RECORDS OF THE PAST

_______________

BEING
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
OF THE
ASSYRIAN AND EGYPTIAN MONUMENTS

PUBLISHED UNDER THE SANCTION
OF
THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
 

VOLUME TEN:

EGYPTIAN TEXTS

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NOTE

Every Text here given is either now translated for first time, or has been specially revised by the Author to the date of this publication.

CONTENTS

{p.i}

PREFACE

THE success which has attended the publication of the "RECORDS OF THE PAST," and the favour with which they have been received by the European students and enquirers, has led to their continuation as far as the present volume. Containing, as they do, the translations of the most important historical texts, they afford to the general enquirer access to most of the sources from which he may derive contemporaneous information. The student finds them invaluable for the purposes of reference and comparison, when sufficiently advanced to essay the depths of this archaic literature without being buoyed up by original documents transliterated and translated. The fact that nearly all the principal Assyriologists and Egyptologists have contributed to their pages is sufficient to demonstrate that the "RECORDS" have been regarded as an international enterprise, and available for all the purposes proposed wherever the English language is read or understood, which comprises at least a hundred millions possible readers. The present volume will be found to be very rich in the translations of mythological texts, a branch of enquiry which begins to attract more attention as the mine of historical documents becomes exhausted. The mythologies of Assyria and Egypt are particularly {p.2} valuable for the due comprehension of ancient religions, as they are of the oldest of which contemporary documents have been preserved. Whatever maybe the antiquity of the Aryan mythologies, the Greek, the Etruscan, or the Hindu, it is evident they only appear centuries after the Assyrian and Egyptian, and had not been committed to writing till a period comparatively recent compared with their venerable predecessors. When there are no texts of the period prior to the formation of a canon afterwards implicitly followed, and when all the documents off the age have disappeared, the question of the exact texts of the older versions must always remain in doubt. In Assyria and Egypt alone are found duplicate texts with those variations which show that here are the real sources of ancient history and mythology. Although they stand distinct from the Aryan mythology, yet their influence on Semitic religion and thought was transmitted to the West. Babylonia has left behind it at least fifteen centuries before Christ, and Egypt at least two thousand years. They vouch their own antiquity, and are the fixed stars of ancient literature, at an incomparable distance from the mythology of Greece, not represented by writing till the Roman empire; or the Vedas and Puranas, only found in a written form in times fabulously modern.

S. BIRCH.

25th June, 1878.

{p.1}

THE STELE OF IRITSEN
(XIth DYNASTY)
TRANSLATED BY
PROF. G. MASPERO.

THIS fine stele, which is marked C 14, has been published by Lepsius (Auswahl, Taf. ix) and Prisse d'Avennes (Mon. Egytiens, pl. vii); it has aften been alluded to, but never translated. It was found in Abydos by Thedenat du Vent, who sold it to M. Cousinery; it then passed to the Musée du Louvre. Champollion, struck by the conformity of style which it offers to stele 45 turin, ascribed it to the period of the XXIst Dynasty, and tried to discover on it the names of king Smendes and Psousennes (Lettre à M. le duc de Blacas, deuxieme Lettre, pp. 114-118). De Rouge thought "it might be considered on the whole as being one of the master-pieces of Egyptian sculpture" (Catalogue des Monuments Egyptiens de la Salle du Res-de-chaussee, 1849, p. 47: and Rapport adressse à M. le Directeur-General des Musée Nationaux, 1851, p.17), and his opinion was fully re-echoed by the Italian Egyptologist Camillo Orcurti. The fact is, the first draught of the hieroglyphics, which was done in red ink and remains to this day visible, is exceedingly fine, but the subsequent carving of the inscription, although very elaborate, is by no means excellent.

{p.2}

The stele was erected for a certain artist named Iritisen, in the reign of Mentuhotep, Rd-neb-kheru (XIth Dynasty). Iritisen and his wife Hapu, are figured twice on it. First, in the lower part, sitting together upon one seat, the lady with one arm lovingly put around the neck of her lord, while the man is smelling an alabastron full of perfumed oil. Before them is represented a low table, piled with every description of victuals, while above them runs the legend: "Funereal meal of bread and liquor, thousands of loaves, liquors, oxen, geese, all good and pure things, to the pious IRITISEN, his pious wife who loves him, HAPU." In the middle register Iritisen and his wife are represented standing. Iritisen holds in the left hand the long baton used by elders and nobleman, and in the right the Pat sceptre. In front of them is a procession of their own family, headed by "His son, his eldest, who loves him, USERTESEN;" then follow: "His son, who loves him, MENTUHOTEP," and "His son, who loves him, SI-MENTU;" immediately after whom we find a lady, "His daughter, who loves him, QIM," and "Her son, who loves her, TEMNEN." There is every reason to think that Si-Mentu had married his sister, and that Temnen was his as well as Qim's child. Usertesen is about to sacrifice a goose to his father, according to rite, and Mentuhotep carries an ox-thigh for the same purpose.

{p.3}

The inscription begins with: THE living HORUS, who unites both lands, the Lord of diadems, who unites both lands, King of Upper and Lower Egypt (son of RA, MENTUHOTEP), ever-living; his true servant, who is in the inmost recess of his heart, and makes his pleasure all the day long, the devout unto the great god, IRITISEN.
Proscynem to OSIRIS, Lord of Mendes, Khent Ament, Lord of Abydos, in all his places, that he may give a funereal meal of bread and drink, thousands of loaves, liquors, oxen, geese, linen, clothes, all good and pure things, loaves without number,¹ beer, spirits,² cakes of the Lord of Abydos, white cream of the sacred cow on which the manes like to feed, for the devout unto OSIRIS and ANUBIS, Lord of the burying grounds, the Chief of the artists, IRITISEN.
I know the mystery of the divine Word, the ordinances of the religious feasts, every rite of which they are fraught, I never strayed from them; I, indeed, am an artist wise in his art, a man standing above (all men) by his learning.
I know what belongs to sinking waters, the weighings done for the reckoning of accounts, how to produce the form of issuing forth and coming in, so that a member may go to its place.
I know the walking of an image of man, the carriage of a woman,³ the two arms of HORUS, the twelve circles
______
1 Without reckoning.
2 Sense doubtful; possibly incalescere, fervere.
3 Allusions to his skill as an artist in statuary.

{p.4}

of the blasphemers, the contemplating the eye without a second that affrights the wicked, the poising of arm to bring the hippopotamus low,¹ the coming of the runner.
I know the making of amulets, that we go without any fire giving its flame, or without our being washed away by water!
Lo! there is no man excels by it but I alone and my eldest legitimate son: god has decreed him to be excellent in it; and I have seen the perfections of his hands in his work of chief-artist in every kind of precious stones, from gold and silver even to ivory and ebony!
Funereal meal of bread and liquors! Thousands of wine, loaves, oxen, geese, linen, clothes, all good and
pure things, to the devout IRITISEN-the-wise, son of the lady AD.
_______
1 A mystical allusion to a passage in the Book of the Underworld.

{p.5}

THE STELE OF BEKA
(IN THE MUSEUM OF TURIN)
TRANSLATED BY
FRANCOIS CHABAS.

THE Records of the Past already contain some texts of the class to which belongs the Tablet of Beka; for instance: the Inscription of Amenemheb (vol. II. p. 53); the Inscription of Ahmes Pennishem (vol. IV. p. 7); the Inscription of Seti son of Paramses (ibid, p. 33); the Inscription of Ahmes son of Pesabenhor (ibid, p. 63); and the Inscription of Samtati Taf-nekht (ibid, p. 65).

But a number of by far more extensive texts than those which have been published up to this day would allow a larger harvest of information in the scope of biography, history, and mythology.

The Tablet of Beka, the great Steward of the Public Granary, (an office well known by the patriarch Joseph's story), is on the contrary remarkable by the {p.6} sobriety of its contents. Instead of the long litanies of gods and funereal genii, which usually tire the attention of modern readers, cult and religion are hardly mentioned in the text, which runs especially upon philosophical ethics. Therefore this tablet affords an excellent introduction to the study of the Egyptian eminent doctrine, which revealed to the initiated the unity and incomprehensibility of God, while the multitude was abandoned to the cult of material symbols.

The absurdities of the public cult have been recorded by the historians more carefully than the precepts of their occult science: Quis nescit .... qualia demens Egyptus portenta colat?

Nevertheless the classical antiquity has known "that the first mortals who have revealed the secret paths which lead to the divinity are those who drank the excellent waters of the Nile."

With the assistance of a sufficient knowledge of the Egyptian language we are now enabled to detect in the Egyptian documents the information which neither the Greeks nor the Romans could understand in their time.

{p.7}

THE STELE OF BEKA

1 A ROYAL gift of offerings to the person of the Steward, of the public granary, BEKA, the justified. He says, I myself was just and true, without malice,¹ having put god in his heart,² and having been quick to discern his will.
2 I reach the city of those who are in eternity.³ I have done good upon earth;⁴ I have harboured no prejudice;⁵ I have not been wicked;⁶ I have not approved of any offence or iniquity.
3 I have taken pleasure in speaking the truth; I have perceived the advantage it is to conform to this practice upon the earth from the first action (of my life) even to the tomb.⁷ My sure defence 8 shall be to speak it (truth) in the day when
______
1 Or, "evil," or, "perversity."
2 This change of the personal pronoun is a common feature in Egyptian inscriptions, and was reckoned an ornament.
3 Or literally, "the city which is in millions of years," i.e., for ever.
4 Or, "I have made good things."
5 Or, "wrong or damage to others."
6 This last word is obscure.
7 Literally, "depuis l'action jusqu'a la tombe."
8 Or perhaps, "escort," or, "guard;" the word is a rare one.

{p.8}

4 I reach the divine judges, the skilful interpreters,¹ discoverers of all actions, the chastisers of sins. Pure² is my soul. (While) living, I bear no malice.³
5 There are no errors⁴ attributable to me, no sins of mine are before their hand.⁵ I am come out of this trial⁶ with the help of truth,⁷ and behold I am in the place of the ancients.⁸ Bring ye the food of truth⁹ to the Steward
6 of the public granary, BEKA, the justified. He says: It was I who filled the heart of the Lord of the Two Regions, (who was) the beloved¹⁰ of the King of Upper Egypt, the favourite of the King of Lower Egypt, on account of my pre-eminent merits, which were the cause of my promotion.
7 Great was I in the place of millions of true perfections.¹¹ Wherever the King proceeded, I (always) approached his person,¹² and went joyfully round him adoring his goodness each
8 day, and did homage to the double asp ^I3 on his diadem throughout all time. The Steward of the public granary, BEKA. He says: I am a sahu I who took pleasure in truth, conformably
________
1 The 42 assessors of Osiris.
2 The word rendered "pure" is also a rare one.
3 In the original text there is an alliterative play of words in this phrase.
4 Or, "there exists no abuse or wickedness of mine, my virtue is before their hands."
5 I.e., the judges.
6 Literally, "of the."
7 Or, "the words of Thoth."
8 Or, "the place of the just."
9 Literally, "its food."
10 Or, "the favourite friend."
11 The royal palace.
12 Literally, "Whenever the king- thrived before and behind."
13 The emblem of his immortal dignity. I4 A corpse, a mummy.

