No More Learning

THE STORY OF SETNA
[The beginning of this tale is lost, but it is clear from what remains of
it that Setna Kha-em-uast, son of a Pharaoh who may be identified with
Rameses II. , of the XIXth Dynasty (about 1300 B. C. ), was a diligent student
of the ancient writings, chiefly for the sake of the occult knowledge which
they were supposed to contain. He discovered, or was told of, the existence
of a book which Thoth, the god of letters, science and magic, had written
with his own hand, and learned that this book was to be found in the ceme-
tery of Memphis, in the tomb of Na-nefer-ka-ptah, the only son of some
earlier Pharaoh. Setna evidently succeeded in finding and entering this
tomb, and there he saw the kas or ghosts of Na-nefer-ka-ptah, his wife (and
sister) Ahura, and their little boy Merab; and with them was the book. To
dissuade Setna from abstracting the book, Ahura tells him how they had
become possessed of it, and had paid for it with their earthly lives; and it
is with her tale that the papyrus begins. Setna, however, insists upon tak-
ing the book; but Na-nefer-ka-ptah challenges him, as a good scribe and a
learned man, to a trial of skill in a game, and in the imposition of magical
penalties on the loser. Setna agrees; but being worsted, he calls in outside
help and succeeds in carrying off the book. Na-nefer-ka-ptah comforts Ahura
for its loss by assuring her that Setna shall ignominiously restore it. Setna
studies the book with delight; but presently, by the magic power of Na-nefer-
ka-ptah, he becomes the victim of an extraordinary hallucination, and the
strength of his spirit is broken because (in imagination at least) he is steeped
in impurity and crime. When he awakes from this trance, Pharaoh persuades
him to return the book to its dead owners. On his return to the tomb,
Na-nefer-ka-ptah exacts from him the promise to go to the cemetery of
Koptos and bring thence to Memphis the bodies of Ahura and of Merab,
which had been buried there, apart from him. Setna duly performs his
promise, and so the story ends.


## p. 5263 (#435) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5263
The only known copy of this tale appears to have been written in 251
B. C. , the thirty-fifth year of Ptolemy Philadelphus, and it must have been
composed at least as late as the Sebennyte Dynasty, early in the fourth cen-
tury, although it refers to historical characters of a thousand years before.
The story is more elaborate, and its plot is more coherent than is the
case with the earlier tales such as that of Anpu and Bata, in which events
succeed each other often without natural connection. The language however
is in simple narrative style, without any attempt at fine writing.
At the point at which the mutilated papyrus begins, we find that Ahura is
telling Setna the story of her life. Apparently he has just been told how she
sent a messenger to the king, asking that she may be married to her brother
Na-nefer-ka-ptab. The king has refused her request, and the messenger has
reproached him for his unkindness; the king replies:-)
"T"
I will marry
Tis thou who art dealing wrongly towards me.
If it hap-
pen that I have not a child after two children, is it the law
to marry the one with the other of them ?
Naneferkaptah with the daughter of a commander of troops, and
I will marry Ahura with the son of another commander of troops:
it has so happened in our family much. '
“It came to pass that the amusement was set before Pharaoh,
and they came for me and took me to the amusement named,
and it happened that my soul was troubled exceedingly and I
behaved not in my manner of the previous day. Said Pharaoh to
me, 'Ahura, is it thou that didst cause them to come to me in
these anxieties, saying, “Let me marry with Naneferkaptah, my
elder brother»?
“Said I to him, “Let me marry with the son of a commander
of troops, and let him marry with the daughter of another com-
mander of troops: it has happened in our family much. '
“I laughed, Pharaoh laughed, and his soul was exceeding
gladdened. Said Pharaoh to the steward of the king's house,
'Let Ahura be taken to the house of Naneferkaptah to-night, and
let all things that are good be taken with her. '
"I was taken as a wife to the house of Naneferkaptah in the
night named, and a present of silver and gold was brought to
me; the household of Pharaoh caused them all to be brought to
And Naneferkaptah made a good day' with me; he received
all the heads of the household of Pharaoh. And he found me
pleasing, he quarreled not with me, ever, ever: each of us loved
his fellow. And when I was about to bear a child, report of it
was made before Pharaoh, and his soul was exceeding gladdened.
1« To make a good day) – to keep holiday, to hold festival.
me.


