CHAPTER XVI

EDICT OF HARMHAB1

I. INTRODUCTION

*

II. INTRODUCTION: THE KING'S ZEAL FOR THE RELIEF OF THE PEOPLE

2. His majesty took counsel with his heart [how he might] —— [explel evil and suppress lying. The plans of his majesty were an excellent refuge, repelling violence behind [and delivering

the Egyptians from the oppressions] which were among them. Behold, his majesty spent the whole time seeking the welfare of Egypt and searching out instances [of oppression in the land].

[came the scribe] of his majesty. Then he seized palette and roll; he put it into writing according to all that his majesty, the king himself said. He spoke as follows: "[My majesty] commands [concerning all] instances of oppression in the land.

[Reprinted with the consent of the publisher from "Ancient Records of Egypt" (Vol. iii, p. 22 seq.), by JAMES H. BREASTED, University of Chicago Press (1906).] This is the most important edict [Nineteenth Dynasty, about 1350-1315 B.C.] which has come down to us from ancient Egypt, and it is much to be regretted that its very fragmentary state, together with the execrable manner in which it has been published, has deprived us of so many of its important data.

The edict contains the practical legislation of Harmhab by means of which he intended to prevent the oppressive abuses connected with the collection of taxes from the common people, who were continually robbed and impoverished by the fiscal officers. This legislation consists of a series of enactments, each of the following form:

(a) Statement of the abuse as it existed before this legislation and the king's displeasure at it.

(b) Statement of a hypothetical commission of the offense by the officials concerned.

(c) Declaration of the penalty to be inflicted.

In the translation it has been necessary to indicate the connection between the beginnings of the lines, a large portion of the ends having been lost. These connecting insertions contain only what was probably the intervening thought, without any attempt to reproduce the lost words. [Most of the elaborate typographical marks and special characters of the original text of the author have been omitted in this reprinting. A dash indicates either a lacuna or an uncertainty.]- Translator's Note.

III. ENACTMENT AGAINST ROBBING THE POOR OF DUES FOR THE ROYAL BREWERIES AND KITCHENS

3. If the poor man made for himself a craft with its sail, in order to be able to serve the Pharaoh, L. P. H., [loading it with the dues for the breweries and kitchens of the Pharaoh, and he was robbed of the craft and] the dues, the poor man stood reft of his goods and stripped of his many labors. [This is wrong, and the Pharaoh will suppress it by] his excellent measures. If there be a [poor man] who pays the dues of the breweries and kitchens of the Pharaoh, L. P. H., to the two deputies, [and he be robbed of his goods and his craft, my majesty commands: that every officer who seizeth the dues] and taketh the craft of any citizen of the army or of any person who is in the whole land, the law shall be executed against him, in that his nose shall be cut off, and he shall be sent to Tha[ru].1

IV. AGAINST ROBBING THE POOR OF WOOD DUE THE PHARAOH

4. [Furthermore, concerning the impost of wood, my majesty commands that if any officer find] a poor man without a craft, then let him bring to him a craft for his impost from another, and let him send him to bring for him the wood; thus he 2 shall serve [the Pharaoh].

V. AGAINST EXACTING DUES FROM A POOR MAN THUS

ROBBED

5. [Furthermore, my majesty commands that if any poor man be oppressed by] [robbe]ry, his cargo be emptied by theft of them, and the poor man stand reft of his good]s, [no further exactions for dues shall be made from him] when he has nothing. For it is not good, this report of very great injustice. My majesty commands that restitution be made to him; behold,

1 This is a remarkable corroboration of Strabo, who mentions Rhinocolura as "so called from the colonists, whose noses had been mutilated. Some Ethiopian invaded Egypt and, instead of putting the malefactors to death, cut off their noses and settled them at Rhinocolura " (XVI, II, 31; translation of Hamilton and Falconer, III, 176). See also Herodotus, II, 37, and Diodorus, I, 60 and 65; and Müller, "Zeitschrift für ägyptische Sprache," I, 1888, 81.

The ambiguity of the pronouns is also in the original.

VI. AGAINST ROBBING THE POOR OF DUES FOR THE HAREM OR THE GODS BY THE SOLDIERS

6. [Furthermore, as for those who] and those who bring to the harem, likewise for the offerings of all gods, paying dues to the two deputies of the army and [my majesty commands that if any officer is guilty of extortions or thefts], the law [shall be executed] against him, in that his nose shall be cut off, and (he) shall be sent to Tharu likewise.

VII. AGAINST UNLAWFUL APPROPRIATION OF SLAVE

SERVICE

7. When the officers of the Pharaoh's house of offerings have gone about tax-collecting in the towns, to take [katha-plant] [they have seized the slaves of the people, and kept them at work] for 6 days or 7 days, without one's being able to depart from them afar, so that it was an excessive detention indeed. It shall be done likewise against them. If there be any place [where the stewards shall be tax-collecting, and any one] shall hear, saying: "They are tax-collecting, to take katha-plant for themselves," and another shall come to report, saying: "My man slave (or) my female slave has been taken away [and detained many days at work by the stewards"; it shall be done likewise against them].

