Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13
General
Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern — Volume 13
Literature -- Collections
Twice great is the lord of his city, above a million arms: as for
other rulers of men, they are but common folk.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a dyke, damming
the stream in its water flood.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a cool lodge,
letting every man repose unto full daylight.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a bulwark, with
walls built of the sharp stones of Kesem.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a place of
refuge, excluding the marauder.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were an asylum,
shielding the terrified from his foe.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a shade, the
cool vegetation of the flood-time in the season of harvest.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a corner warm
and dry in time of winter.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were a rock barring
the blast in time of tempest.
Twice great is the lord of his city: he is as it were Sekhemt to foes
who tread upon his boundary.
IV
He hath come to us, that he may take the land of the South Country:
the Double Crown[212] hath been placed upon his head.
He hath come, he hath united the two lands: he hath joined the Reed to
the Hornet.[213]
He hath come, he hath ruled the people of the Black Land: he hath
placed the Red Land in his power.[214]
He hath come, he hath protected the two lands: he hath tranquillized
the two regions.
He hath come, he hath made the people of Egypt to live: he hath
destroyed its afflictions.
He hath come, he hath made the Pat to live: he hath opened the throat
of the Rekhyt.[215]
He hath come, he hath trampled on the nations: he hath smitten the Anu
who knew not his terror.
He hath come, he hath secured his frontier: he hath delivered him who
was stolen away.
He hath come: ... he granteth reward-in-old-age by what his mighty arm
bringeth to us.
He hath come, we nurture our children: we bury our aged ones[216] by
his good favor.
Translation of F. Ll. Griffith.
HYMN TO THE ATEN[217]
The following hymn addressed by King Akhenaten (B.C. 1450) to his one
god, the visible Sun itself, was perhaps originally written in ten-line
stanzas like the 'Hymn to Usertesen III.,' but the known texts of it are
all too mutilated and uncertain for us to attempt any thorough
restoration of the composition at present. A good edition of the hymn
has been published by Professor Breasted of Chicago, and his text is
here followed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account