Egyptian Literature/The Book of the Dead/The Chaplet of Victory

THE CHAPTER OF THE CHAPLET OF VICTORY

[From Lepsius “Todtenbuch,” Bl. 13.]

The Chapter of the Chaplet of Victory. Osiris Auf-ānkh, victorious, born of Sheret-Amsu, victorious, saith:

“Thy father Tem hath woven for thee a beautiful chaplet of victory [to be placed] on [thy] living brow, O thou who lovest the gods, and thou shalt live forever. Osiris-khent-Amentet[1] hath made thee to triumph over thine enemies, and thy father Seb hath decreed for thee all his inheritance. Come, therefore, O Horus, son of Isis, for thou, O son of Osiris, sittest upon the throne of thy father Rā to overthrow thine enemies, for he hath ordained for thee the two lands to their utmost limits. Atem hath [also] ordained this, and the company of the gods hath confirmed the splendid power of the victory of Horus the son of Isis and the son of Osiris forever and forever. And Osiris Auf-ānkh shall be victorious forever and ever. O Osiris-khent-Amentet, the whole of the northern and southern parts of the heavens, and every god and every goddess, who are in heaven and who are upon earth [will] the victory of Horus, the son of Isis and the son of Osiris, over his enemies in the presence of Osiris-khent-Amentet who will make Osiris Auf-ānkh, victorious, to triumph over his enemies in the presence of Osiris-khent-Amentet, Un-nefer, the son of Nut, on the day of making him to triumph over Set and his fiends in the presence of the great sovereign chiefs who are in Annu (Heliopolis); on the night of the battle and overthrow of the Seba-fiend in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Abtu; on the night of making Osiris to triumph over his enemies make thou Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, to triumph over his enemies in the presence of the great sovereign princes, who are in the horizon of Amentet; on the day of the festival of Haker in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Tattu; on the night of the setting up of the Tet in Tattu in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in the ways of the damned; on the night of the judgment of those who shall be annihilated in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Sekhem (Letopolis); on the night of the ‘things of the altars in Sekhem’ in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Pe and Tepu; on the night of the stablishing of the inheriting by Horus of the things of his father Osiris in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are at the great festival of the ploughing and turning up of the earth in Tattu, or (as others say), [in] Abtu; on the night of the weighing of words,” or (as others say), “weighing of locks in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in An-rut-f on its place; on the night when Horus receiveth the birth-chamber of the gods in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in the lands of Rekhti(?); on the night when Isis lieth down to watch [and] to make lamentation for her brother in the presence of the great sovereign princes who are in Re-stau; on the night of making Osiris to triumph over all his enemies.”

“Horus repeated [these] words four times, and all his enemies fell headlong and were overthrown and were cut to pieces; and Osiris Auf-ānkh, triumphant, repeated [these] words four times, therefore let all his enemies fall headlong, and be overthrown and cut to pieces. Horus the son of Isis and son of Osiris celebrated in turn millions of festivals, and all his enemies fell headlong, and were overthrown and cut to pieces. Their habitation hath gone forth to the block of the East, their heads have been cut off; their necks have been destroyed; their thighs have been cut off; they have been given over to the Great Destroyer who dwelleth in the valley of the grave; and they shall never come forth from under the restraint of the god Seb.”

this chapter shall be recited over the divine chaplet which is laid upon the face of the deceased, and thou shalt cast incense into the fire on behalf of osiris auf-ankh, triumphant, born of sheret-amsu, triumphant; thus shalt thou cause him to triumph over his enemies, dead or alive, and he shall be among the followers of osiris; and a hand shall be stretched out to him with meat and drink in the presence of the god. [this chapter] shall be said by thee twice at dawn—now it is a never-failing charm—regularly and continually.


Footnotes edit

  1. I.e., “Osiris, Governor of Amentet,”