## p. 5264 (#436) ###########################################

5264
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
for me
and Pharaoh caused many things to be taken
on the
instant; he caused to be brought to me a present of silver and
gold and royal linen, beautiful exceedingly. Then came my time
of bearing; I bore this boy that is before thee, whose name is
called Merab, and he was caused to write in the book of the
House of Life. )
"It came to pass that Naneferkaptah, my brother, had no
habit on the earth? but to walk in the cemetery of Memphis,
reading the writings that were in the catacombs of the Pharaohs,
with the tablets of the scribes of the House of Life,' and the
inscriptions that were on the monuments; and he was eager for
writing exceedingly.
“After these things it befell that there was a procession in
honor of Ptah; Naneferkaptah went into the temple to worship,
and he chanced to be walking behind the procession reading the
inscriptions that were in the shrines of the gods. An aged priest
saw him and laughed. Naneferkaptah said to him, “For what art
thou laughing at me? '
“And he said :-I am not laughing at thee; if I laughed, it
was that thou art reading writings that no one on earth has any
good of. If it be that thou seekest to read writings, come to me,
and I will bring thee to the place where that roll is which it was
Thoth that wrote with his own hand, and which goes down to
fetch the gods. There are two formulas of writing that are upon
it, and when thou readest the first formula thou will enchant
the heaven, the earth, the underworld, the mountains, and the
seas; thou shalt discover all that the birds of the heaven and the
creeping things shall say; thou shalt see the fishes of the deep,
for there is a power from God brings them into water above
them. And when thou readest the second formula, if it be that
thou art in Aments thou takest thy form of earth again. Thou
wilt see the sun rising in the sky with his circle of gods, and
the moon in its form of shining. '
"And Naneferkaptah said, “As the king liveth! Let a good
thing that thou dost desire be told me, and I will have it done
for thee, if thou wilt direct me to the place where this roll is. '
i This apparently means that he was enrolled as one to be educated as a
learned scribe.
? I. e. , as we should say, he did nothing in the world but walk in the
cemetery of Memphis,) etc.
The realm of Osiris as god of the dead.


## p. 5265 (#437) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5265
"Said the priest to Naneferkaptah: If it be that thou desirest
to be directed to the place where this roll is, thou shalt give me
three hundred ounces of silver for my funeral, and provide that
they shall make me two coffin cases as a great priest, rich in
silver. '
“Naneferkaptah called a lad, and caused to be given the three
hundred ounces of silver for the priest, and he caused to be done
what he desired for two coffin cases; he caused them to be made
as for a great and rich priest.
“Said the priest to Naneferkaptah:-“The roll named, it is in
the midst of the Sea of Koptos,' in a box of iron. In the iron
box is a box of bronze, in the bronze box is a box of Kedt wood,
in the box of Kedt wood is a box of ivory and ebony, in the box
of ivory and ebony is a box of silver, in the box of silver is a
box of gold in which is the roll. There is a mile of snakes,
scorpions, and every kind of reptile surrounding the box in which
the roll is; there is a snake of eternity surrounding the box
named. '
"At the time of the relation that the priest made before Na-
neferkaptah, Naneferkaptah knew not what place on earth he
was in. And he came out of the temple and related before me
all that the priest had said to him. He said to me, I shall go
to Koptos, I shall fetch this roll thence; I shall not be slow in
coming back to the north again. '
“It came to pass that I opposed the priest, saying: Beware of
this thing that thou hast spoken before him! Thou hast brought
to me the strife of the nome of Thebes;: I have found it cruel. '
I caused my hand to stay with Naneferkaptah, in order not to let
him go to Koptos. He did not hearken to me; he went before
Pharaoh and related before Pharaoh everything that the priest
had said to him-all. Pharaoh said to him, What is it that
thou desirest ? ?
“He said to him, 'Cause to be given to me the royal pleasure
boat with its equipment: I will take Ahura and Merab her boy
to the south with me; I will fetch this roll without delaying. '
1 It is difficult to locate this lake in accordance with the actual geography
of Egypt.
2 A frequent phrase for extreme delight or amazement.
3 There seems to be some reference to past history in this.
4 An idiomatic phrase like he caused his hand to go after the roll » for
put out his hand to take the roll, p. 5272.
IX—330


## p. 5266 (#438) ###########################################

5266
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
« They gave him the royal pleasure-boat with its equipment,
and we went up on board it; we set sail and reached Koptos.
And they made report of it before the priests of Isis of Koptos
and the high priest of Isis; they came down to meet us, they
delayed not to meet Naneferkaptah; their women came down to
meet me also. We went up on shore; we went into the temple
of Isis and Harpokrates, and Naneferkaptah caused to be brought
ox, goose, and wine; he made a burnt-offering and a drink-
offering before Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. We were taken
to a house exceeding beautiful, filled with all good things, and
Naneferkaptah spent four days making a good day with the priests
of Isis of Koptos, the women of the priests of Isis making a good
day with myself.
“Came the morning of our fifth day: Naneferkaptah caused to
be brought to him pure wax. ' He made a boat, furnished with
its crew and its tackle. He read a spell to them, he caused them
to live, he gave them breath, he cast them into the sea. He
loaded the royal pleasure-boat of Pharaoh with sand; he caused
the boat to be brought, he went on board. I sa by the sea
of Koptos, saying, I will discover what will become of him. '
“He said, “Boatmen, row on with me as far as the place in
which this roll is. And they rowed by night as by midday.
“And when he reached it, in three days, he threw sand before
him, then there became a space of dry land. And when he found
a mile of serpents and scorpions, and every kind of creeping thing
encompassing the box in which the roll was, and when he found
a snake of eternity encompassing the box, he read a spell to the
mile of serpents, scorpions, and every kind of creeping thing that
was around the box, and suffered them not to leap up.
He went
to the place in which was the snake of eternity; he made battle
with it, he slew it. It lived; it made its form again. He made
battle with it again for a second time; he slew it: it lived. He
made battle with it again for a third time; he made it in two
pieces; he put sand between one piece and its fellow. It died;
it did not make its form ever again.
"Naneferkaptah went to the place where the box was. He
found that it was a box of iron; he opened it, he found a box of
bronze; he opened it, he found a box of kedt wood; he opened
it, he found a box of ivory and ebony; he opened it, he found a
I Wax was the regular material used for the manufacture of models which
were intended to be used in the practice of magic.
1


## p. 5267 (#439) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5267
box of silver; he opened it, he found a box of gold; he opened
it, he found the book in it. He took up the roll from in the box
of gold, he read a formula of writing from it. He enchanted
the heaven, the earth, the underworld, the mountains, and the
seas; he discovered all that the birds of the heaven with the fishes
of the deep, the beasts of the mountains said-all. He read
another formula of writing, he saw the Sun rising in the sky
with all his circle of gods, and the moon rising, and the stars in
their shapes; he saw the fishes of the deep, for there was a
power from God brought them into the water over them. He
read a spell to the sea, and restored it as it was. He embarked.
He said to the crew, Row on for me as far as the place to which
I go. And they rowed at night like as at midday. When he
reached the place where I was, he found me sitting by the sea of
Koptos, without drinking or eating anything, without doing any-
thing on the earth, being in the likeness of one who has reached
the Good Houses. I
"I said to Naneferkaptah, O Naneferkaptah, let me see this
book, for which we have taken these pains! '
“He put the roll into my hand. I read a formula of writing
in it; I enchanted the heaven, the earth, the underworld, the
mountains, the seas; I discovered what the birds of the sky, the
fishes of the deep, and the beasts of the hills said — all. I read
another formula of the writing, and I saw the sun rising in the
sky with his circle of gods; I saw the moon shining with all the
stars of the heaven in their nature; I saw the fishes of the deep,
for it was that a power from God brought them into the water
above where they were. As I could not write, it was that I
spoke to Naneferkaptah my elder brother, who was a good scribe
and a learned man exceedingly; and he caused to be brought
before him a piece of new papyrus; he wrote every word that
was on the roll before him — all. He dipped it in beer, he melted
it in water, he saw that it had been melted, he drank it, he
knew that which was in it. ?
"We returned to Koptos on the day named: we made a good
day before Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. We embarked, we
went down to the river, we reached north of Koptos by one mile.
1 The place of embalmment.
? A similar method is still employed by Arab doctors and wizards. To heal
a disease a formula is written out and then washed off the paper in a bowl
of water, which is given to the patient to drink.


## p. 5268 (#440) ###########################################

5268
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
Behold, Thoth had discovered everything that happened to Na-
neferkaptah on account of the roll; Thoth delayed not, he com-
plained before the Sun, saying, “Know my right, my judgment
with Naneferkaptah the son of Pharaoh Mernebptah! He went
to my place, he robbed it, he took my box containing my book,
he killed my guard who was watching it. '
"It was said to him, He is before thee, with every man that
belongeth to him-all. ” 1
“There was sent a power from God down from heaven, saying,
Let not Naneferkaptah go to Memphis safe, with every man that
belongeth to him - all. ”
"An hour passed: Merab, the boy, came out from under the
awning of the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, he fell into the river, he
did the will of Ra. Everybody that was on board uttered a cry
- all. Naneferkaptah came out from under his cabin, he read a
writing over him, he caused him to come up, for it was that a
power from God in the water was laid on his upper side. ? He
read a writing over him, he made him relate before him of every-
thing that had happened to him — all, and the accusation that
Thoth made before Ra.
“We returned to Koptos with him. We caused him to be
taken to the Good House and laid in state; we caused him to be
embalmed like a prince and great man; we caused him to rest in
his coffin in the cemetery of Koptos.
« Said Naneferkaptah my brother, Let us go down the river,
let us not delay before Pharaoh hear the things that have hap-
pened to us, and his soul be sad therefore. "
“We embarked, we went down-stream, we delayed not; and
traveled to the north of Koptos by one mile. At the place of
the falling of Merab the boy into the river, I came out from
under the awning of the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, I fell into the
river, I did the will of Ra. Everybody that was on board uttered
a cry-all. They told it to Naneferkaptah, he came out from
under the awning of the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, he read a
writing over me, he caused me to leap up, for it was that a
power from God in the water rested on my upper side. He
caused me to be taken up, he read a writing over me, he caused
me to relate before him everything that had happened unto me
- all; and the accusation that Thoth had made before Ra. He
1 Cf. Job i. , 12.
2 1. e. , above him.


