Legends of the Gods: The Egyptian Texts, edited with TranslationsBudge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
General
Legends of the Gods: The Egyptian Texts, edited with Translations
Budge, E. A. Wallis (Ernest Alfred Wallis), Sir
Egyptian literature -- Translations into English; Mythology, Egyptian
And Thoth said, "This Great House in this place shall therefore be
called 'Ast-Nefert'[FN#98] from this day. It is situated to the
south-west of the city of Nart, and [covereth] a space of four
schoinoi." And Ra Heru-Behutet said unto Thoth, "Hast thou not
searched through this water for the enemy?" And Thoth said, "The water
of the God-house in this place shall be called by the name of 'Heh'
(i.e., sought out)." And Ra said, "Thy ship, O Heru-Behutet, is great
(?) upon Ant-mer (?) . . . . . . And Thoth said, "The name of [thy
ship] shall be called 'Ur', and this stream shall be called 'Ant-mer
(?).'" As concerning (or, now) the place Ab-Bat (?) is situated on the
shore of the water. "Ast-nefert" is the name of the Great house, "Neb-
Aha" [is the name of] the priest . . . . . . . . is the name of the
priestess, "Heh" is the name of the lake . . . . . . . [is the name] of
the water, "Am-her-net" is the name of the holy (?) acacia tree, "Neter
het" is the name of the domain of the god, "Uru" is the name of the
sacred boat, the gods therein are Heru-Behutet, the smiter of the
lands, Horus, the son of Isis [and] Osiris . . . . . . . . his
blacksmiths[FN#99] are to him, and those who are in his following are
to him in his territory, with his metal lance, with his [mace], with
his dagger, and with all his chains (or, fetters) which are in the city
of Heru-Behutet.
[FN#98] i.e., "Beautiful Place."
[FN#99] Or perhaps fighting men who were armed with metal weapons.
[And when he had reached the land of the North with his followers, he
found the enemy.] Now as for the blacksmiths who were over the middle
regions, they made a great slaughter of the enemy, and there were
brought back one hundred and six of them. Now as for the blacksmiths
of the West, they brought back one hundred and six of the enemy. Now
as for the blacksmiths of the East, among whom was Heru-Behutet, he
slew them (i.e., the enemy) in the presence of Ra in the Middle
Domains.[FN#100]
[FN#100] In the sculptures (Naville, Mythe, pl. 17) Heru-Behutet is
seen standing in a boat spearing a crocodile, and immediately behind d
him in the boat is Ra-Harmachis in his shrine. The Mesentiu of the
West are represented by an armed warrior in a boat, who is spearing a
crocodile, and leads the way for Heru-Behutet. In a boat behind the
great god is a representative of the Mesentiu of the East spearing a
crocodile.
And Ra, said unto Thoth, "My heart [is satisfied] with the works of
these blacksmiths of Heru-Behutet who are in his bodyguard. They shall
dwell in sanctuaries, and libations and purifications and offerings
shall be made to their images, and [there shall be appointed for them]
priests who shall minister by the month, and priests who shall minister
by the hour, in all their God-houses whatsoever, as their reward
because they have slain the enemies of the god."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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