cladking Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...And still the king has no clothes.

That would be you, uncladking.

> Martin Stower Wrote:
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
> > > None of this resulting gibberish is in any way
> > > comprehensible. . . .
> >
> > Stop lying.
>
> Well great!!! If I'm lying you must understand it,
> eh?
>
> I've been wondering what this line means for the
> longest;
>
> 502b. The double doors of heaven are locked; the
> way goes over the flames under that which the gods
> create,
> 503a. which allows each Horus to glide through, in
> which N. will glide through, in this flame under
> that which the gods create.
> 503b. They make a way for N., that N. may pass by
> it. N. is a Horus.
>
> This must make perfect sense to you but one
> Egyptologist believes it means;
>
> Before the doors close again the gate to the path
> over the fire, beneath the holy ones as they grow
> dark
> As a falcon flies as a falcon flies, may Unis rise
> into this fire
> Beneath the holy ones as they grow dark.
> They make a path for Unis, Unis takes the path,
>
> While another says it means;
>
> Pull back, Baboon’s penis! Open, [sky’s door!
> You sealed the door, open a path for Unis] on the
> blast of heat where the gods scoop water.
> Horus’s glide path--TWICE--will Unis glide on,
> in this blast of heat where the gods scoop water,
>
>
> I don't even understand what the second one means
> in English. I suppose it means there is a blast
> of heat containing water in which imaginary
> consciousnesses scoop water two times and that the
> dead king slides on this heat.
>
> I'm not really certain this is even English since
> it really makes no sense.
>
> If Egyptologists can't agree on a meaning then why
> in the hell would anybody think any Egyptologist
> can understand it.

Risible, ridiculous, nonsensical—a thoroughly bogus travesty of an argument.

This is like saying that if you understand French, then you must understand Derrida and Deleuze—or, if you understand German, then you must understand Hegel and Heidegger—texts with which most native speakers would struggle, if they made the attempt at all. I know. I’ve tried it with them.

It’s like saying that if you understand English, then you must find Joyce and Beckett a breeze.

I see no reason at all to suppose that such specialised and esoteric material as the Pyramid Texts would be any easier for native speakers of ancient Egyptian.

Not exactly a student of Wittgenstein (or anything else much), are you, Sam⸮ He’d call stuff like this language going on holiday. The core of a language is the simple, everyday stuff.

> So here we are again, you say it makes sense and I
> must point out that no knowledge of any kind has
> ever been derived from the entire corpus!!!
> Imagine how improbable that is. Imagine aliens
> find a book in a million years but they can't make
> ONE SINGLE DEDUCTION about humanity after they
> decipher it!!! All they can do is put forth
> opinions about meaning while no two of them agree.

Allow me to remind you that your entire acquaintance with the Pyramid Texts is one of parasitical bellyaching.

If you don’t like the translations, then go to source and read it. Can you? Would you even know where to begin?

Then produce your own translations and enlighten us all.

> How can you believe this stuff. But not only
> believe it but believe it so profoundly as to call
> me a liar because you don't agree!

Believe what stuff? What you’ve made up? I would not presume as your position requires you to to tell people that they don’t understand their native language if they don’t understand the most difficult things written in it.

> > No, I’m assuming that, being language, they are
> > like language. If they are not like language,
> > then they are not language, but something else.
>
> Maybe you should define "language". . . .

I’ve already told you that I don’t share your primitive superstitions on what definition can achieve.

> Audrey has some very good points . . .

Which just goes to show that you fell off the pons asinorum long since.

M.