ANCIENT EGYPT : The Pyramid Texts in the tomb of Pharaoh Wenis, Unis or Unas The Pyramid Texts of UNAS ca.2350 BCE Cartouche of King Unas ("wnis"). (ca. 2378 - 2348 BCE) The Royal Ritual of Rebirth & Illumination by Wim van den Dungen The translation of The Pyramid Texts of Unas is part of my Ancient Egyptian Readings (2016), a POD publication in paperback format of all translations available at maat.sofiatopia.org. These readings span a period of thirteen centuries, covering all important stages of Ancient Egyptian literature. Translated from Egyptian originals, they are ordered chronologically and were considered by the Egyptians as part of the core of their vast literature. The study of the sources, hieroglyphs, commentaries and pictures situating the text itself remain on the website at no cost. ENGLISH VERSION OF THE TEXT the tomb of King Unas (ca. 2378 - 2348 BCE) repartition of the texts in 13 sections "<" from right to left or ">" from left to right "<" or ">" between numbers = sequence of the text "<" (face left) or ">" (face right) underneath / above numbers = direction of the signs Introduction 1 Remarks. 2 Texts of the Burial-chamber. 3 Texts of the Passage-way. 4 Texts of the Antechamber. 5 Texts of the Corridor. 6 Bibliography. The Complete Text l Central Plan of the Hieroglyphs l Commentary l Bibliography Burial-Chamber l Passage-way l Antechamber l Corridor l Serdab HIEROGLYPHS Burial-chamber or Sarcophagusroom (I, II, III, IV, V) l Passage-way (VI) Antechamber (VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII) l Northern Corridor (XIII) l Serdab (XIV) Another study of the Unas text is available online. So is Sethe's standard edition of the Pyramid Texts (1908) and Mercer's translation (1952). Remark : The use of capitals in words as "Absolute", "God" or "Divine", points to a rational context (i.e. how these appear in a theology conducted in the rational mode of thought). Hence, when these words are used in the context of Ancient Egyptian ante-rational thought (which, as a cultural form, was mythical, pre-rational & proto-rational), this restriction is lifted. Hence, words such as "god", "the god", "gods", "goddesses", "pantheon" or "divine" are not capitalized. 1. Remarks about this translation. Besides the general introduction, following remarks about the present text persist. The Pyramid Texts are dated at least contemporary with the pyramids in which they were inscribed, if not several centuries earlier. King Unas (ca. 2378 - 2348 BCE) probably disposed of a vast collection of religious texts on papyrus, and decided to be the first to inscribe his choice of 228 texts on the walls of his tomb. The latter would act as a terrestrial magical input/output-module de opere operato, interacting with the other parts of creation : the Netherworld (Duat) and the sky (Pet) or heaven. These oldest religious texts of humanity were inscribed ca. 4300 years ago and came to us unaltered & uncorrupted. "Although they are first attested in the pyramid of Unis, most of the Pyramid Texts are undoubtedly older. With few exceptions, their grammar is that of a stage of the language that disappeared from secular inscriptions at least fifty years earlier, and the architecture of the pyramid chambers that they reflect came into use at the end of the Fouth Dynasty, more than a hundred years before Unis's time. Some of the texts reflect burial practices that are even older, in earthen graves beneath tombs built of mudbrick." - Allen, 2005, p.4. Notwithstanding the rarity of corruptions, to the present day translator these texts pose problems of grammar, vocabulary, orthography and meaning. Indeed, many mythological, analogical, emblematic, allegorical & metaphorical connotations and other symbolical allusions are lost or obscure today. Names of certain snakes, lesser deities, foodstuffs, certain words etc. are unknown, and can only be transcribed, not translated. In 1908, Sethe's standard edition of the hieroglyphic texts appeared : Die altägyptischen Pyramidentexte. In it, texts were grouped into "Sprüche" (Utterances or Spells). Over a period of thirty years, his German translation & commentary, under the title Übersetzung und Kommentar zu den altägyptischen Pyramidentexten, was published posthumously. In 1952, Mercer published the first English version and in 1968, Piankoff translated the text in his The Pyramid of Unas. In 1969, Faulkner published The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, the acclaimed standard English translation, whose grammatical and semantic perspectives the present translation for the better part shares. He argued for a fresh translation of the 759 utterances and this because Sethe's work was very bulky, incomplete and never revised by its author. Meanwhile more material had come to light, enabling him to restore many lacunae, whereas in the last half of the previous century great advances in Ancient Egyptian had been made. In 2005, Allen published