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diff --git a/36887-8.txt b/36887-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3a44cef --- /dev/null +++ b/36887-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1391 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of Nefrekepta, by Gilbert Murray + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Story of Nefrekepta + from a demotic papyrus + +Author: Gilbert Murray + +Release Date: July 28, 2011 [EBook #36887] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF NEFREKEPTA *** + + + + +Produced by James Wright and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Canada Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + The Story of + + _NEFREKEPTA_ + + FROM A DEMOTIC PAPYRUS + + Put into Verse by + + _GILBERT MURRAY_ + + + OXFORD + AT THE CLARENDON PRESS + MCMXI + + + + + Henry Frowde, M.A. + Publisher to the University of Oxford + London, Edinburgh, New York + Toronto and Melbourne + + + PRINTED IN ENGLAND + + + + + PREFACE + + +The original of this tale is in Demotic Egyptian, in prose, on a +fragmentary papyrus dated 'the first month of winter, in the fifteenth +year' of some king unnamed. Palaeographical evidence suggests some date +about 100 B.C. My own education has been neglected in the matter of +Demotic, and I know the tale only from the literal translation which +accompanies the text in Dr. Griffith's _Stories of the High Priests of +Memphis_. In that form, however, it so fascinated me that I presently +found myself, to the neglect of more urgent duties, putting it into +English verse and filling up the gaps in the narrative. I have tried to +preserve the style and often the exact words of the original, as +rendered by Dr. Griffith, but in other respects temptations have been +great and I have not resisted them. + +The names present some difficulties. In Demotic, if I understand aright, +the vowels are not written and the consonants often do not mean what +they seem to mean. The hero's name is spelt, roughly speaking, +N('y)-nfr-k'-Pth, the phantom lady's Ty-bwbwe; the priest's is written +Stne, but was probably pronounced, so Dr. Griffith tells me, S[)e]tôn or +S[)e]tân. + +While doing the verses I was constantly reminded of certain Egyptian +illuminations by Miss Florence Kingsford, now Mrs. Sydney Cockerell, +which I had seen some years ago, and she has been so kind as to provide +the book with a frontispiece and tail-piece. + +Those who desire further information about Setne will find it in the +introduction to Dr. Griffith's learned and delightful book (Clarendon +Press, 1900). + +G. M. + + + + +NEFREKEPTA + + + + +_Introduction_ + + +SETNE KHAMUAS, son of RAMESES, +High Priest of PTAH, beneath his garden trees + Dwelt with his wife and children; wise was he +In Books of power and ancient Masteries. + +And much he pondered on a tale they told, +How NEFREKEPTA, dead in days of old, + Held still the Book of HERMES which is THOTH +Hid in his tomb, and never loosed his hold. + +And longing for that Book so pierced him through +He called to him his brother AN-HERRU, + The son of MENKH-ART, saying: 'Brother mine, +Be with me in a deed I have to do.' + +And he said: 'I am with thee till my doom +Find me.' And SETNE said: 'I seek the tomb + Of NEFREKEPTA dead, and take the Book, +The Book of THOTH hid in its inmost room.' + +That night they found the tomb, and AN-HERRU +Stayed at the door, but SETNE passing through + On seven great doors and seven windings spake +His spells, and found the room; and all was true. + +For there lay NEFREKEPTA in his pride, +The Book beneath his head; and at his side + The ghosts sate of a woman and a boy, +Shadows beside the dead; and SETNE cried: + +'Ye thronèd Shadows, whosoe'er ye be, +And thou, dead PHARAOH, tombed in majesty, + All hail! I, SETNE, scribe and Priest of PTAH, +Command thy Book be rendered up to me, + +The Book of THOTH which lies beneath thy head.' +Then never word nor sign came from the dead, + But the two Shadows lifted up their arms +Lamenting, and the woman swift outspread + +Her hand to save the Book, and cried: 'Aha! +SETNE KHAMUAS, is the will of RA + Not yet fulfilled upon us? This is I, +AHURE of the race of MERNAB-PTAH. + + +_Ahure's Story_ + +Therefore give ear, and let the Book of Gold +Tempt thee no more, till all my tale be told.