The group of nobles who formed the King’s Court had all sacrificed much in coming to the new capital. Their estates around Thebes had been left, their houses abandoned, and the tombs which were in process of being made for them in the Theban hills had been rendered useless. The King, therefore, showered favours upon them, and at his expense built their houses and constructed sepulchres for them. It is on the walls of these tombs that one obtains the main portion of one’s information regarding the teachings of this wonderful youth, who was now growing into manhood. Here are inscribed those beautiful hymns to Aton which rank so high in ancient literature. It is unfortunate that space does not allow of more than a few extracts from the hymns to be quoted here; but something of their beauty may be realised from these. “Thy dawning is beautiful in the horizon of heaven, O living Aton, Beginning of life! When thou risest in the eastern horizon of heaven Thou fillest every land with thy beauty.” “Though thou art afar, thy rays are on earth; Though thou art on high, thy footprints are the day.” “When thou settest in the western horizon of heaven The world is in darkness like the dead. Men sleep in their chambers, their heads are wrapt up. Every lion cometh forth from his den. The serpents, they sting. Darkness reigns, the world is in silence: He that made them has gone to rest in his horizon.” “Bright is the earth when thou risest in the horizon ... When thou sendest forth thy rays The two lands of Egypt are in daily festivity, Awake and standing upon their feet, For thou hast raised them up. Their limbs bathed, they take their clothing, Their arms uplifted in adoration to thy dawning. Then in all the world they do their work.” “All cattle rest upon their herbage, all trees and plants flourish. The birds flutter in their marshes, their wings uplifted in adoration to thee. All the sheep dance upon their feet, All winged things fly; they live when thou hast shone upon them.” “The barques sail up-stream and down-stream alike, ... The fish in the river leap up before thee, And thy rays are in the midst of the great sea.” “Thou art he who createst the man-child in woman ... Who giveth life to the son in the body of his mother; Who soothest him that he may not weep, A nurse even in the womb.” “When the chick crieth in the egg-shell, Thou givest him breath therein to preserve him alive ... He cometh forth from the egg, to chirp with all his might. He runneth about upon his two feet.” “How manifold are thy works! They are hidden from before us.”[5]