Hi guys, sorry it's been a while but I hope the wait was worth it (?)
My Disclaimer still stands as previous
This chapter is based on the translation of the hieroglyphics found on the Island of Sehel/Sahal. Just as a point of interest the inscription was not cut into the rock in the ordinary way, but was "stunned" on it with a blunted chisel and is, in some lights, quite invisible to anyone standing near the rock - hmmm
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The Legend Of The Seven Years' Famine
The King looked out on his crumbling kingdom, the weight of government resting heavily on his troubled mind and enfeebled body.
His people considered him a god, believing he possessed all the secrets of heaven and earth and yet his lands were decaying, his people were dying and the name of the disease was hunger and famine; no one was exempt.
He sighed and signalled to his scribe as he began to dictate. "I am in misery on my throne. My heart is very sore because of the calamity which hath happened, for the Nile hath not come forth for seven years."
He walked back to this throne and sat down with a sigh, as if a great weight was apparent on his shoulders. He stared at his discarded wig, left on the cool stone of the floor, as if it held the solution to his dilemma. He rubbed his baldhead in memory of its wear and bit down on the henna of his lips.
"There is no grain, there are no vegetables, there is no food, and every man is robbing his neighbour. Men wish to walk, but they are unable to move; the young man drags along his limbs, the hearts of the aged are crushed with despair, their legs fail them, they sink to the ground, and they clutch their bodies with their hands in pain."
He balled his own hand up into a fist, the elaborate lapis lazuli ring cutting into his olive flesh in anger, "the councillors are dumb," he struck the arms of the throne with his palms, getting to his feet, "and nothing but wind comes out of the granaries when they are opened. Everything is in a state of ruin."
He walked over to the window again, watching the heat take the vigour from the deteriorating Nile as it trickled sluggishly through its dry and red cracked riverbed.
He looked down and at the scribe who had paused and nodded for him to continue, "I ask these questions of you, my good servant, in hope they will bring our suffering to an end. Where is the Nile born? What god or goddess presides over it? And what is his form? Should I go to the temple of Thoth to enquire of that god? Or go to the College of the Magicians and search through the sacred books in order to find out these things?"
He gestured that he had finished and the scribe brought the papyrus to him on bended knee. The King looked over each symbol as if they were inscribed using the blood from his body. He then motioned for his messenger to take the royal dispatch to the Governor of the temple properties, of the South and North, at Elephantine.
+++++
The moon's reflection was ghosting on the Nile's current when the ambitious Governor received this plea from his sovereign master. He looked out on the polished silver of the lazy river and smiled, he then made immediate travel arrangements to see the King.
He journeyed through the night and by the time he entered the sovereign's palace a blistering dawn had afflicted the sky. He crossed the marble floor; his bare feet touching their reflection with each step and fell to his knees before the King, keeping his sly gaze low. The King lifted a gold, ringed, finger, gesturing for the Governor to speak.
"My Lord, the Nile flood comes forth from the Island of Elephantine from two caverns which have been likened to two breasts, from which all good things pour forth; the name of this double cavern is the 'Couch of the Nile.' He who controls the door bolts of the flood is the god Khnemu, and the wings of the door open according to his wishes and once they are open he smotes the earth with his sandals and a great body of water rushes forth like a vigorous young man."
He hesitated, as the King shifted on his throne, ready to plant the determined seed, which his true god had given him to nurture, into the Kings mind. "Khnemu's temple is also at Elephantine, although it is not as grand and well maintain as others in the region for Sept, Anquet, Hap, Shu, Keb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Horus," he continued, 'innocently'.
He lowered himself further to the ground and spoke with a boldness that came with knowing more than his lips would tell, "my Lord, the province is rich in many materials and precious stones, may I suggest that an offering be made of these resources to satisfy Khnemu and adorn his temple."
The King sat back in thought and the Governor saw the age upon his face, "my heart is saddened that the creator god's temple has fallen into such disrepair, I will leave for his shrine and offer up sacrifices to placate Khnemu and pray for the Nile flood."
The Governor smiled a secret smile.
+++++
The King removed his linen kilt and spread it before the priests of the temple who sprinkled it with the blessed waters of the Nile to purify the cloth. He cupped his hands before the holy men and a perfumed oil was poured into them so he could cleanse his flesh of the contaminates he had brought from the outside world.
When this was done, he fastened the cloth around him and the priests pulled back the curtains to the shrine, allowing him access to their god. The King stood as a procession was formed and his offerings of bread-cakes, beer, geese and oxen, were brought before the golden likeness of Khnemu and prayers said in a low, resounding, hum.
