CHAPTER V. Egyptian Literature.

A LARGE portion of the literature of Egypt comes down to us in the shape of historical inscriptions graven upon pyramids, obelisks, walls of temples, and stelae. The sentences are sometimes short and abrupt ; but frequently they have a kind of rhythm which is exceedingly fine, and, owing to the parallelism of the members, reminds us of many of the Psalms. If, how^ever, we were obliged to depend upon stone sculptures for our idea of the Egyptian literature, we should not have an adequate idea of it at all. Though the early * pyramid texts,' with their rubrics, reveal to us the inscriptions which were fitting for funereal monuments, they give us no idea of the wonderful fairy stories which we obtain from the papyri. We have already stated that the hieratic writing was the writing of the priests, and as the learning of Egypt was locked up in the breasts of this caste, we must look to their works to understand what the literature of the Egyptians was. It must not be imagined that the hieratic is the only sort of writing found on papyrus ; on the contrary, we find many papyrus copies of the Book of the Dead in hieroglyphs,

G 2

100 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

and about 700 B.C. in demotic also. Still, a very large number of the most interesting compositions are found on papyrus in hieratic, and we give a few specimens from the best of them. The first is a translation of the very celebrated prize poem by the scribe Pentaur, giving a thrilling account of the battle of Rameses II. with the Khita or Hittites. This prize poem was considered so fine that it was inscribed upon the walls of temples, and a large number of copies must have been made. A papyrus which the British Museum possesses contains a very complete copy of it. Professor Lushington's translation is as follows : — •

The Poem of Pentaur on the Conquest of the Khiti BY Rameses II.^

Several days after that King Rameses was in the town Rameses Miamon. Moving northward he reached the border of Katesh ; then marched onward like his father (Mentu, towards) Hanruta. The first brigade of Ammcn, ' that brings victory of King Rameses ' (accompanied him). He was nearing the town ; then the vile chief of Cheta came ; he gathered (forces) from the margin of the sea to the land of Cheta ; came all the Naharina, the Airatu, the Masu, the Kashkash, the Kairakamasha, the Leka, Katuatana, Katesh, Akarita, Anaukasa, the whole Mashanata likewise, nor left he silver or gold in his land, he stripped it of all his treasures (which) he brought with him. The vile chief of Cheta, with many allies accompanying him, lay ambushed to north-west of (Katesh). Now King Rameses was all alone, no other with

^ Prof. Lushington's translation, in the ' Records of the Past,' ii. p. 6r.

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. 10 1

him, the brigade of Ammon marching after him ; the brigade (of Ra ?) at the dyke west of the town Shabutuna ; the brigade of Ptah in the centre, the brigade of Set on the border of the land of Amairo. Then the vile Cheta chief made an (advance) with men and horses numerous as sand ; they were three men on a car, they had joined with every champion of Chetaland, equipped with all war gear, in (countless numbers) ; they lay in ambush hidden to north-west of the town Katesh ; then they charged the brigade of Ra Harmachis in the centre, as they were marching on, and were not prepared to fight. Foot and horse of King Rameses gave way before them ; they then took Katesh on the western bank of Hanruta ; this news was told to the King ; then he rose as Mentu, he seized his arms for battle ; he clutched his corslet like Bar in his hour ; the great horse that bore him, ' Victory in Thebes ' his name, from the stable of Rameses Miamon, within the van. The King drew himself up, he pierced the line of the foe, the vile Cheta ; he was all alone, no other with him. When he advanced to survey behind him, he found there encircled him 2,500 chariots stopping his way out. Every champion of the vile Cheta ar d abundant lands with him of Airatu, of Maasu, of Patasu, end of Kashkash, of Iriuna, of Katuatana, of Chirabu, of Akarita, Katesh, Leka, they were three men on a car ; they made (a charge), there was no chief with me, no marshal, no captain of archers, no officers ; fled were my troops and horse. I was left alone of them to fight the foe. Then said King Rameses, ' What art thou, my father Ammon ? what father denies his son ? For have I done aught without thee ? Have I not stepped or stayed looking to thee, not transgressing the decisions of thy mouth, nor passing far astray beyond 'thy counsels ? Sovran Ford of Egypt, who makest to bow down

