Chapter X The Hieroglyphics of Thothmes III
Translation of the Third Side.
“Horus, powerful Bull, beloved of Ra, King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra-men-Kheper. His father Tum has set up for him a great name, with increase of royalty, in the precincts of Heliopolis, giving him the throne of Seb, the dignity of Kheper, Son of the Sun, Thothmes, the Holy, the Just, beloved of the Bennu of An, ever-living.”
The first part of the inscription, namely, “Horus, powerful bull, beloved of Ra, king of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ra-men-Kheper,” is the same as in the first and second side, the only new idea occurring in the lower part of the palatial title, namely, “beloved of Ra.”
Hand Plough (mer) beloved.
Figure (Ra) sun-god. The seated figure has a hawk’s head, surmounted by the aten or solar disk. Ra being the supreme solar deity, the “beloved of Ra” was one of the favourite epithets of the king.
“His father Tum
set up for him
a great name,
with increase of
royalty.”
Chessboard (men) set up.
Zigzag (en) has. After zigzag appears a thick line, which Dr. Birch thinks to be a papyrus roll, the usual sign of possession.
Semicircle (t) with cerastes (ef) make up (tef) father.
Semicircle (t) phonetic consonantal complement of t in Tum.
Sledge (tm) Tum. The setting sun, worshipped at Heliopolis, probably same as Atum. The god Tum appears on the four sides of the pyramidion, and some therefore think that the obelisk stood with its companion in front of the temple of Tum at Heliopolis.
Mouth (ru) for.
Zigzag (n) } The two form (nef) him.
Cerastes (ef)
Swallow (ur) great. This is the usual hieroglyph for greatness.
Cartouche (khen) name. The cartouche is usually the oval form in which the king inscribed his name. Here it stands for name.
Owl (em) with. The owl has generally the force of the ablative case.
Twisted Cord (uah) increase. The top of this hieroglyph resembles papyrus flower, and ought therefore to be distinguished from the simple twisted cord.
Reed (su) royalty.
“In the precincts
of Heliopolis,
giving him the
throne of Seb,
the dignity of
Kepher.”
Owl (em) m. Complement to am, preceding.
Cross (am) in.
Semicircle (ta) the.
Oblong (hen) precincts. The usual hieroglyph for temple.
Pylon (An) Heliopolis.
Circle with Cross (nu) determinative of a city.
Mouth (r) } The two phonetics form ra, giving.
Arm (a)
Semicircle (ta) the.
Cerastes (ef) him.
Throne (kher) throne.
Goose (s) } The two phonetics form sb or Seb, name of a god. Seb
was the Chronos of the Greeks, the Saturn of the Latins.
Leg (b)
Horns on a Pole (aa) dignity. On the horns is a coiled rope.
Zigzag (en) of.
Beetle (khep) Kheper. The scarabeus or sacred beetle, dedicated to Ra and Ptah.
The remaining hieroglyphs of this column have already been explained (see p. 80), except the two small hieroglyphs beside the nomen Thothmes, and the termination of the column.
Musical Instrument (nefer) holy. This instrument resembles a heart surmounted by a cross. Some think it represents a guitar, and from the purifying effects of music, became the symbol for goodness or holiness.
Ostrich Feather (shu) true. The usual symbol of truth. The nomen therefore in this case may be rendered, “Thothmes, the holy, the true.”
Bennu (bennu) sacred bird of An. This bennu is usually depicted with two long feathers on the back of the head.
“An or Heliopolis.”
Pylon or gateway, is a hieroglyph that stands for An or On, the Greek Heliopolis. Its great antiquity is shown from the fact that the city is referred to in the Book of Genesis under the name of On, translated Ων in the Septuagint: “And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On.... And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On bare unto him.”
Heliopolis was by the ancient Egyptians named Benbena, “the house of pyramidia;” but as no pyramids proper ever existed at On, the monuments alluded to are either pylons, that is, gateways of temples, or obelisks.