INSCRIPTIONS OF SIUTa 391. Of the five inscribed tombs of Siut, three date from the period of the Ninth and Tenth Dynasties, and form our only contemporary source of information for that obscure epoch. They belonged to three princes of the Lycopolite nome: Tefibi (§§ 393-97), his son Kheti I (§§ 398-404), and another Kheti (II) (§§ 405-14), whose relation to the two others is not clear. These princes as nomarchs all bore the same titles: "Hereditary prince, count, wearer of the royal seal, sole companion, superior prophet of Upwawet, lord of Siut." They were the continual friends and supporters of the weak Heracleopolitan kings, forming a buffer state, warding off the attacks of the rebellious Theban princes, who are the ancestors of the Eleventh Dynasty. Unfortunately, they do not mention any of the Thebans against whom they fought, and only one of the Heracleopolitans whom they served-Merikere. 392. The language of these texts is exceedingly obscure and difficult; these hindrances, together with the very aIn an upper row of three tombs, side by side, high up in the face of the cliffs overlooking the modern city of Assiut (or Siut). First copied by the expedition of Napoleon, they were almost wholly neglected till late in last century, having in the interim been frightfully mutilated (serving as a stone quarry!). Finally, after repeated visits, from 1886 to 1888, Mr. F. Ll. Griffith published a careful text, not only of the difficult original, but, where necessary, also of all existing earlier fragmentary copies (The Inscriptions of Siût and Dêr Rijeh, London, 1889). Mr. Griffith furnished an account of his edition, and a digest of the content of the texts in the Babylonian and Oriental Record, III, 121–29, 164–68, 174–84, 244-52, where he also gives an exhaustive bibliography. Maspero (Revue critique, II (1889), 410-21) reviewed Griffith's work and gave a very free paraphrase of the texts, some of which is repeated, Dawn, 456–58. bFor the remaining two, which belong to the Twelfth Dynasty, see §§ 535 ff. <See §§ 415 ff. fragmentary state of the texts, often make translation quite impossible. The restorations make no claim to reproduce the lost words, but merely indicate the probable connection. I. INSCRIPTION OF TEFIBI a 393. The conflict with the South is here clearer than anywhere else, but unfortunately the unfinished condition of the inscription (see l. 16, n., § 396) breaks all continuity. The content in outline is as follows: Tefibi adjures all passers-by to pray for him (1. 1). He sets forth the beneficence of his rule-a rule without distinction of persons, maintaining the security of all, even if abroad at night (11. 2-12). Because of his beneficent rule his son, when a child, succeeded him without opposition (ll. 13-15). On his (Tefibi's) first campaign, the southern nomes from Elephantine to an uncertain point on the north were united against him (1. 16). He defeated them first on the west shore, driving them as far as "the fortress of the port of the South" (Abydos? ll. 16–18). He then crossed to the east shore, where he defeated a second army of the enemy (11. 19-22) and also discomfited a hostile fleet (11. 23, 24). He thus suppressed rebellion and had opportunity to promote deserving officers (11. 25-27). The result was widespread respect for his energetic government, prosperity of the temples. and envy of the evil-minded (11. 36-40). Address to Passers 394. O ye living! O ye who are upon earth, children who shall be born; those who shall sail down-stream, those who shall sail up-stream, aTomb III. The southernmost of the three tombs on the same terrace, north wall east of pillars. Published by Griffith, Siut, 11, 12. See above, 391, note. those who shall come in the following of Upwawet, lord of Siut, those who shall pass by this bend,a those who shall enter into this tomb, those who shall see that which is in it; as Upwawet, lord of Siut and Anubis, lord of the cave, live for you, ye shall pray for the mortuary offering for the prince Tefibi. Tefibi's Kind Rule 395. The hereditary prince, count, wearer of the royal seal, sole companion, superior prophet of Upwawet, lord of Siut, Tefibi (T¡-yby), says: Hearken to me, ye who are to come. I was open b з handed to everyone, plans, one useful to his city, one — of face toward a petition, _b 4[— —], I was one of excellent - one of open face to the widow... b for his people. . . . . . 7. ... b I was a Nile d 10When night came, he who slept on the road gave me praise, for he was like a man in his house; the fear of my soldier was his protection. e 13 Then came my son in my place, the officials were 'under his 'authority". He ruled as a child of a cubit (high); the city rejoiced over him, she remembered 14the good. Because, any noble who shall do good to the people, who shall surpass the virtue of him that begot him, he shall be-15blessed in the hereafter, his son shall abide in his father's house, his memory shall be pleasant in the city, his statue shall be glorified and carried by the children of his house. aUsed alike of the cliffs or the river. bAbout one-third line. cAmenhotep IV also calls himself a Nile for his people. dThe omissions contain obscure phrases, chiefly referring to Tefibi's kindness to his people. eSee Sethe, Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache, 1893, 108. fThe text has "person." The stature indicated, "I cubit," is that of a newborn child, as shown by Papyrus Westcar (X, 10), where the three children are each “of one cubit" at birth. The same statement is made of Khety II (§ 413, 1. 21), where it is confirmed by the context), and seems to be a favorite boast of such princes: in Benihasan (Tomb 13), the owner, Khnumhotep, boasts of being one "whose place was advanced while he was a child." The Pharaohs make the same boast. &Meaning the good his father had done, as the following shows. hIt shall receive the proper ceremonies and be carried in the festal processions. Cf. the contracts of Hepzefi, §§ 535 ff. |