This is one the better-preserved stories from the series of Egyptian tales that is known to modern scholars as the Inaros cycle or the Pedubastis cycle. Most of the text is contained in a single papyrus scroll, which is known as 'Papyrus Spiegelberg'; but scholars have been able to reconstruct parts of the missing beginning of the story from other manuscripts.
The English translation of the story is taken from a dissertation by J.J. Cross, "The Poetics of Plot in the Egyptian and Judean Novella", Appendix B ( PDF ). There is a French translation in M. Chauveau & D. Agut-Labordère, "Héros, magiciens et sages oubliés de l'Égypte ancienne" (2011), pp.71-94; and a German translation in F. Hoffmann & J.F. Quack, "Anthologie der demotischen Literatur" (2018), pp.100-119.
[A] . . . [It was done according to] all the words which General Djedhor had commanded . . . . . . The . . . was made to call out among those of the fleet of Pharaoh: "Southwards, to Thebes!" The army of Egypt boarded their ships, while the horses were on the shore opposite them, the ship of Prince Ankhhor sailing south, taking the lead of the fleet of Pharaoh. [A shield] of gold was raised in the middle of his ship which said "I am [the] first [shield] of [Egypt], while the ship of Wertepamunniut [sailed] 10 at the end [of the] fleet of Pharaoh, saying, "I am [the great] rudder . . .
[B] . . . Djedhor, son of Ankhhor, said, "May your face live, my great lord! I have not commanded them to come south with us in the journey which we are on. But as for, 'What is this? Why will they not come south with us?': if the son of Pharaoh does not assume the boon of the crown in your time, who will assume it? Behold, as for Pami the youth, son of Inaros, about whom you have spoken: that which he wishes, you should do it for him! You should give [him] a piece of the wrapping of Tahor, the offering bread of Osiris King Inaros, his father . . .
[1] . . . The bailing scoop of the bark is Bastet the scooper of care. Because she is the one who "scoops" cares for the gods and goddesses. [The] mast of the bark is Shu, the son of Re, the exalted champion of the gods. The sails of byssos which are on the mast, and the gbjw {yards?} and the two ladders and the four winds are the crown of Amun. For it is he who makes heaven and air go under Horus, son of Isis, son of Osiris, when he is on the way to offer libations for [his] father Osiris. The bolt of the mast is Pre. Because it is Amun who hastens 10 on the bark which carries Horus, son of Isis, son of Osiris, while comes in order to offer libations to his father Osiris. The mooring post and the hawser of the bark are [the] armbands of the goddesses. Because they are the goddesses, who threw their armbands into the bark of Amun, when it comes to the quay while they anchor it. .... the foot of Horus, son of Isis, when he has come to offer libations to [his father.] The stopping peg of the boat is Uto ....Because it is she who grasped the armbands ...Because she is the mistress of the armbands of the gods. ....in the Lotus Sea. Uto and Nekhbet ...the appearance of Amun, the great God, between them. Because 20 ... [Isis] of Chemmis, while they drive to Buto [to Horus, son of Osiris,] when he has come to offer libations to his father. [The rudder(?) of] the bark of Amun is Thoth, the great God. Because .... [it is] the gods and the people while he gave a thing/speech in his..... .... [Horus] son of Isis, son of Osiris, has come to offer libations to his father Osiris.
[2] . . . [while Thoth, the great] God was on the way to Upper Egypt, while Horus, son of [Isis,] son of Osiris, [prevailed over Egypt] and the gods worked for him. Is there any person who has authority over this same prebend from him {Amun?}, besides me? I am the prophet of Horus of Pe of Buto, born of Isis in Chemmis. This same prebend of my father belongs to me. As for the first prophet of Amun and the [priests of Amun,] they do not have anything to do with it."
Pharaoh looked at the priests, saying, "Did you not hear what the young priest said?"
