Rosetta Stone Decree-list of Ptolemy V accomplishments and rewards honored
Encyclopedia
The Decree of Memphis is the third Memphis decree, the first being for his grandfather Ptolemy III (Decree of Canopus
), and the second being, Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy IV)
. The Decree for Ptolemy V is the text recorded on the Rosetta Stone
in the three scripts, two languages, (bilingual) of Greek-(text 3), and the Egyptian language
, which are texts 1 and 2, the Egyptian hieroglyphs and the Demotic (Egyptian)
script.
The Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty
, which ruled Egypt
from 305 BC to 30 BC, issued these series of decrees over the course of their reign. The Rosetta Stone
is a well-known example of one of the decrees.
, the decree: "....Eirene, daughter of Ptolemy priestess of Arsinoe, the lover of her father; day this Decree, being the directors (superintendents) of services (?)....", (the Priests Decree:)
(Summary of the Priests)
A–Directors of Services, the Prophets-(hidden things)..., the Priests who go in the holy shrine to "robe the gods"-(statues), Scribes of the Gods, Sages of the 'House of Life', (the Pr-Ankh
)-{pr-House (hieroglyph), the House of Life, the Library, the storing of the "secret, priest scrolls")
B–Priests, arriving from the regions- (South and North, Upper and Lower Egypt temples) on honoring assumption of kingship by Ptolemy V, "they went into sanctuary of Memphis [and] behold they spake:
The completed accomplishment list is then followed by And a Happening Good [may there be]
The list of rewards given by the gods and goddesses is also referencing: A.U.S. (Life, Dominion, Health)
, commonly translated, or transcribed as Life, Prosperity, Healtlh. It is an acronym, and commonly followed the reference to "Pharaoh, aus". (i.e. Pharaoh, life, dominion, health), in Egyptian: "Pharaoh, ankh
, wedja, seneb
)". –(or "ankh, utcha, senbi")
The Egyptian language hieroglyphs for the "good luck" quote:
Decree of Canopus
The Decree of Canopus is a bilingual inscription in two languages, and in three scripts. It was written in three writing systems: Egyptian hieroglyphs, Egyptian Demotic, and Greek, on an ancient Egyptian memorial stone stele, the Stone of Canopus...
), and the second being, Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy IV)
Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy IV)
The Decree of Memphis is an ancient inscribed stone stela which comprises the second of the Ptolemaic Decrees issued by Ptolemy IV of the Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt from 305 BC to 30 BC. Like the Rosetta Stone, the Decree of Memphis is inscribed in three writing systems...
. The Decree for Ptolemy V is the text recorded on the Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle portion Demotic script, and the lowest Ancient Greek...
in the three scripts, two languages, (bilingual) of Greek-(text 3), and the Egyptian language
Egyptian language
Egyptian is the oldest known indigenous language of Egypt and a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. Written records of the Egyptian language have been dated from about 3400 BC, making it one of the oldest recorded languages known. Egyptian was spoken until the late 17th century AD in the...
, which are texts 1 and 2, the Egyptian hieroglyphs and the Demotic (Egyptian)
Demotic (Egyptian)
Demotic refers to either the ancient Egyptian script derived from northern forms of hieratic used in the Delta, or the stage of the Egyptian language following Late Egyptian and preceding Coptic. The term was first used by the Greek historian Herodotus to distinguish it from hieratic and...
script.
The Hellenistic Ptolemaic dynasty
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
, which ruled Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
from 305 BC to 30 BC, issued these series of decrees over the course of their reign. The Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone is an ancient Egyptian granodiorite stele inscribed with a decree issued at Memphis in 196 BC on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The decree appears in three scripts: the upper text is Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, the middle portion Demotic script, and the lowest Ancient Greek...
is a well-known example of one of the decrees.
The list of accomplishments
After six lines of preview on the Nubayrah SteleNubayrah Stele
The Nubayrah Stele is a mutilated copy of the Decree of Memphis on a limestone stele; the same decree is found upon the Rosetta Stone...
, the decree: "....Eirene, daughter of Ptolemy priestess of Arsinoe, the lover of her father; day this Decree, being the directors (superintendents) of services (?)....", (the Priests Decree:)
(Summary of the Priests)
A–Directors of Services, the Prophets-(hidden things)..., the Priests who go in the holy shrine to "robe the gods"-(statues), Scribes of the Gods, Sages of the 'House of Life', (the Pr-Ankh
Ankh
The ankh , also known as key of life, the key of the Nile or crux ansata, was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ʻ-n-ḫ...
