Summary and Moral of the following: 1. Contending of Horus and Seth 2. The destruction of Mankind 3.

the tale of Two Brothers 4. The Story of Sinuhe 5. The Eloquent Peasant then, relate to Egyptian Culture.... may be Computerize or foot-written.. The Contendings of Horus and Seth [There came to pass] the adjudication of Horus and Seith, mysterious in (their) forms and mightiest of the princes and magnates who (ever) came into existence. now it was a young [god] that was seated in the presence of the Universal Lord, claiming the office of his father Osiris, beautiful in (his) appearances, the [son of Pt]ah, who illumines [the west with] his [complex]ion, while Thoth was presenting the uninjured Eye to the great prince who is in Heliopolis. Then said Shu, the son of Re, in the presence of [Atum], the great [prince] who is in Heliopolis: Justice is a possessor of power. {Administer] it by saying, "Award the office to [Horus]." / Said Thoth to the [Ennead: It is correct a million times. Thereupon Isis let out a loud [shri]ek rejoicingexce[edingly, and she came before the Universal [Lord] and said: North wind, (go) to the west. Impart the good news to Onnophris, l.p.h. then said Shu, the son [of Re]: [The] one who presents the uninjured Eye is loyal to the Ennead. [State]ment by the universla Lord: Indeed, what is the meaning of your exercising authority alone by yourselves? [Onuris] said: he shall [assum]e the cartouche of Horus, and the White Crown shall be [placed] upon his head. The Universal Lord was silent a long [whi]le, [being] furious [at] this Ennead. Then Seth, the son of Nut, said: Have him dismissed outside / with me that I may let you see my hand(s) prevail <over> his hand(s) [in the pre]sence of the Ennead, since there is not known [any] (other method [of] dispossessing him. Said Thoth to him: Shouldn't we ascertain (who is) the imposter? It is while osiris's son Horus is still living that his office is to be awarded to Seth? Pre-Harakhti became exceedingly furious, for Pre's wish was / to give the office to Seth, great in virility, the son of Nut. Onuris let out a loud shriek before the face of the Ennead, saying: What shall we do? ThenAtum, the great prince who is in Heliopolis, said: have Banebdjede, the great living god, [summon]ed that he may judge between the youths. Banebdjede, the great god who resides in Sehel, and Ptah-Tatenen were brought before Atum, and he told them: Judge between the two youths and stop them from being engaged so in quarreling every day. Thereupon / Banebdjede, the great living god, answered what he had said: Do no have us exercise (our) authority ignorantly. Let a letter be sent to Neith the Great, the God's Mother. As for what she will say, we shall do it. The Ennead said to Banebdjede, the great living god: It is (already) a first time that they have been adjudged in the "One are the Truths" court. Then the Ennead said to Thoth in the presence of the Universal Lord: Please compose a letter to Neith the Great, the God's Mother, in the name of the Universal Lord, the Bull who resides in Heliopolis. Thoth said: I'll do so, surely; I'll do so, I'll do so. Then he sat down to compose the letter and wrote: The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, / Re-Atum, beloved of Thoth, the Lord ofthe Two Lands, the heliopolitan, the solar disk that illumines the Two Lands with its hue, the Nile mighty in flooding, Re-Harakhti (while Neith the Great, the God's Mother, who illumined the first fce, is alive, in health, and rejuvenated), the living manifestation of the Universal Lord, the Bull in Heliopolis, being the good King of Egypt To wit: (i), your humble servant, spend all night on Osiris's behalf consulting the Two Lands every day,

while Sobek endures forever. What shall we do for these two individuals who for eighty years now have been in the tribunal, but / neither of whom can be judged? Please write us what we should do. Then Neith the Great, the God's Mother, sent a letter to the Enneadd, saying: Award the office of Osiris to his son Horus. Don't commit such blatant acts of inequity which are illegal, or I shall become so furious that the sky will touch the ground. The Universal Lord, the Bull who resides in Heliopolis, ought to be told, Enrich Seth in his possessions. Give him Anath and Asarte, your two daughters, and / install Horus in the position of his father Osiris. And so the letter of Neith the Great, the God's mother, reached this Ennead as they were sitting in the "Horus with the projecting Horns" court, and the letter was delivered into Thoth's hand. Thereupon Thoth read it out in the presence of the Universal Lord and the entire Ennead, and they declared unanimously: This goddess is correct. Then the Universal Lord became furious at Horus and told him: You are despicable in your person, and this office is too much for you, you lad, the flavor of whose mouth is (still) bad. Onuris became furious to the nth degree and so did the entire Ennead consitituting the Council of the Thrity, l.p.h. Bebon, the god, got right up and / told Pre-Harakhty: Your shrine is vacant. Pre-Harakhti took offense at the insult which was said to him and lay down on his back very much saddened. And so the Ennead went outside and let out a loud cry before the face of Bedon, the god. They told him: Get out; this offense that you have committed is exceedingly great. And they departed to their huts. And so the great god spend a day/ lying on his back in his pavilion very much saddened and alone by himself. After a considerable while Hathor, Lady of the Southern Sycamore, came and stood before her father, the Universal Lord, and she exposed her vagina before his very eyes. Thereupon the great god laughed at her. Then he got right up and sat down with the Great Ennead. He said to Horus and Seth: Speak concerning yourselves. Seth, great in virility, the son of Nut, said: As for me, I am Seth, greatest in virility among <the> Ennead, for I slay the / opponent of Pre daily while I am at the prow of the Bark of the Millions, whereas not any (other) god is able to do it. I should receive the office of Osiris. Then they said: Seth, the son of Nut, is correct. Onuris and Thoth let out a loud cry, saying: Is it while a bodily son is still living that the office is to be awarded to a maternal uncle? Then said Banebdjede, the living great god: Is it while Seth, his elder brother, is still living that the office is to be awarded to the (mere) lad? The Ennead let out a loud cry before the face of the Universal Lord and said to him: What is the meaning of the words that you have said which are unfit to be heard? Said Horus, son of Isis: It is no good, this cheating me in the presence of / the Ennead and depriving me of the office of my father Osiris. Thereupon Isis became furious at the Ennead and took an oath by (the) gtod in the presence of the Ennead as follows: By my mother Neith, the goddess, and by Ptah-Tatenen, with lofty plumes, who curbs the horns of gods, these matters should be submitted before Atum, the great prince who is in Heliopolis, and also (before) Khepri, who resides in his bark. And the Ennead said to her: Don't become angry. The rights will be given to the one who is in the right. All that you have said will be done. Seth, the son / of Nut, became furious at the Ennead when they had said these words to Isis the Great, the God's Mother, So Seth said to them: I shall take my scepter of 4,500 nemset-weight and kill one of you a day. And then Seth took an oath by the Universal Lord, saying: I shall not go to law in the tribunal while Isis is (still) in it. Said Pre-Harakhty to them: You shall ferry across to the Island in the Middle and decide between them there and tell Nemty, the ferryman, not to ferry / any woman across resembling Isis. And so the Ennead ferried across to the Island in the Middle and sat down and ate bread. Then Isis came and approached Nemty, the ferryman, as he was sitting near his boat, after she had transformed herself into an old woman who walked with a hobble and (wore) a small golden signet-ring on

her hand. She said to him: It is in order that you might ferry <me> across to the Island in the Middle that I come to you, because it is for the young lad that I have come carrying this bowlful of porridge, / since he has been tending some cattle on the Island in the Middle for five days now and is hungry. He said to her: I have been told not to ferry any woman across. But she said to him: It is with reference to Isis that you have been told this which you have (just) mentioned. He said to her: What will you give me in order that you may be ferried across to the Island in the Middle? Said Isis to him: I will give you this cake. He said to her: What good is it to me, your cake? Is is in exchange for your cake that I shouls ferry you across to the Island in the Middle when I ahve been told not to ferry any woman across? / Then she said to him: I will give you the golden signet-ring which is on <my> hand. And he said to her: Hand over the golden signet-ring. And she gave it to him. Then he ferried her across to the Island in the Middle. Now as she was walking under the trees, she looked and saw the Ennead sitting eating bread in the presence of the Universal Lord in his pavilion. Seth looked and saw her when she had come closer from afar. Then she conjured by means of her magic, transforming herself / into a maiden whose body was beautiful and whose like did not exist in the entire land. Thereupon he desired her most lecherously. Seth got right up from sitting eating bread with the Great Ennead and proceeded to overtake her, no one having seen her except himself. Then he stood behind a sycamore tree and called to her. He said to her: I am here with you, beautiful mainen. And she said to him: Refelct, my great lord. As for me, I was a wife (ling) with a cattleman to whom I bore a on. My husband died, and the lad startedd tending his father's cattle. / But then a stranger came and settled in my stable. He said thus in speaking to my son, "I shall beat you and confiscate your father's cattle and evict you,' said he in speaking to him. Now it is my desire to have you afford him protection. Thereupon Seth said to her: Is is while the son of the male is still living that the cattle are to be given to the stranger? And so Isis transformed herself into a kite and flew up and perched on top of an acacia tree. She called to Seth and said to him: Be ashamed of yourself. It is your own mouth that has said it. It is your own cleverness / that has judged you. What comeback do you have now? And so he became ashamed and went to where PreHarakhti was, (still) ashamed. Then Pre-Harakhti said to him: What''s bothering you still? Said Seth to him: That wicked woman has come to me again. She has tricked me again, having transformed herself into a beautiful maiden before my eyes. She said to me, "As for me, ( was a wife (living) with a cattleman. He died, and I bore him a son, who is tending / some of his father/s cattle. A strnager took lodging in my stable with my son, and I have him meals. Now after many days following this, the visitor then said to my son, 'I shall beat you and confiscate your father's cattle, and they will become mine,' he said in speaking to my son." So she said to me. Then Pre-Harakhti said to him: And what did you say to her? And Seth told him: I said to her, "It is while the son of the male is still living that the cattle are to be given to the stranger? So I said / to her. "This visitor's face should be smitten with a rod, and he should be evicted and your son put in his father's position." So I said to her. Thereupon Pre-Harakhti said to him: Now look here, it is you yourself that has judged your own self. What comeback do you have now? So Seth said to him: Have Nemty, the ferryman, brought and severe punishment inflicted upon him, saying, "Why did you let her be ferried across?" So it shall be said to him. Then Nemty, the ferryman, was brought before the Ennead, and the forepart of his feet removed. So / Nemty abjured gold even to this day in the presence of the Great Ennead, saying: Gold shall be because of me an abomination unto my city. Then the Ennead ferried across to the western tract and sat down on the mountain. Now <afterward> at evening time Pre-Harakhti and Atum, Lord of the Two Lands, the Heliopolian, wrote to the Ennead, saying What are you doing still sitting here? As for the two youths, you will be having them finish

