The Awakening Aten

by Aidan K. Morrissey

  ‘Father it’s perhaps because of the knowledge I’ve gained in these last years. Anen is a great mentor, the Temple archives and the teachers have been more than I could have wished. The problem is, the more I learn, the more doubts I seem to have about the truth of what I’m learning.’

  ‘We all have doubts, Thutmose,’ Haqwaset said.

  Thutmose ignored him and carried on.

  ‘I know the traditions and cults, prevalent today in the Two Lands, have sustained the people and the country for many centuries. I appreciate how, over the decades and even centuries, there have been subtle changes to meet the needs of any current situation. The gods have been joined or incorporated one with another.’

  He paused.

  ‘Here for example with Ptah. He was ever regarded as the god of craftsmen and architects. When our forefathers moved their power base to within these white walls, he grew in importance. He is now revered as the creator god, regarded as the one who set all the gods in their places and gave all things the breath of life. In the old stories of the creation of the earth, it was the god Atum, who first appeared on the island of Ben-Ben, which Nun caused to rise out of the dark waters of chaos and led to the creation of earth and the gods. Today we are told to say, it was not Atum but Ptah. Is religion so changing? Did our forefathers get it wrong? Are we all wrong? Does any god even really exist?’

  Haqwaset and Tiye were impressed. They had never before heard their son talk in such an erudite, serious way. Perhaps they hadn’t previously allowed him the occasion to do so. Parents often never notice how their children are maturing. For their whole lives parents see their children as simply that – children. Today, they were looking at Thutmose with a new found respect, added to the love they would always have for him. They didn’t interrupt him and he continued.

  ‘I don’t understand how a god can change over time. A god should be immortal. Something that is, was and always will be. His teachings should be ones to guide us through our lives, through our interaction with people. We should be better people for following the teachings of god. Not like the high priests, here and in Waset, who care more for their earthly rewards than they do for the good of their followers. Offers to the gods are becoming more in relation to monetary value. Surely a man should be able to simply offer up his heart to god; leading a life which will ensure, in the afterlife, he can be welcomed by God, or the gods, if there be more than one.’

  ‘You sound very much like your grandfather,’ Tiye said.

  ‘You’re probably right mother. We can never be certain our thoughts are original and belong only to us, but I don’t think I have been influenced greatly by him. I have arrived at my own conclusions based on what I have learned and seen. It’s true, much, although certainly not all, of what I have come to believe, coincides with what grandfather has to say. Many of my thoughts are still a little jumbled and I have asked to speak with grandfather to discuss things with him. He has never tried to convince me of one thing or another. He has always told me that matters of faith are personal and a true teacher allows his students to travel the path of knowledge, with all its side roads and crossroads, to arrive at their own destination. He sometimes points me in one direction or another, but never imposes his views.’

  Haqwaset was next to speak. He had listened carefully to what Thutmose said.

  ‘My son, I appreciate everything you say, but I don’t see how your personal faith should affect your ability to act as king. Remember your grandfather himself ruled on my behalf for the first years. He’s been the most powerful man in the Two Lands, apart from the King, since my father’s time; for a while even for his father before him. Surely this shows you can have your own faith and still incorporate the diverse beliefs of your people.’

  ‘Father,’ Thutmose spoke after a few moments of reflection. ‘The single most important thing you have just said is how grandfather has been the most powerful “apart from the King”. He has never had to lead ceremonies as you have done today. Even in the time when he was acting as Regent he was standing behind you, helping you, he never did anything himself in religious ceremonies. I believe in this way he managed not to act against his own beliefs.’

  ‘We’ll talk together with Yuya,’ Haqwaset said. ‘We’ll see if he can convince you that you will make a good King.’

  Thutmose didn’t answer.

  ‘When did you first start to get these ideas?’ Tiye asked her son.

  ‘I think doubts have always been there, in differing degrees, but a defining moment came before the funeral of Maiherpri. Djoser’s work really was extremely thought provoking.’

  ‘Djoser? Djoser?’ Haqwaset was incredulous. ‘Is he now a priest or a teacher that he can influence a future king?’

  Thutmose acknowledged his father’s growing anger.

  ‘Not Djoser himself, father. I have hardly spoken a few words to him my entire life. I said his “work”. I had the chance to read the papyrus he prepared for Maiherpri. I’d never before read the Book of Going Forth by Day in its entirety. For all its fine art work and clever use of the materials, there was one passage which struck me more than any other. I know it wasn’t Djoser who invented the words; he was merely using his skills to bring them to life on the papyrus scroll. It’s a passage I have read and re-read many, many times in other works. I have seen many examples of it here in the Temple. I have memorised the text, or at least my own version of the words,’ he paused.

  Haqwaset’s curiosity was aroused. He was finding himself being taught by his own son. Not only would Thutmose make a formidable king, he could also have been a great teacher. He made a gesture with his hand asking Thutmose to continue.

  ‘It’s verse 125,’ he said, as if he expected his parents to immediately know its meaning. Their faces were blank so he felt he had to explain.

