CHAPTER IV

_Section I_ 1 Thou art what he is, Rā, thou givest birth to the royal Osiris, thou makest him exist like thyself, god of the two horizons; the birth of Osiris is the birth of Rā in the Ament, and reciprocally; the birth of Osiris in the heavens is the birth of the soul of Rā in the heavens, and reciprocally; the life of Osiris is the life of Rā, and reciprocally; the development of his body is the development of Rā’s body. Rā conceived, Tum gave birth to Osiris; it is the young Chepra; Nut brings Osiris into the world, she nourishes Osiris, like Rā’s soul which issued from her. 2 O, Rā who art in the Ament ...(636) who art in the empyrean, deliver Osiris from thy conductors who separate souls from their bodies, the agile beings who move quickly in thy places of torment. May they never seize Osiris, may they never take him, may they never quicken their steps toward him, may they never put him in their places of torture, may they never cast their toils round him, may they never place him upon their altars, may he never tremble in the land of the condemned, may he never be lost in the Ament. He walks as the god of the horizon walks, he takes Rā’s steps, he worships the god who is on the earth, he honors the mysterious bodies ...(637) they say to Osiris: Hu and Sa; they call him this, because he is like the spirit of Hu and Sa(638) in his creations; he makes the sacred tree grow he is not ignorant of it. There are cries of joy in the mysterious region, for Rā sets under the form of Osiris, and reciprocally. Rejoice, you the dead, render praises to Rā, and Rā renders praises to you. Rā comes forth from the cow Mehur,(639) he sets in Netur;(640) Osiris comes forth from Nehur like the sun, he sets in Netur like Temt. The name of the King is the name of Rā, Ammehur,(641) the setting of Osiris, it is his setting, Amnetur.(642) 3 The gods of the empyrean bless him, the hidden gods rejoice over him; they say to him: thy person is the god of the country of the dead, thy form is Teb Temt. The hidden gods speak to the royal Osiris, they rejoice on seeing him; (they say to him:) Hail, blessed and perfect one, who comest forth from Tonen, the god who destroys the forms; it is great, thy essence, spirit, shadow that no one destroys, that lives where you live. He knows the essences of the primitive beings, he knows the mysterious flames of the empyrean, for he attains to holy and mysterious things. 4 The two gods speak to the royal Osiris, they rejoice on seeing him, this blessed, perfect spirit; (they say to him:) This is one of us. The gods speak to the royal Osiris, they rejoice when they see him, him, the splendor of Rā, the splendor of the two goddesses that appears in Heset,(643) the supplicant Heset addresses the guardians who watch over the doors, who devour souls and who swallow the shades of the dead; when they approach them, they are led by them to the place of destruction: O guardians who watch over your doors, who swallow souls and devour the shades of the dead; when they approach you, you lead them to the place of destruction; Oh! allow this blessed this most holy spirit, to be in the dwelling of the Akher;(644) it is a spirit like Rā glorious like Osiris. This is what Heset the supplicant says before the royal Osiris. 5 O Heset, make him come, O Heset, guide the royal Osiris, O Heset open to him the empyrean, give him the lot of the god of the empyrean; he puts the veil _nems_(645) upon his head at the bottom of the dwelling of the Ament. Hail to thee, he has reached thee; Heset, guide him on the good way, he speaks to thee, he glorifies thee by his invocations, and thou rejoicest on seeing his spirit; Heset, the supplicant, open the doors which are in the empyrean, open his spheres to him, for the club is in the hand of Osiris, and he grasps his lance; his club strikes the enemies, and his lance destroys the rebels; his dwelling is that of the god of the two horizons; his throne is Rā’s throne; for he is the Horus of the two horizons.(646) He is beautiful, this spirit, he is perfect, he is powerful in both his hands. 