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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell

By E. A. Wallis Budge

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The Gate of Set-hra The Eighth Division of the Tuat

HAVING passed through the Seventh Division of the Tuat, the boat of the Sun arrives at the gateway called BEKHKHI, which leads to the EIGHTH O DIVISION, or, as the opening text reads:

This great god cometh forth to this gate, and entereth through it, and the gods who are therein acclaim this great god." The gateway is like that through which the god passed into the previous Division, and its outwork is guarded by nine gods in the form of mummies, who are described as the PAUT, i.e., the company of the nine gods.

At the entrance to the gate proper stands a bearded, mummied form, with his hands folded on his breast, called BENEN, and at its exit stands a similar form called HEPTTI, each of these is said to "extend his arms and hands to Ra." The corridor is swept by flames of fire, which proceed from the mouths of two uraei, as before. The company of the gods who guard the outwork address Ra, and say, "Come thou to us, O thou who art at the head of the horizon, O thou great god who openest hidden places, open for thyself the holy pylons, and unfold the doors thereof." The monster serpent, which stands on his tail and guards the door, is called SET-HRA, and the two lines of text which refer to his admission of Ra read, "He who is over this door openeth to Ra. SA saith unto SET-HRA:--Open thy gate to Ra, unfold thy portal to KHUTI, So that he may illumine the thick darkness, and may send light into the hidden abode. This gate closeth after the great god hath passed through it, and the souls who are on the other side of it wail when they hear the door closing upon them."

 

The gate of the Serpent Set-hra.

 

In the middle of the Division we see the boat of Ra being towed on its way by four gods of the Tuat, the god is in the same form as before, and SA stands on the look-out, and Heka obeys his instructions as to the steering. At the head of the

 

The Boat of Ra being towed through the Eighth Division of the Tuat by the gods thereof.

four gods who tow the boat stands an aged god, who leans on a long staff, and is called "He who dwelleth in Nu." Immediately in front of the divine procession is a long tank, wherein we see four groups, each containing four beings, who are represented in the act of performing various evolutions in the water. These are called HERPIU, AKIU, NUBIU, and KHEPAU, which names may be translated "Bathers, Floaters, Swimmers, and Divers."

The first section of this text reads:--

This great god is towed along by gods of the Tuat, and behold, those who tow Ra along say, "Let there be praise in heaven to the soul of Ra, and let there be praise on earth to his body, for heaven is made young by means of his soul, and earth is made young by means of his body. Hail! We open for thee the hidden place, and we make straight for thee the roads of Akert. Be thou at peace, O Ra, with thy hidden things, O thou who art praised [by] thy secret things in thy forms (or, attributes). Hail! We tow thee along, O Ra, we guide thee, O thou who art at the head of heaven, and thou comest forth to those who are immersed in the waters, and thou shalt make thy way over them."

The passage which refers to the aged god reads:--

"He (literally, those) who is in Nu saith to those who are immersed in the water, and to those who are swimming in the pools of water, 'Look ye at Ra, who journeyeth in his boat, [for he is] Great of Mystery.

 

The Four Herpiu Gods, and the Four Akiu Gods.

 

It is he who ordereth the destinies (or, affairs) of the gods, it is he who performeth (or, maketh) the plans of the Khu (i.e., the spirits). Hail! Rise up, O ye beings of time, pay ye heed to Ra, for it is he who ordereth your destinies.'"

The speech of Ra reads:--

"Put forth your heads, O ye who are immersed in the water, thrust out your arms, O ye who are under the waters, stretch out your legs, O ye who swim, let there be breath to your nostrils, O ye who are deep in the waters. Ye shall have dominion over your waters, ye shall be at peace in your tanks of cool waters, ye shall pass through the waters of Nu, and ye shall make a way through your cisterns. Your souls are upon earth, and they shall be satisfied with their means of subsistence, and they shall not suffer destruction. Their food shall consist of the offerings of the earth, and meat and drink shall be given unto them upon earth, even as to him that hath obtained dominion

 

The Four Nubiu Gods, and the Four Khepau Gods.

over his offerings upon earth, and whose soul is not upon the earth. Their food shall consist of bread, and their drink shall be tchesert wine, and their cisterns shall be full of cool water, and there shall be offered unto them upon earth of that which this lake produceth."

In the upper register are the following:--

1. Twelve bearded gods, who stand with their arms hanging by their sides, and are described as the "divine sovereign chiefs who give the bread which hath been allotted and green herbs to the souls who are in the Lake of SERSER (i.e., blazing fire),"

 

The Tchatchau who give the bread of Maat.

 

Souls who are in the Lake of Serser.

2. Nine bearded, human-headed and human-handed hawks, which stand with their hands raised in adoration; before each is a loaf of bread, and a few green herbs. These are described as the "souls who are in the Lake of Serser."

