LONGING FOR MEMPHIS 5 страница

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Divisions 196-220

THE EXILE OF SINUHE

196.

This document arrived while I was standing there among my people.

197.

It was read out to me,

and I threw myself upon the ground and gathered dust of earth,

strewing it freely on my breast.

198.

Then I strode back and forth through my encampment exulting, shouting out, and saying:

199.

‘‘How can this be done for a mere servant whose heart has gone astray to alien lands?

200.

O, wonderful indeed the clemency of him who saves me from the hand of death.

201.

It is your august person, O King,

that lets me make an end, my limbs at rest at home. ’’

202.

Copy of the reply to this royal Edict:

Sinuhe, Servant of the Palace, says:

203.

‘‘With the utmost goodwill and submission regarding the matter of this exodus made by your loyal subject in his foolishness.

204.

My greetings to you, beneficent god, Lord of the Two Lands,

beloved of Rê and favorite of Montu, Lord of Thebes.

205.

‘‘May Amun, Lord of the Throne of the Two Lands,

and Sobek-Rê, Horus, and Hathor,

206.

Atum with his Ennead of gods,

and Sopdu, Neferbau, Semseru, the Eastern Horus,

207.

The Mistress of the Underworld (may she protect your brow),

the convocation of old deities upon the waters, and Min,

208.

and Horus of foreign lands,

and the Great Goddess, Mistress of Punt, and Nut,

209.

the Elder Horus,

Rê, and all the gods of Egypt and the Green Sea Islands,

210.

‘‘May They put breath of life into your nostrils, may They enrich you with their gifts,

and may They offer you eternity without an end and infinity unbounded.

211.

May fear of you reverberate among the nations,

and may all those beneath the round sun bow.

212.

‘‘This is the supplication of a servant to his Royal Master who can sustain him in the West:

213.

The Lord of Understanding, who knows the common lot—

he sees amid the awful majesty of court How this humbled servant fears to state his plea as when there is a matter of grave moment to report.

214.

‘‘But the great god, image of Rê,

himself makes wise the man who serves him;

215.

And your loyal subject has in hand a small suggestion

that ye might take for his consideration:

216.

Your Majesty is Horus, who seizes what he will,

victorious your arms against all nations;

217.

So, let your Majesty command that this your servant bring you back the prince of Qedem,

the chieftain of the Iawesh, south of Keshu,

and the leader of the two Phoenician coastlands.

219.

These are kings whose names are justly famous come into prominence with high regard for you.

220.

(There is no need to mention Retenu,

for it belongs to you like your own greyhounds)

The Exile of Sinuhe CHAPTER NINE

Divisions 221-250

THE EXILE OF SINUHE

221.

‘‘As for this flight made by your loyal subject:

I did not plan it out beforehand, it never crossed my mind;

222.

I did not fabricate or nurse it,

nor do I know what tore me from the Throne.

223.

It was like the twistings of a dream,

as if a Delta man should find himself up-River

or a bewildered marshman in the Nubian sand.

224.

‘‘I was not fearful;

no one followed me;

I did not hear a whisper of reproach;

225.

Nor was my name proscribed by edict of the marshal

so that vile worms should be the judges of my body.

226.

Yet yet my feet moved fast, my feelings mastered me;

and God, who destined flight, thus drove me on.

227.

I was not ever one to disobey,

a good man holds in awe the customs of his country;

228.

and Rê has set the fear of you throughout the world,

dread of you pervades each foreign nation.

229.

‘‘I beg you, take me home!

save me from all this!

230.

For it is you who clothe this far horizon,

the very sun-disk shines because of you;

231.

The water in the streams, its moisture is your love;

the wind of heaven, its very breath your speaking.

232.

‘‘This loyal subject shall pass power to my fledglings whom I have gotten in this place:

233.

Homecoming it shall be, as offered to your servant;

and may your Majesty do as you will.

234.

One lives upon the breath of your dispensing,

beloved of Rê, of Horus, and of Hathor;

235.

Your very nostrils, they signify our riches,

O you whom Montu, Lord of Thebes eternal, loves. ’’

236.

They let me spend a day in Yaa transferring my possessions to my offspring;

237.

My eldest son was set to lead my people,

and all my property left in his hand,

238.

My serfs, my many herds, my vines, and all my orchards.

239.

So then this servant journeyed south toward home,

halting at Fort Horus-ways;

240.

And the commander there, who led the border watch,

forwarded a message to the Residence in order that the King might be informed.

241.

His Majesty dispatched the Minister of Planters,

a skillful man devoted to the royal House;

242.

And heavy-laden ships came after him bringing largesse of the Crown Meant for those Asiatics who returned with me conducting me to Horusways.

243.

I said good-bye to each of them by name while each gift-bearing servant did them honor.

244.

Then I took to hoisting sail— with beer and baked provisions by my side—

until I reached the wharf at home.

245.

Next day the dawn came early to the earth, and summons came for me—

Ten men arriving, ten men going forth escorting me in triumph to the palace.

246.

I offered head to ground before the statues of the Children

that towered in the gateway, greeting me.

247.

