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It was unclear how old she was when she did this. But given that there were very few scenes of her living alone outside of the palace, it would not have been very long after Thutmose took over.
Which put her in her mid-thirties. This was already middle-aged by ancient Egyptian standards, but her image looked just as young as ever. Of course, images in tombs were idealized to begin with, so Ben couldn’t assume anything based on that alone.
In the allegorical journey to the afterlife, she traveled first to the underworld, or Duat. She went through several tests, guided by Horus, Amun, Hathor and other gods she favored. She came to the Hall of Judgment to face forty-two separate gods before forty-two separate doors to undertake the Negative Confessions.
It was interesting to note that unlike other Egyptians who had spells and bribes to get through the tests, to be able to lie about their sins during life so they could get into heaven in death, Hatshepsut only told the truth in these confessions.
Yes, I have sinned. I loved another man while married to my husband.
I lay with him to beget a child.
My heart has been his all along. In that, I have stayed true…
Apparently, telling the truth served her just as well for getting past the forty-two trials. These confessions told Ben a lot about the kind of woman the Great Pharoah was.
Finally, she passed through to the weighing of the heart before the goddess Ma’at and the tribunal of Osiris, supreme god of the underworld. Her heart was deemed in balance with the feather of truth.
She passed all of the tests.
But just as Osiris was about to admit her into the Field of Reeds, the heaven of the afterlife, Hatshepsut did something incredible.
“What the fuck!” Ere exclaimed again.
He’d been saying that a lot over the course of this night, starting with their break-in of Hatshepsut’s temple.
“Tell me she didn’t negotiate like the slyest lawyer with the king of the dead. The balls on this woman!”
All three of them crowded around a lengthy inscription of hieroglyphics for a closer look. It read:
My Lord, Osiris, wisest and fairest of all gods—
I, your humble servant, Hatshepsut Heba, beseech your aid.
In a matter of Heart and Soul.
A matter of Love.
You, more than any other god, would know its depths.
In your infinite wisdom and affection for your mate, the goddess Isis.
Help me, O Great One.
I do not want to die, for fear of losing my Love in the afterlife.
I do not want to live, for he is no longer in my realm.
Allow me, I beg you, to wait for him.
In whatever form of which you approve.
I only want to wait.
So that I may see him again.
Hold him. Kiss him. Love him wholly.
Eternally.