  ‘It’s the part where the procession into the afterlife comes before the goddesses of “What is Right” in the broad hall of the Two Truths. Here there needs to be confirmation that the person’s life has been pure. He must confirm he has not stolen, nor killed, has not taken another’s wife, nor done any act against the wishes of the gods. I firmly believe if a man is taught these, and the other values contained in these passages from an early age and lives by them, then his journey to the afterlife will be secured. It angers me that I’m here in this Temple, which I don’t believe to be the worst in the Two Lands, and I read, that to live a pure life, a man should not “reduce the offerings in the Temples” nor should he “impoverish the people” and yet every day I see the priests taking the offerings given to them and returning them later to the seller to share the profit. I see them exacting sums from the pilgrims, that they can ill afford, for “favours” of the gods. How can we accept such things happening in the Temples, which are supposed to be the guiding spiritual force? If there truly is a weighing of the heart, as a rite of passage into the afterlife, I’ve never met a single priest who would pass that most crucial and fundamental of tests. How can you as King, or how could I as a future king, accept priests who can preach one thing but act against that very preaching?’

  Thutmose noticed a reaction, from his father, he didn’t intend.

  ‘Please, father, try to understand. I’m not criticising you when I ask how you can let this happen. Far from it. I know this is the order of things and has been for centuries. I know that to be King also means compromises are necessary. In order to maintain order sometimes an eye must be kept closed and a king needs to be like my one-eyed Tamyt. I’m only saying that I’m certain I would not be able to be so diplomatic. You’re a great example to everyone, both as the King and as a father. My entire life I have loved and admired you. You’re the pinnacle of what any man or boy could ever hope to achieve, but I’m not you and I could never hope to be you.’

  Haqwaset looked at his son, who had revealed his innermost feelings. It could not have been an easy thing for him to do. He rose from hi
s seat, pulled Thutmose up from where he had been sitting, and hugged him. After he released the embrace he took hold of his son’s hands.

  ‘No Thutmose, you are not me, perhaps you will never be like me. This is because you are better than me. You’re stronger than me. I have never been more proud of you than I am at this moment, but, everything you say makes me believe, even more, that the future of the Two Lands will be safe in your hands and under your control. Give me the chance to prove this to you. When the festivities are over, return with us to Waset, stay close by my side. See if I can teach you diplomacy and guile. These are both attributes a king needs. Just yesterday you performed a traditional ceremony for your beloved Tamyt so I believe you can do what is necessary. Let me show you how I deal with recalcitrant priests and officials.’

  Thutmose looked at his father. The smile on the young man’s lips did not reach his eyes. He felt his father hadn’t absorbed what he had been saying. He knew his father had listened but was not convinced he’d heard. At least he was content he’d said almost everything he wanted to say. Now the hard work would be to convince his parents and maybe others. Tiye was unusually silent. Her mind went back to the recent conversation she’d had with her father about a dream. She was troubled.

  *

  At the feast that night, Aperel and Tawy were seated close to Djoser. As the brother of the hostess his position at the feast was higher than his rank in court would normally permit, but no one either noticed or cared.

  ‘I have a favour to ask you, Djoser,’ the Vizier said to his brother-in-law.

  ‘If it involves money then the answer is “No”. You already have much more than me, unless of course the favour is you would like me to look after some of your riches, then the answer would be an unequivocal “Yes”,’ replied Djoser with a mischievous glance at his sister.

  ‘No it doesn’t involve money, well at least not in the way you might be thinking,’ Aperel responded. ‘I have a job which I,’ he looked at Tawy who raised her eyebrows, ‘I mean, we, have something we would like you to do for us.’

  ‘You will need to clear such matters with my employer,’ Djoser replied. ‘My time is not my own.’

  ‘Yuya has already said, if you’re in favour, then he gives permission for you to do what we ask. One of the things I must do as Vizier is prepare a tomb for myself and my family.’

  Djoser guessed where this conversation was leading and he was not wrong, so he began preparing his answer.

  ‘Tawy and I would like you to take charge of the project and design the artwork; would you do us the honour of accepting our request? I will, of course, pay you the appropriate rate for the job.’

  ‘There would never be a question of money. There is, however, another, much greater problem,’ replied Djoser.

  ‘What?’ asked Tawy, taken aback by her brother’s response.

  ‘Tawy, it’s that I have already prepared a tomb for you in Waset. I know that you will never enter that place to begin your journey to the afterlife, but it’s where your name is written for the gods. How could I ever be sure the gods would find you if I now build another tomb for you here?’

  ‘Am I to be condemned for eternity, because I had one tomb started? Am I not to be buried with my husband, a man who has taken my wreck of a life and brought me happiness? Am I not to be buried with my sons if it’s their wish?’

  Tawy hadn’t realised she had spoken in a raised voice and several people around, including Yuya, had heard her.

  The old man got up, walked over and stood directly behind Djoser.

  ‘Is there a problem my friends? I’ve never found anything which couldn’t be resolved.’

  Tawy explained the essence of the conversation.

  ‘I see no difficulty, Djoser, and am a little surprised how the simple solution hasn’t already occurred to you.’

  Yuya tapped his scribe gently on the head.