The priests spoke to Pharaoh: "Our great lord, l.p.h.! About these matters, we have never heard them before this day and, moreover, we have never known them to be in a scroll."
Just as the young priest was speaking these words, Amun the great god had appeared 10 while he was listening to his voice. The lector priest said, "If it is pleasing before Pharaoh, let Pharaoh ask before Amun the great god, 'Is the young priest the one who has authority over this very prebend?'"
Pharaoh said, "What you say is right." Pharaoh asked before Amun, saying, "Is the young priest the one who has disposal over this very prebend?"
Amun came forward in a step in a hurry, saying, "It is he."
Pharaoh said, "Young priest! Since it is the case that this was known in your heart, why did you not come yesterday and raise your voice about these very things before I wrote about this to the first prophet of Amun? I would have arranged for Ankhhor the son of the king to assign the same prebend to you."
The young priest spoke before Pharaoh: "My great lord! "If I had come before Pharaoh, [my great(?)] 20 [lord(?)] to put my plea before the priests of Amun, then Amun, the great God, would have found these [things] . . . before they caused that he offer libations to his father Osiris. It was [for the sake of] taking the processional bark of Amun the great god as pledge that I have come [here] ... ... he {Amun?} intended to cause Horus son of Isis, son of Osiris to proceed to Upper Egypt [to] offer libations to his father, Osiris. I have made a complaint [before him] [3] . . . after the libations while he was offering them for his father Osiris . . . content."
Djedhor, son of Ankhhor, said: "Since you had not come yesterday to cry out to him, do not come back today! Do not spread a bad odour of Ankhhor, son of the king, for he had adorned himself before the processional bark of Amun, the great god, while it was on the way to Upper Egypt. Let one try to stop him today: he will return to Thebes!"
The young priest said, "Silence your mouth, Djedhor, son of Ankhhor! If you are asked about the affairs of the army commander which are in your possession, take care of them! As for the prebends of the temple, where have you found them? As Horus of Pe in Buto, my god, lives, Amun will not set out 10 to Thebes on this journey in which he is, until Ankhhor, son of the king gives me the prebend which he is in possession of!"
Prince Ankhhor said to him: "Have you come to take this prebend lawfully, or have you come to take it in battle?"
The young priest said, "If my plea is heard, I will cause that he takes it lawfully. If one does not listen to my plea, I will cause that he takes it in battle!"
As soon as he said this, Prince Ankhhor raged like the sea. His gaze flamed in sparks. His heart bore for him dust like the eastern mountain. He said, "As Amun-Re, lord of Karnak, my god, lives! As for the prebend about which you complain, over which you should not have power: 20 I will cause it to revert to the High Priest of Amun [in whose possession it was] formerly."
Prince Ankhhor turned his face to the [kiosk]. He threw the byssos which had been on him [onto the] ground with the golden jewellery with which he had been adorned. [He had] brought to him his armour. He donned the amulets [of the] battle. [4] He came to the dromos of Amun, turning [his face] to the young priest, to the kiosk itself. Behold, a young servant was opposite him, hidden among the army, with a new, exquisitely ornamented piece of armour in his hand. The young priest approached him. He took the piece of armour from him. He girded himself with it. He came to the dromos of Amun. He faced Ankhhor son of the king. He struck out. He fought with him.
Djedhor, son of Ankhhor opened his mouth with a loud warrior's cry before the army, saying, "Are you standing in the area around of Amun while a shepherd battles with the child of Pharaoh, without having put your weapons at his disposal?"
10 The army of Egypt was excited on all sides. Those of Tanis, those of Mendes, those of Natho, those of Sebennytos, the army of the four harsh nomes of Egypt, they came. They marched their feet to the place of action to protect Prince Ankhhor. The thirteen shepherds of Per-djuf marched down among the army girt with their armour, their bull helmets on their heads, their shields held by their arms, their hands wielding their scimitars. They came from the left and right to the young priest, their voices raised, saying: "Before Amun, the great god, who has appeared (l.p.h.!) here today, we will bind ourselves here! Nobody at all among you 20 shall cause that the priest of Horus of Pe of Buto hear a word which he despises, without us watering the ground with his blood and the glint of his strength!"
