This source is from "Voices in Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Middle Egyptian Writings", translator and editor R. B. Parkinson. The British Museum Press: 1991. The italics are Parkinson's introduction of the tale, and this text is found on pages 54, 55, and 56 of the book.
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11. The king in folklore: the 'Tale of King Neferkare and General Sasenet'
The tale is known from three very fragmentary manuscripts, spanning a period of some 650 years: a writing board from the late 18th Dynasty, a Theban papyrus from the 25th Dynasty, and a 20th-Dynasty ostracon from the village of Deir el-Medineh. Clearly, the popularity of the tale was extensive. Internal details, together with linguistic features in these late copies, suggest that the original may have been composed at the end of the Middle Kingdom. In style it is similar to the well-known 'Tales from the Court of King Khufu' in Papyrus Westcar, which dates to the Second Intermediate Period, and both compositions exemplify an apparently more 'popular' form of literature than most Middle Kingdom narratives. Like Papyrus Westcar and 8, this tale reflects the period's interest in Old Kingdom royalty.
As with so many Egyptian sources, these copies are insufficient for a full reconstruction of the original. In the opening fragment the scene is set in the reign of a king Neferkare, perhaps Pepy II (2246-2152 BC). Iti the patrician was perhaps described as helping, or at least knowing of, the king's desire for his general. In the second fragment a man from Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom, seems to be trying to denounce the general (and presumably the king) before various members of the court, who ignore him. Whenever he tries, his petition is cunningly drowned by court musicians. In fragment 3 a man of rank called Tjeti appears; he has probably been informed of the affair by the pleader in the intervening lost section. He follows the king on one of his amourous visits, and confirms the report of the affair; he is the first recorded amateur detective. The ending is difficult to imagine. The king's behaviour is not presented favourably, and other sources show that homosexuality was viewed as an aberration from the ideal standard of family life, similar to adultery. The tale may well have ended with the king abandoning his affair and being forced into more decorous behaviour.
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((pg 55))
(Fragment 1)
It happened that the Person of the Dual King: Neferkare;
Son of Re: [Pepy], true of voice,
was beneficent king in this entire land.
Now, the Patrician and [Count, the ...] of his Person,
the [....] called Iti
[..... knew of (?)] the love [of the king]
[for] General Sasenet,
in whose [entire house] there was no wife.
General Sasenet went out,
to take a walk for pleasure
[........................]
[.............. King] Teti,[1] {as} true of voice [........]
(Fragment 2)
[......] General Sasenet.
And he discussed [...... the love(?) of]
[The Person of the Dual King:] Neferkare.
General Sasenet went out
[.............. with(?)]
the Great [...] of the King, the Overseer of [...]
the High Steward, the Overseer of the Chamber,
the [....], the [......],
the Royal Scribe, the Journeyman of the Scribe of Royal Documents,
the Overseer of Fields, the [...], the [....],
the courtiers of the Residence
and the council of Memphis,
without [listening to the Pleader of Memphis].
Now the Pleader of Memphis,
arrived at the [...],
but he was [prevented(?)] by the singers' songs, the musicians' music,
the acclaimers' acclamations and the whistlers' whistling,
until the Pleader of Memphis went out [from there];
(then) they stopped, [having not listened to him].
If the Pleader of Memphis came
to speak before the Overseer of the Court,
he made the singers sing, the musicians make music,
the acclaimers acclaim, and the whistlers whistle,
until the Pleader of Memphis left without them hearing;
(then) they stopped booing him.
The Pleader of Memphis left,
1. The most probable restoration is that Sasenet is described as walking past a funerary monument or estate of the earlier King Teti (2323-2291 BC) in the region of Memphis. |