GATE AT KARNAC Illustrating Egyptian Hieroglyphics and Outline Carving. Photogravure from a Carbon Photograph. EGYPT THE RELIGION OF EGYPT is best represented by the Book of the Dead. This consists of a large number of magical stanzas for the guidance and protection of the soul amid the perils and crises of the life in the Netherworld. Taken all in all, it gives a good insight into the beliefs of the Egyptian priests. The stanzas were originally intended, it is supposed, to be learned by rote during life, but later it was considered sufficient if the copies on papyrus were buried with the mummy. The greater part of the incantations may be dated from one to three thousand years before Christ. How the Egyptian customs and the beliefs of the commoner people impressed a foreigner may be best seen in the description by Herodotus, written in the fifth century before our era. Plutarch, also, in his "Isis and Osiris" gives a later, but still early, account of the Egyptian religion. BOOK OF THE DEAD CHAPTER I. THE BEGINNING of the Chapters of Coming forth by day, of the Words which bring about Resurrection and Glory, and of Coming out of and entering into Amenta. Said upon the Day of Burial of N [the Deceased], the Victorious, who enters after coming forth. Here is N ihe Victorious. He saith: O Bull of Amenta, It is Thoth, the everlasting King, who is here. I am one of these gods, the Powers who effect the triumph of Osiris over his adversaries on the day of the Weighing of the Words: I am thy kinsman, Osiris. I am one of those gods to whom Nut has given birth, who slay the adversaries of Osiris and imprison the Sebau, on his behalf: I am thy kinsman, Horus. I have fought for thee, and have prevailed for thy name. I am Thoth who effect the triumph of Osiris over his adversaries on that day of Weighing of the Words in the House of the Prince, which is in Heliopolis. I am Tatti, the son of Tatti, conceived in Tattu and born in Tattu; and Tattu is my name. I am with the mourners and weepers who wail over Osiris in Rechit, and who effect the triump of Osiris over his adversaries. Ra issued the mandate of Thoth, that he should effect the triumph of Osiris against his adversaries, and the mandate is what Thoth hath executed. I am with Horus on the day of covering Teshtesh and of opening the fountains for the refreshment of the god whose heart is motionless, and closing the entrance to the hidden things in Restau. I am with Horus, as the avenger of that left arm of Osiris which is in Sechem. I enter and I come forth from the Abode of Flame on the day when the adversaries are annihilated at Sechem. I am with Horus on the day when the festivals of Osiris are celebrated, and when offerings are made [to Ra], on the Feast of the Sixth day of the Month, and on the Feast of Tenait in Heliopolis. I am the Priest in Tattu and exalt him who is on the Height. I am he who seeth what is shut up at Restau. I am he who reciteth the liturgies of the Soul who is Lord of Tattu. I am Sem-priest in all that pertaineth to his office. I am the Arch-Craftsman, on the day in which the Ship of Sokaru is laid up its stocks. I am he who siezeth the mattock, on the day of the Feast of Hoeing in Suten-henen. O ye who bring beneficent souls into the house of Osiris, do ye bring the soul of N together with you into the house of Osiris; let him see as you see, let him hear as you hear, let him stand as you stand, and sit as you sit [in the house of Osiris]. O ye who give bread and beer to beneficent souls in the house of Osiris, do ye give bread and beer at the two periods to the soul of N who is with you. O ye who unclose the ways and open the roads to beneficent souls in the house of Osiris, unclose then the ways and open the roads to the soul of N who is with you, let him enter boldly and come forth in peace at the house of Osiris, without hindrance and without repulse. Let him enter at his pleasure and go forth at his will, triumphantly with you; and let that be executed which he shall order in the house of Osiris. No lightness of his in the scale has been found and the Balance is relieved of his case. CHAPTER II. Chapter for Coming forth by day and Living after death. Oh thou Only One, who shinest from the Moon, let me come forth amid that train of thine, at large, and let me be revealed as one of those in glory. And when the Tuat is opened to the gods, let N come forth to do his pleasure upon earth amid the Living. CHAPTER IV. earth. Another Chapter, for traveling on the road which is above the It is I who travel on the Stream which divideth on the divine Pair, I am come, let there be given to me the lands of Osiris. CHAPTER VI. Chapter whereby the funeral Statuettes may be made to do work for a person in the Netherworld. O Statuette there! Should I be called and appointed to do any of the labours that are done in the Netherworld by a person according to his abilities, lo! all obstacles have been beaten down for thee; be thou counted for me at every moment, for planting the fields, for watering the soil, for conveying the sands of the east and west. Here am I, whithersoever thou callest me. CHAPTER VIII. Chapter of opening the Tuat by day. The Hour discloseth what the head of Thoth keepeth close, who giveth might to the Eye of Horus. And I call upon the Eye of Horus which gleams as an ornament upon the brow of Ra, the father of the gods. I am that Osiris, the Lord of Amenta, and Osiris knoweth his day, and that it is in his lot that he should end his being and be no more. I am Sutu, the father of the gods, the imperishable one. Stay, Horus, for he is counted among the gods. CHAPTER IX. Chapter for opening the Tuat. O soul most mighty, here am I: I am come to thee that I may see thee. I open the Tuat that I may see my father Osiris and may drive away the darkness. I am he whom he loveth. I have come to see my father Osiris, to pierce the heart of Sutu, and to perform all duties to my father Osiris. I open all the paths in heaven and upon earth. I am the son who loveth his father, and I am come as a mummied one, glorious and well equipt. Oh, all ye gods and goddesses, the path is made for me. CHAPTER X. Chapter for coming forth victoriously. I come forth victoriously against the adversaries. I cleave the heaven, I open the horizon and I travel over the earth on foot. There come forward to me the Glorious and the Great ones, for I am furnished with numberless Words of Might. I eat with my mouth, and I chew with my jaws; for, lo, I worship the god who is Lord of the Tuat, and that is given to me which endureth amid overthrow. CHAPTER XI. Chapter for coming out against the adversary in the Netherworld. O Eater of his arm, away from his path! I am Ra coming forth from the horizon against his adversary, who |