The Governor watched until all gifts had been presented and then spoke to the King, "my Lord, maybe if you alone make a supplication before the creator god as your words will carry more weight than us of mortal being."
The King concurred and was left alone in the flickering torch light of the shrine.
He knelt before the alter spreading his soul, beseechingly, before Khnemu, offering many prayers for his peoples' salvation. He heard a humming noise, from behind him and a sound not unlike several metallic bracelets clashing on a moving arm. He turned his head, slightly; aware he was by himself no more as an imposing shadow reached across the chamber floor, marking his body with its black form.
He got, slowly, to his feet, following the path of the silhouette to its source, turning his body to greet the ram-headed god, Khnemu.
The King felt his heart crash against his ribs as the tall, silver, god's eyes opened with a grind of metal and glow of light. The terrified man threw himself to the floor at the feet of this vast god.
Khnemu bent his body towards the prostrated King and said in a cavernous voice that echoed from within him, "I am Khnemu, who made thee. My hands knitted together thy body and made it sound, and I gave thee thy heart," an armoured clad hand touched the King's back; the man shuddered at the coldness of the contact.
The god continued, "I am he who created himself, I am the primeval watery abyss, I am the Nile who riseth at my will. I am the guide and director of all men, the Almighty, the father of the gods, Shu, the mighty possessor of the earth."
"All these things are true, great god," the King replied, shakily, "but I must know if it is your will that the flood waters will once again bless our people?"
Khnemu straighten himself up and walked across to the alter, distain peppering his words, "I am your Lord and creator and my temple is in ruins before you because your men are too inert to repair or rebuild."
He paused for a moment as if in deliberation and then began again, "I will make the Nile swell for you, without there being a year of lack and exhaustion in the whole land, so the plants will flourish, bending under their fruit. The land of Egypt will begin to stir again, the shores will shine and wealth and well-being will dwell with them as it had been before. But I ask this of you, in payment for my generosity, you will rebuild these ruins and sculpt a great chapel in my name. I will bestow on you precious ores and crystals, ones that have not been worked upon before this day and your craftsmen will construct a monument as to my liking and specifications."
The King agreed and in the shadows the Governor watched his master's plan unfold.
==============
Thanks for reading :o)
My Disclaimer still stands as previous
This chapter is based on the translation of the hieroglyphics found on the Island of Sehel/Sahal. Just as a point of interest the inscription was not cut into the rock in the ordinary way, but was "stunned" on it with a blunted chisel and is, in some lights, quite invisible to anyone standing near the rock - hmmm
==========
The Legend Of The Seven Years' Famine
The King looked out on his crumbling kingdom, the weight of government resting heavily on his troubled mind and enfeebled body.
His people considered him a god, believing he possessed all the secrets of heaven and earth and yet his lands were decaying, his people were dying and the name of the disease was hunger and famine; no one was exempt.
He sighed and signalled to his scribe as he began to dictate. "I am in misery on my throne. My heart is very sore because of the calamity which hath happened, for the Nile hath not come forth for seven years."
He walked back to this throne and sat down with a sigh, as if a great weight was apparent on his shoulders. He stared at his discarded wig, left on the cool stone of the floor, as if it held the solution to his dilemma. He rubbed his baldhead in memory of its wear and bit down on the henna of his lips.
"There is no grain, there are no vegetables, there is no food, and every man is robbing his neighbour. Men wish to walk, but they are unable to move; the young man drags along his limbs, the hearts of the aged are crushed with despair, their legs fail them, they sink to the ground, and they clutch their bodies with their hands in pain."
He balled his own hand up into a fist, the elaborate lapis lazuli ring cutting into his olive flesh in anger, "the councillors are dumb," he struck the arms of the throne with his palms, getting to his feet, "and nothing but wind comes out of the granaries when they are opened. Everything is in a state of ruin."
He walked over to the window again, watching the heat take the vigour from the deteriorating Nile as it trickled sluggishly through its dry and red cracked riverbed.
He looked down and at the scribe who had paused and nodded for him to continue, "I ask these questions of you, my good servant, in hope they will bring our suffering to an end. Where is the Nile born? What god or goddess presides over it? And what is his form? Should I go to the temple of Thoth to enquire of that god? Or go to the College of the Magicians and search through the sacred books in order to find out these things?"
He gestured that he had finished and the scribe brought the papyrus to him on bended knee. The King looked over each symbol as if they were inscribed using the blood from his body. He then motioned for his messenger to take the royal dispatch to the Governor of the temple properties, of the South and North, at Elephantine.
