Father Ra in Het-benben.
He paid adoration to the two Boats of Ra. (Matet and Sektet), and then
closed the doors of the shrine and sealed them with his own seal."
Piankhi returned to the west bank of the Nile, and pitched his camp at
Kaheni, whither came a number of princes to tender their submission and
offer gifts to him. After a time it was reported to Piankhi that
Tafnekht, the head of the rebellion, had laid waste his town, burnt his
treasury and his boats, and had entrenched himself at Mest with the
remainder of his army. Thereupon Piankhi sent troops to Mest, and they
slew all its inhabitants. Then Tafnekht sent an envoy to Piankhi asking
for peace, and he said, "Be at peace [with me]. I have not seen thy face
during the days of shame. I cannot resist thy fire, the terror of thee
hath conquered me. Behold, thou art Nubti,[1] the Governor of the South,
and Menth,[2] the Bull with strong arms. Thou didst not find thy servant
in any town towards which thou hast turned thy face. I went as far as
the swamps of the Great Green (_i.e._ the Mediterranean), because I was
afraid of thy Souls, and because thy word is a fire that worketh evil
for me. Is not the heart of Thy Majesty cooled by reason of what thou
hast done unto me? Behold, I am indeed a most wretched man. Punish me
not according to my abominable deeds, weigh them not in a balance as
against weights; thy punishment of me is already threefold. Leave the
seed, and thou shalt find it again in due season. Dig not up the young
root which is about to put forth shoots. Thy Ka and the terror of thee
are in my body, and the fear of thee is in my bones. I have not sat in
the house of drinking beer, and no one hath brought to me the harp. I
have only eaten the bread which hunger demanded, and I have only drunk
the water needed [to slake] my thirst. From the day in which thou didst
hear my name misery hath been in my bones, and my head hath lost its
hair. My apparel shall be rags until Neith[3] is at peace with me. Thou
hast brought on me the full weight of misery; O turn thou thy face
towards me, for, behold, this year hath separated my Ka from me. Purge
thy servant of his rebellion. Let my goods be received into thy
treasury, gold, precious stones of all kinds, and the finest of my
horses, and let these be my indemnity to thee for everything. I beseech
thee to send an envoy to me quickly, so that he may make an end of the
fear that is in my heart. Verily I will go into the