102 THE DWELLERS ON TEE NILE.

the peoples that withstand thee ; what are these Amu to thy heart ? Ammon brings them low who know not God. Have I not made thee monuments very many ? filled thy temple with my spoils ? built thee a house for milHons of years ? given treasures to thy shrine ? dedicated to thee all lands, enriched thy sacrifices? I have slain to thee 30,000 bulls, with all wood of sweet scent, good incense coming from my hand. The making of thy court completed, I have built thee great towers of stone above thy gate, groves everlasting. I brought thee obelisks from Elephantine ; it is I who had eternal stones carried, guiding for thee galleys on the sea, conveying to thee the labours of all lands. When was it said such happened in other time ? Shame on him who opposes thy counsels, well be to him who approves thee, Ammon. What thou hast done is from a heart of love ; I call on thee, my father Ammon. I am amid multitudes unknown, nations gathered against me ; I am alone, no other with me ; my foot and horse have left me. I called aloud to them, none of them heard ; I cried to them. I find Ammon worth more than millions of soldiers, 100,000 cavalry, io,ooc brothers and sons, were they gathered all in one. No works of many men avail, Ammon against them. I attain that by the counsels of thy mouth, O Ra, not overstepping thy counsels. Lo, have I not done homage to the farthest ends of the land ? ' My cry rang unto Hermonthis ; Ra heard when I called, he put his hand to me, I was glad ; he called to me behind ;'.... Rameses Miamon, I am with thee, I thy father Ra, my hand is with thee. I am worth to thee 100,000 joined in one; I am Sovran Lord of Victory, loving valour ; if T find courage, my heart overflows with joy; all my doihgis fulfilled.' I am as Mentu, I shoot to the right, I seize on my left, like Bar in his fury against them ; I find 2,500

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. IO3

chariots, I am amidst them, then were they overthrown before my steeds; not one of them found his hand to fight, their hearts shrank within them ; their hands all dropped, they knew not how to shoot, they found no heart to grasp the spear ; I made them fall into the water as fall crocodiles, they tumbled headlong one over another ; I slew them ; my pleasure was that none of them should look behind him, nor any return ; whoever falls of them he must not raise himself up. Then the vile chief of Cheta stood amid his army to see the prowess of King Rameses. The King was all alone, no soldiers with him, no horse ; he turned in dread of the King. Then he made his mighty men go in numbers, each one of them with cars, they brought all war harness, the chief of Airatu, the chief of Masu, the chief of Iriuna, the Leka, the chief of Tantani, the Kashkash, the chief of Kairkamash, the Chirabu, the alHes of Cheta, all banded in one, 2,500 chariots. Charging the midst of them fiercer than flame, I rushed upon them, I was as Mentu; I let my hand taste them in a moment's space, I hew at them to slay them in their seats ; each one of them called to his fellow, saying, ' No mortal born is he whoso is among us, Set the m.ighty of strength ; Bar in bodily form, verily whoever comes close to him, his hand droops through all his frame, they know not how to grasp bow nor spear when they have seen him,' Coming to the junction of roads, the King pursued them as a griffin. I was slaying them, none escaped me ; I gave a call to my foot and horse, saying, ' Be firm, be firm in heart, my foot and horse ; behold my victory. I was alone, Tum (Amnion) my support, his hand with me.' Now when Menna my Squire saw me thus encircled by many chariots, he cowered, his heart quailed, great terror entered his limbs, he said to the King, ' My gracious Lord, Prince revered, valiant exceed-

104 THE DWELLERS OX THE NILE.

ingly, "protector of Egypt in day of battle, verily we stand alone amid the foe, how make a stand to save breath to our mouth? how rescue us, King Rameses, my gracious Lord?' The King said to his Squire, ' Courage, courage, my Squire, I will pierce them as a hawk ; I will slay and hew them, cast them to the dust. What forsooth to thy heart are these Amu ? Amnion brings very low them who know not God, who brightens not his face on millions of them.' King Rameses dashed into the van, then he pierced the foe, the caitiff Cheta, six times, one and all, he pierced them. I was as Bar in his season, prevailing over them I slew them, none escaped. Then the King called to his archers and cavalry, likewise to his chiefs who failed to fight. ' Naught profits full heart in you. Is there one of them who did his duty in my land ? Had I not stood as Royal Master, ye were downstricken. I make Princes of you always. I set son in his father's estate : if any evil comes on Egypt, ye quit your service . . . . Whoever comes to make petitions I always pay regard to his claims. Never any Royal Master did for his soldiers what King Rameses has done for you, I let you sit in your houses and your towns ; ye have not performed my hests, my archers and cavalry. I have given

them a road to their cities, Lo, ye have played

cowards all together, not one of you stood to aid me while I had to fight. Blessed be Ammon Turn, lo, I am over Eg}'pt as my father Ra ; there was not one of them to observe my commands in the land of Egypt. O noble feat ! for consecrating images in Thebes, Amnion's city : great shame on that act of my foot and horse, greater than to tell, for lo, I achieve my victories ; there was no soldier with me, no horseman ; every land beholds the path of my victories and might. I was all alone, no other with me, no chiefs behind, no marshals, no captains of the

