Chapter 23 (part 1)

PLATE XV. Vignette: A seated statue of Ani, the scribe, upon which the ceremony of opening the mouth"[4] un re , is being performed by the sem [5] priest, clad in a panther's skin and holding in his right hand the instrument Ur heka [6] i.e. , "mighty one of enchantments." In front of the statue are: the [1. Var. arit xeperuf . 2. The Papyrus of Nebseni has the better reading ufa pu tep ta , "he shall be in a good state upon earth." 3. Brugsch renders em shes maat by "sicut oequum et justum est"; Wörterbuch (Supp.), p. 1203. 4. For a description of this ceremony, see above, pp. 264-270. 5. Compare ### Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd. I., Bl. 34. In British Museum papyrus No. 10,470, sheet 8, the god Horus performs this ceremony upon the deceased, who is upon a stool. 6. See above, p. 264.] sepulchral chest, the instruments Seb-ur, Tun-tet, and Temanu, and the object Pesh-en-kef.[1] Text [CHAPTER XXIII.]: (I) THE CHAPTER OF OPENING THE MOUTH OF OSIRIS, THE SCRIBE ANI. To be said:[2] "May Ptah open my mouth, and may the god of my town[3] loose the swathings, even the swathings[4] which are over my mouth (2). Moreover, may Thoth, being filled and furnished with charms, come and loose the bandages, the bandages of Set which fetter my mouth (3); and may the god Tmu hurl them' at those who would fetter [me] with them, and drive them back. May my mouth be opened, may my mouth be unclosed by Shu[6] (4) with his iron[7] knife, wherewith he opened the mouth of the gods. I am Sekhet,[8] and I sit upon the great western side of heaven. (5) 1 am the great goddess Sah[9] among the souls of Annu. Now as concerning every charm and all the words which may be spoken against me (6), may the gods resist them, and may each and every one of the company of the gods withstand it them."[10] Text [CHAPTER XXIV.]: (I) THE CHAPTER OF BRINGING CHARMS UNTO OSIRIS ANI [IN NETER-KHERT]. [He saith]: "I am Tmu[11]-Khepera, who gave birth unto himself upon the thigh of his divine mother.[12] Those who are in Nu[13]are made wolves, and those who are among the godlike rulers (3) are become [1. See above, p. 264. 2. Var. "he saith." 3. Var., "By Amen, the god of my town"; Lepsius, Todtenbuch , Pl. xiv. 4. Var., netiu . 5. Var., May Tmu give me my hand to shoot them at those who fetter [me]. May my mouth be given to me, may my mouth be opened." 6. Var., O Ptah. 7. Literally " iron of heaven " ( baat en pet = Copt. ###); for discussions on the word, see Dümichen, Aeg. Zeit. , 1874, p. 49, and the authorities quoted by Brugsch, Wörterbuch (Suppl.), p. 416. 8. The papyrus of Nebseni adds Uatchit.