The Book of Gates: The Book of Gates: Chapter XIII. The Gate Of Am-netu-f. The Eleventh Division of the Tuat.
boat is piloted by SA, who commands, and by HEKA, who steers according to his directions.
The procession in front of the boat of the sun consists of:--
1. A company of nine gods, each holding a huge knife in his right hand, and a sceptre in his left; the first four have jackal heads, and the last five heads of bearded men. These nine beings represent the
2. The serpent APEP, fettered by five chains which enter the ground; the fetters are further strengthened by small chains, which are linked to the larger ones, and are fastened to the ground by means of pegs with a hook at the top. In an earlier picture we have seen APEP fettered by Seb, Mest, Hapi, Tuamutef, and Qebhsennuf, who were represented by five gods, but here the figures of the gods are wanting, and it is only the legend "Children of Horus," that tells us the chains represent the gods. 3. Four Apes, each holding up a huge hand and wrist. "The gods of the Tuat say, Behold the coming forth [of Ra] from Ament, and [his] taking up [his] place in the two divisions of Nu, and [his] performance of [his] transformations on the two hands of Nu. This god doth not enter into the height of heaven,
Of the nine gods with knives and sceptres it is said:-- "Those who are in this scene [with] their weapons in their hand take their knives and hack [with them] at Apep; they make gashes in him and slaughter him, and they drive stakes whereby to fetter him in the regions which are in the upper height. The fetters of the REBEL are in the hands of the Children of Horus, who stand threateningly by this god with their chains between their fingers. This god reckoneth up his members after he whose arms are hidden hath opened [the door] to make a way for Ra." Of the serpent Apep it is-said:-- "The Children of Horus grasp firmly this serpent which is in this picture, and in this picture they rest in Nut (i.e., the sky). They heap their fetters upon him, and whilst his folds (?) are in the sky his poison drops down from him into Amentet." Of the four apes holding hands it is said:-- "It is those who are in this picture who make ready for Ra, a way into the eastern horizon of heaven,, and they lead the way for the god who hath created them with their hands, [standing] two on the right hand Of the three remaining deities it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture turn away SET from this Gate [of the god TUATI. They open its cavern,
and stablish the hidden pylons, and their souls remain in the following of Ra]." In the upper register of this Division are:-- 1. Four gods, each holding a disk in his right hand; these are "they who hold light-giving disks." 3. Four gods, each holding a sceptre in his left hand; these are "they who come forth." 4. Four ram-headed gods, each holding a sceptre in
his left hand; their names are BA, KHNEMU, PENTER, and TENT. 5. Four hawk-headed gods, each holding a sceptre in his left hand; these are called HORUS, ASHEMTH, SEPT, and AMMI-UAA-F. 7. A crocodile-headed god called SEBEK-RA, who grasps a fold of a serpent that stands on its tail in his right hand, and a sceptre in his left. Of the four gods bearing stars it is said:--
"Those who are in this picture carry stars, and when the two arms of Nu embrace Ra they and their stars shout hymns of praise, and they journey on with him to the height of heaven, and they take up their places in the body of Nut." Of the four gods bearing sceptres it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture [having] their sceptres in their hands, are they who stablish the Of the four ram-headed gods it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture [having] their sceptres in their hands, are they who decree [the making ready] of the offerings of the gods [from] the bread of heaven, and it is they who make to come forth celestial water when as yet Ra hath not emerged in Nu." Of the four hawk-headed gods it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture [having] their sceptres in their hands, are they who stablish the shrine [in the boat of Ra], and they lay their hands (on the body of the double boat of the god after it hath appeared from out of the gate of Sma, and they place the paddles [of the boat] in Nut, when the Hour which presideth over it (i.e., the boat) cometh into being, and the Hour [which hath guided it] goeth to rest." Of the goddesses who are seated on uraei it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture with their serpents under them, and their hands holding stars, come forth from the two ATERT of this great god, four to the East and four to the West; it is they who call 'the Spirits of the East, and they sing hymns to this god, and they praise him after his appearance, and SETTI cometh forth in his forms. It is they who There is no description of the crocodile-headed god Sebek-Ra in the text. In the lower register are:-- 1. Four gods, each wearing the Crown of the South; these are the "Kings of the South in chief." 2. Four bearded gods, "the WEEPERS." 3. Four gods, each wearing a Crown of the North; these are the KHNEMIU. 4. Four bearded gods, the RENENIU, i.e., "those who give names." 5. Four females, each wearing the Crown of the South; these are the "Queens of the South," 7. Four females, without crowns. 8. Four bearded gods, with their backs slightly bowed; these are the gods who praise Ra. 9. A cat-headed god called MATI. Of the gods wearing the White Crown it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture are they who stablish the White Crown on the gods who follow Ra; they themselves remain in the Tuat, but their souls go forward and stand at [this] gate." Of the four Weepers it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture in this gate make Of the four gods wearing the Red Crown it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture are those who unite themselves to Ra, and they make his births to come
to pass in the earth; their souls go forward in his train, but their bodies remain in their places (or, seats)." Of the four RENENIU it is said:-- "[Those who are in this picture are they who give the name to Ra, and they magnify the names of all Of the four goddesses wearing the White Crown it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture are they who make
Of the four females who are without crowns it is said:-- "Those who are in this picture in [this] gate make lamentation and tear their hair in the presence of this great god in Amentet; they make SET to withdraw from this pylon, and they do not enter into the height of heaven." ["The warder of the door of this Circle remaineth in his place."] 1
285:1 Supplied from Champollion, Monuments, tom. ii., p. 537. 298:1 Supplied from the tomb of Rameses VI. 300:1 Supplied from the tomb of Rameses VI.
Footnotes