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. IO5

army, no officers, all peoples saw and will tell my name to limits of lands unknown. If any warriors, relics of my hand, remain, they will turn at seeing me ; if 10,000 of them come upon me, their feet will not stand firm, they will fly ; whoever would shoot straight at me, down dropped their arrows, even as they approached me. Now when my foot and horse saw, I was addressed as Mentu, the strong sword of Ra, my father, who was with me in time of need, he made all peoples as straw before my horses. They were marching one after another to the camp at eventide ; they found all the tribes through whom I pierced strewn in carnage, whelmed amid their blood, with all brave fighters of Cheta-land, with children and brothers of their chief. Morning lighted the field of Katesh ; no space was found to tread on for their multitude. Then my soldiers came glorifying our names to see what was done, my cavalry likewise, extolling my prowess. 'What a goodly deed of valour ! firm in heart, thou hast saved thy army, thy cavalry, son of Tum, framed by his arms, spoiling Cheta-land by thy victorious sword. Royal Conqueror, none is like thee. King fighting for his host on day of battle, thou great of heart, first in the fray, thou reckest not for all peoples banded together, thou great conqueror before thy army, in the face of the whole land. No gainsaying. Thou guardest Egypt, chastisest lands of thy foes, thou bruisest back of Cheta for ever.' Then the King addressed his foot and horse, likewise his chiefs who failed to fight : ' Not well done of one of you, your leaving me alone amid the foe ; there came no chiefs, ofticer or captain of host to aid me. I fought repelling millions of tribes all alone. " Victory in Thebes" and " Nehrahruta" (my horses) they are all I found to succour me. I was all alone in the midst of foes. I will let them eat corn before Ra daily,

I06 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

when I am in my royal palace : these are they found in the midst of the foe, and my Marshal Menna my Squire, with the officers of my household who were near me, the witnesses of conflict who saw them fall before the King; with victorious strength he felled 100,000 all at once, by his sword of might.' At dawn he joined in fray of battle ; he went terrible to fight, as a bull terrible with pointed horns he rose against them as Mentu ordering the fray, alike valiant in entering battle, fighting fierce as a hawk, overthrowing them as Sechet who sends flames of fire in the face of thy foes ; as Ra in his rising at the front of dawn, shooting flames upon the wicked ; one man amongst them calls to his fellow, ' Mark, take heed, verily Sechet the mighty is with him ; she guides his horses : her hand is with him.' Whoever approaches sinks to ruin ; she sends fire to burn their limbs, they were brought to kiss the dust. King Rameses prevailed over them, he slew them, they escaped not, they were overthrown under his steeds, they were strewn huddled in their gore. Then the vile Cheta Prince sent to do homage to the great name of King Rameses. ' Thou art Ra Harmachis, thou art Set mighty of strength, son of Nut, Bar himself; thy terror is over Cheta-land brought low : thou hast broken back of Cheta for ever and ever.' Then came a herald bearing a scroll in his hand to the great name of Rameses, ' To soothe the heart of the King, Horus, conquering Bull, dear to Ma, Prince guarding thy army, valiant with the sword, bulwark of his troops in day of battle, King mighty of strength, great Sovran, Sun powerful in truth, approved of Ra, mighty in victories, Rameses Miamon. The servant speaks to tell the King, My gracious Tord, fair son of Ra Harmachis, truly thou art born of Ammon, issue of his body, he gives thee all lands together, land of Egypt and land of Cheta, they offer their

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. 10/

service beneath thy feet to thee, Ra, prevailing over them. Yea, thy spirit is mighty, thy strength weighs heavy on Chetaland ; is it good to kill thy servants ? thou exercisest thy might upon them ; art thou not softened ? thou camest yesterday and

slewest 100,000 of them; thou art come to-day

victorious King, Spirit glad in battle, grant us breath of life.' Then the King rose in life and strength, as Mentu in his season. Then he bade summon all the leaders of foot and horse, his army all assembled in one place to let them hear the message sent by the great chief of Cheta to King Rameses. They answered, saying to the King, ' 'Tis very good to let fall thy

wrath, Prince, Sovran Lord, who can soothe

thee in thy day of anger ? ' Then King Rameses gave assent to their words ; he gave his hand in peace, returning to the South, passing in peace to Egypt with his chiefs, his foot and horse, in life and strength, in sight of all lands. Dread of his might is in ever)' heart, he protects his army, all nations come to the great name, falling down and adoring his noble countenance. King Rameses reached fort Rameses Miamon great image of Ra Harmachis reposing in the royal palace in Thebes, as the sun's orbs, on his two- fold throne ; Amnion hailed his form, saying, ' Glory to thee, son loved of us, Rameses Miamon (to whonv we grant) festivities for ever on the throne of thy father Tum. All lands are overthrown under his feet : he has quelled (all enemies).' Written in the year 7, month Payni, in the reign of King Rameses Miamon, giver of life for ever and ever like his father Ra . . . . To the

Head Guardian of the royal writings by the

Royal Scribe Pentaur.