The fear of the thirteen shepherds entered the heart of Pharaoh and the army. No one at all was able to open his voice to speak. The young priest rose up against [5] Prince Ankhhor like a lion would against a mountain, like a nurse would [against] her fledgling child. He grasped the inside of his armour, threw him to the ground, bound him, and tossed him onto the path before him. The thirteen shepherds rushed to the path behind him. No person at all was able to attack them because of their awfulness. They turned their faces to the barge of Amun. They went on board. They threw their weapons to the deck. They made Prince Ankhhor go into the belly of the barge of Amun 10 bound with a tow line. They closed the hatch over him. The sailors and the rowers went to the quay. They put their shields beside themselves. They washed themselves for the festival. They brought the bread, the meat, the wine, which was on board. They brought it before themselves. They drank. They celebrated while their sights were set towards the quay and to the processional bark of Amun the great god, sacrificing and incensing before him.
Pharaoh opened his mouth in a loud cry, saying, "By Amun the great God! The wonder of Pami has passed away! The 'heart-tongue' of Petekhons has disappeared! There is no wonder! My heart is after these shepherds 20 who went on board the bark of Amun, girded with their weapons, causing that he becomes another priest."
Djedhor, son of Ankhhor, said: "My great lord! Amun the great God has appeared! May Pharaoh ask before him, saying, 'Is it good counsel that I cause my army of Egypt to arm against these shepherds, that they save Ankhhor from their hands?"
[6] Pharaoh asked the prophets of Amun: "Is it good counsel that I cause my army of Egypt to arm against these shepherds, that they save Ankhhor from their hands?"
Amun gave a lean, to indicate "No!"
Then he said, "My great God, l.p.h.! O Amun, great God! Is it good counsel that I bring a stand for you to rest upon, and that I set up a sail of byssos above you, that you stay here with us, until the things between us and the shepherds stop?"
Amun came forward in a violent movement, saying, "Cause that they bring it!" Pharaoh 10 caused that they bring the litter. Amun was rested upon it. They hoisted a sail of byssos above him. After these things, Pharaoh Petubastis pitched camp on the west side of Upper Egypt, opposite Thebes, while Amun, the great God, rested under a sail of byssos, while the army of Egypt was equipped with their weapons, while the thirteen shepherds were on board the bark of Amun, while Prince Ankhhor was bound by them in the belly of the bark of Amun, while there was no fear of Pharaoh or fear of the crown in their hearts.
Pharaoh raised 20 his face upwards. He looked at them upon the bark of Amun. Pharaoh said, "Pekrur, son of Petekhons! What is that which will happen with us concerning these shepherds aboard the bark of Amun, causing trouble and strife before Amun [7] for the sake of the prebend of the First Prophet which is in the possession of Ankhhor the prince? Come and say to the young priest, 'Come! Decorate yourself and don byssos, apply the amulets of gold and become the first prophet of Amun when he comes to Thebes.'"
Pekrur did not hesitate to go to the place across from the bark of Amun. He met with the shepherds. He said to them everything which Pharaoh had said to him. The young priest said to him: "Speak to Pharaoh as follows: 'Did you not say, Go to the quay and don byssos on your back? Cause that your hand be far from weapons of war! I will cause 10 that the army of Egypt turn against you! I want to give you that they certainly cast you into ruin(?). If Pharaoh wishes for me to have the prebend, cause that the band of byssos be brought along with the amulets of god to this place, to the bark of Amun. I will apply them. I will lay down my combat weapons to the ground and you will have brought to me the processional bark of Amun on board, so that I may grasp the rudder of the bark, with me taking Amun to Thebes, with me on the bark with him with the thirteen shepherds who are here with me, while we do not allow any one at all to come aboard with us."
