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Egyptian Texts:  4.35


STATUES OF KORAX AT DENDERA


Text:   (A) Philadelphia 40-19-3   ,   (B)   Cairo JE 45390 [ TM 43980 ]
Provenance:     Tentyra/Dendera
Date:   80-50 B.C.
Script:   Hieroglyphic
Translated by:   (A) H. Ranke   ,   (B) G. Daressy
Format:   see key to translations

Korax combined a career as a military commander (it is unclear what formal rank he held) with an impressive list of priestly titles. His name has been erased from statue A, but it is now clear that it must refer to the same man as B. The information contained in the two inscriptions has been discussed in detail by G. Gorre, "Korax fils de Ptolémée-Psenpchois : un stratège du Tentyrite?" ( academia.edu ).

The translation of A is taken from H. Ranke, "A Late Ptolemaic Statue of Hathor from Her Temple at Dendereh" (JAOS 65, 1945). The translation of B is adapted from G. Daressy, "Statue de Georges prince de Tentyris" (ASAE 16, 1916). Some small but important changes to Daressy's translation were made by A. Farid, "Three Mirrors with Demotic Inscriptions" (SAOC 51, 1992).


[A]   The . . . prince, treasurer of the king of Lower Egypt, only beloved friend of the king, the great prince in front of the people, great of favours in the house of Horus, of wide stride in the palace.   Great commander of the army in . . . commander of the chariotry, leader of his troops, chief of his recruits (?), leader of his soldiers, a shelter of bronze around all his troops, a choice wall . . . his soldiers.   Familiar with the councils of the gods and goddesses. He is not . . . . . . the primeval one who began to come into existence as the first one of them.

Priest of Isis, the great one, mother of the god, lady of Ỉȝ.t-dy who is worshipped in Dendera, together with the gods and goddesses presiding over the birth chamber.
Priest of Osiris, the great god who is worshipped in Dendera and of Hathor, the uraeus-serpent of Re.
Priest of Isis with the mny.t who is worshipped in Edfu.
Priest of Isis, 'she traverses the two lands.'
Priest of Isis, 'possessor of sweet breeze.'
Priest of Isis, 'lady of pẖr.t'.
Priest of Harsomtus, the great god, the lord of ḫȝt.
Priest of the beneficent and father-loving gods.
Fourth priest of Hathor of Dendera.
Priest of Thot (?) of (?) . . .
Priest of the sanctuaries of the sun-gods (?) in Dendera . . . (ḥry-ḫ3 ?) and overseer of the house of the nome of Edfu.
Priest of Horus who wields the lance in 'the seat of Horus' {Edfu}.
Scribe of the wab-priests of the temple and of the second temple
. . . son of the commander of the army . . . nḫt- (?) Pȝ-šr-. . .

He says:  
O ye great priests of Dendera,
Ye 'god's fathers and god's treasurers' who are in Ỉȝ.t-dy,
All ye wab-priests who are in their monthly office -
Do praise the god for me in the 'great house,' when you enter therein,
Do pronounce my name in the 'house of the flame,' when you perform your offices at the festival times,
Do remember me in the midst of the pr-nw at the time of revealing the face of the goddess,
And . . . daily every day.

The 'great princes' and the priests in Dendera, the chief lector priest in the place of inebriation, the ḥry-śštȝ of the purification of the god, who has access to the sacred place, they said all together:

'It is you (?), O pious one . . . It is [Hathor] the lady of Dendera, the mistress of all the gods, the eye of Re - there is no other one beside her. The great Isis, the lady of Ỉȝ.t-dy - the only one, the like of whom does not exist. And Horus of Edfu, the great god, lord of the sky, the noble winged disk presiding in . . . [They rejoice over (?) what] thou hast done for them. May they cause thy name to remain as remains the sky and thy house to endure as endures the earth. They are united, watching over thee, in dispelling [evil from thee?]. Thy son shall remain upon thy seat after thee, after 110 years, and the son of thy son likewise! "

[B]   The prophet of Hathor, the lady of Dendera, the great one, daughter of Ra; the prophet of Hathor with the menat in Bahud; the prophet of Horus who wields the spear; the prophet of the god Harsomtus, great lord of Khat; the prince governor Korax son of . . .

The prophet of Isis, the great mother of god, the lady of Ỉȝ.t-dy; the prophet of Osiris, great god in Dendera; the prophet of the gods and goddesses found in Ỉȝ.t-dy; the leader of the troops, the brother of the king Korax, son of Ptolemaios.

The prince governor, royal deputy, unique friend, favourite of the king, filling the heart of His Majesty, gladdening his lord; great official as governor of the people, highly esteemed in the palace of Horus and powerful at court; great leader of forces in the Two Lands.
Priest of Isis, the great mother of god, lady of Ỉȝ.t-dy.
Priest of Hathor, the lady of An.
Priest of Hathor, the lady of Kab(t).
Priest of Hathor, who surrounds the Two Lands.
Priest of Hathor, the lady of the pleasant breeze;
4th priest of Hathor, the lady of Dendera.
Scribe of the temple.
[Chief] of the priests.
Priest of the kings and of their images.
Priest of their chapels.
The brother of the king Korax, living, the son of the commander Pȝ-šr-pȝ-ḫj.

He says: "O priests who dwell in Dendera, inhabitants of the city 'renewal of existence', who bow down before the lord of Dendera: on every occasion when you make offerings to the gods, do not neglect to pronounce my name before Isis the great mother, on every day."


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