Instructions of Amenemhat

Instructions of Amenemhat (aka "Teaching of King Ammenemes I to His Son Sesostris") is a short ancient Egyptian poem of the sebayt genre written during the early Middle Kingdom. The poem takes the form of an intensely dramatic monologue delivered by the ghost of the murdered 12th Dynasty pharaoh Amenemhat I to his son Senusret I. It describes the conspiracy that killed Amenemhat, and enjoins his son to trust no-one. The poem forms a kind of apologia of the deeds of the old king's reign. It ends with an exhortation to Senusret to ascend the throne and rule wisely in Amenemhat's stead.

The Instructions may have been authored at Senusret's command to eulogize his father and legitimize his claim to the throne. Several centuries later, in the New Kingdom Papyrus Chester Beatty IV, the authorship of the poem was attributed to "the foremost of scribes" Khety.

The principal source of this document comes from the Papyrus Millingen which was copied by A. Peyron in 1843. The original is now lost. Wooden tablets with parts of the Instructions dating to the 18th dynasty and New Kingdom papyrus fragments and ostraca survive.

The Instructions open by identifying the author as "the late King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Sehetepibre, the son of Re Ammenemes" and claim to be Amenemhat's advice to his son on how to maintain his kingship and prosperity. The king then warns his son not to trust anyone, for even those he had helped refused support and explains that he was assassinated by his guard while he was in bed. He briefly describes his provisions for Egypt; his military successes and his building accomplishments are given. The Instructions close with blessings for his son, Senusret, and advice on how he should rule.

This manuscript is one of the earliest references to "Asiatics". Later pharaohs copied parts of older writings to legitimize their deeds. The 25th Dynasty pharaoh Piye copied sections from the Instructions of Amenemhat almost verbatim. The poem was still being read in the fifth century BC, some 1500 years after it was written.

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