The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, containing the texts found in 10 tombs (besides the canonical five, he also includes Ankhesenpepi II, Neith, Iput II, Wedjebetni & Ibi). This clear translation of the Unas text is in many ways remarkable and most welcome, in particular regarding the use of verbal forms, as well as offering translations of passages beforehand deemed untranslatable, calling for revision. No doubt, this translation by Allen excells Faulkner's and is a humbling experience for anyone studying these texts for years. "The rules of grammar are well defined so far as they go, but within those rules a doubt must often remain, for example, as to whether a given sentence is to be understood as a statement or as a wish ; in such cases a translator can render a passage only as he himself feels it." - Faulkner, 1969, viii. The Egyptian text used here is Sethe's, whereas the pictures of the tomb are those of Piankoff (1968) but digitally enhanced to allow for a better identification of the signs. The standard translations of Sethe, Mercer, Piankoff, Faulkner and Allen assisted greatly, adding to the depth of an enterprise started in 2001, namely a series of fundamental texts dealing with the sapiental teachings of the Ancient Egyptians. The availability of a more dramatic view on these texts was felt necessary. To integrate all available standard translations, the original Egyptian text and an artistic eye for performance (cf. Critical Esthetics, 2007) was the aim when composing the present text. Understanding them as the magical blueprint in sacred words of a crucial ritual experience, these spoken texts are treated as mystical texts containing a strong shamanistic & ecstatic component. The application of a hermeneutics of mystical texts may at least prove interesting to back the philosophical commentary (cf. previous studies on Beatrice of Nazareth, Jan of Ruusbroec & ps.-Dionysius the Areopagite). The idiom of the present effort is on the whole that of modern English. The pronouns "thou", "thy", "thee" and "ye" have been replaced by the current "You" and "your". Conform with Faulkner, verbal inflexions as "didst", "maketh" etc. are not present, while a few archaisms like "behold" and "lo" were retained to render the original "see" and "look". Unlike Faulkner, the royal cartouche with the name "Wenis" is translated as "King Unas" each time the text does not suggest an original first-person context. When King Unas speaks, the cartouche is translated as "I, King Unas" when appearing for the first time and "I" or "me" in all other instances of the same utterance. The reasons for this are not philological, but dramatic, initiatic and ritualistic. "The drama, the theatric sense, is unquestionably one of the most fitting channels for the appropriate presentation of mystical and symbolical truth. This is a circumstance so little understood and appreciated by the uninitiated that it is frequently confounded with mere charlatanism. Yet many of the most adept among the mystics were educated to its use and have from time to time employed the thespian art for the purpose of occult explication." - Spence, 1929, chapter XII, p.230. It will not escape the reader the text entertains a certain level of rhythmicization of its teachings, whereas dramatic structures are intended and repetitions are common. These characteristics refer to the dramatical, performative and initiatic objectives suggested by the text. That certain ritual actions took place during the recitation of protective spells and offerings, can be inferred by the presence of instructions like "pour libation", "burn incense", etc. or by the description of the offering at hand. These dramatical instructions have been italicized and integrated in the text precisely where this was the case in the original. It seems the original was not restricted to a particular individual. Mistakes indicate the texts were transcribed to the walls from a papyrus scroll. Traces of editorial revision are present (for example, in Pepi I, a few spells indicate the deceased is someone other than the king himself, whereas entire sections of a wall indicate revisions). "Most of the editorial revisions have to do with the replacement of an original first-person pronoun by the deceased's name or a third-person referent, thus 'personalizing' the texts for each pyramid. In some cases these changes took place after the original version was carved and are visible on the wall ; in others, the original first person can be deduced from pronouns overlooked by the editor, from grammatical constructions left unemended, or from variant uses of the deceased's name and a third-person pronoun in different copies. In translating such spells, an argument can be made both for adopting the original first person and for rendering the final third-person version." - Allen, 2005, p.5. To bring out the dramatic, imaginative intent, as well as to make it easier to read, the present dramatic text