## p. 5269 (#441) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5269
returned to Koptos with me, he caused me to be brought to the
Good House, he caused me to be laid in state, he caused me to
be embalmed with the embalmment of a prince and very great
person, he caused me to rest in the tomb where Merab the boy
lay.
“He embarked, he went down - stream, he hastened north of
Koptos by one mile to the place of our falling into the river.
He spake with his soul, saying:- Can I go to Koptos and dwell
there? Otherwise, if it be that I go to Memphis, the moment
that Pharaoh asks me after his children, what shall I say to him ?
Can I tell it to him, saying, I took thy children to the nome of
Thebes, I killed them, I being alive; I came to Memphis, I being
alive still ? )
"He caused them to bring a strip of royal linen before him;
he made it into a girdle. He bound the roll, he put it upon his
stomach, he made it firm. Naneferkaptah came out from under
the awning of the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, he fell into the river,
he did the will of Ra. Everybody that was on board uttered a
cry — all, saying: 'Great woe! Oppressive woe! Has he gone
back,' the good scribe, the learned man, to whom there is no
equal ?
“The pleasure-boat of Pharaoh went down-stream, without any
one on earth knowing where Naneferkaptah was. They reached
Memphis, they made report of it before Pharaoh. Pharaoh came
down to meet the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh in mourning, the army
of Memphis took mourning - all, together with the priests of Ptah,
the chief prophet of Ptah, with the officials and household of
Pharaoh — all. They saw Naneferkaptah clinging to the rudders
of the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, by virtue of his art of a good
scribe. They drew him up, they saw the roll on his stomach.
Said Pharaoh, Let this roll that is on his stomach be hidden
away. '
“Said the officers of Pharaoh, with the priests of Ptah, and
the chief prophet of Ptah, before Pharaoh: O our great lord the
King, may he accomplish the duration of Ra ! ? Naneferkaptah
was a good scribe, a learned man exceedingly. '
“Pharaoh caused to be given to him entrance to the Good
House for sixteen days, wrapping for thirty-five and coffining for
seventy; he was caused to rest in his tomb, in his places of rest. ”
1 An expression for death, like our gone home. ”
? 1. e. , “May he live as long as the Sun god. ”


## p. 5270 (#442) ###########################################

5270
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
[Having finished her story, Ahura proceeds to point out the moral to
Setna. ]
“I am suffering the ills which have come upon us because of
this roll of which thou sayest, Let it be given to me! ' Thou
hast no claim to it: our life on earth has been taken for it. ”
Said Setna, "Ahura, let this roll be given me which I see
between thee and Naneferkaptah, else will I take it by force. ”
Rose Naneferkaptah on the couch; he said: “Art thou Setna,
before whom this woman has told these misfortunes which thou
hast not suffered — all? The book named, canst thou take it only
by strength of a good scribe? It were sufficient to play draughts
with me.
Let us play for it at the game of fifty-two points. ”
And Setna said, “I am ready. ”
The board and its pieces were put before them. They played
at the fifty-two, and Naneferkaptah won a game from Setna. He
[Naneferkaptah] read a spell over him; he [Setna] defended him-
self with the game-board that was before him. He [Nanefer-
kaptah] made him [Setna] go into the ground as far as his feet.
He did its like in the second game; he won it from Setna, he
made him go into the ground as far as his middle. He did its
like in the third game; he made him go into the ground as far
as his ears. After these things Setna made a great blow on the
hand of Naneferkaptah. Setna called to Anheru, his brother by
Anherart,saying: "Make haste and go up upon the earth, do
thou relate of everything that has happened to me before Pha-
raoh, and do thou bring the amulets of Ptah my father, and
my rolls of magic. ”
He hastened up upon earth, he related before Pharaoh of
everything that had happened to Setna. Said Pharaoh, “Take to
him the amulets of Ptah his father, and his rolls of magic. ”
Anheru hastened down into the tomb; he laid the talismans on
the body of Setna, he [Setna] sprang to heaven at the moment
named. Setna caused his hand to go after the roll, he took it.
It came to pass that Setna went up from the tomb, Light walk-
ing before him and Darkness walking behind him, and Ahura
1 The presence of names compounded with the name of Anher, god of
Sebennytus, indicates that the story was written during or after the supremacy
of that city, at the end of the native rule.
2 Setna Kha-em-uast was high priest of Ptah.
Evidently a strong expression, to show the instantaneous and powerful
effect of the amulets in drawing him out of the ground.
3


