| The following inscription was written all over a so-called naophoros-statue,
i.e., a statue representing a man carrying ("phoros") a small shrine
("naos") with an image of a god. In this case, the god can be identified
with Osiris, the ruler of the Underworld; the text commemorates all pious
acts of the carrier, the Egyptian courtier Uzahor-Resenet. The statue,
which is about 70 centimeters high, was brought to Italy by the Roman emperor
Hadrian (r. 117-138), who kept it in his villa at Tivoli. Currently, it
is displayed in the Vatican Egyptian Museum.
Uzahor-Resenet
was not only the pharaoh's personal physician, but was also responsible
for the pharaoh's navy. In 526 BCE, king Amasis died and was succeeded
by his son Psammetichus III. During the transitional period, the Persian
king Cambyses
attacked Egypt and defeated his unprepared enemies at Pelusium. (Nothing
is known about naval operations; maybe the Egyptian admiral defected to
the Persians.) When Cambyses had taken the Egyptian capital Memphis, he
was recognized as the new pharaoh. Uzahor-Resenet was reinstated in almost
all his former functions and helped Cambyses behave like a true Egyptian
king. For example, he persuaded Cambyses to send the Persian garrison in
the holy city of Sais to another camp, making sure that the ancient sanctuary
of Neit, the mother of the supreme god Re, and the shrine of Osiris were
purified.
Cambyses left Egypt in the spring of 522, taking Uzahor-Resenet with
him as his physician. Unfortunately, the king had an accident on his way
back, and his doctor was unable to cure him. After Cambyses' death and
a violent civil war (click here
for the story), Darius
became king. The new ruler allowed Uzahor-Resenet to return home and ordered
him to supervise the medical schools -the so-called "houses of life"- that
had been destroyed (by Cambyses?). Since the text does not mention Darius'
visit to Egypt in 519/518, it is likely that Uzahor-Resenet died soon after
his return.

-
Offering by the king to [the god] Osiris-Hemag: thousands of bread
and beer, beef and birds and all other things good and pure, for the
ka
of a man honored with the gods of the province of Sais, the chief physician
Uzahor-Resenet.
-
Offering by the king to Osiris, who lives in Khet-Bjet: a funeral offering
of bread and beer, beef and birds, alabaster vases and garments, incense
and perfumes and all other good things, for the ka of a man honored by
the gods of the province of Sais, the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet.
-
Oh Osiris, Lord of Eternity! The chief physician
-
Uzahor-Resenet keeps you in his arms to
-
protect you. May your ka order that people do all kinds of useful things
to him
-
because he stands guard behind your eternal shrine.
-
This man honored with the great [goddess] Neit, the mother of the
god [Re], and with the gods of Sais, the prince, the royal chancellor,
the unique companion,
-
the one truly known and loved by the king, the scribe, the inspector of
the scribes of the dedet-court, the first among the great scribes
of the prison, the director of the palace,
-
the admiral of the royal navy of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Khnemibre
[Amasis],
the admiral of the royal navy of the king of Upper and Lower Egypt,
-
Ankhkaenre [Psammetichus III], Uzahor-Resenet, son of the director
of the castles, khrjep-priest, renep-priest, khepetwedet-priest,
prophet of Neit, who is the head of the province of Sais Peftuôneit,
-
says: "The great king of all foreign countries Cambyses
came to Egypt, taking the foreigners of every foreign country with him.
When he taken possession of the entire country
-
they settled down here and he was made great sovereign of Egypt and great
king of all foreign countries. His Majesty appointed me his chief physician
-
and caused me to stay with him in my quality of companion and director
of the palace, and ordered me to compose his titulary, his name as king
of Upper and Lower Egypt, Re-Mesuti [born of Re]. And I made sure
that His Majesty knew of the greatness of Sais,
-
which is the seat of the great Neit, the mother who brought forth Re, and
who unveiled birth when birth did not exist. [And I made sure that His
Majesty knew] the significance of the temple of Neit, which is the
sky in all its dispositions, and knew the greatness of the castles of the
Red Crown
-
and all the gods and goddesses who live there, and knew significance of
the greatness of Khet-Bjet, which is the dwelling of the sovereign, the
lord of heaven [Osiris], and knew the greatness of the Resenet and
the Mekhnet, of the dwelling of Re and the dwelling of Atum, which are
the mysteries of all gods."