VIII. AGAINST STEALING OF HIDES BY THE SOLDIERS

8. The two divisions of troops which are in the field, one in the southern region, the other in the northern region, stole hides in the whole land, not passing a year, without applying the brand of [the royal house to cattle which were not due to them, thereby increasing their number, and stealing that which was stamped from them. They went out from house to house, beating and plundering without leaving a hide for [the people Then the officer] of Pharaoh went about to each one, [to collect the hides charged against him and came to the people demanding] them, but the hides were not found with them (although) the amount charged against them could be established. They satisfied them, saying: "They have been stolen from us." A wretched case is this, therefore it shall be [done] likewise.

9. When the overseer of the cattle of Pharaoh, L. P. H., goes about to attend to the loan-herds in the whole land, and there be not brought to him the hides of the which are on the lists,

[he shall not hold the people responsible for the hides if they have them not, but they shall be released by command of his majesty,] according to his just purposes.1 As for any citizen of the army, (concerning) whom one shall hear, saying: "He goeth about stealing hides," beginning with this day, the law shall be executed against him, by beating him a hundred blows, opening five wounds, and taking from him by force the hides which he took.

IX. AGAINST CONNIVANCE OF DISHONEST

INSPECTORS

WITH THIEVISH TAX-COLLECTORS, FOR A SHARE OF THE BOOTY

10. Now, as for this other instance of evil which the [official staff were accustomed to commit, when they held inspection] in the land, of that which happened [against the law] [the tablescribe of] the queen and the table-scribe of the harem went about after the official staff, punishing them and investigating the affair of the one who sailed down- or up-river. One investigated it among the officials in the time of the King Menkheperre (Thutmose III). Now, when the one who sailed down- or upriver whom they took; and when [the superior officials of] [the king], Menkheperre, went about [after these officials] each year, [that they might make an] expedition to the city, and that these superior officials might come to these officials, saying: "Give thou [to us] the consideration for the careless expedition"; then, behold, the Pharaoh, L. P. H., made the expedition at the feast of Opet each year without carelessness. One prepared the way before the Pharaoh [and questioned the local magistrate, wherever he] landed, [concerning the corrupt official] causing him to what he (the corrupt official). was like. As for the one who goes about again, afterward, to seek the consideration, then these officials shall do about with the expedition concerning the affairs of these poor people - My majesty commands to prevent that one shall do thus, beginning with this day. the landing; he

is the one against whom one shall prosecute it.

X. AGAINST STEALING VEGETABLES UNDER PRETENSE OF COLLECTING TAXES

11. Likewise the collection of vegetables for the breweries [and kitchens of the Pharaoh and] [Extortion was prac

1 The meaning probably is that the cattle loaned on contract by the Pharoah sometimes died, in which case the people must show the hides. These the corrupt officials often stole before the overseer of cattle arrived.

ticed, and the officials plundered] the poor, taking the best of their vegetables, saying: "They are for the impost [of the Pharaoh]." [Thus they] robbed the poor of their labors, so that a double [impost was levied. Now, my majesty commands that as for any officials who come to] collect vegetables [for] the impost of Pharaoh, L. P. H., in the arbors, and the houses of the estates of Pharaoh, L. P. H., and the- of Pharaoh which contain vegetables (concerning whom) one shall hear, saying: "They for any of any citizen of the army, or [any] people, [beginning with this day, the law shall be executed against them] transgressing commands.

XI. ENACTMENTS TOO FRAGMENTARY FOR ANALYSIS

12. (The fragmentary condition [of these lines] makes any coherent rendering impossible. They contain, however, a new enactment of the greatest interest regarding taxation of grain, in which there is an apparent contrast between the property owners, or citizens of the city, and the poor, thus :)

13. Now as for these officials of the herds, who go about in the southern region or the northern region collecting grain from the [citizens] of the city going about in the southern region or northern region collecting - from the

poor

14. going about taking possession to bring every citizen, to cause them to see (concerning whom) one shall hear, collectors of the harem who go about in the [towns tax-collecting] the — of the fisher

(saying) "

men

a crime,

XII. NARRATIVES OF THE KING'S REFORMS, CONTAINING ALSO AN ENACTMENT AGAINST CORRUPT JUDGES

APPOINTMENT OF TWO JUDGES

I have sailed it, as

I have learned its

15. I have improved this entire land far as south of the wall, I have given whole interior, I have traveled it entirely in its midst, I have searched in [and I have sought two officials] perfect in speech, excellent in good qualities, knowing how to judge the innermost heart, hearing the words of the palace, the laws of the judgment-hall. I have appointed them to judge the Two Lands, to satisfy those who are in -[I have given to each one] his seat;