The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia

132 The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia

and render unto thee royal homage.
Stable are thy decrees for Egypt
before thy servants of the north.
He dries the tears from all eyes,
and guards the increase of his good things....
Establisher of justice, mankind desires thee,
supplicating thee to answer their prayers;
thou answerest them by the inundation!
Men offer thee the first-fruits of corn;
all the gods adore thee!...
A festal song is raised for thee on the harp,
with the accompaniment of the hand.
Thy young men and thy children acclaim thee,
and prepare their exercises.
Thou art the august ornament of the earth,
letting thy bark advance before men,
lifting up the heart of women in labour,
and loving the multitude of the flocks.
When thou shinest in the royal city,
the rich man is sated with good things,
even the poor man disdains the lotus;
all that is produced is of the choicest;
all plants exist for thy children.
If thou refusest nourishment,
[143] the dwelling is silent, devoid of all that is good,
the country falls exhausted ...
O Nile, come (and) prosper!
O thou that makest men to live through his flocks,
and his flocks through his orchards!”^113

The supremacy of Memphis was replaced by that of Thebes,

and under the Theban dynasties, accordingly, Amon, the god

(^113) “Hymn to the Nile,”translated by P. Guieysse,Records of the Past, new
series, iii. p. 46 sqq. The hymn was composed by Anna or Annana in the time
of MeneptahII.{FNS