-- + It happened in the days of MERNAB-PTAH, +The long days, when the King was very old, + +And had no son nor daughter; in their room +A son's son and a daughter's daughter, whom + Thou seest, NEFREKEPTA the Good Scribe, +And me who watch beside him in this tomb. + +And PHARAOH mused and spake: 'Go near and far, +Bring me the lordliest of my chiefs of war + With all their daughters and their sons, to make +Feast on the third day; call me all that are.' + +So PHARAOH spake; but lo, exceedingly +Did I love NEFREKEPTA and he me. + And much I feared that PHARAOH at that feast +Would take some youth and maid of high degree, + +A war-lord's daughter and a war-lord's son, +And fast bind NEFREKEPTA to the one, + And me to the other; so his race would grow, +But we two meet no more beneath the sun. + +Now PHARAOH'S ancient Steward loved me well, +And NEFREKEPTA too; and it befell, + One day he watched me and the second day +He spoke: 'AHURE, surely I can spell + +A story that is written in four eyes. +Thou lovest NEFREKEPTA and likewise + He loveth thee.' And I cried out: 'O friend, +Speak unto PHARAOH quick, ere this day dies! + +Pray that he give me to my cousin straight, +Nor seek to make us two live separate.' + And he said: 'I will speak; for so the law +Commandeth, by long ages consecrate; + +The King's sons wed the daughters of the King.' +Then all my heart was like a water-spring + Leaping; and soon he went and soon returned +Sad, and reported of his counselling: + +'I spake to PHARAOH, saying: "Lord, may life +Like RA'S be thine and glory in all strife! + Is it not meet that NEFREKEPTA take +By ancient rule AHURE to his wife? + +Let PHARAOH wed with PHARAOH; so shall pure +PHARAOH be born:--the rule doth still endure." + And PHARAOH spoke not, but his brow grew dark +With trouble; and I said: "O King, for sure + +Thou hast some grief; say what doth vex thy brow?" +And PHARAOH said: "None vexeth me but thou. + I have but two, and if those two be wed +All PHARAOH'S fruit is hanging on one bough. + +Nay, search and find me one great war-lord's son, +Another war-lord's daughter. With the one + And other let these children twain be wed. +So PHARAOH'S line on many threads shall run." + +Next day the hours passed and the feast was set +Before the King; and I was called ere yet + The Lords came. And I stood before the King +Not as of old, my heart being desolate. + +And PHARAOH spake: 'AHURE, was it thou +Didst send that message that hath made my brow + Troubled, that with thy brother thou wouldst wed?' +And I said: 'Hath the King not made a vow, + +A war-lord's daughter and a war-lord's son-- +Behold us!--Let my brother take the one, + And let the other take AHURE; so +Shall PHARAOH'S race be great beneath the sun.' + +And there I laughed; and PHARAOH laughed again, +And called the Steward of the King's domain: + 'Steward, this night to NEFREKEPTA'S house +The maid AHURE take and all her train; + +And all things beautiful go with her there.' +Thus I to NEFREKEPTA'S house did fare, + And PHARAOH sent wrought silver and fine gold, +And PHARAOH'S servants stood about my chair. + +And NEFREKEPTA took with me delight, +And feasted PHARAOH'S servants; and that night + Was made our marriage, and we knew great joy, +And never, never, failed I in his sight; + +For each his fellow loved exceedingly. +And when my time of bearing came to be + I bore the son who lieth in this tomb, +MERAB; a name in the Kings' Book is he. + + +_The Book of Thoth_ + +And thus it fell, that of all things on earth +My brother NEFREKEPTA most of worth + Did hold the wisdom that in Books is writ. +The tablets of the House of Death and Birth, + +And all that on the temple walls is said, +And all the lore of the Kings' Tombs he read, + And ever walked in Memphis on the Hill +Of Kings, and stored the wisdom of the dead. + +Now one day was a high procession sent +To PTAH'S great house; and NEFREKEPTA went + And walked therein; right slow he walked, and read +All that was writ on wall and pediment. + +And, watching him, behold, an aged Priest +Laughed. And he said: 'God's mercy be increased! + Why laughest thou at me?' And he: 'I laugh +At no man, not the greatest nor the least; + +I laugh to think how thou shalt laugh anon, +When that which no man's eye hath looked upon, + The secret Book of HERMES which is THOTH, +Is opened to thine hand and called thine own. + +He wrote it, and the Gods before his face +Fled.