## p. 5271 (#443) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5271
weeping after him, saying, "Hail to thee, King Darkness! Fare-
well to thee, King Light!
All consolation is gone that was in the
tomb. "
Said Naneferkaptah to Ahura, “Be not troubled of soul; I
will make him bring this book hither, there being a fork for a
staff in his hand, there being a pan of fire on his head. ” 1
And Setna came up from the tomb, he made it fast behind
him in its manner.
Setna went before Pharaoh, he related before him of the
thing that had happened to him with the roll. Said Pharaoh to
Setna, "Take this roll to the tomb of Naneferkaptah in the mar
ner of a prudent man, else he will make thee bring it, there
being a fork for a staff in thine hand, there being a pan of fire
on thine head. »
Not did Setna hearken to him. It came to pass that Setna
had no habit on earth but unrolling the roll and reading it
before everybody.
After these things there was a day when Setna passed time
in the court of Ptah, and saw a woman beautiful exceedingly,
there being no woman of her beauty. There were ornaments of
much gold upon her, there were children and women walking
behind her, there were fifty-two persons of chiefs of households
assigned to her. The hour that Setna saw her he knew not the
place on earth where he was. Setna called to his attendant
youth, saying, “Go quickly to the place where this woman is;
learn what comes under her command. ”
The attendant youth went quickly to the place where the
woman was, he addressed the handmaid who walked behind her,
he asked her, saying, “What person is this woman ? ” She said
to him, "She is Tabubua, the daughter of the prophet of Bast,
lady of Ankhtaui, she having come hither to pray before Ptah
the great god. ”
The youth went back to Setna, he related before him of
everything that she had told him — all.
[In his infatuation for this woman, Setna forgets all decorum and all duty,
and follows her home to Bubastis, and «ashamed was every one that was
about Setna. ) To win the favor of Tabubua, he hands over to her all his
possessions and the inheritance of his children; and at length she demands
that his children should be put to death to prevent disputes. ]
Setna said, “Let there be done unto them the abomination
that has entered thy heart. ”
1 This choice of symbols of submission is not yet explained.


## p. 5272 (#444) ###########################################

5272
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
She caused his children to be slain before his face; she caused
them to be cast down from the window before the dogs and the
cats. They devoured their flesh, he hearing them, he drinking
with Tabubua.
[Setna awakens from the trance in which he has in imagination sunk to
such depths of wickedness, to find himself lying naked in a strange place. )
An hour it was that passed when Setna saw a great man
riding on a chariot, there being many men running at his feet,
he being like Pharaoh. Setna came to rise; he could not rise for
shame, for there was no clothing upon him. Pharaoh said,
“Setna, what has befallen thee in this state in which thou art ?
Said he, “Naneferkaptah is he who hath done this to me -
all. ”
Pharaoh said, “Go to Memphis: thy children they are seeking
for thee; they are standing on their feet before Pharaoh. ”
Setna said before Pharaoh, My great lord the King, may he
accomplish the duration of Ra! What is the manner of going to
Memphis that I can do, there being no clothes on earth upon
me ? »
Pharaoh called to a youth standing by, he made him give
clothing to Setna. Said Pharaoh to Setna, "Go to Memphis:
thy children, they are alive, they are standing on their feet
before Pharaoh. ”
Setna came to Memphis, he embraced his children with hand,
he found them alive. Pharaoh said, “Is it drinking that hath
brought thee thus ? »
Setna related everything that had happened to him with Tabu-
bua, with Naneferkaptah-all. Pharaoh said: “Setna, I put my
hand upon thee before,' saying, 'Thou wilt be slain if thou dost
not take this roll to the place from which it was brought. Thou
didst not listen to me till this hour, Give this roll to Nanefer-
kaptah, there being a forked stick for a staff in thine hand, there
being a pan of fire on thine head. ”
Setna came out from before Pharaoh, there being a forked
stick for a staff in his hand, there being a pan of fire on his
head. He went down to the tomb in which was Naneferkaptah.
Ahura said to him, “Setna, it is Ptah the grcat god who hath
brought thee back safe. ”
i Compare the expression noted on p. 5265.


## p. 5273 (#445) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5273
Naneferkaptah laughed, saying, “This is a thing that I told
thee before. ”
Setna saluted Naneferkaptah; he found him as it is said,
“He is the sun that is in the whole tomb. ” Ahura and Na-
neferkaptah saluted Setna greatly. Setna said, “Naneferkaptah,
is there aught that is disgraceful ? »
Naneferkaptah said, “Setna, thou knowest this, that Ahura
and Merab her child, they are in Koptos: bring them here into
this tomb by the skill of a good scribe. Let it be commanded
before thee, and do thou take pains, and do thou go to Koptos,
and do thou bring them hither. ”
Setna came up from the tomb and went before Pharaoh; he
related before Pharaoh of everything that Naneferkaptah had
said to him — all.
Pharaoh said, “Setna, go to Koptos, bring Ahura and Merab
her child. "
He said before Pharaoh, "Let the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh be
given to me with its equipment. ”
The pleasure-boat of Pharaoh was given to him with its equip-
ment; he embarked, he sailed up, he did not delay, he arrived
at Koptos.
Information of it was given before the priests of Isis of Kop-
tos, and the chief prophet of Isis. They came down to meet
him, they took his hand to the shore. He went up, he went
into the temple of Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. He caused
ox, goose, wine to be brought; he made a burnt-offering, a
drink-offering, before Isis of Koptos and Harpokrates. He went
to the cemetery of Koptos, with the priests of Isis and the chief
prophet of Isis; they spent three days and three nights searching
in the tombs which were in the cemetery of Koptos — all, turning
over the stelæ of the scribes of the House of Life, reading the
inscriptions that were on them. They found not the places of
rest in which were Ahura and Merab her son.
Naneferkaptah perceived that they found not the places of
rest of Ahura and Merab her son. He rose from the dead as
an old man, great of age exceedingly. He came to meet Setna,
and Setna saw him. Setna said to the old man, “Thou art of
the appearance of a man great of age: knowest thou the places
of rest in which are Ahura and Merab her child ? »
The old man said to Setna, « The father of the father of my
father told to the father of my father, and the father of my


