APPENDIX.
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THE BOOK OF THE DEAD OF NESI-KHONSU, A PRIESTESS OF ÅMEN, ABOUT B.C. 1000.¹

“This holy god, the lord of all the gods, Åmen-Rā, “the lord of the throne of the two lands, the governor “of Åpt; the holy soul who came into being in the “beginning; the great god who liveth by (or upon) “Maāt; the first divine matter which gave birth unto “subsequent divine matter!² the being through whom “every [other] god hath existence; the One One who “hath made everything which hath come into exist-” ence since primeval times when the world was created; “the being whose births are hidden, whose evolutions “are manifold, and whose growths are unknown; the “holy Form, beloved, terrible, and mighty in his “risings; the lord of wealth, the power, Khepera “who createth every evolution of his existence, oxcept whom at the beginning none other existed; “who at the dawn in the primeval time was Åtennu, “the prince of rays and beams of light; who haviāg “made himself [to be seen, caused] all men to live; “who saileth over the celestial regions and faileth not, “for at dawn on the morrow his ordinances are made “permanent; who though an old man shineth in the “form of one that is young, and having brought (or “led) the uttermost parts of eternity goeth round about “the celestial regions and journeyeth through the uat “to illumine the two lands which he hath created; the “God who acteth as God, who moulded himself, who “made the heavens and the earth by his will (or heart). “the greatest of the great, the mightiest of the mighty, “the prince who is mightier than the gods, the young “Bull with sharp horns, the protector of the two lands “in his mighty name of ‘The everlasting one who “cometh and hath his might, who bringeth the re-” motest limit of eternity,’ the god-prince who hath “been prince from the time that he came into being, “the conqueror of the two lands by reason of his “might, the terrible one of the double divine face, “the divine aged one, the divine form who dwelleth “in the forms of all the gods, the Lion-god with awesome” eye, the sovereign who casteth forth the two “Eyes, the lord of flame [which goeth] against his “enemies; the god Nu, the prince who advanceth at “his hour to vivify that which cometh forth upon his “potter’s wheel, the disk of the Moon-god who openeth “a way both in heaven and upon earth for the beau-” tiful form; the beneficent (or operative) god, who is “untiring, and who is vigorous of heart both in rising “and in setting, from whose divine eyes come forth “men and women; at whose utterance the gods come “into being, and food is created, and tchefau food is “made, and all things which are come into being; the “traverser of eternity, the old man who maketh himself “young [again], with myriads of pairs of eyes and “numberless pairs of ears, whose light is the guide “of the god of millions of years; the lord of life, who “giveth unto whom he pleaseth the circuit of the earth “along with the seat of his divine face, who setteth “out upon his journey and suffereth no mishap by the “way, whose work none can destroy; the lord of delight, “whose name is sweet and beloved, at dawn mankind “make supplication unto him the Mighty one of victory, “the Mighty one of twofold strength, the Possessor of “fear, the young Bull who maketh an end of the “hostile ones, the Mighty one who doeth battle with “his foes, through whose divine plans the earth came “into being; the Soul who giveth light from his two “Utchats (Eyes); the god Baiti who created the divine “transformations; the holy one who is unknown; the “king who maketh kings to rule, and who girdeth up “the earth in its courses, and to whose souls the gods “and the goddesses pay homage by reason of the might “of his terror; since he hath gone before that which “followeth endureth; the creator of the world by his “secret counsels; the god Kheperå who is unknown “and who is more hidden than the [other] gods, whose “substitute is the divine Disk; the unknown one who “hideth himself from that which cometh forth from “him; he is the flame which sendeth forth rays of “light with mighty splendour, but though he can be “seen in form and observation can be made of him at “his appearance yet he cannot be understood, and at “dawn mankind make supplication unto him; his “risings are of crystal among the company of the “gods, and he is the beloved object of every god; “the god Nu cometh forward with the north wind in “this god who is hidden; who maketh decrees for “millions of double millions of years, whose ordinances “are fixed and are not destroyed, whose utterances are “gracious, and whose statutes fail not in his appointed “time; who giveth duration of life and doubleth the “years of those unto whom he hath a favour; who “graciously protecteth him whom he hath set in his “heart; who hath formed eternity and everlastingness, “the king of the South and of the North, Åmen-Rā, “the king of the gods, the lord of heaven and of earth, “and of the deep, and of the two mountains, in whose “form the earth began to exist, he the mighty one, who “is more distinguished than all the gods of the first and “foremost company.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the beginning of what hath come into being, hath sent forth his great and holy edict for the deification of Nesi-Khonsu, the daughter of Ta-ennu-Teāuti, both in Åmentet and in Neter-khert… and he saith:—

