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Psusennes I
Pharaoh
Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 913
Location: England
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 Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:12 pm Post subject: Most poetic Chapter from the Book of the Dead? |
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This is mainly aimed at people who've studied the book of the dead in some detail, but any contributions would be appreciated.
I was just wondering which chapter from the book of the dead people considered to be the most beautifully written and poetic? I mean the whole thing is well written, but I was interested to know which ones people thought were the most inspiring to read.
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Hatshepsut76
Prince/Princess
Joined: 10 Apr 2005
Posts: 211
Location: Roma, Italy
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| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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Psus, some time ago I downloaded a copy of The Book of the Dead in the version of Sir Wallis Budge, but I haven't read anymore... to be more precise, I would like to print it, but I didn't do it yet  |
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Unas
Pharaoh
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 606
Location: Saqqara... someday...
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| Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2005 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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I don't know why, but I've always like this part from Plate XX (p. 326)
| Quote: | Osiris, the scribe Ani, triumphant, declareth his (25) praise of thee when thou shinest, and when thou risest at dawn he crieth in his joy at thy birth: (26) "Thou art crowned with the majesty of thy beauties; thou mouldest thy limbs as thou dost advance, and thou bringest them forth without birth-pangs in the form of Ra (27), as thou dost climb up into the upper air. Grant thou that I may come unto the heaven which is everlasting, and unto the mountain [where dwell] thy favoured ones. (2 May I be joined unto those shining beings, holy and perfect, who are in the underworld; and may I come forth with them to behold thy beauties when thou shinest (29) at eventide and goest to thy mother Nut. |
It just reminds me of the New Years baby floating in the sky with a shining light in the background, whilst the text is being said in the voice of "God" of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Silly, I know.. but I like it.
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Psusennes I
Pharaoh
Joined: 09 Sep 2004
Posts: 913
Location: England
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 7:47 am Post subject: |
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That's part of my favourite chapter too actually. Chapter 15. It has all the best lines, and isn't too crammed with weird unintelligable references to italicised objects and weird gods who never crop up again.
Also - do you think I'm justified in thinking that the Book of the Dead is indeed a form of poetry? I would argue it is so - it is an elaborate, imaginative and inspiring piece of text that seeks to combine both material and immaterial worlds together within one body of text. The way it reads makes it fairly obvious to me that it's not just 'prose' or 'a story'.
What do you guys think?
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Unas
Pharaoh
Joined: 26 Feb 2005
Posts: 606
Location: Saqqara... someday...
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| Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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You could say it is a form of poetry, yes. I personally have viewed it as just a collection of crazy stuff, but .. poetry sound better.
Besides, it doesn't have to rhyme to be poetic!
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