Pekrur came to the place where Pharaoh was. 20 He informed him about the things which the young priest had told him. Pharaoh said, "By Amun! That which the young priest said, that 'I have captured Prince Ankhhor your child. Have the processional bark of Amun brought to me. Let me cause that they go up onboard with them both. Let me sail downstream to the north with them, that I might take them to Buto my city.' If it were silver, gold or other treasure that the young priest demanded of me, that I would have brought to him! [8] But I will not give him the processional bark of Amun to bring to his city Buto and it becomes far from Thebes . . . . . . [so that they] take the processional bark of Amun to another city and they and [they] cause that it be far [from Thebes.]"
Pharaoh ended his speech while General Wertepamunniut stood directly opposite. He said, "My great lord! As for the [amulets, send] me after them! As for the shepherds, I will make your heart glad with what will happen to them because of them. It is not because of the share of the prophet of Amun that they have come here. 10 They wish to make quarrels between themselves and Pharaoh."
Pharaoh greeted General Wertepamunniut. He dismissed him. He girded himself with his armour. He went to the position of the bark of Amun. He spoke in the direction of the ship's deck to the young priest, saying, "Do you not think of the bad things that have happened to you and your people, who have gone aboard the bark of Amun, girded with your armour, to make the bark of Amun another sanctuary? If you will come here because of the share of the prophet of Amun, come to the quay and take it! If you come here to fight, come to the quay! I want to satisfy you already!"
The young priest spoke to him: 20 "I know you, General Wertepamunniut! You are a person of the Delta land with us. Your name has reached us many times because of your many words which you speak. I will send one of the shepherds to the quay with you. Have a discussion with him!"
The young priest looked at one of the thirteen shepherds who were on board with him. He rose up. He girded himself with his armour. He came to the quay. [9] He faced General [Wertepamunniut] . . . . . . [like] that which a nurse does with [her] dumb [child.] He flew to General Wertepamunniut. [He] grasped [the inside] of his armour. He threw him to the ground. [He] brought himself [before him, while] he was surrounded, his arm {or sword} [being] on his limb(?). [He] bound [him.] He caused [that he go beneath his] foot. He brought him on board the bark of Amun. He [caused that he] go [into the] belly of the ship inside of which Ankhhor son of the king was. He had the [hatch] go [over him. He] put/caused ... the barge with his armour. He purified himself for the festival [with] his companions. They caused the beginning of a wine offering to proceed. They drank. They celebrated before 10 Amun, while Pharaoh looked at them, [while the] army of Egypt filled their eyes.
Pharaoh opened his mouth with a loud cry and said, "I sailed south, while the rhops-boat of prince Ankhhor sailed with the army of Egypt at the head of the fleet of Pharaoh, with a gold shield on the heart of the mast of his rhops-boat reading, 'I am the first shield of Egypt,' while the rhops-boat of Wertepamunniut sailed at the end of the fleet of Pharaoh, saying, 'I am the great steering rudder of Egypt.' Behold, a young shepherd has come south, he has captured the first shield of Egypt with the great steering rudder of Egypt. 20 He has shaken Egypt like a sinking ship that no skipper steers. He is stronger than these all. As for Amun, the great god, who is in the west of Upper Egypt opposite Thebes, he has not been allowed to be transported to Thebes!"
Djedhor, son of Ankhhor, said, "By your face, my great lord! If the army of Egypt does not arm against these shepherds and put them to an end in the way they are, they will wrest away Pharaoh's reign!"
[10] The [great one of the east] Pekrur answered [him:] "Is what you are doing frenzy? Or is i. . . to take revenge on the shepherds who captured Prince Ankhhor and General Wertepamunniut? The army will not be able to withstand any of them. Do you say, 'The army of Egypt may prepare against them!' so that the shepherds cause a great bloodbath among them? And further, Amun, the great god, is here with us. [It is] not [appropriate] that we do anything without Amun. Let Pharaoh ask before him! If he commands us to fight, we will fight. If it happens to be something different that Amun will command, we will 10 act accordingly."