)-{pr-House (hieroglyph), the House of Life, the Library, the storing of the "secret, priest scrolls")
B–Priests, arriving from the regions- (South and North, Upper and Lower Egypt temples) on honoring assumption of kingship by Ptolemy V, "they went into sanctuary of Memphis [and] behold they spake:
-
- Ptolemy V Summary
A–Ptolemy and Wife Arsinoe-(Arsna) did great things, for Horus-Lands, of All People-(under his control), "being like a God, son of a gods, II," (his ancestry), .."the semblance-(likeness) of HorusHorusHorus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
", son of IsisIsisIsis or in original more likely Aset is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the matron of nature and magic...
, son of OsirisOsirisOsiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
,, with giving heart, supplied silver, great quantities Grain for sanctuaries, supplied "precious objects" for quieting of Egypt, ..establishing sanctuaries (of South and North–Upper and Lower EgyptUpper and Lower EgyptAncient Egypt was divided into two regions, namely Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. To the north was Lower Egypt where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta. To the south was Upper Egypt, stretching to Syene. The two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were united c....
).
B–Gifts to Soldiers, in his authority, according to their rank. - Citizen taxes remitted
A–Taxes of Nobles, that concerned Pharaoh, remitted
B–Others, absolved completely.
C–Made Army (Soldiers), and Citizens "comfortable" in his period of sole Kingship. - Tax Arrears and Pardons
A–Taxes on Egyptians, and Foreigners remitted.
B–Pardoned prisoners (from "long-ago 'incarcerations' "). - Offering to Gods, Silver & Grain, (yearly) to temples, (and their land holdings)(all types), and gods of the "plantation lands", of the nomeNome (Egypt)A nome was a subnational administrative division of ancient Egypt. Today's use of the Greek nome rather than the Egyptian term sepat came about during the Ptolemaic period. Fascinated with Egypt, Greeks created many historical records about the country...
s, to continue.
All possession lands, all kinds, to remain in possession. - Priesthood
A–Priesthood taxes not to increase.
B–Priests (of 'hourly-course duties' in temples) with Annual journey to Memphis-(Wall of Alexandria), released from journey. - Disallowing of corveeCorvéeCorvée is unfree labour, often unpaid, that is required of people of lower social standing and imposed on them by the state or a superior . The corvée was the earliest and most widespread form of taxation, which can be traced back to the beginning of civilization...
shanghaing of "men of the sailors". - Byssus cloth made for the Pharaoh's house, 2/3 remitted.
- Restoration
A–Things overdue for 'long time', restored (made "beautiful"-Nfr-(hieroglyph)).
B–Restored Customs, (as Perfect, in the past)
C–Gave "height of Happiness"-(Restored Peace) to citizens as did God "ThothThothThoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
, Great, Great" - (not in Nubayrah SteleNubayrah SteleThe Nubayrah Stele is a mutilated copy of the Decree of Memphis on a limestone stele; the same decree is found upon the Rosetta Stone...
)-(from Demotic)-Revolt of citizens (the region that rebelled), citizens allowed to return to their homeland. - (Foreign Invasion)
A–Infanty-(Army), Cavalry-(horseman, etc), and Ships to drive back, those who came against Egypt from the 'Sea Coast' as well as those from the "Great Green"-(Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
)-(Green-papyrus stem (hieroglyph)Papyrus stem (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian papyrus stem hieroglyph is one of the oldest language hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. Along with the hieroglyph for the Papyrus clump, a symbol of the Nile god Hapy, it is one of the foundation hieroglyphs at the core of the history of Ancient Egypt...
)
B–Gave SilverSilverSilver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, Grains (great Amounts) to quiet "HorusHorusHorus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
-lands" and "Egypt". - Took Siege against Lycopolis
A–People, citizens had transgressed "the Ways"
B–Blocked up canals (for water, growing food?)
C–Spent monies.
D–Set up Infantry at canals. Conquered "district"-(conquer: kheb-nef-two whips with shen ring (hieroglyph)Two whips with shen ring (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian Two Whips with Shen ring hieroglyph, Gardiner sign listed no. S23 is a portrayal of the Shen ring with two Egyptian flails-; it is a member of the Gardiner subset for "crowns, dress, staves, etc"....
)
E–Made a great Massacre (of the citizens)
F–(Punishes the Leaders)
G–Gathered soldiers, captured Leaders, ("at their head, they led astray the nomes, they pillaged the "Horus Lands"-(temple properties), they transgressed the way of "His Majesty")
H–Father August (god RaRaRa is the ancient Egyptian sun god. By the Fifth Dynasty he had become a major deity in ancient Egyptian religion, identified primarily with the mid-day sun...
) granted: Leaders be brought to White Wall (MemphisMemphis, EgyptMemphis was the ancient capital of Aneb-Hetch, the first nome of Lower Egypt. Its ruins are located near the town of Helwan, south of Cairo.According to legend related by Manetho, the city was founded by the pharaoh Menes around 3000 BC. Capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom, it remained an...