When the Egyptian wrote history, he related the facts clearly and concisely, and with but few unnecessary

I08 THE DWELLERS OX THE NH.F.

additions ; these consist principally of the incessant repetition of the names and titles of honour of the Pharaohs.^ It seems probable that the Egyptians did not write a compendium of the history of their nation, for as each' king proclaimed his own works and glories upon his edifices and buildings, succeeding generations could read the history of the times before upon them : yet they forgot that dynasties are overthrown and monuments destroyed. If we had a complete nati\'e history of Egypt, however brief, what a number of unproven facts it would make certain !

It is evident that with a nation like the Egyptians, possessing such a number of gods, a very large portion of their works would turn upon religion and myths about the gods, hymns to them, and the like. To the Nile, as a god whose practical gifts would be apparent to all, would the pious Egyptian poet address his dev^otions. The two following extracts will show the reverence in which it was held. The hieroglyphs surrounding the pages are not part of the text of which the hymns are translations, but are given simply as an illustration of hieroglyphic text. They are taken from Maspero's * La Pyramide du Roi Pepi I",' lines 163 and 164.

^ As a specimen of this, .see the first few lines of the trar.slalicn of the Reset ta Stone on p. 22.

no

ra^(M>5^i^¥Tkr^'^

A 1 Blessed be the good god/ N

the Nun^^-loving Nile, ^^

the father of the gods of the holy Nine' <=i>

dwelling on the waters, the plenty, wealth, and food of Kgypt. He maketh 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, ^ one knoweth not whence thou art.

rri But on the day thou comest forth and

(I 111 openest thyself,

^^ everybody is rejoicing.

cq q q Thou art a lord of many fish and gifts, g ^

I I I and thou bestowest plenteousness on Egypt. "^

a a a The cycle of the holy Nine knoweth not •- — >^

m m m m

^

t(i

oa

^^

whence thou art, thou art their life. For when thou comest their offerings are

redoubled, and their altars filled, and they are shouting when thou appearest.

1 ' Records of the Past,' x. p. 37.

2 I.e., Heaven-loving.

3 Shu, Tefnut, Seb, Nut, Osiris, Horus, Isis, Nephthys, ^^^ f] and Set. H"^ I

P-P-f<^^^^o^

fl

»

fllh

B

II.

He giveth light on his coming from dark-

ness

in the pastures of his cattle

rjTk his might produceth all :

what was not, his moisture bringeth to life. ^

Men are clothed to fill his gardens : he careth for his labourers. He maketh even and noontide, he is the infinite Ptah and Kabes. He createth all works therein, All writing, all sacred words, n n All his implements in the North.

I I The hymn is addressed to thee with the

harp; It is played with a (skilful) hand to thee ! The youths rejoice at thee ! Thy own children. Thou hast rewarded their labour. ^ There is a great one adorning the land ;

^t^ An enlightener, a buckler in front of men, i -^ Quickening the heart in depression,

0 O Loving the increase of all his cattle.

1 1 Mortals extol (him), and the cycle of gods ! 1= Awe is felt by the terrible ones ;

1 'Records of the Past,' iv. p. iii.

112 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

his son {i.e. Pharaoh) is made Lord of all, to enlighten all

Egypt. Shine forth, shine forth, O Nile ! shine forth ! Giving life to his oxen by the pastures ! Shine forth in glory, O Nile.

But though the Nile was thus hymned and praised as the giver of all good gifts and life to the Egyptians, the highest and best praises were reserved for the great gods of the Egyptian Pantheon. The sun-god Ra, as the giver of light and warmth to the world, the nourisher of crops and the dispeller of darkness, was a favourite theme for the Egyptian poet, and in combination with other gods the most beautiful hymns, full of noble epithets, v/ere written in his honour ; as for example : —

Hail to thee Ra, Lord of truth :

whose shrine is hidden, Lord of the gods :

Chepera (/>., the Creator) in his boat :

at whose command the gods were made :

Atum, maker of men :

supporting their works, giving them life :

distinguishing the colour of one from another :

listening to the poor who is in distress :

gentle of heart when one cries unto him.

Deliverer of the timid man from the violent :

judging the poor, the poor and the oppressed :

Lord of wisdom whose precepts are wise :

at whose pleasure the Nile overflows :

Lord of mercy most loving :

^ See 'Transactions Soc. Bib. Arch.,' ii. p. 250.

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. II 3

at whose coming men live :

opener of every eye :

proceeding from the firmament :

causer of pleasure and light :

at whose goodness the gods rejoice

their hearts revive when they see him.

