DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5066#0302
272 THE POEM OF PENTAUR ch. xii.
whose name was ' Victory in Thebes,' they were from the court-
of King Ramses Meri-Amen. When the king had quickened his-
course, he rushed into the midst of the hostile hosts of Kheta, all
alone, no other was with him. When Pharaoh had done this, he
looked behind him and found himself surrounded by 2,500 pairs
of horses, and his retreat was beset by the bravest heroes of the king
of the miserable Kheta, and by all the numerous peoples which were-
with him, of Arathu, of Masu, of Pidasa, of Keshkesh, of Malunna,
of Qazauadana, of Khilibu, of Akerith, of Kadesh, and of Leka.
And there were three men in each chariot, and they were all
gathered together.
And not one of my princes, not one of my captains of the
chariots, not one of my chief men, not one of my knights was there.
My warriors and my chariots had abandoned me, not one of them
was there to take part in the battle.
Thereupon speaks Pharaoh : ' Where art thou, my father Amen ?'
If this means that the father has forgotten his son, behold have I
done anything without thy knowledge, or have I not gone and
followed the judgments of thy mouth ? Never were the precepts
of thy mouth transgressed, nor have I broken thy commands in
any respect. The noble lord and ruler of Egypt, should he bow
himself before the foreign peoples in his way ? Whatever may be
the intention of these herdsmen, Amen should stand higher than
the miserable one who knows nothing of God. Shall it have been
for nothing that I have dedicated to thee many and noble monu-
ments, that I have filled thy temples with my prisoners of war
that I have built to thee temples to last many thousands of years,
that I have given to thee all my substance as household furni-
ture, that the whole united land has been ordered to pay tribute to
thee, that I have dedicated to thee sacrifices of ten thousands of
oxen, and of all good and sweet-smelling woods ? Never did I
withhold my hand from doing that which thy wish required. I
have built for thee propylsea and wonderful works of stone, I have
raised to thee masts for all times, I have conveyed obelisks for thee
from the island of Elephantine^ It was I who had brought for
thee the everlasting stone, who caused the ships to go for thee on
the sea, to bring thee the productions of foreign nations. Where
has it been told that such a thing was done at any other time ?
Let him be put to shame who rejects thy commands, but good be to
him who acknowledges thee, 0 Amen ! I have acted for thee with
a willing heart; therefore I call on thee. Behold now, Amen, I
am in the midst of many unknown peoples in great numbers. All
have united themselves, and I am all alone ; no other is with me ;
my warriors and my charioteers have deserted me. I called to them,
whose name was ' Victory in Thebes,' they were from the court-
of King Ramses Meri-Amen. When the king had quickened his-
course, he rushed into the midst of the hostile hosts of Kheta, all
alone, no other was with him. When Pharaoh had done this, he
looked behind him and found himself surrounded by 2,500 pairs
of horses, and his retreat was beset by the bravest heroes of the king
of the miserable Kheta, and by all the numerous peoples which were-
with him, of Arathu, of Masu, of Pidasa, of Keshkesh, of Malunna,
of Qazauadana, of Khilibu, of Akerith, of Kadesh, and of Leka.
And there were three men in each chariot, and they were all
gathered together.
And not one of my princes, not one of my captains of the
chariots, not one of my chief men, not one of my knights was there.
My warriors and my chariots had abandoned me, not one of them
was there to take part in the battle.
Thereupon speaks Pharaoh : ' Where art thou, my father Amen ?'
If this means that the father has forgotten his son, behold have I
done anything without thy knowledge, or have I not gone and
followed the judgments of thy mouth ? Never were the precepts
of thy mouth transgressed, nor have I broken thy commands in
any respect. The noble lord and ruler of Egypt, should he bow
himself before the foreign peoples in his way ? Whatever may be
the intention of these herdsmen, Amen should stand higher than
the miserable one who knows nothing of God. Shall it have been
for nothing that I have dedicated to thee many and noble monu-
ments, that I have filled thy temples with my prisoners of war
that I have built to thee temples to last many thousands of years,
that I have given to thee all my substance as household furni-
ture, that the whole united land has been ordered to pay tribute to
thee, that I have dedicated to thee sacrifices of ten thousands of
oxen, and of all good and sweet-smelling woods ? Never did I
withhold my hand from doing that which thy wish required. I
have built for thee propylsea and wonderful works of stone, I have
raised to thee masts for all times, I have conveyed obelisks for thee
from the island of Elephantine^ It was I who had brought for
thee the everlasting stone, who caused the ships to go for thee on
the sea, to bring thee the productions of foreign nations. Where
has it been told that such a thing was done at any other time ?
Let him be put to shame who rejects thy commands, but good be to
him who acknowledges thee, 0 Amen ! I have acted for thee with
a willing heart; therefore I call on thee. Behold now, Amen, I
am in the midst of many unknown peoples in great numbers. All
have united themselves, and I am all alone ; no other is with me ;
my warriors and my charioteers have deserted me. I called to them,