The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians by E.A. Wallis Budge

Author:E.A. Wallis Budge [Budge, E.A. Wallis]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798888301364
Google: VqKEzwEACAAJ
Goodreads: 10059056
Published: 2005-05-29T00:00:00+00:00

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AAHMES (AMASIS), THE NAVAL OFFICER

This inscription is cut in hieroglyphs on the walls of the tomb of Aahmes at Al-

Kāb in Upper Egypt; this distinguished marine flourished in the reigns of the

first kings of the eighteenth dynasty, about 1600 B.C. The text reads:

The captain of the transport men, Aahmes, the son of Abana, the truth-speaker,

saith: O all men, I will declare unto you, and will inform you concerning the

favours that were conferred upon me. Seven times was I given gold in the sight

of the whole land, and likewise slaves, both male and female, and grants of land

for estates to be held by me in perpetuity were also made to me. Thus the name

of a man bold and brave in his deeds shall not be extinguished in this land for

ever! He saith:

I passed my childhood in the town of Nekheb (Eileithyiaspolis, Al-Kāb). My

father was a soldier in the army of the King of the South, the King of the North,

Seqenn-Rā, whose word is truth; Baba was his name, and he was the son of

Reant. I performed military service as his substitute in the ship called the Bull in

the reign of the Lord of the Two Lands, Nebpehtirā (Amasis I), whose word is

truth. I was at that time a youth, and was unmarried, and I slept in the shennu.

Afterwards I got a house ( i.e. wife) for myself, and I was drafted off to a ship,

the “North” (?), because of my bravery. Then it became my lot to follow after the

king, life, strength, health [be to him!], on my feet whensoever he made a

journey in his chariot. The king sat down ( i.e. besieged) before the city of Hetuārt (Avaris), and it was my lot whilst I was on my two feet to do a deed of

bravery in the presence of His Majesty, whereupon I was made an officer in the

vessel [called] Khā-em-Mennefer. The king was fighting on the arm of the river

of Avaris [called] Patchetku, and I rose up and engaged in the fight, and I

brought back a hand. [1] The royal herald proclaimed the matter, and the king gave me the gift of gold [which was awarded] for bravery. The fighting was

renewed at this place ( i.e. Avaris), and I again joined in the fight, and I brought

back a hand; and the king gave me the gift of gold [which was awarded] for

bravery a second time.

[1] He had cut it off from a vanquished foe.

Then the king fought a battle in Egypt, to the south of this place, and I made

prisoner a man and brought him back alive; I went down into the water[1] and brought him along on the road to the town, being firmly bound, and I crossed the

water with him in a boat. The royal herald proclaimed [this act], and indeed I was rewarded with a double portion of the gold [which is awarded] for bravery.

Then the king captured Avaris, and I brought back prisoners from the town, one

man and three women, in all four persons. His Majesty gave these to me for

slaves. Then His Majesty sat down before ( i.e. besieged) Sharhana[2] in the fifth year, and captured it. I brought back from thence two persons, women, and one

hand. And the king gave me the gift of gold [awarded] for bravery, as well as the

two prisoners for slaves.

[1] The water of the arm of the Nile.

[2] The Syrian town mentioned in Joshua xix. 6.

Now after His Majesty had smitten the Mentiu of Satet[1], he sailed up the river to Khenthennefer to crush the Antiu of Sti[2], and His Majesty overthrew them completely, and slew very many of them. I rose up and made three prisoners, viz.

two men, alive, and three hands. And the king rewarded me with a double

portion of gold, and he gave me the two prisoners to be my slaves. Returning His

Majesty sailed down the river. His heart was expanded with the bravery of

strength, for he had [now] conquered the Lands of the South [as well as] the

Lands of the North. [Then as for] Aatti, the accursed one, who came from the

South, his destiny came upon him, and he perished. The gods of the South laid

their hands upon him, and His Majesty found him in Thenttaāmu (?). His

Majesty brought him back bound alive, and with him were all his people loaded

with fetters. I captured two of the soldiers of the enemy, and I brought them

back, firmly fettered, from the boat of the foe Aatti. And the king gave me five

men and parcels of land, five stat [in area] in my city. This was likewise done for

the sailors, one and all. Then that vanquished foe came, Tetaān (the accursed

one!) was his name, and he had gathered together round about himself men with

hearts hostile [to the king]. His Majesty smote him and his accursed servants,

and they ceased to exist. His Majesty gave me three men and a parcel of land

five stat [in area] in my town.

[1] Tribes of the Eastern Desert (?).

[2] The tribes of the Nubian Desert.

I transported the King of the South, the King of the North, Tcheserkarā

(Amenhetep I), whose word is truth, when he sailed up the river to Kash (Cush,

Nubia) to extend towards the south the frontiers of Egypt. His Majesty captured

that accursed Anti of Nubia in the midst of his accursed bowmen; he was

brought back, fettered by the neck, and they could not escape. [They were]

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