Ancient Egypt: The Naukratis Decree
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Nectanebo I: The Naukratis Decree |
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.......... Let be given one tenth of the gold, of the silver, of the timber, of manufactured goods, of everything coming from the Sea of the Greeks, of all the tolls paid into my treasury in the town called Hunit, as well as one tenth of the gold, of the silver , of everything which is in Pamariti, called also Krati, on the bank of the canal Anu, and credit my treasury, - the mortmain of my mother Neith for all eternity, in addition to what she had before, in order to institute [an offering of] a bull, in numbers 1, a flock of geese and of five mines of wine for the daily services.............
G. Maspero Etudes de mythologie et d'archéologie égyptiennes, vol. 7
1 Year 1, fourth month of summer, day 13 under the majesty of
Horus: Mighty-of-arm; King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Two
Ladies: Who benefits the Two Lands; Gold-Horus who does the gods'
wish: Kheperkare; Son of Re, Nekhtnebef, ever-living, beloved of Neith,
distress of Sais. Good god, Re's image, Neith's beneficent heir.
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Naucratis Decree, 380 BCE The Heracleion stela Source: Le Figaro, 30 June, 2001 |
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Sole god of many wonders, Served by the sun-disk's rays; Whom mountains tell their inmost, Whom ocean offers its flood; Whom foreign lands bring 7 their bounty, That he may rest their hearts in their valleys. His majesty rose in the palace of Sais, and set in the temple of Neith. The king entered the mansion of Neith, and rose in the Red Crown beside his mother. He poured a libation to his father, the lord of eternity, in the mansion of Neith. Then his majesty said: |
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"Let there be given one in 10 (of) gold, of silver, of timber, of 9 worked wood, of everything coming from the Sea of the Greeks of all
the goods (or: being all the goods) that are reckoned to the king's
domain in the town named Hent; and one in 10 (of) gold, of silver, of
all the things that come into being in Pi-emroye, called (Nau)cratis,
on the bank of the Anu, that are reckoned to the king's domain, to be
a divine offering for my mother Neith for all time 11 in addition to
what was there before. And one shall make one portion of an ox, one
fat goose, and five measures of wine from them as a perpetual daily
offering, the delivery of them to be at the treasury of my mother
Neith. For she is the mistress of the sea; it is she who gives its
abundance.
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"My majesty has commanded to preserve and protect the divine
offering of my mother Neith, 13 and to maintain everything done by
the ancestors, in order that what I have done be maintained by those
who shall be for an eternity of years." His majesty said: "Let these things be recorded on this stela, placed in Naucratis on the bank of the Anu. Then shall my goodness be remembered for all eternity!" On behalf of the life, prosperity, and health of the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Kheperkare. Son of Re, Nekhtnebef, ever-living. May he be given all life, stability, dominion, all health and happiness like Re forever!
M.Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature Vol.3, pp.86ff
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