The Bentrech Stele

The Bentrech Stele

Notation: An interesting text where the Hittite king, and father of one of Ramesses II's wifes, asks Ramesses to send an Egyptian doctor to cure his youngest daughter.

His Majesty commanded that Khonsu who rules destinies in Thebes should be sent on a great bark escorted by five smaller boats, by chariots, and many horses marching on the right and on the left. When this god arrived at Bakhtan, in the space of a year and five months, behold the prince of Bakhtan came with his soldiers and his generals before Khonsu who rules destinies, and threw himself on his belly, saying, "Thou comest to us, thou dost join with us, according to the orders of the king of the Two Egypts, Uasimariya-Satapanriya (Ramesses II)." Behold as soon as the god had gone to the place where Bintrashit was, and had made the magic passes for the daughter of the prince of Bakhtan, she became well immediately, and the spirit who was with her said in presence of Khonsu who rules destinies in Thebes, "Come in peace, great god who drives away foreigners, Bakhran is thy town, its people are thy slaves, and I myself, I am thy salve. I will go therefore, to the place from whence I cam, in order to give satisfaction to thy heart on account of the matter which brings thee, but let Thy Majesty command that a feast day be celebrated fore me and for the prince of Bakhtan." The god made an approving nod of his head to his prophet, to say, "Let the prince of Bakhtan make a great offering before this ghost." Now while this was happening between Khonsu, who rules destinies in Thebes, and the spirit, the prince of Bakhtan was there with his army stricken with terror. And when they had made a great offering before Khonsu who rules destinies in Thebes, and before the ghost, from the prince of Bakhtan, while celebrating a feast day in their honor, the spirit departed in peace whithersoever it pleased him, according to the command of Khonsu who rules destinies in Thebes.

The prince of Bakhtan rejoiced greatly, as well as all the people of Bakhtan, and he communed with his heart, saying, "Since this god has been given to Bakhtan, I will not send him back to Egypt."

Originally translated by Gaston Maspero.