CHAPTER XXI.

_Chapter whereby the mouth of a person is given to him in the

Netherworld._

Hail to thee, Lord of Light, who art Prince of the House which is

encircled by Darkness and Obscurity. I am come to thee glorified and

purified.

My hands are behind thee; thy portion is that of those who have gone

before thee.(1.)

Give me my mouth that I may speak with it; and guide(2.) my heart at its

hour of Darkness and Night.

NOTES.

The oldest papyrus containing this chapter is that of Ani, and the

translation is based upon it. But the text differs both from those

written on the very ancient coffins of Heru and Set-Bastit, copied by M.

Maspero,[34] and from the later texts.

The second paragraph seems to be spoken by the god, the first and third

being from the deceased.

“My hands are behind thee” is a formula implying protection.

On the coffins the invocation is addressed not to “Osiris, Lord of

Light” or “Radiant One” ⁂⁂, but to the ⁂⁂⁂, “one whose

head is clothed with radiant white, of the House of Darkness and

Obscurity.”

Instead of ⁂⁂⁂⁂ “obscurity” the coffin has ⁂⁂ without

a determinative, but ⁂⁂⁂⁂ shows what the word means.

This ancient text continues—“Come thou to me, glorified and purified;

let thy hands [_here the text is obliterated_], shine thou with thine

head (⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂). Give me my mouth that I may speak with it,

and guide me on the glorious roads which are in heaven.”

The Turin text is very corrupt, and parts of it are incapable of

translation.

1. ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂.

2. “Let me guide,” according to the Ani Papyrus. But the later

(hieratic) texts have the second person ⁂⁂⁂⁂⁂, which is

more correct.

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Footnote 34:

_Mission Archéologique Française_, II, p. 216 and 223. The text is

unfortunately incomplete on both coffins.

PLATE X.

BOOK OF THE DEAD.

[Illustration: CHAPTER XV. =Papyrus of Ani.=]

[Illustration: