Among the actions of Hadrian after the suspicious death of his “favourite” Antinous was the construction of an Egyptian-style obelisk in Rome, which still stands. Each of the four faces has a text upon it in hieroglyphics. It was constructed in Rome, where someone who knew how to write the ancient language wrote the text.
The first two faces read as follows. I’ve made this from the rather splendid French translation of Jean-Claude Grenier, “L’Osiris Antinoos”, CENIM 1, Montpellier, 2008, which I found online here, and which comes with some very learned notes. There are some dreadfully unreliable English versions online, I find.
Face 1 (South-facing)
Words said by the Osiris Antinous, [justified], “Come to the master of life.” The blessed one who is in the afterlife and who lies in this sacred place which is found inside the gardens of the domain of the Prince in Rome. He is known for becoming a god in the “abatons”[1] of Egypt, and shrines have been built for him (where) he is worshipped as a god by the prophets and priests of Upper and Lower Egypt and (by) the inhabitants of Egypt also. A city is named after him; to it belongs a population of Greeks and sons of Horus and children of Seth, resident in the cities of Egypt; they have come from their cities, and valuable lands have been given to them, to enrich their lives greatly. There is a temple there of this god – his name is “Osiris Antinous, justified” – built from fair white stone. Sphinxes stand on its perimeter, and statues, numerous columns like those once made by the ancients, and also like those made by the Greeks. All the gods and all the godesses give him there the breath of life, and he breathes in of it, having rediscovered his youth.
Face 2 (west-facing)
Next to an image of Antinous is a damaged inscription, which now reads only, “Words spoken by the Osiris Anti[nous]…”
Facing him is Thoth, with the legend, “Words spoken by Thoth, twice great, Lord of Khemenou (Hermopolis): ‘I make your heart alive for you every day.'”
The blessed, the Osiris Antinous, justified! He has become an ephebe with a beautiful face that makes the eyes rejoice, a strength […] and an intrepid heart like (man) with strong arms. He received god’s decree of the time of his death. All the rites of the “Hours of Osiris” were renewed for him, and all the operations of his mummification in secret, then his bandages were put on, and the whole earth was (then) in a just distress, fed by disagreements.[2] Nothing of the kind was done for those of ancient times until today like (what was done for) his altars, temples, and titles, and, because he breathes in the breath of life, his glory grows in the hearts of men. The one who is the Lord of Hermopolis, the master of the divine words, Thoth, regenerates his ba like […] in their time. By night and day, at any and every instant, the love that he inspires is in the hearts of his faithful, the respect that he inspires [is in…] of all […] and the praise which he excites is widespread among the men who venerate him. His rightful place is in the Court of the Justified and of the Perfect Lights which are in the following of Osiris within the sacred world of the Master of Eternity; and a triumph has been accorded to him; they (the justified &c) have established his renown on the earth and their heart delights in him. (When) he goes to any place that he wishes, the doorkeepers of the Afterlife say to him “Praise be to you!” They pull back the bolts and open the doors before him, and (this) every day for millions and millions of years (for) [this will be] the duration of his existence […] ? […]
That’s quite a series of statements about someone who had no known quality to deserve such praise, other than being the “favourite” of an emperor.
It is a pity that the meaning of the text is as uncertain as it is. It is not certain, I learn, that the tomb of Antinous was in Rome, rather than in Antinoupolis. It all depends on how you read the text.
Thank you – how very interesting! (I have the vague automatic expectation that inscribed obelisks found elsewhere have been carried off from Egypt as spoils of war, and so on.) The openings remind me of youthful pouring over Budge’s edition of the Egyptian Book of the Dead (“Saith Osiris Ani, Osiris the scribe Ani…”) – and make me aware how pitifully little I know of late Egyptian religion and the export of in whatever sense ‘Egyptian’ cults to Rome, among other places. (Do you happen to have any recommended reliable introductory overview reading on such things, online, or off?)
Yes: but apparently this one was made in Rome. Or so I read. I don’t know what the evidence for this is.
They know where this obelisk was found in Rome, why haven’t they tried to excavate to find the burial?