-
The man honored with his town's god [Osiris] and all other gods,
the prince, the royal chancellor, the unique companion, the one truly known
and loved by the king,
-
the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet, son of Atemirtis, says: "I made a petition
-
to His Majesty the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Cambyses concerning the
many foreigners billeted on the temple of Neit
-
that they should be driven thence, so that the temple of Neit was restored
to its former greatness. And His Majesty ordered that all the foreigners
-
who were living in the premises of Neit should be driven out, that all
their houses and all their garbage should be thrown out of the temple,
and that
-
all their baggage should be carried away from its premises, His Majesty
ordered the purification of the temple of Neit and its restoration to the
people
-
[lacuna] and the schedule of the priests. His Majesty ordered to
restitute the revenues of the wakf-estate to the great Neit, the
mother of the god, and to the gods of Sais. His Majesty ordered
-
to conduct all their festivities and all their processions as they had
always been. His Majesty ordered these things because I had informed him
about the greatness of Sais, which is the town where all gods have placed
their eternal thrones."
-
The man honored with the gods of Sais,
-
the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet, says: "The king of Upper and Lower
Egypt Cambyses came to Sass. His Majesty came to the temple of Neit in
person. Like all kings before, he prostrated himself before Her Majesty
[Neit].
Like all good kings, he made a large sacrifice
-
of all good things to the great Neit, mother of the god, and to all great
gods of Sais. His Majesty did this because I had informed His Majesty about
the greatness of Her Majesty,
-
who is the mother of Re himself."
-
The man honored with Osiris-Hemag,
-
the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet, says: "His Majesty did all useful things
in the temple of Neit. Like all kings before him, he established libations
to the lord of eternity in the interior of the temple of Neit.
-
His Majesty did this because I had informed His Majesty about all useful
things which had been done in the temple by all kings because of the greatness
of this temple, which is the eternal dwelling of all gods."
-
The man honored with the gods of the province Sais, the chief physician
Uzahor-Resenet, says: "I restored the revenues of the wakf-estate
of the great Neit, the mother of the god,
-
for eternity, as per His Majesty's orders. I established [new and]
pious funds for Neit, the mistress of Sais, like a servant
-
excelling his master does. I am the benefactor of my city: I have saved
its inhabitants from the very large troubles
-
which had come over the whole country and which had not yet existed before
in this country. I defended the meek
-
against the powerful; I saved those who were afraid after an accident had
happened to them; I gave them all useful things
-
when they were unable to take care of themselves.
-
The man honored with his town's god, the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet,
says: "I am honored by my father, praised by my mother,
-
trusted by my brothers. As per His Majesty's orders, I established them
in the function of prophet and gave them a fief
-
for eternity. I made a fine tomb for those who had no tomb. I nourished
all their children. I made their houses strong. I did
-
all useful things for them, like a father does for his children, when trouble
came over
-
this province, when very large troubles came
-
over the country as a whole."
-
The prince, the royal chancellor, the unique companion, the prophet of
the one who lives with them, the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet, son of
Atemirtis, says: "His Majesty the king of Upper and Lower Egypt Darius
(may he live forever!) sent me back to Egypt, while His Majesty was in
Elam, having become great king of all foreign countries and great sovereign
of Egypt, ordering me to restore the Houses of Life
-
and the [lacuna] after they had been ruined. The foreigners carried
me from country to country until we reached Egypt, as per orders of the
lord of both countries [Upper and Lower Egypt]. I did what His Majesty
had ordered. I provided the [Houses of Life] with students, all
sons of fine people; there were no sons of common men. I placed them
under the direction of all teachers
-
[lacuna] all their works. His Majesty ordered to provide them with
all necessary means to make sure they could do their work.
[Consequently],
I gave them all they needed and all the scribes' accessories, as it had
always been. His Majesty did this, because he knew how useful this art
can be to survive illness and to ensure that the names of the gods, their
temples, the revenues of their wakf-estates and their rituals are
remembered for eternity."
-
The chief physician Uzahor-Resenet, says: "I was honored by all my masters
for all my life. They gave me golden ornaments and all kinds of useful
things".
-
The man who was honored with Neit, says: "Oh great gods of Sais,
-
remember all merituous actions done by the chief physician Uzahor-Resenet.
Ensure that all kinds of useful things are done for him and ensure that
his good reputation will remain unshattered in this country for ever."
|