Proceedings of the Society of Biblical Archaeology

Mayi] PROCEEDINGS. [1894.

as one of you. Let me come forthby day, andwalkuponmy own

legs. Let me have the feet of the Glorified.

I know the mysterious pathsandthe gates of Aarru fromwhence

I come. Heream I, and I come that I may overthrow mine

adversariesuponearth,thoughmy dead bodybe buried.

If this chapter be known he will re-enter aftercomingforthby day.

Note.

r. The Swallow^^w"^fe=»- Theobjectionto this meaning

is that the bird in question waseaten; and that dovesor pigeons

would be less meagTe foodthan the Swallow, and thereforemore

probablyintended in the Egyptian texts. But Swallows are still

eaten at Rome, where like Give Newcomewe may be regaled

not only with " wild swansand ducks" but with " robins, owls,

and olwvoiatre iruat for dinner." And Willughby,the naturalist,

founda large quantityof swallows beingsoldfor food at Valenciain

Spain.

Theflat head, the short legs,and the tail of the bird are charac

teristicnot of the pigeon but of the swallow, andon many pictures

(e.g.pi. xxi, vignette fromLeydenpapyrus)we are reminded of the

song—

'HXtf1y\0ex«*<£u,K....

eVi"/aoTepa XcvKa

eVJ vSnafieXaiva.

It is not quite plainwhythe name of Scorpion shouldbe given

to the bird, but the name ft <— ^a ** of the insect in itself implies

nothingmorethanthe characteristic whitenessof colour.

2. Touched withmy two hands the Heart of Osiris.
   A \ „_^ is the origin of the Coptic (fop, ' touch.' The
   wordHearthas dropped out of the later texts(e.g.,the Turin copy),
   but in the older papyriit is found in the form of (1 1 or ^.

CHAPTERLXXXVII.

Chapterwherebyone assumeth the formof Se-ta.

I am Seta —full of years.

I lay myself down[in death], and I am born daily.

183