The Great Tablet Of Rameses Ii At Abu-Simbel

In the great temple of Abu-Simbel, between two pillars of the first hall,
there is a large tablet, which has been added, evidently, a long time
after the completion of the temple. This tablet, which is the object of
the present translation, is covered with a text of thirty-seven lines,
containing a speech of the god Ptah Totunen to the King Rameses II, and
the answer of the King.

It was very likely considered by the kings of Egypt to be a remarkable
piece of literature, as it has been repeated, with slight alterations, on
the pylons of the temple of Medinet-Habu, built by Rameses III. The
tablet, which is decaying rapidly, has been published three times: first,
by Burton, in the “_Excerpta Hieroglyphica_,” pl. 60; then from the copies
of Champollion, in the “_Monuments de l’Egypte et de la Nubie_,” I, pl.
38; and, finally, by Lepsius, “_Denkmäler_,” III, pl. 193. The inscription
of Medinet-Habu has been copied and published by M. Duemichen, in his
“_Historische Inschriften_,” I, pl. 7-10, and by M. Jacques de Rougé, in
his “_Inscriptions recueillis en Egypte_,” II, pl. 131-138.

I am not aware that any complete translation of this long text has been
made. The first part has been translated into German by Mr. Duemichen
(“_Die Flotte einer Ægyptischen Königin_,” _Einleitung_), from the text at
Medinet-Habu; a portion of it is also to be found in Brugsch, “_Ægyptische
Geschichte_,” p. 538. The present translation I have made from the tablet,
which, being more ancient than the inscription, is very likely to be the
original. It contains an interesting allusion to the marriage of Rameses
with a daughter of the King of the Kheta. The inscription at Medinet-Habu,
which is written more carefully than the tablet, and with less
abbreviations, has given me a clue to several obscure passages of the
ancient text.

The tablet is surmounted by a cornice, with the winged disk. Underneath,
the god Totunen is seen standing, and before him Rameses, who strikes with
his mace a group of enemies whom he holds by the hair. Behind the god are
the ovals of six foreign nations, most likely Asiatics: _Auentem_,
_Hebuu_, _Tenfu_, _Temuu_, _Hetau_, _Emtebelu_.

The inscription above the god is as follows:

“Said by PTAH-TOTUNEN, with the high plumes, armed with horns, who
generates the gods every day: (I am) thy father, I have begotten thee like
a god, to be a king in my stead. I have transmitted to thee all the lands
which I have created; their chiefs bring thee their tribute, they come
bearing their presents because of their great fear; all foreign nations
are united under thy feet, they are to thee eternally; thy eye is fixed on
their heads forever.”

TABLET OF RAMESES II

1 The 35th year, the 13th of the month Tybi, under the reign of
Rā-Haremakhu, the strong bull, beloved of truth, the Lord of the Thirty
Years, like his father Ptah, Totunen, the Lord of Diadems, the protector
of Egypt, the chastiser of foreign lands, Rā, the father of the gods, who
possesses Egypt, the golden hawk, the Master of Years, the most mighty
sovereign of Upper and Lower Egypt.

2 Rā-userma-sotep-en-Rā, the son of Rā, the issue of Totunen, the child of
the Queen Sekhet, Rameses, beloved of Amen, ever living.

Thus speaks Ptah-Totunen with the high plumes, armed with horns, the
father of the gods, to his son who loves him,

3 the first-born of his loins, the god who is young again, the prince of
the gods, the master of the thirty years, like Totunen, King Rameses.(433)
I am thy father, I have begotten thee like a god; all thy limbs are
divine. I took the form of the ram of

4 Mendes, and I went to thy noble mother. I have thought of thee, I have
fashioned thee to be the joy of my person, I have brought thee forth like
the rising sun, I have raised thee among the gods, King Rameses. Num

5 and Ptah have nourished thy childhood, they leap with joy when they see
thee made after my likeness, noble, great, exalted.(434) The great
princesses of the house of Ptah and the Hathors of the temple of Tem are

6 in festival, their hearts are full of gladness, their hands take the
drum with joy, when they see thy person beautiful and lovely like my
Majesty.

The gods and goddesses exalt thy beauties, they celebrate thee

7 when they give to me their praises, saying: “Thou art our father who has
caused us to be born; there is a god like thee, the King Rameses.”

I look at thee, and my heart is joyful; I embrace thee with my golden
arms, and I surround thee with life, purity, and duration. I provide thee

8 with permanent happiness. I have fixed in thee joy, enjoyment, pleasure,
gladness, and delight. I grant thee that thy heart may be young again like
mine. I have elected thee, I have chosen thee, I have perfected thee; thy
heart is excellent and thy words are exquisite; there is absolutely
nothing

9 which thou ignorest, up to this day, since the time of old; thou
vivifiest the inhabitants of the earth through thy command, King Rameses.

I have made thee an eternal king, a prince who lasts forever. I have
fashioned thy

10 limbs in electrum, thy bones in brass, and thy arms in iron. I have
bestowed on thee the dignity of the divine crown; thou governest the two
countries as a legitimate sovereign; I have given thee a high Nile, and it
fills Egypt for thee with the abundance of riches and wealth; there is

11 plenty in all places where thou walkest; I have given thee wheat in
profusion to enrich the two countries in all times; their corn is like the
sand of the shore, the granaries reach the sky, and the heaps are like
mountains. Thou rejoicest and thou art praised

12 when thou seest the plentiful fishing, and the mass of fishes which is
before thy feet. All Egypt is thankful toward thee.

