Unknown (Babylonian Myths) - The Daughter Of The Prince Of Bhaktan lyrics

THE DAUGHTER OF THE PRINCE OF BAKHTAN The Horus, powerful bull, laden with diadems and established as solidly in his kingdoms as the god Atumu; 1 the Horus, the conqueror mighty with the sword and destroyer of the Barbarians, the king of the two Egypts, Usir-ma-rî Sotpuri-rî, son of the Sun, Ramses Mî-amun, beloved of Amon-Ra, master of Karnak 2 and of the circle of the gods, the lords of Thebes, the good god, the son of Amon, offspring of Mut, begotten by Har-ma-khuiti, glorious child of the universal Lord, engendered by the divine husband of his own mother, king of Egypt, prince of the tribes of the desert, the sovereign who governs the Barbarians, scarcely issued from his mother's womb he directed wars and commanded valiantly while still in the egg, like a bull which presses forward, for he is a bull, is this king, a god who issues forth on the day of battles like Montu,—who is very valiant like the son of Nuit. 3 Now his Majesty was in Naharina 4 as was his custom each year, and the princes of every country came bending under the weight of the offerings which they brought to the souls of his Majesty; 5 the fortresses brought their p. 41 tributes, gold, silver, lapis-lazuli, mafkait, 1 (and) all the fragrant woods of Arabia, on their backs and walking in order one behind the other. The prince of Bakhtan sent his tributes and set his eldest daughter at the head of the procession, to salute his Majesty and to ask life from him. She was a very beautiful woman, who pleased his Majesty more than anything else; taking her as his chief royal wife he inscribed her with the name of Nofiru-rî, and when he had returned to Egypt he a**ured to her the treatment of a royal wife. 2 And it came to pa** in the fifteenth year, the 22d day of the month Payni, when his Majesty was at Thebes in the temple Nakhthonit-ropeu, 3 chaunting the praises of his father Amon-Râ the master of Karnak, during his excellent festival in southern Thebes, 4 the favourite residence of the god since the creation, behold a message is brought to his Majesty: "There is there a messenger of the prince of Bakhtan who is come with numerous presents for the royal wife." Conducted before his Majesty with his presents, he says, invoking his Majesty: "Glory to thee, O Sun of foreign peoples, to thee by whom we live," and when he had uttered his adoration before his Majesty, he proceeds to speak to his Majesty: "I come to thee, sire, my master, concerning Bint-Rash**, 5 the younger sister of thyself and the royal wife Nofiru-rî, for a malady penetrates her limbs. Let thy Majesty order a sage to set forth to see her." Then the king said: "Bring me the scribes of the double house of life who are attached to the palace." p. 42 When they were come, his Majesty said: "Behold I have summoned you in order that you may hear these words: 'Bring me one of yourselves who is expert in his heart, a scribe skilful with his fingers.'" When the royal scribe Thothimhabi had entered the presence of his Majesty, his Majesty commanded him to betake himself to Bakhtan with this messenger. As soon as the sage had arrived in Bakhtan he found Bint-Rash** possessed of a demon, and he found the demon who possessed her difficult to combat. The prince of Bakhtan thereupon sent a second message to his Majesty, saying: "Sire, my master, let thy Majesty order a god to be sent to combat the demon." When the messenger reached his Majesty in the 23d year, the 1st day of the month Pakhons, the day of the festival of Amon, while his Majesty was at Thebes, behold his Majesty spoke again in the presence of Khonsu in Thebes, the god of good counsel, saying: "Excellent lord, behold me again before thee, concerning the daughter of the prince of Bakhtan." 1 Then Khonsu In Thebes, the god of good counsel, was transported towards Khonsu who governs destiny, the great god who drives away strangers, and his Majesty said before the face of Khonsu in Thebes, the god of good counsel: "Excellent lord, if it pleases thee to turn thy face to Khonsu who governs p. 43 destiny, the great god who drives away strangers, he will be sent to Bakhtan." And the god twice decidedly nodded a**ent with the head. 1 Then his Majesty said: "Grant unto him thy virtue so that I may send the Majesty of this god to Bakhtan in order to deliver the daughter of the prince of Bakhtan." And Khonsu in Thebes, the god of good counsel, violently nodded a**ent twice and transmitted his magical virtue to Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes, four times. 2 His Majesty ordered Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes to be despatched on a great bark, escorted by five boats, by chariots and by numerous horses which walked on the right and on the left. When the god had arrived in Bakhtan, after an interval of a year and five months, behold the prince of Bakhtan came with his soldiers and his generals before Khonsu who governs destiny, and flung himself on his face, saying: p. 44 "Thou comest to us, thou rejoinest us according to the orders of the king of the two Egypts, Usir-ma-rî Sotpu-ni-rî." Behold as soon as the god was gone to the place where Bint-Rash** was and had made magical pa**es over the daughter of the prince of Bakhtan, she found herself well at once, and the demon which was with her said in the presence of Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes: "Come in peace, great god who drivest away the foreigner; Bakhtan is thy city, its people are thy slaves, and I myself am thy slave. I shall depart therefore to the place from whence I am come, in order to satisfy thy heart concerning the matter which brings thee, but let thy Majesty order a day of festival to be celebrated for me and for the prince of Bakhtan." The god made his prophet a sign of approval with the head, meaning to say: "Let the prince of Bakhtan present a great offering to this demon." Now while this was taking place between Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes and the demon, the prince of Bakhtan was there with his army stricken with terror. And when a great offering had been presented to Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes and to the demon of the prince of Bakhtan, and a day of festival had been celebrated in their honour, the demon departed in peace to the place which pleased him, according to the order of Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes. The prince of Bakhtan rejoiced greatly as well as the people of Bakhtan, and he discoursed with his heart saying: "Since this god has been given to Bakhtan I shall not send him back to Egypt." Now after the god had remained three years and nine months in Bakhtan, as the prince of Bakhtan was lying on his bed, he saw in a dream the god leaving his shrine in the form of a golden hawk which flew on high towards Egypt; when he awoke he was in a shiver. Then he said to the prophet of Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes: "This god who dwelt with us, he returns to Egypt; let his chariot go to Egypt!" The prince of Bakhtan allowed the god to start for Egypt, and he gave him numerous presents of all good things as well as a strong escort of soldiers and p. 45 horses. When they reached Thebes, Khonsu who governs destiny in Thebes entered the temple of Khonsu in Thebes the good counsellor; he set the presents which the prince of Bakhtan had given him before Khonsu in Thebes, the good counsellor, he kept nothing for his own temple. Now Khonsu, the good counsellor in Thebes, re-entered his temple in peace the 19th day of the month Mekhir, the 33d year of the king Usir-ma-rî Sotpu-ni-rî, living for ever like the Sun.