In section we will go over the readings from "Upheaval and Rebellion" and "Law and Ethics".
For your post pick ONE line from one of the primary source readings (all are in Simpson apart from the Nauri decree which is on Blackboard)and use that line as a foundation for your analysis of a larger topic.
One of the skills I hope you all develop in this course is close line reading: that is, pinpointing specific literary evidence for understanding the greater worldview or beliefs of the society that produced that literature.
Quote the line and the text it's from and then use the information provided in that line to address any topic you wish. You can focus on the two topics from this week or write about anything else we've touched upon in lecture and section.
No repeats please unless you have something completely different to say from your colleagues!!
"As you now take over my position, your body being firm and hale, And the king being pleased with all that has come to pass, May you enjoy (many) years of life" (The Maxims of Ptahhotep, Simpson 148).
ReplyDeleteStrangely enough, after reading through the entire story in Simpson, the one line that stood out to me was the line above, which is a direct message from the older Ptahhotep to his son, who will be succeeding him as the new vizier to the king.
Egypt was a patriarchal society. Many positions in the economy, especially those in government, were designated only to men. When a man became incapable of performing his tasks efficiently, he would pass down his title to his eldest son or to the next of kin. In "The Maxims of Ptahhotep," the current vizier is giving advice to his son, also Ptahhotep, who will be helping his father and eventually taking over as the new official.
In some ways, it seems as if it was a son's duty to succeed his father and continue his legacy. Being young and strong, it was expected that the son would enjoy a profitable life and "enjoy [many] years" (148). Not only was the father responsible for imparting wisdom to his son, but he was also able to take pride in his accomplishments.
Nepotism in Egyptian society was prevalent in all occupations, but was especially important for government officials, because it allowed for a certain amount of power to always remain within the family. Pharaohs especially handed down their titles to their kin in hopes of their continuing his legacy and dynasty.
In "The Maxims of Ptahhotep," the vizier talks about the honor of having a son worthy of succeeding him in such an illustrious career. He mentions that he is proud to call his son his own and can look forward to someone of his own blood (therefore making him worthy) assuming command. He also mentions that he could have been disappointed had his son been uninterested or incapable of becoming the next vizier.
In terms of ethics, which can be defined as "moral principles that govern a person or group's behavior," the father is handing down his title to his son and teaching him the ways of an honorable vizier -- one who is capable of making just decisions and working for the good of the people and the gods. Many traditions and ideals were passed down within families and were therefore able to live on even after the older members passed on to the after life. In this story, Ptahhotep is able to pass on his own beliefs to his son in hopes of the new Ptahhotep being the next great vizier.
A particular line that stood out to me in "The Teaching for King Merikare" was when the supposed narrator Khety states, "(One)'s earthly life is transient and does not endure...fortunate is he who is (well) remembered because of it" (156). The Egyptians realize that life is brief and ephemeral, and that to make a mark on history would be a desirable feat. This declaration of the importance of having one’s name remembered seems to be a recurrent theme in ancient Egyptian literature, as is also prevalent in other texts we’ve read.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think is interesting about the emphasis on being remembered after a person passes away is the implications it has about the Egyptians’ beliefs of the afterlife. Egyptians prepare meticulously for their afterlife — burying valuables with them in their tomb, being cleansed in a specific manner, and various other rituals — all in order to arrive at a better place after death. A question that formed for me when I read Khety’s statement above is: Why would being remembered in the world of the living be so crucial to the Egyptians if they believed they would eventually obtain a better (and more important?) life after they passed away? Maybe there was some sliver of doubt in their minds about the surety of the afterlife, and thus they wanted to ensure that they would at least obtain some form of immortality, and thus sought for the immortality of their name. If this is true, then it goes to show the extent in which the Egyptians valued immortality — being unsure of whether or not they would arrive at the desired afterlife, they wanted to make sure that they could at least achieve a semblance of immortality on earth.
The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage
ReplyDelete“A man of integrity goes mourning for what has happened in the land, But [a man of depravity] goes about [in glee].” (pg. 190, Simpson)
In The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage, political unrest has developed because of foreign immigration to Egypt, as stated in “foreigners have overrun the whole of Egypt” (190). The Iry-paht has certainly fallen in the social hierarchy in Egypt, while the Rekhyet have assumed power over Egypt to a certain degree. The “man of integrity” that Ipuwer is referring to, are the Iry-paht who have lost their authority over the lower classes in Egypt. The “man of depravity” is stated as being overjoyed with this transference of power, although Ipuwer views them as corrupt in nature for causing turmoil in Egypt. Ipuwer believes the rising of the lower classes is an indication of a loss in religious beliefs, and he personally would prefer that “the Ennead” was reinstituted (190). Burial rites are no longer necessary, as stated in “and the skills of the embalmers are undone”, which were always of utmost importance to the Egyptians (194). The secret “writings are stolen”, presumably from temples and “the sacred spells have been exposed”, which used to distinguish those of a special rank and ability (197). He believes that “a few men who ignore tradition” have abused their power, and they are responsible for Egypt’s demise (198).