I give thee the sky and all that it contains. SEB shows forth for thee
what is within him;(435) the birds hasten to thee, the pigeons of Horsekha

13 bring to thee their offerings, which are the first-fruits of those of
Rā. Thoth has put them on all sides.

Thou openest thy mouth to strengthen whoever thou wishest, for thou art
Num; thy royalty is living in strength and might like Rā, since he governs
the two countries.

14 King Rameses, I grant thee to cut the mountains into statues immense,
gigantic, everlasting; I grant that foreign lands find for the precious
stone to inscribe(?) the monuments with thy name.

15 I give thee to succeed in all the works which thou hast done. (I give
thee) all kinds of workmen, all that goes on two and four feet, all that
flies and all that has wings. I have put in the heart of all nations to
offer thee what they have done; themselves, princes great and small, with
one

16 heart seek to please thee, King Rameses.

Thou hast built a great residence to fortify the boundary of the land, the
city of Rameses; it is established on the earth like the four pillars

17 of the sky; thou hast constructed within a royal palace, where
festivals are celebrated to thee as is done for me within. I have set the
crown on thy head with my own hands, when thou appearest in the great hall
of the double throne;(436) and men and gods have praised thy name

18 like mine when my festival is celebrated.

Thou hast carved my statues and built their shrines as I have done in
times of old. I have given thee years by periods of thirty;(437) thou
reignest in my place on my throne; I fill thy limbs with life and
happiness, I am behind thee to protect thee; I give thee health and
strength;

19 I cause Egypt to be submitted to thee, and I supply the two countries
with pure life.

King Rameses, I grant that the strength, the vigor and the might of thy
sword be felt among all countries; thou castest down the hearts of all
nations;

20 I have put them under thy feet; thou comest forth every day in order
that be brought to thee the foreign prisoners; the chiefs and the great of
all nations offer thee their children. I give them to thy gallant sword
that thou mayest do with them what thou likest.

21 King Rameses, I grant that the fear of thee be in the minds of all and
thy command in their hearts. I grant that thy valor reach all countries,
and that the dread of thee be spread over all lands; the princes tremble
at thy remembrance, and thy

22 Majesty is fixed on their heads; they come to thee as supplicants to
implore thy mercy. Thou givest life to whom thou wishest, and thou puttest
to death whom thou pleasest; the throne of all nations is in thy
possession. I grant thou mayest show all thy

23 admirable qualities and accomplish all thy good designs; the land which
is under thy dominion is in joy, and Egypt rejoices continually.

King Rameses, I have exalted thee through such marvellous

24 endowments that heaven and earth leap for joy and those who are within
praise thy existence; the mountains, the water, and the stone walls which
are on the earth are shaken when they hear thy excellent name, since they
have seen what I have accomplished for thee;

25 which is that the land of Kheta should be subjected to thy palace; I
have put in the heart of the inhabitants to anticipate thee themselves by
their obeisance in bringing thee their presents. Their chiefs are
prisoners, all their property is the tribute in the

26 dependency of the living king. Their royal daughter is at the head of
them; she comes to soften the heart of King Rameses; her merits are
marvellous, but she does not know the goodness which is in thy heart;

27 thy name is blessed forever; the prosperous result of thy great
victories is a great wonder, which was hoped for, but never heard of since
the time of the gods; it was a hidden record in the house of books since
the time of Rā till the reign of thy

28 living(438) Majesty; it was not known how the land of Kheta could be of
one heart with Egypt; and behold, I have beaten it down under thy feet to
vivify thy name eternally, King Rameses.

29 Thus speaks the divine King, the Master of the Two Countries, who is
born like Khepra-Rā, in his limbs, who appears like Rā, begotten of
Ptah-Totunen, the King of Egypt; Rā-userma-sotep-en-Rā, the son of Rā,
Rameses, beloved of Amen, ever living, to his father who appears before
him, Totunen,

30 the father of the gods:

I am thy son, thou hast put me on thy throne, thou hast transmitted to me
thy royal power, thou hast made me after the resemblance of thy person,
thou hast transmitted to me what thou hast created; I shall answer by
doing all the good things which thou desirest.

31 As I am the only master like thou, I have provided the land of Egypt
with all necessaries; I shall renew Egypt for thee as it was of old,
making statues of gods after the substance, even the color of their
bodies. Egypt will be the possession of their hearts, and will build them

32 temples. I have enlarged thy abode in Memphis, it is decked with
eternal works, and well-made ornaments in stones set in gold, with true
gems; I have opened for thee a court on the north side with a double
staircase;

33 thy porch is magnificent; its doors are like the horizon of the sky, in
order that the multitude may worship thee.

Thy magnificent dwelling has been built inside its walls; thy divine image
is in its

34 mysterious shrine, resting on its high foundation; I have provided it
abundantly with priests, prophets, and cultivators, with land and with
cattle; I have reckoned its offerings by hundreds of thousands of good
things; thy festival of thirty years is celebrated there

35 as thou hast prescribed it to me thyself; all things flock to thee in
the great offering day which thou desirest; the bulls and calves are
innumerable; all the pieces of their flesh are by millions; the smoke of
their fat reaches heaven and is received within the sky.

36 I give that all lands may see the beauty of the buildings which I have
created to thee; I have marked with thy name all inhabitants and
foreigners of the whole land; they are to thee forever; for thou hast
created them, to be under the command of thy son, who is on

37 thy throne, the master of gods and men, the lord who celebrates the
festivals of thirty years like thou, he who wears the double sistrum, the
son of the white crown, and the issue of the red diadem, who unites the
two countries in peace, the King of Egypt, Rā-userma-sotep-en-Rā, the son
of Rā, Rameses, beloved of Amen, living eternally.