until the evening on the bank of Net.i.t, the voice of all the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses which cried out loudly, the outcry concerning the wickedness which thou hast done, O wicked Sebau fiend? Verily the lord Ra thundered and growled thereat, and he ordered thy slaughter to be carried out. Get thee back, Seba fiend! Hail! Hail!"

II.-THE NARRATIVE OF ISIS.

I am Isis, [and] I have come forth from the dwelling (or, prison) wherein my brother Set placed me. Behold the G.o.d Thoth, the great G.o.d, the Chief of Maat[FN#203] [both] in heaven and on the earth, said unto me, "Come now, O Isis, thou G.o.ddess, moreover it is a good thing to hearken,[FN#204] [for there is] life to one who shall be guided [by the advice] of another. Hide thou thyself with [thy] son the child, and there shall come unto him these things. His members shall grow,[FN#205] and two-fold strength of every kind shall spring up [in him]. [And he] shall be made to take his seat upon the throne of his father, [whom] he shall avenge,[FN#206] [and he shall take possession of] the exalted position of Heq[FN#207] of the Two Lands."[FN#208]

[FN#203] i.e., Law, or Truth.

[FN#204] Or, obey.

[FN#205] i.e., flourish.

[FN#206] He avenged his father Osiris by vanquis.h.i.+ng Set.

[FN#207] i.e., tribal chief.

[FN#208] i.e., Upper and Lower Egypt.

I came forth [from the dwelling] at the time of evening, and there came forth the Seven Scorpions which were to accompany me and to strike(?) for me with [their] stings. Two scorpions, Tefen and Befen, were behind me, two scorpions, Mestet and Mestetef, were by my side, and three scorpions, Petet, Thetet, and Maatet (or, Martet), were for preparing the road for me. I charged them very strictly (or, in a loud voice), and my words penetrated into their ears: "Have no knowledge of [any], make no cry to the Tesheru beings, and pay no attention to the 'son of a man' (i.e., anyone) who belongeth to a man of no account," [and I said,] "Let your faces be turned towards the ground [that ye may show me] the way." So the guardian of the company brought me to the boundaries of the city of Pa-Sui,[FN#209] the city of the G.o.ddesses of the Divine Sandals, [which was situated] in front of the Papyrus Swamps.[FN#210]

[FN#209] "The House of the Crocodile," perhaps the same town as Pa- Sebekt, a district in the VIIth nome of Lower Egypt (Metelites).

[FN#210] Perhaps a district in the Metelite nome.

When I had arrived at the place where the people lived[FN#211] I came to the houses wherein dwelt the wives [and] husbands. And a certain woman of quality spied me as I was journeying along the road, and she shut her doors on me. Now she was sick at heart by reason of those [scorpions] which were with me. Then [the Seven Scorpions] took counsel concerning her, and they all at one time shot out their venom on the tail of the scorpion Tefen; as for me, the woman Taha[FN#212] opened her door, and I entered into the house of the miserable lady.

[FN#211] In Egyptian Teb, which may be the Tebut in the Metelite nome.

[FN#212] Taha may be the name of a woman, or G.o.ddess, or the word may mean a "dweller in the swamps," as Golenischeff thinks.