--And it lies . . . If ever word of grace + Or spell of power thou need, come then to me +And speak. Thou shalt be guided to the place. + +Two leaves it hath, on which two sorceries +Are written. If thou read the first of these, + Thou shalt enchant the earth, the clouds above, +The underworld, the mountains and the seas; + +And all the words that wingèd things may say, +And creeping things, shall be made thine that day; + Yea, thou shalt see all fishes in the deep +And God's power guiding each upon his way. + +And if thou read the second, though there lies +Above thee all AMENTI, thou shalt rise + And take thy shape again, and see the MOON +And RA and all the children of the skies.' + +And NEFREKEPTA cried: 'O Priest and King! +I bless thee. Tell me every gorgeous thing + Thy soul desireth, they shall all be thine, +Wilt thou but guide my steps to that great spring.' + +Then smiled the Priest: 'My Prince, so let it be! +Send me an hundred bars of silver, free + Of all fault, for my burial when I die; +And two full priesthoods give me without fee.' + +And NEFREKEPTA called a youth, and bade +An hundred bars of silver pure be made, + And two new priesthoods named to THOTH and PTAH, +And sealed him priest to PTAH and THOTH unpaid. + +Then the man spoke: 'The Book of THOTH doth rest +In Coptos Sea, hid in a golden chest; + The gold doth lie in silver; that in wrought +Ebon and ivory, fitted nest in nest; + +That in sweet cedar; that in bronze doth lie; +The bronze in iron. 'Tis knotted with a ply + Of endless Snake; and round it for one league +Are scorpion, asp, and worm to make men die.' + +He spoke, and NEFREKEPTA no more knew +What place he stood in nor what breath he drew, + But forth he hied him in great joy, and caught +My hand, and all this tale he told me true; + +And cried: 'South, South to Coptos! None shall stay +Our going.' But I turned from him away + And found that aged Priest and said: 'Thou Priest, +May AMUN curse thee for thy words this day! + +The Book of THOTH, the serpents and the sea! +Most bitter striving thou hast made for me, + And bitter watching till my lord's return; +False art thou, and thy South all cruelty.' + +And much I prayed my brother not to sail +To Coptos, but my prayer might not avail, + For straight to PHARAOH'S throne he went, and spake +To PHARAOH of the Priest and all his tale. + +And PHARAOH said: 'What wilt thou I should do?' +'Give me thy ship of pleasure and its crew,' + He said: 'and with me let AHURE sail +To find the Book, and the boy MERAB too.' + +So PHARAOH'S pleasure-ship was brought, and all +Its crew; and southward in high festival + We sailed to Coptos; and the news went forth +Before us, and the folk stood on the wall. + +The Priests of ISIS and HARPOCRATES +And the Chief Priest of ISIS, all of these + Came down to NEFREKEPTA, and to me +The women of the Priests in their degrees. + +They led us to their Temple in a line; +And NEFREKEPTA gave ox, goose, and wine, + And brought to ISIS and HARPOCRATES +Rite and oblation and all dues divine. + +A temple beautiful exceedingly +Was over us, and there four days did he + Make with the Priests of ISIS holiday, +And the priests' women holiday with me. + +But when the morning of the fifth day came, +He called for wax made holy, without blame, + And shaped a boat with men, and spake a spell, +And breathed; and life woke in them like a flame. + +He went on board that boat, and heaped it high +With sand, and pushed it from the shore. And I + Sate on the shore alone, and said: 'I wait +Here till he comes, and if he dies I die.' + +He said: 'O Rowers, row me to the place +I wot of.' And the rowers rowed apace, + By day, by night, and ceased on the third day. +Then he took sand, and cast the sand a space + +Before him, and the water rose on both +Sides, and the floor below did ooze and froth + With scorpion, asp, and worm to make men die, +One league before the treasure chest of THOTH. + +And round the chest was coiled an endless Snake. +Then NEFREKEPTA took his charms, and spake + A spell on all that league of serpent things, +And down they sank, and slept, and could not wake. + +Then o'er the league of asps he walked, and fought +With the endless Snake and slew it; but it caught + Life as it fell, and joined again and flew +To tear him; and again its death he wrought; + +Then a third time it quickened, and again +He fought and smote the endless Snake in twain + The third time; and between the