6 The two great gods speak to the royal Osiris; they rejoice on his account; they celebrate his victorious strength, they give him their protection, they send him their spirit of life; (they say to him:) He is brilliant like the spirit of the horizon that is the dwelling of Rā in the heavens;(647) they communicate their words to him, they give him the power by their authority. He opens the door of heaven and earth like his father Rā; a spirit shining in the place where they burn the offerings, in the arms of Osiris. The royal Osiris rests in the mysterious dwelling, he shines like the god of the luminary, the dwelling of Rā of the horizon.(648) The royal Osiris is Rā; and reciprocally, he is the spirit of Osiris, he rests (in him). 7 He reaches the gods of the pyramid; these latter praise him on seeing the happy arrival of Osiris; they address him as Rā of the horizon; praise be to Rā! cheers for the spirit of the horizon, praises to the spirit of Rā! Praise his spirit that inhabits the empyrean, invoke him who is in his disk, bear him to him who created you, carry him unto the pyramid, since you are the gods who accompany Rā Osiris. Here is Osiris, carry him into the hidden sanctuary of Osiris, the lord of years(649) who is under the care of the two Rehti. Carry him into the hidden dwelling where Osiris resides, carry him into the funeral monument which is in the Ament, the mysterious sanctuary of the god who is at rest; bear him, open your arms to him, stretch out your hands to him, take off your veils before him, for he is the great essence whom the dead spirits do not know; it is Rā, the god of the two horizons, and Osiris, the King of the Ament, who send him. 8 The royal Osiris is one of you, for his diadem is a vulture; his face is a sparrow-hawk, his head is Rā; his eyes are the Rehti, the two sisters; his nose is Horus of the empyrean; his mouth is the King of the Ament; his lungs are Nun; his two hands are the god Secheni;(650) his fingers are the gods who seize him; his body is Chepra; his heart is Horus, the creator; his chest is the goddess of life; his spleen is the god Fenti;(651) his lungs are the goddess Heti; his stomach is Apu; his intestines, the god with the mysterious names;(652) his back is the corpse-god; his elbows are Makati; the nape of his neck, Horus Thoth; his lips Mehur; his phallus is Tonen;(653) ...(654) the goddess of Cher; ...(655) the two hidden gods; his sitting posture the two goddesses; his legs, he who traverses the hidden places; his shin-bones are _uræus_. His members are gods, he is throughout a god, no one of his members is without a god, the gods are of his substance. The royal Osiris is an intelligent essence, his members guide him, his flesh opens the way to him, those who are born of him create him, they rest when they have given birth to him. The royal Osiris is he who gives them birth, it is he who begets them, it is he who makes them exist; his birth is that of Rā in the Ament, Rā gives birth to the royal Osiris, he causes his own birth. _Section II_ 1 O Rā, open to his spirit, for the royal Osiris knows what there is in the empyrean, he is the great mummy, Osiris, the King of the Ament; he is Osiris, he is perfect like Osiris, he is blessed like Osiris, his club is that of Osiris, his sword is that of Chentament, his sceptre is that of Sahou, he is the great one, the King of the blessed, for he is the original one, he who knows the mysteries, the greatest of the holy ones in the empyrean. He is happy, the spirit Keschi who makes his own law in the Ament, he speaks to what is born of him,(656) Osiris Chentament. 2 Hail to thee, inhabitant of the empyrean, praised be what is in thee; hail to thee, inhabitant of the empyrean, the weeping gods cut their hair in honor of thee, they clap their hands, they revere thee, they weep before thee, thy spirit rejoices in their fear, thy body is blessed. 3 Hail to thee, inhabitant of the empyrean, god seated upon his throne, who boldest the sceptre _hik_,(657) King of the empyrean, Prince of the Aker, great Prince crowned with the _urer_,(658) great god who hides his dwelling, Lord of wisdom, Chief of the powers. 