Part 11 (2/2)

Of Not Sailing To The East

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 6).]

THE CHAPTER OF NOT SAILING TO THE EAST IN THE UNDERWORLD. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

”Hail, phallus of Ra, who departest from thy calamity [which ariseth]

through opposition(?), the cycles have been without movement for millions of years. I am stronger than the strong, I am mightier than the mighty. If I sail away or if I be s.n.a.t.c.hed away to the east through the two horns,”

or (as others say), ”if any evil and abominable thing be done unto me at the feast of the devils, the phallus of Ra shall be swallowed up, [along with] the head of Osiris. And behold me, for I journey along over the fields wherein the G.o.ds mow down those who make reply unto [their words]; now verily the two horns of the G.o.d Khepera shall be thrust aside; and verily pus shall spring into being in the eye of Tem along with corruption if I be kept in restraint, or if I have gone toward the east, or if the feast of devils be made in my presence, or if any malignant wound be inflicted upon me.”(59)

Of The Ink-Pot And Palette

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 12).]

THE CHAPTER OF PRAYING FOR AN INK-POT AND FOR A PALETTE. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

”Hail, aged G.o.d, who dost behold thy divine father and who art the guardian of the book of Thoth, [behold I have come; I am endowed with glory, I am endowed with strength, I am filled with might, and I am supplied with the books of Thoth], and I have brought [them to enable me]

to pa.s.s through the G.o.d Aker who dwelleth in Set. I have brought the ink-pot and the palette as being the objects which are in the hands of Thoth; hidden is that which is in them. Behold me in the character of a scribe! I have brought the offal of Osiris, and I have written thereon. I have made (_i.e._, copied) the words of the great and beautiful G.o.d each day fairly. O Heru-khuti, thou didst order me and I have made (_i.e._, copied) what is right and true, and I do bring it unto thee each day.”

Of Being Nigh Unto Thoth

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheet 7).]

THE CHAPTER OF BEING NIGH UNTO THOTH. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

”I am he who sendeth forth terror into the powers of rain and thunder, and I ward off from the great divine lady the attacks of violence. [I have smitten like the G.o.d Shat (_i.e._, the G.o.d of slaughter), and I have poured out libations of cool water like the G.o.d Ashu, and I have worked for the great divine lady [to ward off] the attacks of violence], I have made to flourish [my] knife along with the knife which is in the hand of Thoth in the powers of rain and thunder.”

Of Being Nigh Unto Thoth

[From the Papyrus of Nu (British Museum No. 10,477, sheets 19 and 20).]

THE CHAPTER OF BEING NIGH UNTO THOTH AND OF GIVING GLORY UNTO A MAN IN THE UNDERWORLD. The chancellor-in-chief, Nu, triumphant, saith:

”I am the G.o.d Her-ab-maat-f (_i.e._, 'he that is within his eye'), and I have come to give right and truth to Ra; I have made Suti to be at peace with me by means of offerings made to the G.o.d Aker and to the Tesheru deities, and by [making] reverence unto Seb.”

<script>