Description:

240 BC

THE PAPYRUS OF ANI

THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD

Translated by E.A. Wallis Budge

 

Part 13

  Who are those who preside over their altars?

  "Those who preside over their altars are the similitude of the Eye

of Ra, and the similitude of the Eye of Horus.

  "O Ra-Tem, thou Lord of the Great House [in Anu], thou Sovereign

(life, strentgh, health [be to thee]) of all the gods, deliver thou

the scribe Nebseni, whose word is truth, from the god whose face is

like unto that of a greyhound, whose brows are like those of a man,

who feedeth upon the dead, who watcheth at the Bend of the Lake of

Fire, who devoureth the bodies of the dead, and swalloweth hearts, and

who voideth filth, but who himself remaineth unseen."

  Who is this greyhound-faced god?

  "His name is 'Everlasting Devourer,' and he liveth in the Domain [of

Fire] (the Lake of Unt).

  "As concerning the Domain of Fire, it is that Aat which is in

Naarutef, and is near the Sheniu chamber. The sinner who walketh

over this place falleth down among the knives [of the Watchers].

  "Others, however, say that the name of this god is 'Mates,' and that

he keepeth watch over the door of Amentet; others say that his name is

'Beba,' and that he keepeth watch over the Bend [of the stream] of

Amentet, and yet others say that his name is 'Herisepef.'

  "Hail, Lord of Terror, Chief of the Lands of the South and North,

thou Lord of the Desert, who dost keep prepared the block of

slaughter, and who dost feed on the intestines [of men]!"