our their lifetime in the tribunal! When my letter reaches you, you shall place the White Crown upon the head of Horus, son of Isis, and appoint him to the position of his father / Osiris. Thereupon Seth became terribly furious. And so the Ennead said to Seth: Why have you become so furious? Isn't it in accordance with what Atum, Lord of the Two Lands, the Heliopolitan, and Pre-Harakhti have said that (things) should be carried out? Then the White Crown was set upon the head of Horus, so of Isis. Seth, being very angry, let out a loud shriek before the face of this Ennead, saying: Is it while I am still living as his elder brother that the office is to be awarded to my younger brother? Then he took an oath as follows" The White Crown shall be removed from the head of Horus, son of Isis, and he shall be thrown into the water in order that I may contend with him or the office of Ruler. Pre-Harakhti acquiesced. Thereupon Seth said to Horus: Come, let's both transform <ourselves> into hippopotamuses and submerge in / the deep waters in the midst of the sea. Now as for the one who shall emerge within the span of three whole months, the office should not be awarded him. Then they both submerged. And so Isis sat down and wept, saying: Seth has killed Horus, my son. Then she fetched a skein of yarn. She fashioned a line, fetched a deben-weight's (worth) of copper, cast it in (the form of) a harpoon, tied the line to it, and hurled it into the water at the spot where Horus and Seth had submerged. / But then the copper (barb) bit into the person of her son Horus. So Horus let out a loud shriek, saying: Help me, mother Isis, my mother. Appeal to your copper (barb) to let go of me. I am Horus, son of Isis. thereupon Isis let out a loud shriek and told <her> copper (barb): Let go of him. See, it is my son Horus. He is my child. So her copper (barb) let go of him. Then she again hurled it back into the water, and it bit into the person of Seth. So Seth let out a loud shriek, saying: What have I done against you, my sister Isis? / Appeal to your copper (barb) to let go of me. I am your maternal bother, Isis. Then she felt exceedingly compassionate toward him. Thereupon Seth called to her, saying: Do you prefer the stranger to <your> maternal brother Seth? So Isis appealed to her copper (barb), saying: Let go fo him. See, it is Isis's maternal brother whom you have bitten into. Then the copper (barb) let go of him. Horus, son of Isis, became furious at his mother Isis and went out with his face as fierce as an Upper Egyptian panther's, having his cleaver of 16 deben-weight in his hand. he removed the head of his mother Isis, put it in his arms, and ascended the mountain. Then Isis / transformed herself into a statue of flint which had no head. Said pre-Harakhti to Thoth: What is that which has arrived having no head? So Thoth told Pre-Harakhti: My good lord, that is Isis the Great, the God's Mother, after Horus, her son, removed her head. Thereupon / Pre-Harakhti let out a loud cry and said to the Ennead: Let us go and inflict severe punishment upon him. Then the Ennead ascended those mountains in order ot search for Horus, son of Isis. Now as for Horus, he was lying under a shenusha-tree in the land of the oasis. Seth found him, seized hold of him, threw him down upon his back on the mountain, removed his two eyes from their sockets, and buried them on the mountain so as to illumine the earth. The two balls of his eyes became two bulbs / which grew into lotuses. Seth came away and told Pre-Harakhti falsely: I did not find Horus - although he had found him. Then Hathor, Mistress of the Southern Sycamore, set out, and she found Horus lying weeping in the desert. She captured a gazelle and miled it. She said to Horus: Open your eye(s) so that I may put this milk in them. Then he opened his eye(s) and she put the milk in them, putting some in the right one and putting some in the left one. She told him: Open your eye(s). And he opened his eye(s). <She> looked at them and found that they were healed. She / set out to tell Pre-Harakhti: (I) found Horus after Seth had deprived him of his eye(s), but I have restored him back (to health). See, he has returned. Said the Ennead: Let Horus and Seth be summoned in order that they may be judged. Then they were brought before the Ennead. Said the Universal Lord before

the Great Ennead to Horus and Seth: Go and obey what I tell you. You should eat and / drink so that we may have (some) peace. Stop quarreling so every day on end. Then Seth told Horus, Come, let's make holiday in my house. Horus told him: "I'll do so, surely, I'll do so, I'll do so. Now afterward, (at) evening time, bed was prepared for them, and they both lay down. But during the night, Seth caused his phallus to become stiff and inserted it between Horus's thighs. Then Horus placed his hands between his thighs and received Seth's semen. Horus / went to tell his mother Isis: help me, Isis, my mother, come and see what Seth has done to me. And he opened his hand(s) and let her see Seth's semen. She let out a loud shriek, seized the copper (knife), cut off his hand(s) that were equivalent. Then she fetched some fragrant ointment and applied it to Horus's phallus. She caused it to become stiff and inserted it into a por, and he caused his semen to flow down into it. Isis at morning time went carrying the semen of Horus to the garden of Seth and said to Seth's gardener: What sort of vegetable / is it that Seth eats here in your company? So the gardener told her: he doesn't eat any vegetable here in my company except lettuce. And Isis added the semen of Horus onto it. Seth returned according to his daily habit and ate the lettuce, which he regularly ate. Thereupon he became pregnant with the semen of Horus. So Seth went to tell / Horus: Come, let's go and I may contend with you in the tribunal. Horus told him: I'll do so, surely, I'll do so, I'll do so. They both went to the tribunal and stood in the presence of the Great Ennead. They were told: Speak concerning yourselves. Said Seth: let me be awarded the office of Ruler, l.p.h., for as to Horus, the one who is standing (trial), I have performed the labor of a male against him. The Ennead let out a load cry. They spewed and spat at at Horus's face. Horus laughed at them. Horus then took / an oath by god as follows: All that Seth has said is false. Let Seth's semen be summoned that we may see from where it answers, and my own be summoned that we may see from where it answers. Then Thoth, lord of script and scribe of truth for the Ennead, put his hand on Horus's shoulder and said: Come out, you semen of Seth. And it answered him from the water in the interior of the marsh. Thoth put his hand on Seth's shoulder and said: Come out, you semen of Horus. Then it said to him: Where shall I come from? Thoth said to it: Come / out from his ear. Thereupon it said to him: is it from his ear that I should issue forth, seeing that I am divine seed? Then Thoth said to it: Come out from the top of his head. And it emerged as a golden solar disk upon Seth's head. Seth became exceeding furious and extended his hand(s) to seize the golden solar disk. Thoth took it away / from him and placed it as a crown upon his (own) head. Then the Ennead said: Horus is right, and Seth is wrong. Seth became exceedingly furious and let out a loud shriek when they said: Horus is right, and Seth is wrong. And so Seth took a great oath by (the) god as follows: he shall not be awarded the office until he has been dismissed outside with me and we build for ourselves some stone ships and race each other. Now as for the one who shall prevail over his rival, / he is to be awarded the office of Ruler, l.p.h. Then Horus built for himself a boat of pine, plastered it over with gypsum, and launched it into the water at evening time without anybody who was in the entire land having observed it. Seth saw Horus's boat and thought it was of stone. And he went to the mountain, cut off a mountain top, and built for himself a boat of stone of 138 cubits. They embarked upon their ships in the presence of the Ennead. Then Seth's boat sank in the water. So Seth transformed himself into a hippopotamus / and scuttled Horus's boat. Horus took his copper (harpoon) and hurled it at the person of Seth. Then the Ennead told him: Don't hurl it at him. he gathered the harpoons, put them in his boat, and sailed downstream to Sais in order to tell neith the Great, the God's Mother: Let judgement be passed on me and Seth, seeing that it is eighty years now that we have been in the tribunal / and they have been unable to pass judgement on us, nor has he yet been vindicated against me, but it is a thousand times now that I have been in the right against him every day

although he doesn't regard anything that the Ennead has said. I have contended with him in the "The Path of the Truths" court, and I have been vindicated against him. I have contended with him in the "Horus with the Projecting Horns" court, and (I) have been vindicated against him. I have contended with him in the "Field of Rushes" court, and I have been vindicated against him. I have contended with him in the "Pool of the Field" court, and I have been vindicated against him. And the Ennead said to Shu, son of Re: Horus, son of Isis, is correct in all that he has said. / Statement which Thoth made to the Universal Lord: Have a letter sent to Osiris so that he may judge between the two youths. Then said Shu, son of Re: What Thoth has told the Ennead is correct a million times. Said the Universal Lord to Thoth: Sit down and compose a letter to Osiris that we may learn what he has to say.thoth sat down to fill out a letter to Osiris with the words: Bull, the lion who hunts for himself; the Two Ladies, protecting the gods and subduing the Two Lands; Horus of God, who invented mankind in the primeval time, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Bull in the midst of Heliopolis, l.p.h.; son of Ptah, (most) glorious one of the Two Banks, appearing as father of the Ennead while he eats of gold and glaze, the possessor of sanctity, l.p.h. Please write us what we should do for Horus and Seth so that we do not exercise (our) authority ignorantly. Now afterward, following this, the / letter reached the King, son of Re, Great in Bounty and Master of Sustenance. he let out a loud cry after the letter had <been> read out in his presence. Then he answered it very very quickly (writing) to the place where the Universal Lord was together with the Ennead, saying: Why should my son Horus be cheated when it was I that made you mighty and it was I (alone) who could create barley and emmer in order to sustain the gods as well as the cattle following the gods, whereas not any god or any goddess found himself (competent enough) to do it? So / Osiris's letter reached the place where preHarakhti was, sitting together with the Ennead on the White Mound in Xois. it was read out in his and the Ennead's presence, and Pre-Harakhti said: Please answer for me the letter very quickly to Osiris and tell him in the letter, "If you had not come into being and if you had not been born, barley and emmer would exist anyway. " The letter of the Universal Lord reached Osiris, and it was read out in his presence. Then he again wrote to pre-Harakhti as follows: It is exceedingly good, all that which you have done, O you who invented the Ennead as an accomplishment, although justice was allowed to sink down within the netherworld. please look at the situation also on your part. As for / the land in which I am, it is filled with savage-faced messengers who do not fear any god or <any> goddess. I have but to let them go forth, and they will fetch the heart of whoever commits misdeeds and they will be here with me. Indeed, what is the meaning of my happening to be here resting in the west while you are all outside? Who among you is there that is mightier than I? But see, you have invented injustice as an accomplishment. When Ptah the Great, South of his Wall, Lord of Ankh-tawi, created the sky, isn't it so that he told the stars that are in it, "It is in the west where King Osiris is that you shall set every night"? (And he told me), "Now after (the manner of) gods, so patricians and commoners also shall go to rest in the place where you are." So he said to me. Now afterward, following this, Osiris's letter reached the place where the Universal Lord was together with the Ennead. Thoth received the letter and read it out in the presence of Pre-harakhti / and the Ennead. They said: The Great in Bounty and Master of Sustenance, l.p.h., is doubly correct in all that he has said. Then Seth said: let us be taken to the Island in the Middle so that (I) may contend with him. he went to the Island in the Middle, and Horus was vindicated against him. Then Atum, Lord of the Two Lands, the Heliopolitan, sent to Isis, saying: Bring Seth restrained with manacles. Isis brought Seth restrained with manacles, as a prisoner. Said Atum to him: Why do you not allow yourselves to be judged but (instead) usurp for yourself the office of Horus? Said Seth to him: On the contrary, my good lord. let Horus, son of Isis, be summoned and be awarded the office of / his father Osiris. Horus, son of Isis, was brought, and the White Crown was set upon his head and he was installed in the position of his father Osiris. he was told: you are a good King of Egypt. You are the good lord, l.p.h., of every