Pharaoh spoke: "Good is this counsel, which comes from the Great of the East, Pekrur." Pharaoh commanded that Amun be made to appear. Pharaoh came before him. These are the prayers and supplications which he made , saying: "My great lord! O Amun, great god! Is it the beautiful command that I will cause the army of Egypt to arm against these shepherds, in order that they may fight with them?"
Amun gave a denial: "Do not!"
He said, "My great lord! O Amun, great god! Is it the beautiful command that I transfer the prebend of the share of prophet of Amun to the young priest? Will he be far from Prince Ankhhor and Wertepamunniut?"
Amun gave the denial, "It will not!"
Pharaoh said, "My great lord! O Amun, great god! These shepherds, will they take Egypt 20 out of my hand in this campaign in which they are?"
Amun gave the denial, "They will not!" He said, "My great lord! Will the shepherds have control over the superior office?"
Amun gave a denial, "They will not!"
He said, "My great lord! Will you grant me victory against the shepherds in order to cause that they abandon the bark of Amun?"
Amun came forward in a quick motion, "I will!"
Pharaoh spoke out loud the names of the leaders, the commanders, [11] [the] princes . . . [the] colonels of the soldiers, the generals of [the soldiers] . . . and the great men [of] Egypt [before] Amun, the great god. He did not agree with any [of] them. Amun did nod [to] Prince Petekhons and General Pami, [saying that] "it is [they] who [will] come south and drive out the shepherds [who are hindering] the bark of Amun, and who will come to the king's son Ankhhor's and the general Wertepamunniut's aid, and transport Amun to Thebes."
Pharaoh commanded that Amun receive the [offering gift]. Pharaoh took the Great of the East Pekrur in his hand. He narrated before him the interrogations that he had made before Amun.
The great one of the east Pekrur said, "If it pleases Pharaoh, may one send for the youths, that they come to the south! 10 Everything that Pharaoh will want, they will do."
Pharaoh spoke, "By Amun! If I send after them [to come south?], they will not come because of the insult I did to them when I was traveling south to Thebes without inviting them to the procession of Amun the Great God. My father, Great of the East Pekrur! It is up to you to send for them. If anyone else sends for them, they will not come south on my command."
The Great of the East Pekrur said: "The insults you do to the young ones are millions, one after another. You never think of the fighters until you desire them regarding your misfortune!"
Pharaoh spoke: "By Amun, the great God! It is not I who insult them: the evil intrigues of Djedhor, son of Ankhhor, have done this. It is he who caused me to leave them behind without 20 having brought them south with me, saying, 'They do not cause fighting and strife to be far from the army of Egypt.' As for the one who performs magic, it comes back on him. He who digs a bad pit falls into it! He who sharpens a sword, in his neck is it! Behold, the brothers of Djedhor, son of Ankhhor, are bound by the shepherds, without any fighter to find them. [12] But do not say a word against his other! Great of the East Pekrur, send for the youths! As follows: 'May they come to the south according to your greatness and your strength, [and may they be] under the army of Egypt on account of it.' "
The Great of the East spoke: "Have called for me Higa, son of Minnemmei, my letter writer!"
