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.
regularly and continually.  Thou shalt not let any person who is with thee see it [a few words broken away].”  Of the spells written in the Book of the Dead to make crocodiles, serpents, and other reptiles powerless, the following are specimens:  “Away with thee!  Retreat!  Get back, O thou accursed Crocodile Sui.  Thou shalt not come nigh me, for I have life through the words of power that are in me.  If I utter thy name to the Great God he will make thee to come before the two divine messengers Betti and Herkemmaat.  Heaven ruleth its seasons, and the spell hath power over what it mastereth, and my mouth ruleth the spell that is inside it.  My teeth which bite are like flint knives, and my teeth which grind are like unto those of the Wolf-god.  O thou who sittest spellbound with thine eyes fixed through my spell, thou shalt not carry off my spell, thou Crocodile that livest on spells” (Chap.  XXXI).

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the West, that livest on the
     never-resting stars.  That which is thy taboo is in me.  I have eaten
     the brow (or, skull) of Osiris.  I am set.

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the West.  The serpent Nau is
     inside me.  I will set it on thee, thy flame shall not approach me.

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the East, that feedest upon the
     eaters of filth.  That which is thy taboo is in me.  I advance.  I am
     Osiris.

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the East.  The serpent Nau is
     inside me.  I will set it on thee; thy flame shall not approach me.

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the South, that feedest upon
     waste, garbage, and filth.  That which is thy taboo is in me....  I
     am Sept.[1]

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the South.  I will fetter thee.  My
     charm is among the reeds (?).  I will not yield unto thee.

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the North, that feedest upon what
     is left by the hours.  That which is thy taboo is in me.  The
     emissions shall [not] fall upon my head.  I am Tem.[2]

     “Get thee back, thou Crocodile of the North, for the
     Scorpion-goddess[3] is inside me, unborn (?).  I am Uatch-Merti
     (?).[4]

“Created things are in the hollow of my hand, and the things that are not yet made are inside me.  I am clothed in and supplied with thy spells, O Ra, which are above me and beneath me....  I am Ra, the self-protected, no evil thing whatsoever shall overthrow me” (Chap.  XXXII).

[Footnote 1:  A god of the Eastern Delta and a local form of the Sun-god early in the day.]

[Footnote 2:  The primeval god, a form of Pautti, the oldest Egyptian god.]

[Footnote 3:  She was called “Serqet.”]

[Footnote 4:  A green-eyed serpent-god, or goddess, equipped with great power to destroy.]

CHAPTER V

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