  In the great temple of Abu-Simbel, between two pillars of the first hall, there is a large tablet, which has been added, evidently, a long time after the completion of the temple. This tablet, which is the object of the present translation, is covered with a text of thirty-seven lines, containing a speech of the god Ptah Totunen to the King Rameses II, and the answer of the King. It was very likely considered by the kings of Egypt to be a remarkable piece of literature, as it has been repeated, with slight alterations, on the pylons of the temple of Medinet-Habu, built by Rameses III. The tablet, which is decaying rapidly, has been published three times: first, by Burton, in the “Excerpta Hieroglyphica,” pl. 60; then from the copies of Champollion, in the “Monuments de l'Egypte et de la Nubie,” I, pl. 38; and, finally, by Lepsius, “DenkmÄler,” III, pl. 193. The inscription of Medinet-Habu has been copied and published by M. Duemichen, in his “Historische Inschriften,” I, pl. 7-10, and by M. Jacques de RougÉ, in his “Inscriptions recueillis en Egypte,” II, pl. 131-138. I am not aware that any complete translation of this long text has been made. The first part has been translated into German by Mr. Duemichen (“Die Flotte einer Ægyptischen KÖnigin,” Einleitung), from the text at Medinet-Habu; a portion of it is also to be found in Brugsch, “Ægyptische Geschichte,” p. 538. The present translation I have made from the tablet, which, being more ancient than the inscription, is [pg 316] The tablet is surmounted by a cornice, with the winged disk. Underneath, the god Totunen is seen standing, and before him Rameses, who strikes with his mace a group of enemies whom he holds by the hair. Behind the god are the ovals of six foreign nations, most likely Asiatics: Auentem, Hebuu, Tenfu, Temuu, Hetau, Emtebelu. The inscription above the god is as follows: “Said by Ptah-Totunen, with the high plumes, armed with horns, who generates the gods every day: (I am) thy father, I have begotten thee like a god, to be a king in my stead. I have transmitted to thee all the lands which I have created; their chiefs bring thee their tribute, they come bearing their presents because of their great fear; all foreign nations are united under thy feet, they are to thee eternally; thy eye is fixed on their heads forever.” Tablet of Rameses II 1 The 35th year, the 13th of the month Tybi, under the reign of Ra-Haremakhu, the strong bull, beloved of truth, the Lord of the Thirty Years, like his father Ptah, Totunen, the Lord of Diadems, the protector of Egypt, the chastiser of foreign lands, Ra, the father of the gods, who possesses Egypt, the golden hawk, the Master of Years, the most mighty sovereign of Upper and Lower Egypt. 2 Ra-userma-sotep-en-Ra, the son of Ra, the issue of Totunen, the child of the Queen Sekhet, Rameses, beloved of Amen, ever living. Thus speaks Ptah-Totunen with the high plumes, armed with horns, the father of the gods, to his son who loves him, 3 the first-born of his loins, the god who is young again, the prince of the gods, the master of the thirty years, like Totunen, King Rameses.433 I am thy father, I have begotten [pg 317] 4 Mendes, and I went to thy noble mother. I have thought of thee, I have fashioned thee to be the joy of my person, I have brought thee forth like the rising sun, I have raised thee among the gods, King Rameses. Num 5 and Ptah have nourished thy childhood, they leap with joy when they see thee made after my likeness, noble, great, exalted.434 The great princesses of the house of Ptah and the Hathors of the temple of Tem are 6 in festival, their hearts are full of gladness, their hands take the drum with joy, when they see thy person beautiful and lovely like my Majesty. The gods and goddesses exalt thy beauties, they celebrate thee 7 when they give to me their praises, saying: “Thou art our father who has caused us to be born; there is a god like thee, the King Rameses.” I look at thee, and my heart is joyful; I embrace thee with my golden arms, and I surround thee with life, purity, and duration. I provide thee 8 with permanent happiness. I have fixed in thee joy, enjoyment, pleasure, gladness, and delight. I grant thee that thy heart may be young again like mine. I have elected thee, I have chosen thee, I have perfected thee; thy heart is excellent and thy words are exquisite; there is absolutely nothing 9 which thou ignorest, up to this day, since the time of old; thou vivifiest the inhabitants of the earth through thy command, King Rameses. I have made thee an eternal king, a prince who lasts forever. I have fashioned thy 10 limbs in electrum, thy bones in brass, and thy arms in iron. I have bestowed on thee the dignity of the divine crown; thou governest the two countries as a legitimate sovereign; I have given thee a high Nile, and it fills Egypt for thee with the abundance of riches and wealth; there is [pg 318]11 plenty in all places where thou walkest; I have given thee wheat in profusion to enrich the two countries in all times; their corn is like the sand of the shore, the granaries reach the sky, and the heaps are like mountains. Thou rejoicest and thou art praised 12 when thou seest the plentiful fishing, and the mass of fishes which is before thy feet. All Egypt is thankful toward thee. I give thee the sky and all that it contains. SEB shows forth for thee what is within him;435 the birds hasten to thee, the pigeons of Horsekha 13 bring to thee their offerings, which are the first-fruits of those of Ra. Thoth has put them on all sides. Thou openest thy mouth to strengthen whoever thou wishest, for thou art Num; thy royalty is living in strength and might like Ra, since he governs the two countries. 