Chapter CX
. of the Book of the Dead. As it supplies a great deal of information concerning the views held in early times about that region, and throws so much light upon the semi-material life which the pious Egyptians, at one period of their history, hoped to lead, a rendering of it is here given. It is entitled, "The Chapters of Sekhet-Hetepet, and the Chapters of Coming Forth by Day; of going into and of coming forth from the underworld; of coming to Sekhet-Aaru; of being in Sekhet-Hetepet, the mighty land, the lady of winds; of having power there; of becoming a spirit (KHU) there; of reaping there; of eating there; of drinking there; of making love there; and of doing everything even as a man doeth upon the earth." The deceased says:--
"Set hath seized Horus, who looked with the two eyes [Footnote: _i.e._, the Eye of R[=a] and the Eye of Horus.] upon the building (?) round Sekhet-hetep, but I have released Horus [and taken him from] Set, and Set hath opened the path of the two eyes [which are] in heaven. Set hath cast (?) his moisture to the winds upon the soul that hath his day, and that dwelleth in the city of Mert, and he hath delivered the interior of the body of Horus from the gods of Akert.
"Behold me now, for I make this mighty boat to travel over the Lake of Hetep, and I brought it away with might from the palace of Shu; the domain of his stars groweth young and reneweth the strength which it had of old. I have brought the boat into the lakes thereof, so that I may come forth into the cities thereof, and I have sailed into their divine city Hetep. And behold, it is because I, even I, am at peace with his seasons, and with his direction, and with his territory, and with the company of the gods who are his firstborn. He maketh Horus and Set to be at peace with those who watch over the living ones whom he hath created in fair form, and he bringeth peace; he maketh Horus and Set to be at peace with those who watch over them. He cutteth off the hair from Horus and Set, he driveth away storm from the helpless, and he keepeth away harm from the spirits (KHU). Let me have dominion within that field, for I know it, and I have sailed among its lakes so that I might come into its cities. My mouth is firm, [Footnote: _i.e._, I know how to utter the words of power which I possess with vigour.] and I am equipped to resist the spirits (KHU), therefore they shall not have dominion over me. Let me be rewarded with thy fields, O thou god Hetep; but that which is thy wish do, O thou lord of the winds. May I become a spirit therein, may I eat therein, may I drink therein, may I plough therein, may I reap therein, may I fight therein, may I make love therein, may my words be mighty therein; may I never be in a state of servitude therein; but may I be in authority therein. Thou hast made strong the mouth (_or_ door) and the throat (_?_) of Hetep; Qetet-bu is his name. He is stablished upon the pillars [Footnote: _i.e._, the four pillars, one placed at each cardinal point, which support the sky.] of Shu, and is linked unto the pleasant things of R[=a]. He is the divider of years, he is hidden of mouth, his mouth is silent, that which he uttereth is secret, he fulfilleth eternity and hath possession of everlasting existence as Hetep, the lord Hetep.
"The god Horus maketh himself to be strong like unto the Hawk which is one thousand cubits in length, and two thousand [cubits in width] in life; he hath equipments with him, and he journeyeth on and cometh where his heart's throne wisheth to be in the Pools [of Hetep] and in the cities thereof. He was begotten in the birth-chamber of the god of the city, offerings of the god of the city are made unto him, he performeth that which it is meet to do therein, and causeth the union thereof, and doeth everything which appertaineth to the birth-chamber of the divine city. When he setteth in life, like crystal, he performeth everything therein, and the things which he doeth are like unto the things which are done in the Lake of Twofold Fire, wherein there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are all manner of evil things. The god Hetep goeth in, and cometh out, and goeth backwards [in] that Field which gathereth together all manner of things for the birth-chamber of the god of the city. When he setteth in life, like crystal, he performeth all manner of things therein which are like unto the things which are done in the Lake of Twofold Fire, wherein there is none that rejoiceth, and wherein are all manner of evil things.
"Let me live with the god Hetep, clothed and not plundered by the lords of the north, and let the lord of divine things bring food unto me. Let him make me to go forward, and let me come out, and let him bring my power unto me there; let me receive it, and let my equipment be from the god Hetep. Let me gain the mastery over the great and mighty word which is in my body in this place wherein I am, for by means of it I will remember and I will forget. Let me go forward on my way and let me plough. I am at peace with the god of the city, and I know the waters, and the cities, and the nomes, and the lakes which are in Sekhet-Hetep. I exist therein, I am strong therein, I have become a spirit (KHU) therein, I eat therein, I sow seed therein, I reap the harvest therein, I plough therein, I make love therein, and I am at peace with the god Hetep therein. Behold I scatter seed therein, I sail about among its lakes, and I advance to the cities thereof, O divine Hetep. Behold, my mouth is provided with my [teeth which are like] horns; grant me therefore an overflowing supply of the food whereon, the 'Doubles' (KAU) and the Spirits (KHU) do live. I have passed the judgment which Shu passeth upon him that knoweth him, therefore let me go forth to the cities of [Hetep], and let me sail about among its lakes, and let me walk about in Sekhet-Hetep. Behold R[=a] is in heaven, and behold the god Hetep is the twofold offering thereof. I have come forward to the land [of Hetep], I have girded up my loins and come forth so that the gifts which are about to be given unto me may be given, and I am glad, and I have laid hold upon my strength which the god Hetep hath greatly increased for me." "O Unen-em-hetep, [Footnote: The name of the first large section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have entered into thee, and my soul followeth after me, and my divine food is upon my hands. O Lady of the two lands, [Footnote: A lake in the second section of Sekhet-Aaru.] who stablishest my word whereby I remember and forget, let me live uninjured, and without any injury [being done] unto me. O grant to me, O do thou grant to me, joy of heart; make thou me to be at peace, bind thou up my sinews and muscles, and make me to receive the air."