land unto all eternity. Thereupon Isis let out a loud shriek on behalf of her son Horus, saying: You are the good king. My heart is in joy. You have illumined earth with your complexion. Then Ptah the Great, South of his Wall, Lord of Ankh-tawi, said: What shall be done for Seth? For see, Horus has been installed in the position of his father Osiris. Said Pre-Harakhti: Let Seth, son of Nut, be delivered to me so that he may dwell with me, being in my company as a son, and he shall thunder in the sky and be feared. Someone / went to tell Pre-Harakhti: Horus, son of Isis, has arisen as Ruler, l.p.h. Thereupon Pre-Harakhti rejoiced exceedingly and said to the Ennead: You shall jubilate from one land to the next for Horus, son of Isis! Said Isis: Horus has arisen as Ruler, l.p.h. The Ennead is in festivity, and heaven is in joy. They donned wreaths when they saw Horus, son of Isis, arisen as great Ruler, l.p.h. of Egypt. As for the Ennead, their hearts were satisfied, and the entire land was in exultation when they saw Horus, son of Isis, assigned the office of his father Osiris, lord of Busiris. Thus it concludes successfully in Thebes, the place of Truth. The Legend of the Destruction of Mankind [Here is the story of Ra,] the god who was self-begotten and self-created, after he had assumed the sovereignty over men and women, and gods, and things, the ONE god. Now men and women were speaking words of complaint, saying: "Behold, his Majesty (Life, Strength, and Health to him!) hath grown old, and his bones have become like (silver, and his members have turned into gold and Ihishair is like unto real lapis-lazuli." His Majesty heard the words of complaint which men and women were uttering, and his Majesty (Life, Strength, and Health to him!) said unto those who were in his train: "Cry out, and bring to me my Eye, and Shu, and Tefnut, and Seb, and Nut, and the father-gods, and the mother-gods who were with me, even when I was in Nu side by side with my god Nu. Let there be brought along with my Eye his ministers, and let them be led to me hither secretly, so that men and women may not perceive them [coming] hither, and may not therefore take to flight with their hearts. Come thou with them to the Great House, and let them declare their plans (or, arrangements) fully, for I will go from Nu into the place wherein I brought about my own existence, and let those gods be brought unto me there." Now the gods were drawn up on each side of Ra, and they bowed down before his Majesty until their heads touched the ground, and the maker of men and women, the king of those who have knowledge, spake his words in the presence of the Father of the first-born gods. And the gods spake in the presence of his Majesty, saying: - "Speak unto us, for we are listening to them" (i.e., thy words). Then RA spake unto Nu, saying: - "O thou first-born god from whom I came into being, O ye gods of ancient time, my ancestors, take ye heed to what men and women [are doing]; for behold, those who were created by my Eye are uttering words of complaint against me. Tell me what ye would do in the matter, and consider this thing for me, and seek out [a plan] for me, for I will not slay them until I have heard what ye shall say to me concerning it." Then the Majesty of Nu, to son Ra, spake, saying: - "Thou art the god who art greater than he who made thee, thou art the sovereign of those who were created with thee, thy throne is set, and the fear of thee is great ; let thine Eye go against those who have uttered blasphemies against thee." And the Majesty of Ra, said:-" Behold, they have betaken themselves to flight into the mountain lands, for their hearts are afraid because of the words which they have uttered."

Then the gods spake in the presence of his Majesty, saying: - "Let thine Eye go forth and let it destroy for thee those who revile thee with words of evil, for there is no eye whatsoever that can go before it and resist thee and it when it journeyeth in the form of Hathor." Thereupon this goddess went forth and slew the men and the women who were on the mountain (or, desert land). And the Majesty of this god said, "Come, come in peace, O Hathor, for the work is accomplished." Then this goddess said, "Thou hast made me to live, for when I gained the mastery over men and women it was sweet to my heart;" and the Majesty of Ra said, "I myself will be master over them as [their] king, and I will destroy them." And it came to pass that Sekhet of the offerings waded about in the night season in their blood, beginning at Suten-henen. Then the Majesty of Ra, spake [saying], "Cry out, and let there come to me swift and speedy messengers who shall be able to run like the wind . . . . ;" and straightway messengers of this [kind were brought unto him. And the Majesty of this god spake [saying], "Let these ((messengers go to Abu, and bring unto me mandrakes in great numbers;" and [when] these mandrakes were brought unto him the Majesty of this god gave them to Sekhet, the goddess who dwelleth in Annu (Heliopolis) to crush. And behold, when the maidservants were bruising the grain for [making] beer, these mandrakes were placed in the vessels which were to hold the beer, and some of the blood of the men and women [who had been slain]. Now they made seven thousand vessels of beer. Now when the Majesty of RE, the King of the South and North, had come with the gods to look at the vessels of beer, and behold, the daylight had appeared after the slaughter of men and women by the goddess in their season as she sailed up the river, the Majesty of Ra said, "It is good, it is good, nevertheless I must protect men and women against her." And Ra, said, "Let them take up the vases and carry them to the place where the men and women were slaughtered by her." Then the Majesty of the King of the South and North in the three-fold beauty of the night caused to be poured out these vases of beer which make [men] to lie down (or, sleep), and the meadows of the Four Heavens were filled with beer (or, water) by reason of the Souls of the Majesty of this god. And it came to pass that when this goddess arrived at the dawn of day, she found these [Heavens] flooded [with beer], and she was pleased thereat; and she drank [of the beer and blood], and her heart rejoiced, and she became drunk, and she gave no further attention to men and women. Then said the Majesty of Ra to this goddess, " Come in peace, come in peace, O Amit," and thereupon beautiful women came into being in the city of Amit (or, Amem). And the Majesty of Ra spake [concerning] this goddess, [saying], "Let there be made for her vessels of the beer which produceth sleep at every holy time and season of the year, and they shall be in number according to the number of my hand-maidens;" and from that early time until now men have been wont to make on the occasions of the festival of Hathor vessels of the beer which make them to sleep in number according to the number of the handmaidens of Ra. And the Majesty of Ra spake unto this goddess, [saying], "I am smitten with the pain of the fire of sickness; whence ccometh to me [this] pain?" And the Majesty of Ra said, "I live, but my heart hath become exceedingly weary with existence with them (i.e., with men); I have slain [some of] them, but there is a remnant of worthless ones, for the destruction which I wrought among them was not as great as my power." Then the gods who were in his following said unto him, "Be not overcome by thy inactivity, for thy might is in proportion to thy will." And the Majesty of this god said unto the Majesty of Nu, "My members are weak for (or, as at) the first time; I will not permit this to come upon me a second time."

And the Majesty of the god Nu said, "O son Shu, be thou the Eye 'for thy father . . . . . and avenue (?) him, and 'thou goddess Nut, place him . . . . . ... And the goddess Nut said, How can this be then, "O my father Nu? "Hail," said Nut . . . . . to the god Nu., and the goddess straightway became [a cow], and she set the Majesty of Ra. upon [her] back . . . . . And when these things had been done, men and women saw the god Ra, upon the back [of the cow]. Then these men and women said, "Remain with us, and we will overthrow thine enemies who speak words of blasphemy [against thee.], and [destroy them]." Then his Majesty [RE] set out for the Great House, and [the gods who were in the train of Ra remained] with them (i.e., the men); during that time the earth was in darkness. And when the earth became light [again]j and the morning had dawned, the men came forth with their bows and their [weapons], and they set their arms in motion to shoot the enemies [of Ra]. Then said the Majesty of this god, "Your "transgressions of violence are placed behind you, for the slaughtering of the enemies is above the slaughter [of sacrifice];" thus came into being the slaughter [of sacrifice]. And the Majesty of this god said unto Nut, "I have placed myself upon my back in order to stretch myself out." What then is the meaning of this? It meaneth that he united (?) himself with Nut. [Thus came into being] . . . . . . Then said the Majesty of this god, "I am departing from them (i.e., from men), and he must come after (me who would see me;" thus came into being . . . . Then the Majesty of this god looked forth from its interior, saying, "Gather together [men for me], and make ready for me an abode for multitudes;" thus came into being . . . . . . . And his Majesty (life, health, and strength be to him!) said, "Let a great field (sekhet) be produced (hetep); "thereupon Sekhet-hetep came into being. [And the god said], "I will gather herbs (aarat) therein;" thereupon Sekhet-aaru came into being. [And the god said], "I will make it to contain as dwellers things (khet) like stars of all sorts;" thereupon the stars (akhekha) came into being. Then the goddess Nut trembled because of the height. And the Majesty of Ra said, "I decree that supports be to bear [the goddess up];" thereupon the props of heaven (heh) came into being. And the Majesty of Ra said, O my son Shu, I pray thee to set thyself under [my] daughter Nut, and guard thou for me the supports (heh) of the millions (heh) which are there, and which live in darkness. Take thou the goddess upon thy head, and act thou as nurse for her;" thereupon came into being [the custom] of a son nursing a daughter, and [the custom] of a father carrying a son upon his head. II. THIS CHAPTER SHALL BE SAID OVER [A FIGURE OF] THE COW.-The supporters [called] Heh-enti shall be by her shoulder. The supporters [called] Heh-enti shall be at her side, and one cubit and four spans of hers shall be in colours, and nine stars shall be on her belly, and Set shall be by her two thighs and shall keep watch before her two legs, and before her two legs shall be Shu, under her belly, and he shall be made (i.e., painted) in green qenatcolour. His two arms shall be under the stars, and his name shall be made (i.e., written) in the middle of them, namely, Shu himself." A boat with a rudder and a double shrine shall be therein, and Aten (i.e., the Disk) shall be above it, and Ra shall be in it, in front of Shu, near his hand, or, as another reading hath, behind him, near his hand. And the udders of the Cow shall be made to be between her legs, towards the left side. And on the two flanks, towards the middle of the legs, shall be done in writing [the words], "The exterior heaven," and "I am what is in me," and "I will not permit them to make her to turn." That which is [written] under the boat which is in front shall read, "Thou shalt not be (motionless, my son;" and the words which are

