DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.30604#0087
THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
XXIX
pyramid of Unas. Here all creation is represented as being in terror when they
see the deceased king rise up as a soul in the form of a god who devours “his
“ fathers and mothers he feeds upon men and also upon gods. He hunts the
gods in the fields and snares them ; and when they are tied up for slaughter
he cuts their throats and disembowels them. He roasts and eats the best of
them, but the old gods and goddesses are used for fuel. By eating them he
imbibes both their magical powers | ^ , and their khu'?, . He becomes
the “ great Form, the form among forms, and the god of all the great gods who
“ exist in visible forms,”1 and he is at the head of all the saku, or spiritual bodies
in heaven. He carries off the hearts of the gods, and devours the wisdom
of every god ; therefore the duration of his life is everlasting and he lives to all
eternity, for the souls of the gods and their khu s are in him. The whole passage
reads 2
“ (496) The heavens drop water, the stars throb, (497) the archers go round about, the
“ (498) bones of Akeru tremble, and those who are in bondage to them take to flight when
“ they see (499) Unas rise up as a soul, in the form of the god who liveth upon his fathers and
“ who maketh food of his (500) mothers. Unas is the lord of wisdom, and (501) his mother
“ knoweth not his name. The gifts of Unas are in heaven, and he hath become mighty in
“ the horizon (502) like unto Tmu, the father that gave him birth, and after Tmu gave him birth
“ (5°3) Unas became stronger than his father. The ka's of Unas are behind him, the sole of
“ his foot is beneath his feet, his gods are over him, his uraei are [seated] (504) upon his brow,
“ the serpent guides of Unas are in front of him, and the spirit of the flame looketh upon [his]
— [j phl t '
o . Ibid., t. iii., p. 197 (1. 182 f.).
MMM
■§>
U7
same page.
nn □
Ibid., t. v., p. 40 (1. 286), and see M. Maspero’s note on the
Pyramid of Teta, 1. 327 ; ibid., t. v., p. 50.
2 See Maspero, Recueil, t. iv.. p. 59, t. v., p. 50; and Revue de FHisioire des Religions, t. xii., p. 128.
Old tradition of
hunting and
devouring the gods.
XXIX
pyramid of Unas. Here all creation is represented as being in terror when they
see the deceased king rise up as a soul in the form of a god who devours “his
“ fathers and mothers he feeds upon men and also upon gods. He hunts the
gods in the fields and snares them ; and when they are tied up for slaughter
he cuts their throats and disembowels them. He roasts and eats the best of
them, but the old gods and goddesses are used for fuel. By eating them he
imbibes both their magical powers | ^ , and their khu'?, . He becomes
the “ great Form, the form among forms, and the god of all the great gods who
“ exist in visible forms,”1 and he is at the head of all the saku, or spiritual bodies
in heaven. He carries off the hearts of the gods, and devours the wisdom
of every god ; therefore the duration of his life is everlasting and he lives to all
eternity, for the souls of the gods and their khu s are in him. The whole passage
reads 2
“ (496) The heavens drop water, the stars throb, (497) the archers go round about, the
“ (498) bones of Akeru tremble, and those who are in bondage to them take to flight when
“ they see (499) Unas rise up as a soul, in the form of the god who liveth upon his fathers and
“ who maketh food of his (500) mothers. Unas is the lord of wisdom, and (501) his mother
“ knoweth not his name. The gifts of Unas are in heaven, and he hath become mighty in
“ the horizon (502) like unto Tmu, the father that gave him birth, and after Tmu gave him birth
“ (5°3) Unas became stronger than his father. The ka's of Unas are behind him, the sole of
“ his foot is beneath his feet, his gods are over him, his uraei are [seated] (504) upon his brow,
“ the serpent guides of Unas are in front of him, and the spirit of the flame looketh upon [his]
— [j phl t '
o . Ibid., t. iii., p. 197 (1. 182 f.).
MMM
■§>
U7
same page.
nn □
Ibid., t. v., p. 40 (1. 286), and see M. Maspero’s note on the
Pyramid of Teta, 1. 327 ; ibid., t. v., p. 50.
2 See Maspero, Recueil, t. iv.. p. 59, t. v., p. 50; and Revue de FHisioire des Religions, t. xii., p. 128.
Old tradition of
hunting and
devouring the gods.