They ran. They came. They brought him right away. The Great of the East Pekrur said to him: "Make a letter! Let it be taken to Pisopde, to the place where Prince Petekhons is! This is its wording: 'The Great of the East, Pekrur, son of Petekhons, 10 the Father of the Bulls of Egypt, the Good Shepherd of the warriors, greets the prince Petekhons, his son, the Powerful Bull of Pisopde, the Lion of the East, the Wall of Copper that Isis gave me, the Great Iron Stake that the mistress of the two countries gave me, the Good Rudder of Egypt on which the heart of the army of Egypt is based. It would be good if you did it, my son Petekhons! If this letter reaches you, if you are eating, put the bread to the ground! If you are drinking, put aside the pitcher of drunkenness! Hasten, hasten, quick, quick! May they come on board with your brothers, 20 your eighty-six people of the east and your brother Paimi, son of Inaros, and his forty men from the Isle of Stars and his four priestly companions! Come to me in the south to Thebes, because some shepherds from Per-djuf, who are here in Thebes, are fighting daily with Pharaoh! They did not allow him to transport Amun to Thebes! [13] As for Amun, he rests [on the west side] of the land of Upper Egypt under a canopy of byssos! May the army of Egypt strike terror before the light of dawn and the dewfall! [Behold, Prince Ankhhor,] the child of Pharaoh [Petubastis], and the general [Wertepamunniut] are captives of the shepherds. They are aboard the bark of Amun. Come south! Make battle! May the army of Egypt know your fear and your terror!' The letter is concluded."
It was sealed with the seal of the Great of the East Pekrur. One put it into the hand of a courier. He hastened north by day and also by night. Within a few days, 10 he reached Pisopde. He immediately went to the place where Prince Petekhons was. He gave him the letter. He read it. He heard everything which was contained in it.
He raged like the sea, he roared like incense, saying: "The canal fish fisherman of a man from Tanis, the wrs-scrub fall-trap of a man from Dep, Petubastis, son of Ankhhor, whom I did not call king! He honours me only when he needs me because of his misfortune. When he begins to celebrate the feasts of his gods without war and strife against him, he never sends for me. I swear here in the name of Sopdu, the Great of the East, my god, as follows: had 20 the Great of the East, my father Pakrur, not written to me in this letter, 'Amun, the great god in the west of Upper Egypt, which is opposite Thebes, has not been transported to Thebes,' I would never fight for the children of Tahor, daughter of Patjenef. Besides, I do not want to become acquainted with Amun's abomination before me. My brothers and my eighty-six men of the east, [14] my eight priest colleagues, climb on board! Let them make their equipment after the south to Thebes! Get the 'shrew' of Sopdu, prebend-servant! Get yourself immediately to Heliopolis! Say to Pami, son of Inaros: 'Ready your equipment with your forty men from the Isle of Stars and with your four priestly comrades! My meeting place with you is your . . . in Pernebhetep. The ship has landed in Heliopolis.'"
The prebend boy did not delay to go to Heliopolis. He stood in the place of Pami. He told him everything which Petekhons had said. He acted according to them all. Petekhons made his equipment with his 56 men of the east and his eight priest comrades. 10 He climbed aboard. He took himself immediately to Pernebhetep. There he found Pami before him, as he was on his ship with his twenty men of Star Isle and his four priest colleagues. They sailed south to Thebes. Then Pharaoh Petubastis camped on the west side of the land of Upper Egypt which is opposite Thebes, while the army of Egypt was adorned with its weapons, while he daily walked by in the place above the bark of Amun, his eye "loosened" for the prince Petekhons and Pami, son of Inaros. An hour arrived when it happened. It was at a new ship of cedar sailing downstream that Pharaoh looked. It landed 20 at the quay of Amun of Thebes. A warrior hurried up to it, adorned with his weapons. He crossed over towards Petubastis to the west of Upper Egypt. He docked south of the ship of Pharaoh. The warrior came to the shore being armed with combat weapons from head to toe, like a bull equipped with horns. He hurried up to a place above the bark of Amun, without going to the place where Pharaoh was.
[15] He spoke [to the shepherds:] "O that Pshai give that they live! [Do you] know the iniquity in which you are walking on the bark of Amun, being girt in your armour and playing the role of another priest?"
The prophet of Horus of Pe said to him: "What [kind] of man are you, that you speak thus? Are you a man of Tanis, or are you a man of Mendes?"