parts he cast +Fine sand; and it lay still, for ever slain. + +And on he strode and found the caskets, rolled +Each within each; iron the outmost fold, + Then bronze; then cedar; then came ivory +And ebon; then the silver; then the gold. + +He broke the gold, and kneeling on his knees +Read out the first of the two sorceries, + Enchanting all the earth, the clouds above, +The underworld, the mountains and the seas. + +And everything that bird or worm might say, +Or mountain beast, he heard and knew that day, + And saw all fishes moving in the deep, +And God's power guiding each upon its way. + +He read the second sorcery, and far +In heaven he saw the shining forth of RA, + And all his Children round him, and the MOON +Uprising, and the shape of every Star. + +And NEFREKEPTA shut the Book, and then +Went to his boat and called the magic men: + 'Row day, row night, and row me to the shore.' +So rowed they, and he reached the shore again. + +And found me sitting by the sea to wait +His coming. Seven full days and nights I sate, + And ate nor drank, but waited, and was grown +Like them they bear to the embalmer's gate. + +I said to him: 'My brother, let me see +The Book that wrought such pain on thee and me.' + He gave the Book into my hands, and slow +I read what there was writ of sorcery. + +I laid upon the earth and sky my spell, +The underworld, the hills, the ocean swell; + And understood what tales the birds of heaven +And mountain beasts and deep-sea fishes tell. + +Then did I read the second spell, and high +Above saw RA enthronèd in the sky, + And all his Children; and I saw the MOON +And all the Stars in all their shapes go by. + +And NEFREKEPTA bade them bring a roll +Of new papyrus, and wrote out the whole + Of those two charms, and melted it in wine, +And drank it. So the charm was in his soul. + +Then sacrifice we made and gifts of worth +Heaped high in all the temples, and set forth + On PHARAOH'S ship with singing and great joy, +One league, one league, from Coptos to the North. + +But THOTH himself had seen our deed, and, ah, +His wrath was hot! Before the throne of RA, + 'Judgement!' he cried, 'Give judgement between me +And NEFREKEPTA, son of MERNAB-PTAH, + +Who broke into my treasure-house this day, +And slew my Snake and stole my Book away.' + And RA said: 'Surely he is in thy hand, +O THOTH, both he and his, to spare or slay.' + +And lo, a Power of God went forth, and fell +On all the river and lay invisible; + And THOTH said: 'NEFREKEPTA shall come home +No more, nor one of those that with him dwell.' + +Then the boy MERAB, singing, from the shade +Of PHARAOH'S awning stepped; one step he made, + And, lo, the River took him, and his face +Was covered and the will of RA obeyed. + +Then all about us cried with a great cry. +But NEFREKEPTA from his awning high + Called with a spell, and the dead boy rose up; +But over him that Power of God did lie. + +Then NEFREKEPTA spake a written spell, +And the boy MERAB told all that befell + About him; yea, the very words which THOTH +Spake at the throne of RA he made him tell. + +Then slow to Coptos we returned, and bore +The boy MERAB to the embalmer's door; + And like a Prince he was embalmed and laid +On Coptos Hill with the great dead of yore. + +And NEFREKEPTA said: 'My sister, come +Quick; let us row till all the road be foam, + Lest PHARAOH hear what hath befallen us, +And his heart faint because we come not home.' + +We went on board, and northward rowed apace +One league from Coptos; and I saw the place + Where MERAB died, and from the canopy +Stepped, and the River took me; and my face + +Was covered and the will of RA obeyed. +Then all upon the boat great mourning made, + But NEFREKEPTA from his awning high +Called, and I knew a spell upon me laid; + +And I rose up, though o'er me still had hold +That Power of God. I rose and did unfold + All that befell me, yea, and every word +Which THOTH before RA'S throne had spoke I told. + +Then slow to Coptos he returned and bore +Me, his dead sister, to the embalmer's door; + And like a Queen I was embalmed, and laid +Where MERAB my dead child was laid before. + +He went on board, and down the stream apace +Rowed one league north from Coptos, to the place + Where MERAB died and I, AHURE, died; +And stood and communed with his heart a space: + +'Shall it be backward now, ere THOTH can slay? +Shall it be on to PHARAOH, come what may? + And, lo, when PHARAOH asks me where those two, +His children, are, what is it I shall say? + +"I took thy children to a burning land +And living let them die; and here I stand." + I will not speak it.'