CHAPTER XXXVI.

_Chapter whereby the Āpshait is kept back._


Away from me, thou with parted lips! I am Chnemu, the Lord of Shennu,
who am bringing the words of the gods to Rā. And I announce the news to
Nebes.

NOTE.

The insect called ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂ _āpšai_ or ⁂⁂⁂ _āpsȧit_
is difficult of identification. It is certainly not a tortoise as was
formerly thought, but looks rather like the voracious _Blatta
orientalis_. The form in _Le_ is peculiar, but I have met it in a later
papyrus. The last word of the chapter is doubtful. The most recent
papyri have ⁂⁂ ‘their Lord,’ which gives a very good sense, but
even the Turin copy has ⁂ ‘her Lord’ which agrees with the oldest
papyrus. Bekenrenef has ⁂⁂ _Nebes_, a lion-headed goddess.

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