■X- * * ^ * -it

Hail to thee for all these things : the One alone with many hands ! lying awake while all men lie (asleep) '} Amen, sustainer of all things : Atum, Horus of the horizon : homage to thee in all their voices ; salutation to thee for thy mercy unto us ; protestations to thee who hast created us.

III.

Thou wakest beauteous Amen-Ra-Harmachis, thou watchest in triumph, Amen-Ra, Lord of the horizon. O blessed one beaming in splendour, towed by thy mariners who are of the unresting gods, sped by thy mariners of the unmoving gods. Thou comest forth, thou ascendest, thou towerest in beauty, thy barge divine careers wherein thou speedest, blest by thy mother Nut each day, heaven embraces thee, thy foes fall as thou turnest thy face to the West of heaven. Counted are thy bones, collected thy limbs, living thy flesh, thy members blossom, thy soul blossoms, glorified is thy august form, advanced thy state on the road of darkness. Ra hath quelled his impious foes, heaven rejoices, earth is in delight, gods and goddesses are in festival to make adoration to Ra-Hor, as they ^ Compare Psalm cxxi. 4.

H

114 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

see him rise in his bark. He fells the wicked in his season, the abode is inviolate, the diadem in its place, the uraeus has smitten the wicked.'^

Following close upon these religious hymns come the magical texts, the knowledge of which enabled its possessor to drive away a disease or devil. If medicine was taken to cure the disease, then an incantation or formula was said at the time of taking it, that the drug might do its work swiftly and well ; and if a man was under the power of one devil, the unfortunate prayed to another and mightier devil, or a god, to protect him from his power of injury. An extract from the translation of a magical text by Dr. Birch will give an idea of this class of work : — -

There are four mansions of life, Osiris is master thereof. The four houses are Isis, Nephthys, Seb, and Nu. Isis is placed in one, Nephthys in another, Horus in one, Tahuti in another, at the four angles ; Seb is above, Nu is below. The four outer walls are of stone. It has two stories, its foundation is sand, its exterior is jasper, one is placed to the south, another to the

north, another to the west, another to the east ,

Shu takes the shape of an eagle's wing ; he makes a lock or tress of sheep's wool to go round this god's neck ; it is placed on the throat of Osiris. Shu says : ' O thou shut in the solar disk, hidden in thy house I O you enemies w^ho retain the breath far from him turn your faces. A lock of hair has been made to suffocate your souls. I am Shu who destroys your bodies.'

^ See full translation by Prof. Lushington, ' Records of the Past,' viii. p. 129.

' ' Records f the Past,' \-i. p. 113

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. II5

The Egyptian appears to have been very devoted to tales of the imagination ; for an instance we cannot do better than paraphrase the Tale of the Two Brothers/

There were two brothers, children of one mother and of one father. Anpu was the name of the elder, Bata that of the younger. Anpu had a house and a wife, and his younger brother w^as like a son to him. He followed after the cattle, he did the ploughing and all the labours of the fields. Behold his younger brother was so good a labourer that there was not his equal in the whole land. Now while the younger brother was with the cattle every day in the fields, taking them home each evening, and while he was in the stables, the elder brother sat with his wife and ate and drank. And when the day dawned, and before his brother rose from his bed, he took bread to the fields and called the labourers to eat in the field. The cattle told him where the best grasses were, and he understood their language. And when it w^as the season for ploughing, the elder brother said, ' Come, let us take our teams for ploughing, for the land has made its appearance ; go and fetch seed for us from the village.' And the younger brother found the eider brother's w^ife sitting at her toilet. And he said, ' Arise and give me seed that I may go back to the field, because my elder brother wishes me to return without delay.' Then she said, ' Go open the bin, and take thyself whatever thou wilt, my hair would fall by the way.' So the youth entered his stable ; he took a large vessel^ for he wished to take a great deal of seed, and he loaded himself with grain and went out with it. And she spoke to him saying, ' What strength is there in thee, indeed. I observe thy vigour every day.' She seized upon him and saidj ' Renouf, ' Records of the Tast,' ii. p. 136.

H 2

Il6 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

to him, ' Come let us lie down for an instant' The youth l)ecame like a panther with fury on account of the shameful discourse which she had addressed to him. He spoke to her, saying, 'Verily I have looked upon thee in the light of a mother, and thy husband in the light of a father to me. What a great abomination is this which thou hast mentioned to me. Do not repeat it again to me, and I will not speak of it to any one ; verily I will not let any thing of it come forth from my mouth to any man.'