{p.9}

with the laws of the tribunal of the Two Truths¹ desired by me.²
9 I reach the Kher-neter.³ I have not made myself master over the lowly;⁴ I have done no harm to men who honoured their gods.⁵ I have spent my lifetime in the life of truth,⁶ until I have attained the age
10 of veneration, being in favour with the King, and be loved by the great ones around him. The royal dwelling, those who dwelt there, no ill will towards me was in their heart. The men
11 of the future, while they live, will be charmed by my remarkable merits. He who inhabits the place of the fullness of health⁷ had given me an important post.⁸ My sincerity and my goodness were in the heart of my father and mother; my affection was in them.⁹
12 Never¹⁰ have I outraged it in my mode of action towards them from the beginning of the time of my youth. Though great, yet I have acted as if I had been a little one. I have not disabled anyone worthier than myself.
__________
1 The hall of Osiris.
2 Literally, "my desire."
3 Hades.
4 Most of these sentences are excerpts from the Negative Confession. See Ritual of the Dead, cap. cxxv.
5 Or rather, "the gods."
6 The usual lapidary phrases.
7 The king s palace.
8 "Master of works," or, "master of things." The term Neb kat was also a common personal name.
9 It is uncertain from the text of the stele itself, whether the meaning is of Beka delighting in his parents, or his parents in him. It is remarkable, that contrary to all Egyptian usage, he does not give his parents names.
10 Or, "strained."

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13 My mouth has always been opened to utter true things, not to foment quarrels. I have repeated what I have heard just as it was told to me. O! all ye men who live, taking pleasure in truth every day in Egypt,
14 ye who are not (yet) nourished by the god, Lord of Abydos,¹ who lives on truth each day, be happy! Spend your life in pleasures until you approach the happy West. May your soul enjoy the right to go freely in and out like the eternal Lords who are established before the gods.²
_______
1 Osiris, Lord of Tattu.
2 The chief bliss of the elect, according to the Egyptian creed, consisted in their faculty of unlimited motion in the whole universe. The usual prayers demand for the deceased the power of "going and coming from and to everywhere under any form they like."

{p.11}

INSCRIPTIONS OF QUEEN HATASU
(XVIIIth DYNASTY)
TRANSLATED BY
JOHANNES DUMICHEN.

CONQUEST OF ARABIA FELIX

THESE inscriptions, which afford the chief materials for the construction of the annals of Hat-a-su, the queen regnant of Egypt with Thothmes II, and consort of Thothmes III, occupy the interior walls of a large temple to the goddess Hathor, which was erected by Hat-a-su in the valley of El-Assaseef, near Thebes. The temple is now known as that of Deir-el-Baheiri, from the name of a Coptic convent which has been built amidst its ruins. Nearly all the interior of the temple was originally covered with bas-reliefs, highly coloured, representing the principal events in the life of the founder; and chiefest among these her subjugation of S.W. Arabia by means of a fleet which she had constructed on the Red Sea and manned by Phoenician sailors, the {p.12} superstitions of the Egyptians rendering them unwilling to cross the sea. Over, or by the side of each separate picture, ran several lines of hieroglyphics, descriptive of the subjects represented. Of these inscriptions many have been wilfully defaced by order of Thothmes III, who outlived Hat-a-su, and placed his own cartouche on the walls, to the obliteration of that of his sister. Time and neglect have destroyed other portions, but enough yet remains to give an interesting record of one of the earliest naval engagements, and of the invasion and conquest of a country which then bore, as it has for ages since, the name of the Holy Land.

The text from which this translation is taken has been published with great beauty and fidelity by Dr. Johannes Dumichen, in Flotte ein. Egypt. Konigin, folio, Leipzig, 1868, with an English version by Anna Dumichen, his daughter. This English text has been again translated from the German, and revised for the present volume by Mr. S. M. Drach.

W. R. C.

INSCRIPTIONS OF QUEEN HATASU

PLATE I¹

First scene, representing the embarkation of the Egyptian fleet. Between two trees: HATHOR is Mistress of the land of Punt.² Two short inscriptions of four lines each over the boat: These are the ships which the wind brought along with it. Inscription of thirteen vertical lines before the great picture: The voyage on the sea, the attainment of the longed for aim in the Holy Land, the happy arrival of the Egyptian soldiers in the land (of) Pun, according to the arrangement of AMEN, King of the gods, Lord of the terrestrial thrones in Thebes, in order to bring to him the treasures of the whole land in such quantities as will satisfy him. This was done by the Queen of Egypt, the daughter of the SUN RA-MA-QA,³ never has anything similar been done in the times of a former king in this country eternally ....⁴
________
1 These refer to the plates in Dumichen's work.
3 Arabia.
3 Ra-ma-qa, or Ma-qa-ra, conjectured to be Misphres, Mephre, or Misaphris of the Manethonian lists, it approaches near to Mexres. The central hieroglyph might be χeft.
4 Lacuna.

{p.14}

PLATE II

Sixteen lines of hieroglyphics describing the cargo of the ships: The loading of the ships of transport with a great quantity of the magnificent products of Arabia, with all kinds of precious woods of the Holy Land, with heaps of incense resin,¹ with verdant incense trees, with ebony, with pure ivory, with gold and silver from the land of Amu, with the tesep-wood and the cassia-bark, aham-inceme (and) mestem-kohl, and hounds,² with skins of leopards of the South, apes³ (and) monkeys,⁴ with women and children. Never has a convoy (been made) like this one by any king since the creation of the world.

PLATE III

Seven lines of hieroglyphics; three vessels return to Thebais: Excursion completed satisfactorily; happy arrival at Thebais to the joy of the Egyptian soldiers. The (Arabo-Ethiopic) Princes after arrival in this country, bringing with them costly things of the Arabian land, such as never had yet been brought that could be compared with what they brought by any of the Egyptian kings, for the Supreme Majesty of this god AMEN-RA, Lord of the terrestrial thrones.
__________
1 Qami, "gum," or resin of the kind called ana, an odoriferous resin like benzoin, or frankincense. S. B.
2 Tesem.
3 Qaf, 1 Kings x. 22 (Cynoc. Babuin).
4 The anau or cynocephalus (Cynoc. Hamadryas).

{p.15}

Again the Princes of Pun kneel before the Queen's throne: As one who is the great chief of the land of Punt, and of the Nubian hunters from the country of Chent-hen-nefer.
Then an inscription of seven lines: The kissing of the earth before her who abounds in deeds, RA-MA-QA, by the great of the land of the Punt, and by the hunters of Nubia from the land Chent-hen-nefer.
Inscription over a picture representing the Pun Princes kneeling, and their servants bearing gifts: The great of the land of Punt, their speech which they deliver requesting peace from Her Majesty. Homage to thy countenance,¹ O Queen of Egypt, Sun, beaming like the sun-disk ATEN² your mistress, that is Arabia s mistress.

PLATE IV

Six vertical lines of hieroglyphics over the first boat: Glad arrival in the West; the whole country is joyful at this beautiful feast of this great god. They exult in offering twofold praise and adoration to the Royal Lord of both countries. Salutation to the crew of the boat of King THUTMOSIS (II), named, "Star of both Countries;" they speak with loud calls to the Princess of the Necropolis, the magnanimous goddess, the Ruler ....³
On ten ships on lowest row, probable arrival at East end (town-harbour):
________
1 Cf., אכפרה פגיר בפגחה, Jacob and Esau. Gen. xxxii. 20. S. M. Drach.
* Aten is probably the Semitic deity Adon.
3 Lacuna.

{p.16}

Satisfactory arrival at Thebes, the warlike, joy fills them at the sight of this monument, which is erected by (the Queen RA-MA-QA) to her father (AMEN-RA). Captain's title, "Chief of the Navigation;" he stands on deck, whip in hand.

PLATE V

Three lines of hieroglyphics: The crew of the Royal boat brings the salutation; they praise the Queen RA-MA-QA as the mighty in deeds, words of exultation are spoken in heaven and on earth. HATHOR, who repeatedly creates the birth at Thebes, says joyfully to the Queen, whatsoever heaven possesses is thine.
Upon the prow of the first boat: Arrival in the West, the four men there are the Royal grandees, the Captain calls out to the boatmen, Forwards, ye rowers!
In first middle boat: It brings the salutation of HATHOR, the Mistress of life, happiness and strength, the Queen RA-MA-QA, the ever-living.
Priest; sacrifice-inscription (middle one): The sacrifice that is due to thee, O HATHOR, Mistress of heaven. Make strong the Queen RA-MA-QA and the King THUTMOSIS.
Over the lowest boats: Salutation to the Theban HATHOR on the part of the Lord with life, happiness and strength, the King TOTHMOSIS III, the everliving.

{p.17}

On the sacrificing priest behind the royal throne: The sacrifice due to thee, O HATHOR, Mistress of heaven; make strong the Queen RA-MA-QA in this year of years.
Five lines on the helm of last boat but one: The boatmen call out in the bark, the gracious Rulers, they have erected this monument to their mother HATHOR, that she may be there, where they are for evermore.
Inscription on three priests (last boat): The sacrifice due to thee, O HATHOR, Mistress of heaven, make strong Queen RA-MA-QA, and King THUTMOSIS.

PLATES VI-VIII, XI

Represent the subjects of various scenes; chiefly Egyptian military parade in uniform; the Per-a-a,¹ "household troops;" tamed leopard led by a negro, the prize fighting of the Tamahu (pl. xi), a master piece of art. Naval feast to Amen at beginning (or every year) of Thothmosis III.²

PLATE XVII

Inscription on picture representing the tribute³ of the Arabians: Arabian incense trees in wooden tubs, an Arabian incense tree,⁴ inscribed:
_______
1 "The great house;" i.e., Pharaoh.
2 Ungarelli, Obel. Later, oriens. Horrack thinks, is to thank his god father Amen in his navigation at beginning of inundation.
3 Among the tributaries appears the Queen of the land of Pun-t, who is represented as very short, hunchbacked, and with deformed legs, but adorned with jewels. See Chabas, Etudes sur l'Antiquité Historique, p. 158.
4 Neha-t ana.

{p.18}

Thirty-one pieces of verdant incense trees brought amongst precious things, from the land of Arabia for the majesty of this god AMEN, Lord of terrestrial thrones; never has anything similar been seen since the foundation of the world. The representation of these treasures constitutes

PLATES XVIII, XIX

In order to bring the costly things in the Holy Land for this god.¹ I received the charge at the great throne, the venerable, from the mouth of god. He himself opened the road to Arabia, and showed the way to the incense mountains.² Favourable winds were given by the very great majesty of AMEN. They cleared the forests of the Holy Land. They cut down the incense trees in the Holy Land. The Queen gave orders to go to the incense mountains.³
In the year nine, the Queen sat as ... the royal head ornamented with the royal diadem, on the great throne of precious metal in the interior of the brilliant halls, when the Grandees and Lords of the palace approached to listen, and to follow the orders given.
AMEN says, Thou hast satisfied my heart always. I give thee all the divine life, and all the divine peace which dwells in me: every power I possess, every strength which I have, and every joy which makes me happy, all water, and all lands, all the Chasu people, thy heart shall rejoice over them. We give to thee the land of the Punt.⁴ One had not penetrated into the incense mountains of the barbarians, one knew no
_______
1 Perhaps Canaan was the holy incense land of these times, before the Jewish conquest.
5 Canticles, last words. S. M. D.
3 הר׳ גשמים. S. M. D.
4 Arabia.

