cleopatra-第7部分

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the　pylon's　two　hundred　steps；　until　at　length　I　reached　the　massive

roof。　Here　I　leaned　my　breast　against　the　parapet；　and　looked　forth。

As　I　looked；　the　red　edge　of　the　full　moon　floated　up　over　the　Arabian

hills；　and　her　rays　fell　upon　the　pylon　where　I　stood　and　the　temple

walls　beyond；　lighting　the　visages　of　the　carven　Gods。　Then　the　cold

light　struck　the　stretch　of　well…tilled　lands；　now　whitening　to　the

harvest；　and　as　the　heavenly　lamp　of　Isis　passed　up　to　the　sky；　her

rays　crept　slowly　down　to　the　valley；　where　Sihor；　father　of　the　land

of　Khem；　rolls　on　toward　the　sea。



Now　the　bright　beams　kissed　the　water　that　smiled　an　answer　back；　and

now　mountain　and　valley；　river；　temple；　town；　and　plain　were　flooded

with　white　light；　for　Mother　Isis　was　arisen；　and　threw　her　gleaming

robe　across　the　bosom　of　the　earth。　It　was　beautiful；　with　the　beauty

of　a　dream；　and　solemn　as　the　hour　after　death。　Mightily；　indeed；　the

temples　towered　up　against　the　face　of　night。　Never　had　they　seemed　so

grand　to　me　as　in　that　hourthose　eternal　shrines；　before　whose　walls

Time　himself　shall　wither。　And　it　was　to　be　mine　to　rule　this　moonlit

land；　mine　to　preserve　those　sacred　shrines；　and　cherish　the　honour　of

their　Gods；　mine　to　cast　out　the　Ptolemy　and　free　Egypt　from　the

foreign　yoke！　In　my　veins　ran　the　blood　of　those　great　Kings　who　await

the　day　of　Resurrection；　sleeping　in　the　tombs　of　the　valley　of

Thebes。　My　spirit　swelled　within　me　as　I　dreamed　upon　this　glorious

destiny；　I　closed　my　hands；　and　there；　upon　the　pylon；　I　prayed　as　I

had　never　prayed　before　to　the　Godhead；　who　is　called　by　many　names；

and　in　many　forms　made　manifest。



〃O　Amen；〃　I　prayed；　〃God　of　Gods；　who　hast　been　from　the　beginning；

Lord　of　Truth；　who　art；　and　of　whom　all　are；　who　givest　out　thy

Godhead　and　gatherest　it　up　again；　in　the　circle　of　whom　the　Divine

ones　move　and　are；　who　wast　from　all　time　the　Self…begot；　and　who

shalt　be　till　timehearken　unto　me。＇*＇



＇*＇　For　a　somewhat　similar　definition　of　the　Godhead　see　the　funeral

　　　　papyrus　of　Nesikhonsu；　a　Princess　of　the　Twenty…first　Dynasty。

　　　　Editor。



〃O　AmenOsiris；　the　sacrifice　by　whom　we　are　justified；　Lord　of　the

Region　of　the　Winds；　Ruler　of　the　Ages；　Dweller　in　the　West；　the

Supreme　in　Amenti；　hearken　unto　me。



〃O　Isis；　great　Mother　Goddess；　mother　of　the　Horusmysterious　Mother；

Sister；　Spouse；　hearken　unto　me。　If；　indeed；　I　am　the　chosen　of　the

Gods　to　carry　out　the　purpose　of　the　Gods；　let　a　sign　be　given　me；

even　now；　to　seal　my　life　to　the　life　above。　Stretch　out　your　arms

towards　me；　O　ye　Gods；　and　uncover　the　glory　of　your　countenance。

Hear！　ah；　hear　me！〃　And　I　cast　myself　upon　my　knees　and　lifted　up　my

eyes　to　heaven。



And　as　I　knelt；　a　cloud　grew　upon　the　face　of　the　moon　covering　it　up；

so　that　the　night　became　dark；　and　the　silence　deepened　all　around

even　the　dogs　far　below　in　the　city　ceased　to　howl；　while　the　silence

grew　and　grew　till　it　was　heavy　as　death。　I　felt　my　spirit　lifted　up

within　me；　and　my　hair　rose　upon　my　head。　Then　of　a　sudden　the　mighty

pylon　seemed　to　rock　beneath　my　feet；　a　great　wind　beat　about　my　brows

and　a　voice　spoke　within　my　heart：



〃Behold　a　sign！　Possess　thyself　in　patience；　O　Harmachis！〃



