Ancient Egyptian Literature, Part VIII

Coptic Culture

by Ed Rizkalla

The study of ancient Egyptian literature helps shed light on several Coptic cultural attributes, norms and values. In prior articles, the writer discussed some of these Coptic cultural attributes in light of examples of ancient Egyptian literary creations dating to the Old and Middle Kingdoms, e.g. the tales of King Cheops and the Magicians, Sinuhe, and the Eloquent Peasant. Furthermore the writer noted several recurring themes in ancient Egyptian literature such as the love of the Black Land of Egypt, “Chimie”, Cosmic “Order” and the lack of thereof or “Chaos”, and Justice or “Maat”.

In this article, with the grace of Christ the Lord, the writer will explore one of the defining cultural attributes of the Copts, the respect for education, knowledge, and love of wisdom, using an example of an ancient Egyptian literary creation dating to the New Kingdom Ramesside era, and another literary theme, namely “Immortality”. Students and scholars of the ancient Egyptian civilization are cognizant of the energy, treasure and efforts of the ancient Egyptians to gain immortality through the mummification of the dead, and the construction of great monuments such as the pyramids, tombs, and temples, however the ancient Egyptian sage and author of “The Immortality of Writers” (1) advises his students to seek knowledge, and praises “the written words” as a means of gaining the much sought after life and quest for immortality.

This literary creation, “The Immortality of Writers”, has been preserved among the papyrus collection of Chester Beatty IV, or papyrus P. British Museum 10684. The papyrus contains a group of school texts, which were used to educate the youngsters of the time. The ancient Egyptian teacher motivated the youngsters to learn, seek, and excel in knowledge as writing could preserve their names in the minds of future generations and thus impart immortality upon them. The ancient Egyptian author used a literary style in between poetry and prose, called “symmetrical” or “orational” style. The following are excerpts from “The Immortality of Writers”:

“If you but do this, you are versed in writings.

As to those learned scribes,

Of the time that came after the gods,

They who foretold the future,

Their names have become everlasting.

While they departed, having finished their lives,

And all their kin forgotten.

They did not make for themselves tombs of copper,

With stelae of metal from heaven.

They knew not how to leave heirs,

Childern [of theirs] to pronounce their names;

They made heirs for themselves of books,

Of Instructions they had composed.

They gave themselves [the scroll as a lector]-priest,

The writing-board as a loving-son.

Instructions are their tombs,

The reed pen is their child,

The stone-surface their wife.

People great and small

Are given them as children,

For the scribe, he is their leader.

…

Be a scribe, take it to heart,

Then your name become as theirs.

Better a book than a graven stela.

Than a solid tomb-enclosure.

They act as chapels and tombs

In the heart of him who speaks their name;

Surely useful in the graveyard

Is a name in people’s mouth!”

It is perhaps note worthy that “immortality through the written words” proved to be a popular theme among future Western Civilization authors. Several writers used the theme to express humanity’s yearning for immortality, e.g. William Shakespeare. In the 16^th century A.D. classical literary creations of Greece and Rome were well known and appreciated in Europe; however nothing was known as yet about ancient Egyptian literature or its themes. In sonnet 18, Shakespeare uses the immortality theme as he expresses affection to a lovely lady. He notes that though she would age and perish, her memory will live on in his poem.

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

…

And every fair from fair sometimes declines,

…

Nor shall Death brag thou wand’rest in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st;

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”

The above example of ancient Egyptian literature helps shed light on the Coptic cultural attribute to respect education, knowledge and love wisdom. It also illustrates that ancient Egyptian literature, though was unknown until rediscovered by scholars in the 19^th century, along with the literary heritage of Greece and Rome, helped initiate some humane and common interest themes, as can be seen among later on literary creations of writers in the Western Civilization.

The peace of the Lord be with you all. Irene Passe.

References:

(1) Ancient Egyptian Literature, volume II “The New Kingdom”, by Miriam Lichtheim, University of California Press, Los Angeles, CA, 2006.

Acknowledgement: The writer would like to acknowledge and thank the staff of the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, for their assistance with research for background material for this article.

Ed Rizkalla is a management consultant and a freelance writer. He is the founder of Pharos on the Potomac Group (POPG), a non-profit organization at Annandale, VA. http://mysite.verizon.net/vzes76jv/pharosonthepotomacgroup

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