+++++
The moon's reflection was ghosting on the Nile's current when the ambitious Governor received this plea from his sovereign master. He looked out on the polished silver of the lazy river and smiled, he then made immediate travel arrangements to see the King.
He journeyed through the night and by the time he entered the sovereign's palace a blistering dawn had afflicted the sky. He crossed the marble floor; his bare feet touching their reflection with each step and fell to his knees before the King, keeping his sly gaze low. The King lifted a gold, ringed, finger, gesturing for the Governor to speak.
"My Lord, the Nile flood comes forth from the Island of Elephantine from two caverns which have been likened to two breasts, from which all good things pour forth; the name of this double cavern is the 'Couch of the Nile.' He who controls the door bolts of the flood is the god Khnemu, and the wings of the door open according to his wishes and once they are open he smotes the earth with his sandals and a great body of water rushes forth like a vigorous young man."
He hesitated, as the King shifted on his throne, ready to plant the determined seed, which his true god had given him to nurture, into the Kings mind. "Khnemu's temple is also at Elephantine, although it is not as grand and well maintain as others in the region for Sept, Anquet, Hap, Shu, Keb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Horus," he continued, 'innocently'.
He lowered himself further to the ground and spoke with a boldness that came with knowing more than his lips would tell, "my Lord, the province is rich in many materials and precious stones, may I suggest that an offering be made of these resources to satisfy Khnemu and adorn his temple."
The King sat back in thought and the Governor saw the age upon his face, "my heart is saddened that the creator god's temple has fallen into such disrepair, I will leave for his shrine and offer up sacrifices to placate Khnemu and pray for the Nile flood."
The Governor smiled a secret smile.
+++++
The King removed his linen kilt and spread it before the priests of the temple who sprinkled it with the blessed waters of the Nile to purify the cloth. He cupped his hands before the holy men and a perfumed oil was poured into them so he could cleanse his flesh of the contaminates he had brought from the outside world.
When this was done, he fastened the cloth around him and the priests pulled back the curtains to the shrine, allowing him access to their god. The King stood as a procession was formed and his offerings of bread-cakes, beer, geese and oxen, were brought before the golden likeness of Khnemu and prayers said in a low, resounding, hum.
The Governor watched until all gifts had been presented and then spoke to the King, "my Lord, maybe if you alone make a supplication before the creator god as your words will carry more weight than us of mortal being."
The King concurred and was left alone in the flickering torch light of the shrine.
He knelt before the alter spreading his soul, beseechingly, before Khnemu, offering many prayers for his peoples' salvation. He heard a humming noise, from behind him and a sound not unlike several metallic bracelets clashing on a moving arm. He turned his head, slightly; aware he was by himself no more as an imposing shadow reached across the chamber floor, marking his body with its black form.
He got, slowly, to his feet, following the path of the silhouette to its source, turning his body to greet the ram-headed god, Khnemu.
The King felt his heart crash against his ribs as the tall, silver, god's eyes opened with a grind of metal and glow of light. The terrified man threw himself to the floor at the feet of this vast god.
Khnemu bent his body towards the prostrated King and said in a cavernous voice that echoed from within him, "I am Khnemu, who made thee. My hands knitted together thy body and made it sound, and I gave thee thy heart," an armoured clad hand touched the King's back; the man shuddered at the coldness of the contact.
The god continued, "I am he who created himself, I am the primeval watery abyss, I am the Nile who riseth at my will. I am the guide and director of all men, the Almighty, the father of the gods, Shu, the mighty possessor of the earth."
"All these things are true, great god," the King replied, shakily, "but I must know if it is your will that the flood waters will once again bless our people?"
Khnemu straighten himself up and walked across to the alter, distain peppering his words, "I am your Lord and creator and my temple is in ruins before you because your men are too inert to repair or rebuild."
He paused for a moment as if in deliberation and then began again, "I will make the Nile swell for you, without there being a year of lack and exhaustion in the whole land, so the plants will flourish, bending under their fruit. The land of Egypt will begin to stir again, the shores will shine and wealth and well-being will dwell with them as it had been before. But I ask this of you, in payment for my generosity, you will rebuild these ruins and sculpt a great chapel in my name. I will bestow on you precious ores and crystals, ones that have not been worked upon before this day and your craftsmen will construct a monument as to my liking and specifications."
The King agreed and in the shadows the Governor watched his master's plan unfold.
==============
Thanks for reading :o)