{p.19}

way to the harbour. None had gone there except thy wandering pedlars.¹ One did not allow thy men to enter. I led them over the sea to the coast as peaceful men, sending them to the incense mountains, which form the best district of the Holy Land, where I have my seat, where I am served with praises. I have done it, the carrying out of the double expedition is my work and that of HATHOR the mother, the Mistress of Arabia, the great Mistress of magic, the Mistress of all deities. They take possession of the incense according to their pleasure; they load the transport ships to their hearts content, with the verdant incense trees and with all the costly things of this land. The barbarous Puns and the Chebes² people of the Holy Land, I induced them to bring what was wished for, whilst I caused them to honour thee by resin from the incense trees, and by vases full of fresh incense.³
A splendid gift of fresh incense to AMEN-RA the Lord of the thrones of the world, Lord of heaven .... Her Majesty brings in her hands the incense spices, all her limbs are scented with the divine fluid.⁴

PLATE XXXI

Inscription upon picture representing the Egyptian ships: The managing of the helm of the ship Atet by HORUS son of OSIRIS, the care of the boat by the Lord of Hermopolis.⁵
_______
1 כגצב. S.M.D. 5 Gen. xix.
2 Gen. xix. 28 (?). S. M.D.
3 The Queen holds two incense vases in her hand.
4 Proved by the temple of Edfu, Ptolemy vii., Philometer I, recipe of instructions for preparing it, partly here.
5 Thoth.

{p.20}

Fishes figured on the the walls of the temple, as identified by Dr. Doenitz.

{p.21}

OBELISK OF ALEXANDRIA
TRANSLATED BY
FRANCOIS CHABAS.

THIS Obelisk is one of two which were originally erected before the temple at Heliopolis, by the famous Thothmes III, and his titles are engraved in the central column of each side. During a period of no less than three centuries the monument existed with the inscription of Thothmes alone, till Rameses II appropriated it to himself by the addition of two lateral columns, which were subsequently carved when the monolith was still erect.

About the year BC 27, Augustus Caesar having completed the conquest of Egypt, removed this and its companion obelisk to adorn the entrance, or water-gate, of the Csesareum at Alexandria; and there it {p.22} subsequently remained, surviving all the vicissitudes of time and the changes of empire which have taken place around it for the last 1800 years.

The Obelisk has been repeatedly engraved, notably by Denon in his Egypte; Lepsius in the Denkmaler; and Burton and Bonomi in the Excerpta Hieroglyphica; from which latter work this text has been translated and first published in Cooper's History of Obelisks, 1877.

The Obelisk was dedicated to Hor-em-akhou,¹ a form of the god Ra, or Phra,² to which was also consecrated the great sphinx at Gizeh. The pyramidion represents a square vignette in which is figured the king seated upon a throne before the sphinx of Hor-em-akhou upon a pedestal.³
_______
1 Harmachis, or the sun at the two horizons.
2 The sun.
3 The copy by M. Burton is not perfectly reliable: therefore the translation may possibly require a few amendments in some passages. Moreover two of the sides are in a very bad state of preservation, and the script there is undecypherable.

{p.23}

OBELISK OF ALEXANDRIA

CENTRAL COLUMNS¹

A THE kingly HORUS, lifting up the Hat,² the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Golden Hawk,³ who has struck the Kings of all lands approaching him; after the commandment of his father RA.⁴ Victory over the entire world, and valiance of sword are at the mouth of his hands,⁵ for the extension of the limits of Egypt, the Son of the Sun, THOTHMES, Vivifier.
B The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, crowned in Thebes, the Lord of Diadems, whose royalty is expanded, like (that of) the sun. (Beloved of TUM,⁶ Lord of Heliopolis,
_______
1 Of Thothmes III.
2 White Crown.
3 Lacuna.
4 The sun.
5 "The mouth of the hand," is an expression similar to "the mouth of the blade."
6 Tum, or Atum, is a name of Har-em-akhou.

{p.24}

Son of his loins, THOTH created him, THOTHMES.)¹ They² created him in the great abode, from the perfection of their limbs, so that he will make an extended royalty for centuries. The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-MEN-KHEPER Beloved of TUM, the great god, and the gods of his circle, giving all life, stability, and happiness, like the sun for ever.
C The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, crowned in Thebes, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-MEN-KHEPER.³

[D. The same as C. Nothing further can be read.]

________
1 This cartouche is very curious and interesting, as the phrase is calculated to form the name of Thothmes with the last word of each column.
3 Thoth and Tum.
3 The remainder is illegible.

{p.25}

LATERAL COLUMNS¹

A 1 The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, Son of TUM, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Lord of Diadems, who protects Egypt and chastises the nations, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN, King, warlike, who has acted with his own hands in the face of the whole earth, the Lord of the two lands, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA,² Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN, the stable.³
A 2 The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, Beloved of the goddess MA, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Lord of panegyrics like his father⁴ PTAH TOTANEN, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN. RA s has generated him to adorn festively Heliopolis,
__________
1 Of Rameses II.
2 Prenomen of Rameses II.
3 The rest erased.
4 "Lord of Festivals," i.e., the sacred feasts of the triaconte rides.
5 The sun.

{p.26}

to furnish abundantly the temples of him who generated him. The Lord of the two lands, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN, (invested with life) stability and happiness.
B 1 The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, Beloved of MA, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, (who is) a sun, generator of gods, Possessor of the two lands, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN, a noble youth of kindness like ATEN¹ blazing from the horizon. Lord of the two lands, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN, the splendour of OSIRIS, Vivifier.
B 2 The kingly HORUS, the Strong Bull, son of KHEPER-RA,² the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Golden Hawk, of abundant years, (very) victorious, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN,
________
1 The solar disk.
2 The creator.

{p.27}

who issued from the womb, to take the crowns of the sun; whom the sun generated to be (the) sole Lord, Lord of the two lands, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN, the splendour of OSIRIS, like the sun.¹
C 1 The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, Beloved of MA, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, (who is) a sun, generator of gods, ....² Lord of the two lands, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN³
C 2 The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, Son of the Sun, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Golden Hawk, Son of the Sun, RAMESSOU MERIAMEN,....⁴

[D 1 Erased.]

D 2 The kingly HORUS, Strong Bull, Beloved
________
1 It is to be observed that the final groups of the three columns are combined to form a horizontal line running thus: "Giving life forever like the sun." This is observable in three sides, the fourth being erased.
2 Lacunae.
3 The remainder is illegible.
4 Erased.

{p.28}

the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, RA-OUSOR-MA-SOTEP-EN-RA, Lord of panegyrics like his father PTAH, Lord of I RAMESSOU MERIAMEN.

[Some words are still distinguishable, but nothing worth mentioning can be read in the remainder of the text]

_______
1 Lacuna.

{p.29}

INSCRIPTION OF HAREMHEBI ON A STATUE AT TURIN
TRANSLATED BY
S. BIRCH, LL.D.

THIS inscription occurs on the back of a black granite group of two seated statues in the Museum of Turin. The group was originally nearly nine feet high, and represented the monarch Haremhebi or Horus¹ of the XVIIIth dynasty seated on his throne, holding a sceptre of life in his left hand, and a sceptre in his right hand, which is raised against his breast The female figure is evidently a queen, for it wears on the head the vulture attire, emblem of a queen mother, and above a cylindrical headdress or modius of uraei, and above that were formerly the two plumes of the goddess Athor, a common characteristic of goddesses and royal persons.² She places her left hand on the shoulder of the king in mark of affection. There were originally three inscriptions, one on each side of the throne, and one behind;
________
1 Rosellini M.R., no liv. quinquies A. gives the figures. See also Gazzera, descrizione d. R. Museo. d. Torino, pp. 45, 46.
2 The vulture indicated Mut "mother," but it is not quite sure that all were mothers, though generally so. Many queens have no such diadem. The king was lord of the vulture and uraeus, that is lord of the two diadems, which represented Mut of the upper, and Uat or Buto of the lower country.

{p.30}

that on the side of the king has disappeared. Of the other, at the side of the queen, 19 hieroglyphs were alone visible, but amongst them is the name of the royal lady Mut-netem, or Netem-mut, called the "gracious mother" or "pleasing mother." At the side of the throne, where the queen is seated, she is represented as a sphinx, and is one of the few females found on all the monuments of Egypt. The scene behind the throne apparently represented the king kneeling in adoration to one of the principal deities of Egypt, probably Amen Ra.¹ To this god, indeed, in his various types, Horus showed the greatest homage and deference. He is represented of smaller proportions, standing at the side of a throne, on which Amen Ra is seated, and he stands also of smaller proportions at the side of the god Khem or Amsi, on a monument of the British Museum.² It was in fact to Horus that the revival of the worship of Amen Ra, and the abolition of the heresy of the worship of the disk, was due. The inscription at the back consists of 26 lines, and there was apparently about 40 more hieroglyphs at the commencement of the first line. It was supposed by Champollion³ to have been a decree of the priests to place the statue of Horus and Mut-netem in one of the temples, probably of Karnak, and the text appears to refer to the coronation of Horus. There is a translation, Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. Ill, p. 486 and foll.
_______
1 Champollion Figeac, l'Egypte, pl. 85, p. 320.
2 Egyptian Galleries, No. 5: Birch, Gallery of Antiquities, pl. 36, no. 152.
3 Champollion, Lettres Ecrites, 1824, p. 48, et.

{p.31}

INSCRIPTION OF HAREMHEBI

1 (THE HARMACHIS, the living Sun, the powerful Bull, maturing plans, Lord of the vulture and uraeus diadem, Chief of the Treasures in Thebes, the Hawk of gold) delighting in truth engendering the world, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord of the two countries RA T'ER χEPERU SATP EN RA, Son of the Sun, Lord of diadems HAR-EM-HEB, beloved of AMEN, HAR, Lord of the palace, good god....¹
2 KAMUTF, AMEN RA King of the gods, nursed him HAR-SA-ASI, protected in the rear of his limbs, he proceeded from the belly² of (Teb-em-saf,) a divine shape in it his name he made.
3 he has been laid on the arm as a child, he protected the land from the great to the little, he carried³ to it food and aliment. He is a youth; he has no prejudice.⁴
4 of mankind, a divine type in his shape to behold, victorious form of his father HORUS; he placed him before him, he created him for the protection of his race, bringing up all
5 letting him know the day when he was at
_______
1 Lacunae.
2 Doubtful, if not a title.
3 Kra; cf. Brugsch, Worterb., p. 1167, who cites this passage.
4 Wortervb., pp. 1263, 64, sart, "offence" or "contrivance." Chabas, "endowments."

