# Books on Egypt and Chaldaea/Collection 5/Volume 20/The First Division

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CHAPTER I.
THE FIRST DIVISION OF THE ṬUAT, WHICH IS CALLED NET-RĀ.
In the scene that illustrates the First Division of the Ṭuat, which is passed through by the Sun-god during the First Hour of the night, we see that the centre of the middle section is divided lengthwise into
The Boat of Ȧf, the dead Sun-god.Maāti goddesses. Neken-f,
1. The two goddesses Maāt, the one representing the South of Egypt, and the other the North.
3. The god Khenti Ȧmentet, bearded, and in mummy form, and wearing the White Crown and the Menȧt.
The gods Khenti-Ȧmentet, Sekhet, Sehetch-ur, the Four Terms, and Tcha-Unnut.
This scene is explained by the horizontal line of inscription written above it, and the hieroglyphic text, based on the editions of Lefébure and Champollion, reads:--
"The name of this Field is 'Maāti.' This god arriveth in the Sektet Boat, he maketh a way through the Court of this city, which is two hundred and twenty measures in length, which he travelleth through to Urnes. He passeth through the water, which is three hundred measures in extent, and he bestoweth the fields upon the gods who follow him. Net-Rā is the name of this Field, Ȧrnebȧui is the name of the guardian [of this Field]. This god beginneth to declare in this region the words which perform the destinies(?) of those who are in the Ṭuat."
The Boat of the Birth of Osiris, with serpents and gods.
Gods in the procession of the Boat of the Birth of Osiris
The explanation of this scene is given by the horizontal line of hieroglyphic text written above it, which reads:--
"[The god cometh to] this Court, he passeth through it in the form of a ram, and he maketh his transformations therein. After he hath passed through this Court, the dead who are in his following do not [go with him], but they remain in this Court, and he speaketh ​words unto the gods who are therein. If copies of these things be made according to the ordinances of the hidden house, and after the manner of that which is ordered in the hidden house, they shall act as magical protectors to the man who maketh them."
In the upper register are the following:--
The nine Ape-warders. The twelve goddesses of the gates.
The nine praisers of Rā. The twelve goddesses who guide Rā.
In the lower register are the following:--
The nine singing apes. The twelve light-giving uraei.
The nine praisers of Rā. The twelve goddesses who sing to Rā.
The Majesty of this god standeth up after he hath taken up his position in this Court, and he addresseth words to the gods who are therein, saying, "Open ye to me your doors, and let me come into your Courts! Give ye light unto me, and make ye yourselves guides to me, O ye who came into being from my members, my word hath gone forth to you. Ye are made of my bodies, I have made you, having fashioned you of my soul. I have created you, I have made you by means ​of my enchantments, [and] I have come to avenge myself the blood of my members which have risen up against me, and I will bring to destruction that which hath been made for it. I will make perfect with the ...... of my forms Osiris Khenti Ȧmenti. Open to me the doors with your hands, O ye Apes, unfold to me the portals of the Courts, O ye Apes, [and welcome] the gods (or, goddesses) who have come into being from my divine Souls, come ye into being, come ye into being for(?) Kheperȧ, O ye who have your being at the head of the Ṭuat. Stand ye up, in Urnes, and stablish ye yourselves on the secret banks thereof, and work ye for the gods of Ṭuat in the Court which ye guard, possess ye your plans in your seats, in your domains and in your fields."
The gods of this Court say unto Rā, "O great god, [the doors] are opened to thee, and the portals of the secret Ȧment are thrown open before thee, the doors of Nut the great are thrown wide open illumine thou the darkness of night (or, thick darkness), provide for that which is in the place of destruction, and approach thou in thy name of Rā the place where is Osiris Khenti Ȧmenti. There is a shout of joy to Rā at the entrance to the doors of the earth(?). Praise be to thee and make thou perfect the light, and enter thou [in through the habitations] of the Great Country. The Apes (ambenti) open the doors to thee, the Apes (amhetetu) unfold to thee the portals, the serpents sing and exalt thee, and the divine serpents ​lighten thy darkness for thee....... O Rā, the goddess of the hour cometh to thee, the two Soul-Goddesses tow thee along in thy form, and thou takest up thy position on the ground of the Field of [this] land. Thou hast taken possession of the night, and thou wilt bring in the day, and [thou] dost likewise make long the hours, and thy boat cometh to rest. Thou seizest the grain of the god Ḥenbet in thy secret place(?) Net. Thou openest Net-Rā, thou uncoverest the god Tchebā, the uraeus goddesses (neterit) of Urnes acclaim thee, the uraeus goddesses (nehenuit) ascribe praise to thee, thy word is maāt against thine enemies, thou givest tribulations to those who are condemned."
The Majesty of the god uttereth words after he hath come forth into this Court, he doeth battle at fortifications thereof, the doors of this [Court] are strong, saying, "Shut [your doors] by your bolts.
"Come ye to me, advance ye to me, make ye your way [to me], and ye shall abide in your place; take ye up your stand on the banks of the stream [Urnes]."
This great god passeth them by, and they (i.e., the gods) wail when he hath gone by them in the Field of Urnes. [The goddess of] the hour who guideth [this great god] through the Court is "Ushem-ḥāt-kheftiu-nu-Rā."
* ↑ For kheper en.
* ↑ The variants are:-- 1. . 2. G39A . 3. . 4. . 5. 6. . 9. .
* ↑ The variants are:--1. . 2. . 4. . 5. . 6. . 7. . 8. . 9. A180 . 10. . 11. . 12. .
* ↑ The variants are:--1. . 2. . 3. . 4. . 5. . 6. . 7. . 8. . 9.
* ↑ The variants are:--1. [ ]. 2. . 3. . 4. . 5. . 6. . 7. . 8. . 9. . 10. A180. 11. F2B . 12. G39A
* ↑ The variants are:--1. . 4. . In Dümichen's edition (pl. iii.) three of the apes are called Besi, , Ṭuai, , and Ābti, A32B
* ↑ The variants are:--1. . 4. 5. A180. 6. . 7. . 8. . 10. . 11. [ ]. 12. V49
* ↑ The variants are:--1. . 2. . 3. [ ]. 4. . 5. . 7. O9B. 8. . 10. . 11.
* ↑ See Léfebure, op. cit., part iv., pl. 28, and Description de l'Égypte, tom. v., pl. 41, no. 5.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
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