4 Hail to the inhabitant of the empyrean, thy son Horus rests in thee, thou communicatest thy orders to him, thou permittest him to shine like An of the empyrean, the great star who creates his names,(659) who knows the empyrean and who traverses the interior of it, he, the son of Rā, proceeding from Tum. The royal Osiris is thy son, thou communicatest thy orders to him, thou permittest him to shine like An of the heavens, the great star who creates his names,(660) who knows the empyrean and who traverses the interior of it, he the son of Rā, proceeding from Tum. He rests in the empyrean, he rejoices in the dusk, he enters in there and comes forth, the arms of Tonen receive him, the blessed lift him, they stretch out their hands toward him, the ...(661) guide him. Praise him ye blessed, exalt the royal Osiris, ye blessed! Rejoice over him, as over Rā, extol him like Osiris, he has placed your offerings before you, he accords you the favor of receiving your portion as his father Rā commanded. He is his darling, he is his descendant upon the earth, and the blessed show him the way. Let him arrive in the empyrean, and let him penetrate into the good Ament. The royal Osiris fixes the crown upon the head of Osiris, he offers his casket to Seb, he presents Sah with the sceptre, he gives the royal diadem to him whose name is Ammon. 5 Look at him, ye blessed, let him receive a perfect intelligence, let him shine like the god of mysteries, deliver him from the gods of the pillory who fasten to their posts. May they never bind Osiris to their posts, may they never put him in the place of destruction, for he is the descendant of Osiris who permits him to receive the diadem in the empyrean. 6 He is sublime, the spirit of Rā in the Ament, his body is blessed there, the spirits rejoice when they develop their forms in the zones of the empyrean, before the soul of Rā, the inhabitant of the empyrean, and Teb Temt who rests in his covering. Hail, yes, hail! Hail spirit of Rā, hail, spirit of the royal Osiris like Temt! Hail, royal Osiris who art Rā, and reciprocally! O Temt who art Rā, and reciprocally, hail! 7 The royal Osiris is one of you. He gives birth to you, he gives you your names, he makes you perfect; ha! he sends his body into you; ha! he is your creator. Look at him, he shines like him who proceeds from you; he honors his father, perfect, blessed, blessing his mother; look at him, make his essence sublime and make him like him who destroys his forms;(662) show the way to his spirit, set him upon your pedestals, make him rest in his members, show him his dwelling in the midst of the earth, open your doors to him, unfasten the bolt. 8 O Rā, O Teb-Temt, guide the royal Osiris following the direction of the spirits, following the course of the gods. The royal Osiris is in his gateway (in presence of the) navigating gods; the royal Osiris is the only one, the guardian of his doors, he who puts the gods in their places. He is upon his pedestal in the empyrean, he is the possessor in the midst of the possessors, he is at the extremities of the empyrean, he is blessed in the infernal regions. He rests in the Ament among the spirits who are in the members of the Ament. The royal Osiris is Rā’s darling, he is the mysterious phœnix, he enters in peace into the empyrean, he leaves Nut in peace; the royal Osiris has his throne in heaven, he traverses the horizons in Rā’s train, he is at peace in the heavens, in Rā’s fields, his share is upon the horizon in the fields of Aalu; he traverses the earth like Rā, he is wise like Thoth, he walks at will, he hastens in his course, like Sahu with the mysterious names, who becomes two divinities. The royal Osiris becomes two divinities. What Rā produces, the royal Osiris produces; he gives a spiritual existence to what he loves; he does not give it to what he hates. The royal Osiris is the Chief of the gods who make offerings to the spirits, he is powerful in his course, he is the courageous being who strikes his enemies. 