{p.32}

peace, he gave him his kingdom; for that god appointed his son in the face of mankind, he delighted to enlarge the breadth of his step when he proceeded, the day of his receiving his title, he gave.....¹
6 his reign, in face of the king at rest in his property, rejoicing in his election,² he placed him at the gate of the country to conduct the numerous laws of the country as Prince, Heir-apparent of this town like him, one alone without a second, the plans
7 of men which came out of his mouth addressed before the Prince of the palace, he went along to the opposition against him; he answered the King, that which came out of his mouth daily pleased him, the gracious one, not
8 all his plans in the steps of the Ibis god,³ his penetration the type of the Lord of Heser, exulting in his rights like TETI⁴ ravished at them like PTAH, watching the morning, his things belonging to him, giving
9 his property, treading in its path, it makes his protection on earth for the length of eternity. Lo it was to him to direct the two countries for a time of many years, he appointed.
10 the principal persons submissive to the royal house, the Chiefs of the Nine bow barbarians the South and North came to him, their hands spread out at his turnings back. They adored him like a god, all things done were performed according to (his) orders.
11 at his approach, the great fear of him was
_______
1 Lacunae.
2 Satp, "election" or "selection," referring to a choice, but not stated by whom.
3 Hal or "Thoth," the "messenger" or "Ibis" god.
4 Teti. This form occurs on the Turin altar of Nectanebo.

{p.33}

in the face of mankind, entreating of him health and strength; he opened his mouth, father of millions of perfect propositions¹ of divine gifts to conduct
12 ....² passing by them, the approved son of HORUS as a superior authority as Prince of this country like him. For lo at him this noble god HORUS, Lord of the palace, his heart delighted, establishing his son on his throne for ever (he) ordered
13 of the house of AMEN, HORUS passed in exultation to Uas,³ the city (of) Nebheh⁴ his son on his breast to Thebes that he should be crowned in presence of AMEN, that he should confer on him his title of
King, to make his time, lo!
14 ... crowned in his good festival, dwelling in Southern Apet. The Majesty of that god HORUS, Lord of the palace, beheld his son with him; as King he was shown; he gave him his title and throne. Lo! at it AMEN RA was penetrated with joy, he saw
15 the day, he made his peace offerings, he brought them to that Chief, the Heir-apparent, residing in the two lands HAREMHEBI; he went forth to the palace; he placed them before him at the great shrine of his very noble daughter.
16 in honour, she united together his beautiful decorations; she placed them before him. The circle of the gods, Lords of the abode of fire rejoiced at his
_______
1 Heb Sarut, cf. Brugsch, Worterb., p. 1263, sarat "propositions" or "endowments."
2 Lacunae.
3 Western Thebes.
4 Or, "the Lord of the age." It may also be read "every city holding his son erect."

{p.34}

crowning NISHEM¹ UATI,² NIT,³ Isis, NEPHTHYS, HORUS, SET, and the circle of the gods, altogether dwelling in the great seat
17 ....⁴ proclamations to the exaltation of NUT, rejoicing to the rest of AMEN, for may AMEN let his son come before him to the temple to place his crown on his head, to elevate his period of life like him. Our images we placed to him
18 ....we gave him the decorations of the Sun, we glorify AMEN on account of him. Thou hast brought us our support. Give to him the triakonterides⁵  of the Sun, the years of HORUS as King. He has done; all thy⁶ pleasure in Apet, likewise An,⁷ and Ha-ka-ptah;⁸ he ennobled them.
19 .... (beautiful) is the great name of that good god; he is entitled like the Majesty of the Sun, "HARMACHIS the powerful Bull, great in plans, Lord of the vulture and uraeus diadem, great in treasures in Apet, the Golden Hawk, pleasing in truth, the engenderer of two lands RA-TSER-KHEPERU approved of the Sun, the Son of the Sun HAREMHEBI beloved of AMEN, giver of life, proceeding to the front of
20 the house of the Sun in the palace of the Majesty of that noble god AMEN King of the gods, his son before him. He united together his beautiful decorations, crowned in the helmet, for he conferred on him the circuit of the disk, the Ninebow barbarians were under his sandals, heaven (was) in a festival, the two countries
______
1 Or Nuneb.
2 Buto.
3 Neith.
4 Lacunae.
5 Set heb "thirty year festivals."
6 Thebes.
7 Heliopolis.
8 Memphis.

{p.35}

rejoicing, the circle of the (nine) gods of the Ta Mera,¹ their hearts (were) delighted.
21 Lo at him created beings in joy cried to heaven above. Great and little, they carried their joy throughout the whole earth; they rejoiced upon the celebration of this festival of the dweller in Southern Thebes AMEN RA King of the gods, coming in peace
22 (to) Uas.² His Majesty went sailing as the image of HARMACHIS; for lo he took possession of that land, he obtained it for the time of the Sun. He repaired the temples of the gods from³ χat-Atah⁴ to the land of Takans,⁵ he chiselled the types
23 of us all, each one as before, in good truth; for he did things the Sun rejoiced to see them. The destroyed of former times he transported (them) to the house of his making, conducted by the guardians of all tribes, appointed with all noble stones.
24 He sought the cities of the gods,⁶ which are in the places of that land. He possessed them as they were in times primaeval, he augmented to them divine offerings provided daily, all the vessels of their
25 temples, gilded with gold and silver, he prepared them with the Priests and Spondists, with the elite of his army he appointed for them fields and herds prepared with all things. They were timed for the worship of the Sun
________
1 Northern Egypt or the Delta.
2 Western Thebes.
3 The phrase is χat, "body," atah, "lakes," or "marshes;" "commencing from," meaning from North to South throughout Egypt.
4 One of the Northern cities.
5 Name of Nubia.
6 Bakai, or else "sacred places."

{p.36}

26 every morning. Thou hast been announced to us the kingdom of thy son doing thy will RA-TSER-KHEPER approved of the Sun. Give thou him millions of triakonterides; give thou his powers over all lands, like HARSIESI¹ for he has given satisfaction to thy heart in An² united to the circle of thy gods.
_______
1 Horus son of Isis.
2 Heliopolis.

{p.37}

THE ANCIENT FESTIVALS OF THE NILE
TRANSLATED BY
LUDWIG STERN.

ON the left shore of the Nile, at Gebel Silsileh, there are three large tablets containing the same hieroglyphical text, and an identical list of offerings. The inscription refers to the ancient worship of Hapi, or the Nile, which river is there very narrow and powerful, in the time of the XIXth and XXth Dynasty. The three tablets were first published by M. Lepsius in his Denkmaler, III, 175a, 200d, 218d; and the more essential contents have been discussed from a chronological point of view by E. de Rouge in the Zeitschrift fur Egyptische Sprache, 1866, p. 3. From copies taken by M. Ebers and myself in 1873, I gave an amended edition of the three texts, and a complete translation, in the {p.38} Zeitschrift, 1873, p. 129, and some additional remarks in the same journal, 1875, p. 175.

In the upper part of these tablets the king is represented making an incense offering to the triad of Amen, Mut, and Khonsu, and a drink offering to Harmachis, Ptah, and Hapi. The inscription relates the institution of two Nile-festivals, by Rameses II, the observance of which, as it seems, had fallen into neglect; one on the I5th of Epiphi, when the river was thought to come forth from his two chasms; and the other on the I5th of Thoth, when the inundation arrived at Khennut, or Gebel Silsileh. Smaller offerings also were appointed for the day of "laying aside the Nile-book," a solemnity which may be considered as the conclusion of the several festivities attending the annual inundation. This took place on the 1st of Choiak, as has been remarked by M. Brugsch. The original decree dated in the first year of Rameses II was renewed by his son Merenptah I, in his first year, 5th of Paophi, and then again by Rameses III in the sixth year of his reign, in the month of Phamenoth. The order of the two days is inverted in the text, the month of Thoth being {p.39} the first month of the calendar, and therefore first mentioned.

The Epiphi-day, probably dedicated to the invocation, seems to correspond to the Niloa of later times, which Heliodorus, in the ninth book of his romance, asserts to have taken place about the summer-solstice, or 15th of Payni, a full month earlier. This is, no doubt, the same festival which the Arabs found still existing when they entered the country, and there fore prohibited. According to the account of Murtada Ibn abi Hagalah, Maqrizi, and others, it was by the sacrifice of a virgin they entreated the river-god on this occasion for a plentiful inundation, on the I2th, of Payni. In still later times, the Copts cast a coffin with a mummy's finger in it into the river, but already, as we are told by Ibn abi Hagalah and Maqrizi, on the 8th of Pachons; the former, or "The Martyr's Festival," was performed down to the year 754, or 755, of the Higrah, when it was finally abolished by the Emir Surghatmash. A different tradition has been substituted in the modern Coptic almanac for the nth of Payni, when a drop is believed to fall into the Nile and to cause its rising, {p.40} the lailet nuzul el nuqtah, which like the other ceremonies is so well described by Mr. Lane in his Modern Egyptians. The Thoth-day of the inscription, probably a thanksgiving-festival, seems to be the wafa el Nil, "the completion of the Nile," in the first part of Mesore, or even the highest height of the river, which in modern times is announced on the 17th of Thoth, corresponding to the "Feast of the Cross."

Pagan, Christian, and Muslim custom and tradition, seem thus to have been mingled in the several observances of the Nilotic festivals, on which the following text of Gebel Silsileh is the earliest authority.

DECREE OF RAMESES II

1 THE year 1, the 10th of the month Epiphi, of the reign of the Majesty of the HORUS-sun, the Strong bull, the truth-loving Lord of the South and the North, the Protector of Egypt, the Vanquisher of the nations, the Golden HORUS, rich in years and great in victories, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Lord of the world, RA-USER-MA, approved by the Sun, the Son of the Sun, and Lord of diadems, the Beloved of AMEN, RAMESES, who loveth the Nile, the Father of the gods, who created him, may he live, abide, and thrive like the sun for evermore!
2 Blessed be the good god, the NuN-loving¹ Nile, the Father of the gods of the holy Nine dwelling on the waters, the plenty, wealth, and food of Egypt. He makes everybody live by himself, riches are on his path,
and plenteousness is in his fingers; the pious are rejoiced at his coming. Thou art alone and self-created,
3 one knoweth not whence thou art.² But on the day thou comest forth and openest thyself, everybody is rejoicing. Thou art a Lord of many fish and gifts,
______
1 Nun is the Oceanus, or the abyss of waters on which the bark of the Sun is believed to sail.
2 See the "Hymn to the Nile," Records of the Past, vol. IV, p. 109.

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and thou bestowest plenteousness on Egypt. The cycle of the holy Nine knoweth not whence thou art, thou art their life.¹ For when thou comest their offerings are redoubled,
4 and their altars filled, and they are shouting when thou appearest. Thou yieldest unto us, bent to nourish the pious like the Sun, when he ruled over this land. Satisfied is NUN, when his Chiefs lead him in peace uniting their rejoicings.
5 Father Nile loveth him, doing a glorious deed throughout Egypt by his own wisdom, and is strong and wakeful at every time to furnish livelihood for men, to multiply the corn as the sand, and to make the granaries big with gifts. Wherefore His Majesty was intent
6 to glorify the Father of all gods, the Chief on the waters and pondered like THOTH to find things meet to their love. No King did so in this land since the time of the Sun. His Majesty said as follows: "Is it not the Nile who nourisheth the world? wealth and abundance come forth after his rising, if everybody be living under his sway,²
7 enriched when he listeth." "I know what is written in the book-store kept in the library, that whenever the Nile cometh forth from the
________
1 On account of the offerings afforded by the stream and its inundation.
2 Xer ast herek, "under the place of thy face(?)," the reading is uncertain.

