Egyptian Texts : Epitaph of Pedubast (original) (raw)

EPITAPH OF PEDUBAST

Text: Vienna 82 [ TM 55540 ]
Provenance: Memphis
Date: April 76 B.C.
Script: Hieroglyphic
Translated by: E.A.E. Reymond
Format: see key to translations

Pedubast III was the high priest of Memphis for 28 years, from 104/3 to 76 B.C. The second half of his epitaph contains a list of his ancestors, most of whom were also high priests, going back over 160 years.

This translation is taken from E.A.E. Reymond, "From the Records of a Priestly Family from Memphis" (1981), no. 17. The text of the inscription has suffered considerable damage, which makes makes the translation doubtful in some places.

The most controversial part of this translation is the passage in lines 9-10 which states that Pedubast's mother was the younger sister of king Ptolemy X. A marriage alliance between the hereditary high priests and the Ptolemaic royal family is certainly not inconceivable, but most scholars now think that the passage says something different, such as 'the name of his mother is Berenice. In year .. of king Ptolemy'; see Chris Bennett's notes on Berenice.

Regnal year 5 of king Ptolemy, the God Philopator Philadelphos, and queen Cleopatra, called Tryphaena, his sister and his wife.

You are praised in the presence of Ptah-Sokaris-Osiris, great god, lord of the crypt. You are praised in the presence of every god and every goddess.

O setem-priest, god's father, prophet of Ptah, priest of the gods in the Mansion of the White Enclosure {Memphis}, prophet of the lord of Sem-ny-Maat, scribe in the Domain of the West of the Apieion, prophet of Horus, the child of Isis, the hollow-eyed one, prophet of . . . who is in his town . . . in the neighbourhood of the district of Oun-chem, scribe of the treasury, scribe of the king in Western Rakoti, scribe of the offering table, registered with all the fifth priestly orders and all the third priestly orders, registered with the five priestly orders in the Great Mansion, prophet of the Pre-eminent in the Necropolis, lord of the gods and all goddesses, scribe in the Domain of Khonty-netery, prophet of . . . residing in Saka (?), of(?) every god residing in the wabet-sanctuary of Ta-ḥotp in the district of Heliopolis, registered with all the first priestly orders, with all the fourth priestly orders and with all the fifth priestly orders in the temple of the Domain of Khonty-netery, scribe in the Mansion of Isis in Khonty-netery, scribe of the sistrum of Bastet, lady of Ankh-tawi, . . . scribe in the Serapeum, the Osirieion, Rakoti and of Anubis 5 who-is-upon-his-mountain, registered with all the first priestly orders and with all the third priestly orders of Ba-emtet, pre-eminent in the Lake, registered with all the first priestly orders in Buto, registered with all the fourth priestly orders of Seat (?), great goddess, scribe in the Mansion of the Crypt in the West (?) of Memphis (?), . . . . of every god, scribe of all decrees, registered with all the third priestly orders and with all the fifth priestly orders of Ptah and Arsinoē Philadelphos, scribe of decree_s and_ record_s_, scribe of the treasury, scribe of the stipendiary village_s_ due (?) of supply of gold and gift_s_, scribe of the book of Ptah, prophet of the King in the Golden Mansion, scribe in the mansions of the living Apis, scribe of the decree and its copi_es_, prophet in the Mansion of Menkheperre in the Domain of Ptah, scribe of the ritual book of Ptah and Atum, prophet in the Morning House, prophet in the Library, prophet of Ptah and the Goddess Philadelphos, prophet of the window-of-appearance, prophet of Horus of the window-of-appearance, prophet of the gods of the window-of-appearance, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Superintendent of confidential affairs in Rostaw, having authority over secret writings concerning sky, earth and underworld, learned in secret writings of Lower and Upper Egypt, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Serapeum, the Osirieion, Rakoti and the Anubieion upon the peak, Hereditary Prince, chief of artificers Pedubast, son of Ps_her_en-Ptah, the chief of artificers; the name of his mother is Berenice, the younger sister (?) of king Ptolemy, 10 called Alexander, the God Philometor.

He went forth to Rakoti. He drank in the presence of the King. He handed out unto him the golden crook, mace, robe of linen from the Southern House and the leather-garment according to the ritual of Ptah's festivals and solemn processions. He placed his golden ornaments on his head according to the custom of his forefathers in the seventeenth year of his age. He then spent twenty-eight years while wearing his golden ornaments.

He was powerful. He carried out the management of the monthly services in the temple of Memphis and its outer districts.

There fell unto him in inheritance all the possessions of the god's father, prophet, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Osirieion, Sarapieion, Rakoti and the Homeland of Anubis, Hereditary Prince, prophet of Ptah, chief of artificers Ps_her_en-Ptah justified, son of the god's father, prophet, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Osirieion, Serapeum, Rakoti and the Anubieion, Hereditary Prince, prophet of Ptah, chief of artificers Pedubast justified, son of the god's father, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Osirieion, Serapeum, Rakoti and the Anubieion Ps_her_en-Ptah 15 justified, son of the god's father, prophet of Ptah, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Serapeum, Osirieion, Rakoti and in the Domain of the Homeland of Anubis, Hereditary Prince, chief of artificers Horemakhet justified, son of the god's father, prophet, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Sarapieion, Osirieion, Rakoti and the Anubieion, prophet of the Lady of the Sycomore, prophet of Bastet, Lady of Ankh-tawi, Hereditary Prince, in charge of all royal adornments, prophet of Ptah, chief of artificers, (?) setem-priest Anemhor, justified, son of the god's father, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Serapeum, Osirieion, Rakoti and the Anubieion, Hereditary Prince, prophet of the Lady of the Sycomore, lesonis of Ptah, who makes the snfy (?), prophet of Ptah, chief of artificers Nesisti-Pedubast (?) justified, son of the god's father, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Sarapieion, Osirieion, Rakoti and the Anubieion, Hereditary Prince, prophet of Ptah, sotmy-priest Anemhor justified, son of the god's father, prophet, Superintendent of confidential affairs in the Domain of Ptah, Rostaw, Serapeum, Osirieion, Rakoti and the Anubieion (?) Nefer_ibre_, justified, who was born to 20 Berenice, Pedubast, this one who was born on 1 Hathor in year 50 of king Ptolemy and queen Cleopatra, the Gods Euergetai.

He departed his home on 7 Mechir in year 5 of king Ptolemy and queen Cleopatra, his sister and his wife, the Gods Philopatores Philadelphoi.

His mortuary clothing for the great embalmment ceremony which pertains to him was made in this house and also in the Royal Household of the Ptolemi_es_. [The king] and the common folk, the prophets, the dukes and the son of the Artificers, according to their lawful orders, they brought for him a complete set of bandelettes of linen from the Southern House for the mortuary robing according to the custom of the dukes of Egypt.

He fulfilled in his life-time forty three years, two months and one day. They made his abode of the blessed ones of the gods. They buried him in a great burial ceremony in . . . according to the custom of the overlord of the King's seat, on 20 Pharmouti in year 5 of these 25 kings.

Pedubast, the chief of artificers aforesaid, he had registered accounts of the treasuries of the holy places in the royal towns which . . . . Apis within the period of 18 months. He had caused the shrine and its boat in which Osor-apis rests, to be taken to (?) . . . Memphis (?), to the Serapeum. It has been recorded.

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