Then Setne demanded of him how he could accomplish this. The child
Se-Osiris began to recite words from the magical books, words of power.
Next he took his father by the hand and led him to an unknown place
in the mountains of Memphis. Here there were seven great halls filled
with people of all conditions. They traversed three of these without
hindrance. Upon entering the fourth Setne saw a mass of men who rushed
hither and thither, writhing as creatures attacked them from behind;
others, famished, were springing and jumping in their efforts to reach
the food suspended above them, whilst some, again, dug holes at their
feet to prevent them attaining their object. In the fifth hall were
venerable shades who had each found their proper and fitting place, but
those who were accused of crimes lingered kneeling at the door, which
pivoted upon the eye of a man who ceaselessly prayed and groaned. In
the sixth hall were the gods of Amenti, who sat in council, each in his
place, whilst the keepers of the portals called out the causes. In the
seventh hall was seated the great god Osiris on a golden throne, crowned
with the plumed diadem. On his left was Anubis, and on his right the god
Thoth. In the midst were the scales wherein were weighed the faults and
virtues of the souls of the dead, while Thoth wrote down the judgment
that Anubis pronounced. Then those whose faults outweighed their virtues
were delivered to Amait, the attendant of the Lord of Amenti; their
souls and bodies were destroyed for ever. But those whose virtues were
greater than their failings took their place among the gods and shades,
and there their souls found a heaven. Those, again, whose merits and
faults were equal were put amongst the servitors of Sekerosiris.
Then Setne saw near the place of Osiris one of exalted rank and robed in
the finest linen. And while Setne was marvelling at all he had seen in
the land of Amenti, Se-Osiris, his little son, said unto him, "My father
Setne, seest thou that great personage in fine robes and near to Osiris?
That peasant whom thou didst see carried out of Memphis without a soul
to accompany him, and his body wrapped in a mat, dost thou remember,
my father? Well, that peasant is the one beside Osiris! When he had
come to Amenti and they weighed his faults and virtues, lo! his virtues
outweighed all. And by the judgment of the gods all the honours that had
been the share of the rich man were given to the peasant, and by the law
of Osiris he takes his place midst the honoured and exalted. But the
rich man, when he had come to Hades and his merits were weighed, lo! his
faults weighed heavier, and he is that man you have seen upon whose eye
pivots the door of the fifth hall, the man who cries and prays aloud
with great agony. By the life of Osiris, god of Amenti, if upon earth I
said to thee, 'Rather may the fate of the peasant be thine than that of
the rich man,' it was because I knew their fates, my father."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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