The many references to “shields” are reminiscent of foreigners in general, for they were increasingly buried with weapons in the First Intermediate Period (190-191). The “Asiatics” are blamed for Egypt’s downfall, and Ipuwer claims that “there are no Egyptians anywhere” (192). Previously, Egyptians took it upon themselves to assimilate foreigners, by altering their birth names and enrolling them in camps in order to reeducate them in an Egyptian curriculum, yet through the rising of the lower classes within Egypt, their roles have been reversed. Famine is clearly prevalent, and even “the nobles perish from hunger” (195). The nobility has fallen, “noble ladies (now sleep) on the floor” and “princes are in the workhouse” doing manual labor, once performed by only the lower classes (199).
The following really struck me: "No one, having witnessed a mutilated criminal, could be in any doubt that the king's justice was everywhere; no one, having been mutilated, could forget what they had done." It was definitely another way of keeping classes separate - the iry-paat and rekhyet, but also the criminals and the 'good' people. So much of Egypt was based on the gods - there was another sentence about the gods seeing people - and so someone who had displeased the gods/the pharoah/the justice system would be forever separated from the rest of society. Since high officials who carried out sentences or presided over trials were often highborn or appointments of the king, it is yet another show of the power of politics and the controls designed to keep classes as they were.
ReplyDelete"Do no harm, for it will not benefit you. Punish by means of flogging and imprisonment, For thus will this land be kept in good order, Except for the rebel who has contrived his plots. But God is aware of the rebel, And God will smite his evil with blood; But the merciful man [will prolong] the length of his days." This quote is from The Teaching For King Merikare page 157 verse 50. The word "order" in the above verse immediately signifies ma'at. During the First Intermediate period, a time when Egypt was in a state of chaos and anarchy, one would assume ma'at would try to be preserved.
ReplyDeleteMa'at is important in Egyptian culture largely due to Egyptians innate obsession with the afterlife. As seen in earlier Egyptian history, the idea of ma'at kept farmers, craftsmen, and other peasant positions from lashing out against authority figures. For them, their life after death was more important than their life on earth, so they were willing to sacrifice their desolate lifestyle in order to achieve a prosperous afterlife.
The phrase "punish by means of flogging and imprisonment" also serves to uphold the idea of ma'at. While Egyptian punishment may seem harsh (and often times it was - with records of Egyptians claiming to punish with 200 blows and 5 pierced wounds), it was all intended to preserve ma'at. Like the Tyldesley reading suggests, the purpose of Egyptian punishment was to not only humiliate and cause pain to the guilty party, but to reassert authority and assert warning to others. The latter was achieved through very public burning executions where local Egyptians could come watch the guilty party be punished. The text also states that public executions were much more expensive than private executions. This further illustrates the extant at which Egyptians wished to uphold ma'at.
God is also mentioned in the quotation above. As we've seen in Egyptian culture, appeasing the Gods is an important aspect in Egyptian life. "But God is aware of the rebel, And God will smite his evil with blood; But the merciful man [will prolong] the length of his days" reminds us that the Gods are always watching and if one misbehaves. lashes out, or breaks the law, the gods will always be there to punish.
"The Maxims of Ptahhotep" was the Simpson reading that I found most interesting. Probably because I am always curious about what the rules are for a culture, whether it is the NYT social Q section or the social etiquette of Egyptian society.
ReplyDeleteI found it funny to read what the practical expectations of Egyptian upper class were but one line that stuck out to me was when vizier Ptahhotep says "good advice is rarer than emeralds/but may be found even among women at the grindstones"(Simpson, 131).
I think that it says a lot about the values of the culture and the way that women were generally viewed. Egypt was a patriarchal society and the fact that this guide was passed from father to son echoes that structure. But besides the fact that a lot of the high rank roles (whether keeping track of the economy,government, or a religious role) were given to men the way that it would be rare for a piece of good advice to come from women speaks to the gender gap in Egypt.
In "The Maxims of Ptahhotep," the old vizier is doling out advice to his son, young Ptahhotep, who is expected to absorb these maxims and use them to help him master his position as the new official. It is nice to see, however, that the Egyptians value the idea of taking counsel from all walks of life and not being "haughty because of your knowledge" (131) but I wonder how they achieve this if they feel so superior.
