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Commentary on WENI, AEL PAGE 1
LINES 0-8
This discusses AEL page 1 . Transliteration is here.
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 LINE 0   [next | prev | top]
 
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HAt.i-a im.i-rA Sma.w im.i iz.t
zA.w nxn Hr.i-tp nxb smr wa.t.i
imAx.w xr Asiri xnt.i-imn.t.i.w wni (wr)
 
[M. Wilson, 2/2/98; AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
Mayor, Overseer of upper Egypt, Resident of the Palace, Guardian of Nekheb, Chief, Primary Confidant of the King, Revered One under Osiris, Foremost of the Westerners, Weni (the elder),
* With so many nouns around, it's difficult to know how to string them together into good english!
[G.Graham, 4/2/98; Re: AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
This is a typical list of titles for the Old Kingdom. Weni talks about his titles frequently.
 1. HAt.i-a  5.  Hr.i-tp nxb
 2.  im.i-rA Sma.w  6. smr wa.t.i
 3. im.i iz.t  7. imAx.w xr Asiri xnt.i-imn.t.i.w
 4. zA.w nxn  8. wni (wr)
HAt.i-a (notice that what is in Middle Egyptian /y/ is represented in Old Egyptian only by /j/. The /y/ did not come into use until the First Intermediate Period) "first one of custom" literally, and sometimes translated "Mayor", "Count", "President". It often refers to a nomarch. [ed., ie. governor of an egyptian nome (or province)] [more detail]
 
im.i-rA Sma.w "what is in the mouth of the narrow land" literally. jm.y-rA is usually translated as "overseer". Sma.w "narrow land", means the Nile Valley, and of course is Upper Egypt. So the title means "Overseer of Upper Egypt". * note the typog. error in Faulkner on page 266. His entry has SmAw, when it should read Smaw. [more detail]
 
im.i iz.t "who is within the Palace". This means, a palace insider, as opposed to a palace outsider. [more detail]
 
zA.w nxn "guardian of Hierakonpolis": this is a very ancient title and is held only by the highest of officials. Hierakonpolis was the tutelary capital of Upper Egypt, and represents the southernmost limit of the original Egypt, while Aswan and other locations were annexed as provinces early on. Mosly Viziers had this title, and there is some debate as to whether Weni ever held the vizieral office, because he ended up performing some of its most important functions before he died, and his son was made Vizier after him. [more detail]
 
Hr.i-tp nxb "Chief of Eileithyaspolis" or Chief of Nekheb, the city accross the river from Hierakonpolis (Falcon City, the city of Horus of the South) wherein dwelled the buzzard goddess, Nekhbet, tutelary goddess of the white crown of Upper Egypt. So, Guardian of Hierakopolis and Chief of Eileithyaspolis go together as a pair, and indicate his prime role in the administration of Upper Egypt on behalf of the king. [more detail]
 
smr wa.t.i "Unique Companion". This means that Weni was one of the chosen confidants of the king. Most high officials claim this title, but later it becomes so general that much of its force was lost. [more detail]
 
imAx.w xr Asiri xnt.i-imn.t.i.w "worthy one under Osiris-Khentamenthes". Most funerary inscriptions contain a phrase like this, indicating that the owner of the tomb is venerable and accepted into the kingdom of the mortuary deity. Khentamenthes is the specific mortuary god of the necropolis of Abydos where this stela was placed in Weni's tomb chapel. The name is an epithet meaning "Formost of the Westerners".
 
wni (wr) "Weni the elder" = the man's name. So, what we see at the beginning of most mortuary inscriptions is a list of titles ending with the name of the deceased, and then....

[G.Kadish, 5/2/98; Re: AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
smr waty: Since any number of individials held this rank indicator at any given time, 'sole' [or 'unique'] seems just a tad odd. Might I suggest something like 'Privy Companion' [or Geoff's, 'private confidant']. Rank indicators like this and rx nswt seem to say something about closer bureaucratic/social proximity to the king.
smr waty ... betokens an enhanced accessibility to the royal presence, at least by implication, if not always in fact. Perhaps 'private companion'.
 
