Egyptian religious poetry

THE PHARAOH 71

The inscriptions preserve only the words of the ritual; the manual acts, including the actual killing, can only be inferred. It is worth noting that the only occasion where the pronoun of the first person singular is used is in the words which I take to be the last words of the King before the death-blow was struck. It is not clear whether the killer of the King was himself slain immediately after his royal victim, or at a later date: but it is certain that he also was sacrificed.

The prayers and chants of preparation are fairly numerous, I give only a few (Nos. 9-12) ; the first is processional. These are followed by the ritual of the sacrifice (Nos. 13-22) ; and the ceremony ends with the slaying of the slayer (Nos. 23-26).

9

Tue King goes forth from Buto with the Spirits of Buto ; he is decked with the adornments of Horus, he is clothed with the garments of Thoth, Isis is at his side, Nephthys is behind him, the Opener of the Roads clears a path for him, the god of Light supports him. The Spirits of Heliopolis construct the stairs for him, whereby he may mount to the sky. The goddess Nut gives her hand to him as she did to Osiris on that day on which he died. [p.t., Spr., 505]

10

O R&, come and ferry the King to that side, as thou didst ferry thy servant whom thou didst love. Stretch out thy arm to the West and give thy hand to the King; stretch out thy arm to the East and give thy hand to the King, as thou didst to thy eldest son. [p.t., Spr., 363]