In the Nauri document, one of the punishments that stuck out the most was the horrible punishment for anyone who steals oxen or any other livestock from the Foundation. The document states that for anyone who steals livestock, “Osiris the First of the Westerners, the lord of the people, the lord of the goods, shall be after him, after his wife, after his children, to punish his name, to destroy his soul, to prevent his corpse resting in the cemetery” (227). This one line hints at very important aspects of Egyptian culture, the importance of property and the value of livestock.
ReplyDeleteAs hinted in the McDowell reading in the Craftsmen section, the rent of donkeys was a very important field and the punishment for failure to return the donkeys was extreme, as to ensure their safe return. In the Nauri document, the taking of livestock had such a severe punishment that even one’s soul would be reprehended for such a grievous act. The notion of punishment even in the afterlife is yet another example of how serious this crime truly was, as the afterlife was a sacred and imperative part of Egyptian belief. Egyptians worked their whole lives in order to live eternally with all the gods in the afterlife, so the fact that one act of greed could ruin a person’s chance at happiness shows the high importance of cattle for trade reasons, water carriers, transportation reasons, etc.
Another important detail of this punishment is the involvement of the family. In order to ward off people form stealing livestock, the thief’s family is also threatened and put into danger, as they will face the punishment of the act they did not commit. A similar outcome such as this one was seen during the New Kingdom concerning the family of runaway slaves. If a slave was caught running away, then the family was sold into slavery, which can be seen as evidence in the Brooklyn Papyrus with the names of family members.
The taking of family members as severe punishments demonstrates the value of Egyptian family life. If family was not such an important commodity, then they would not be offered as collateral to prevent people from stealing. Just by looking at the punishments for crimes, readers can get a clue into what Egyptians held deeply and cherished above all else, and how seriously they values personal property.
"If you desire that friendship should endure In a house which you enter As a lord, as a brother, or as / a friend: In any place which you enter, Avoid approaching the women, For there is nothing good in any situation where such is done" (Simpson 137).
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the Maxims of Ptahhotep, this quote really caught my eye because something similar to this quote appears again on page 139. This quote warns against talking to other men's women because it may lead to a bad situation. This quote makes women all seem like evil succubi who threaten to break the bonds of brotherhood and friendship between two men. This small lesson can be best seen in the "Tale of Two Brothers" where the wife of the older brother tries to seduce the younger brother, which ultimately ends with the older brother seeking to take the life of the younger brother. The woman seductress or trouble maker is a common reoccurrence in egyptian literature. Women are constantly seen to step out of line which usually causes them to have a horrible demise.
The Teachings for King Merikare has insight into the general attitudes that prevailed during the First Intermediate Period, namely the fear of ever increasing political and social unrest. The line that caught my eye :
ReplyDeleteOne who has gained (men's) confidence
And has ingratiated himself in the eye of his dependents,
And who persisted as a troublemaker and a spreader of talk,
Get rid of him, and slay his children,
Obliterate his name, and destroy his supporters,
Banish (all) memory of him and of the partisans who respect him. (Simpson, 154)
This really illustrates the classic attitude of “better to be feared, than loved” that prevails during times of unrest. Even the slightest hints of sedition needs to be put down with overwhelming force. This has the dual purpose of actively quelling the unrest, but also sending the message to the rest of the populace that the ruling body has no intention of compromising with the people. This harsh attitude also illustrates the ruling body's fear of losing their position. Any threat to their authority needs to be quelled, especially during a time where unrest is so prevalent.
In “The Teaching for King Merikare,” an older king lists advices about holding the office of kingship to a future succession, Merikare.
ReplyDelete“Act on behalf of God-and He will do likewise for you- With offerings/ such as enhance the altars and with inscriptions. This is an assurance of your name, And God takes note of him who acts on His behalf” (Simpson 164).
Variations of this quotation pop up several times throughout the text since this quote relates the definition of kingship and God. Kingship and God both coexist and act as one. These two ideas are very important in Egyptian culture. “The power of the creator diety,” is essential in good leadership. In this quote, the older king is telling Merikare that in order to exist like a god one must ‘act on behalf of God,’ essentially, he has to be God. In the eyes of Egyptians, Kings are flawless and God-life. It is the King’s ultimate motivation to be above all human beings and live as a superior God. This quote also mentions, ‘an assurance of your name.’ This illustrates the importance of naming and rankings in Egyptian society. It is imperative for the king to maintain immortality by maintaining his name in history, whether it will be by engraving on the tomb or by winning famous battles. An unnamed King would be considered a worthless King. Ancient Egyptian strives to be remembered. I understand the idea of wanting to be remembered, but I do not think that it should be done forcefully. One’s name should be remembered naturally. In this case, the older king is telling Merikare to follow the steps of the Gods in order for God to know his name.
