We don't fully understand the rhythm of ancient Egyptian poetry, because there were no vowels in the words at that time, so we can't judge the relationship between long and short rhythm units. However, judging from the phenomenon that one word can replace another word with different syllables without restriction, ancient Egyptian poetry may be based on a series of quite free rhythmic stresses, rather than a certain volume system.
At that time, people who copied poems sometimes separated them with a red dot. However, this format often does not require distinguishing between poetry and prose, so it is difficult to judge which category some works should belong to. Take the moral work Proverbs as an example. Is it regarded as prose because of its dull tone and lack of images, or as simple poetry because of its moving rhythm and easy memory?
In the ancient kingdom period (3200-2280 BC), apart from proverbs, the largest number of works were preserved in the pyramids. But the inscriptions on these stone tablets-including narratives, mantras, symbols and so on. -It's used to pray for the king's soul to ascend to heaven after his death. Those who are interested in these works are mainly religious scholars, not poetry scholars.
One of the excellent works that can be called real poetry is a ode to the turbulent years after the ancient kingdom, and it is an episode of the article "Dialogue between Desperate People and Their Soul". The turmoil of the times made the unfortunate man want to die, but he found justice in the underworld:
I'm glad death came today.
For example, bringing health to patients.
For example, you can travel around after you get sick.
I'm glad death came today.
Bathe me with the scent of myrrh
Take me with the wind in a canoe. ...
I'm glad death came today.
Comfort me anxious to return's mood.
End my years in prison
This poem is characterized by rich images and profound feelings. Regularly use overlapping sentences and juxtaposition of various ideas to make each poem have a certain pattern. Later orthodox poems tend to use this lyrical style with a fixed format, but if the feelings are poor, it will become a mere formality.
In the early Middle Ages (about 2280 BC-65438 BC+0778 BC), the famous writer Heidi wrote the Instruction of King Amen Neikter I to strengthen the new order. In another poem, he strongly criticized all walks of life to affirm the poet's unparalleled status. When he wrote Song of the Nile, he was inspired to give up the formal form of traditional carols. In this poem, people, rich or poor, cheered like brothers at the sight of the Nile, which made the land of Egypt extremely rich due to regular flooding. At the end of the Middle Ages, the song of the harp master appeared. In this poem dedicated to King Intef, the poet praised the happy life in the face of death and destruction. This is the predecessor of Horace's theme of carpe diem.
During the period of the New Kingdom (BC 1570- 1090), some poems still appealed to people to enjoy life, but some good wishes were mixed in. I hope that this simple joy today is only the initial stage of happiness that honest people will enjoy after death. In the middle of14th century BC, another harpist's answer to the above-mentioned "harp song" was engraved in the tomb of Naawer Hotep in Thebes. The title of this poem is "Believe in the Song of Death", which describes that people who love each other enjoy a quiet joy in a mysterious combination.
But we should not think that death is the most popular theme in Egyptian poetry. The victory of the Pharaoh in repelling the invading enemy and the peace it brought to the country were also recorded in several epics, which were warmly congratulated, the most famous of which was the Battle of Kadesh. This poem tells the story of Ramses II's achievements. He is young and brave, and firmly believes in the great Amen God. In the battle before the Asians attacked Kadesh, South Korea, he took the lead alone and won a great victory.
In the first half of the 0/4th century BC, another king, Amanofis IV, reformed the religion of Egypt, advocated monotheism, and regarded the sun as the visible incarnation of God. He personally wrote a hymn for the god who can glimpse his honor from nature, and revealed strong feelings in the poem, opening his heart and spirit to the gods:
All flapping-wing aircraft,
When you rise, you are born again.
In the river, thousands of people are fighting for the current.
Because of your arrival, all roads are smooth;
Fish in the middle reaches of the river jump in front of you and look up.
Your light shines straight into the sea.
You developed a reproductive machine for women,
Open a gorgeous flower for a man,
Let the baby snuggle up to the mother's * * *,
Calm him not to cry. ...
Chickens in eggshells will chirp before they come out.
Because you give it life and let it live.
This kind of hymn has a very wide religious meaning. In order to achieve a strict poetic mood, it is not limited to some myths and theological concepts. These hymns are greatly influenced by secular poems, especially love poems.
A series of love poems handed down from the New Kingdom. This is to sort out many short poems and make them into entertainment activities like modern gatherings, which are composed of a whole set, some of which are rich in tones, and some of which are connected into short stories or psychological dialogues, which make the audience feel refreshed. This form of poetry is obviously equivalent to modern free verse. This kind of lyric poetry is solemn, cheerful, humorous or gentle, and its artistic conception focuses on describing the * * * in the heart rather than feelings and impressions. These goo goo
Poetry is full of praise for nature. The background is often a garden, and there are a group of beautiful girls in the environment of flowers and birds and flowers. Poetry sometimes describes lovers falling in love in beautiful scenery. The families of these couples are often very poor. For example, there is a poem describing a young man sitting in a small room next to his family, quietly waiting for his sweetheart to pass by the house, and she is also waiting for his eyes with joy:
I went to his house,
Found the door wide open.
My lover is sitting next to my mother,
Brothers and sisters are also near him.
Those passers-by,
Everyone expressed admiration for him.
No sooner had I arrived than he stared at me. ...
It can be seen that this poem is accurate and clear about the place, but it passes by; The focus of the poet's expression is the ups and downs of inner feelings, not external events.
These poems in ancient Egypt describe the scene of everything in the sun full of vitality and youthful vitality, which is touching. The ancient Hebrews used to draw inspiration from it and create more passionate songs. The dialogue poems of the ancient Greek poet Thoth may also get inspiration from these Egyptian poems. Some of his dialogue poems were written in Egypt; He probably expanded the form of dialogue poems in his hometown of Sicily by imitating Egyptian love poems. The lovers in his works are dignified and pure, full of tender and meticulous feelings, all of which are fascinating.