The warrior said to him, "I was not born in the north, of which you speak. I am Minnemmei, son of Inaros, the prince of Elephantine, the overseer of Upper Egypt of Egypt."
The shepherd said to him: 10 "If it is that you are no man of the north, why should he summon you for the bark of Amun? Come aboard with us! Celebrate a good day with Amun! Whatever will happen [to us,] that should happen to you!"
Minnemmei said to him: "By Khnum [the great], the lord of Elephantine, my god! You cannot gauge the sacrilege you commit! Otherwise I could come on board and celebrate a good day with you. If there is a charge of violence which has been done by Pharaoh, it means that I should ensure that he makes it right for you. But clear the way for Amun! Let him be transported to Thebes! Do you not want to do it? I will cause you to do it under force as a thing you hate."
20 One of the 13 shepherds rose up saying: "I come to you, you Nubian, Kushite, resin-eaters of Elephantine-Man!"
He girded himself with his armour. He jumped onto the quay. He struck out. He fought with Minnemmei in front of the barge of Amun from the first hour of the morning until the 8th hour of the evening, [16] with Pharaoh [watching], with the army [of Egypt full] of eyes, while one struck the other with the art of war. One did not know how to overpower the other.
Pharaoh said to the Great of the East Pekrur and Djedhor son of Ankhhor: "By Amun! The foot of this fighter is firm in the battlefield. But I do not recognise him as one of those who are obliged to defend us."
The 10th hour of the evening came. The shepherd spoke to Minnemmei: "All of today have we made our battle. Let us end the strife and fighting between us! Let us make a truce between us both! As for whoever does not come here tomorrow, making a punishment for it is 10 what which he makes!"
Minnemmei heard the [words] which he spoke. They set a truce between each other. They withdrew from the battlefield. The shepherd then left aboard the bark [of Amun. Afterwards,] Minnemmei went aboard his ship.
Pharaoh came to meet him with the Great of the East Pekrur and Djedhor, son of Ankhhor. They said to him: "Who is this man who goes to the battlefield and then he returns again? And does not he go to the place where Pharaoh is, to receive the reward for his fighting?"
The kalasiris returned to the place where the Pharaoh was. He took off his helmet from his head. He bowed to the ground. He threw himself to the ground. He filled his mouth with dust of the earth. Pharaoh became 20 aware of him: he recognised him! Pharaoh went to the place where he was. He spread out his arms. He opened his mouth in his mouth. He hopped around for hours like a man greeting his beloved.
Pharaoh spoke to him: "Hail to you, hail to you, Minnemmei, son of Inaros, chief of the south of Egypt! That was what I have always requested before Amun, the great God: to see you again, without there being any harm to good destiny and well-being. By Amun, the great god! [17] Since I saw you on the battlefield, I say it: no [warrior?] will fight for me except a bull, son of a bull, and a lion, son of a lion."
Pekrur son of Petekhons and Djedhor son of Ankhhor and the leaders of Egypt took him by the hand and honoured him. Pharaoh 'gave face with him' under the canopy of his tent. Then Minnemmei went on board his ship. Pharaoh caused incense and gifts to be offered in large quantities to him. The leaders of Egypt brought him all kinds of gifts.
10 Minnemmei spent a further three days of combat, a total of four days of battle on the battlefield, going out and fighting with the shepherds and ending up safe, it being impossible to take anything on earth from him, all the while the army of Egypt speaking to each other: "There is no warrior family in Egypt like the family of Osiris King Inaros! Behold, Prince Ankhhor and the general Wertepamunniut were not able to last a single day of battle against 20 the shepherds! Behold: four days long Minnemmei went to the battlefield daily. They could not take a thing from the world from him!"
When all this happened, Petekhons and Pami arrived in Upper Egypt. They gave landing places to their rms-boats south of the ship of Pharaoh. They jumped to the quay, girding their armour. [18] It was reported to the [Pharaoh and the Great of the East] . . .
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