Behold, the wife of his elder brother was alarmed at the discourse which she had held. She made herself like one who had suffered violence, for she wished to say to her husband, ' It is thy younger brother who has done me violence.' Her husband returned at evening and found his wife lying as if murdered by a ruffian. And she said, ' No one has conversed with me except thy younger brother ; when he came to fetch seed for thee, he found me sitting alone, and said insulting words to me. But I did not listen to him. Behold am I not thy mother, and thy elder brother is he not like a father to thee ? This is what I said to him, and he got alarmed, and did me violence that I might not make a report to thee ; but if thou lettest him live I shall kill myself And the elder brother became like a panther; he made his dagger sharp, and took it in his hand, and placed himself behind the door of the stable to kill his younger brother on his return at evening to bring his cattle to the stable.

When the sun was set, the younger brother loaded himself v.ith the herbs of the field and came home. And when the first cow entered the stable she said to him, 'Verily thy elder brother is standing before thee with his dagger to slay thee. Betake thyself from before him.' The second beast spake

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. 11/

after the same manner, and when he looked he saw the two feet of his elder brother who was standing behind the door ; and placing his burden upon the ground he fled. In his flight the young man prayed to the Sun-god, who straightway caused the two brothers to be divided by a river full of crocodiles, and each brother stood upon an opposite bank. At daybreak the younger brother declared his innocence, and told his brother the true story ; he then mutilated himself, and declared his intention of going to the Cedar mountains. But before going the younger tells the elder brother what will happen in the folio vving words : ' I shall take my hearf, and place it in the top of the flower of the Cedar, and when the Cedar is cut down it will fall to the ground. Thou shalt come to seek it. If thou art seven years in the search of it, let not thy heart be depressed, and when thou hast found it thou shalt place it in a cup of cold water. Oh ! then I shall live (once more), and fling back a reply to an attack. And this thou shalt learn, namely, that the things have happened to me. When thou shalt take a jug of beer into thy hand and it turns to froth, then delay not ; for to thee of a certainty is the issue coming to pass.' So the young man went to the Cedar mountain, and the elder brother went home. Arrived there, he strews dust upon his head, kills his wife and throws Jier to the dogs, and then mourns for his brother. Meanwhile the younger brother spent his time in hunting, and in building for himself a most beautiful house. And it fell out one day that the company of the gods met him, and one of them asked him why he stayed there alone, seeing that his brother's wife had been slain. Then they pitied him, and the god Chnum made him a wife, a most beautiful woman, in whom was the whole godhead ; but the seven Hathors when they saw her declared with one voice that

Il8 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

she would die a violent death. Then the days multiplied, and they lived very happily together, and the young man said to her before he went out hunting, ' Do not go out, lest the Sea carry thee off, for my heart is on the top of the flower of the Cedar, and if any one finds it I shall be overcome by him.' So the young man hunted as usual, and one day while he was away the Sea saw her and chased her; but she fled and reached her house. And the Sea said to the Cedar, ' O that I could seize upon her ! ' And the Cedar carried off one of her fragrant locks and carried it to Egypt, and deposited it where the washers of the king were. Then the odour of this lock diffused itself among the king's clothes, and one day when the chief of the washers was walking by the sea, he saw the lock of hair, picked it up, and finding the odour exceedingly delicious, he took it to the king. When the doctors and magicians saw it they said, ' This lock belongs to a daughter of the Sun-god ; the essence of the whole godhead is in her. Send envoys to every place to seek her, but send a number of troops with the envoy who is to go to the Cedar mountain.' This was done, and after a time all the envoys returned ; but those who had gone to the Cedar mountain returned not ; for the young man Bata had slain them. Then the king sent more troops to the Cedar mountain, who brought back Bata's wife with them, and she advised the king to cut down the Cedar, for then Bata would be destroyed. So the Cedar was cut down, and Bata fell dead.

The following day the elder brother Anpu went into his house, and sat down to drink beer, but the beer in the jug became froth ; and when he saw the fulfilment of his younger brother's prophecy he set out on a journey to the Cedar mountain. When he came there he found his brother dead

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE.

upon the floor, and went out forthwith to look for his brother's heart under the Cedar where he used to He in the evening. For three years he searched for the heart, and, quite disheartened, he determined to go back to Egypt ; but going to take a final look at the place, he found a pod, and under the pod his brother's heart. He took the heart and dropped it into water, and the heart absorbed the water. When all the water had been drunk up, Bata, the younger brother, became alive, and the two brothers embraced each other. Bata said to his brother, Anpu, ' I am going to become a great bull with all the sacred marks ; do thou sit upon my back, and when the Sun rises we shall be in the place where my wife is.' On the following day Bata became a bull, and he and his brother arrived at the place where his wife was. Then the king made a great festival and honoured the elder brother greatly. After a while the bull entered the sanctuary and stood near the princess, and said, ' Look upon me, I am alive indeed.' The Princess asked, ' Who art thou then ? ' He answered, ' I am Bata, I am a Bull.' Then she was horribly afraid, and one day when the king sat at meat with her she said, * Come swear to me by God that you will grant whatever I ask.' The king promised, and she asked to eat the liver of the Bull. Then the king was sad, but all the same he gave orders to slay the bull. As they were killing him, two drops of blood fell upon the two door-posts ; and they grew up into two mighty Persea trees, each of which stood alone. After some time the King and the Princess went out to see the Persea trees, and as the latter was sitting under one of them, it said, ' Ho ! thou false one ! I am Bata, I am living still, I have transformed myself At this the Princess asked to have the Persea trees cut down ; and the King gave orders to have this