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5274
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
9
father told to my father, that the resting-places of Ahura and
Merab her child are by the south corner of the house of Pehe-
mato, as his name is. ”
Said Setna to the old man, “Is it not an injury that Pehemato
hath done thee, by reason of which thou comest to cause his
house to be brought down to the ground ? »
The old man said to Setna, “Let watch be set over me and
let the house of Pehemato be taken down. If it be that they
find not Ahura and Merab her child under the south corner of
his house, may abomination be done to me. ”
A watch was set over the old man; the resting-place of Ahura
and Merab her child was found under the south corner of the
house of Pehemato. Setna caused them to enter as great people
on the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh; he caused the house of Pehe-
mato to be built in its former manner. Naneferkaptah made
Setna to discover what had happened: that it was he who had
come to Koptos to let them find the resting-place in which Ahura
and Merab her child were.
Setna embarked on the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh, he went
down the river, he did not delay, he reached Memphis with all
the army that was with him—all. Report was made of it before
Pharaoh, he came down to meet the pleasure-boat of Pharaoh.
He caused them to be introduced as great persons to the tomb
where Naneferkaptah was, he caused dirges to be made above
them.
This is a complete writing, relating of Setna Khaemuast, and
Nane ferkaptah, and Ahura his wife, and Merab her child. This
was written in the XXXVth year, the month Tybi.
Translation of F. Ll. Griffith.
THE STELA OF PIANKHY
[The following inscription, one of the longest in existence, covers both
faces and the sides of a large stela of black basalt in the Museum at Gizeh.
It was found in the temple of Gebel Barkal, beyond Dongola in Nubia. Here
was one of the capitals of a native Ethiopian dynasty, and in the temple
dedicated to Amen a number of historical stelæ were set up by different
kings, of whom Piankhy (about 800 B. C. ) was the earliest. Not improbably
he was descended from the priest kings of the XXIst Egyptian dynasty (at
Thebes, about 1000 B. C. ); at any rate, the name which he bore occurs in


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EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5275
that dynasty, and his devotion to Amen agrees with the theory. We learn
from the stela that by some means he had obtained the suzerainty over
Upper Egypt, which was governed by local kings and nomarchs; while Lower
Egypt was similarly divided but independent. Among the princes of the
North land the most powerful was Tafnekht, probably a Libyan nomarch
of Sais who had absorbed the whole of the western side of Lower Egypt.
The stela relates the conflict that ensued when Tafnekht endeavored to
unite Lower Egypt in a confederacy and invade the Upper Country. This
gave Piankhy, who knew his own strength, an opportunity of which he was
not slow to avail himself. The Delta was protected from invasion by its
network of canals, and by its extensive marshes. But when the armies and
navies of the local kings had been drawn into Upper Egypt and there repeat-
edly defeated, weakened and cowed, the princes of the North Land were
at the mercy of the victorious Ethiopian, who was rewarded for his activity
and skill in strategy with an abundance of spoil and tribute, probably also
with the permanent subjection of the country.
The inscription is in a very perfect state; with the exception of one lacuna
of sixteen short lines the losses are very small. The narrative is far more
artistic and sustained than was usual in records of any considerable length.
The piety of the Ethiopian and his trust in his god Amen are remarkably indi-
cated; and some passages cannot fail to remind us of the Biblical records of
certain Jewish kings and of the prophecies concerning Nebuchadnezzar and
Cyrus. There is nothing that suggests the bloodthirstiness and wanton cruelty
of the contemporary kings of Assyria. Altogether, when the time and circum-
stances are taken into account, the impression left is one very favorable to
Piankhy. If he seems to insist overmuch on his Divine mission, this exaggera-
tion is perhaps due to the priests of Amen who drafted the document, desirous
of thereby promoting the honor both of their god and of their king.
There are numerous indications in the signs composing the inscription
that the text was written originally in a cursive character, and afterwards
transcribed into hieroglyphics for record on stone. )
[Date.
EAR xxi, month Thoth,' under the Majesty of the King of
Upper and Lower Egypt, Meriamen Pia. 'shy, living for-
ever:
(Attention demanded. ]
Command: My Majesty saith, Hear how I have done more
than the ancestors! I am a king, the figure of a god, the living
image of Tum, who came forth from the body fashioned as a
a ruler, whose elders feared him,
whose mother recog-
nized that he would reign (while he was yet] in the egg; the
i The first month of the inundation season and of the Egyptian year. This
is the date of the first events recorded, not of the dedication of the stela:
the command” is parenthetical.