9 O ye gods, O ye blessed who precede Rā and who escort his spirit, do to the royal Osiris as to Rā, tow him with you in the same way that you conduct Rā and the two navigating gods in the heavens; the royal Osiris is Rā himself, and reciprocally; he is the Chief of his worshippers who gives life to the forms. _Section III_ 1 O Ament, O Ament, O good, O good, O strong, O strong, O powerful, O powerful, O protecting, O protecting, O mysterious, O mysterious (Ament), the royal Osiris knows thee, he knows thy form, he knows the name of thy companions. Ament, hide my corpse, good Ament, hide my body. O resting-place, let me rest in thee; O strong one, may the royal Osiris be strong with thy strength; O powerful one, may he be powerful with thy power! O Ament, open thy arms to him; O protectress, cover his body; O mysterious being, stretch out thy hand to him. Hail, holy Ament of Osiris with the mysterious names, the most holy of the gods, thou who art the most hidden of all mysteries. Hail! the royal Osiris worships thee; he addresses the great god who is within thee. Hail! he worships thee; open thy mysterious doors to him. Hail! he worships thee; (open to him) thy hidden spheres, for he has his dwelling in the heavens like Rā, and his throne is upon the earth like Seb; he is seated upon the throne of Seb, upon the seats of Horchuti; his spirit soars into the heavens, it rests there; his body descends to the earth in the midst of the gods. He walks with Rā, he follows Tum, he is like Chepra, he lives as thou livest in truth. 2 When this book is read he who reads it purifies himself at the hour when Rā sets, who rests in the Ament of the Ament, when Rā is in the midst of hidden things, completely. The Book Of Respirations Translated by P. J. De Horrack The manuscript a translation of which here follows belongs to the Museum of the Louvre, in Paris, where it is registered under the No. 3284 (_Devéria, Catalogue des MS. égypt._, p. 132). It probably dates from the epoch of the Ptolemies. It is in hieratic writing and generally known by the name of “Book of Respirations” or “Book of the Breaths of Life,” according to Mr. Le Page Renouf’s ingenious interpretation. This book seems to have been deposited exclusively with the mummies of the priests and priestesses of the god Ammon-Rā, if we may judge from the titles inserted into the manuscripts. Dr. Brugsch, in 1851, first directed the attention of Egyptologists to this curious work, by publishing a transcription in hieroglyphics of a hieratic text in the Berlin Museum, with a Latin translation, under the title of “_Shaï an Sinsin, sive liber Metempsychosis_,” etc. He added to this a copy of a hieratic text of the same book found in Denon (“_Voyage en Egypte_,” pl. 136). A full analysis of this literary composition has also been given by Dr. Samuel Birch, in his Introduction to the “_Rhind Papyri_,” London, 1863. The Paris manuscript is as yet unpublished, but a copy of it will be produced ere long by the present translator. A few passages corrupted by the ancient scribe have been restored from copies of the same text, which are in the Egyptian Museum of the Louvre. The “Book of Respirations” has a great analogy with that of the “Lamentations of Isis and Nephthys.” It not only makes allusion to the _formulæ_ and acts by means of which the resurrection is effected, but also treats of the life after death, thus greatly increasing our knowledge of the religious system of the ancient Egyptians. THE BOOK OF RESPIRATIONS 1 Commencement of the Book of Respirations made by Isis for her brother Osiris, to give life to his soul, to give life to his body, to rejuvenate all his members anew; that he may reach the horizon with his father, the Sun; that his soul may rise to Heaven in the disk of the Moon; that his body may shine in the stars of Orion on the bosom of Nu-t;(663) in order that this may also happen to the Osiris, divine Father, Prophet of Ammon-Ra, King of the gods, Prophet of Khem, of Ammon-Ra, bull of his mother, in his great abode, Asar-aau, justified, Son of the Prophet of the same order, Nes-paut-ta-ti, justified, Conceal (it), conceal (it)! Let it not be read by anyone. It is profitable to the person who is in the divine Nether-World. He liveth in reality millions of times anew. 2 Words spoken: Hail to the Osiris N!