CHAPTER CLXXV.

_Chapter of not dying a second death in the Netherworld._


O Thoth(1.)! What has become of the children of Nut? they have stirred
up hostilities, they have raised storms, they have committed iniquit,
they have raised rebellion, they have perpetrated murder, they have done
oppression, and thus have acted, the strong against the weak, in all
that they have done to me.

Grant, O Thoth, what Tmu hath decreed. Thou seest not the iniquities,
thou art not pained at their attacks upon the years, and their invasions
upon the months, because they have done their mischiefs in secret.

I am thy pallet, O Thoth, and I bring to thee thine inkstand; I am not
one of those who do mischief in secret. Let not mischief be done unto
me.

O Tmu! what is this place to which I have journeyed? for it is without
water and without air! It is all abyss, utter darkness, sheer
perplexity. One liveth here in peace of heart. There is no pleasure of
love here. Let there be granted to me glory instead of water, air and
pleasures of love; and peace of heart instead of bread and beer.

[Decree this, Tmu, that if I see thy face I shall not be pained by thy
sufferings(2.).... Tmu decrees; behold the great gods have given him
this mission, he will reign on his throne and he will inherit his throne
in the Isle of fire: and for thee I decree that the god may see him as
his second self, and that my face may see thy face.

My lord Tmu, what is the duration of my life? Thou art for eternities of
eternities, the duration of endless years; and behold I am going to
deface all I have done: this earth will become water, an inundation as
it was in the beginning. I will remain with Osiris, and I will make my
form like another serpent, whom no man will know, and no god will see.

It is good what I have done to Osiris, who is exalted above all the
gods. I have given him the power in the region of the Netherworld, and
his son Horus will inherit his throne in the Isle of flame. I will make
his throne in the boat of millions of (years).

Horus is well established on his seat in order that he may take
possession of his place of rest; also I send a soul to Sut in the West,
who is exalted above all gods; and I have caused his soul to be guarded
in the boat, so that he may feel reverential fear of the divine body
(Osiris).]

O my father Osiris! I have done for thee what thy father Rā did for
thee. Let me have increase upon earth, let me keep my dwelling place,
let my heir be vigorous, let my sepulchre flourish and my dependents
upon earth. Let all my adversaries be crushed to pieces with Selk’et
(the scorpion goddess) over their ruin. I am thy son, O my father Rā!
thou hast been the cause of this Life, Health and Strength. Horus is
established upon his throne. Grant that my duration of Life may be that
of one who attains beatitude.(3.)

NOTES.

The translation and notes of this Chapter, except what is in brackets,
are Renouf’s work. They are taken from the introduction he published to
his edition of the papyrus of Ani (p. 16).

The vignette represents the deceased and his wife worshipping Thoth.

This Chapter is found in the papyrus of Ani, and at greater length in a
papyrus of the Museum of Leyden, from which it has been copied by
Naville into his edition.

The Leyden text is unfortunately very incomplete, both in the upper and
lower parts of the columns. The two texts differ very materially in some
of their readings, and will require considerable study before a
satisfactory translation can be given.

1. The deceased is evidently supposed to be just arrived in a place of
utter darkness and desolation, and expresses his feelings of distress to
Thoth in the opening address.

2. [The text of Leyden is much more complete. Owing probably to want of
space, the scribe of Ani has shortened his text. There the omissions are
so considerable that it is impossible to find a sense. I have often
adopted the reading of the Leyden papyrus in the translation of this
part of the chapter.

3. The remaining columns in the Leyden manuscript, although incomplete,
enable us to see that the deceased is assimilated throughout to Osiris,
as born again in his son Horus. There is a cry of adoration to him in
Sutenhenen, and exultation in En-aaref, the whole cycle of the gods is
filled with satisfaction at seeing him inherit his throne and rule over
the earth. Sut is filled with terror when he sees the change which has
taken place; the different generations of mankind, the past, the
present, and the future, are in obeisance. Mention is made of the
“Hoeing” and of the blood which flowed in Sutenhenen [an allusion to the
myth of the destruction of mankind] and of other particulars in
connection with Osiris. And the chapter is said to be recited over an
image of Horus made of lapis lazuli (or blue material) and placed at the
throat of the deceased. It is also to be recited in the Netherworld.

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