--Then he bade them bring +A band of finest linen, such a band + +As dead kings wear, to bind them at the last; +And seven times round his body made it fast, + And close against his body bound the Book +Firm; and from out the canopy he passed. + +And, lo, the River took him, and the will +Of RA was done. And they on board did fill + The air with wailing: 'Great woe! Grievous woe! +Dead, dead, is the Good Scribe and all his skill.' + +And down the stream the pleasure-ship sailed on +Toward Memphis, and to no man there was known + Where NEFREKEPTA lay; and when they came +Message was brought to PHARAOH on his throne. + +And PHARAOH came in robes of funeral, +And all the folk of Memphis, great and small, + And PTAH'S High Priest and all the Priests of PTAH, +And PHARAOH'S council and his household, all; + +And saw the ship, and, lo, beneath it drowned +Saw NEFREKEPTA lying, both hands wound + About the rudder, guiding still his ship; +So great a scribe was NEFREKEPTA found. + +They raised him, and against his body dead +They found the Book pressed close. And PHARAOH said: + 'Behold the Book he died for! Let it lie +In this King's grave, a pillow for his head.' + +Then sixteen days embalming did they keep +For NEFREKEPTA, thirty-five of deep + Wrapping; of burial threescore days and ten; +And here he resteth in the House of Sleep. + +And I, AHURE, far away must lie +In Coptos; but my heart within doth cry + For NEFREKEPTA, and our shadows come +Waking and watch beside him sleeplessly. + + +_The Contest for the Book_ + +And thou, SETNE KHAMUAS, who dost look +To take from us that which from THOTH we took, + Where hast thou paid the price?--These twain and I, +Our lives on earth were taken for this Book. + +But SETNE said: 'AHURE, none the less, +For all thy tale of old unhappiness, + Yield me the Book at NEFREKEPTA'S head: +I take it else by wrath and bitter stress.' + +Then NEFREKEPTA from his marble bed +Rose up: 'O thou to whom my wife hath said + Words vainly wise, and thou hast hearkened not, +How wilt thou win the Book beneath my head? + +Think'st thou to take it from me by the wit +Of a good scribe? Or wilt thou play for it + Four games of draughts, the fifty points and two?' +And SETNE said: 'The draughts'; and down did sit. + +Between them then the gaming board they drew +For the first game of fifty points and two; + And NEFREKEPTA won the game, and spake +A spell, and with the board he ruled it true. + +And SETNE ankle-deep into the floor +Sank. And again they played, and as before + Dead NEFREKEPTA won the second game; +And SETNE sank up to the thighs and more. + +Again they played; and NEFREKEPTA dead +Won the third game; and SETNE to his head + Sank, and the earth came close below his ears. +And SETNE lifted up his voice in dread: + +'Brother, where art thou? Brother AN-HERRU, +Bear word to PHARAOH of the deeds I do. + Pray PHARAOH the last amulets of PTAH +Be sent me. Haste! Haste!'--Then the dead man drew + +The board up close, and the fourth game began. +And AN-HERRU far off had heard, and ran, + Ran unto PHARAOH'S throne and told his tale. +And PHARAOH said: 'To save a sinking man + +Take the last amulets!' And AN-HERRU +Flew with them to the dead man's gate, and flew + Through all the windings, all the doors, and, lo, +The game was playing still between those two. + +He laid the amulets on SETNE'S head, +And SETNE shivered in the earth, and said + A great spell; then, upstriving from the ground, +Reached out his arm, and caught the Book, and fled. + +Light went before him, and behind great gloom +Closed, and he heard AHURE for her doom + Wailing: 'King Darkness, come! King Light, farewell! +Gone, gone, is the last comfort of the Tomb.' + +But NEFREKEPTA on his marble bed +Lay back and laughed: 'A little while,' he said, + 'O Shadow of my Sister, and this man +Shall come again. Therefore be comforted. + +His dreams shall bring him back, before mine ire +Kneeling, to do the worst of our desire, + A fork upon his neck, a rod between +His hands, and on his head a bowl of fire.' + + +_Ta-Buvuë, and the Return of the Book_ + +But SETNE out into the light above +Returned, and saw the light with a great love; + And sealed the tomb, and stood