written in an opposite direction shall read, "Thy support is like life," and "The word is as the word there," and "Thy son is with me," and "Life, strength, and health be to thy nostrils!" And that which is behind Shu, near his shoulder, shall read, "They keep ward," and that which is behind him, written close to his feet in an opposite direction, shall read, "Maat," and "They come in," and "I protect daily." And that which is under the shoulder of the divine figure which is under the left leg, and is behind it shall read, "He who sealeth all things." That which is over his head, under the thighs of the Cow, and that which is by her legs shall read, "Guardian of his exit." That which is behind the two figures which are by her two legs, that is to say, over their heads, shall read, "The Aged One who is adored as he goeth forth," and The Aged One to whom praise is given when he goeth in." That which is over the head of the two figures, and is between the two thighs of the Cow, shall read, " Listener," "Hearer," "Sceptre of the Upper Heaven," and "Star " (?). III. THEN THE MAJESTY OF THIS GOD SPAKE UNTO THOTH, [saying] "Let a call go forth for me to the Majesty of the god Seb, saying, 'Come, with the utmost speed, at once."' And when the Majesty of Seb had come, the Majesty of this god said unto him, "Let war be made against thy worms (or, serpents) which are in thee; verily, they shall have fear of me as long as I have being; but thou knowest their magical powers. Do thou go to the place where my father Nu is, and say thou unto him, 'Keep ward over the worms (or, serpents) which are in the earth and water.' And moreover, thou shalt make a writing for each of the nests of thy serpents which are there, saying, 'Keep ye guard [lest ye] cause injury to anything.' They shall know that I am removing myself [from them], but indeed I shall shine upon them. Since, however, they indeed wish for a father, thou shalt be a father unto them in this land for ever. Moreover, let good heed be taken to the men who have my words of power, and to those whose mouths have knowledge of such things; verily my own words of power are there, verily it shall not happen that any shall participate with me in my protection, by reason of the majesty which hath come into being before me. I will decree them to thy son Osiris, and their children shall be watched over, the hearts of their princes shall be obedient (or, ready) by reason of the magical powers of those who act according to their desire in all the earth through their words of power which are in their bodies." IV. AND THE MAJESTY OF THIS GOD SAID, "Call to me the god Thoth," and one brought the god to him forthwith. And the Majesty of this god said unto Thoth, "Let us depart to a distance from heaven, from my place, because I would make light and the god of light (KHU) in the Tuat and [in] the Land of Caves. Thou shalt write down [the things which are] in it, and thou shalt punish those who are in it, that is to say, the workers who have worked iniquity (or, rebellion). Through thee I will keep away from the servants whom this heart [of mine] loatheth. Thou shalt be in my place (ast) ASTI, and thou shalt therefore be called, O Thoth, the 'ASTI Of Ra.' Moreover, I give thee power to send (hab) forth . . . . . ; thereupon shall come into being the This (habi) bird of Thoth. I moreover give thee [power] to lift up thine hand before the two Companies of the gods who are greater than thou, and what thou doest shall be fairer than [the work of] the god KHEN; therefore shall the divine bird tekni of Thoth come into being. Moreover, I give thee [Power] to embrace (anh) the two heavens with thy beauties, and with thy rays of light; therefore shall come into being the Moon-god (Aah) of Thoth. Moreover, I give thee [power] to drive back (anan) the Ha-nebu; therefore shall come into being the dog-headed Ape (anan) of Thoth, and he shall act as

governor for me. Moreover, thou art now in my place in the sight of all those who see thee and who present offerings to thee, and every being shall ascribe praise unto thee, O thou who art God." V. WHOSOEVER SHALL RECITE the words of this composition over himself shall anoint himself with olive oil and with thick unguent, and he shall have propitiatory offerings on both his hands of incense, and behind his two ears shall be pure natron, and sweet-smelling salve shall be on his lips. He shall be arrayed in a new double tunic, and his body shall be purified with the water of the nile-flood, and he shall have upon his feet a pair of sandals made of white [leather], and a figure of the goddess Maat shall be drawn upon his tongue with green-coloured ochre. Whensoever Thoth shall wish to recite this composition on behalf of Ra, he must perform a sevenfold (?) purification for three days, and priests and [ordinary] men shall do likewise. Whosoever shall recite the above words shall perform the ceremonies which are to be performed when this book is being read. And he shall make his place of standing (?) in a circle (or, at an angle) . . . . . which is beyond [him], and his two eyes shall be fixed upon himself, all his members shall be [composed], and his steps shall not carry him away [from the place]. Whosoever among men shall recite [these] words shall be like Ra on the day of his birth; and his possessions shall not become fewer, and his house shall never fall into decay, but shall endure for a million eternities. Then the Aged One himself (i.e., Ra) embraced (?) the god Nu, and spake unto the gods who came forth in the east of the sky, "Ascribe ye praise to the god, the Aged One, from whom I have come into being. I am he who made the heavens, and I (set in order [the earth, and created the gods, and] I I was with them for an exceedingly long period; 'then was born the year and . . . . . . but my soul is older than it (i.e., time). It is the Soul of Shu, it is the Soul of Khnemu (?), it is the Soul of Heh, it is the Soul of Kek and Kerh (i.e., Night and Darkness), it is the Soul of Nu and of Ra, it is the Soul of Osiris, the lord of Tettu, it is the Soul of the Sebak Crocodile-gods and of the Crocodiles, it is the Soul of every god [who dwelleth] in the divine Snakes, it is the Soul of kpep in Mount Bakhau (i.e., the Mount of Sunrise), and it is the Soul of Ra which pervadeth the whole world." Whosoever sayeth [these words] worketh his own protection by means of the words of power, "I am the god Hekau (i.e., the divine Word of power), and [I am] pure in my mouth, and [in] my belly; [I am] Ra from whom the gods proceeded. I am Ra, the Light-god (Khu)." When thou sayest [this], stop forth in the evening and in the morning on thine own behalf if thou wouldst make to fall the enemies of Ra. I am his Soul, and I am Heka. Hail, thou lord of eternity, thou creator of everlastingness, who bringest to nought the gods who came forth from Ra, thou lord of thy god, thou prince who didst make what made thee, who art beloved by the fathers of the gods, on whose head are the pure words of power, who didst create the woman (erpit) that standeth on the south side of thee, who didst create the goddess who hath her face on her breast, and the serpent which standeth on his tail, with her eye on his belly, and with his tail on the earth, to whom Thoth giveth praises, and upon whom the heavens rest, and to whom Shustretcheth out his two hands, deliver thou me from those two great gods who sit in the east of the sky, who act as wardens of heaven and as wardens of earth, and who make firm the secret places, and who are called "Aaiu-su," and "Per-f-er-maa-Nu." Moreover [there shall be) a purifying on the . . . . . day of the month . . . . . . .. even according to the performance of the ceremonies in the oldest time. Whosoever shall recite this Chapter shall have life in Neter-kher (i.e., Underworld), and the fear of him shall be much greater than it was formerly [upon earth] . . . . . . . and they shall say, "Thy names (,are 'Eternity' and 'Everlastingness."' They are called, they are called, "Au-peh-nef-n-aa-em-ta-uatipu," and "Rekh-kuh-[tut]-enneter-pui . . . . . . en-en-hra-f-Her-shefu." I am he who hath strengthened the boat with the company of the gods, and his Shenit, and his Gods, by means of words of power.

Sources: E. A. Wallis Budge, Legends of the Egyptian Gods The Tale of the Two Brothers Once upon a time there were two brothers, so the story goes, having the same mother and the same father. Anubis was the name of the elder, and Bata was the name of the younger. Now as for Anubis, he [possessed] a house and had a wife, [and] his younger brother was (associated) with him after the manner of a son, so that it was he (that is, the elder brother) who made clothes for him while he (that is, the younger brother) followed behind his cattle to the fields, since it was he who had to plow. It was he who reaped for him, and it was [he] who did for him every chore that was in the fields. Indeed, his younger brother [was] a perfect man: there was none like him in entire land, for a god's virility was in him. After many days following this, his younger brother / [was tending] his cattle according to his daily habit,and he would [leave work] for his house every evening laden [with] every vegetable of the field, [with] milk, with wood, and [with] every [good produce of] the field; he would place them before his [elder brother] while he was sitting with his wife, and he would drink and eat, and [he would leave to spend the night in] his stabel among his cattle [daily]. After dawn and the next day had come about, [he prepared foods] which were cooked, and he would place them before his elder brother, [and he would] give him bread for the fields, and he would drive his cattle to let them graze in the fields while he followed behind his cattle. [And th]ey [would] tell him: The herbage of such and such a place is good. And he would listen to all that they said and take them to the place / with good herbage which they were desiring. The cattle that were in his charge became so exceedingly fine that they multiplied their offspring exceedingly. At plowing time his [elder] brother told him: have a team [of oxen] made ready for us for plowing, for the soil has emerged so that it is just right for tilling.Also, you are to come to the field with seed because we shall begin to cultivate tomorrow. So he said to him. Then his / younger brother made all preparations that his elder brother had told him to [make]. And after dawn [and the next] day had come about, they went to the field carrying their [seed] and began [to] plow with [their hearts] exceedingly pleased about their project as [they] began to work. After many [days] following this, while they were in the field, they needed seed. He sent his younger brother, saying: You shall go and fetch us seed from town. His younger brother found the wife of his elder brother seated plaiting her (hair). he told her: Get up and give me seed / so that may hurry off to the field, because it is for me that my elder brother is waiting. don't cause a delay. Then she told him: Go, open the magazine and fetch for yourself what you want. Don't make leave my hairdressing unfinished. then the youth entered his stable and fetched a large vessel, since it was his desire to take out a lot of seed. he loaded himself with barley and emmer and came out carrying it. Then she said to him: how much is it that is on your shoulder? And he told her: It is / three sacks of emmer and two sacks of barley, totaling five, that are on my shoulder. So he said to her. Then she [spoke with] him, saying: There is [great] virility in you, for I have been observing your exertions daily. For it was her desire to know him through sexual intimacy. she got up, seized hold of him, and told him: Come, let's spend for ourselves an hour sleeping (together). Such will be to your advantage, for I will make you fine clothes. Then the youth became like an Upper Egyptian panther in harsh rage over the wicked proposition that she had made to him, and she become exceedingly fearful. he argued with her, saying: Now look, you are (associated) with me after the manner of a mother, and your husband is (associated) with me after the manner of a father, for the one who is older than I it is who has brought me up. What means / this great