## p. 5276 (#448) ###########################################

5276
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
good God, beloved of the gods, Son of the Sun, working with
his hand,' Meriamen Piankhy.
[The narrative. Report of Tafnekht's invasion received: the king's joy
thereat. ]
in.
There came one to tell his Majesty, whereas the ruler of the
West, the nomarch and chief in Neter, Tafnekht, was in the
[Harpoon] Nome, in the Nome of the Bull of the Desert, in Hap,
. , in An, in Per-nub, and in Mennefer,” he took unto him-
self the entire West from the sea-coast to Athet-taui, and went
south with a great army; the two lands were united in following
him, the nomarchs and the rulers of fenced cities were as hounds
at his feet. No fortress was closed (against him]; the nomes of
the South, Mertum, and Per-Sekhem-Kheper-ra, the Temple of
Sebek, Per-Mezed, Tekanesh,' and every city of the West, opened
their gates in fear of him. He turned back to the Eastern
nomes; they opened to him as the former. Het-benu,
Tayuzayt, Het-seten, Per-nebt-tep-ah. Behold [he hath crossed
over to] besiege Henen-seten,' he hath ringed it about, not
allowing outgoers to go out, not allowing incomers to enter, by
reason of the daily fighting. He hath measured it out on every
side, each nomarch gauging his own [length of] wall, that he may
post each one of the nomarchs and the rulers of fenced cities at
his section. ”
even
i The same expression occurs further on, and evidently refers to the per-
sonal activity of the king.
2 Neter was probably Iseum in the centre of the Delta, and so a nomarch-
ship quite separate from Tafnekht's extensive territory in the west. The list
following the name of Tafnekht seems to name localities representative of the
VIIth(? ), Vith, Vth, IVth(? ), IIId(? ), and ist nomes in Lower Egypt, in
their proper order; the last, Mennefer, being Memphis. These would form
literally the whole western side of Lower Egypt «from the coast to Athet-
taui. ” Athet-taui (Lisht ? ) was a city marking the boundary of Upper and
Lower Egypt.
3 Mêdûm, El Lahûn, Crocodilopolis in the Faiyûm, Oxyrhynkhos, Diknash,
all — except perhaps the last — in order from north to south.
* He crossed over to the east bank and went northward, the cities on his
road throwing open their gates to him. With the exception of the last, Per-
nebt-tep-ah [Aphroditopolis), the modern Atfih opposite Mêdûm, they are dif-
ficult to identify positively.
5 1. e. , Heracleopolis Magna, a very powerful city on the edge of the west-
ern desert, left in the rear on Tafnekht's expedition up the river. Its king
was named Pefaui Bast. Its modern name is Ahnâs.
6 Lit. , "he hath made himself into a tail-in-the-mouth. ) [! ]


## p. 5277 (#449) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5277
Now [his Majesty heard these things] with good courage,
laughing, and with joy of heart.
[Anxiety of the King's governors in Upper Egypt at Tafnekht's progress.
Loss of Hermopolis. ]
Behold these chiefs, nomarchs, and captains of the host who
were in their various cities sent to his Majesty daily, saying:
“Hast thou ceased [from action] until thou forgettest the South
Country, the nomes of the royal domain'? Tafnekht is pushing
forward his conquest, he findeth not any to repel his arm.
Nemart [the ruler in Hermopolis) and nomarch of Het-Ur’ hath
breached the fortress of Neferus, he hath ruined his own city for
fear lest he [Tafnekht] should take it, and then lay siege to
another city. Behold, he hath gone to be at his [Tafnekht's]
feet;he hath refused allegiance to his Majesty, and standeth
with him [Tafnekht] like one of [his retainers. He hath harried
the nome of Oxyrhynkhos, and he giveth to him” [Tafnekht] ]
gifts, as his heart inclineth, of all things that he findeth (therein). ”
[Piankhy orders the governors to besiege Hermopolis. ]
Then his Majesty sent a message to the nomarchs and the
captains of the host who were in Egypt, the captain Puarma,
with the captain Armersekny, with every captain of his Majesty
who was in Egypt, saying: “Make haste in striking, join battle,
encircle [Hermopolis), capture its people, its cattle, its ships
upon the river.
Let not the fellâhîn come out to the field; let
not the plowman plow; lay siege to the Hare-city, fight against
it daily. ” Thereupon they did so.
[Piankhy dispatches an army from Ethiopia, bidding them fear not to fight,
for Amen is their strength; and to do homage unto the god at Thebes. ]
Then his Majesty sent an army to Egypt, urging them very
greatly:-“[Spend day and] night as though ye were playing
drafts, so that ye fight according as ye see that he hath arrayed
battle at a distance. If he say the infantry and cavalry have
1 The precise extent of Piankhy's dominion at this time is uncertain.
2 Hûr, opposite Beni Hasan.
3 The notion intended to be conveyed is that of a dog at heel.
* Oxyrhynkhos itself was already in the hands of Tafnekht; the Hermopo-
lite nome, including Hûr, Nefrus, etc. , lay immediately south of it.
5 The pronoun «he ” is used much too freely in this inscription: occasion-
ally it is impossible to decide to whom it refers.
6 Hermopolis.


