The Egyptian Book of the dead
the XIIth dynasty down to the latest times: the latter portion consists
of evocations addressed by Horus to his father. Their prototype is to be
found in formulas frequent in the Pyramid Texts. These were much admired
and imitated in the Saïtic and the later periods.
1. _King in Tau-urit_ ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂. Osiris is also
called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ at Philæ. And in the second line
of this chapter he is called ⁂⁂⁂ _in Tau-urit_ which, if not
identical with Abydos, must have been a part of that town or in its
immediate neighbourhood.
2. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ is equivalent to ⁂⁂⁂,
the title of Osiris in _Pepi I_, line 8. And the Power is defined as
⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ “thy Power which is upon the
Glorified.”
3. _Administration_ ⁂; literally _things_. See note 3 on Chapter 18.
4. _Utterances_ ⁂⁂. See note 2 on Chapter 1, and compare
_Merenrā_, 103, and _Pepi II_, 13.
5. _Coming forth_ ⁂. _Cf._ ϣⲁⲓ, ἀνατέλλειν, ἀνατολὴ, and the
meanings ἐξοδεία and ἑορτή, which, on the tablet of Canopus, correspond
to the Egyptian ⁂. The first hour after sunrise was called
⁂⁂⁂⁂; so that “the beautiful Coming forth of thy Powers”
may be a mere technical periphrasis for daybreak.
Besides the ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ of Rā in Chapter 17, it is well to
remember such proper names as ⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂,
⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂,
⁂⁂⁂⁂ and ⁂⁂⁂, with several others.
6. _Thine associate god_, or _one of those about thee_,
⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.
See Note 2 on Chapter 18. M. Chabas in his commentary upon the fine hymn
translated by him in the _Rev. Arch._, 1857, considers it “une
circonstance bizarre” that Osiris is several times included among his
‘_Djadjou_.’ The _bizarrerie_ is easily explained by parallel
expressions known to every Greek scholar, οἱ ἀμφὶ Πεισίστρατον in
Herodotus means _Pisistratus with his troops_, and in Thucydides, οἱ
περι Θρασυβουλον means _Thrasybulus with his soldiers_. In the Iliad (3,
146) οἱ ἀμφὶ Πρίαμον is explained by the Scholiast as meaning _Priam
himself_: τοῦτ ἐστιν, ὁ Πρίαμος.
7. This passage as it stands is the alteration of one of the Pyramid
Texts (Teta, 284; Pepi I, 54): “Horus hath brought to pass that _his Ka_
[? image] which is in thee should unite with thee in thy name of
Ka-hotep.”
8. This whole passage is also taken from the Pyramid Texts. Its chief
value in this place is in evidence of a truth not yet generally
acknowledged by Egyptologists, that _Ap-uat_ (or as written in the
Pyramid Texts, _Up-uat_) is really Osiris. The proofs are numerous and
overwhelming.
I produced evidence of this identity in the P.S.B.A. of June 1, 1886,
from an obelisk of the XIIth dynasty now at Alnwick Castle, and in 1891
Brugsch published in his _Thesaurus_ (p. 1420) a tablet, now in the
Louvre, of the same period as the obelisk, which also treats Ap-uat as
one of the names of Osiris. But the earliest as well as the most
instructive evidence is that of the Pyramid Texts. The later form of it
is thus given on the coffin of _Nes-Shu-Tefnut_ at Vienna (see Bergman,
_Recueil_, VI, p. 165): “Horus openeth for thee thy Two Eyes that thou
mayest see with them in thy name of Ap-uat.”
But the Pyramids of Teta (l. 281) and Pepi (l. 131) say, “Horus openeth
for thee thine Eye that thou mayest see with _it_ in _its_ name
_Ap-uat_.” Each of the Eyes of Osiris is Ap-uat, one of them is the
Southern and the other is the Northern Jackal. These two facing each
other form part of the symbolism explained in Note 2 upon Chapter 125.
The figure of the Jackal is wholly insufficient as an argument that
Ap-uat is identical with Anubis. Much better evidence is found in the
fact that the name of Anubis is sometimes written over the figure.[141]
But the true explanation of this is, what might have seemed incredible
to some of our older scholars, that Anubis is itself only one of the
names of Osiris.