offense which have said to me? Don't say it to me again. but I shall tell it to no one, for I will not let it escape my mouth to anybody. he picked up his load and went off to the field. Then he reached his elder brother, and they began to work their project. Afterward, at evening time, his elder brother left work for his house, while his younger brother was (still) tending his cattle and [would] load himself with all produce of the field and bring back his cattle / before him to let them spend the night their stable, which was in town. The wife of his elder brother was fearful the proposition which she had made. She then fetched grease and fat and feigningly became like one who has been assaulted with the intention of telling her husband: it's your younger brother who has assaulted . Her husband left work in the evening according to his daily habit.He reached his house and found his wife lying (down), feigning (to be) sick, so that she did not pour water upon his hand(s) according to his custom, nor had she prepared lighting for his arrival, so that his house was in darkness as she lay vomiting. her husband said to her: Who has quarreled with you? She said to him: No one has quarreled with me except your / younger brother. When he returned to take out seed for you, he found me sitting alone and said to me, "Come, let's spend an hour sleeping (together). You shall put on your wig." So he said to me, but I refused to obey him. "Isn't it so that I am your mother, and that your brother is (associated) with you after the manner of a father?" So I said to him. And he became afraid and assaulted to prevent me from making a disclosure to you. Now if you let him live, I'll take my life. See, as soon as he returns, don't,,,him, because I denounce this wicked proposition which he would have carried out yesterday. then his elder brother became / like an Upper Egyptian panther, and he had his spear sharpened and placed in his hand. His elder stood behind the door his stable in order to kill his younger brother upon his return in the evening to let his cattle enter the stable. Now when the sun set, he loaded himself all (sorts of) vegetables of the fields, according to his daily habit, and returned.the lead cow entered the stable and said to its herdsman: Look, your elder brother is standing in wait for you bearing his spear to kill you. You shall depart from his presence. He understood what his lead cow had said, and / the next one entered and said it also. He looked under the door of his stable and observed his elder brother's feet as he was standing behind the door with his spear in his hand. he set his load onto the ground and hastened to run off flight, and his elder brother went in pursuit of him, carrying his spear. Then his younger brother prayed to Pre-Harakhti, / saying: My good lord, it is you who distinguishes wrong from right. Thereupon Pre heard all his petitions, and Pre caused a great (gulf of) water to come between him and his elder , infested with crocodiles, so that one of them came to be on one side and the other on the other (side). His elder brother struck twice upon (the back of) his hand because he had failed to kill him. Then his younger brother called to him on the (other) side, saying: Wait there until dawn. As soon as the sun rises, I shall / be judged with you in his presence, and he shall deliver the culprit to the just, for I will never again be present in your company nor will I be present in a place where you are. I shall go to the Valley of the Pine. Now after dawn and the next day had come about, Pre-Harakhti arose, and they observed each other. Then the youth argued with his elder brother, saying: What's the meaning of your coming in pursuit of me in order to kill unjustly without having heard what I have to say? for I am still your younger brother, and / you are (associated) with me after the manner of a father, and your wife is (associated0 with me after the manner of a mother, isn't it so? When you sent to fetch us seed, your wife said to me, "Come, let's spend an hour sleeping (together)." But see, it has been distorted for you as something otherwise. Then he informed him about all that had transpired between him and his wife. he swore by Pre-Harakhti saying: As for your in order to kill me unjustly, carrying your spear, it was on account of a sexually exhausted slut. he fetched a reed knife, cut off his phallus, and threw it into the water. The catfish swallowed , and he / grew weak and became feeble. his elder brother became exceedingly grieved and stood weeping for him aloud. He could not cross over to where his younger brother was because of the crocodiles.

then his younger brother called to him, saying: If you have recalled a grievance, can't you recall a kindness or something that I have done on your behalf? Please depart to your home and take care of your cattle, for I shall not stay in a place where you are. I shall go off to the Valley of the Pine. now what you shall do on my behalf is to come and care for me if find out that something has happened to me I extract my heart and put it on top of the flower of the pine tree. and if the pine tree is cut down and falls to the ground, / you are to come to search for it. If you shall have spent seven years in searching for it, don't let your heart become discouraged, for if you do find it and put it into a bowl of cool water, then I will become alive in order that may avenge the wrong done to me. Now you shall ascertain whether something to me if a beaker of beer is delivered to you in your hand and produces froth. Don't delay upon seeing that this comes to pass with you. then he went off to the Valley of the Pine, and his elder brother went off to his home with his hand(s) placed upon his head and his (body) smeared with dirt. Presently he reached his home, and he killed his wife, cast her the dogs, and sat down in morning over his younger brother. After many days following this, his younger brother was in the Valley of the Pine with no one with him while he spent all day hunting desert game. He returned in the evening to spend the night under the pine tree on top of whose flower his heart was. And after / many days followed this, he built for himself a country villa with his (own) hands the Valley of the Pine, filled with all (sorts of) good things with the intention of establishing a home for himself. Presently he went out form his country villa and encountered the Ennead as they were walking (along) governing the entire land. The Ennead spoke in unison, saying to him: Oh, Bata, Bull of the Ennead, are you alone here having abandoned your town before the face of the wife of Anubis, your elder brother? / See, has killed his wife, and thus you will be avenged upon him every wrong done against you. For they were exceedingly sorry for him. Pre-Harakhti told Khnum: Please fashion a marriageable woman for Beta so that he does not (have to) live alone. thereuponKhnum made for him a house-companion who was more beautiful in her body than any woman in the entire land, for every god was in her. then the seven Hathors came see her and said all together: It is by an execution knife that she shall die. Then he proceeded to covet her exceedingly while she was dwelling in his house and while he spent all day / hunting desert game, bringing (it) back, and putting (it) down before her. he told her: Don't go outside lest the sea carry you away, for I will be unable to rescue you from it, because I am a female like you and my heart lies on top of the flower of the pone tree. but if another finds it, I will fight with him. Then he revealed to her all his inmost thoughts. After many days following this, while Bata went to hunt according to his daily habit,/ the maiden went out to stroll under the pine tree which was next to her house. thereupon she beheld the sea surging up behind her, and she hastened to flee from it and entered her house. then the sea called to the pine tree, saying: Seize hold of her for me. And the pine tree removed a curl form her hair. The sea brought it to Egypt and deposited it in the place of the launderers of Pharaoh, l.p.h. then the scent of the curl of hair appeared in the clothes of Pharaoh, l.p.h., and the king wrangled with the launderer of Pha. oh, l.p.h., saying: Scent of ointment is in the clothes of Pharaoh, l.p.h. The king came to wrangling with them daily, but / they didn't know what to do. the chief launderer of Pharaoh, l.p.h., went to the bank with his mind exceedingly vexed as a consequence of the wranglings with him daily. then stopped still and stood by the seashore opposite the curl of hair that was in the water. he had someone go down, and it was brought to him. scent was found exceedingly fragrant, and he took it away to Pharaoh, l.p.h. then the learned scribes of Pharaoh, l.p.h., were brought. They told Pharaoh, l.p.h.: As for this braid of hair, / it belongs to a daughter of Pre-Harakhti in whom there is the seed of every god. Now it is a tribute to you another country. Send envoys forth to every foreign country in order to search for her. As for the envoy who will go to the Valley of the Pine, have many men go with in order to fetch her. Then His Majesty, l.p.h., said: what you have said is very good, very good. and (they) were sent off.

After many days following this, the men who had gone to a foreign country returned to render report to His Majesty, l.p.h., whereas those who had gone to the Valley of the Pine failed to return, for Bata had killed them leaving (only) one of them to render report to His Majesty, l.p.h. then His Majesty, l.p.h., again sent forth many soldiers as well as chariotry in order to fetch her, there being / a woman among them through whom all (sorts of) beautiful feminine adornment were presented to her. The woman returned to Egypt with her, and there was jubilation for her in the entire land. Then His Majesty, l.p.h., proceeded to love her exceedingly, and the king appointed her to be Chief Lady. the king spoke with her in order to have her describe the nature of her husband and she said to His Majesty, l.p.h.: have the pine tree cut down and hacked up. the king sent / soldiers bearing their copper (implements) in order to cut down the pine tree, and they reached the pine tree. they cut off the flower upon which was Bata's heart, and he fell dead at the very same moment. After dawn and the next day had come about and after the pine tree had been cut down, Anubis, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house and sat down and washed his hand(s). he was handed a beaker of beer, and it produced froth. Another of wine was handed him, and it turned bad. then he took his / staff and his sandals as well as his clothes and his weapons, and he hastened to journey to the Valley of the Pine. He entered the country villa of his younger brother and found his younger brother lying dead upon his bed. He wept when saw younger brother lying in a state of death, and he went to search for his younger brother's heart beneath the pine tree under which his younger brother slept in the evening. / he spent three years in searching for it without finding it. Now when he had commenced the fourth year, his heart desired to return to Egypt, and he said: I shall depart tomorrow.So he said in his heart. After dawn and the next day had come about, he began walking under the pine tree and spent all day searching for it. he gave up in the evening. Again he spent time in order to search for it, and he found a (pine) cone. he left for home with it. It was really his younger brother's heart. And he fetched a bowl of cool water, dropped it into it, and sat down according to his daily . After darkness had fallen, / his heart absorbed the water, and Bata shuddered over all his body and began looking at his elder brother while his heart was (still) in the bowl. Anubis, his elder brother, took the bowl of cool water in which was his younger brother's heart and him drink it. His heart assumed its (proper) position so that he became as he used to be. Then each embraced the other, and they conversed with one another. Then Beta said to his / elder brother: Look, I shall become a large bull that has every beautiful color and whose sort is unparalleled, and you shall sit upon back. As soon as the sun rises, we shall be where my wife is that may avenge myself, and you shall take me to where the king is, for every sort of good thing shall be done for you and you shall be rewarded with silver and gold for taking me to Pharaoh, l.p.h., because I shall become a great marvel, and there shall be jubilation for me in the entire land, and (then) you shall depart to your (home) town. After dawn / and the next day had come about, Bata changed into the form which he had mentioned to his elder brother. Then Anubis, his elder brother, sat down upon his back until dawn, and he reached the place where the king was, and His Majesty, l.p.h., was informed about him. He saw him and became exceedingly joyful over him. He served him a grand oblation, saying: It is a great marvel that has come to pass. And there was jubilation for him in the entire land. then / his weight was made up in silver and gold for his elder brother, who (again) took up his abode in his (home) town. the king gave him much personnel and a lot of goods, for Pharaoh, l.p.h., preferred him exceedingly over anybody (else) in the entire land. Now after many days following this, he entered the kitchen and stood in the place where the Lady was. he began speaking with her, saying: See, I'm still alive! She said to him: Who are you, I ask? And he told her: I am Bata. I realize that when you caused the pine tree to be hacked up for Pharaoh, l.p.h., it was on account of me, to keep me from staying alive. See, / I'm still alive, but as a bull.