14 King Rameses, I grant thee to cut the mountains into statues immense, gigantic, everlasting; I grant that foreign lands find for the precious stone to inscribe(?) the monuments with thy name. 15 I give thee to succeed in all the works which thou hast done. (I give thee) all kinds of workmen, all that goes on two and four feet, all that flies and all that has wings. I have put in the heart of all nations to offer thee what they have done; themselves, princes great and small, with one 16 heart seek to please thee, King Rameses. Thou hast built a great residence to fortify the boundary of the land, the city of Rameses; it is established on the earth like the four pillars 17 of the sky; thou hast constructed within a royal palace, where festivals are celebrated to thee as is done for me within. I have set the crown on thy head with my own hands, when thou appearest in the great hall of the double throne;436 and men and gods have praised thy name 18 like mine when my festival is celebrated. Thou hast carved my statues and built their shrines as I have done in times of old. I have given thee years by [pg 319] 19 I cause Egypt to be submitted to thee, and I supply the two countries with pure life. King Rameses, I grant that the strength, the vigor and the might of thy sword be felt among all countries; thou castest down the hearts of all nations; 20 I have put them under thy feet; thou comest forth every day in order that be brought to thee the foreign prisoners; the chiefs and the great of all nations offer thee their children. I give them to thy gallant sword that thou mayest do with them what thou likest. 21 King Rameses, I grant that the fear of thee be in the minds of all and thy command in their hearts. I grant that thy valor reach all countries, and that the dread of thee be spread over all lands; the princes tremble at thy remembrance, and thy 22 Majesty is fixed on their heads; they come to thee as supplicants to implore thy mercy. Thou givest life to whom thou wishest, and thou puttest to death whom thou pleasest; the throne of all nations is in thy possession. I grant thou mayest show all thy 23 admirable qualities and accomplish all thy good designs; the land which is under thy dominion is in joy, and Egypt rejoices continually. King Rameses, I have exalted thee through such marvellous 24 endowments that heaven and earth leap for joy and those who are within praise thy existence; the mountains, the water, and the stone walls which are on the earth are shaken when they hear thy excellent name, since they have seen what I have accomplished for thee; 25 which is that the land of Kheta should be subjected to thy palace; I have put in the heart of the inhabitants to anticipate thee themselves by their obeisance in bringing thee their presents. Their chiefs are prisoners, all their property is the tribute in the [pg 320]26 dependency of the living king. Their royal daughter is at the head of them; she comes to soften the heart of King Rameses; her merits are marvellous, but she does not know the goodness which is in thy heart; 27 thy name is blessed forever; the prosperous result of thy great victories is a great wonder, which was hoped for, but never heard of since the time of the gods; it was a hidden record in the house of books since the time of Ra till the reign of thy 28 living438 Majesty; it was not known how the land of Kheta could be of one heart with Egypt; and behold, I have beaten it down under thy feet to vivify thy name eternally, King Rameses. 29 Thus speaks the divine King, the Master of the Two Countries, who is born like Khepra-Ra, in his limbs, who appears like Ra, begotten of Ptah-Totunen, the King of Egypt; Ra-userma-sotep-en-Ra, the son of Ra, Rameses, beloved of Amen, ever living, to his father who appears before him, Totunen, 30 the father of the gods: I am thy son, thou hast put me on thy throne, thou hast transmitted to me thy royal power, thou hast made me after the resemblance of thy person, thou hast transmitted to me what thou hast created; I shall answer by doing all the good things which thou desirest. 31 As I am the only master like thou, I have provided the land of Egypt with all necessaries; I shall renew Egypt for thee as it was of old, making statues of gods after the substance, even the color of their bodies. Egypt will be the possession of their hearts, and will build them 32 temples. I have enlarged thy abode in Memphis, it is decked with eternal works, and well-made ornaments in stones set in gold, with true gems; I have opened for thee a court on the north side with a double staircase; 33 thy porch is magnificent; its doors are like the horizon of the sky, in order that the multitude may worship thee. Thy magnificent dwelling has been built inside its walls; thy divine image is in its [pg 321]34 mysterious shrine, resting on its high foundation; I have provided it abundantly with priests, prophets, and cultivators, with land and with cattle; I have reckoned its offerings by hundreds of thousands of good things; thy festival of thirty years is celebrated there 35 as thou hast prescribed it to me thyself; all things flock to thee in the great offering day which thou desirest; the bulls and calves are innumerable; all the pieces of their flesh are by millions; the smoke of their fat reaches heaven and is received within the sky. 36 I give that all lands may see the beauty of the buildings which I have created to thee; I have marked with thy name all inhabitants and foreigners of the whole land; they are to thee forever; for thou hast created them, to be under the command of thy son, who is on 37 thy throne, the master of gods and men, the lord who celebrates the festivals of thirty years like thou, he who wears the double sistrum, the son of the white crown, and the issue of the red diadem, who unites the two countries in peace, the King of Egypt, Ra-userma-sotep-en-Ra, the son of Ra, Rameses, beloved of Amen, living eternally. |
|
