The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians eBook

E. A. Wallis Budge
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 349 pages of information about The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians.

The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians eBook

E. A. Wallis Budge
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 349 pages of information about The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians.
the river Nile at thy pleasure.  One breatheth the air of heaven when thou givest the word of command.  Thy servant who now speaketh will transfer the possessions which he hath gotten in this land to his kinsfolk.  And as for the embassy of thy Majesty which hath been despatched to the servant who now speaketh, I will do according to thy Majesty’s desire, for I live by the breath which thou givest, O thou beloved of Ra, Horus, and Hathor, and thy holy nostrils are beloved of Menthu, Lord of Thebes; mayest thou live for ever!”

And I tarried one day in the country of Aa in order to transfer my possessions to my children.  My eldest son attended to the affairs of the people of my settlement, and the men and women thereof (i.e. the slaves), and all my possessions were in his hand, and all my children, and all my cattle, and all my fruit trees, and all my palm plantations and groves.  Then thy servant who is now speaking set out on his journey and travelled towards the South.  When I arrived at Heruuatu, the captain of the frontier patrol sent a messenger to inform the Court of my arrival.  His Majesty sent a courteous overseer of the servants of the Palace, and following him came large boats laden with gifts from the King for the soldiers of the desert who had escorted me and guided me to the town of Heruuatu.  I addressed each man among them by name and every toiler had that which belonged to him.  I continued my journey, the wind bore me along, food was prepared for me and drink made ready for me, and the best of apparel (?), until I arrived at Athettaui.[1] On the morning of the day following my arrival, five officials came to me, and they bore me to the Great House, and I bowed low until my forehead touched the ground before him.  And the princes and princesses were standing waiting for me in the umtet chamber, and they advanced to meet me and to receive me, and the smeru officials conducted me into the hall, and led me to the privy chamber of the King, where I found His Majesty [seated] upon the Great Throne in the umtet chamber of silver-gold.  I arrived there, I raised myself up after my prostrations, and I knew not that I was in his presence.  Then this god (i.e. the King) spake unto me harshly, and I became like unto a man who is confounded in the darkness; my intelligence left me, my limbs quaked, my heart was no longer in my body, and I knew not whether I was dead or alive.  Then His Majesty said unto one of his high officials, “Raise him, and let him speak unto me.”  And His Majesty said unto me, “Thou hast come then!  Thou hast smitten foreign lands and thou hast travelled, but now weakness hath vanquished thee, thou hast become old, and the infirmities of thy body are many.  The warriors of the desert shall not escort thee [to thy grave] ... wilt thou not speak and declare thy name?” And I was afraid to contradict him, and I answered him about these matters like a man who was stricken with fear.  Thus did my Lord speak to me.

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Project Gutenberg
The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.