The Lady became exceedingly fearful because of the revelation which her husband had made to her. then he left the kitchen, and His Majesty, l.p.h., sat down and made holiday with her. She poured (drinks) for His Majesty, l.p.h., so that the king was exceedingly happy in her company. then she said to His Majesty, l.p.h.: Swear to me by god as follows, "As for what will say, I shall grant it to her." And he heard all that she said: Let me eat of the liver of this bull, / for he never will amount to anything. So she said speaking to him. The king became exceedingly vexed over what she had said, and Pharaoh, l.p.h., was exceedingly sorry for him. After dawn the next day had come about, the king proclaimed a grand oblation as an offering to the bull, and the king sent a first royal cupbearer of His Majesty, l.p.h., to sacrifice the bull. And subsequently he was sacrificed. While he was upon the shoulders of the men, he trembled in his neck and caused two drops of blood to be shed beside the two doorposts of His Majesty, l.p.h., one landing on one side of the great portal of Pharaoh, l.p.h., and the other on the other side. they grew into / two large Persea trees, each one of which was choice. Then someone went to tell His Majesty, l.p.h.: Two large Persea trees have grown this night as a great marvel for His Majesty, l.p.h., beside the great portal of His Majesty, l.p.h. And there was jubilation for them in the entire land, and the king presented an offering to them. After many days followoing this, His Majesty, l.p.h., appeared at the audience window of lapis lazuli with a wreath of every sort of flower on neck, and he a chariot of electrum / and came out from the palace, l.p.h., in order to inspect the Persea trees. Then the Lady came out in a chariot following Pharaoh, l.p.h. His Majesty, l.p.h., sat down under one Persea tree, spoke with his wife: Ha, you liar! I am Bata. I'm alive in spite of you. I realize that as for your having had cut down for Pharaoh, l.p.h., it was on account of me. And I became a bull, and you had me killed. After many days following this, the Lady stood pouring (drinks) for His Majesty, l.p.h., so that the king was happy in her company. She told His Majesty, l.p.h.: Swear to me by god as follows, "As for what the Lady will tell me, I shall grant it to her." So you shall say. and he heard / all that she said, and she said: have these two Persea trees cut down and made into fine furniture. Then the king heard all that she had said, and after a brief moment His Majesty, l.p.h., sent skilled craftsmen, and the Persea trees were cut down for Pharaoh, l.p.h. the queen, the Lady, observed it (being done), and a splinter flew up and entered the Lady's mouth. / She swallowed and became pregnant in the space of a split second, and the king made out of them whatever was her desire. After many days following this, she bore a son, and someone went in order to tell His Majesty, l.p.h.: A son has been born to you. then he was brought, and nurse and maids were assigned to him. There was jubilation in the entire land, and the king sat down and made holiday and proceeded to hold him on his lap. His Majesty, l.p.h., cherished him exceedingly immediately, and the king appointed him / Viceroy of Kush. After many days following this, His Majesty, l.p.h., made him crown prince of the entire land. and after many days following this, when he had completed many [years] as crown prince in entire land, His Majesty, l.p.h., flew up to the sky. Then the (new) king said: Have my great officials of His Majesty, l.p.h., brought to me that I may inform them regarding every situation / that I have been involved in. His wife [was] brought to him, and he was judged with her in their presence. A consensus was reached among them. His elder brother was brought to him, and he appointed him crown prince in the entire land. he thirty years as King of Egypt. he departed from life, and his elder brother acceded to his throne on the day of death. Thus it concludes happily and successfully. The Story of Sinuhe

The Prince, Count, Governor of the domains of the sovereign in the lands of the Asiatics, true and beloved Friend of the King, the Attendant Sinuhe, says: I was an attendant who attended his lord, a servant of the royal harem, waiting on the Princess, the highly praised Royal Wife of King Sesostris in Khenemsut, the daughter of King Amenemhet in Kanefru, Nefru, the revered. Year 30, third month of the inundation, day 7: the god ascended to his horizon. The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Sehetepibre, flew to heaven and united with the sun-disk, the divine body merging with its maker. Then the residence was hushed; hearts grieved; the great portals were shut; the courtiers were head-onknee; the people moaned. His majesty, however, had despatched an army to the land of the Tjemeh, with his eldest son as its commander, the good god Sesostris. He had been sent to smite the foreign lands and to punish those of Tjehenu. Now he was returning, bringing captives of the Tjehenu and cattle of all kinds beyond number.The officials of the palace sent to the western border to let the king's son know the event that had occurred at the court. The messengers met him on the road, reaching him at night. Not a moment did he delay. The falcon flew with his attendants, without letting his army know it. But the royal sons who had been with him on this expedition had also been sent for. One of them was summoned while I was standing there. I heard his voice, as he spoke, while I was in the near distance. My heart fluttered, my arms spread out, a trembling befell all my limbs. I removed myself in leaps, to seek a hiding place. I put myself between two bushes, so as to leave the road to its traveler. I set out southward. I did not plan to go to the residence. I believed there would be turmoil and did not expect to survive it. I crossed Maaty near Sycamore; I reached Isle-of-Snefru. I spent the day there at the edge of the cultivation. Departing at dawn I encountered a man who stood on the road. He saluted me while I was afraid of him. At dinner time I reached "Cattle-Quay." I crossed in a barge without a rudder, by the force of the westwind. I passed to the east of the quarry, at the height of "Mistress of the Red Mountain." Then I made my way northward. I reached the "Walls of the Ruler," which were made to repel the Asiatics and to crush the Sand-farers. I crouched in a bush for fear of being seen by the guard on duty upon the wall. I set out at night. At dawn I reached Peten. I halted at "Isle-of-Kem-Wer." An attack of thirst overtook me; I was parched, my throat burned. I said, "This is the taste of death." I raised my heart and collected myself when I heard the lowing sound of cattle and saw Asiatics. One of their leaders, who had been in Egypt, recognized me. He gave me water and boiled milk for me. I went with him to his tribe. What they did for me was good. Land gave me to land.I traveled to Byblos; I returned to Qedem. I spent a year and a half there. Then Ammunenshi, the ruler of Upper Retenu, took me to him, saying to me: "You will be happy with me; you will hear the language of Egypt." He said this because he knew my character and had heard of my skill, Egyptians who were with him having borne witness for me. He said to me: "Why have you come here? Has something happened at the residence?" I said to him: "King Sehetepibre departed to the horizon, and one did not know the circumstances." But I spoke in half-truths: "When I returned from the expedition to the land of the Tjemeh, it was reported to me and my heart grew faint. It carried me away on the path of flight, though I had not been talked about; no one had spat in my face; I had not heard a reproach; my name had not been heard in the mouth of the herald. I do not know what brought me to this country; it is as if planned by god. As if a Delta-man saw himself in Yebu, a marsh-man in Nubia."

Then he said to me: "How then is that land without that excellent god, fear of whom was throughout the lands like Sakhmet in a year of plague?" I said to him in reply: "Of course his son has entered into the palace, having taken his father's heritage. He is a god without peer, No other comes before him; He is lord of knowledge, wise planner, skilled leader, One goes and comes by his will.

He was the smiter of foreign lands, While his father stayed in the palace, He reported to him on commands carried out.

He is a champion who acts with his arm, A fighter who has no equal, When seen engaged in archery, When joining the melee.

Horn-curber who makes hands turn weak, His foes can not close ranks; Keen-sighted he smashes foreheads, None can withstand his presence.

Wide-striding he smites the fleeing, No retreat for him who turns him his back; Steadfast in time of attack, He makes turn back and turns not his back.

Stouthearted when he sees the mass, He lets not slackness fill his heart; Eager at the sight of combat, Joyful when he works his bow.

Clasping his shield he treads under foot, No second blow needed to kill; None can escape his arrow, None turn aside his bow.

The Bowmen flee before him, As before the might of the goddess; As he fights he plans the goal, Unconcerned about all else.

Lord of grace, rich in kindness, He has conquered through affection; His city loves him more than itself, Acclaims him more than its own god.

Men outdo women in hailing him, Now that he is king; Victor while yet in the egg, Set to be ruler since his birth.

Augmenter of those born with him, He is unique, god-given; Happy the land that he rules!

Enlarger of frontiers, He will conquer southern lands, While ignoring northern lands, Though made to smite Asiatics and tread on Sand-farers! "Send to him! Let him know your name as one who inquires while being far from his majesty. He will not fail to do good to a land that will be loyal to him." He said to me: "Well then, Egypt is happy knowing that he is strong. But you are here. You shall stay with me. What I shall do for you is good." He set me at the head of his children. He married me to his eldest daughter. He let me choose for myself of his land, of the best that was his, on his border with another land. It was a good land called Yaa. Figs were in it and grapes. It had more wine than water. Abundant was its honey, plentiful its oil. All kinds of fruit were on its trees. Barley was there and emmer, and no end of cattle of all kinds.Much also came to me because of the love of me; for he had made me chief of a tribe in the best part of his land. Loaves were made for me daily, and wine as daily fare, cooked meat, roast fowl, as well as desert game. For they snared for me and laid it before me, in addition to the catch of my hounds. Many sweets were made for me, and milk dishes of all kinds. I passed many years, my children becoming strong men, each a master of his tribe. The envoy who came north or went south to the residence stayed with me. I let everyone stay with me. I gave water to the thirsty; I showed the way to him who had strayed; I rescued him who had been robbed. When Asiatics conspired to attack the Rulers of Hill-Countries, I opposed their movements. For this ruler of Retenu made me carry out numerous missions as commander of his troops. Every hill tribe against which I marched I vanquished, so that it was driven from the pasture of its wells. I plundered its cattle, carried off its families, seized their food, and killed people by my strong arm, by my bow, by my movements and my skillful plans. I won his heart and he loved me, for he recognized my valor. He set me at the head of his children, for he saw the strength of my arms. There came a hero of Retenu, To challenge me in my tent. A champion was he without peer, He had subdued it all.

He said he would fight with me, He planned to plunder me, He meant to seize my cattle At the behest of his tribe. The ruler conferred with me and I said: "I do not know him; I am not his ally, that I could walk about in his camp. Have I ever opened his back rooms or climbed over his fence? It is envy, because he sees me doing your commissions. I am indeed like a stray bull in a strange herd, whom the bull of the herd charges, whom the longhorn attacks. Is an inferior beloved when he becomes a superior? No Asiatic makes friends with a Delta-man. And what would make papyrus cleave to the mountain? If a bull loves combat, should a champion bull retreat for fear of being equaled? If he wishes to fight, let him declare his wish. Is there a god who does not know what he has ordained, and a man who knows how it will be?" At night I strung my bow,sorted my arrows, practiced with my dagger, polished my weapons. When it dawned Retenu came. It had assembled its tribes; it had gathered its neighboring peoples; it was intent on this combat. He came toward me while I waited, having placed myself near him. Every heart burned for me; the women jabbered. All hearts ached for me thinking: "Is there another champion who could fight him?" He raised his battle-axe and shields while his armful of missiles fell toward me. When I had made his weapons attack me, I let his arrows pass me by without effect, one following the other. Then, when he charged me, I shot him, my arrow sticking in his neck. He screamed; he fell on his nose; I slew him with his axe. I raised my war cry over his back, while every Asiatic shouted. I gave praise to Mont, while his people mourned him. The ruler Ammunenshi took me in his arms. Then I carried off his goods; I plundered his cattle. What he had meant to do to me I did to him. I took what was in his tent; I stripped his camp. Thus I became great, wealthy in goods, rich in herds. It was the god who acted, so as to show mercy to one with whom he had been angry, whom he had made stray abroad. For today his heart is appeased. A fugitive fled his surroundings--I am famed at home. A laggard lagged from hunger--I give bread to my neighbor. A man left his land in nakedness--I have bright clothes, fine linen. A man ran for lack of one to send--I am rich in servants.