3. A god, who holds a sceptre in his right hand, and in his left.

The portion of the text which refers to the twelve sovereign chiefs reads:--

"These are they who make souls to have a right to the green herbs in the Lake of Serser. Ra saith unto them:--'[Hail, ye] divine sovereign princes of the gods, and ye chiefs of the Lake of Serser, who place souls over their green herbs, let them have dominion themselves over their bread; give ye your bread which is appointed, and bring ye your green herbs to the souls who have been ordered to exist in the Lake of Serser.' They say unto Ra:--'The bread appointed hath been and the green herbs have been brought to the divine souls whom thou hast ordered to exist in the Lake of Serser. Hail! Verily, the way is fair; for KHENTI-AMENTI praiseth thee, and those who dwell in TA-THENEN praise thee.' Their food is of bread-cakes, and their beer is the tchesert beer, and their libations are of cool water; and offerings are made unto them upon earth by those who are with (?) TUI by the divine sovereign princes."

The passage which refers to the souls in the Lake of Serser reads:--

"These are they who are in the Land of Serser; 'they have received their bread, and they have gained the mastery over this Lake, and they praise this great god. Ra saith unto them:--'Eat ye your green herbs, and satisfy ye yourselves with your cakes; let there be fulness to your bellies, and satisfaction to your hearts. Your green herbs are of the Lake of Serser, the Lake which may not be approached. Praise ye me, glorify ye me, for I am the Great One of terror of the Tuat.' They say unto Ra:--'Hail to thee, O thou Great One of the SEKHEMU (i.e., Powers)! Praise is thine, and majesty is thine. The Tuat is thine, and [is subservient] to thy will; it is a hidden place [made] by thee for those who are in its Circles. The height of Heaven is thine, and [is subservient] to thy will; it is a secret place [made] by thee for those who belong thereto. The Earth is for thy dead Body, and the Sky is for thy Soul. O Ra, be thou at peace (or, be content) with that which thou hast made to come into being.' Their food consisteth of bread-cakes, their green herbs are the plants of the spring, and the waters wherein they refresh themselves are cool

 

Souls who are in the Lake of Serser. A god with a sceptre.

 

Offerings are made unto them upon the earth as [being] the product of this Lake of Serser."

In the lower register are:--

1. Horus [the Aged], in the form of a bearded man, leaning upon a staff.

2. Twelve bearded beings, who are described as the "burnt enemies of Osiris." The first four have their arms tied behind their back in such a way that the right hand projects at the left side, and the left hand at the right side. The second four have their hands tied together at the elbows, and the upper parts of the arms are at right angles to their shoulders. The third four have their arms tied together at the elbows, and their elbows are on a lower level than their shoulders.

3. A monster speckled serpent, which lies in undulations immediately in front of the enemies of Osiris,

 

(Far left) Horus the Aged. (Right) The Burnt Enemies of Osiris.

and belches fire into the face of their leader; the name of this serpent is KHETI, In each undulation stands a bearded god in mummied form, and the hieroglyphics written above describe them as "the gods who are above KHETI,"

The text reads:--

"[This scene representeth] what Horus doeth for his father Osiris. The enemies c who are in this scene have their calamities ordered for them by Horus, who saith unto them:--Let there be fetters on your arms, O enemies of my father, let your arms be tied up towards your heads, O ye who have no [power], ye shall be fettered [with your arms] behind you, O ye who are hostile to Ra. Ye shall be backed in pieces,

 

ye shall nevermore have your being, your souls shall be destroyed, and none [of you] shall live because of what ye have done to my father Osiris; ye have put [his] mysteries behind your backs, and ye have dragged out the statue [of the god] from the secret place. The word of my father Osiris is maat against you, and my word is maat against you, O ye who have desecrated (literally, laid bare) the hidden things which concern the rest (or, resting-place) of the Great One who begot me in the Tuat. O ye shall cease to exist, ye shall come to an end."'

"Horus saith:--'[O] my serpent KHET, thou Mighty Fire, from whose mouth cometh forth this flame which is in my Eye, whose undulations are guarded by [my] children, open thy mouth, distend thy jaws, and belch forth thy fires against the enemies of my father, burn thou up their bodies, consume their souls by the fire which issueth from thy mouth, and by the flames which are in thy body. My divine children are against them, they destroy [their] spirits, and those who have come forth from me are against them, and they shall never more exist. The fire which is in this serpent shall come forth, and shall blaze against these enemies whensoever Horus decreeth that it shall do so.' Whosoever knoweth how to use words of power [against] this serpent shall be as one who doth not enter upon his fiery path."

The end of this text on the sarcophagus of Seti I. is defective, but from the tomb of Rameses VI. we see that it should end thus:--"Offerings shall be made to these gods who are upon this great serpent. Their food is of bread, their drink is of tesher beer, and the waters of their libations are cool."