The Invasion of Egypt by the Sea Peoples
in the Reign of Rameses II.
["The Invasion of Egypt by the Greeks under the
XIXth Dynasty in the Reign of Menephtah." translated by S. Birch, in
Records of the Past, being English Translations of the Assyrian and Egyptian
Monuments, vol. 4 (London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1875), pp. 39-48]
Three fragments marked A, B, C.
FRAGMENT A. Commencement of five perpendicular lines.
1. Then were smitten the Chiefs.....
2. of his country, in bulls, tattles, and asses...
3. men of the fallen enemy'......
4. their weapons, smitten......
5. unknown is the stopping of their hand, they were....
6. valour of the gods in the moment of time
FRAGMENT B. Middle of seven perpendicular lines.
1. ... Total
2. .... its chief bearing....
3. .... divine....
4. .... the powerful Sun, more powerful than the Nine bow barbarians.....
5. .... victory. He was not taken the.... were ....
6. .... which I gave Tamera[1] in....
FRAGMENT C. End of nineteen horizontal lines.
1. .... the safety
2. he received witliout exception the morning of the .. of the men who had invaded it the eye of every god
4. .... great. The two lands of Tamera being given
5. .... the doers of evil, were pierced by every god who was
6. .... (beseeching) their heart to see the breath of BA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN.
7. .... the temples, they caused them to go into
8 .... (MERENPTAH[2]1) at peace through Truth, may the time of his life be like the sun he answers on
9. .... of His Majesty, called Namaurumeri[3] the not
10. .... MERENPTAH(Rameses II) at peace through Truth, called AMEN, the Prince of the land of Lubu.[ ] Assembled the abominable
11. .... swiftness (of... their) swiftness. The Living Lord will catch him, knowing
12. .... joy coming forth from the cities of Tameras
13. .... gods. The Living Lord subdued him commanding
14. .... their hand the wells open....
15. .... slept tranquil close to the fields
16. .... the well incessantly calling out at night
17. .... the ploughing of the.... waters
18. .... approaching saying a salutation
19. .... land of Mateni[4]' and Innu.
The principal portion is in seventy-seven lines.
1. .... i, the Akauasha,[5] Tursha,[6] Luku,[7] Sharutana,[8] Shekilusha,[9] (all the lands of the North of the great sea,) came all the lands
2. .... victorious by the valour of AMEN, was the King of the Upper and Lower Country, HA-EN-RA, beloved of AMEN, the Son of the Son of the Sun MENEPHTAH at peace through Truth, giver of life. Then that good god was . . . .
3. .... followed him every god as his protection, every land was in fear at sight of him the King of the Upper and Lower Country HA-EN-RA, beloved of AMEN, the Son of the Sun, MENEPHTAH at peace through Truth
4. .... capture had been made of the places, he had ordered that they should bow down to his rule, the invaders of all his frontiers to (his) victory...
5. .... all his acts are ordered as the breath of life, he caused men to refuse repose, preponderant was his valour in
6. .... to guard Heliopolis, the city of the god Tum, to protect MeiDphis, the fortress of Tanen and to put in good condition what had been ruined
7. .... lines before Pa-Baris, the environs of the canal of Shakana at the north of the poo1 of Har
8. .... (as the plains) uncultivated, which had been left as pasturages on account of the Nine bow barbarians. It had been infested in the time of the ancestors. All the Kings of Upper Egypt reposed in secret monuments[10]
9. .... and the Kings of Lower Egypt were reposing in their city surrounded by a perishing sepulchre.[11] The troops had not auxiliaries to answer. It happened
10. (that the King MENEPHTAH was raised) on tile throne of HoRus (where) he had been placed to give life to Mankind, he had gone as King to watch over mortals, there was a courage in him to make him in the.....the two lands, I was
11. (ordering him to go) in the land of Bairu[12 he gave orders to the elite of his troops, he sent his cavalry in all directions, his emissaries..... his march in
12. his.... for he did not care for hundreds of thousands in the day of battle. His soldiers proceeded coming in good order, leading the auxiliaries to every land
13. .... month of the summer for the vile Chief of the the Lubu[13] MARmAIu son of TAIT descended from the land of the Tahennu with his auxiliaries,
14. (the Mashuash,[14] the Kahaika,[15) the Sharutana,[16 the Shakalusha,[17] the (A)kauasha, the Tursha[18] placing them at the head of all the combatants and all the heroes of his country. He led his wife and children
15. .... the Captains of his troops, the Chiefs of the camp, he penetrated the Western frontier from the field of Pa-ari-sheps. Then His Majesty arose furious against them like a lion
16. (glaring He said to them), Listen ye to all the words of your Lord, I let you know this that is to say, I am the ruler who is leading you, I watch to find out
17. (.... your father. Is there one among) you like him to give life to his children? You tremble like geese not knowing what is best to do, not answering the (enemy)
18. (Egypt is) desolated, and abandoned to the incursion of any land, Nine[19] bow barbarians are overrunning its frontiers ; the revolters are invading it daily. Every country is pillaging
19. (its cities coming) to devastate the harbours they go to the Gelds of Egypt (and) to the river. They stand and remain therein days and months, seated
20. (in the country) They reach the mountains of the land of Ut,[20] ravaging tile circuit of Taahu, acting like it was under Kings in the records of other times in days not known
21. .... (coming) as reptiles, they are not made to turn back (crawling) on their bellies, loving death and hating life, their heart does it not revolve
22. (evil)... they follow their Chief they are looking out in the cultivated land, coming fighting to fill their bellies daily. They come to the land of Kami[21] to search for provisions for their mouths, they give their hearts
23. (to settle in Egypt) I... I find they are brought in like netted fish,[22] their Chief is like a hound a vile person without heart, he sits firm .
