Egyptian religious poetry

28 EGYPTIAN RELIGIOUS POETRY

of men and women and even children “to the edge of the sword” like the bloodthirsty Hebrews, no impaling of captives like the cruel and savage Assyrians, no enslaving of whole nations who were not “ free-born’’ Roman citizens. Chiefs who had resisted were probably killed out of hand, prisoners of war were sent to Egypt as slaves, usually in the temples, but there were no massacres, no long-drawn-out and horrible deaths, no general enslavement of the population. Chiefs and kings who had submitted were left in possession, conquered districts were put under the charge of Egyptian governors, and the general population continued their ordinary lives with greater security than had been their lot previously. Egypt gave to the world an example of moderation and humanity which has few parallels in ancient or modern history.

It is to this period of the New Kingdom that the great bulk of Egyptian literature belongs. All through the xviiith and xixth dynasties the scribes were busy writing every form of literature, for with the spread of education more reading matter was required. The so-called Book of the Dead is the principal source for the religious literature of this time. The name is a modern one, and though a misnomer is a convenient title, for the Book of the Dead is not really a book, but consists of a number of sections (called chapters by modern scholars) for use in this world and the next. Various chapters written on papyrus were often placed in tombs, but no complete copy of all the chapters together has ever been found. It would seem that a man would have his favourite chapters copied out and laid beside him in the grave. Though the origin of the majority of the chapters is unknown, some few can be traced back to the Pyramid Texts. The difference in outlook between the Pyramid Texts and the Book of the Dead is very marked. In the Pyramid Texts every “ Utterance ” has reference to the king,