“I deify Nesi-Khonsu, the daughter of Ta-ennu-” Teāuti in Åmentet, and I deify her in Neter-khert; “I have granted that she shall receive water in Åmen-” tet and funeral offerings in Neter-khert. I deify her “soul and her body in Neter-khert, and I will not let “her soul be destroyed therein; nay, I deify her soul “in Neter-khert, [and I make it] like unto that of “every god and of every goddess who have been deified “therein, and like unto that of everything whatsoever “which hath been deified in Neter-khert. I have “granted that every god, and every goddess, and “every divine being, and every thing which hath been “deified shall receive her in Neter-khert; and I have “granted that all her kinsfolk (?) shall receive her “therein with a gracious reception; and I have “granted that every good thing, which cometh into “being with a man when he assumeth this form, “whether he be carried off into the underworld, or “whether he become deified, or whether every good “thing be wrought for him where he is, or whether he “be made to receive water and offerings, or whether he be “made to receive his cakes from those which those who “have been deified receive, or whether he be made to “receive his divine offerings from those which those “who have been deified receive, shall be done for her “so that it shall be with her.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“I cause Nesi-Khonsu, the daughter of Ta-h·en-” Teāuti-å, to make every kind of food and every kind “of drink which every god and every goddess who “have been deified in the underworld make; and I “cause her to make every good thing which is with “every god and every goddess who have been deified “in the underwoāld; and by means thereof I have “delivered my servant Pa-netchem from every evil “thing, and I will not let any of the calamities which “occur in the underworld fall upon Nesi-Khonsu to do “her harm; and I grant that her soul may come forth, “and that it may enter in according to its desire and “never be repulsed.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“I have gone round (i.e., I have examined) the heart “of Nesi-Khonsu, the daughter of Ta-h·en-Teāuti-å, “and she hath done no evil thing against Pa-netchem, “the son of Åset-em-khebit. I have carefully examined” her heart, and I have not let her attack his life, “and I have not allowed her to attack his life through “other folk. I have carefully examined her heart, and “I have not let her do any evil thing unto him such as “is done against a living man. I have carefully ex-” amined her heart, and I have not allowed her to do“by means of other folk any of the evil things which “are done against a living man.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“I have caused her not to seek to do any evil thing “which would cause death unto Pa-netchem, the son “of Åset-em-khebit. I have carefully examined her “heart and she hath done no evil thing unto him in “particular, nor any evil thing which could harm him “in general; she hath not worked against him by “means of any god or any goddess who has been “deified; nor by means of any male khu or of any “female khu who has been deified; and she hath not “worked against him by means of any kind of beings “whaāsoever who work schemes and plans so that “beings of every kind may be obedient unto their “words. I have carefully examined her heart and “[see] that she hath sought that which was good for “him whilst he was upon earth; and I have caused “her to seek in every way to give him a long life upon “earth, and a life of health, and soundness, and power, “and strength, and might; and I have caused her in “every way to procure for him happiness wherever the “sound of his words was heard. I have caused her to “seek neither harm for him, nor anything which could “inflict an injury upon man, nor anything which could “cause evil to Pa-netchem, the son of Åset-em-khebit. “I have caused her not to seek any evil thing, or any “noxious thing which would induce death, or any “harmful thing like unto those things which make “the heart of man to tremble, or those which do “harm unto the men and women who were beloved “by Pa-netchem, nor unto him by making his heart “terrified at them by means of the evil words which “have been directed against them (the men and women). “I have caused all that concerneth the heart and soul “of Nesi-Khonsu to be in good case, that is to say, her “heart hath not been driven away from her soul; her “soul hath not been driven away from her heart; her “heart hath not been driven away from herself; Nesi-” Khonsu herself hath not been in any way driven back “with the repulse with which a being in her form— “that is to say a being who hath been deified in the “underworld, whatever its nature may be—is some-” times repulsed; and no evil thing whatsoever, such “as may be done unto