Teaching for Kagemni
The teaching for Kagemni is an incompletely preserved work of ancient Egyptian literature . It has only come down to us on the Prisse papyrus, together with a version of the teachings of Ptahhotep . The papyrus probably comes from the 12th dynasty , but the original time of origin of the teaching is probably further back and should be dated to the 9th / 10th dynasty . The 6th dynasty was also accepted as the time of origin on various occasions . The reason for this is the addressee of the work. He is Kagemni , who held the office of vizier under Pharaoh Teti . However, within the teaching it is anachronistically located at the beginning of the 4th dynasty .
content
The beginning of the teaching is lost. The text received begins within a series of maxims written in verse that deal with rash speech, behavior at the table, and God's punishment. There is always a warning to exercise moderation. Silence is seen as a great virtue and at the table one should behave modestly and not voraciously. Violating these rules could result in divine punishment.
This is followed by the end of a framework story that originally included all of the maxims. It is described how the children of the vizier read and internalize the written teaching. After the death of Pharaoh Huni, Kagemni, who followed the doctrine, was appointed mayor and vizier by his successor Sneferu .
literature
- Winfried Barta: Teaching for Kagemni . In: Lexicon of Egyptology. Vol. III. Wiesbaden 1980, column 980-982.
- Hellmut Brunner : Ancient Egyptian wisdom. Lessons for Life . The Library of the Old World, Zurich / Munich 1988, pp. 133–136.
- Günter Burkard, Heinz J. Thissen: Introduction to the ancient Egyptian literary history I. Old and Middle Kingdom . LIT Verlag, Münster / Hamburg / London 2003, pp. 83–85.
- Alan H. Gardiner : The Instruction Addressed to Kagemni and his Brethren . In: Journal of Egyptian Archeology, Vol. 32, 1946, pp. 71-74.
- Miriam Lichtheim : Ancient Egyptian Literature. Volume I: The Old an Middle Kingdom . Berkeley / Los Angeles / London 1973, pp. 59-61.