at PHARAOH'S throne +And told his doings and the end thereof. + +And PHARAOH said to SETNE: 'These be vain +Doings. Go back and give the dead again + His book, as a wise man to a wise man, +Now, lest thou give it some day with much pain.' + +But SETNE hearkened not. By day and night +He read the Book and took therein delight, + And showed it at his feasts; and all his days +Were sweet to SETNE and his breath was light. + +'Twas joy to read, joy also when he made +Mirth with his sons, joy when he rose and prayed + In PTAH'S great Temple; till one day, behold, +In PTAH'S great Temple, through the colonnade, + +A troop of damsels fair exceedingly, +And one who led them. Beautiful was she, + And not like other women; good beyond +All he had seen or ever thought to see. + +Her girdle was of gold and gold her hood, +And all that touched her fragrant was and good, + And maids behind her fifty walked and two; +And, seeing, SETNE wist not where he stood, + +But called the Slave that served him: 'Haste thee, go +To where yon woman worships; I would know + What need hath brought her and what name she bears. +Go swiftly.' And the servant bowed him low, + +And found a handmaiden who walked aside: +'Damsel, thy mistress cometh in much pride; + Say by what name men call her, and what need +Brings her to Memphis.' And the maid replied: + +'This is the child of the Chief Vision Seer +Of Bast, Queen of the Far World and the Near; + Her name is TA-BUVUË, and a vow +To PTAH, your mighty God, hath brought her here.' + +The slave returned and told to SETNE all +The handmaid spoke; and SETNE said: 'Go, call + This handmaid secretly behind the rest; +Greet her from me and speak my name withal: + +"SETNE KHAMUAS, son of RAMESES, +Greets thee: he sends ten gold Arsinoës; + And more, if any man hath done thee wrong, +SETNE the judge will right thine injuries; + +All this, if thou wilt speak with him an hour, +And help him. To a great and secret tower + Thou shalt go in, where none shall do thee hurt +Nor know thy name; so great is SETNE'S power."' + +The slave returned and all of SETNE'S word +Told to the handmaid; and her wrath was stirred, + And loud she railed, as though 'twere blasphemies +His lips had spoke; and TA-BUVUË heard, + +And called him: 'Strive not with this foolish one; +But hither, tell to me what wrong is done.' + But quick the handmaid ran before, and cried: +'He bringeth words of shame from PHARAOH'S son: + +Thus saying: "SETNE, son of RAMESES, +Greets thee, and sends ten gold Arsinoës; + And more, if any man hath done thee wrong, +SETNE the judge will right thine injuries"; + +All this, if I will speak with him an hour +And help him. To a great and secret tower + I shall go in, where none shall do me hurt +Nor know my name; so great is SETNE'S power!' + +Then TA-BUVUË laughed: 'I think he spake +This word to thee for TA-BUVUË'S sake.-- + Go, speak to SETNE, saying: "Who am I +That thou shouldst send my bondmaid gifts to take? + +I am no common woman; I am one +Born of great kings, who walk my ways alone, + Priestess of Bast, the Queen of the Two Worlds, +And seeking no man's gift and fearing none. + +If me thou seekest, I will speak within +Mine own house: knock and thou shalt enter in: + In Per-Bast, by the Houses of the Dead, +Past Kemi, where the desert doth begin. + +There ask for TA-BUVUË. I go hence +Now with my maids to make magnificence + Before thee. And no man shall watch thy way +Into my house, nor mark thy coming thence."' + +The Slave returned, and SETNE'S heart did fail +For very joy at hearing of the tale. + He called his servants: 'Make me a swift boat +Ready, with rowers and a silken sail.' + +And SETNE marvelled in his heart a space, +And in his mirror looked; and, lo, his face + Seemed beautiful again, and all his limbs +Light, like a young man when he runs a race. + +So walked he to the boat and entered in, +And bade them row as ne'er they rowed, to win + Per-Bast, beyond the Houses of the Dead, +Past Kemi, where the desert doth begin. + +And there, behold, a tower exceeding tall +Set in a pleasant place; and a great wall + Was round it, and a garden to the north +With many trees. And SETNE gave a call: + +'Whose is this tower?' And heard an answer: 'Here +Dwells TA-BUVUË, daughter of the Seer + Of Bast, she who is named The Beautiful.' +And SETNE entered and no man was near. + +And up the garden ways he went, and cast +His eyes