REIGN OF NEFERHOTEP

GREAT ABYDOS STELAa

753. As the only considerable document of this king, containing more than his name or those of his family, this inscription is of great importance; but, besides this, its unique content renders it of especial interest. Neferhotep was the son of a priest, “the divine father, Ha-enkhef (ḥ3nhf)" and "the royal mother, Kemi (Kmy)," through whom he possibly inherited royal blood, although he is more likely to have usurped the throne, thus giving his mother her title. Like the ephemeral Khenzer, he gave special attention to the maintenance of the Abydos temple, and this stela, erected to testify to his zeal, tells how he investigated the ancient records at Heliopolis to ascertain exactly what was due to Osiris, particularly the proper form for the divine statue, as it was at the beginning of the world.

754. In order to carry out what he had found in the records, he proceeded in person to Abydos, sending a mes

a A sandstone stela, nearly 6 feet high and over 3 feet wide, set up on the wall of the road leading to the Middle Kingdom Osiris-temple. It was in such bad condition that Mariette left it in situ; but, after years of exposure to weather and vandalism, it has now been brought to the Cairo Museum. It was evidently exceedingly indistinct and difficult to copy, and the two copies of Mariette and Devéria, from which the text is published (Mariette, Abydos, II, 28-30; Catalogue général d'Abydos, 233, 234, No. 766) contained many errors, only a portion of which it is possible to correct. These and the frequent lacunæ render a complete translation impossible, but enough has been given to make the essential progress of the narrative clear. A better text is now hardly a possibility.

bFamily list cut on the rocks at Assuan (Petrie, Season in Egypt, XIII, No. 337 Lepsius, Denkmäler, II, 151, e=Text, IV, 126) and on Sehel at the first cataract (Mariette, Monuments divers, 70, 3); also on several scarabs (Petrie, Scarabs, Nos. 293-98.

senger thither before him, to bring forth the statue of the god to meet him. The divine image was carried in festal procession to the sacred barge, which sailed out on the canal, probably to the Nile, seven miles away, where the king was met and accompanied back to the temple amid a celebration in which the incidents of the Osiris-myth were dramatically enacted by the priests. On his arrival the king personally carried out all that he had discovered in the records of Atum. He then admonished the priests to vigilance and pronounced a curse on those who should disregard his established offerings.

Introduction

755. 'Year 2, under the majesty of King Neferhotep,a born of the royal mother, Kemi (Kmy), who is given life, stability, satisfaction, like Re, forever. His majesty appeared upon the throne of Horus in the palace, "Structurel-of-Beauty." His majesty spake to the nobles, and companions, who were in his suite, the real scribes of the hieroglyphs, the masters of all secrets:

King's Speech

756. "My heart hath desired to see the ancient writings of Atum;d open ye for me for a great investigation; let the god know concerning his creation, and the gods concerning their fashioning, their offerings and 'their oblations ... (let) me know the god 4in his form, that I may fashion him as he was formerly, when they made the 'statues in their council, in order to establish their monuments upon earth. They have given to me the inheritance of Re as far as the

a Full fivefold titulary.

bRead het, lit., "the appearance of his majesty...."

cOr: "Bearer (wts)-of-beauty," which must be the name of the palace. dThe sanctuary of Atum was at Heliopolis, and his writings would be there; this explains why the messenger of the king journeys southward to Abydos (1. 14), whereas he would have gone northward from the royal residence in Thebes.

*The reference is apparently to a council of the gods in which the form of the god's statue was determined once for all. This the king expects to find in the ancient writings.

circuit of the sun 5

a

I will increase that which I shall

have investigated, and they shall increase1 love for me - to 'do according to that which they command."

Reply of Court

757. These companions said: "That which thy ka hath 'commanded is that which happens, O sovereign and lord. Let thy majesty proceed to the libraries, and let thy majesty see every hieroglyph."

C

Examination of Ancient Rolls

758. His majesty proceeded to the library. His majesty opened the rolls together with these companions. Lo, his majesty found the rolls of the House of Osiris, First of the Westerners, lord of Abydos.

King's Purpose

759. His majesty said to these companions: "My majesty hails my father Osiris, First of the Westerners, lord of Abydos. I will fashion Thim, his limbs his face, his fingers according to that which my majesty has seen in the rolls — — his 'form1 as King of Upper and Lower Egypt, at his coming forth from the body of Nut.

12

9.