the human being who is in a “state like unto hers, hath been done unto her. Nay, “but [I have given] all that could delight Nesi-Khonsu, “namely, that Pa-netchem might enjoy a very long life “along with might, and strength, and power; that his “life might not be cut short; that no evil thing of “any kind whatsoever, and none of the things which “do harm unto a man and strike terror into his heart “might come nigh him, or his wives, or his children, “or his brethren, or Åtaui, or Nesta-neb-åsher, or “Masahairthå, or Tchaui-nefer, the children of Nesi-” Khonsu, or the brethren of Nesi-Khonsu. And I “have caused that everything which would be of “advantage to Pa-netchem, and all that would be of “benefit to him in any way whatsoever and which “could happen to a man in his condition, and an “exceedingly long life for himself, and his wives, “and his children, and his brethren, may also come “to Nesi-Khonsu, and to her children, and to her “sisters.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“I grant that all things, of whatever kinds they “may be, which a man hath when he is in the state “in which Nesi-Khonsu is, and by which he is deified, “shall be possessed by her, and I grant that the “seventy addresses to Rā may be recited in my name, “so that her soul may not be destroyed in the underworld.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“Every good word which can deify Nesi-Khonsu, “which will give her power to receive water and offerings”, and which shall be uttered or said before me by “any person whatsoever I will fulfil to the uttermost, “omitting nothing. Every good word which shall be “uttered before me on behalf of Nesi-Khonsu I will “fulfil at every season of the heavens when Shu “cometh forth, in such wise that none of the evil “things which can reach a person who is in the condition” in which she is shall touch her at any season “of the heavens, when Shu cometh forth from the “waters with his weapons and when day beginneth in “the sky. And I will utterly do away with the evil “effect of every word which may be spoken by any “person whatsoever of a being who is in the state in “which is Nesi-Khonsu, omitting nothing, at every “season of the heavens when Shu cometh forth from “the waters with his weapons and when day beginneth “in the sky.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“I have caused the seventy addresses to Rā to be “recited in my name, and I have not allowed any “single benefit which belongeth to a man who is in “the condition in which is Nesi-Khonsu to escape her. “And I have caused her to receive offerings, bread, “and ale, and unguents, and wine, and pomade, and “milk, and raisins (?); and I have caused her to re-” ceive all the benefits and all the good things which “a being who is in her condition and who is favoured “by me and who hath been deified can receive; and I “have caused her to share equally with every god and “every goddess every good thing whatsoever which “those who have been deified in the underworld re-” ceive; and I have caused her to receive her divine “offerings along with the gods.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“If the word by which the offering of Sekhet-Åaru “and of a field in Sekhet-Åaru is made is not one “which is good for the person who is in the condition “in which is Nesi-Khonsu, and it hath no effect, I my-” self will make unto her the offering of Sekhet-Åaru and “of a field in Sekhet-Åaru, when that which is beneficial “for her in this kind of offering shall come into being, “and it shall suffer no diminution thereof whatsoever.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“All good things which shall be spoken in my pre-” sence, saying, ‘Let such and such things be done “for Nesi-Khonsu, the daughter of Ta-ennu-Teāu-” ti-Å,’ I will perform for her, and they shall not be “lessened, and they shall not be abrogated, and nothing “therefrom shall be cut off at every season of the “heavens when Shu cometh forth. And, moreover, “she shall receive in abundance the choicest things “of all that is good for her, even as do every man “and every god who have been deified, and who go “forth and who come in, and who journey unto every “place as they please.”

Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great god, the prince of that which hath come into being from the beginning, saith:—

“As concerning all good things which have been “spoken in my presence, that is to say, ‘Perform them “for Pa-netchem, the son of Åset-em-khebit, my ser-” vant, and for his wives, and his children, and his “brethren, and his friends, and for those for whom “his heart is afraid lest evil come upon them’: behold”, I will send forth my great and mighty and holy “word, into every place that it may cause every good “thing to be with Pa-netchem, and his wives, and his “children, and his brethren, and all his friends, in “such wise that if any man shall omit to say, ‘Let the “decree of Åmen-Rā, the king of the gods, the great “god, the prince of that which hath come into being “from the beginning, be performed,’ I myself will “make that which the great god hath spoken to come “to pass.”