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Why does the speaker say, “I shall not decay”? The speaker asserts "I shall not decay" as an affirmation of immortality and resilience, expressing a desire to transcend physical deterioration and the inevitable decay that comes with death. This declaration signifies a wish for eternal life and preservation, mirroring the beliefs surrounding the afterlife in ancient Egyptian culture, particularly in the context of the god Osiris, who represents resurrection and the afterlife.
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When was the spell likely used? The spell was likely used during funerary rituals in ancient Egypt, especially in the context of preparing the deceased for the afterlife. It would have been recited or inscribed to invoke protection against decay and to ensure the deceased's preservation, aiming for a peaceful existence in the afterlife. These spells were central to the practices surrounding burial and the belief in the continuity of life beyond death.
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What is the central idea of the passage? The central idea of the passage is the affirmation of eternal life and the desire for preservation of the body and spirit in the afterlife. It emphasizes the importance of protection against decay, corruption, and physical disintegration, reflecting the ancient Egyptian belief in immortality and the hope for a continued existence beyond earthly confines. Through invoking divine power, the speaker seeks assurance of their perpetual being and vitality.
This is adapted from an excerpt from the Book of the Dead. This is a spell.
THE CHAPTER OF NOT LETTING THE BODY PERISH
Praise to you, O my divine father Osiris. You did not decay, you did not become worms, you did not wither, you did not rot, you did not putrefy, you did not turn into worms. I am the god Khepera, and my members shall have being everlastingly. I shall not decay, I shall not rot, I shall not putrefy, I shall not turn into worms. I shall have my being, I shall have my being; I shall live, I shall live; I shall flourish, I shall flourish, I shall flourish, I shall wake up in peace, I shall not putrefy, my intestines shall not perish, I shall not suffer injury. My eye shall not decay. The form of my face shall not disappear. My ear shall not become deaf. My head shall not be separated from my neck. My tongue shall not be removed. My hair shall not be cut off. My eyebrows shall not be shaved away, and no evil defect shall assail me. My body shall be stablished. It shall neither become a ruin, nor be destroyed on this earth.
–Adapted from E. A. Wallis Budge’s translation of the Book of the Dead
Read the passage, then answer the questions to determine the central idea.
Why does the speaker say, “I shall not decay”?
When was the spell likely used?
What is the central idea of the passage?
1 answer