My house is fine, my dwelling spacious--My thoughts are at the palace! Whichever god decreed this flight, have mercy, bring me home! Surely you will let me see the place in which my heart dwells! What is more important than that my corpse be buried in the land in which I was born! Come to my aid! What if the happy event should occur! May god pity me! May he act so as to make happy the end of one whom he punished! May his heart ache for one whom he forced to live abroad! If he is truly appeased today, may he hearken to the prayer of one far away! May he return one whom he made roam the earth to the place from which he carried him off! May Egypt's king have mercy on me, that I may live by his mercy! May I greet the mistress of the land who is in the palace! May I hear the commands of her children! Would that my body were young again! For old age has come; feebleness has overtaken me. My eyes are heavy, my arms weak; my legs fail to follow. The heart is weary; death is near. May I be conducted to the city of eternity! May I serve the Mistress of AII! May she speak well of me to her children; may she spend eternity above me! Now when the majesty of King Kheperkare was told of the condition in which I was, his majesty sent word to me with royal gifts, in order to gladden the heart of this servant like that of a foreign ruler. And the royal children who were in his palace sent me their messages. Copy of the decree brought to this servant concerning his return to Egypt: Horus: Living in Births; the Two Ladies: Living in Births; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt: Kheperkare; the Son of Re: Sesostris who lives forever. Royal decree to the Attendant Sinuhe: This decree of the King if brought to you to let you know: That you circled the foreign countries, going from Qedem to Retenu, land giving you to land, was the counsel of your own heart. What had you done that one should act against you? You had not cursed, so that your speech would be reproved. You had not spoken against the counsel of the nobles, that your words should have been rejected. This matter---it carried away your heart. It was not in my heart against you. This your heaven in the palace lives and prospers to this day. Her head is adorned with the kingship of the land; her children are in the palace. You will store riches which they give you; you will live on their bounty. Come back to Egypt! See the residence in which you lived! Kiss the ground at the great portals, mingle with the courtiers! For today you have begun to age. You have lost a man's strength. Think of the day of burial, the passing into reveredness.

A night is made for you with ointments and wrappings from the hand of Tait. A funeral procession is made for you on the day of burial; the mummy case is of gold, its head of lapis lazuli. The sky is above you as you lie in the hearse, oxen drawing you, musicians going before you. The dance of the mww-dancers is done at the door of your tomb; the offering-list is read to you; sacrifice is made before your offering-stone. Your tombpillars, made of white stone, are among those of the royal children. You shall not die abroad! Not shall Asiatics inter you. You shall not be wrapped in the skin of a ram to serve as your coffin. Too long a roaming of the earth! Think of your corpse, come back! This decree reached me while I was standing in the midst of my tribe. When it had been read to me, I threw myself on my belly. Having touched the soil, I spread it on my chest. I strode around my camp shouting: "What compares with this which is done to a servant whom his heart led astray to alien lands? Truly good is the kindness that saves me from death! Your ka will grant me to reach my end, my body being at home!"

Copy of the reply to this decree: The servant of the Palace, Sinuhe, says: In very good peace! Regarding the matter of this flight which this servant did in his ignorance. It is your ka, O good god, lord of the Two Lands, which Re loves and which Mont lord of Thebes favors; and Amun lord of Thrones-of-the-Two-Lands, and Sobk-Re lord of Sumenu, and Horus, Hathor, Atum with his Ennead, and Sopdu-Neferbau-Semseru the Eastern Horus, and the Lady of Yemet--may she enfold your head---and the conclave upon the flood, and Min-Horus of the hill-countries, and Wereret lady of Punt, Nut, Haroeris-Re, and all the gods of Egypt and the isles of the sea---may they give life and joy to your nostrils, may they endue you with their bounty, may they give you eternity without limit, infinity without bounds! May the fear of you resound in lowlands and highlands, for you have subdued all that the sun encircles! This is the prayer of this servant for his lord who saves from the West.

The lord of knowledge who knows people knew in the majesty of the palace that this servant was afraid to say it. It is like a thing too great to repeat. The great god, the peer of Re, knows the heart of one who has served him willingly. This servant is in the hand of one who thinks about him. He is placed under his care. Your Majesty is the conquering Horus; your arms vanquish all lands. May then your Majesty command to have brought to you the prince of Meki from Qedem, the mountain chiefs from Keshu, and the prince of Menus from the lands of the Fenkhu. They are rulers of renown who have grown up in the love of you. I do not mention Retenu---it belongs to you like your hounds.

Lo, this flight which the servant made---I did not plan it. It was not in my heart; I did not devise it. I do not know what removed me from my place. It was like a dream. As if a Delta-man saw himself in Yebu, a marshman in Nubia. I was not afraid; no one ran after me. I had not heard a reproach; my name was not heard in the mouth of the herald. Yet my flesh crept, my feet hurried, my heart drove me; the god who had willed this flight dragged me away. Nor am I a haughty man. He who knows his land respects men. Re has set the fear of you throughout the land, the dread of you in every foreign country. Whether I am at the residence, whether I am in this place, it is you who covers this horizon. The sun rises at your pleasure. The water in the river is drunk when you wish. The air of heaven is breathed at your bidding. This servant will hand over to the brood which this servant begot in this place. This servant has been sent for! Your Majesty will do as he wishes! One lives by the breath which you give. As Re, Horus, and Hathor love your august nose, may Mont lord of Thebes wish it to live forever! I was allowed to spend one more day in Yaa, handing over my possessions to my children, my eldest son taking charge of my tribe; all my possessions became his---my serfs, my herds, my fruit, my fruit trees. This servant departed southward. I halted at Horusways. The commander in charge of the garrison sent a message to the residence to let it be known. Then his majesty sent a trusted overseer of the royal domains with whom were loaded ships, bearing royal gifts for the Asiatics who had come with me to escort me to Horusways. I called each one by his name, while every butler was at his task. When I had started and set sail, there was kneading and straining beside me, until I reached the city of ltj-tawy. When it dawned, very early, they came to summon me. Ten men came and ten men went to usher me into the palace. My forehead touched the ground between the sphinxes, and the royal children stood in the gateway to meet me. The courtiers who usher through the forecourt set me on the way to the audience-hall. I found his majesty on the great throne in a kiosk of gold. Stretched out on my belly, I did not know myself before him, while this god greeted me pleasantly. I was like a man seized by darkness. My ba was gone, my limbs trembled; my heart was not in my body, I did not know life from death.

His majesty said to one of the courtiers: "Lift him up, let him speak to me." Then his majesty said: "Now you have come, after having roamed foreign lands. Flight has taken its toll of you. You have aged, have reached old age. It is no small matter that your corpse will be interred without being escorted by Bowmen. But don't act thus, don't act thus, speechless though your name was called!" Fearful of punishments I answered with the answer of a frightened man: "What has my lord said to me, that I might answer it? It is not disrespect to the god! It is the terror which is in my body, like that which caused the fateful flight! Here I am before you. Life is yours. May your Majesty do as he wishes!" Then the royal daughters were brought in, and his majesty said to the queen: "Here is Sinuhe, come as an Asiatic, a product of nomads!" She uttered a very great cry, and the royal daughters shrieked all together. They said to his majesty: "Is it really he, O king, our lord?" Said his majesty: "It is really he!" Now having brought with them their necklaces, rattles, and sistra, they held them out to his majesty: Your hands upon the radiance, eternal king, Jewels of heaven's mistress! The Gold gives life to your nostrils, The Lady of Stars enfolds you!

Southcrown fared north, northcrown south, Joined, united by your majesty's word. While the Cobra decks your brow, You deliver the poor from harm. Peace to you from Re, Lord of Lands! Hail to you and the Mistress of All!

Slacken your bow, lay down your arrow, Give breath to him who gasps for breathe! Give us our good gift on this good day, Grant us the son of northwind, Bowman born in Egypt!

He made the flight in fear of you,

He left the land in dread of you! A face that sees you shall not pale, Eyes that see you shall not fear! His majesty said: "He shall not fear, he shall not dread!" He shall be a Companion among the nobles. He shall be among the courtiers. Proceed to the robing-room to wait on him!" I left the audience-hall, the royal daughters giving me their hands. We went through the great portals, and I was put in the house of a prince. In it were luxuries: a bathroom and mirrors. In it were riches from the treasury; clothes of royal linen, myrrh, and the choice perfume of the king and of his favorite courtiers were in every room. Every servant was at his task. Years were removed from my body. I was shaved; my hair was combed. Thus was my squalor returned to the foreign land, my dress to the Sand-farers. I was clothed in fine linen; I was anointed with fine oil. I slept on a bed. I had returned the sand to those who dwell in it, the treeoil to those who grease themselves with it. I was given a house and garden that had belonged to a courtier. Many craftsmen rebuilt it, and all its woodwork was made anew. Meals were brought to me from the palace three times, four times a day, apart from what the royal children gave without a moment's pause. A stone pyramid was built for me in the midst of the pyramids. The masons who build tombs constructed it. A master draughtsman designed in it. A master sculptor carved in it. The overseers of construction in the necropolis busied themselves with it. All the equipment that is placed in a tomb-shaft was supplied. Mortuary priests were given me. A funerary domain was made for me. It had fields and a garden in the right place, as is done for a Companion of the first rank. My statue was oveflaid with gold, its skirt with electrum. It was his majesty who ordered it made. There is no commoner for whom the like has been done. I was in the favor of the king, until the day of landing came. The Eloquent Peasant In the reign of lord of the two lands nubkaira, son of ra amenemhat II, given life forever. There was a peasant naned sekti, who lived near an oaisis in the wesrtern desert. One day, he loaded up his donkey whit goods to be sold in the city. He loaded natron, and reeds, salt,woods and seeds. He said good bye to his wife and children and set out for the city. On his journey. He encountered the lands owned by the high official meritensa . the lands were overseen by the evil man hemti. Henti saw the peasant approaching and wondered how he could rob sekhti of his donkeys and good.he orderd one of his servants to go to the house and bring one of his find sheets. Hemti spread the sheets across the path. It stretg=ched from hemtis grain field to the river of the other side of the path.when sekhti approached, hemti called out to him, be carefull, peasant. Dont let your donkeys trample my sheets. Then sekhti repied, I will do as you wish. And he donkeys out into the field.hemti cried, now youre trampling my grain. Sekhti repied, how can avoid trampling your grain, when you wont let me use the path? amd then one of the donkeys began eating hemti s grain.

Hemti seized the donkey, and said, "I will take this animal as payment for the damage that it has done." Sekhti cried, "First you kept me from using the path. I tried to be careful, but then you seize my donkey for trampling and eating your grain. I know that this land belongs to the just Meritensa, who judges the thieves and evildoers of the land. Surely, he won't let me be robbed on his own land."