on all and marvelled as he passed: + And TA-BUVUË came and held his hand +And spoke: 'Now by the Holiness of Bast, + +This day is happiness. Come to mine high +Chamber, we two alone amid the sky.' + So up the stair they went, to a cool room +Of turquoise wrought and lapis lazuli. + +Couches were there, decked with fair linen strand +Like PHARAOH'S couch; and cups of gold did stand + On a great dresser, and a cup of gold +Was filled with wine and laid in SETNE'S hand. + +And TA-BUVUË said: 'Take wine and meat.' +But he said: 'Love, how could I drink or eat?' + Then in a censer burning gums they brought +And spices rare and unguent for his feet. + +Lo, none was like her, none that bore the name +Of woman! And his heart rose like a flame: + 'O TA-BUVUË, let the end be now: +Let us make perfect that for which we came!' + +'Is not this house thine own and I thy bride?' +Said she: 'Yet one thing first shalt thou decide. + I am no common woman, but to Bast +Pure, and full-filled of majesty and pride. + +Thy present wife put from thee, that no soul +Near me may stand; and write it in a scroll. + And all thy wealth of Priesthoods and of Powers, +With me alone thou shalt divide the whole.' + +Said SETNE: 'Call a scribe.' And at their call +The scribe came; and he wrote a scroll withal + And cast off SETNE'S wife; and SETNE'S wealth, +With TA-BUVUË did he share it all. + +And in that hour one spoke to SETNE: 'Lo, +Thy children, waiting in the court below, + Sit with the dogs and curling cats of Bast.' +And SETNE said: 'Bring them, and let them know.' + +Then TA-BUVUË laid her raiment proud +Off, and put on soft linen, like one vowed + To bridal; and her body through the robe +Shone, as the moon shines through a little cloud. + +And back she turned to him and poured him wine, +And said: 'These children must not strive with mine. + Make them to sign the scroll, too, and give up +Their part in thee.' And SETNE made them sign. + +The fine, fine, linen robed her like a mist +Which robeth RA in pearl and amethyst; + And SETNE marvelled gazing; and again +She spoke, and SETNE'S hand she took and kissed: + +'These children, knowing all to me thou art, +Hate me.--Let them be mine to take apart + And do my will upon them.' And he said: +'Do all the abomination of thy heart.' + +She slew them then, and from her window fine +Cast them. And far below he heard the whine + Of dogs that tore and curling cats of Bast +Which lapped their blood. And SETNE drank his wine. + +He said: 'Those children that were slain had birth +By me. O Woman, thou hast made much dearth + About me. Give me that for which I came, +Else have I nothing, nothing, on this earth.' + +'Hast thou not me,' she said, 'in place of all? +Come, therefore!' And she led him through the hall + To a fair couch, ebon and ivory; +And down he lay, and spread swift arms withal + +To clasp her; and within his arms outspread, +Behold, she withered, withered; and her head + It had no eyes, and downward all her jaw +Dropped, like the jaws of the uncared-for dead. + +And SETNE strove to rise, but cloud on cloud +Held him: hot wind and hate and laughter loud, + And one that wept for a world's glory gone, +And dust, dust, dust: and SETNE shrieked aloud: + +And saw: and, lo, all naked in the day +In a waste place of bricks and shards he lay, + And clutched a burning kiln. And near him passed +The way and much folk jeering on the way, + +Soldiers and priests, beggars and men of pride. +And SETNE rolled him in the dust and cried: + 'My children!' And a great lord rose in wrath: +'Thy children stand this hour at PHARAOH'S side, + +Thou naked man! Thou Priest whom none shall bless! +And ask for thee. What? Is it drunkenness?' + And SETNE said: 'They live.' And said: 'O King, +Throw me, I pray, some robe in this distress, + +Wrought by dead NEFREKEPTA in his ire. +I go to yield him up his worst desire, + A fork upon my neck, between my hands +A rod, and on my head a bowl of fire.' + +One of the bondmen threw him, at that call, +A poor man's robe; and on to PHARAOH'S Hall + He journeyed with them, and stretched out his arms +And clasped his sons, and told to PHARAOH all. + +'Yea, take the Book, take quickly,' PHARAOH said, +'The rod, the fork, the fire upon thine head, + And seek dead NEFREKEPTA in his tomb, +And kneel and pray the pardon of the dead.' + +And SETNE heard; and quick ere set of sun +He stood before the Tomb, and one by one + Passed the great doors, and opened the last door, +And, lo, a light through all the chamber shone, + +A great light, like the going forth of RA. +And while he stood the Woman cried: 'Aha, + SETNE, thou com'st! And if thou com'st alive +'Tis PTAH hath saved thee and the grace of PTAH.' + +But NEFREKEPTA laughed. And SETNE came +Kneeling: 'O King, with rod and fork and flame + I come,' he said; 'and yield thee up thy Book. +What is thy judgement? Is it further shame?' + +But NEFREKEPTA laughed: 'I would not now +Make thee my slave, nor smite, nor burn thy brow. + This was enough.