(664) thou art pure; thy heart is pure, thy fore-part is purified, thy hind-part is cleansed, thy middle is in _Bat_(665) and natron. No member in thee is faulty. The Osiris N is (made) pure by the lotions from the Fields of Peace, at the North of the Fields of Sanehem-u.(666) The goddesses Uati (and) Suben have purified thee at the eighth hour of the night and at the eighth hour of the day. Come Osiris N! Thou dost enter the Hall of the Two Goddesses of Truth. Thou art purified of all sin, of all crime. Stone of Truth is thy name. 3 Hail to the Osiris N! Thou, being very pure, dost enter the Lower Heaven. The Two goddesses of Justice have purified thee in the Great Hall. A purification hath been made to thee in the Hall of Seb. Thy members have been purified in the Hall of Shu.(667) Thou seest Rā in his setting, (as) Atum(668) in the evening. Ammon is near to thee, to give thee breath, Ptah, to form thy members. Thou dost enter the horizon with the Sun. Thy soul is received in the bark Neshem(669) with Osiris. Thy soul is divinized in the Hall of Seb. Thou art justified forever and ever. 4 Hail to the Osiris N! Thine individuality is permanent. Thy body is durable. Thy mummy doth germinate. Thou art not repulsed from heaven, (neither from) earth. Thy face is illuminated near the Sun. Thy soul liveth near to Ammon. Thy body is rejuvenated near to Osiris. Thou dost breathe forever and ever. 5 Thy soul maketh thee offerings, each day, of bread, of drinks, of oxen, of geese, of fresh water, of condiments. Thou comest to justify it. Thy flesh is on thy bones, like unto thy form on earth. Thou dost imbibe into thy body. Thou eatest with thy mouth. Thou receivest bread, with the souls of the gods. Anubis doth guard thee. He is thy protection. Thou art not repulsed from the gates of the Lower Heaven. Thoth, the doubly great, the Lord of Sesennu, cometh to thee. He writeth for thee the Book of Respirations, with his own fingers. Thy soul doth breathe forever and ever. Thou dost renew thy form on earth, among the living. Thou art divinized with the souls of the gods. Thy heart is the heart of Rā Thy members are the members of the great god.(670) Thou livest forever and ever. 6 Hail to the Osiris N! Ammon is with thee each day to render thee life. Apheru openeth to thee the right way. Thou seest with thine eyes; thou hearest with thine ears; thou speakest with thy mouth; thou walkest with thy legs. Thy soul is divinized in Heaven, to make all the transformations it desireth. Thou makest the joy of the sacred _Persea_ in An. Thou awakenest each day. Thou seest the rays of Rā. Ammon cometh to thee with the breath of life. He granteth to thee to breathe in thy coffin. Thou comest on earth each day, the Book of Respirations of Thoth being thy protection. Thou breathest by it each day. Thine eyes behold the rays of the disk. Truth is spoken to thee before Osiris. The _formulæ_ of justification are on thy body. Horus, the defender of his father, protecteth thy body. He divinizeth thy soul as well as (those) of all the gods. The soul of Rā giveth life to thy soul. The soul of Shu filleth thy respiratory organs with soft breath.(671) 7 Hail to the Osiris N! Thy soul doth breathe in the place thou lovest. Thou art in the dwelling of Osiris, who resideth in the West. Thy person is most pure. Thou dost arrive in Abydos. He (Osiris) filleth thy dwelling Hotep with provisions. 8 Hail to the Osiris N! The gods of all Egypt come to thee. Thou art guided toward the end of centuries. Thy soul liveth. Thou dost follow Osiris. Thou breathest in Rusta. Secret care is taken of thee by the Lord of Sati(672) and by the great god.(673) Thy body liveth in Tattu (and in) Nifur. Thy soul liveth in Heaven forever. 9 Hail to the Osiris N! Sechet prevaileth against what is injurious to thee. Har-aa-hetu taketh care of thee. Har-shet doth form thy heart. Har-maa doth guard thy body. Thou continuest in life, health (and) strength. Thou art established upon thy throne in Ta-ser. Come, Osiris N! Thou appearest in thy form. Strengthened by thine ornaments(674) thou art prepared for life. Thou remainest in a healthful state; thou walkest, thou breathest everywhere.