And　as　the　voice　spoke；　a　cold　hand　touched　my　hand；　and　left　somewhat

within　it。　Then　the　cloud　rolled　from　the　face　of　the　moon；　the　wind

passed；　the　pylon　ceased　to　tremble；　and　the　night　was　as　the　night

had　been。



As　the　light　came　back；　I　gazed　upon　that　which　had　been　left　within

my　hand。　It　was　a　bud　of　the　holy　lotus　new　breaking　into　bloom；　and

from　it　came　a　most　sweet　scent。



And　while　I　gazed　behold！　the　lotus　passed　from　my　grasp　and　was　gone；

leaving　me　astonished。







CHAPTER　IV



OF　THE　DEPARTURE　OF　HARMACHIS　AND　OF　HIS　MEETING　WITH　HIS

UNCLE　SEPA；　THE　HIGH　PRIEST　OF　ANNU　EL　RA；　OF　HIS　LIFE　AT　ANNU；

AND　OF　THE　WORDS　OF　SEPA



At　the　dawning　of　the　next　day　I　was　awakened　by　a　priest　of　the

temple；　who　brought　word　to　me　to　make　ready　for　the　journey　of　which

my　father　had　spoken；　inasmuch　as　there　was　an　occasion　for　me　to　pass

down　the　river　to　Annu　el　Ra。　Now　this　is　the　Heliopolis　of　the

Greeks；　whither　I　should　go　in　the　company　of　some　priests　of　Ptah　at

Memphis　who　had　come　hither　to　Abouthis　to　lay　the　body　of　one　of

their　great　men　in　the　tomb　that　had　been　prepared　near　the　resting

place　of　the　blessed　Osiris。



So　I　made　ready；　and　the　same　evening；　having　received　letters　and

embraced　my　father　and　those　about　the　temple　who　were　dear　to　me；　I

passed　down　the　banks　of　Sihor；　and　we　sailed　with　the　south　wind。　As

the　pilot　stood　upon　the　prow　and　with　a　rod　in　his　hand　bade　the

sailor…men　loosen　the　stakes　by　which　the　vessel　was　moored　to　the

banks；　the　old　wife；　Atoua；　hobbled　up；　her　basket　of　simples　in　her

hand；　and；　calling　out　farewell；　threw　a　sandal　after　me　for　good

chance；　which　sandal　I　kept　for　many　years。



So　we　sailed；　and　for　six　days　passed　down　the　wonderful　river；　making

fast　each　night　at　some　convenient　spot。　But　when　I　lost　sight　of　the

familiar　things　that　I　had　seen　day　by　day　since　I　had　eyes　to　see；

and　found　myself　alone　among　strange　faces；　I　felt　very　sore　at　heart；

and　would　have　wept　had　I　not　been　ashamed。　And　of　all　the　wonderful

things　I　saw　I　will　not　write　here；　for；　though　they　were　new　to　me；

have　they　not　been　known　to　men　since　such　time　as　the　Gods　ruled　in

Egypt？　But　the　priests　who　were　with　me　showed　me　no　little　honour　and

expounded　to　me　what　were　the　things　I　saw。



On　the　morning　of　the　seventh　day　we　came　to　Memphis；　the　city　of　the

White　Hall。　Here；　for　three　days　I　rested　from　my　journey　and　was

entertained　of　the　priests　of　the　wonderful　Temple　of　Ptah　the

Creator；　and　shown　the　beauties　of　the　great　and　marvellous　city。　Also

I　was　led　in　secret　by　the　High　Priest　and　two　others　into　the　holy

presence　of　the　God　Apis；　the　Ptah　who　deigns　to　dwell　among　men　in

the　form　of　a　bull。　The　God　was　black；　and　on　his　forehead　there　was　a

white　square；　on　his　back　was　a　white　mark　shaped　like　an　eagle；

beneath　his　tongue　was　the　likeness　of　a　scarab？us；　in　his　tail　were

double　hairs；　and　a　plate　of　pure　gold　hung　between　his　horns。　I

entered　the　place　of　the　God　and　worshipped；　while　the　High　Priest　and

those　with　him　stood　aside；　watching　earnestly。　And　when　I　had

worshipped；　saying　the　words　which　had　been　told　me；　the　God　knelt；

and　lay　down　before　me。　Then　the　High　Priest　and　those　with　him；　who；

as　I　heard　in　after　time；　were　great　men　of　Upper　Egypt；　approached