Hemti beat Sekhti and took his donkeys and goods. He said, "The Lord Meritensa will believe me, the overseer of his lands. He won't believe the word of a mere peasant." Sekhti cried out from the beating. Hemti said, "Be silent, or I will send you to the Lord of Silence." Sekhti stayed there the rest of the day, and tried to convince Hemti to return his property. Then Sekhti went to the city, to look for the Lord Meritensa. Eventually, he found Meritensa at the river, about to get into a boat. Sekhti called, "Hail to thee, my Lord! Let me tell you the story of how I have been wronged." Meritensa ordered one of his scribes to write down Sekhti's story. Later Sekhti appeared before the Lord Meritensa, and other judges, in the Hall of Judgement. After he told his story, the other judges told Meritensa that they knew that Hemti was dishonest, but, since Sekhti was a peasant, they would have to hear the testimony of other witnesses before they would believe his story. Meritensa was upset by what the other judges said. But, he ordered Sekhti to go and find witnesses to the crime, and bring them to the Hall of Judgement. Sekhti could find no witnesses. And he returned to the Hall of Judgement. He praised Meritensa, "O my Lord, greatest of the great, friend of the poor. May you have good fortune wherever you may go. May you sail in fair weather, wherever you wish, and never experience fear, for truth shall bring you back to harbor. For you are the father to those that are orphaned, you are the widow's husband, the desolate woman's brother, the garment of the motherless. Let me sing your praises throughout the land, for you are a guide without thought of reward, a great one who is never greedy, one who destroys lies, loves justice, and hears the words of the most humble. Therefore hear my prayer, and give me true justice. Put an end to my oppression; restore that which has been stolen from me." And he said more, which the scribes wrote down. Meritensa was delighted to hear this eloquent speech from a peasant. He said that he would consider the case, and that he would like to hear more on the next day. Meritensa then hurried to the presence of the Son of Ra, Amenemhat. Meritensa said, "O Your Highness, life, health, and prosperity to you. I have found a peasant named Sekhti who is wonderfully eloquent." And he told the king of Sekhti's story. After the scribes had read Sekhti's speech to the king, he exclaimed, "It is a joy to hear such eloquence. Do not give him justice, just yet. I want to hear more of his speeches. Have your scribes written down his words, and have

these words brought to me. Make sure that he has a place to stay, and enough to eat. And take care of his wife and children. So, day after day, Sekhti returned to the Hall of Judgement. And each day, he praised Meritensa and the king. And each day, he pleaded for justice. And scribes recorded all of his words. But Meritensa pretended not to listen to him. Sekhti criticized Meritensa for not giving him justice and Meritensa had him beaten for this. On the ninth day, Sekhti was ready to give up. He gave one last speech. "O great one, you destroy evil and encourage that which is good. Your justice and mercy are like the plenty which drives away famine, they are like the clear sky that follows a storm, they are like water that quenches thirst. Give me justice for the wrong that was done to me." When Sekhti saw that Meritensa did not respond, he left, dejected. Meritensa sent two men to go get Sekhti and return him to the Hall of Judgement. Sekhti feared that he was going to be beaten again, and perhaps killed. But, Meritensa said to him, "Fear not, Sekhti. Your speeches have been read to the Good God, Amenemhat, may he live forever and ever. He has praised you. Come with me now to the palace, so that you may be rewarded." And the king ordered that all of Sekhti's property be returned to him. And he also gave Sekhti all of Hemti's property, making Hemti the poorest of peasants. And the king made Sekhti overseer of the lands of Meritensa. And Sekhti spoke often in the palace, as the king delighted to hear him. And Sekhti prospered and was famous, all the days of his life. And justice ruled in Egypt.

when Earth was a paradise and gods and humans lived together, Ra was the ruler of both gods and men. Day and night did not yet exist, for Ra had not begun his journey across they sky. Neither did death exist, thus there was no Nether Hemti seized the donkey, and said, "I will take this animal as payment for the damage that it has done." Sekhti cried, "First you kept me from using the path. I tried to be careful, but then you seize my donkey for trampling and eating your grain. I know that this land belongs to the just Meritensa, who judges the thieves and evil-doers of the land. Surely, he won't let me be robbed on his own land." Hemti beat Sekhti and took his donkeys and goods. He said, "The Lord Meritensa will believe me, the overseer of his lands. He won't believe the word of a mere peasant." Sekhti cried out from the beating. Hemti said, "Be silent, or I will send you to the Lord of Silence." Sekhti stayed there the rest of the day, and tried to convince Hemti to return his property. Then Sekhti went to the city, to look for the Lord Meritensa. Eventually, he found Meritensa at the river, about to get into a boat. Sekhti called, "Hail to thee, my Lord! Let me tell you the story of how I have been wronged." Meritensa ordered one of his scribes to write down Sekhti's story.

Later Sekhti appeared before the Lord Meritensa, and other judges, in the Hall of Judgement. After he told his story, the other judges told Meritensa that they knew that Hemti was dishonest, but, since Sekhti was a peasant, they would have to hear the testimony of other witnesses before they would believe his story. Meritensa was upset by what the other judges said. But, he ordered Sekhti to go and find witnesses to the crime, and bring them to the Hall of Judgement. Sekhti could find no witnesses. And he returned to the Hall of Judgement. He praised Meritensa, "O my Lord, greatest of the great, and friend of the poor. May you have good fortune wherever you may go. May you sail in fair weather, wherever you wish, and never experience fear, for truth shall bring you back to harbor. For you are the father to those that are orphaned, you are the widow's husband, the desolate woman's brother, the garment of the motherless. Let me sing your praises throughout the land, for you are a guide without thought of reward, a great one who is never greedy, one who destroys lies, loves justice, and hears the words of the most humble. Therefore hear my prayer, and give me true justice. Put an end to my oppression; restore that which has been stolen from me." And he said more, which the scribes wrote down. Meritensa was delighted to hear this eloquent speech from a peasant. He said that he would consider the case, and that he would like to hear more on the next day. Meritensa then hurried to the presence of the Son of Ra, Amenemhat. Meritensa said, "O Your Highness, life, health, and prosperity to you. I have found a peasant named Sekhti who is wonderfully eloquent." And he told the king of Sekhti's story. After the scribes had read Sekhti's speech to the king, he exclaimed, "It is a joy to hear such eloquence. Do not give him justice, just yet. I want to hear more of his speeches. Have your scribes written down his words, and have these words brought to me. Make sure that he has a place to stay, and enough to eat. And take care of his wife and children. So, day after day, Sekhti returned to the Hall of Judgement. And each day, he praised Meritensa and the king. And each day, he pleaded for justice. And scribes recorded all of his words. But Meritensa pretended not to listen to him. Sekhti criticized Meritensa for not giving him justice and Meritensa had him beaten for this. On the ninth day, Sekhti was ready to give up. He gave one last speech. "O great one, you destroy evil and encourage that which is good. Your justice and mercy are like the plenty which drives away famine, they are like the clear sky that follows a storm, they are like water that quenches thirst. Give me justice for the wrong that was done to me." When Sekhti saw that Meritensa did not respond, he left, dejected. Meritensa sent two men to go get Sekhti and return him to the Hall of Judgement. Sekhti feared that he was going to be beaten again, and perhaps killed. But, Meritensa said to him, "Fear not, Sekhti. Your speeches have been read to the Good God, Amenemhat, may he live forever and ever. He has praised you. Come with me now to the palace, so that you may be rewarded." And the king ordered that all of Sekhti's property be returned to him. And he also gave Sekhti all of Hemti's property, making Hemti the poorest of peasants. And the king made Sekhti overseer of the lands of Meritensa. And Sekhti spoke often in the palace, as the king delighted to hear him. And Sekhti prospered and was famous, all the days of his life. And justice ruled in Egypt. The New Kingdom story of Horus and Seth tells the story of the ideal male coming-of-age ritual. I am using Miriam Lichtheims translations. Horus appears before the court of the gods with his mother, Isis as his chief advocate claiming the office of his father, Osiris.*1+ Seth, his uncle, plays the role of the challenger when he declares, Let him be sent outside with me and I shall let you see my hand prevailing over his hand. Banebdjede, the Ram-headed deity of Mendes complains through the pen of Thoth, scribe of the Ennead, What shall we do about these two people, who for eighty years now have been before the tribunal? Thereby we know the contest takes a long time, so it is not a single, symbolic ceremony.

The story treats Seth as if he were the father of a bride about to lose a daughter when the Goddess Neith writes, Double Seths possessions. Give him Anat and Astarte, your two daughters. And place Horus on the seat of his father! That message means the challenger is expected, at least by some, to lose the challenge and receive compensation. We know Horus is a youth because Pre-Harakhti, supposedly the boys great-grandfather, tells Horus You are feeble in body and this office is too big for you, you youngster whose breath smells bad. The word Lichtheim translates as youngster is aDd (adjed) meaning offender, wrongdoer, where the determinative is a child with one hand to his mouth, and a uraeus on his forehead, a motif that reappears in the Doomed Prince (4,7-9). The remainder of the Horus and Seth story tells the various contendings these two youths devised for each other. We have to assume that Seth, also, is a youth, because Atum refers to the two contenders as these two youths, where the word for youth is again aDd. Many of these contests, if done by human beings, would be a matter of life and death. In one contest the two youths try to outwit one another. This contest includes a homosexual attempt by Seth and a revenge by Horus. In the course of this contest both youngsters prove that they are indeed post-pubescent by producing semen. Isis seems to be aware of the importance not just of semen production, but its placement or role in the coming-of-age ceremony. She goes through the ritual masturbation of her son to produce that semen. He has Horus place his own semen on the lettuce patch so that Seth ingests it. Back in court, Seth declares that I have done a mans deed to him. Literally, I did work and fight to him, where kAt, work is written as its homonym, kAt, vagina, so it ends up reading, literally, I did a vagina fight to him. However we translate aHA, to fight, it implies the use of force in this male contest. This contest ends with a ritual calling forth of these young mens semen with all the deities present. Seths semen ends up discarded in the marshes. Horuss semen, in Seths belly, transforms into a golden sun disk that Thoth appropriates for himself. Just as an aside, I see this second reference to the suns disk, this time a golden Aten Thoth takes, as an allusion to Akhenaten establishing his capital, Akhetaten, within the precinct, and, therefore, under the protection, of the temple of Thoth, across the Nile river at Hermopolis. That would make Seth a symbol of Amun-Ra, and the entire story a satire on the power struggle between Amun-Ra and Aten.

The Horus and Seth story ends with the father, Osiris, declaring his son, Horus, his legitimate heir. Seth is brought as a bound prisoner, a game that was played by post-pubescent boys, and Isis closes the ceremony with a declaration of Horuss new identity. Hathors role in the Horus and Seth story may be that of the female entertainer, because, at a time when Pre Harakhty was sulking she uncovered her nakedness before him, thereupon the great god laughed at her. Literally, she uncovered her vagina, and judging from the lions flank determinative, she exposed her vagina by bending forward, a popular pose among the relatively few pornographic pictures we have from ancient Egypt. The way the words are written, the sexual act is implied, but not expressly stated. The sun-god nevertheless emerges from his depression with satisfaction. Perhaps someone can come up with another example where laughter is a euphemism for orgasm.

The point here is that Hathor used her sexuality here not for reproduction, but for entertainment, or, perhaps healing, in the sense of curing a depression.