The Pyramids of Pepi I (line 474 and following) and Pepi II (l. 1262 and
following) give imaginary etymologies of certain names of Osiris which
are repeated in the inscriptions of the tomb of Horhotep, published by
M. Maspero (_Miss. Arch._, I, 260). One of these names is ⁂⁂,
which is said to be derived from ⁂, “pass thou over to me.” The next
is ⁂⁂⁂⁂ _Anpu_, which is derived from ⁂⁂! The true
meaning of ⁂⁂⁂ is not _jackal_, but _whelp_; the fierce young
of an animal; not only of jackals or lions but of men, kings or gods,
⁂⁂⁂. Thus Orestes speaks (Eur., _Orest._, 1) of σκύμνον
ἀνοσίου πατρός, and the Chorus of another play talks of the reception of
τὸν Ἀχίλλειον σκύμνον (_Andr._, 1170). And Shakespeare speaks of “the
young whelp of Talbot’s raging brood.”
9. _Pedestal_, ⁂⁂⁂; the _stand_ upon which the images or
emblems of the god were carried in procession. The ⁂ is very
frequently supported by it; ⁂.
_Flight of stairs_, ⁂⁂. See Note 2 on Chapter 22.
10. _Ensign_, _i.e._, _insignis_, one who bears the distinguishing mark
or sign of investiture ⁂⁂⁂⁂.[142] See Note 4 on Chapter 78.
Osiris is here presented as the Sāhu of the gods whom he has called into
existence. The Hymn of the Bibliothèque Nationale (line 7) calls him
⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.
Chnumhotep at Benihassan says of the king,
⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, “he distinguished me
above all his _nobles_,” that is the order of men bearing the sign of
investiture.
11. _Take precedence_, ⁂⁂⁂. I take the word in the same sense
as where it occurs (without the determinative of sound) in _Denkm._,
III, 29a; in parallelism with ⁂⁂.
12. _Uaḳa_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂; in the older texts ⁂⁂⁂ (as in
Pepi I, 98); one of the oldest festivals of the Egyptian calendar, kept
on the 17th and 18th of the month Thoth.
The Pyramid Text says “Behold, he cometh to thee as Orion
(⁂⁂⁂[143]); behold Osiris cometh as Orion the _Lord of Wine_
(⁂⁂⁂, _vinosus_, full of wine), who cometh on the fair
festival of _Uaḳa_.”
_Uaḳa_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂ is also one of the names
given to the Nile.
-----
Footnote 140:
_Cf._ the Hymn to Osiris in the Bibl. Nationale, the Hymn of Tunrei
(Mariette, _Mon. div._, pl. 57), and an inscription copied by Mariette
from the temple of Ptah at Memphis (_Mon. div._, pl. 28 _e_). There
are plenty others of the same kind.
Footnote 141:
See Mariette, _Mon. div._, pl. 61, where each of the jackals is
surmounted with the Eye and bears the name _Ȧnpu_.
Footnote 142:
The importance of this sign is manifest in the Pyramid Text
(_Merenrā_, 634), “_N_ maketh his appearance as King, he hath
possession of his ⁂⁂⁂ and of his throne.” [Since the
above was in print M. Naville has published an inscription of Queen
Hatshepsit, in which the remarkable expression ⁂⁂⁂⁂
occurs three times.
The word written ⁂⁂⁂, ⁂⁂⁂⁂, but also
⁂⁂⁂⁂ or ⁂⁂⁂⁂ (and also without any
vowel, though ⁂ is understood), has determinatives in _Pepi_ I,
635, and _Merenrā_, 509, which imply the sense of _girdle_, _zone_.
Hence the sense of _neighbourhood_, “the men or places round about
one.”
Footnote 143:
Does ⁂ represent what we call the _Belt_ of Orion with its three
bright stars?
------------------------------------
CHAPTER CXXIX
is a repetition of Chapter C.
------------------------------------
CHAPTER CXXX.
_A Book whereby the Soul is made to live for ever, on the day of
entering into the Bark of Rā, and to pass the Sheniu of the Tuat. Made
on the Birthday of Osiris._(1.)