[G.Graham, 5/2/98; AEL smr w`.t.j and more Weni] [response to G.Kadish]
I think you are quite right. The designation, "sole/unique/solitary", although prevalent in Egyptological literatute, is misleading, because, as you have pointed out, there were too many of these people for them to be truly unique or solitary. "Privy" is a bit of a stretch, but there must be some term which will make sense. It is not that these people were entirely alone in their station, but they were a select group. Could "select" or "elect" work here? On the other hand, more than one person can be "unique" without being the only ones who were companions/cohorts. "Unique" can mean "irreplaceable" and "invaluable" too, can it not? ... at least in its more positive connotations.
Maybe the emphasis in the title is that these people were considered unique individuals who had a personal identity with the king rather than being relegated to facelessness. I, therefore, understand well your liking for "privy", although this word has connotations of keeping secrets, whereas, we don't know if these people were involved necessarily always in security issues. What about "personal companion"? This would indicate the personhood which these people had in the royal court, and not any sense of intrigue. Perhaps even "individual companion"?
 
 LINE 1   [next | prev | top]
Dd=f
ink iAd TAz mDH
xr Hm n.i tti
iA.t(=i) m im.i-rA prw-Sna.w
iri.n(=i) s-HD xnt.i.w-Si prw-aAi //////////////////////////
 
[M. Wilson, 2/2/98; AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
1a. Dd=f: ink iAd TAz mDH xr Hm n.i tti
says: As a boy I tied the head-band under the majesty of (king) Teta.
1b. iA.t(=i) [1] m im.i-rA prw-Sna.w iri.n(=i) s-HD xnt.i.w-Si prw-aAi /////////
My position (was) as overseer of the storehouse. I commanded the palace personnel.
 
[G.Graham, 4/2/98; Re: AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
1a. Dd=f: "He says". The form is probably a circumstantial sDm=f, and it comes after its subject which is the man and his string of titles. This means that this person, named with all these titles generally says the following to those who enter his chapel, and he does so with his inscription, which will follow.
 
[Rymaszewska Grazyna, 18/3/98; Re: AEL Re: Weni]
At the end of line 1 there are signs which I do not understand: W17(xnt)+X1(t)+O39(S)+N25(HAst)+A1/////
I only found in Faulkner: xnt-S = garden. Maybe s-HD xnt-S means: an inspector of a mountain's garden ?
[Andre Renouf, 18/3/98; Re: AEL Re: Weni]
This probably refers to the "estates" of the pharaoh.
 
 LINE 2   [next | prev | top]
///// smsw n.i DbA.t
xr Hm n.i pipi
rDi wi Hm=f m iA.t n.i.t smr s-HD Hmw.w-nTr n.i.w ni.t=f
sT iA.t(=i) (m) //////
 
[M. Wilson, 2/2/98; AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
///// smsw n.i DbA.t xr Hm n.i pipi
Eldest of the robing room under the majesty of (king) Pepi.
rDi wi Hm=f m iA.t n.i.t smr s-HD Hmw.w-nTr n.i.w ni.t=f
His majesty appointed me in the position of confidant of the hm-netjer priest of his necropolis.
sT iA.t(=i) (m) ///////
Now, the position of ////////
[Hans van Haarst , 5/2/98; Re: AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
I agree with your translation. [In the5th line of Line 1 above], according to the Standard Theory the verb form iri.n(=i) must be the substantival sDm.n=f because there is a vedette present : xr Hm n ppi. The verb form rDi (3rd line of Line 2 above) is an indicative sDm=f. Translation : It was under the majesty of Pepi, that I held the position ... Then follows : His majesty appointed me etc.
[G.Graham, 5/2/98; Re: AEL Weni p1, 0-2]
... the issue is concerning how one actually translates a sDm.n=f. This is a past form of the verb in Egyptian which has only two possible forms:circumstantial (meaning that it is a dependent clause form with connotations of previous completion) or nominal/second tense (meaning that it is diminished in strength in order to emphasize a prepositional phrase contained in the sentence).
... referring to the prepositional phrase of xr Hm n.j pjpj (under the Majesty of Pepi)? ...what lies in the [previous] lacuna could be other titles all leading up to the emphasis of THIS phrase.
Then you could see the sentence as:
jrj.n(=j) s-HD-xnt.j.w-Sj-prw-aAj [missing titles] smsw-DbA.t xr Hm n.j pjpj
It was under the Majesty of PEPI that I acted as Supervisor of Ground Staff of the Royal Domain, [missing titles], and Elder of the Robing room.
This is an excellent idea, because we do not expect that a "boy" would have all these exalted functions. It is already a leap of faith to imagine him Overseeing the Storehouse as it is.
 