"O Unen-em-hetep, O Lady of the winds, I have entered into thee, and I have shewn [Footnote: Literally, "opened."] my head [therein]. R[=a] sleepeth, but I am awake, and there is the goddess Hast at the gate of heaven by night. Obstacles have been set before me, but I have gathered together what R[=a] hath emitted. I am in my city."
"O Nut-urt, [Footnote: The name of a lake in the first section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have entered into thee and I have reckoned up my harvest, and I go forward to Uakh. [Footnote: The name of a lake in the second section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I am the Bull enveloped in turquoise, the lord of the Field of the Bull, the lord of the divine speech of the goddess Septet (Sothis) at her hours. O Uakh, I have entered into thee, I have eaten my bread, I have gotten the mastery over choice pieces of the flesh of oxen and of feathered fowl, and the birds of Shu have been given unto me; I follow after the gods, and the divine 'Doubles' (KAU)."
"O Tohefet, [Footnote: The name of a district in the third section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have entered into thee, I array myself in apparel, and I have guarded myself with the _Sa_ garment of R[=a]; now behold, he is in heaven, and those who dwell therein follow him, and I also follow R[=a] in heaven, O Unen-em-hetep, lord of the two lands, I have entered into thee, and I have plunged into the lakes of Tohesert; behold me now, for all uncleanness hath departed from me. The Great God groweth therein, and behold, I have found [food therein]; I have snared feathered fowl and I feed upon, the finest of them."
"O Qenqentet, [Footnote: The name of a lake in the first section, of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have entered into thee, and I have seen, the Osiris [my father], and I have gazed upon my mother, and I have made love. I have captured the worms and serpents [which are there] and have delivered myself. I know the name of the god who is opposite to the goddess Tohesert, who hath straight hair and is provided with horns; he reapeth, but I both plough and reap."
"O Hast, [Footnote: The name of a lake in the third section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have entered into thee, and I have driven back those who would come to the turquoise [sky]; and I have followed the winds of the company of the gods. The Great God hath given my head unto me, and he who hath bound on me my head is the Mighty One with the eyes of turquoise, that is to say, Ari-en-ab-f (_i.e._, He who doeth as he pleaseth)."
"O Usert, [Footnote: The name of a lake in the third section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have come unto thee at the house where the divine food is brought unto me."
"O Smam, [Footnote: The name of a lake in the third section of Sekhet-Aaru.] I have come unto thee. My heart watcheth, and I am provided with the white crown. I am led into celestial regions, and I make the things of earth to flourish; and there is joy of heart for the Bull, and for celestial beings, and for the company of the gods. I am the god who is the Bull, the lord of the gods as he goeth forth from the turquoise [sky]."
"O divine nome of wheat and barley, I have come unto thee, I have come forward to thee, and I have taken up that which followeth me, namely, the best of the libations of the company of the gods. I have tied my boat in the celestial lakes, I have lifted up the post at which to anchor, I have recited the prescribed words with my voice, and I have ascribed praises unto the gods who dwell in Sekhet-hetep."
Other joys, however, than those described above, await the man who has passed satisfactorily through the judgment and has made his way into the realm of the gods. For, in answer to a long petition in the Papyrus of Ani, which has been given above (see p. 33 f.), the god R[=a] promises to the deceased the following: "Thou shalt come forth into heaven, thou shalt pass over the sky, thou shalt be joined unto the starry deities. Praises shall be offered unto thee in thy boat, thou shalt be hymned in the [=A]tet boat, thou shalt behold R[=a] within his shrine, thou shalt set together with his Disk day by day, thou shalt see the ANT [Footnote 1: The name of a mythological fish which swam at the bow of the boat of R[=a].] fish when it springeth into being in the waters of turquoise, and thou shalt see the ABTU [Footnote: The name of a mythological fish which swam at the bow of the boat of R[=a].] fish in his hour. It shall come to pass that the Evil One shall fall when he layeth a snare to destroy thee, and the joints of his neck and of his back shall be hacked asunder. R[=a] [saileth] with a fair wind, and the Sektet boat draweth on and cometh into port. The mariners of R[=a] rejoice, and the heart of Nebt-[=a]nkh (_i.e._, Isis) is glad, for the enemy of R[=a] hath fallen to the ground. Thou shalt behold Horus on the standing-place of the pilot of the boat, and Thoth and Ma[=a]t shall stand one upon each side of him. All the gods shall rejoice when they behold R[=a] coming in peace to make the hearts of the shining ones to live, and Osiris Ani, triumphant, the scribe of the divine offspring of the lords of Thebes, shall be along with them."
But, not content with sailing in the boat of R[=a] daily as one of many beatified beings, the deceased hoped to transform each of his limbs into a god, and when this was effected to become R[=a] himself. Thus in
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