120 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

done, while she looked on ; but a splinter flew into her mouth. And after a time it was told the King, ' There is born to thee a male child.' When the child grew up he was made Prince of Ethiopia, and afterwards hereditary prince ; and when the King died he summoned all the princes and nobles of his majesty and narrated all that had happened to him. His wife also was brought to him, and he had a reckoning with her in presence of them, and they spoke their speech. Then he appointed his elder brother Anpu to be hereditary prince, and he himself became king. And when he had completed thirty years of life, his elder brother arose in his place, on the day of his death.

Such is the brief account of the Tale of the Two Brothers. Another curious story is that of the Possessed Princess of Bakhten.^ It appears that when Rameses XII. was in Mesopotamia registering the annual tributes of vassal princes, the chief of the land of Bakhten, in laying his gifts at the feet of the monarch, placed his eldest daughter first. This lady was very beautiful, and as she delighted the heart of his Majesty beyond all things, she was made chief royal wife, and called Raneferu, or ' the glories of the Sun-god.' One day after the king had returned, and was in Thebes, there came ambassadors from the country of Bakhten, who, together with the chief of that land, brought presents for the king's wife, their former princess. When the chief obtained an audience of his Majesty Rameses, he said, * Glory, to thee, sun of the Nine bow barbarians, let us live

^ For full translation by Dr. Birch, see ' Records of the Past,' iv. p. 53.

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. 121

before thee.' He then went on to tell the king that he had come on account of Bent-Rash, the little sister of Raneferu, the king's wife, their former princess, for she had become stricken with some evil movement in her limb?, therefore would his Majesty send someone to heal her. Rameses ordered all those learned in mysteries to appear before him, and when they had come his choice fell upon the royal scribe Tahuti-em-heb, who was intelligent in heart and skilled with his fingers. This learned man went to Bakhten, and when he had examined the girl he found that she was under the influence of evil spirits. He found the devils difficult to contend with, and making a report to this effect he wound up by asking that a god might be sent to exorcise the demons. When the king received the report he prostrated himself before the god Chonsu of the double name in Thebes, and entreating his help, prayed that the good god would consent to go to Bakhten, to save the daughter of the prince of that land. The god was gracious and expressed his readiness to go ; then the king forthwith placed him in an ark, and the god departed from the land. When he arrived in Bakhten, the whole army, headed by the chief of the land, made obeisance before him. The god then went to the place where the child possessed of devils was, and cured her immediately ; and the spirit which came out from her spake to Chonsu, 'Thou, O great god, and driver away of possessors, hast come in peace ; the land of Bakhten is thy city ; its men are thy slaves ; I am thy

122 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

slave ; I will go to the place whence I came, to give peace to thy heart on account of thy journey here/ After this speech the god requested that the Prince of Bakhten would offer sacrifice to the spirit that had come forth from his daughter. When this was done the spirit departed, as he had said. At this the Prince of Bakhten was so pleased with the god Chonsu that he determined to keep him there. The god stayed in Bakhten three years and a few months ; but one night when the Prince was lying on his couch he saw the god in the form of a golden hawk come out of his shrine and fly away to the land of Egypt. After this the Prince sent the ark of the god away to Egypt with great and rich presents, troops and many horsemen.

The literature of Egypt embraced all subjects, if we may judge by what has come down to us : mathematics, police reports — like that which relates the criminal proceedings against some people who broke open and robbed some of the tombs of the kings — moral sayings, and many other subjects for which we have no room to give specimens here. We reserve a notice of the Book of the Dead for the ninth chapter, and will conclude our series of extracts from Egyptian literature by two most interesting poetical specimens. The first is from a very old work on the praise of learning,^ and the second is the ' Song of the Harper.'^ This latter work is inscribed upon a tomb at Abd-el-Gurnah, and the reader will see

^ ' Records of the Past,' viii. p. 147. 2 Ibid., vi. p. 127.