This is a simple quotation, but it is prevalent throughout this text and other texts we have read in class. To Egyptians, God is great than all beings. The King must ‘act on behalf of God’ in order to be a successful king. God must always be in one’s mind.
The line that stuck out for me was in “the teaching for king merikare.”
ReplyDelete“Elevate your officials, promote your fighters; Bestow wealth upon the young men of your followers, Provide them with possessions, confer fields upon them, And endow them with cattle.” (158) Maybe it stuck out to me because it reminded me of what I wrote on the mid term. We know from previous readings and lectures that soldiers are described (by scribes) as having their heads open with wounds, beaten up like a papyrus, always sick, drink dirty waters. But we also know that veterans had pride and honor, and king invited them to share the glory of their victory. Also we do know that they were given rewards from king such as the fly shaped necklace (?). There is another line in the text: “Increase your supporters in the military.” I have never thought of giving rewards or celebrating victories with general as kings’ attempt to “increase supporters in the military.” But now, after reading this text, it seems to make perfect sense. There were increasing numbers of wars and conquests, and perhaps military was crucial part of Egypt. Also they could easily be a threat to the king. Story of military general taking over kingship is not unheard of. Perhaps it was very important for kings to have supporters in military that will never be the one “whose actions challenge [the kings]” (155) I just thought it was one of the interesting passages since it enlightened me in some way.
The line I picked is "Restrain the masses, and drive the violence out of them, for there will be no quelling of dissent of the part of the rogues whose fathers (also) created dissent" ("The Teaching for King Merikare," 155). This lines show how weakened the state of Egypt was and how desperately the King was trying to hold on to his power. Before these lines, he repeats many times this concept of controlling the people and punishing the wrongdoers. There's almost like a zero tolerance policy. The King reiterates many times that if you don't punish them once and for all the wrongdoers will remain out there, free to strike. This show.s that the King was fearful of rebellion, which is why he stresses the importance of keeping the people under control to his son Merikare. This infliction of punishment instills fear in the people which will (hopefully) squash any possible rebellions. If he is so fearful of rebellions, this also shows how much the King's power over his people has diminished
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing I've noticed about Egyptian culture is that they manage to be simultaneously strict and fair. There are laws in place that punish harshly while still protecting the rights of the subjects, and this creates a balance that protects the rights of the subjects and keeps them in check while still allowing the monarchy to maintain complete control.
ReplyDelete"Be skillful in speech, that you may be strong; it is the strength of the tongue, and words are braver than all fighting; none can circumvent the clever man on the mat; a wise man is a [school] for the magnates, and those who are aware of his knowledge do not attack him."
ReplyDeleteIn The Instruction of Merikare, the old King is teaching his son how to be a good king. through out the entire instruction, i can see the old King is considering about wars and conflicts with its neighbors. It is in the time of instability and upheavals so the King is worried about how his son is going to deal with the conflict and how to maintain order. I am surprised that the father King does not encourage his son to use military as first choice to suppress instability. on the other hand, he encourages the young King to use speech. His value, surprisingly, is similar to what we think today, which is quite modern and advanced comparing to other countries at that time period. The Old Kings believes that only wise King will earn respects and maintain the order of the country and bring goodness to its people.
I particularly took interest to the line 5,5 in the Maxims of Ptahhotep when he states, "Before you retire, teach him/ about what has been said in the past;
ReplyDeleteThen he will be an example to the children of nobles,
When understanding and precision have entered into him.
Instruct him, for no one is born wise” (Simpson 131).
I found that the message being conveyed in this passage is that no one is born with wisdom or knowledge, they must learn through their own experiences and the experiences of those who have already lived most of their lives. This gives off the idea of the importance of “respecting ones elders,” for they have most, if not all the knowledge necessary to live life. More or less, wisdom comes with age and experience. This sort of message is conveyed not only in the times of the ancient Egyptians, but is also seen today throughout all cultures. This passage also shows an importance of the old teaching the young about history and the past. It shows just an example of certain concepts that the Egyptians valued.
Spell 125 in the Book of the Dead lists wrongdoings that the speaker has not committed. Some of these are very vague, like "I have not done evil", while others are specific, like "I have not damaged the offering cakes of the gods". I find it interesting that many of these offenses would have been inevitable but were listed nonetheless. Simpson mentions that "Since the list of infractions includes seemingly unavoidable actions such as sinking, impatience, aggressiveness, and wading in flowing water, as well as all forms of sexual activity, this "ethical code" is not absolute but reflects restrictions and abstinence preparatory for entrance into a sacred space and state". This makes me wonder why the Egyptians did not list the offences that they had committed and ask for forgiveness before entering the afterworld rather than list actions that were inevitable.
ReplyDelete