Messenger Sent to Abydos

760. His majesty had the king's-confidant, who was in his majesty's suite, called to him; his majesty said [to] him: 13"Betake thyself southward - [together with] troops and marines. Sleep not night nor day until thou arrivest at Abydos; cause the First of the Westerners

aOr: "that which is assigned to me." He means he will increase what his investigation shows is demanded in the ancient writings.

bThe emendation is almost certain. Cf. the similar statement in the instruction to the priests of Abydos (II, 91, l. 5).

cLit., "houses of writings or rolls."

dHe means he has found in the writings the original form of the god as king at his birth.

The remainder of the king's speech contains only conventional phrases, in the course of which, reference is again made to "making the monuments of Osiris and perpetuating the name of Wennofer" (1. 10). The answer of the courtiers is very short (occupying the first half of l. 12) and very fragmentary.

(Osiris) to proceed (forth). May I make his monuments according to 14the beginning."b

Reply of Court

761. These companions said: "That which thou commandest [is that which happens, O sovereign] and lord; thou doest all — in Abydos for thy father, First of the Westerners."

Messenger Departs

762. This official betook himself southwardd [to do] 15that which his majesty commanded him. He arrived at [Abydos] - — —. The majesty of this god came to the sacred barge of the lord of eternity—the banks of the river were flooded ['with his fragrance and with] 16the odors of Punt. [The majesty of this god] arrived in the midst -- One came to inform his majesty, saying: "This god has proceeded in peace."

King Goes to Abydos

f

g

763. His majesty proceeded [in] 17the sacred ship together with this god, causing that sacred offerings be presented to his father, the First of the Westerners: myrrh -18and sacred things for Osiris, First of the Westerners, in all his names. . those hostile to the sacred barge were overthrown. Lo, the majesty of this god appeared in procession,h his ennead united [with him1]. 19 Upwawet was before him, he opened the waysi

....

aIn order to meet the king at his coming to Abydos, as the conclusion shows. bThe original form as at the beginning of the world, which he learned from the rolls.

cRestored from 1. 6.

dBecause the royal party is at Heliopolis (see note, 1. 3) there is no reason here to suppose that the royal residence is in the north.

eThere is no trace of an expedition to Punt here, as frequently stated; the description is the usual one accompanying the bodily approach of a god; see that of Amon, II § 196.

f Evidently the meeting of the king and the god occurred at this point; there is a reference to the "head of the canal," probably the canal on which the god voyaged in his barge to meet the king. See Great Abydos Inscription of Ramses II, 1. 29.

8A series of incidents in the myth of the god are now dramatically enacted by the priests as the procession of the king and the god moves toward Abydos. hHe leaves the barge, to return in procession to the temple.

iThe name of the god Upwawet (Wp-wwt) means: "Opener of the ways." One of the priests, wearing a jackal mask, acts the part of Upwawet.

King Executes Temple Works

764. Lo, 'his majesty caused that this god should proceed to "—1 that he should rest [on] his throne in the house of gold; in order to fashion the beauty of his majestya and his ennead, his oblation-tables — — — of every splendid, costly stone of God's-Land. Behold, [the king] himself led the work on them - gold, (for) his majesty was pure with the purity of a god...

....

b

King's Concluding Speech

765. 33. Be ye vigilant for the temple, look to the monuments 34which I have made. I put the eternal plan before me, I sought that which was useful for the future by putting this example in your hearts, which is about to occur in this place, which the god made, because of my desire 35to establish my monuments in his temple, to perpetuate my contracts in his house. His majesty loves that which I have done for him, he rejoices over that which I have decreed to do, (for) triumph has been given to him. 36I am his son, his protector, he giveth to me the inheritance of the earth. [I] am the king, great in strength, excellent in commandment. He shall not live who is hostile to me; he shall not breathe 37the air who revolts against me; his name shall not be among the living; his ka shall be seized before the officials; he shall be cast out for this god, ['together with] him who shall disregard the command of my majesty and those who shall not 38do according to this command of my majesty, who shall not exalt me to this august god, who shall not honor that which I have done concerning his offerings [who shall not] give to me praise 39at every feast of this temple, of the entire [lay priesthood]e of the sanctuary of this temple, and every office of Abydos. Behold, my majesty has made these monu

aThe god; he is taken to the workshop of the goldsmith, that a new statue may be made.

bThe further execution of the work is narrated in a few very fragmentary sentences, in which is the interesting statement: "No scribe who was in the suite of his majesty had ever found it" (1. 21), referring doubtless to the king's discovery in the rolls. The continuation merges (1. 22) into a long speech of the king, addressed to the god; at 1. 27 begins a prayer of the king, which merges at 1. 32 into an address to the court.

cSee § 535.

d"The estate of the earth," literally.

*Restored from Rougé, Inscriptions hiéroglyphiques, XXI, 1. 15.