is viewed as a sacred scenario in which all component parts work together to achieve two goals : (1) the rebirth of the king in the Duat (burial-chamber) and (2) his ascension to Re in the horizon (antechamber). Conjectures regarding the various steps in this process have been added as titles (in teal). This dramatic interpretation is in tune with the ritualistic, ecstatic & alchemical characteristics of the composition. It does not affect he body of the text (in black), but allows the reader to fluently finish the complete text in one reading. "The only basis we have for preferring one rendering to another, when once the exigencies of grammar and dictionary have been satisfied -and these leave a large margin for divergencies- is an intuitive appreciation of the trend of the ancient writer's mind." - Gardiner, 1925, p.5. Although, for comparative reasons, rooted in linguistic, synoptic and lexicographic considerations, the "découpage" of Sethe is interesting, it has the disadvantage of eclipsing the literary coherence brought to bear by each king in his choice of texts & their placement in the tomb. Today we know that in any work of royal art a strong visual semantic was at work. Cardinal relationships exist and these allow us to conjecture the meaning of a text as a function of its placement in the tomb, establishing meaningful patterns with other texts on adjacent walls or in identical positions (cf. the West Gable of the burial-chamber and the East Wall of the antechamber both contain protective spells, as it were encircling the tomb). The Unas text is approached as a composition in its own right. Moreover, it did set the tone, became canonical and is the only complete version we have. Piankoff (1968) was the first to translate the text of Unas as a unity. conjectured symbolism of the compass points "Each of the Pyramid Texts is complete in itself. They are superimposed to convey different shades of meaning for certain passages, the key to such modifications being given by the meaning of the King's name." - Schwaller de Lubicz, 1985, p.72. The "funerary interpretation" must be suspended. The latter dictates these texts to exclusively deal with afterlife issues, suggestive of completed actions. Although it is clear they were used during and after the burial of the divine king, it is equally possible for the composition to points to this-life rituals (cf. Naydler, 2005). In fact, small errors indicate this must have been the case. Actions should not a priori be viewed as completed. The perfect, indicating a past action viewed as completed in the present, is translated as past perfect tense if the completed action is referenced in the past. "The deeply entrenched view that the contents of the Pyramid Texts relates either to funerary ritual or to beliefs of the Egyptians concerning the afterlife and does not relate to the experiences of the living king is incompatible with the texts themselves and stands in the way of a true perception of their meaning." - Naydler, 2005, pp.310-311. Maybe the pyramid complex was the place of the royal cult, involving regeneration (rebirth) and ecstatic unity with Re, the father of the divine king ? Perhaps this royal cult was at hand as soon as the new king was crowned ? The Heb Sed ritual has Osirian connotations (the king assuming the dramatic role of Osiris to regenerate), whereas the daily service of the king, or his representatives, in the inner sanctum of later temples dedicated to the deities, involving opening the doors of the horizon and facing the deity in the "naos", is reminiscent of the companionship with Re which befell the divine, ascended king in the sky. "The great state temples, although we know next to nothing about their inscriptions in the Old Kingdom, were principally devoted to restating and celebrating the relationship between the king and the gods, by which the natural cosmic order was maintained : to put it simply, the king ensured that the gods received the attention they deserved and needed, and they in return ensured that Egypt was safe and provided for." - Strudwick, 2005, p.18. Reading the text in terms of a spiritual drama (a mystery-play - cf. Sethe, 1928) calls for an editorial format in which the expressive, exclamatory style is used to boost the narrative. Mindful of what is not at our disposal when translating Old Egyptian, what can we do more than make an intelligent guess ? Of course, the reader is asked to plunge into the anterational mindset of these ancient authors, acquainting him or herself as much as possible with the mythical, pre-rational and proto-rational layers of early cognition, clearly devoid of theoretical conceptualization, abstraction or discursive thought. At first, this may seem bewildering, but in fact the whole edifice comes down to two salvic paths : rebirth (as Osiris) and illumination (as Re). They are sublimations of the "Great Mother" (or "great goddess") and the "Wise Father" (or "strong bull") archetypes