The Egyptian Book of the Dead

In the late recensions of the Book of the Dead,[1] the text referring to the twenty-first Pylon reads:--

(71) "Hail," saith Horus, "O twenty-first pylon of the Still-Heart. (72) I have made the way, I know thee, I know thy name, I know the name of the goddess who guardeth thee: 'Sword that smiteth at the utterance of its [own] name, the unknown (?) goddess with back-turned face, the overthrower of those who draw nigh unto her flame' is her name. Thou keepest the secret things of the avenger of the god whom thou guardest, and his name is Amem.[2] (73) He maketh it to come to pass that the persea trees grow not, that the acacia trees bring not forth, and that copper is not begotten in the mountain. The godlike beings of this pylon are seven gods. (74) Tchen or At is the name of the one at (?) the door; Hetep-mes[3] is the name of the second one; Mes-Sep[4] is the name of the third one Utch-re[5] is the name of the fourth one; "Ap-uat[6] is the name of the fifth one; Beq[7] is the name of the sixth one; Anubis is the name of the seventh one."

(75) "I have made the way. I am Amsu-Horus, the avenger of his father, the heir of his father Un-nefer. I have come and I have overthrown all foes of my father Osiris. I have come day by day with victory, doing myself the worship of the god, (76) in the house of his father Tmu, lord of Annu, triumphant in the southern sky. I have done what is right and true to him that hath made right and truth; I have made the Haker festival for the lord thereof; I have led the way in the festival; (77) I have made offerings of cakes to the lords of the altars; and I have brought offerings and oblations, and cakes and ale, and oxen and ducks, to my father Osiris Un-nefer. I rise up in order that my soul may be made one wholly; I cause the bennu bird to come forth at [my] words. I have come daily into the holy house to make offerings of incense. (78) I have brought garments of byssus. I have set forth on the lake in the boat. I have made Osiris, the overlord of the netherworld, to be victorious over his enemies; and I have carried away all his foes to the place of slaughter in the East; they shall never come forth from the durance of the god Seb therein. (79) I have made those who stand up against Ra to be still, and [I have] made him to be victorious. I have come even as a scribe, and I have made all things plain. I have caused the god to have the power of his legs. I have come into the house of him that is upon his hill,[8] and I have seen him that is ruler in the sacred hall. (80) I have gone into Re-stau; I have hidden myself, and I have found out the way; I have travelled unto An-rutf. I have clothed those who are naked. (81) I have sailed up to Abtu; I have praised the gods Hu and Sau. (82) 1 have entered into the house of Astes, I have made supplication to the gods Khati and Sekhet in the house of Neith," or, as others say, "the rulers. I have entered into Re-stau; I have hidden myself,

[1. See Lepsius, Todtenbuch, pl. LXIV.

2. I.e., "Devourer."

3. I.e., "Born of peace."

4. I.e., "Who giveth birth to fire."

5 I.e., "Strong of mouth."

6 I.e., "Opener of ways."

7 I.e., "Olive tree."

8 I.e., Anubis, the god of the dead.]

{p. 300}