Ancient Egypt: Letter of Panbesa
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Letter of Panbesa |
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The clerk Panbesa salutes his lord, the clerk Amenapt. Long live the King! This is sent for the information of my Lord. Again I salute my Lord. I proceeded to Pe-Ramessu Meiamen. I found it flourishing in good things without a rival, like the foundations of Thebes //////// the abode of felicity. Its meadows are filled with all good things, it is well provisioned daily. Its pools (are filled) with fish, its ponds with fowl; its fields are verdant with grass, the ates-flower is in its ////////; the tenraka-plant whose taste is like honey is in the fields of the tubs. Its threshing floors are full of barley and wheat /////// toward the sky; bunches of leeks in the beds; gourds in the arbour; anhamaa-fruit, tephu-fruit, called //////////, teb-fruit from the arboretum; sweet wine of the produce of Egypt which is superior to honey. |
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 Pe-Ramessu Meiamen: city in the eastern Delta, founded by Ramses II.ates-flower: many of the plants and fish whose names appear in this letter have not been identified.tubs: S. Birch suggested that these were watering machines.anhamaa: Birch: Sometimes written "anruhama" or "aluhama"; supposed grapes or raisins. |
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Red utu-fish from the river of /////// lilies; baran-fish from the river Haruma; barai-fish mixed with baka-fish ////// fish from the river Puharta atu-fish //////// from the river ////// hanata-fish from ////// of Aa-nechtu. The pool of Horus furnishes salt, the Pahura lake furnishes nitre; its ////// for the going and coming. There is a supply of provisions there daily. |
Puharta: Goodwin: the EuphratesAa-nechtu: Aa-nekhtu, Goodwin: the frontier fortressPahura lake: Goodwin: One of the natron or bitter lakes near the Isthmus of Sueznitre: used in embalmingthe going and coming: Goodwin: of boatsa supply of provisions there daily: according to Goodwin referring to the market. |
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| Gladness dwells within it, none speaks scorn of it. The little ones in it are like the great ones. (They say:) Come let us celebrate its heavenly festivals and the season feasts. The papyrus marsh is adorned with menhu-flower, the pool of Horus with the asi-flower; there are sabara-flowers from the arboretum, festoons from the vineyards ////// fowls in flocks, to adorn //////////. The sea abounds with baka-fish and atu-fish. It //////// their boundaries. The virgins of Aa-nechtu are well apparelled every day; sweet oil is on their heads, with new curls. They stand at their doors, their hands adorned with nosegays, with bouquets of Pa-Hahthor, garlands of the lake Pahura, on the day of the arrival of Ra-user-ma Sotep-en-ra, the war god of the world, the morning of the feast of Kahaka; all assemble one with another to recite their petitions. |
menhu: Birch: A flower of red and violet color. Thesaurus Linguae Aegyptiae: mnH: papyrus plantasi-flower: Birch: Apparently another kind of water plant.Ra-user-ma Sotep-en-ra: Usermaatre Setepenre. Ramses II (c.1279-1212) |
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| There are sweet drinks in Aa-nechtu; its liquors are like sugar, its syrups like the taste of caroobs surpassing honey. Beer of Kati comes from the port; wine from the vineyards; sweet refreshments from the lake Sakabaima; garlands from the arbours. The sweet singers of Aa-nechtu are of the school of Memphis; joy remains there prolonged, unceasing. Ra-user-ma Sotep-en-ra, the war-god of the world, Ramessu Meiamen, is its god. |
are of the school of Memphis: Birch: The "Memphitides puellae" of the Latin authors, such as Petronius: Memphitides puellae, sacris deum paratae |
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pAnastasi III, 19th dynasty |
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