24. .... approaching the land of the Petti-Shu which I made take corn in boats to give life to that lahd of the Khita, for I am the one to whom the gods have brought all support
25. .... (the whole world) is under my power the King of the Upper and Lower Country BA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN, the Son of the Sun, MENEPHTAH, at peace through Truth, the giver of life, augmenting my support, augmented is (the support of AMEN) I am firm as the ruler of the two countries, the lands
26. .... Upper and Lower Egypt. AMEN has asserted his word in Uast[23] he lias turned back his head to the Mashuasha[24]...... (they will not) see the land of Tamahu. Are
27. .... (placed) the auxiliaries in front, let them slaughter the land of Lubu,[25] they go forth, the hand of god with them, AMEN (protecting) them with their bucklers. I order the country of Kami[26] saying
28. (Let the troops be) prepared to unite in the fourteenth day. His Majesty saw in a dream[27] as it were a figure of the god PHTAH standing to prevent the advance of the King It was as high
29. .... it said to him, make a stand. It gave him the scimitar. Do you put away the dejected heart from you. His Majesty then said
30. (What am I to do? It replied) Let the infantry and cavalry in their number, advance in front of them to the cultivated land in the defiles of the name of Pa-ari-sheps. Then the vile Chief of
31. (the Libyans... .) the night of the first of the month Epiphi[28] at dawn to meet together. The vile Chief of the Lubu made a march at the date of the third of the month Epiphi, bringing
32. (his troops),.. to fight them. An advance was made by the army of His Majesty with his cavalry AMEN was with them NUBTI, gave them his hand, (every) one
33. (was slaughtering the enemy fallen in) their blood nothing remained of them.[29 For the auxiliary forces of His Majesty were six hours slaughtering of them, they put them to the sword making
34. .... of the land. When they were fighting the vile Chief of the Lubu (looked on). His cowardly heart was afraid he stretched forth
35. (his legs in night, he threw down under) the sandals his bow. His weapons in haste were left behind (and all he had) with him a violent despair took him and a great terror circulated in his limbs
36. .... (a capture was made) of his things, his money,[30] his silver, and his gold, his vessels of brass, the ornaments of his wives, his thrones, his bows, his weapons and all things which he had brought
37. (with him.... all officer of) the palace to bring them with the captives. Then the vile Chief of the Lubu was hastening to return to his country. Was a number
38. (of the enemy escaping) the slaughter from being put to the sword. But His Majesty made the officers who belonged to the cavalry after them. They were falling in
39. (their blood massacreing all) Such was not beheld in the registers of the flings of Lower Egypt when that land of Kami[31] was in their (power), when the plague[32] was standing in the reigns of the Kings of Upper Egypt
40. .... so the (gods) on account of their beloved Son to rule Kami by its Lord, to make good the temples of the two TAmERi to declare
41. .... Western ports a despatch to the living court[33] saying the fallen MARmAiu[34] has gone flying, his limbs to his vileness has passed by me through the favour of the night in the cultivated lands
42. (before Paarisheps).... his vile body every god prostrating him on account of Kami ; the promises he made have failed, all the words of his mouth have recoiled on his head, it is not known if he is dead
43. (or alive). Thou hast (thrown) him from his power. Should he be alive he will not recover, he has fallen contemptible to his soldiers. Thou art the one who will take them, slaughtering
44. .... in the land of the Tamahu[35] They will set another of his brethren in his place to contend he seems foul to the Chiefs like filth
45. .... the officers, the auxiliary troops, the infantry, the cavalry, all the veterans of the army and those of the young foreign troops having ardour
46. .... before them laden with the cut of members of the Lubu (and) the hands of all the nations which were with them in skins and bunches, (all) things
47. .... were repulsed the enemies to their country. Then the whole land shouted to heaven the villages and nomes were delighted at the prodigies which had happened. The canals
48. .... things brought under the place of reception for His Majesty to see his victories. The number of captives brought from that land of the Lubu and the countries were led with it likewise, all the things