{p.43}

two chasms,¹ the offerings of the gods are to be plenty,² and that when the holy water is in the neighbourhood of Khennut, it being wide in this very place, the oblations are redoubled to him in the same."
8 The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, the Lord of the world, RA-USER-MA, the Chief of Thebes, the Son of the Sun and Lord of diadems, the Beloved of AMEN, RAMESES, (May he live for ever!) settled in his wisdom His Majesty's orders to redouble the offerings to Father AMEN-RA, the King of the gods, and to the Nile, the Father of the gods, and the Chief upon the waters, twice in the year in the neighbourhood of the holy water of Khennut,
9 the venerable place which has no want of wet to hide the widths of Hades before, life, health, strength! the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Lord of the world, RA-USER-MA, the offspring of the Sun, the Son of the Sun, and Lord of diadems, the beloved of AMEN, RAMESES. May he live like his father RA every day!³

[To be given as an offering.]

Objects for the altar are to be presented to this god on the 15th of Thoth and the 15th of Epiphi in the course⁴ of every year, according to the (following) list of offerings
_______
1 The sources of the Krophi and Muphi of Herodotus, II, 28. They were believed to cause the waters to rise, according to Maqrizi, 59, even by the Copts: "The rising and falling of the Nile, they said, comes from the sources on its shore, which a traveller may see following its course upwards."
2 I dare not change the reading of the text: es (probably for su or as) r zef, for r sezef, proposed by Professor Lushington (Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch., vol. III, p. 98).
3 Or "eternally."
4 M'hetera, rather, "at the arriving, in the course," than "as a tribute of every year."

{p.44}

10 for ten thousands and hundred thousands of years of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, and the Lord of the world, RA-USER-MA, the Beloved of the Sun, the Son of the Sun, the Beloved of AMEN, RAMESES. May he live!

A young calf, a goose,¹ and a goose,² these are the oblations which are to be presented to all gods of the Nun in that day when the Nile-book is laid aside, corn of the granary being the holy offering to AMEN-RA, the King of all gods and Ruler of Thebes.

[Then follows a long list of offerings, viz., many sorts of bread and cakes, flesh, fat, parts of antelopes, oxen, cows, calves, six different sorts of wine, honey, oil, beer, spiced water, milk fresh and boiled.]
_______
1 Re, particular kind of goose.
2 Se, another species or kind.

{p.45}

THE PASTOPHORUS OF THE VATICAN
(XXVIth DYNASTY)
TRANSLATED BY
P. LE PAGE RENOUF.

THE following is the translation of a number of hieroglyphic texts inscribed upon a small statue now in the Gregorian Museum at the Vatican.¹ The statue is of green basalt, three palms high, and when perfect represented a bare-footed Egyptian priest supporting a shrine which contains the image of Osiris. The present head, which is modern, is that of a female, the sleeves of the priestly vestment having apparently deceived those who made the
________
1 A picture of the statue is given in the Italian translation of Winckelman's History of Art, published at Rome 1783, vol. I, pl. vii; in Cancellieri's work De Secretariis Basilica; Vaticanae, vol. I, p. 6; and lastly in Visconti's Museo Pio Clementina, vol. VII, pl. 6. The hieroglyphic inscriptions are there given on the supplementary plates A 1, A 2, and A 3, {p.46} restoration as to the sex of the personage represented.¹ The greater part of this small monument is covered with hieroglyphics forming a series of more than ten distinct inscriptions.

Small fragments of these inscriptions were translated by Champollion, but the historical importance of the monument was first distinctly recognised by J. J. Ampere, who understood the text well enough to see that the person whom it commemorates had, after being in the service of the last two Egyptian kings of the XXVIth Dynasty, lived in the reigns of the Persian conquerors Cambyses and Darius, and left behind him information about those conquerors very much at variance with what the Greeks have handed down to us. Letronne also utilized the historical evidence of this monument as far as it was possible at a time when Egyptian texts were as yet very imperfectly deciphered. The entire contents of the inscriptions were, however, first made known by the translation given by the late M. Emmanuel de
______
1 The statue is called "La Pastofora," or "Talamefora." The shrine carried by the Egyptian priests was called by the Greeks pastas, or thalamos. Lucius, the hero of the tale of Apuleius, after his conversion becomes a member of the College of the Pastophori.

{p.47}

Rouge in the Revue Archeologique of 1851. A more recent version is that contained in the History of Egypt by Brugsch-Bey. M. de Rouge's version was a very excellent one considering the time when it appeared; it was in fact the first historical text of some length which had as yet been rendered with tolerable correctness. But M. de Rouge lived long enough to see the necessity of many alterations in his version. The following translation, therefore, while agreeing with it in the main, will be found still more frequently to agree with that of Dr. Brugsch, whose example I have followed, first in the order of the inscriptions translated, and secondly in the suppression of the name and titles which precede each of these inscriptions. These Egyptian titles often defy translation, not only because we are some times very imperfectly informed as to the dignity in question, but because modern nations have no titles even approximately corresponding to the Egyptian ones. It is as idle to look for English equivalents of some of these Egyptian titles as to look for Egyptian equivalents for consul, pacha, cardinal, alderman, or postmaster-general.

{p.48}

I am more substantially indebted to Brugsch-Bey's translation for some parts of my own. The greatest part of the text published by Visconti in his Museo Pio Cicmentino, vol. VII, is perfectly intelligible to any scholar who has made some fair progress in the Egyptian language, and the correction of many inaccuracies may be made with absolute certainty. One or two passages, however, are so grossly incorrect as to be simply without meaning, and here, in the absence of an accurate copy of the original, I have followed the version of Brugsch-Bey.

{p.49}

THE PASTOPHORUS OF THE VATICAN

Ut a-Hor-resenet,¹ son of the lady Tmu-ari-tis and of Paf-tot-Nit,² a provost of the temples and prophet of the goddess Neith at Sais, had risen to positions of high dignity under the last kings of the XXVIth Dynasty. He has the ancient titles of erpa-ha, nat and smer extraordinary, and was Commander-in-chief of the royal ships³ under Amasis and Psammitichus III. The rest of his career is described in the following inscriptions.

I

WHEN the great King of all lands, CAMBYSES, came to Egypt, the people of all (foreign) lands were with him. He
______
1 Uxa-hor-en-pi-ris according to Dr. Brugsch. The letter f had probably the force of tch. The name signifies "Horus is the salvation of Resenet." Resenet is the name of one of the chambers of the great temple of Neith at Sais; it is translated sud-kammer by Brugsch. The sign which he reads pi'is, I believe, a mere determinative; the same proper name occurs elsewhere with a different determinative.
2 "Neith spreads out (her) hand." This form of name is very common in the Saitic period with the names of other deities besides Neith. Totu, "both hands," sometimes occurs instead of tot. There is in the British Museum (Egyptian Room, No. 83), the statue of a pastophorus in green basalt, bearing the name of Paf-tot-Nit, son of the lady Nanesbast. He lived under king Apries, filled high sacerdotal offices at Sais, and is probably the very person mentioned as the father of Ut'a-Hor-resenet. He was "Chief San," and superintendent of the "double house of silver," and of the "double house of gold." Some other monuments in the British Museum clearly belong to the same family.
3 Kenbit from the earliest time was the name given to ships which conveyed the produce of the southern regions of Africa or Arabia.

{p.50}

exercised sovereignty in the land in its entire extent; they settled down in it, he being the great King of Egypt, the mighty Sovereign of this country. His Majesty conferred upon me the dignity of Chief San,¹ and granted that I should be by him as Smer and Provost of the temple. He assumed the official title in his name of MESTU-RA. I made known to His Majesty the grandeur of Sais, as being the abode of NEITH, the Great Mother, who gave birth to the Sun-god RA, the First-born, when as yet no birth had been; together with the doctrine² of the grandeur of the house of NEITH, as being a Heaven in its whole plan; together with the doctrine of the grandeur of the (other) temples of NEITH, and of all the gods and goddesses who dwell in them, also of the grandeur of the Hat-nat,³ as being the abode of the Sovereign and Lord of Heaven, together with the doctrine of the grandeur of the South Chapel,⁴ and of the North Chapel,⁵ of the house of RA, and of the
________
1 Or sun, "physician," according to Dr. Brugsch's translation. This meaning is etymologically not an improbable one; I prefer, however, connecting the word with sàn-nu, "pay" (II Sallier Papyrus, 8, 5), and considering the office as that of paymaster, or of one of the lords of the Treasury. See p. 5, note 2. The title dates from the oldest period.
2 Or "idea." The Egyptian word sχeru has a great many significations, very similar to those of the Greek σχήμα, e. g., "picture, sketch, outline, plan, conformation, way of a thing, scheme," and hence "notion, idea."
3 Ha-cheb according to Dr. Brugsch. There is, I believe, evidence that the sign formerly read chel should in this proper name be read nat, where it perhaps is but a form of the name Neith. The god worshipped in the Hat-nat was Osiris.
4 Resenet.
5 Mehenet. The two remaining chambers represent the other quarters of the horizon, Ra being the rising, and Tmu the setting sun; this explains to some extent the notion of the temple representing the heaven in its whole plan. The names Resenet and Mehenet are, however, not confined to localities at Sais, they are also mythological abodes.

{p.51}

house of TMU, as being the mysterious abodes of all the gods.

II

I made supplication to the King CAMBYSES against the people who had taken up their abode in this temple of NEITH, that they should be dislodged from it in order that the temple of NEITH should be restored to all its splendours as formerly. His Majesty ordered that all the people should be dislodged who had taken up their abode in the temple of NEITH, that all their houses should be destroyed, and that all their belongings which were in the temple they should themselves carry out of the precincts of this temple. His Majesty gave order that the temple of NEITH should be purified, that all its own people should be restored to it¹ people, Hours² of the temple. His Majesty gave order that the sacred revenue should be restored to NEITH, the Great Mother, and the great gods of Sais, as formerly. His Majesty gave orders to (restore) all their panegyrics, and all their possessions as formerly. His Majesty did this because I had instructed him as to the grandeur of Sais, as being the city of all the gods who dwell upon their thrones within it for evermore.

III

When King CAMBYSES arrived at Sais, His Majesty came himself to the temple of NEITH and made presents to the almighty goddess of all good things; to NEITH, the mighty one, the Divine Mother, and to the gods who are in Sais, as all pious Kings have done. His Majesty did this because I had instructed him as to the grandeur of the goddess, as being the Mother of the Sun-god himself.
________
1 Lacuna.
2 This is a title given to certain persons attached to the service of the temples.

{p.52}

IV

His Majesty performed all the rites at the temple of NEITH. He established the offering of a libation to the Lord of Eternity within the temple of NEITH, as all Kings had done of old. His Majesty did this because I had instructed him as to all the rites at this temple performed by all the Kings on account of the grandeur of this temple, as being the dwelling of all the gods who abide for evermore.