[G.Graham, 8/2/98; Re: AEL Weni Detailed Orthography]
NOTE that while Pepi can be transliterated pjpj (as opposed to ppjj) on the basis of the fact that it contains two {j}'s, and its Greek pronunciation eventually became Phiops (possibly indicating an ancient pronunciation of *payApi), Teti is transliterated with only one {j} since this is all that was written (ttj), although one wonders by analogy with the other name if ttj might not represent **tjt which is a known word with the meaning of "divine image". However, the Greek name gives us Othoes, which might even indicate a reconstruction like **jtt *'atAti(?).
 
 LINE 3   [next | prev | top]
(rDi wi Hm)=f m zAb ir.i nxn
ib=f m mH im(=i) ir bAk=f nb
sDm(=i) ix.t wa.ki
Hna tAi.t.i zAb TAt.i m sStA nb
 
[Hans van Haarst, 7/2/98; AEL Weni P2 L3-L8]
(rDi wi Hm)=f m zAb ir.i nxn
His majesty appointed me Judge over Hierakonpolis.
[comment by G.Graham (9/2/98): ... z3b jr.j nxn, the weak consonants in the title jr.j nxn were not all written.]
ib=f m mH im(=i) ir bAk=f nb
... because his heart was more filled with me than with any other of his servants.
The stative is used here to express the fact that his majesty's heart was and still is full of Weni. That is the perfective aspect of the stative : the action is completed, but the result of the action continues.
sDm(=i) xt wa.k(wi) Hna tAyty zAb TAty m sStA nb
I listened to (legal ? ) matters, being alone with the Chief-judge (?), the vizier, concerning every secret
This title tAyty zAb is unknown to me. tAyty is a nisba meaning : he of the curtain. The combination tAyty TAty zAb occurs in Wadi Hammamat 113,3 ( de Buck Readingbook page 75 line 12 ). Perhaps zAb is a determinative to suggest the legal status of the function.
As far as I know there were no professional judges in the time of Pepi II. When needed a committee was formed of priests and officials to administer justice. In some cases this committee was presided by the vizier. There were two viziers, one for Upper Egypt and one for Lower Egypt. So the case had to be really important I think for the vizier ( he was the substitute of the Pharaoh ) to preside.
Maybe TAty is here an apposition to tAyty zAb : the tayty-judge, the vizier. Weni was so important that he was alone with the vizier in his function of tAyty-judge.
 
[Andre Renouf, 18/3/98; Re: AEL Re: Weni] (in response to Rymaszewska Grazyna)
"His Majesty made me a judge belonging to Nekhen. His heart was more satisfied with me than with any other servant. Personally, I heard every kind of private case, there being only with me the Chief Justice and the governor of the town. (This was all done) under the auspices of the king, of the royal household and of the Six Great Houses. "
 LINE 4   [next | prev | top]
(ix.t nb.t) Xnm.t m rn n.i n.i-sw.t
n.i ipA.t-n.i-sw.t n.i srs.t Hw.w.t-wr.w.t
n mH ib n.i Hm=f im(=i) ir sr=f nb ir saH=f nb jr bAk=f nb
 
[Hans van Haarst, 7/2/98; AEL Weni P2 L3-L8]
[ ix.t nb.t] Xnm.t m rn n.i n.i-sw.t n.i ipA.t-n.i-sw.t n.i Hw.w.t-wr.w.t 6
... and [every case] connected with the name of the king, with the royal harem and the 6 great houses.
The x.t nb.t comes from Osing : Zur Syntax der Biografie des Wnj ( Orientalia 11 p. 165 ). The 6 great houses are related to the royal court, but I don't know how. x.t nb.t is followed by the ( imperfective ? ) passive participle of the verb Xnm. The morpheme .t is written because x.t is a feminine substantive.
 
n mH ib n.i Hm=f im(=i) ir sr=f nb
... because the heart of his majesty was more filled with me than with any other courtier
 
ir saH=f nb ir bAk=f nb
... official or servant of his.
In Urk. I, p.84 there is a passage : n mrr wi Hm=f r bAk=f nb n ir.t=i Hss.t=f ra nb 'because His Majesty loved me more than any other of his servants because I did everyday that what he usually praised.'
So the preposition n can be followed by the nominal sDm=f ( mrr ) and by the infinitive ( ir.t=i ). In the present case n is followed by what I think is the infinitive of mH.
 