(675) The Sun doth rise upon thine abode. Like unto Osiris, thou breathest, thou livest by his rays. Ammon-Ra giveth life to thee. He doth enlighten thee by the Book of Respirations. Thou dost follow Osiris and Horus, Lord of the sacred bark. Thou art as the greatest of the gods among the gods. Thy beautiful face liveth (in) thy children. Thy name doth always prosper. Come to the great temple in Tattu. Thou wilt see him who resideth in the West, in the Ka-festival. Delicious is thy perfume as that of the blessed; great thy name among the elect. 10 Hail to the Osiris N! Thy soul liveth by the Book of Respirations. Thou unitest thyself to the Book of Respirations. Thou dost enter the Lower Heaven; thine enemies are not (there). Thou art a divine soul in Tattu.(676) Thy heart is thine; it is (no longer) separated from thee. Thine eyes are thine; they open each day. 11_a_ Words spoken by the gods who accompany Osiris, to the Osiris N: Thou dost follow Ra. Thou dost follow Osiris. Thy soul livest forever and ever. 11_b_ Words spoken by the gods who dwell in the Lower Heaven (like) Osiris of the West, to the Osiris N: Let them open to him at the gates of the Lower Heaven. _He is received_(677) in the divine Nether-World, that his soul may live forever. He buildeth a dwelling in the divine Nether-World. He is rewarded.(678) He hath received the Book of Respirations, that he may breathe. 12 Royal offering to Osiris who resideth in the West, great god, Lord of Abydos, that he may give offerings of bread, of _hak_, of oxen, of geese, of wine, of the liquor _aket_, of bread _Hotep_, of good provisions of all kinds, to the Osiris N. Thy soul liveth. Thy body doth germinate, by order of Rā himself, without pain, without injury, like unto Ra forever and ever. 13 O Strider, coming out of An,(679) the Osiris N hath not committed any sin. O Mighty of the Moment, coming out of Kerau, the Osiris N hath not done any evil. O Nostril, coming out of Sesennu,(680) the Osiris N hath not been exacting. O Devourer of the Eye, coming out of Kerti, the Osiris N hath not obtained anything by theft. O Impure of visage, coming out of Rusta, the Osiris N hath not been angry. O Lion-gods, coming forth from heaven, the Osiris N hath not committed any sin by reason of hardness of heart(?) O Fiery-Eyed, coming out of Sechem, the Osiris N hath not been weak. 14 O ye gods who dwell in the Lower Heaven, hearken unto the voice of Osiris N. He is near unto you. There is no fault in him. No informer riseth up against him. He liveth in the truth. He doth nourish himself with truth. The gods are satisfied with all that he hath done. He hath given food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the naked. He hath given the sacred food to the gods, The funeral repasts to the pure Spirits. No complaint hath been made against him before any of the gods. Let him enter (then) into the Lower Heaven without being repulsed. Let him follow Osiris, with the gods of Kerti. He is favored among the faithful,(681) (and) divinized among the perfected. Let him live! Let his soul live! His soul is received wherever it willeth. (He) hath received the Book of Respirations, that he may breathe with his soul, (with) that of the Lower Heaven, and that he may make any transformation at his will, like (the inhabitants) of the West;(682) that his soul may go wherever it desireth, living on the earth forever and ever. He is towed (like) Osiris into the Great Pool of Khons. When he has retaken possession of his heart(683) the Book of Respirations is concealed in (the coffin). It is (covered) with writing upon Suten, both inside and outside (and) placed underneath his left arm, evenly with his heart;... When the Book has been made for him then he breathes with the souls of the gods forever and ever.(684) It is finished. THE EPIC OF PENTA-OUR Translated by C. W. Goodwin, M.A. The commencement of the epic of Penta-our is wanting in the papyrus, and the end is also defective, but the date of the composition and the name of the writer have fortunately escaped. It appears to have been written in the ninth year of the King whose valor it celebrates. Champollion saw this papyrus, and had formed some notion of the nature of its contents, but to