49. .... conducted to the magazines of MENEPHTAH at peace in truth from the Tahennu who were in Paarisheps to the upper places of that land, commencing from (the fort of) MENEPHTAH (at peace in Truth)
50. .... members cut of six persons, children and brethren of the land of Lubu killed of which the members were brought
51. .... killed Lubu of whom the excised members were brought 6359 Total of children of Chiefs
52. .... Sharutina, Shakalusha, Akainasha of the lands of the sea, of whom the members[36] were not brought
53. Shakalusha 222 persons, making 250 hands, Turusha 742 making 790 hands Shairutana
54. .... Akaiuasha who were with us we did not let their members be excised, their fists and hands were brought by us. We did not let
55. (to be cut off)... heaps their members were brought cut of to the place where he was. 6111 persons, making excised members
56. .... their fists 2370 persons, Shakalusha, Tumsha, coming as the wretches of the land of Lubu
57. (Kaliaka), Lubu, led prisoners alive 218 persons ; women of the vanquished Chief of the land of Lubu whom he had brought with him, they were natives of the land of Lubu 12 persons. Total of those brought
58. (living prisoners) 9376, weapons which were in their hands brought by the captives, copper swords of the Mashauasha 9111.
59. oxen of the land of... 1,20,214 yoke of horses which were bearing the vanquished of the land of Lubu with the children of the Chiefs of the land of Lubu brought were alive,. ... things
60. .... of the Mashauasha (who were) captured of His Majesty the living, lighting the vanquished of the land of Lubu various kinds of bulls 1308, goats
61. (gold vases) various 54, silver drinking vessels, other vases, copper swords, cuirasses, razors, various vases 3134
62. .... they set fire to the skin tents, and all their provisions.[37 His Majesty came crowned in the hall of the palace
63. .... (was) his living Majesty rejoiced in seeing (it). He made slaves (of them) (Said H)is Majesty shouting to heaven My service is in the horizon
64. .... of the good things the Sun made for my supply. I gave them praise as said by the god, giving the valour for his words The King of the Upper and Lower Country HA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN the Son of the Sun MENEPHTAH at peace through Truth
65. .... altogether thou hast... the men in their towns, Kush38] also having... I let him see in my hand in the first year the dues
66 ... its Chief brought its product yearly in turn I was making a great overthrow of them. I gave the survivors to fill the Temples
67. .... their Chief vanquished running before me I made ... slaughtering them, I set fire to them, netted like birds, I made the country.
68. .... ed, rendered divine, being the greatest of every gods who was born. HoRus caused me to be born to be the sole Lord of Kami.[39] HoRus then settled and invaded it. HoRus was hidden in it under my dominions, praised ... PHTAH
69. .... powerful, Sun, a strong scimitar against the Nine bow barbarians, whom[40] SET gave power and victory to the HoRus rejoicing in TrLith, whom Ra supports daily,[41] the King of the Upper and Lower Country HA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN, the Son of the MENEPHTAH at peace in Truth, the living I am
70. .... he was not taken. The Lubu were meditating evil to do it in Kami. Lo I vanquished them I slaughtered them making a spoil of their coiintry
71. .... I made the Tamera passable and navigable as I wished, the men also as I wished them. I gave them breath for their cities, rejoiced in the name of Heaven the countries
72. .... They were (not) found done: making my good days in the mouths of families, as the greatest of merits I performed for them, The whole country was set right
73. .... worshipping my gracious Lord, the taker of the two countries, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt HA-EN-RA beloved of AMEN the Son of the Sun MENEPHTAH at peace through Truth, the living, their great words Kami was
74. .... the Lubu also, I vowed to lead captive, thou lettest them be as grasshoppers also every road was blocked up with their (hosts) . .. according thy supplies with care, we joyfully repose at all times. There are not
75. .... the assent it was at all turns at the house,working the meritors, enduring in the responses
76. .... the years like Tum, the services placed on thy assenting head do we not see.