animating family life, and turn up in all religions. In general terms, these are the Lunar and Solar paths most, if not all, living, luminous creatures walk to survive. These cycles are crucial to all monthly & seasonal processes of body, energy & mind. So once the basic relationships between the mythical players are understood (between Horus & Seth, regarding what happened to Osiris, Set & Horus etc.), a standard set of events between them, as well as differences appear (as in the pictoral Amduat-texts, were visual registers occur). In the Ancient Egyptian anterational way of thinking, continuous regeneration (through darkness) and eternal efficient being (through light) were the two continuous, substantial modes of being. The aspiration of the intellectual élite, was keeping both united & separated. Clearly, although institutionalized, these priests had the time to upkeep shamanism (guided trance), the power of suggestion, magic, dream-work, funerary rituals and the ecstatic union with the god(dess). "Thus the purpose of initiatoric texts is far less a logical one that it is to provoke shocks, emotional reactions, or to grate against the cerebral need for sequential logic. Paradox, improbable images, the juxtaposition of unconnected phrases are freely employed. The texts appeal to sensation, to a feeling of emotive sensitivity." - Schwaller de Lubicz, 1985, p.58. Regarding the treatment of words related to Egyptian spiritual anthropology, the custom of simply transcribing them is followed, except for "Ib", rendered as "heart" and "Akhet", rendered as "horizon". Hence, "Ka", "Ba", "Akh" and "Khu" are left intact and explained in the commentary, whereas in the plural they are given as "Kas", "Bas", "Akhs" & "Khus". The term "dAt" is not translated as "Netherworld", but rendered as "Duat". The common names of the major towns of Egypt are translated as Memphis, Heliopolis, Hermopolis, Hierakonpolis, Crocodilopolis, Letopolis etc., except if they are part of titles (like "Bull of Nekhen" or "Bas of Iunu"). In this complete text, the numbering is done anew, while the standard number of the utterance was put between round brackets (and used in the commentary). BURIAL-CHAMBER : PROTECTION (I) - OFFERING LITURGY (II) DUAT-VOYAGE, CORONATION & RETURN (III, IV & V) The translation of The Pyramid Texts of Unas is part of my Ancient Egyptian Readings (2016), a POD publication in paperback format of all translations available at maat.sofiatopia.org. These readings span a period of thirteen centuries, covering all important stages of Ancient Egyptian literature. Translated from Egyptian originals, they are ordered chronologically and were considered by the Egyptians as part of the core of their vast literature. The study of the sources, hieroglyphs, commentaries and pictures situating the text itself remain on the website at no cost. I BURIAL-CHAMBER / West Gable (226 - 243) {...} : restored passage <...> : conjectured translation of unknown word (...) : words added to bring out the sense and/or to clarify The first number given, is the ordinal position of the utterance in the present English version of the 228 utterances of the Unas text, while the second is the traditional enumeration of the sayings by Sethe. PROTECTING THE SARCOPHAGUS & THE WEST Protection of the Sarcophagus Room (West) all by the priest, except 5 and 15 1 (226) To say the words : Entwined is a Plait-snake by another Plait-snake, (and this) toothless calf which came forth from the pasture has been entwined. Earth, swallow up what has emerged from You ! Monster, lie down ! Crawl away ! The Majesty of the Pelican has fallen in the water. Snake, turn over, that Re may see You ! 2 (227) To say the words : "The head of the great black bull has been cut off." Henepu-snake, I say this against You ! God-repelling scorpion, I say this against You ! Turn over, slide into the Earth, for I have said this against You. 3 (228) To say the words : One face has fallen on another face ! One face has seen another face ! The coloured knife, black and green, has gone against it. It has swallowed the one it has licked. 4 (229) To say the words : This here is the fingernail of Atum, pressed on the knot of the vertebrae of Nehebu-Kas (the serpent deity), the one which stilled the turmoil from Hermopolis. Fall down ! Crawl away ! 5 (230) the two spells of Elephantine by the priest : To say the words : Your two <poison-fangs> into the Earth ! Your two ribs into the hole ! Shoot liquid while the Two Kites will stand up. Your mouth will be closed by the instrument of punishment, and the mouth of the instrument of punishment will be closed by Mafdet. The one made <weary> will be bitten by the plait serpent. by the King : O Re, I, King Unas, have bitten the Earth. I have bitten Geb. I have bitten the father of him who would bite me. This one is the one who would bite me, I did not bite him. He bit me at the instant after seeing me… truncated (106,856 more characters in archive)