--Yet one thing lacketh me +Still, and thereto I bind thee by a vow. + +Far off in a strange grave 'mid much annoy +My wife AHURE lieth and the boy + MERAB; 'tis but their shadows, by the art +Of a good scribe, dwell here and have no joy. + +Therefore I charge upon thee my behest: +Go, bring from Coptos to this House of Rest + My wife AHURE and MERAB the boy.' +And SETNE rose and took on him the quest. + +And straightway before PHARAOH bowed his head +And told him all the tale. And PHARAOH said: + 'I give thee mine own pleasure-ship to sail +To Coptos and bring back those ancient dead.' + +So PHARAOH'S pleasure-ship with all its crew +Was brought, and southward on the wind they flew + To Coptos; and the High Priest saw the ship, +And all the Priests, and came in haste thereto. + +The Priests of ISIS and HARPOCRATES +And the Chief Priest; SETNE to all of these + Gave ox and goose and wine, and with them walked +On Coptos Hill amid the tombs and trees. + +Three days and nights among the tombs they trod +In Coptos on the Hill, and every sod + They turned and marked, and every graven stone, +And the Scribes' writings in the House of God. + +But never could they find by night nor day +The tomb where MERAB and AHURE lay. + And NEFREKEPTA knew they found it not, +And sent his shadow forth to guide their way. + +Like an old man, a bent and aged Priest, +It sate. And SETNE said: 'Joy be increased, + O Father! Thou dost know the things of old; +Three days and nights we search, and have not ceased, + +To find the tomb which holds AHURE dead +And MERAB.' Then the old man raised his head: + 'The father of my grandsire in old days +Spoke of it to my grandsire; and he said + +The father of his grandsire once had told +His grandsire how those two were laid of old + Far in the southmost corner, where the house +Now stands in which the scrivener tells his gold.' + +And SETNE said: 'Old man, methinks I see +Some hate here. Hath the scrivener injured thee, + That thou wouldst wreck his house and dig beneath?' +He answered: 'Have a watch set over me; + +Then raze the scrivener's house, and, under ground +By the south corner, if there be not found + Both MERAB and AHURE, have me slain!' +So there they held him and a guard stood round. + +The scrivener's house was razed; and that same day +They found where MERAB and AHURE lay, + And, like great PHARAOHS, down to PHARAOH'S boat +Bore them 'mid Priests and Princes in array. + +And SETNE sought that ancient man, and, lo, +He was not. By that sign did SETNE know + This too was NEFREKEPTA. Then they built +The scrivener's house again, and turned to go: + +And went on board, and back to Memphis bore +Those PHARAOHS home, with stream and wind and oar; + Singing they went, and PHARAOH heard them sing; +And PHARAOH rose and met them by the shore, + +And led those Mighty Ones in robes of pride +To NEFREKEPTA'S tomb, and sanctified + Their entering in, and made a mound above; +And there for ever sleep they, side by side. + +And there is finished all that fell between +SETNE and NEFREKEPTA and his Queen + AHURE and the boy MERAB. 'Twas writ +In the first month of winter, Year XV. + + +[Illustration: 5 black cats by Florence Kingsford.] + + +Oxford: Horace Hart, M.A. +Printer to the University + + + +Transcriber's Note:- + +Original spelling and punctuation retained. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Story of Nefrekepta, by Gilbert Murray + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF NEFREKEPTA *** + +***** This file should be named 36887-8.txt or 36887-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/8/8/36887/ + +Produced by James Wright and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Canada Team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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