DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4669#0486
NOTES
451
gazed at the facade of Rameses as a monument of immense
antiquity, belonging to a period of Egyptian history which had
long since passed away. For eight centuries those colossal figures
had been sitting silent in the Nubian desert ; the glories of the
Theban Empire hail vanished altogether, while in all probability the
exploits of Rameses himself had already become blended with those
of Thothmes, and of Seti into the legend of the imaginary hero
Sesostris. . . . The great letters, which are about two inches in
height, are chiselled deeply, and in the dry Nubian air have suffered
so little from atmospheric influences that there is hardly a doubt
as to the actual reading of the inscription. . . . The interest and
importance of this record cm hardly be exaggerated."
17. Selection from Hymn to Atncn-Ra. Translations of the
Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. ii. p. 250 :—"Praise to Amen-
Ra. . . . Chief of the .^ods, the good god beloved, giving life to all
animated things, to all fair cattle ; hail to thee, Aincn-Ra, lord of
the thrones of the earth, chief in Aptu (Thebes); . . . lord of the
heathen prince of Punt, the ancient of heaven ; . . . the One in all
his works, single among the gods ; . . . chief of all the gods, lord
of truth, father of the gods, maker of men, creator of beasts, lord of
existences, creator of fruitful trees, maker of herbs, feeder of cattle ;
men are cheered at thy rising ; . . . the One maker of existences ;
. . . maker of grass for the cattle, fruitful trees for men, causing the
fish to live in the river, the birds to fill the air, giving breath to those
in the egg, feeding the birds that fly, giving food to the bird that
perches, to the creeping thing and the flying thing equally. . . .
Hail to thee for all these things, the One alone with many hands,
lying awake while all men lie asleep, to seek out the good of his
creatures. Amen, sustainer of all things. . . . Hail to thee, say all
creatures ; salutation to thee from every land," &c
18. Harris Papyrus, Rameses III.—" Egypt under the Pharaohs,"
vol. ii. p. 145:--"Thou hast received gold and silver like sand on
the seashore. What thou hast created in the river and ill the
mountain, that I dedicate to thee by heaps upon the earth. Let
it bean adornment to thy majesty for ever. I offer thee blue and
green precious stones, and all kinds of jewels in chests of bright
copper. I have made for thee numberless talismans out of all
kinds of valuable precious stones," &C.
10. Papyrus swamp.—"Rob Roy on the Jordan," p. 288 :—" The
Mouth of the Jordan. At this place the papyrus is of the richest
green, and upright as two walls on either hand, and so close is its
forest of stems . . . that no bird can fly into it. . . . The river
enters the lake at the end 01 a promontory of papyrus, and one
451
gazed at the facade of Rameses as a monument of immense
antiquity, belonging to a period of Egyptian history which had
long since passed away. For eight centuries those colossal figures
had been sitting silent in the Nubian desert ; the glories of the
Theban Empire hail vanished altogether, while in all probability the
exploits of Rameses himself had already become blended with those
of Thothmes, and of Seti into the legend of the imaginary hero
Sesostris. . . . The great letters, which are about two inches in
height, are chiselled deeply, and in the dry Nubian air have suffered
so little from atmospheric influences that there is hardly a doubt
as to the actual reading of the inscription. . . . The interest and
importance of this record cm hardly be exaggerated."
17. Selection from Hymn to Atncn-Ra. Translations of the
Society of Biblical Archaeology, vol. ii. p. 250 :—"Praise to Amen-
Ra. . . . Chief of the .^ods, the good god beloved, giving life to all
animated things, to all fair cattle ; hail to thee, Aincn-Ra, lord of
the thrones of the earth, chief in Aptu (Thebes); . . . lord of the
heathen prince of Punt, the ancient of heaven ; . . . the One in all
his works, single among the gods ; . . . chief of all the gods, lord
of truth, father of the gods, maker of men, creator of beasts, lord of
existences, creator of fruitful trees, maker of herbs, feeder of cattle ;
men are cheered at thy rising ; . . . the One maker of existences ;
. . . maker of grass for the cattle, fruitful trees for men, causing the
fish to live in the river, the birds to fill the air, giving breath to those
in the egg, feeding the birds that fly, giving food to the bird that
perches, to the creeping thing and the flying thing equally. . . .
Hail to thee for all these things, the One alone with many hands,
lying awake while all men lie asleep, to seek out the good of his
creatures. Amen, sustainer of all things. . . . Hail to thee, say all
creatures ; salutation to thee from every land," &c
18. Harris Papyrus, Rameses III.—" Egypt under the Pharaohs,"
vol. ii. p. 145:--"Thou hast received gold and silver like sand on
the seashore. What thou hast created in the river and ill the
mountain, that I dedicate to thee by heaps upon the earth. Let
it bean adornment to thy majesty for ever. I offer thee blue and
green precious stones, and all kinds of jewels in chests of bright
copper. I have made for thee numberless talismans out of all
kinds of valuable precious stones," &C.
10. Papyrus swamp.—"Rob Roy on the Jordan," p. 288 :—" The
Mouth of the Jordan. At this place the papyrus is of the richest
green, and upright as two walls on either hand, and so close is its
forest of stems . . . that no bird can fly into it. . . . The river
enters the lake at the end 01 a promontory of papyrus, and one