Chapter 18 (part 8)

Sekhem is the metropolis of ### or ### Khens , the Greek Letopolites, the 2nd nome of Lower Egypt; it is the ###, or ### of the Coptic writers, and was situated about twenty-five miles north of Memphis. According to a text at Edfu, the neck of Osiris, ### maxaq , was preserved there. The god Horus, under the form of a lion, was worshipped at Sekhem. See Brugsch, Aeg. Zeitschrift , 1879, pp. 33-36; Brugsch, Dict. Géog. , p. 738; and De Rougé, Géographie Ancienne , p. 8. 2. The chief variants are ###, (see Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. II, Bl. 8.) On this passage see Devéria, Aeg. Zeitschriff , 1870, p. 60. 3. I.e. , the day of the festival of Osiris who is called "Lord of the Festival of the Sixth Day." A list of the festivals of the month is given by Brugsch, Matériaux pour servir à la reconstruction du Calendrier ; Leipzig, 1864, plate iv. 4. I.e. , the festival on the 7th day of the month. See Brugsch, op. cit. , plate iv. 5. Var. ### Tatau . 6. The reading of the text is not usual. British Museum papyrus No. 9901 has, after Tattu , ### and according to this text we should read, "I am a priest in Tattu, exalting him that is upon the steps (Pierret, "degrés de l'initiation"); I am a prophet in Abtu on the day of casting up the earth." 7. According to Devéria ( Aeg. Zeitschrift , 1870, p. 61), "casting up the earth" means the day of digging the grave. 8 Var. ### "The Ram, lord of Tattu," i.e. , Osiris. 9 Or setem ###, a priest of Ptah at Memphis. 10 ### ur xerp ab (or hem ), the name of the chief priest of Ptah at Memphis (see Brugsch, Wörterbuch , Supp., p. 392; and Brugsch, Aegytologie , p. 218). The position of this official is described by Maspero, Un Manuel de Hiérarchie Étgyptienne , p. 53. The title was in use in the earliest times (see De Rougé, Six Premières Dynasties , pp. 110, 111).] boat of Seker (29) upon its sledge.[1] I have grasped the spade[2] (30) on the day of digging the ground in Suten-henen.[3] O ye who make (31) perfected souls to enter into the Hall of Osiris, may ye cause the perfected soul of Osiris, the scribe (32) Ani, victorious [in the Hall of Double Truth], to enter with you into the house of Osiris. May he hear as ye hear; may he (33) see as ye see; may he stand as ye stand; may he sit as (34) ye sit![4] "O ye who give bread and ale to perfected souls in the Hall of (35) Osiris, give ye bread and ale at the two seasons to the soul of Osiris Ani, who is (36) victorious before all the gods of Abtu, and who is victorious with you.