Courtiers attending in the outer hall showed me directly to the audience chamber.

248.

I found his Majesty upon the Throne of Egypt in the throne room all of silvered gold.

249.

Really there, at last, before him,

I stretched myself full length upon the floor;

250.

yet then my foolish brain turned witless in his presence,

just as this god was offering warm welcome.

The Exile of Sinuhe CHAPTER TEN

Divisions 251-275

THE EXILE OF SINUHE

251.

I was a man seized in the grip of darkness—

my bird-soul flown, my limbs unstrung;

252.

My heart, no longer was it in my body so that I might distinguish life from death.

253.

Then said his Majesty to an attendant courtier,

‘‘Raise him.

Let him speak with me. ’’

254.

And then he said,

‘‘Well, well, you have come home,

done wandering the weary world since your departure!

255.

I see the marks of time etched on your body;

you have grown old.

256.

When death must come, your rites shall not be wanting,

your burial shall never be by nomad tribes.

257.

Now, deprecate yourself no longer,

you spoke no treason; your name is honored here. ’’

258.

Yet still I was afraid of punishment and answered with the answer of a frightened man, ‘

‘What is it I have said, my Lord? ’’

259.

Then I could speak to it.

It was no deed of mine; it was the hand of God:

260.

Fear surged throughout my body as if to force a flight divinely ordered,

261.

‘‘Yet let that be.

I stand here in your presence;

to you my life belongs; and may your Majesty do with thy servant what you will. ’’

262.

Then he had the royal Family ushered in,

and his Majesty said to the Queen,

263.

‘‘Look, here we have Sinuhe come back pure Semite,

transformed into an Asian. ’’

264.

At that she uttered an astounded, ‘‘No! ’’

265.

and the children all put forth a mock-believing gasp, exclaiming to his Majesty,

‘‘Surely it is not he, our sovereign Lord? ’’

266.

The King, ‘‘It surely is. ’’

267.

Then the princesses put on their beads of supplication

and with scepters and their sistra in their hands

made presentation of a song to please his Majesty:

268.

‘‘Your state is more than royal, O King,

shining with the glory of the Queen of Heaven.

269.

The Golden One gives life unto your nostrils,

and the Lady of the Stars protects you;

270.

White Crown travels north, and Red fares south,

joined in everlasting union in your Person;

the Serpent rears herself upon your brow.

271.

‘‘You have delivered humblest men from evil, gratifying Rê, Lord of our Land:

praises to you, as to the Mistress of Us All!

272.

Lower your bow, unstring your arrow;

give breath to one who is in need of air!

273.

Grant us this special gift in favor of our errant guide,

Son of the Northwind,

this bedouin born in our beloved Land.

274.

He ran away for fear of you, he left the land in terror of you;

275.

and yet no face should pale at seeing yours,

no fear unman the eye which looks to you. ’’

The Exile of Sinuhe CHAPTER ELEVEN

Divisions 276-300

THE EXILE OF SINUHE

276.

And then his Majesty replied,

‘‘He shall not fear henceforth that he should falter so from terror.

277.

He shall have rank as royal Friend among my counselors,

be placed within the inmost circle of the court.

278.

Proceed now to the dressing chamber to be of service to him. ’’

279.

Oh, what a Coming Forth it was for me that day

— it was like resurrection—

out of that royal hall!

280.

The Children offered me their arms

and then we went, together, out the Double Doors.

281.

I stayed at a prince’s estate amid splendors long lost to me:

a cool reception hall, scenes of the life hereafter,

282.

masterpieces from the treasury,

soft-woven garments, and perfumes of delicate fragrance.

283.

Counselors the King esteemed lived in the rooms,

and every servant went about his duties.

284.

They made the years fall from my body:

I was taken and sheared, and my hair combed,

and a heavy load was given to the sandy hills— the cast-off livery of a desert wanderer;

285.

I was appareled in the finest linen, anointed with the sweetest-smelling oils,

and put to rest at night upon a real bed.

286.

I bequeathed the sand to those who lived in it

and the oil of tree to him who smelled of it.

287.

I received a nobleman’s plantation as befitting one who ranked as Royal Friend.

288.

A company of expert craftsmen readied it,

and all its woodwork was restored like new;

289.

Food was sent me from the palace three and even four times every day,

not counting what the royal Children gave.

290.

And not one moment did these wonders cease!

291.

There was made for me a pyramid of stone built in the shadow of the royal tomb.

292.

The god’s own masons hewed the blocks for it,

and its walls were portioned out among them;

293.

The draftsman and the painter drew in it,

the master sculptor carved;

294.

The overseer of workmen at the tombs

criss-crossed the length of Egypt on account of it.

295.

Implements and furniture were fitted in its storeroom

and all that would be needful brought within;

296.

Servants for my Spirit were appointed,

297.

a garden was laid out above,

and tended fields ran downward to the village,

just as is ordered for a nearest Friend.

298.

My statue was all brushed with burnished gold,

its kilt set off with silver.

299.

It was his Majesty who did all this for me.

300.

No simple man has ever had so much,

and I enjoyed the sunshine of his royal favor until my day of mooring dawned.

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