V

I established the property of NEITH, the mighty one, the Divine Mother, as His Majesty had ordered, for an ever lasting duration, I provided the monuments of NEITH, the Mistress of Sais, with all good things, as doth every dutiful servant for his lord. I was a good man before his face. I saved the population in the dire calamity which took place throughout the whole land, such a one as had never happened in this land. I shielded the weak against the strong, I protected him who honoured me, and was to him his best portion. I did all good things for them when the time came to do them.

VI

I was pious towards my father and did the will of my mother; kind-hearted towards my brethren. I established for them what His Majesty had ordered, giving to them splendid lands for an everlasting duration, as His Majesty had pleased. I made a good sarcophagus for one who had no coffin. I made all their children to live, I made firm all their houses, I did for them all good things as a father doth for his son when the calamity came to pass in this nome, yea when the dire calamity befell the entire land.

VII

His Majesty, the King DARIUS, ever-living, gave orders that I should come to Egypt whilst His Majesty was in {p.53} Arma¹ (for he was Sovereign of all provinces and great King of Egypt), to re-establish the school of the Hierogrammatists and (restore) what had fallen in ruin. And strangers conveyed me from province to province, bringing me in safety to Egypt according to the command of the Lord of the Two Lands. I did what His Majesty had commanded. I chose them from their (schools?) out of the children of the inhabitants to the great sorrow of the childless. I gave them to a skilful teacher who should instruct them in every kind of work. I provided all those who distinguished themselves with all that was necessary
for the scribe's profession according to their progress. His Majesty did this in consequence of his knowing that this work was the best means of restoring what had fallen into ruin, of rendering firm the names of the gods, their temples, their revenues, and the celebration of their festivals for evermore.

VIII

I was devoted to all the masters that I had, and they bestowed upon me decorations of gold and gave me all glory.

IX

O all ye gods who are in Sais! declare all the glorious things which the Chief San, UTA-HOR-RESENET, hath done; O grant to him all glory, establish for him a good name in this land for evermore.

X

OSIRIS, Lord of Eternity! the Chief San, UT'A-HOR-RESENET, putteth his arms behind thee to guard thine image. Be there done to him all glorious things as he hath done who protecteth thy shrine for evermore.
______
1 M. de Rouge identifies this with Aram (Syria), Brugsch with Elam.

{p.54}

XI

A royal table of offerings grant OSIRIS HEMAKA,¹ abundance of bread, beer, beeves, geese, and all good and pure things to the image of the Chief San, UTA-HOR-RESENET, pious² towards the gods of Sais.

XII

A royal table of offerings grant OSIRIS abiding in Hat-nat, funeral offerings, bread, beer, beeves, geese, mummy bands, incense, and all good things to the image of the great San, UTA-HOR-RESENET, pious towards all the gods.
_________
1 This occurs as one of the names of Osiris in the Book of the Dead, chapter cxlii., line 8. Hemaka is the name of a place; it is also the name of a mineral, "jasper" according to Dr. Birch.
2 The sense würdig, geehrt, appears to me to be founded on an erroneous etymology. The word àmχu has the sense of "duty," "fidelity," "piety," as due from a son to a father, a wife to her husband, a subject to his sovereign, or men to the gods. In looking for a Coptic derivative we find enhot, "fidelis," the ancient m having changed to n before a guttural, as in Sanskrit or Latin (e. g., prin-ceps, clan-culum). The final t is a suffix.

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INSCRIPTION OF KING NASTOSENEN
(XXXIInd DYNASTY)
TRANSLATED BY
G. MASPERO.

THIS stele was found at Dongolah by Dr. Lepsius, and by him brought to Berlin, where it is now preserved. It has been published in the Denkmaler aus Egypten und Ethiopien, Abth. V., Bl. 16. Some parts of the inscription have been summarily analysed by Dr. H. Brugsch, in his Geographische Inschriften, T. I., pp. 163, 164.

This translation as it now stands, was published by myself in Trans. Soc. Bib. Arch., vol. IV, part 2, 1875.

On this stele king Nastosenen is twice represented; first, accompanied by the "Royal Sister, Royal Mother, Queen of Kush, PELKHA." who "shakes her sistrum to thee;" he "offers two necklaces to his Father," {p.56} the god "AMEN RA, Lord of the seats of both worlds, residing in Thebes, the giver of life, stability, power all, like unto RA for ever." Behind the queen is the legend: "She has given the crown of Napita, "

The god says: "I give thee all the countries, the foreign lands, the barbarians collected under thy two sandals, like unto RA for ever."

In the second picture the same king offers two necklaces to "AMEN of Napata, residing in [Du]-uab, the great god in the land Kens, that he may give all life and power for ever."

The god says: "I give thee life and power all, all stability, all health. all joy; I give thee the years of time, the rising upon the seat of HORUS, for ever." Behind the king stands "the Royal Sister, Royal Wife, Queen of Egypt, SEKHMAKH."

In both scenes the king is styled "King of Upper and Lower Regions, RA-KA-ANKH, Son of the Sun, NASTOSENEN."
_______
1 Lacuna.

{p.57}

INSCRIPTION OF KING NASTOSENEN

OBVERSE

1 IN the 8th year, the 8th of the 1st month of Per, under the HORUS, the Powerful bull, the beloved of the cycle of the gods, risen in Napita, Lord of diadems, Son of the Sun, NASTOSENEN; the HORUS, the bull who tramples his foes under his (feet)
2 the great lion ....¹ the thoughtful, the maintainer of the whole earth, the Son of AMEN, (victorious by) his great sword, (the conqueror) who widens his boundaries over all lands ....,² the (true) issue of gods, the leveller of whatever is high, the worshipped by the (whole) earth,
3 Lord of the gods, instructing all beings³ like THOT; coming to build the temples of the whole earth like PET,⁴ the giver of life for all creatures, even like unto AMEN, Son of Isis; crushing whoever affronts the gods,
4 the Child, Protector of the world, Son of the Sun, NASTOSENEN, Son of AMEN, praised even in heaven: I bid ye know the King of Upper and Lower countries RA-KA-ANKH, Son of the Sun, Lord of both lands, NASTOSENEN, everliving, that he saith (saying: When) I (was) the Gracious Child⁵ in Be(roua),⁶ he
5 summoned me AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father,
________
1 An indistinct word.
2 Two words wanting.
3 An unknown sign of uncertain value: the translation of the word is riven conjecturally.
4 Heaven.
5 A common title for Hereditary Chief, Crown-prince.
6 The Meroe of classical geography, near Shendy.

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saying: "Come! I bid them summon the twice gracious King who is in Be(roua)." Then I spake unto them, saying: "Come, (let us go)
6 and seek for him amidst us, to show our (zeal)." They spoke unto me, saying: "No, we will not go (seeking for him) amidst us.¹ (For) thou art his Gracious Child whom he loves AMEN of Napita,
7 thy gracious Father." I left in the morning (I) reached unto Astamooras.² I put on my kingly garment,³ and they rendered homage to me those who live in Napita; they said: "He
8 is the Judge, Sovereign of all lands." I went away in the morning, I reached Taheh,⁴ which is the great lion, the vineyard planted by King PIANKHI-ALER; (and) whereas my hand was (stretched out)
9 upon the spot to relieve (from its distress) the temple of AMEN,⁵ they went (to the place) which (I was in), the men and the priestess of AMEN of Napita, with the female denizens of the town and all the great men and beings who were there;
10 they spake unto me, saying: "He layeth down before thee the sovereignty of the land (of Kens),⁶ AMEN of Napita thy gracious Father." Said the mouths all: "He shall land at Dongool."⁷
11 I spake unto them, saying: "Go down the river, and
________
1 Lit., "amidst me."
2 It is a town near the Astaboras of Grecian writers; perhaps the Primis Major of Ptolemy.
3 Dut-a-set am su'p-a ai'al: I do not know what sort of garment the alab is.
4 A town, of site unknown, between Napita (Gebel-Barkal) and Dengoor (Dongolah), if not a part of Napita itself.
5 The sense is dubious, owing to a lacuna at the end of line 8.
6 Kens wanting in the original.
7 Dengoor or Dengool, Old Dongolah.

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be zealous in your praises of AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father. Go ye, and going, humble yourselves to do (honour) to A-
12 MEN of Napita." I proceeded (by water) to the landing place, before the house of RA. I mounted a great horse, I reached the great temple. They
13 lay down before me the great men and Priestess of AMEN: then they shouted for me with all their mouths. I went up, I opened the great door: they did (honour), I did (honour), while
14 they were zealous in their praises of me, the Magistrates and great Chiefs who live in the Ap, in the Golden House.¹ I said unto him: "O AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, the being ....²
15 to me, AMEN of Napita, my mouth.³ May AMEN of Napita, my gracious father, give me the kingdom of the land of Kens, the royal crown of King HOR-SI-ATEF,
16 the might of King PIANKHI-ALER." The 3rd month of Sha, on a great day, I caused AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, to rise:⁴ going out of the great temple, he gave me the kingdom of the land of Kens, Aloa,⁵
17 the Barbarians, both shores of the land on both banks of the Nile, the four quarters of earth, saying: "O my gracious creation, like unto RA!" I said unto him, "O AMEN of Napita, the being! Thou hast
18 done it for me that all lands, all men, be obedient unto me. Thou summonedst me up in Beroua, and I came to do (honour) unto thee. Grant that the sovereignty of the land Kens be laid down before me." They
_______
1 That is, in the consecrated ground of the town, in or near the temples.
2 Lacuna.
3 One third of a line wanting.
4 That is, originated a procession of the deity in his boat.
5 The kingdom of Aloah, and the town of Sobah.

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19 did not make him a King that day. The 24th (they) gave me the sovereignty. There were men fighting with men, offering all kinds of offerings on the way, capering for joy in front of
20 RA. I reached the spot (of the sacrifice), smote the two bulls, went up (the steps of, and) sat on, the golden throne in the golden Ap, under the shadow of the great royal flabella, that day. Said all men, saying:
21 "He will make all beings happy! AMEN of Napita, he gives him the sovereignty, life, health, strength, of the land Kens, (him) the Son of Sun, NASTOSENEN; (he grants him) to go up and sit upon the golden throne under the shadow of the great royal flabella,
22 this day, and he will make a King sit in his place in Beroua." The 1st month of Sha, the 12th, I went down the river to do (honour) unto AMEN of Pakem,¹ my Father
23 gracious. I caused AMEN of Pakem to rise: coming to me out of the great temple, (he) said, "O my gracious creature even like unto RA." He gave me the kingdom
24 of Kens; he gave me both shores of land on both banks of the Nile, Aloa, the Barbarians and his own crushing bow. After he had spoken unto me, speaking unto me, AMEN of Napita, my gracious father, I went up and sat up-
25 on the golden throne. I went to do (honour) unto AMEN of Pnoobs:² going out of the great temple, he gave me the sovereignty of the land of Kens
26 and his crushing (mace), saying: "O my gracious creature, even like unto RA! "Going up, I sat upon the golden throne. I went up to do (honour) unto AMEN of Napita,
______
1 A town on the Nile, site unknown, between Dongolah and Pnoobs.
2 Πνουψ of Ptolemy, near Wady-Halfa.