  ‘Djoser has known you, Tawy, all your life. He loves you and you’ll always be his sister “Tawy”. Here, sitting around you, are people who have not known you so long. People who are not your family, or close friends, but people who meet you in your public capacity as wife of the Vizier.’

  Aperel and Tawy looked at him inquisitively.

  Djoser smiled.

  ‘So simple.’

  ‘Sometimes Djoser, your mind works like a donkey and not like a horse. Both animals get to their destination but one takes a little longer than the other. I’ll let you explain your cunning solution to your sister and her husband.’

  With that, he tapped Djoser on the head again and returned to where he had been sitting.

  ‘Problem solved,’ said Djoser, ‘when should I start work?’

  ‘Wait a moment. You haven’t explained the reason you changed your mind. ‘What is so simple?’

  ‘You really don’t see do you, Tawy?’

  She and Aperel both shook their heads, so Djoser continued.

  ‘Those of us who have known you for a long time, those of us who love you, your close friends and family, have always called you Tawy. You will always be Tawy. However, given your new station in life as the wife of the Vizier, court officials and guests know you as the Lady Tawosret. You are one and the same person but you’re called by some as one name and others by your formal name and title. In your new tomb with Aperel, I shall refer to you as Tawosret and the gods will have no trouble finding you.’

  Tawy looked across at Yuya and managed to catch his eye. He opened out his arms, palms turned upwards, and shrugged, as if to say, ‘You see, – simple.’

  *

  Would that all problems were so easily solved. The next day, Tiye sought out her parents in their quarters and relayed the details of the conversation with Thutmose the day before.

  ‘You should not worry so much Tiye. Thutmose is young. Haqwaset is in good health and doesn’t suffer from the affliction which caused his father to die young. There is no question of Thutmose coming to the throne for years yet,’ Yuya told her.

  Tiye was clearly agitated.

  ‘Father you forget, but for the bravery and sacrifice of Maiherpri, five years ago, Thutmose could already be King. Who is to say something won’t happen tomorrow, or next week? What are we going to do?’

  ‘The first thing is to stay calm,’ her father responded. ‘Thutmose is going through a stage all bright young people go through. He is questioning everything, the world, his beliefs and most of all himself. We just need to help and guide him.’

  ‘I know all of that father and I know you’re talking sense, but I saw something in Thutmose yesterday that I’ve never seen before. There was an anger, and a power behind that anger, which he clearly tried to hide from us. There was a fire in his eyes when he was talking about the priests, a fire the like of which I have never seen, not even in Haqwaset when he gets angry. If all that were not enough, there’s the dream you mentioned but wouldn’t explain to me.’

  Yuya rested his elbow on the chair and cupped his chin in his hands. He stroked his face with his index finger, as he often did whilst thinking.

  ‘My dream is not important,’ he said eventually. ‘Perhaps Haqwaset is right; perhaps we should take him away from here. Take him away from the Temples, at least for a while. We can’t do anything before the end of the new Apis festival. There are duties he must perform with his father. We’ll speak with Haqwaset. Maybe for a time Thutmose should stay with me, away from the court and far from the priests. It’s clear, Thutmose is exceptional. He’s different. Perhaps God has chosen him for something beyond our comprehension. He certainly challenges teachings and ideas in an exceptional way. Thutmose is wise, not just beyond his years, but beyond his generation. He is both wise and thoughtful.’

  Tiye allowed a tear to run down her cheek.

  ‘Father I’m worried. I have a terrible feeling of foreboding, I sense that something dreadful is about to
happen and it’s all outside of my control.’

  ‘Try not to worry, Tiye. I’m sure we can sort this out.’

  ‘Thank you father. We need to try, I can’t help but worry. I’m sorry to burden you with this and immediately rush off, but I must go. We have an audience before midday with some envoy or other, I must prepare.’

  As she left she still looked concerned. Yuya remained in his chair. He began to recall his dream and he too was troubled.

  chapter thirty-two

  Crowds lined the river for many miles to catch a glimpse of the arrival of the calf and its sacred mother. The ceremonial golden barque, built a hundred or more years ago and used only once in a generation, was carrying its precious load towards their new home. Flowers were thrown towards the craft from all directions as it sailed past. Most of them missed their target and floated away downstream in a blanket of colour, heading towards the sea. From his vantage point, high on the Temple walls, Thutmose looked at the vast colourful mass meandering away from the town.

  ‘I would like to see the priests try and retrieve them to resell.’

  He smiled to himself, as he imagined the accumulation of flowers arriving at the point where the great river divided into two, then four, then many more, becoming like the sacred lotus flower. The division of the river created a vast ‘V’ shaped area of fertile soil, as the farmers made the most of the fresh water flowing from lands beyond Kush to the south. Thutmose wished that one day he could take a boat and follow the river upstream to its source. The winds, which brought in the seasons of flood and sowing, blew upstream and helped sail boats to counter the flow of the river. To make such a journey it would be best to depart just after the inundation. It was a dream Thutmose knew would never be fulfilled.

  His thoughts turned to yesterday’s conversation with his parents.