Cleopatra's needle

by Sir Erasmus Wilson

2. “He is Horus, the powerful bull, son of truth, the king, sun, guardian of justice, the preferred of Ra, the lord of the panegyries, like unto his father the god Toum, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, the germ of his father whom he loveth, whom the goddess Athor hath nourished, he is the glory and the lord of the two worlds, the sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, who, like the sun, giveth life for ever.

3. “He is Horus, the powerful bull in Egypt, the king, the sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the golden hawk, the guardian of flourishing years, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, whose name eternal the puissant of Assyria have graven on their rocks, and in the temple of his father, the lord of the two worlds, the sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, the truthful, the beloved of the great god Ammon, who giveth life like the sun for ever.

4. “He is Horus, the powerful bull, friend of truth, the king, sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the sublime, the offspring of the gods, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, the victorious, the puissant, the watchful, the bull of princes, the king of kings, the lord of the two worlds, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, the sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the beloved of the god Toum, the lord of On, who, like the sun, giveth life for ever.

5. “He is Horus, the powerful bull, son of truth, the king, sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the lord of Upper and Lower Egypt, he who governeth Egypt and scourgeth foreign countries, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon; numerous victories hath he achieved over foreigners, and he hath carried his conquering arms to the four columns of heaven, the lord of the two worlds, sun, guardian of justice, preferred of Ra, the son of the sun, Rameses Maïamon, giving life like the sun for ever.”

M. Mosconas likewise favours us with part of an heroic poem, translated by Mariette Bey, from a tablet[57] (stèle) preserved in the Boulaq Museum. This poem is written in honour of the author of the British obelisk, Thothmes III., and is said to be several centuries older than Homer, or even than the Bible. It is regarded by Egyptologists as a precious relic, and as a treasured example of the poetry of that ancient period. The Pharaoh presents libations and offerings to the sun-god Amon-Ra, who then recites a long list of the achievements of the king, assuring him of the divine assent, and informing him, that it was to the forethought and participation of the deity that he owed his successes. He speaks thus:—

“Come to me and rejoice in the contemplation of my grace, my son, my avenger. Sun, Creator of the World, living for ever, I am resplendent through thy vows; my heart expands with thy welcome presence in my temple; I embrace thy members in mine arms, that I may infuse into them health and life. Loveable are thy blessings, through the presentment which thou settest up in my sanctuary. It is I who give thee recompense; it is I who give thee power and victory over all nations; it is through me that thy genius and the fear of thy power have taken possession of every land, and its dread hath expanded to the four columns of heaven. I magnify the alarm which thy name inspireth throughout the world. It is with my accord that thy war-cries pierce the very midst of thy barbarian foes, and the kings of every nation fall in under thy hand; I myself stretch forth my arms; I draw together and congregate for thee the Nubians in tens of thousands and thousands, and the northern peoples in millions. It is with my accord that thou hurlest thine enemies beneath thy sandals, that thou smitest the chiefs of the unclean as I have ordered thee; the world, in all its length and breadth, from west to east, is at thy command. Thou spreadest gladness into the heart of all the peoples; none amongst them dare trample on the territory of thy majesty; but I am thy guide to lead thee to them. Thou hast crossed the great river of Mesopotamia, conqueror and mighty, as I had pre-ordered; the cries of war resounded in their caves; I withheld from their nostrils the breath of life....

“I am come, and with my accord thou smitest the princes of Tahi (Syria). I hurl them beneath thy feet when thou marchest through their countries. I have shown them thy majesty as a lord of light; thou beamest upon them like unto mine own image.

“I am come, and I allow thee to smite the dwellers in Asia, to lead into captivity the chiefs of the Rotennu (Assyria). I have revealed to them thy majesty compassed with thy girdle, grasping thy weapon, and wielding it from thy chariot of war.

“I am come, that I might sanction thee to smite the countries of the East, to force thy way to the very cities of the Holy Land. I have revealed to them thy majesty as like unto the star Seschet (Canopus), which darts forth in flame, and gives birth to the morning dew.

“I am come, and I permit thee to smite the countries of the West: Kefa (Cyprus) and Asia tremble with terror in thy presence: I have shown them thy majesty like unto a bull young and courageous; he that, embellished with horns, nothing is able to resist.