## p. 5278 (#450) ###########################################

5278
EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
1
hastened to another city, why then remain ye until his army
come, and fight even as he shall say. And if his allies are in
another city, hasten ye to them; and the nomarchs, and those
whom he bringeth to strengthen him, the Tehenu' and his
chosen troops, let battle be arrayed against them. One of old
saith:- We know not how to cry unto him, It is the enlistment
of troops and the yoking of war-horses, the pick of thy stables,
that giveth victory in battle. Thou knowest that Amen is the
god that leadeth us. "?
"When ye reach Thebes, the approach to Apt-esut," enter
ye into the water, wash ye in the river, dress on the bank of
the stream, unstring the bow, loosen the arrow. Let no chief
boast as possessing might, there being no strength to the mighty
if he regard him [Amen] not. He maketh the feeble-handed
into strong-handed; a multitude may turn their backs before
the few; one man may conquer a thousand. Sprinkle yourselves
with the water of his altars; kiss ye the ground before his
face; say ye to him, "Give unto us a way that we may fight
in the shadow of thy strong arm. The band that thou leadest, it
cometh to pass that it overthroweth that which hath overthrown
many. '
Then they cast themselves on their bellies before his Majesty
[saying], "It is thy name that giveth us strength of arm, thy
wisdom is the mooring-post* of thy soldiers; thy bread is in our
bellies on every road, thy beer quencheth our thirst; it is thy
valor that giveth us strength of arm; one is fortified at the
remembrance of thy name! while the host is lacking whose
captain is a vile coward. Who is like unto thee in these things?
Thou art a mighty King that worketh with his hands, master of
the art of war! ”
[The Ethiopian army, after leaving Thebes, defeat the van of Tafnekht's
feet. )
They went down-stream; they reached Thebes; they did
according to all the things said by his Majesty.
1
1 Libyans, mercenaries or otherwise. The XXIId Dynasty was probably
Libyan, and as will be seen from subsequent notes, Libyan influence was still
strong in the time of Piankhy.
2 This would seem to be a quotation taken from some address to an earlier
king. Thothmes III. , for instance, attributed his successes to Amen.
3 The great temple of Amen at Karnak.
* Our equivalent term would be «sheet-anchor. )


## p. 5279 (#451) ###########################################

EGYPTIAN LITERATURE
5279
They went down-stream upon the river; they found many
ships coming up-stream, with soldiers, sailors, levies of troops,
every mighty man of the North land, furnished with weapons of
war to fight against the host of his Majesty. There was made
a great slaughter of them, the number thereof is not known;
their troops were captured with their ships, they were brought
as live prisoners to the place where his Majesty was. '
[Proceeding to attack Heracleopolis, they are met on the river by the confed-
erates under Tafnekht, and defeat them. ]
They went to Henen-seten, arraying battle. The nomarchs
with the kings of the North land were informed (thereof). Now
the King Nemart with the King Auapeth; the chief of the Me,?
Sheshenk of Busiris, with the chief of the Me, Zed-Amen-auf-
ankh of Mendes, and his son and heir, who was captain of the
host of Hermopolis Parva; the host of the Erpa Bakennefi, with
his son and heir, chief of the Me, Nesnakedy in the nome of
Hesebka; and every chief wearing the feather who was in the
North land, with the King Usorkon who was in Bubastis and in
the land of Ra-nefer: every nomarch, and the governors of
fenced cities in the West and in the East and in the islands in
the midst, assembled with one purpose, as following the feet of
the great chief of the West, ruler of the fenced cities of the
North land, priest of Neith, mistress of Sais, and Sem-priest of
Ptah, Tafnekht.
When they went out against them, a mighty overthrow was
made of them, greater than anything, and their ships were cap-
tured upon the river; the remainder crossed over and moored on
the west side, in the neighborhood of Per-peg.
1 In Ethiopia.
The title “chief of the Me) seems to mean «captain of the Libyan
troops. ” The list contains the names of princes of Lower Egypt only, with
the exception of Nemart of Hermopolis Magna, in Upper Egypt.
$ The feather was a Libyan badge of rank.
* Tafnekht is here given most of his principal titles, including the sacer-
dotal ones of high priest of Neith in Sais, and of Ptah in Memphis. With
the rise of Sais, Neith had become the leading deity of Lower Egypt, rank-
ing even above Ptah. The priests at Gebel Barkal doubtless took a special
pride in the overthrow of the protégé of Neith and Ptah by Piankhy, the wor-
shiper of Amen.


## p.