ys. The neck of the departed is the goddess,
his hands are divine spirits, his fingers the heavenly serpents, sons
of the goddess Setkit. His sides are the two feathers of Amon, his back
the backbone of Sib, his belly is the good Nue." [Maspero]

Another priest spoke,

"A mouth was given me for speaking, feet for walking, hands to overturn
my enemies. I rise from the dead, I exist, I open heaven; I do what has
been commanded me in Memphis." [Authentic]

Meanwhile on the neck of the departed they hung a scarab made of a
precious stone, on which was this inscription: "O my heart, heart which
I received from my mother, which I had when I was on earth, O heart do
not rise against me and do not give evil witness in the day of
judgment." [Authentic]

Next priests wound around each arm and foot, each finger and toe of the
dead, strips on which were written prayers and spells. Those strips
they fastened with gum and balsam. On the breast and on the neck they
placed complete manuscripts of the Book of the Dead with the following
meditations which the priests read aloud over the body,

"I am he before whom no god puts an obstacle.

"Who is that?

"He is Turn on his shield, he is Ra on his shield, which rises in the
east of heaven.

"I am Yesterday and I know Tomorrow.

"Who is he?

"Yesterday is Osiris, Tomorrow is Ra on the day when he annihilates the
enemies of the Lord who is above all and when he consecrates his son
Horus. In other words, in the day when his father Ra meets the coffin
of Osiris. He conquers the gods at command of Osiris, the lord of the
mountain Amenti.

"What is that?

"Amenti is a creation of the soul of the gods, at command of Osiris,
the lord of the mountain.

"In other words, Amenti is that impulse roused by Ra. Every god who
arrives there carries on a battle. I know the great god who dwells
there.

"I am from my country, I come from my city, I destroy evil, I set aside
that which is not good, I remove uncleanness from myself, I betake
myself to the country of dwellers in heaven, I enter through the mighty
gate.

"O ye comrades, give me a hand, for I shall be one of you." ["Book of
the Dead."]

When every member of the departed was covered with prayer bandages, and
furnished with amulets, when he had a sufficient supply of meditations
to find the way in the region of the gods, it was proper to think of a
document which would open the gate of that region. For between the tomb
and h