her." Then the Majesty of the King of the South and North in the
three-fold beauty of the night caused to be poured out these vases of
beer which make [men] to lie down (or, sleep), and the meadows of the
Four Heavens[FN#61] were filled with beer (or, water) by reason of the
Souls of the Majesty of this god. And it came to pass that when this
goddess arrived at the dawn of day, she found these [Heavens] flooded
[with beer], and she was pleased thereat; and she drank [of the beer
and blood], and her heart rejoiced, and she became drunk, and she gave
no further attention to men and women. Then said the Majesty of Ra to
this goddess, "Come in peace, come in peace, O Amit,"[FN#62] and
thereupon beautiful women came into being in the city of Amit (or,
Amem). And the Majesty of Ra spake [concerning] this goddess,
[saying], "Let there be made for her vessels of the beer which
produceth sleep at every holy time and season of the year, and they
shall be in number according to the number of my hand-maidens;" and
from that early time until now men have been wont to make on the
occasions of the festival of Hathor vessels of the beer which make them
to sleep in number according to the number of the handmaidens of Ra.
And the Majesty of Ra spake unto this goddess, [saying], "I am smitten
with the pain of the fire of sickness; whence cometh to me [this]
pain?" And the Majesty of Ra said, "I live, but my heart hath become
exceedingly weary[FN#63] with existence with them (i.e., with men); I
have slain [some of] them, but there is a remnant of worthless ones,
for the destruction which I wrought among them was not as great as my
power." Then the gods who were in his following said unto him, "Be not
overcome by thy inactivity, for thy might is in proportion to thy
will." And the Majesty of this god said unto the Majesty of Nu, "My
members are weak for (or, as at) the first time; I will not permit this
to come upon me a second time." And the Majesty of the god Nu said, "O
son Shu, be thou the Eye 'for thy father . . . . . and avenue (?) him,