ments, for my father, Osiris, First of the Westerners, Lord of Abydos, 4obecause I so much loved him, more than all gods; that he might give to me a reward for this [which I have done], a consisting of millions of years . BOUNDARY STELA 766. This stela was one of two, erected one at each end of a part of the Abydos cemetery, and bearing a decree of Neferhotep forbidding all public access to this part of the necropolis. Dedication 767. He made (it) as his monument for his father Upwawet, lord of Tazoser. Entrance Prohibited 768. Year 4. My majesty, L. P. H., decrees that the cemetery (Tazoser) south of Abydos shall be protected and defended for his father Upwawet, lord of Tazoser, as Horus did for his father OsirisWennofer; not permitting any persons to set foot in this cemetery (Tazoser). Stela Bearing Decree 769. Twod stela are set up at its south and at its north, engraved with the great name of my majesty, L. P. H. The southern (stela) is made in addition to these stela,f which are as far as the south, and the northern (stela) in addition to these stele, which are as far as the north. aThe reward consists of millions, etc. bLimestone stela, round-topped, found by Mace at Abydos; published by him, El Amrah, Pl. XXIX. cAll sacred things, including the king's person, are "protected and defended" (hwy mky) by the gods; cf. IV, 424, 528, l. 7, the last also of a cemetery. f Which were already there; other stelæ already existed, and the two bearing this decree are added to the former. Penalties 770. As for hima whom anyone shall find within these stele, whether a craftsman or a priest at his business, he shall be branded.b As for any official, who shall have a tomb made for himself within this cemetery (ys t-dŝr t), he shall be reported, and the law shall be executed upon him, and the necropolis-custodian as on this day.c People's Burial Place 771. Now, as for any addition to this cemetery (yś ·t-dśr ́t), (in) the place where the people make tombs for themselves, there shall they be buried. Benediction 772. May he (the king) be thereby given life, stability, satisfaction, health; may his heart be glad together with his ka, upon the throne of Horus, like Re, forever. aSee another example of nty-tw in Recueil, XV, 84, l. 8. bSee same word, Lepsius, Denkmäler, III, 257, a, l. 36. cOr: "from this day"? REIGN OF NUBKHEPRURE-INTEF COPTOS DECREEa 773. In addition to its significant content, this decree is important as showing beyond doubt that one of the Intefs lived after the Twelfth Dynasty, for it is engraved upon a doorway of Sesostris I, and must, of course, be later than his reign.b 774. The document itself decrees the degradation from office of a count of Coptos, with the loss of all income appertaining to the office, both to himself and his posterity; and the appointment of another to the position. The crime thus punished, vaguely called "an evil thing," is, of course, treason, and is doubtless one of the many attempts at rebellion such as produced the downfall of the Middle Kingdom. Teti, the traitor deposed, had he succeeded, would have become one of the ephemeral kings, whose names make up the long list of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Dynasties in the Turin Papyrus. The remarkable reference to mercy or favor being shown him by other rulers can hardly designate future kings, but is doubtless an indication of the divided state of the country under a number of petty kings reigning contemporaneously with Intef of our decree. The history of the whole period from the fall of the Twelfth Dynasty to the rise of the Eighteenth owes its paucity of monuments to the endless wars growing out of such aCut on a doorway of Sesostris I at Coptos; found by Petrie and published in Coptos, VIII. bThere can be no doubt that the Nb-hpr-R‹ placed just before the Seventeenth Dynasty in the Karnak list, is this Intef. attempts, complicated eventually by the invasion of the Hyksos. The plotting and revolts of local princes continued into the reign of Ahmose who, suppressed at least three such (§§ 11, 15, 16), and the name of the rebel in the third case was Teti-en (§ 16, l. 23), almost the same as that of the traitor in this decree. Date 775. 'Year 3, third month of the second season, day 25, under the majesty of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nubkheprure (Nbhprw-R), Son of Re, Intef, who is given life, like Re, forever. 776. Royal decree to: Title of Decree The wearer of the royal seal, the count of Coptos, Minemhet; The king's-son, commandant of Coptos, Kinen (Ķy-nn); The wearer of the royal seal, the priest of Min, scribe of the temple, Neferhotepur; The whole army of Coptos, And the entire lay priesthood of the temple. Discovery of Culprit 777. Behold, 3there is brought to you this decree, to let you know: that my majesty, L. P. H., has sent the scribe of the sacred treasury of Amon, Siamon, and the - Amenusere (Ymn-wsr-), 4to make an inspection in the temple of Min; and that the lay priesthood of the temple of my father, Min, applied to my majesty, L. P. H., saying: "An evil thing is about to happen in this stemple. Foes have been 'stirred up by, a curse to his name! Teti, son of Minhotep. Punishment of Culprit 778. Cause him to be deposeda from the temple of my father, Min; cause him to bel cast out of his temple office, from son to son, and heir to heir;b - upon the earth; take away his bread, his 'food1, and aLit., "Cause him to be put upon the ground;" to put upon the ground is to annul, and is used, for example, of remitting taxes (§ 408, ll. 10, 11). bThe penalty is entailed upon his posterity. his joints of meat. His name shall not be remembered in this temple, "according as it is done toward one like him, who is hostile toward the enemies of his god.b His entries shall be cast out from the temple of Min, from the treasury, and on every book likewise. No King or Dynast to Show Him Mercy 779. As for any king or any ruler,d who shall be merciful to him, he shall not receive the white crown, he shall not wear the red crown, he shall not sit upon the Horus-throne of the living, the two patron goddesses shall not be gracious to him as their beloved. As for any commandant or any official who shall apply to the king, L. P. H., to be merciful to him (the traitor), his (the applicant's) people, his goods, his fields shall be given to the sacred property of 10my father, Min, lord of Coptos. Culprit's Office Given to Minemhet 780. No one of his connections, or of the family of his father or of his mother shall be inducted into this office, but this office shall be given to the wearer of the royal seal, the overseer of royal property, Minemhet. Its bread, its 'food and itse joints of meat shall be given to him, established for him in writing, in the temple of my father Min, lord of Coptos, from son to son and heir to heir.f aThe income of his office. "There are no difficulties of lexicon or grammar in this clause, but the meaning when rendered, is uncertain. The registration of temple dues to be paid him. dĺhm-yrf. The indication is strong that the king is not here referring to future kings, his successors, but to contemporary rulers of Egypt. eThe possessive pronouns refer to "this office" and indicate the income belonging to it, formerly paid to the traitor. fThe office is hereditary. |