O hours of holy contemplation! who, having once tasted of your joy could wish again to grovel on the earth?
O vile flesh to drag us down! I would that thou hadst then altogether fallen from me, and left my spirit free to seek Osiris! The months of probation passed but too swiftly, and now the holy day drew near when I was in truth to be united to the universal Mother.
Never hath Night so longed for the promise of the Dawn; never hath the heart of a lover so passionately desired the sweet coming of his bride, as I longed to see Thy glorious face, O Isis! Even now that I have been faithless to Thee, and Thou art far from me, O Divine! my soul goes out to Thee, and once more I know----But as it is bidden that I should draw the veil, and speak of things which have not been told since the beginning of this world, let me pass on and reverently set down the history of that holy morn.
For seven days the great festival had been celebrated, the suffering of the Lord Osiris had been commemorated, the grief of the Mother Isis had been sung and glory had been done to the memory of the coming of the Divine Child Horus, the Son, the Avenger, the God-begot.

All these things had been carried out according to the ancient rites.

The boats had floated on the sacred lake, the priests had scourged themselves before the sanctuaries, and the images had been borne through the streets at night.
And now, as the sun sank on the seventh day, once more the great procession gathered to chant the woes of Isis and tell how the evil was avenged.

We went in silence from the temple, and passed through the city ways.

First came those who clear the path, then my father Amenemhat in all his priestly robes, and the wand of cedar in his hand.