); Rebels: "slaying by placing [them] upon stake[s]"-(branch (hieroglyph)Branch (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian Branch hieroglyph, also called a Stick, is a member of the trees and plants hieroglyphs.The branch is an Egyptian language biliteral with the value t, -; it is an ideogram-, for wood, tree, and the linear measure...
)-(= to the crucifying, forerunner to events)-(earlier people had been immersed in hot oil) - Temples
A–Remitted Tax Arrears.
Gave temples, Money(monies), (Silver-gold (hieroglyph)Gold (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian Gold hieroglyph is a member of the crowns, dress, staves hieroglyphs. Its major importance is as one of the Fivefold Titulary names of the Egyptian pharaoh, the Horus of Gold name....
+ Mace (hieroglyph), the ligatured two hieroglyphs mean "silver", or "money"), and gave them Grains.
B–Byssus Cloth Production-(Tax) remitted. (Past Byssus owed, Remitted)
C–5 Grain Bushels on temple aroura lands remitted. Likewise the temple aroura Vineyards. - Endowments to Temples of Apis and Mnevis
A–Plus the animal burials
B–Provisions for the animal temples, Festivals conducted, Burnt Offerings, (animals) for slaughter, drink offerings (libationLibationA libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a god or spirit or in memory of those who have died. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in various cultures today....
s), and all things (everything) "customary", and the best for temples, and everything, large quantities, of Egypt, (provided) "according to what [is] in the laws"-(laws: hepu, uses the H, reed shelter (hieroglyph)Reed shelter (hieroglyph)The Ancient Egyptian Reed shelter hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. O4 for the reed shelter, an enclosure; .-The Egyptian hieroglyph alphabetic letters:...
) - Gold and Silver and Grain, large quantities, everything, for "Temple of Apis"-(HapyHapyHapi, sometimes transliterated as Hapy, not to be confused with another god of the same name, was a deification of the annual flooding of the Nile River in Ancient Egyptian religion, which deposited rich silt on its banks, allowing the Egyptians to grow crops. His name means Running One, probably...
's temple); restored temple, (claim of its greatness, and God thankful) - (And Lastly)
Set up Temples, Chapels, and Altars
A–The gods and goddesses rewarded Ptolemy V by giving him: "victory, might-(Nekh-t-"branch (hieroglyph)", etc)(Nike: Goddess of Victory), life-(AnkhAnkhThe ankh , also known as key of life, the key of the Nile or crux ansata, was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ʻ-n-ḫ...
), Strength, health, and everything Good, to the extent of them etc. for him, and his children, for ever."
- Ptolemy V Summary
The completed accomplishment list is then followed by And a Happening Good [may there be]
The list of rewards given by the gods and goddesses is also referencing: A.U.S. (Life, Dominion, Health)
Ankh wedja seneb
The Ancient Egyptian phrase ankh, wedja, seneb meaning "life, prosperity, health" is an epithetic formula which often appears after the names of Egyptian kings or references to their household...
, commonly translated, or transcribed as Life, Prosperity, Healtlh. It is an acronym, and commonly followed the reference to "Pharaoh, aus". (i.e. Pharaoh, life, dominion, health), in Egyptian: "Pharaoh, ankh
Ankh
The ankh , also known as key of life, the key of the Nile or crux ansata, was the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants ʻ-n-ḫ...
, wedja, seneb
Seneb
Seneb was a dwarf who served as a high-ranking court official in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, circa 2520 BC. He is depicted with his wife and children in a painted sculpture from his tomb that is a famous example of Old Kingdom art...
)". –(or "ankh, utcha, senbi")
The list of rewards
The list of 8 rewards is preceded by:- "With Fortunate Happening !"(may Good Luck attend this)
-
- Priests agree to increase honors to Ancestors (Ptolemy IV & III)
- A–Set up Statue-(wood)-(in Shrine, gold) to Ptolemy V, Title: "Avenger of Baq-t"-(Egypt)-(Avenger: cross-ndj (hieroglyph)Cross-ndj (hieroglyph)In the Egyptian language, the cross-ndj hieroglyph is used as a biliteral for n-.-Book of the Dead uses:Budge's dictionary to the Book of the Dead has the following uses for the hieroglyph:-Rosetta Stone usage:...
-(a cross)–(a "grinding mill", to reduce to pellets, powder))
B–Statue with Sword Royal of Victory, etc.
C–Honor Statues 3 times per day - (long reward)-Create Shrine (for statue); UraeiiUraeusThe Uraeus is the stylized, upright form of an Egyptian spitting cobra , used as a symbol of sovereignty, royalty, deity, and divine authority in ancient Egypt.The Uraeus is a symbol for the goddess Wadjet, who was one of the earliest Egyptian deities and who...
