Page:Books on Egypt and Chaldaea, Vol. 32--Legends of the Gods.pdf/103

heart in life and power.” Suddenly he found himself standing face to face with the god Khnemu, whom he placated with a peace-offering and with prayer. Then the god opened his eyes, and bent his body towards the king, and spake to him mighty words, saying, “I am Khnemu, who made thee. My hands knitted together thy body and made it sound, and I gave thee thy heart.” Khnemu then went on to complain that, although the ground under the king’s feet was filled with stones and metal, men were too inert to work them and to employ them in repairing or rebuilding of the shrines of the gods, or in doing what they ought to do for him, their Lord and Creator. These words were, of course, meant as a rebuke for the king, who evidently, though it is not so stated in the text, was intended by Khnemu to undertake the rebuilding of his shrine without delay. The god then went on to proclaim his majesty and power, and declared himself to-be Nu, the Celestial Ocean, and the Nile-god, “who came into being at the beginning, and riseth at his will to give health to him that laboureth for Khnemu.” He described himself as the Father of the gods, the Governor of the earth and of men, and then- he pro­mised the king to make the Nile rise yearly, regularly, and unceasingly, to give abundant harvests, to give all people their heart’s desire, to make misery to pass away, to fill the granaries, and to make the whole land of Egypt yellow with waving fields of full ripe grain. When the king, who had been in a dream, heard the