EGYPTIA.N LITERATURE. 1 23

that many of the passages in it are somewhat similar in meaning to verses in Ecclesiastes and other parts of the Bible :—

I. I have seen violence, I have seen violence, give thy heart after

letters. I have seen one free from labours, consider there is not anything

beyond letters. Love letters as thy mother, I make its beauty go in thy face,

it is a greater possession than all honours. He who has commenced to avail himself is from his infancy a

counsellor. He is sent to perform commissions. He who does not go, is in sackcloth. I have not seen a blacksmith on a commission, a founder who

goes on an embassy. I have seen the blacksmith at his work at the mouth of the

furnace. His fingers like things of crocodiles, he stinks worse than the

eggs of fishes.^ Every carpenter carrying tools, is he more at rest than the

labourers ? His fields are of wood, his tools of metal; at night when he is free he does in addition work with his hands for the lighting of

his house."^

' Compare, ' The smith also sitting by^ the anvil, and considering the ironwork, the vapour of the fire wasteth his flesh, and he fighteth with the heat of the furnace : the noise of the hammer and anvil is ever in his ears, and his eyes look still upon the pattern of the thing that he maketh ; he setteth his mind to finish his work, and watcheth to polish it perfectly ' (Ecclesiasticus xxxviii. 28).

* Compare Ecclesiasticus xxxviii. 27.

124 THE DWELLERS OX THE NILE.

The poet then proceeds to describe the difficulties of each trade, and finishes with : —

I tell you the fisherman suffers more than any employment. Consider, is he not toiling on the river? he is mixed up nith

the crocodiles. Should the clumps of papyrus diminish, then he is crying out

for help. If he has not been told that a crocodile is (not) there, Terrors blind him. Consider, there is not an employment destitute of superior

ones. Except the scribe, who is the first. For he who knows letters,

he then is better than thee. Should'st thou walk after great men, thou art to proceed with

good knowledge. Do not say proud words. Be sealed in thyself alone.

11.

The Song of the Harper.

[Chanted by the singer to the harp who is in the Chapel of the Osirian, the Patriarch of Amen, the blessed Neferhotep.]

He says : The great one is truly at rest,' the good charge is fulfilled.^ Men pass away since the time of Ra, and the youths come in their stead.^ Like as Ra reappears every morning, and Turn sets in the horizon,

^ Job iii. 17. - 2 Tim. iv. 7. ^ Eccles. i. 4.

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE. 125

men are begetting,

and women are conceiving.

Every nostril inhaleth once the breezes of dawn,

but all born of women go down to their places.

Make a good day, O holy father !

Let odours and oils stand before thy nostril.

Wreaths of lotus are on the arms and the bosom of thy sister,

dwelling in thy heart, sitting beside thee.

Let song and music be before thy face,

and leave behind thee all evil cares !

]Mind thee of joy, till cometh the day of pilgrimage,

when we draw near the land which loveth silence.^

Make a good day, O blessed Neferhotep,

thou Patriarch perfect and pure of hands !

He finished his existence ....

Their abodes pass awa)',

and their place is not ;

they are as they had never been born

since the time of Ra.

(They in the shades) are sitting on the bank of the river,

thy soul is among them, drinking its sacred water,

following thy heart, at peace ....

Give bread to him whose field is barren,

thy name will be glorious in posterity for evermore ;

they will look upon thee .

(The priest clad in the skin) of a panther will pour to the

ground and bread will be given as offerings ;

^ Eccles. iii. 13; v, 18; viii. 15; Is. xxii. 13; Wisdom of Solomon, chap. ii.

126 THE DWELLERS ON THE NILE.

the singing women ....

Their forms are standing before Ra,

their persons are protected .

Rannu will come at her hour,

and Shu will calculate his day,

thou shalt awake .... (woe to the bad one I)

He shall sit miserable in the heat of infernal fires.^

Make a good day, O holy father,

Neferhotep, pure of hands !

No works of buildings in Egypt could avail,

his resting-place is all his wealth ....

Let me return to know what remaineth of him !

Not the least moment could be added to his Hfe,

(when he went to) the realm of eternity,

Those who have magazines full of bread to spend,

even they shall encounter the hour of a last end.-

The moment of that day will diminish the valour of the rich.

Mind thee of the day when thou too shalt start for the land,

to which one goeth to return not thence.^

Good for thee then will have been (an honest life),^

therefore be just, and hate transgressions,^

for he who loveth justice (will be blessed).

The coward and the bold, neither can fly (the grave),

the friendless and proud are alike . . .^

Then let thy bounty give abundantly as is fit,

(love) truth, and Isis shall bless the good,

(and thou shalt attain a happy) old age.

1 Mark ix. 44. ^ Luke xii. 1 8-2 1.

^ The Assyrians also called Hades ' the land of no return ;' and it was there that Ishtar went to seek Tammuz.

4 Ts. xxxvii. 37. * Amos V. 15. ^ Job iii. 14-19.