 
 LINE 5   [next | prev | top]
dbH=ki m-a Hm n.i nb=i ini.ti n(=i) qrs.w-inr-HD m rA-Aw
rDi Hm=f DAi xtm.w-nTr Hna TAz.t
 
[Mark Vygus, 28/2/98; AEL Weni P1/L5-8a]
I begged the majesty of my lord (to have) brought to (me) a sarcophagus of white stone from Tura
His majesty caused the seal-bearer of the god to cross over together with a company ...
[MDS, 1/6/98; Weni line 5]
dbH=ki, stative/old perfective with 1st person sing. suffix. In ME you would not have a stative being used in this way. Perhaps the grammar of Old Egyptian allow this structure (ie. no subject before the verb; use of verbs other than those of motion to be used in the stative form for past reference).
m-a, a compound preposition that is not translated. Lit. 'in the hand', but could have the meaning 'from', so could be 'I begged from the majesty....", which in english could probably be left out, as Mark has done.
ini.ti, the prospective verb form. The initial verb of the sentence, 'to beg', would normally take both a direct and indirect object. You beg someone for something. So this is nominal clause that begins with the prospective (a nominal form of the verb) a secondary object to the initial verb? In current linguistic phrase structured grammar, how would you 'tree' this sentence?
rDi, is this the old indicative?
DAi, is the prospective, used as the object of the verb rDi (section 75, Hoch).
 
 LINE 6   [next | prev | top]
n.i.t apr-aHa.w Xr.i a=f
ir ini.t n(=i) qrs.w pn m rA-Aw
ii.n=f m-a=f m sAT aAi n.i Xnw
Hna aA=f
 
[Mark Vygus, 28/2/98; AEL Weni P1/L5-8a]
... of sailors under his command
in order to bring to (me) this sarcophagus from Tura
it arrived with him in a great barge of the court
together with its lid, ...
 
[MDS, 1/6/98; Weni L6]
Some thoughts:
ir ini.t, I take this as the infinitive of the verb ini, as shown by the 't' ending and the construction preposition+infinitive. The preceding preposition 'ir' (later just 'r'), meaning 'to, towards, in order to'. Now, it looks like it could also be a preposition followed by the prospective form of ini, which also has a .t ending and can be preceded by a preposition (Hoch, section 75,2). But then it would have to be a passive ini(t)tw, which I suppose it could still be given that the 'w' is not likely to be written. Can someone show me which is the more likely form here?
ii.n=f, tricky..., after some hunting around in my books, I take it as a second-tense verb form. The only past tense sDm.n=f form for a verb of motion. It would otherwise be a stative. Loprieno describes this as "a topicalized VP in initial position (always with verbs of motion)" [p77 of 'Ancient Egyptian'].
 LINE 7   [next | prev | top]
rw.t rA.w.t.ii snw gmH.wy zAT
ni zp pAw.ti iri.t mrw.ti.t n bAk nb
i-xr(=i) iqr Hr ib n.i Hm=f
 
[Mark Vygus, 28/2/98; AEL Weni P1/L5-8a]
.... a falsedoor lintel, two doorjambs and a libation stone
On no occasion had the like been done for any servant (before).
 
[Andre Renouf, 24/3/98; Re: AEL Weni L7/8 - questions]
pAw.ti in the sentence: n zp pAw.ti, means "the oldest time", so the phrase is "not from the oldest time" or "never before"
i-xr(=i) has the meaning of "because" here, implying (He did this for me) because... The whole thing says: "because I was perfect in the heart of His Majesty,... because I was innocent in the heart of His Majesty and because the heart of His Majesty was content with me" "mH ib" literally means "to fill up the heart" or "to satisfy"

 
 LINE 8   [next | prev | top]
i-xr(=i) wAb Hr ib n.i Hm=f
i-xr mH-ib n.i Hm=f im(=i)
sT wi m zAb ir.i nxn
rDi wi Hm=f m smr wa.t.i im.i-rA xnt.i.w-Si prw-aAi
 
[Michael MacDonaghue, 31/3/98; RE: AEL Weni L9/10]
In line 8 the words imy-r xnt(yw)-S pr-aA are in honorific inversion.
 
[Andre Renouf, 24/3/98; Re: AEL Weni L7/8 - questions]
... because I was innocent in the heart of His Majesty and because the heart of His Majesty was content with me" "mH ib" literally means "to fill up the heart" or "to satisfy"
 
[Michael Tilgner, 1/6/98; Re: AEL Weni L7-8] [responding to MDS concerning the meaning of wAb in this line]
Hannig, "Handwoerterbuch", p. 172, entry "wAb" in: wAb Hr ib [that is exactly the situation here] "delightful, pleasing for".
[MDS: so this would change Mark's translation to "... because I was pleasing upon the heart of His Majesty...."
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