-(cobras) on shrine, PschentPschentThe Pschent was the name of the Double Crown of Ancient Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians generally referred to it as sekhemti , the Two Powerful Ones. It combined the Red Deshret Crown of Lower Egypt and the White Hedjet Crown of Upper Egypt....
crown, with Payyrus Clusters-(two types), MutMutMut, which meant mother in the ancient Egyptian language, was an ancient Egyptian mother goddess with multiple aspects that changed over the thousands of years of the culture. Alternative spellings are Maut and Mout. She was considered a primal deity, associated with the waters from which...
-Vulture–on–Basket-(basket (hieroglyph)Basket (hieroglyph)-List of epithet uses:-Pharaonic uses:The pharaoh is often shown in reliefs or in cartouche-related statements as Lord of the Two Lands. The basket hieroglyph is used as 'lord', or 'king'. Queens, or goddesses use the 'lordess' form, the feminine implied from the "t" hieroglyph but not needed for...
) and Uraeus–on–Basket....the meaning thereof: the Lord of the Two Crowns Illumineth the Two Lands–(Upper and Lower EgyptUpper and Lower EgyptAncient Egypt was divided into two regions, namely Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. To the north was Lower Egypt where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta. To the south was Upper Egypt, stretching to Syene. The two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were united c....
) - (long reward)-Celebrate Festival, (each month)-Celebrate the day of Ptolemy V birth, and "Day of Accession"-to throne; using: burnt offerings, (incense, food), poured libationLibationA libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a god or spirit or in memory of those who have died. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in various cultures today....
s, all customs for festivals, (and mostly done in temples?) - Five Day Festival, annual, beginning of month "ThothThothThoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
"-(tutelary god of ScribeScribeA scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand as a profession and helps the city keep track of its records. The profession, previously found in all literate cultures in some form, lost most of its importance and status with the advent of printing...
s); Garlands on people's heads, festal altars, libationLibationA libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid as an offering to a god or spirit or in memory of those who have died. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in various cultures today....
s poured, and "all customs, etc" - Priests given title: "Priest of the God "Manifested"-(legs-forward (hieroglyph)Legs-forward (hieroglyph)The Walking Legs-forward is an Ancient Egyptian language hieroglyph of the concept of action, part of "going and returning". Walking Legs-returning is the other half.The phonetic value of the hieroglyph is iw, and means "to come"...
), "Lord of 'Benefits' "–(Lord-Beauty,Beauty,Beauty); record on Documents, and engrave upon ring for each priest: "Priest of the god appearing-(manifesting), lord of benefits"-(beauty,beauty,beauty) - Copy of Shrine-(statue) can be made by citizens for their House-(pr (hieroglyph)Pr (hieroglyph)Pr is the hieroglyph for 'house', the floor-plan of a walled building with an open doorway. While its original pronunciation is not known with certainty, modern Egyptology assigns it the value of per, but purely on the basis of a convention specific to the discipline...
-House (hieroglyph)), and they must celebrate on "days each month" - Engrave Decree, upon a steleSteleA stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
, stone hard-(bowstring (hieroglyph)Bowstring (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian Bowstring hieroglyph is an Egyptian language hieroglyph associated with the bow, and its use as a hieroglyph for the Archer hieroglyph, a symbol for 'army'...
), in Hieroglyphs, Demotic-(democratic: Citizen text), and Greek; Erect-(mast (hieroglyph)Mast (hieroglyph)The ancient Egyptian ship's mast hieroglyph is one of the oldest language hieroglyphs from Ancient Egypt. It is used on a famous label of Pharaoh Den of the First dynasty, but forms part of the location hieroglyph: Emblem of the East....
stele in temples, of 1st, 2nd, 3rd orders by side of Statue of King, North, South, (Upper and Lower EgyptUpper and Lower EgyptAncient Egypt was divided into two regions, namely Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. To the north was Lower Egypt where the Nile stretched out with its several branches to form the Nile Delta. To the south was Upper Egypt, stretching to Syene. The two kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt were united c....
), Ptolemy V.
The Egyptian language hieroglyphs for the "good luck" quote:
- "And a Happening Good [may there be]"–("and" = wick (hieroglyph)Wick (hieroglyph)The Ancient Egyptian Wick hieroglyph is Gardiner sign listed no. V28 for the wick of a lamp.The wick hieroglyph is used in the Ancient Egyptian language hieroglyphs for the alphabetic consonant letter h. A second and equivalent h hieroglyph is the plan view of a reed shelter, O4, Gardiner no...
plus "arm")