5. _Lord of the One Face_ = μονοπρόσωπος in opposition to πολυπρόσωπος
which is an epithet of the Sky, on account of its many changes of
aspect. The Moon too has a variety of phases, whereas the Sun is
eminently the “Lord of One Face.” From another point of view the god, at
the beginning of chapter 64, is called the “Lord of Two Faces,” the
bright and the dark. The Pyramid Texts have the parallel conception of
the Two Eyes of Horus, one white and one black, ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂
(Unas 37).
6. This passage receives illustration from the great inscription of
Piānchi, who at Heliopolis paid a visit to the great Tabernacle
(⁂⁂⁂) of the Sun-god, the doors of which he opened and
afterwards sealed up with the royal seal. Before going up the steps to
it he had to lift the _Vail_ (⁂⁂⁂⁂) or Curtains which
concealed it, and perform sprinklings and offer incense and flowers. Two
important words (of which the first has the interesting variant ⁂ and
the second is written ⁂⁂⁂ in the oldest texts) are thus made
clear.
The god is said, according to the different readings, to pierce
“through, the Vail” or “through _what is upon_ the Vail.”
It will be remembered that the Hebrew Holy of Holies was separated from
the Sanctuary by a curtain upon which the figures of Cherubim were
woven, that before the curtain of the Holy of Holies stood the altar
upon which incense was offered each morn and evening, and that in
sin-offerings the priest sprinkled blood seven times before the Vail of
the Sanctuary.
7. _The Seven Divine Masters_, ⁂⁂⁂⁂ or
⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂,[84] were the offspring of Mehurit, and
assumed the form of Hawks.[85] They were the inventors and patrons of
all the arts and sciences, and they assisted Thoth in composition and in
the measurement of the earth. See references in Brugsch’s article,
_Zeits._, 1872, p. 6.
They are, I believe, to be identified, like the Seven Rishis of the
later Sanskrit literature, with the seven stars of the Great Bear. In
this conception the Polar star is represented by Thoth.
8. _The Symbol of Life and the Sceptre_, the ⁂ and ⁂.
9. _Brute Force_ ⁂⁂⁂, see chapter 57, note 5.
-----
Footnote 83:
Namely, “of the great god.” This ellipse is very frequent.
Footnote 84:
In the Prisse Papyrus this word is to be understood of a scholar or
sage, whose word is of authority.
Footnote 85:
They have human heads on the Louvre Sarcophagus D. 7.
------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLATE XIX.
BOOK OF THE DEAD
[Illustration:
CHAPTER LXV.
=Papyrus du Louve, III, 93.=
]
[Illustration:
CHAPTER LXVIII.
=Papyrus du Louvre, III, 89.=
]
[Illustration:
CHAPTER LXVIII.
LEPSIUS, “Todt.,” Plate XXV.
]
[Illustration:
CHAPTER LXXI.
=LEPSIUS, “Todt.,” Plate XXVI=.
]
[Illustration:
CHAPTER LXXI.
=Papyrus of Nebseni, British Museum, 9900.=
]
[Illustration:
CHAPTER LXXII.
=Papyrus du Louvre, III, 93.=
]
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