{p.61}

REVERSE

1 my gracious Father. The 2nd month of Per, the 18th, (rose)
2 AMEN of Napita; going out of the temple twice-great. (He) said: "O my gracious
3 PHRA!" (So) he spake unto me, calling me "gracious creation," and then AMEN of Pakem, AMEN of Pnoobs, the gods
4 all jumped for joy. Reaching the place of the sacrifice, (I) smote the two bulls, I went down unto the pyramid, and lay wrapped there four nights, and made
5 all kind of offerings, four days. (Then) going up, he reached the place of the sacrifice, smote the two bulls, (and) entering the temple, sat upon the chair of state in
6 the House of the Golden Wine. The 24th, I went up to do (honour) unto BAST of Tel,¹ my gracious Mother: she gave me life, a long and happy old age, her breast
7 she gave it to me (to suck) in (token) of victory and happy life; she gave me her crushing club. I went in Napita, the 29th, I caused
8 AMEN of Napita to rise: he gave me the whole of heaven, the whole of earth, the Nile all, the men all. Going up (I) sat on the golden throne; I caused the four qema-s to be done unto thee,
9 AMEN of Napita, in Napita, and there were thirty-six men in it. I gave thee three great vessels of brass (full of) incense, four jugs (full of) honey, three ditto of essence,
10 one image of AMEN of Paqem-Aten in gold, two of
_______
1 A town on the Nile, near Napita; also called Ter.
2 Ti-t-a ari-nak pa qema rotou. I cannot imagine what those qema-s were in which there were thirty-six men, nine for each qema.

{p.62}

HORUS in gold, (the three weighing) three ten,¹ three incense vases of electrum, three vials of electrum, seven cups of electrum, making in all thirteen (pieces, and weighing) one hundred thirty and four ten;² two great jugs of bronze,
11 thirteen basins of bronze to preserve milk, two bronze mugs for (drinking) beer, six bronze vessels, (six) bronze jugs, six scent-bottles in bronze. I offered thee, AMEN-EM-AP,³ in the 1st month of Sha, in a great day, two bullocks
12 and two fine bulls, in all four; two milch cows and two heifers, being four in all; one calf fed with herbs and another sucking, being two in all....⁴ sixteen bronze khirolteb, two bronze tekhtet, ten bronze rob,
13 two bronze bats, two bronze ap.⁵ Going up like a fleet bull, my bow(men) went to Aloa. They made a great slaughter amongst its (men) all, and took the ship⁶ of the Chief; they smote what there was in all the land,
14 all the beasts of burthen and horned cattle which had been spared,⁷ (even) those the towns of Kartep the great and Telooreq⁸ gave (unto me). The town of N'ka⁹ sent men: there was slaughter (done) amongst them, and there was sparing of life
________
1 After Chabas valuation, 27,414 grammes.
2 12,244-92 gr.
3 Or, Amen of Thebes.
4 Six or seven words wanting.
5 For the names of these and other metals, see Lepsius, Die Metalle, pp. 100, 101.
6 A mutilated word.
7 The text appears to be corrupt here. I had it corrected after the passages in lines 25, 26, 29, 33.
8 Perhaps Kartep and Satelooreq. The site of these towns is unknown to me.
9 The name of the town has been partially erased.

{p.63}

15 done amongst them, and I cut down all the timber. The town of Tormenmoo gave me twelve ....¹ bulls for AMEN of Napita and they were brought to Napita. The 4th month
16 of Sha, the 26th, on the birth-day of the Son of the Sun, NASTOSENEN, the town of Saqsaqdimoo gave six out of its bulls for AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, and they were led to Napi-
17 ta. The 4th month of Sha, the great day, (being the return of) the day on which the crown had been given unto the Son of the Sun, NASTOSENEN, people offered unto thee, AMEN of Napita, twelve victims with flour and garlands of flowers the people of Kalo-
18 tep the great and Terooleq; people offered unto thee, AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, a big lamp from the town of Taqtat; people brought thee bulls. 400, horned cattle 300, men 200, (for), O AMEN of Napi-
19 ta, thy two thighs are prospering, and thy virtue is beneficent; people gave thee, AMEN of Napita, the lands Reteq and Aps in offering of the people of Kasooa,² together with poultry and
20 female slaves for thee,³ no in all. And again, I sent my bow(men) against the foes in the town of Makhend-nen they smote it and made a great slaughter amongst that which was with the
21 Chief of Aikhentka; taking all the women prisoners, all the beasts of burthen, a deal of gold, bulls 209,659, horned cattle 505,349, women
_______
1 An illegible word.
2 Kasooa appears to be the Kaa-ov of Axumitan inscriptions, erroneously printed Kaeov in Salt's Travels and Boeckh's Corpus, (T. III, p. 515), the Khasas of Mafoudi (Quatremere, Memoires sur l'Egypte, T. I., p. 155) between Souakin and the Tacazze; to-day, Gash or Khas.
3 Lit., "with thy poultry and thy women."

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22 2236, aqit¹ belonging to the town of Katoldi, 3229. I obliged (the Chief) PEKAK to give it all unto me. After I had smitten all lands, I caused a lamp to be made unto thee, AMEN of Napita, with Katol-
23 di twelve of its aqit; I made thee two big bronze censers, which I caused to be set up in the Theban temple, AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father; I offered thee six victims from amongst (the spoils of) Katoldi;
24 I opened the house of the Golden bull (to put in) the aqit belonging to AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father. And once more again I sent my bow(men) against the hostile lands of Robal and Aka-
25 Ikar. I made a great slaughter amongst that which was with the Chief of the land of Lobarden; all the gold he had, which was considerable (and even) more than could be counted, bulls 203,246, horned cattle 603,108, all the women whom
26 they spared from the rest, the Chief gave it to me, (for), O AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, thy khopesh² is crushing and thy counsel is beneficent. And once more again, I sent the multitude
27 (of my soldiers) against the hostile lands of Arrosa. I made a great slaughter, I made, amongst those who were with the Chief of the town of Mesha in the land Abes-khent, taking all women prisoners, all the beasts of burthen, ten of gold 1,212,³ bulls 22,110,
28 all the women, horned cattle 45,200; the Chief gave it (all) to me, which was all he possessed, (for), O AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, thy name is right gracious and thy virtue is beneficent. And once more again, I
29 sent my bow(men) against the hostile land of Makhis-
________
1 I do not know what these aqit are.
2 A kind of curved sword.
3 109752-56 grains.

{p.65}

herkhert. I made a great slaughter, and the Chief gave me from what was his whatever had been spared, all (the men), all the women. He gave it unto me, and I
30 took bulls 203,146, horned cattle 33,400, (for), O AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, thy khopesh is crushing, and whatever thou dost for me is greatly magnificent. Once more a-
31 gain, I sent the multitude of my soldiers against the hostile land of Mikhentka. The foe made a stand against me in the town of Nehasarsar. I struck a blow against it, I made a great slaughter:
32 I made (the same) against those who were with the Chief of Tamakhi. I took all their wives, all their
horses, gold (to the value of) ten 2,000,¹ bulls 35,330, horned cattle 55,5
33 26, whatever was spared amongst them; for, AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, giveth me all the lands; his khopesh is crushing, his virtue is beneficent,
34 his names are greatly beneficent, and he caused me to act, AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father. And once more again, they upset the things of AMEN residing in Paqem-A-
35 ten. I sent the multitude of my soldiers ...² the prowess of King, life, health, strength, ASPALUT .....² (I sent my bowmen) against the hostile land of Madi,³ and it gave to them
36 (all) its things. My great prowess which my gracious father AMEN of Napita had given unto me, my gracious father AMEN of Paqem-aten gave it unto me;
37 he said unto me, my gracious Father AMEN of Paqem-Aten, saying, "I give thee my bow and the strength which
________
1 18,2740 grains.
2 Lacunae.
3 The so-called Maddi of the Horsiatef inscription.

{p.66}

is in it, and my valiance. I give thee all hostile lands in captivity,
38 under thy two sandals. ...¹ And once more again, the foes of Madi robbed the things of the estates of BAST residing in Ter, (which had been conquered) by the prowess of King
39 ASPALUT. My prowess came: she granted it to me, BAST residing in Ter, my gracious Mother; she gave me her greatly gracious, a happy old age, the light
40 of her excellent virtues, for, Thy Majesty it is, thy great splendour it is that made me, O AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, that
41 made my prowess excellent, and my khopesh² crushing, truly, O AMEN of Napita, my gracious Father, the being that
42 .....
______
1 Lacunae.
2 Lit., "his khopesh."

{p.67}

TABLET OF ALEXANDER ÆGUS II, SON OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN BY
S. M. DRACH.

IN the Zeitschrift f. Egypt. Sprach., Jan., 1871, M. Brugsch has given an inscription on a slab of black basalt, covered with Egyptian representations and texts, which was found in excavating the foundations of a ruinous house in Cairo. On the top of the tablet is represented a diadem-crowned king, bestowing on Horus, lord of the land of Pe, a field on his left hand, and to the right paying homage by food and drink to Buto, the lady-goddess of the cities of Pe and Tep.¹ The inscription is dated in the seventh year, month Thoth, of Alexander the second,² by his satrap Ptolemaeus, who afterwards
_______
1 The capital of the XIXth nome of Lower Egypt.
2 Alexander Jegus reigned from BC 317 to BC 311, when he was murdered by Cassander (Birch).

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ruled as the actual king, and in it he restores the regions about those two towns to the deities Horus and Buto, whom Xerxes had impiously deprived of their temple revenues. The king Khabash, or Khabas, who is mentioned in the tablet, was a native prince, and the opponent of Xerxes I.

The king here recorded, Alexander Ægus, was the unhappy son of Alexander the Great and Roxana. After his father s death, his mother fled with him to Cassander, who in concert with Olympias, put both of them to death in 309 BC,¹ when the Prince was about twelve years old. This tablet recognises his success on to his father s general rule though himself yet a minor.

See further a paper upon this tablet by Dr. Birch in Trans, Soc. Bib. Arch., vol. I., p. 20.
________
1 According to Brugsch-Bey.

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DECREE OF PTOLEMY LAGIDES, THE SATRAP

1 IN the year seven, beginning of inundation, and the Holiness of HORUS,
2 the youthful, rich in strength, Lord of the diadems, loving the gods
3 (who) gave him his father s dignity, the golden HORUS, the ruler
4 in the whole world, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Lord
5 of both lands, delight of AMEN''S heart, chosen by the sun,¹ Son
6 of the Sun, of ALEXANDER the immortal, of the gods of the city Pe (and) Tep
7 the friend. He being as King in the stranger s world, as was His Holiness
8 in Inner Asia, so there was a great Viceroy in Egypt, PTOLEMEUS
9 was he called. A person of youthful energy was he, strong in both arms,
10 prudent of mind, powerful amidst men, of firm courage, steady foot,
11 repelling the raging, not turning his back, striking the face
12 of his foes amidst their combat. When he had seized the bow
13 not a shot is from the opponent a flourish of his sword in
_________
1 "Joy of Amen, the choice of the sun," an allusive compliment to his father, Alexander the Great being the son of Jupiter Ammon.
2 The meaning is, his bow was so unerring that his opponent was at once shot down, and his fencing so good it killed his adversary.

