[10] It has been thought to be as late as the Seventeenth (about 1600 B.C.), but the balance of opinion favours the above-mentioned period. [11] The inscriptions and sculptures from this tomb have not yet been published, but a work dealing with it will shortly appear. The above titles, excepting the first, are from Lepsius, _Denkmaeler aus Aegypten und Aethiopien_, Abth. II. 48, Berlin, 1849-68. [12] Called Ptah-hotep I. by Egyptologists. For a description of his tomb, see Mariette, A., _Les Mastabas de l'Ancien Empire_, Paris, 1889, D. 62. For the other Ptah-hotep under Isosi, see Quibell, J. E., and Griffith, F. L., _Egyptian Research Account; The Ramesseum and the Tomb of Ptah-Hotep_, London, 1898. Also Davies, N. de G., and Griffith, F. L., _Egypt Exploration Fund; The Mastaba of Ptahhetep and Akhethetep at Saqqara_, 2 vols., London, 1900, 1901. The little figure on the cover of this book is from this tomb. [13] _The Wisdom of the Son of Sirach_, chap. xliv. [14] The Egyptians were monogamists at this time, and the wife enjoyed social equality with her husband. [15] Page 29, footnote. [16] _Noter_. [17] This is an arbitrary name not existing in the original. It would be better named 'The Declaration of Innocence.' [18] It has been thought by many Egyptologists that 'the God' mentioned in this and other texts is a nameless monotheistic abstraction transcending all named gods. Although this theory has the support of many great names, I venture to say that the evidence for such an important doctrine is in the highest degree unsatisfactory. [19] The books mentioned here are set forth in detail in the Bibliography. [20] Only of Ptah-hotep. {41} THE INSTRUCTION OF PTAH-HOTEP The Ethics of Argument--Manners for Guests--From Father to Son--A Just Judge--The Treatment of Servants--Duties of the Great--The Test of Friendship--The Beauty of Obedience--One Generation to Another--Whom the King Honoureth The Instruction of the Governor of his City, the Vizier, Ptah-hotep, in the Reign of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Isosi, living for ever, to the end of Time. A. The Governor of his City, the Vizier, Ptah-hotep, he said: 'O Prince, my Lord, the end of life is at hand; old age descendeth [upon me]; feebleness cometh, and childishness is renewed. He [that is old] lieth down in misery every day. The eyes are small; the ears are deaf. Energy is diminished, the heart hath no rest. The mouth is silent, and he speaketh no word; the heart stoppeth, and he remembereth not yesterday. The bones are painful throughout the body; good turneth unto evil. All taste departeth. These things doeth old age for mankind, being evil in all things. The nose is stopped, and he breatheth not for weakness (?), whether standing or sitting.