wondering；　and；　saying　no　word；　made　obeisance　to　me　because　of　the

omen。　And　many　other　things　I　saw　in　Memphis　that　are　too　long　to

write　of　here。



On　the　fourth　day　some　priests　of　Annu　came　to　lead　me　to　Sepa；　my

uncle；　the　High　Priest　of　Annu。　So；　having　bidden　farewell　to　those　of

Memphis；　we　crossed　the　river　and　rode　on　asses　two　parts　of　a　day's

journey　through　many　villages；　which　we　found　in　great　poverty　because

of　the　oppression　of　the　tax…gatherers。　Also；　as　we　went；　I　saw　for

the　first　time　the　great　pyramids　that　are　beyond　the　image　of　the　God

Horemkhu；　that　Sphinx　whom　the　Greeks　name　Harmachis；　and　the　Temples

of　the　Divine　Mother　Isis；　Queen　of　the　Memnonia；　and　the　God　Osiris；

Lord　of　Rosatou；　of　which　temples；　together　with　the　Temple　of　the

worship　of　the　Divine　Menkau…ra；　I；　Harmachis；　am　by　right　Divine　the

Hereditary　High　Priest。　I　saw　them　and　marvelled　at　their　greatness

and　the　white　carven　limestone；　and　red　granite　of　Syene；　that　flashed

the　sun's　rays　back　to　heaven。　But　at　this　time　I　knew　nothing　of　the

treasure　that　was　hid　in　/Her/；　which　is　the　third　among　the　pyramids

would　I　had　never　known　of　it！



And　so　at　last　we　came　within　sight　of　Annu；　which　after　Memphis　has

been　seen　is　no　large　town；　but　stands　on　raised　ground；　before　which

are　lakes　fed　by　a　canal。　Behind　the　town　is　the　inclosed　field　of　the

Temple　of　the　God　Ra。



We　dismounted　at　the　pylon；　and　were　met　beneath　the　portico　by　a　man

not　great　of　stature；　but　of　noble　aspect；　having　his　head　shaven；　and

with　dark　eyes　that　twinkled　like　the　further　stars。



〃Hold！〃　he　cried；　in　a　great　voice　which　fitted　his　weak　body　but　ill。

〃Hold！　I　am　Sepa；　who　opens　the　mouth　of　the　Gods！〃



〃And　I；〃　I　said；　〃am　Harmachis；　son　of　Amenemhat；　Hereditary　High

Priest　and　Ruler　of　the　Holy　City　Abouthis；　and　I　bear　letters　to

thee；　O　Sepa！〃



〃Enter；〃　he　said。　〃Enter！〃　scanning　me　all　the　while　with　his

twinkling　eyes。　〃Enter；　my　son！〃　And　he　took　me　and　led　me　to　a

chamber　in　the　inner　hall；　closed　to　the　door；　and　then；　having

glanced　at　the　letters　that　I　brought；　of　a　sudden　he　fell　upon　my

neck　and　embraced　me。



〃Welcome；〃　he　cried；　〃welcome；　son　of　my　own　sister；　and　hope　of　Khem！

Not　in　vain　have　I　prayed　the　Gods　that　I　might　live　to　look　upon　thy

face　and　impart　to　thee　the　wisdom　which　perchance　I　alone　have

mastered　of　those　who　are　left　alive　in　Egypt。　There　are　few　whom　it

is　lawful　that　I　should　teach。　But　thine　is　the　great　destiny；　and

thine　shall　be　the　ears　to　hear　the　lessons　of　the　Gods。〃



And　he　embraced　me　once　more　and　bade　me　go　bathe　and　eat；　saying　that

on　the　morrow　he　would　speak　with　me　further。



This　of　a　truth　he　did；　and　at　such　length　that　I　will　forbear　to　set

down　all　he　said　both　then　and　afterwards；　for　if　I　did　so　there　would

be　no　papyrus　left　in　Egypt　when　the　task　was　ended。　Therefore；　having

much　to　tell　and　but　little　time　to　tell　it；　I　will　pass　over　the

events　of　the　years　that　followed。



For　this　was　the　manner　of　my　life。　I　rose　early；　I　attended　the

worship　of　the　Temple；　and　I　gave　my　days　to　study。　I　learnt　of　the

rites　of　religion　and　their　meaning；　and　of　the　beginning　of　the　Gods

and　the　beginning　of　the　Upper　World。　I　learnt　of　the　mystery　of　the

movements　of　the　stars；　and　of　how　the　e