Opened be the gates of Heaven; opened be the gates of Earth; opened be
the gates of the East; opened be the gates of the West; opened be the
gates of the Southern and of the Northern sanctuaries.
Opened be the gates and thrown wide the portals as Rā riseth up from the
Mount of Glory; opened to him be the doors of the Sektit boat, thrown
open to him be the portals of the Māātit, as he scenteth Shu and setteth
in motion Tefnut, and those follow who are in the train of the Osiris
_N_, who followeth Rā and taketh possession of his arms of steel.(2.)
I am coffined in an ark like Horus, to whom his cradle(3.) is brought:
and secret is the place, hard by his own shrine, which the god openeth
to whom he willeth.
And so it cometh that I lift up Right to the Lord of Right, and that I
make fast the cord which windeth about the shrine.
The Osiris _N_ avoideth the raging storm: the Osiris _N_ is not to be
kept away from Rā, not to be repulsed is he.
Let not the Osiris _N_ advance into the Valley of Darkness: let not the
Osiris _N_ enter into the dungeon of the captives: let him not leap into
the grip of Fate, let him not fall among those who imprison souls or
come forth among those who would drag him behind the slaughtering block
of the Armed god.(4.)
Salutations to you, ye sejant gods.(5.)
The divine Sword(6.) is concealed in the hands of Seb, at daybreak, for
he delighteth in drawing to himself both old and young at his own
season.
And now behold Thoth in the secret of his mysteries. He maketh
purifications and endless reckonings; piercing the steel firmament and
dissipating the storms around him.
And so it cometh that the Osiris _N_ hath reached every station of his.
He hath fashioned his staff, and received the oblations of Rā, the swift
of speed and beautiful in his rising and almighty through what he hath
done.
He putteth an end to his pain and suffering, and the Osiris _N_ putteth
an end to his own pain; yea, he gladdeneth the countenance of Thoth by
the worship of Rā and Osiris.
The Osiris _N_ entereth the Mount of Glory of Rā, who hath made his Bark
and saileth prosperously, lightening up the face of Thoth, that he may
listen to Rā and beat down the obstacles in his way, and put an end to
his adversaries.
Let not the Osiris _N_ be shipwrecked on the great voyage by him whose
face is in his own lap:(7.) for the name of Rā is upon the Osiris, and
his token of honour is on his mouth, which speaketh to him who listeneth
to the words of the Osiris _N_.
Glory to thee, O Rā, Lord of the Mount of Glory. Hail to thee, who
purifiest the generations yet unborn and to whom this great quarter of
heaven offered homage.
The steering keepeth clear from misadventure.
Lo, here is Osiris who proclaimeth Right, because of the marvel in the
West, for he hath put an end to the rage of Apepi, for he is himself the
god in Lion form among the associate gods and protecteth Rā against
Apepi daily, that he may not approach him, and he keepeth watch upon
him. Osiris seizeth the scrolls and receiveth the offerings.
And Thoth supplieth the Osiris _N_ with that which he shall perform for
him. It is granted that the Osiris shall carry Maāt at the head of the
great Bark, and hold up Maāt among the associate gods, and that Osiris
gain endless triumphs.
The Sheniu marshal the Osiris _N_, and they procure for the Osiris a
voyage amid acclamations.
The Satellites of Rā make their round, in the train of the exaltation of
Maāt, who followeth her Lord. And glory is given to the Inviolate one.
The Osiris receiveth the Amsu-staff(8.) wherewith he goeth round Heaven.
The unborn generations of men give him glory, as to one who standeth
without ever resting. Rā exalteth him by this, that he alloweth the
Osiris to disperse the cloud and behold his glories. He maketh firm his
rudders that the Bark may go round in Heaven and that he may make his
appearance in Antu. Thoth is in the centre of his eye, sejant in the
great Bark of Chepera. The Osiris becometh one whose words come to pass.
He it is who passeth over Heaven unto the West, and the Chabasu gods of
Light rise up to him with acclamation. They receive the cable of Rā from
his rowers, and Rā goeth on his round and seeth the Osiris who issueth
his decrees;(9.) the Osiris _N_, the Victorious; in peace! in peace!
Not to be repelled is he; not to be caught by the fire of thy fate. Let