HOUSE OF THOTH

Court of Amen 1

Starting in Senate (Senet or Zenet) - The EMBARKATION - ONE- Mansion of the Ibis

Thoth leads us by hand onto the Bark and registers our names. We will play with the Gods and Goddesses, fight alongside the Great Ones, and even sometimes lead them. We will sail with the Holy Mariners on their Bark of Eternity. "Free-movement" is also the object of strategy and tactics in Zenet; and is combined with the spiritual freedom of our bA soul (House 10) being able to travel where it wills, unheeded. The "passing" or passage" represented in Zenet is the passage of our bA through this life, and beyond through the duat, corollated by the final series of five squares. Our own fingers unite with causing the auspicious piece moves indivated the deity fingers as we gain their patronage, towing our solar bark, avoiding pitfalls, towards victory.

In the legend where Thoth plays the Moon god Khons, part of the Theban triad of Amen (Amn) and Great Mother, Nekhbet or Mut, his consort. Both players have their last piece on the House of the Two Gods. Khons casts first with a three so cannot move. Thoth casts a two and wins the game. Zenet One, p. 28 This references Rah and Atum (aka Tem) in Zenet reside in the House of the TWO GODS, penultimate sqaure, House 29.

The Great God Thoth has set a balance in order to make right measure on earth by it.

He placed the heart hidden in the flesh for the right measure of its owner.

If a learned man is not balanced, his learning does not avail.

The God lays the heart on the scales opposite the weight.

He who knows how to hold his heart has the equivalent of every teaching.

- Papyrus Insinger 4:17-19, 5:7, 8:3
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I am Thoth, who journeyeth

I have come unto you, O Amen-Rah.

I am Thoth, who journeyeth at the two seasons to seek for the Eye of its Lord.

I have come, I have found the Eye, I have reckoned it up for its Lord.

Come to me, O Amen-Rah, guide thou me in the path whereon thou travellest;

make me to enter in the form of a bA bird, make me to come forth in the form of a Lion,

make me travel in the form of Ap-uati, and let me not be repulsed or turned back on the roads,

on this day, on this night, in this month, in this year.

Behold, come to me, O Amen-Rah and open thou for me the two doors of the sky,

and unclose for me the two doors of the earth,

and throw open before me the precincts of the divine house.

[extract from 17th Ceremony, Ritual of the Divine Cult, Dynasty 18th]
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The FOUR BANDAGES (alt. bindings or precepts) of Thoth.

Come, let me cause you to know them,
Namely, the four bandages of the Successful life.

*Set your heart upon the god!
*Adhere to the law!
*Make restitution (alt. revenge)!
*Go in Maat!

Be small of conceit and praise!

Be a good person!
Do not (ignore) this which you have heard!

The-one-who-loves-knowledge, he says:
"O may your prophecy be eternally young!
O foremost one of the Mansion of Records [Seshat]
Begin with the children of your teaching!"

You have been for me a craftsmen.
You have diminished my trouble(s).
You have taken control of my (adversaries).

You have been for me a farmer,
I being like unto a field, I being dry.
You have been for me (irrigation alt. libation).

They have given me to you, I being worthy.
You opened me in your image … [….]
To cause it (alt. him) to live.

You have separated for me my tongue.
You have opened for me.
You have (granted) for me the possibility for coming and going.

You have lessened hatred of me.
You have brought love of me.
You have caused that my praise comes quickly.

You have caused that I achieve old age, I being still young.
I have written to those older than I through your effective magic.
You have given me high authority, although I am but a youth.
I have comforted the hearts of the great ones through your assistance.

You caused that I be abundant with companions, when I was alone.
You made for me a troop of youths.

You have given me living force of your mouth.
Reveal your sustenance (alt. spittle, liquid flame).
The beneficent power of your body has flowed over me.

[….] for me the benefaction.
You have acted for me, I being as a living image eternally.

I will stand as a statue (before you)
I will be for you a divine monument,
I being as an image of the foremost before (Thoth).

I have power over your papyrus roll.
I will worship your teaching(s),
I being protected (by saying) your beautiful name.

Above is my translation of Column 7 of BO2 from 'The Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth' papyri in which Thoth continues instructing his disciple (a priestly scribe), see Jasnow & Zauzich p. 234. I have filled in a few gaps from their 2005 translation (my words in brackets) which represent my current best guesses.
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Egyptian language is full of crypticisms and word-play; and the "fingers" in the Zenet game represent both the fingers of the Great Ones whose action (stochastically thrown) determines pieces movement in the game, and also carry allusions to the fingers of a player or scribe, Servants of Thoth, Lord of game play, speech and writing. In volume 1 we looked at the importance of hieroglyphics in Zenet. Egytpology has also established that verbal jousting (like sledging in cricket) was part of Zenet during certain periods of its long history, and several such Zenet sayings and exchanges have been preserved for us. These often play on mysterious puns and interplays between three and two (unspecified - most Egyptologists assume pieces - but I think also finger throw sticks). I will include Senet sayings in Zenet Three (The 31st God). This quote however concerns caligraphy, not throw sticks.

The-one-who-loves-knowledge, he says:

"Let one say to me the work of the fist, the hand which labors on the divine writings."

He speaks, namely, The One-of-Heseret, he says:

Your three fingers, place the brush between them. Your two fingers, let them make a grasping.

Place the one-tenth and one-twentieth for the Great of Five, Thoth, //
send "between them [the fingers]" the ink-holder before your fingers.

Be good with your hand! // Write with your fingers! //
As for movement and staying-still, make a commanding of them to your fingers!

Every type of free-movement (is) their (the fingers) share, //
excellence in writing (means) the collection of the praises, they
being quick.

(The Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth, Jasnow & Zauzich I,
2005, p. 215/6).

PRAYER to THOTH Papyrus Anastasi V. 9,2 - 10,2. Gardiner, L.E.M. P. 60

This was used as a school-text in Ramesside Period, New Kingdom.

Come to me Thoth, O noble Ibis,

O God who loves Khmun;

O letter-writer of the Ennead,

Great one who dwells in Heliopolis!

Come to me and give me counsel,

Make me skillful in your calling;

Better is your calling than all callings,

It makes followers great.

He who masters your calling is fit to hold office,

I have seen many benefit by your action;

They are now among the Tribunal of Thirty,

They are strong and rich through your help.

You are the one who offers wisest counsel,

I am a servant of your house.

Let me tell of your valiant deeds,

Wheresoever I may be.

Then the multitudes will say:

"Great are they, the deeds of Thoth!"

Then they'll come and bring their children,

To assign them to your calling,

A calling that pleases the lord of strength,

Happy are they who perform it!