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14 the fight no one could stand his ground, of mighty hand, nor
15 was his hand repulsed, nor repented he of what his mouth utters,
16 none is like him in the stranger's world. He had restored the sculptures
17 of the gods, found in Asia, and all the furniture and books of the temples
18 of Northern and Southern Egypt, he had restored them to their place. He had made
19 as his residence the fortress of the King, "Loving the name of AMEN the sun-chosen
20 the Son of the Sun, ALEXANDER,"¹ as it is called on the shore of the great sea
21 of the Ionians.² Rakotis was its former name. He had gathered Ionians
22 many and their cavalry (and) their numerous ships, with their crew.
23 When he marched with his men to the Syrians land, who were
24 at war with him, he penetrated its interior, his courage was as mighty as
25 the eagle³ amongst the young birds. He took them at one stroke, he led
26 their princes, their cavalry, their ships, their works of art, all to Egypt.⁴
27 After this, when he set out for the region of Mermerti,⁵ he took
________
1 This long title is the name of the city of Alexandria.
2 The Mediterranean Sea.
3 Vulture.
4 This refers to the defeat of Demetrius at Palai Gaza (Old Gaza) by Ptolemy, BC 312.
5 The ancient Marmarica.

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28 it in one time, he brought home their folk, men, women,
29 with their horses, as revenge for what they did to Egypt. When
30 he arrived in Egypt, his heart was rejoicing on what he had done,
31 he solemnized a holiday, (and) this great Viceroy seeking
32 the best for the gods of Upper Egypt (and) Lower Egypt. Spoke to him
33 his Sidesman,¹ and the Elders of Lower Egypt, the maritime land
34 called land of Buto, whereto the King had an Image of TANEN²
35 chosen by PTAH, Son of the Sun, KHABASH, ever-living, to the gods
36 of Pe (and) Tep after His Holiness had gone to Pe-Tep to
37 investigate the littoral,³ all in their domain, to go into
38 the inner marshes, to see each arm of the Nile, that goeth into
39 the great sea, to keep back Asia's fleet from Egypt. Spake
40 His Holiness to his Sidesman. This littoral country I wish
41 to learn about. They spoke before His Holiness, The sea-land, the land of
42 Buto is its name, was from old the property of the gods of Pe-Tep, it was overthrown
_______
1 That is, the Chief Councellor, who stood at the side of the king.
2 The Pigmy Pthah, called also Tatanen.
3 The littoral district of the Delta is called Patanut, known to Classics and Copts, the Phthenetu of Pliny, belonging to the great Pharmutiachian mouth of the Nile. Hermopolis is the "Northern Unnu" (another Unnu is in Southern Upper Egypt).

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43 by foe XERXES, who never gave anything to the gods
44 of Pe-Tep. Then spoke His Holiness to bring to him the Priests
45 (and) Archons of Pe-Tep. They hastily brought (them) to him.
46 His Holiness said, I wish to know the souls of the gods of Pe-Tep
47 about this? What they did to the impious for the bad action he had done?
48 They replied, The impious XERXES had acted wrong fully to
49 Pe-Tep, he took away his possession. They spake to His Holiness the King,
50 Lord and HORUS, Son of Isis, Son of OSIRIS, Ruler of Rulers, King
51 of Kings of Upper Egypt, King of Kings of Lower Egypt, avenger of his father, Lord of Pe,
52 origin of the gods, there being afterwards no King like him, threw away
53 the impious XERXES from his palace with his eldest son,
54 making themselves known in the city Sais of NEITH on this day at the side
55 of the Holy Mother. Thus spake His Holiness, This mighty god amongst the gods,
56 there is no King after him, may he be bestowed on the way of
57 holiness! I swear it. Then spake the Priests (and) Archons of
58 Pe-Tep, May Your Holiness decree, to give the littoral, the land
59 of Buto it is called, to the gods of Pe-Tep, with bread, drinks, oxen, birds,
60 all good things, that it may be renewed in thy name for its donation

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61 to the gods of Pe-Tep a second time, as remunerating the distinguishing
62 action of thine. Then answered this great Viceroy: Let a decree be made
63 in writing at the seat of the King s scribe of the audit
64 to this effect. PTOLEMAEUS, Satrap of land of Buto, I give
65 it to HORUS the avenger of his father, Lord of Pe, (and) to BUTO, the Lady
66 of Pe-Tep, from this day and for ever, with its villages all,
67 its cities all, all its inhabitants, all its meads, all its waters,
68 all its oxen, all its birds, all its cattle herds,
69 (and) all things produced therein, what was (formerly) and its additions (and) with the donation given by King.
70 Lord of both lands, KHABASH, ever-living.¹ Its South limit is domain of
71 the city Buto² and Hermopolis,³ on the North against the mouths of the Nile
72 on the North, the downs on the shore of the great sea, on the West the mouths
73 of the oarsmen⁴ .....⁵ against the downs in the East of the nome
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1 This Khabas was the legitimate ruler of the country under the Persian dominion, probably in the reign of Xerxes I, whom he revolted against and expelled, together with his eldest son, from the town of Sais. According to Lepsius, Khabash was the first king of the XXVIIIth dynasty; the name occurs on one of the Apis sarcophagi in the Serapeum, but its date is uncertain.
2 Possibly represented by the modern ruins of Kum el Aman and Kum el Giz at the entrance of Lake Barullos.
3 In the XVth nome of Lower Egypt, probably represented by the ruins of Kum Ferrain.
4 The city of Sekhur, or "the pliers of rudders;" this was situated on the northern portion of the Borella branch of the Nile.
5 Lacuna.

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74 of Sebennys, so that its calves may be for the Great Hawk, its oxen
75 for the face of NEBTAUI-T, its cattle for the Living Hawk, its milk
76 to the Glorious Child,¹ 1 its birds to him in Sa, who ....² life
77 his is, all the fruits of its ground on the table of
78 HORUS himself, Lord of Pe, and of Buto (lady) to the crown of RA-HARMACHIS
79 for ever. All which is given to the utmost by the King, Lord of both lands,
80 Image of TANEN, chosen by PTAH, Son of the Sun, KHABASH,
81 ever-living, (and the gift) is renewed by this great ruling Viceroy of Egypt,
82 PTOLEM^EUS, the donations to the gods of Pe-Tep for ever. In reward of this
83 for what he has done, may he receive victory and strength to his heart s content,
84 so that he may always be dreaded as now by strange people. The land of
85 Buto, whoever tries to plan its removal of any part
86 thereof, let him be excommunicated by those in Pe, let him
87 be cursed by those in Tep, that he may be in the burning breath of
88 the goddess APTAUI³ on the day of her dread, with neither a son nor a daughter to give him water.
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1 Horus Harpakhrut.
2 Lacunae.
3 One of the goddesses of the Akar, or hell.

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CONTRACT OF MARRIAGE, IN THE REIGN OF PTOLEMY PHILADELPHIA
(XXXIst DYNASTY)
TRANSLATED BY
E. REVILLOUT.

THE demotic contract of which I here publish a translation bears the number 2433 of the Egyptian collection in the Louvre. It is not unique of its kind; for there are like ones in the British Museum, the Museum of Turin, and amongst the demotic contracts of Berlin and Leyden. M. Brugsch also has given at the end of his Grammaire demotique the facsimile of a marriage contract of the same sort, which he thought was a deed of sale. It may, there fore, be said that the decipherment of this kind of documents is a new fact in science. It must be remarked that the text chosen is part of a collection of documents relating to a single family, the great portion of the deeds being in the Louvre and some in the British Museum. Thus it is known that by virtue of the present marriage settlement, and of the {p.76} mortgage there expressly specified, that Taoutem three years afterward, in the year 36 of Philadelphia, acknowledged by letter a debt of 15 shekels repayable in the 33rd year, that is to say 36 months, and that these 15 shekels had then produced 28 (Papyrus No. 2443 of the Louvre). At this date, if he had not paid, the property of the husband would have belonged to the wife. Philadelphus died before having reached the 33rd year of his reign; but the Papyrus No. 2438, dated in the 2nd year of Euergetes, contains in effect the final surrender of his property, which Pchelchons made to his wife Taoutem. This property came to Pchelchons originally by inheritance from his father, who had apparently assigned to his own wife in the Papyrus No. 2428 of the Louvre. He, according to Papyrus 2424 of the same collection and Hay No. 2 of the British Museum, had divided them between Patem and Pana their sons. Patem, in Papyrus No. 2424, makes a reference to the marriage settlement here published, when he speaks of the gift which his mother had made him of the property which belonged to Pchelchons his father.

The Papyrus itself has been published in the Transactions of the Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. VI, p. 1, with a translation in French by the Author.

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CONTRACT OF MARRIAGE

THE year 33 χoiaχ of the King PTOLEMY, the god, being AETUS, son of APOLLONIUS, Priest of ALEXANDER and of the gods brothers, being DEMETRIA, daughter of DIONYSIOS, Canephoros before ARSINOE PHILADELPHA, the Pastophore of AMMON API of the Western region of Thebes. PATMA son of PCHELCHONS, whose mother is TAHET, says to the woman TA-OUTEM, daughter of RELOU, whose mother is TANETEM: I have accepted thee for wife, I have given thee one argenteus,¹ in shekels 5, one argenteus in all for thy woman s gift. I must give thee 6 oboli, their half is 3, to-day 6, by the month 3, by the double month 6, 36 for a year: equal to one argenteus and one fifth, in shekels 6, one argenteus and one fifth in all for thy toilet during a year. Lastly, a tenth of an argenteus, in shekels one half, one argenteus one tenth for thy pin² money by the month, which makes one argenteus and one fifth, in shekels 6, one argenteus and one fifth for thy pin money for the year. Thy pin money for one year is apart from thy toilet money I must give it to thee each year, and it is thy right to exact the payment of thy toilet money, and thy pin money, which are to be placed to my account. I must give it to thee. Thy eldest son, my eldest son, shall be the heir of all my property, present and future. I will establish thee as wife.
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1 There is scarcely necessity to observe that the context sufficiently proves that an argenteus was worth 5 shekels, and that a shekel was worth 6 oboli. However, for the subject of the money mentioned in demotic
texts, to which no one as yet has paid attention, it is necessary to consult my Chrestomathie demotique, about to be published by Viewig, 97, Rue de Richelieu, Paris.
2 Or, "pocket money."

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In case I should despise thee, in case I should take another wife than thee, I will give thee 20 argenteus, in shekels 100, 20 argenteus in all. The entire of the property which is mine, and which I shall possess, is security¹ of all the above words, until I have accomplished them according to their tenor. I have no more to allege, any other matter, any other word ....² with thee. The writings which the woman TAHET, daughter of TEOS, my mother, has made to me concerning one half of the entire of the property which belonged to PCHELCHONS, son of PANA my father,³ and the rest of the contracts coming from her, and which are in my hand, belong to thee, as well as the rights resulting from it. For thee all that, as well as that which I shall justify in their name. Son, daughter,⁴ coming from me, who shaft annoy thee on this subject will give thee 20 argenteus, in