More languages
More actions
Ptahhotep 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓄹𓊵 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Died | Saqqara Necropolis, Egypt |
Ptahhotep was an ancient Egyptian vizier (the highest-ranking official under the Pharaoh) who lived between the 25th-24th centuries BCE in the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom under Pharaoh Djedkare Isesi. Ptahhotep is remembered today as one of the first known philosophers, with his thoughts preserved in The Maxims of Ptahhotep, which is the oldest known complete book. It was copied and circulated in later Egyptian periods as a standard for conduct and living a life with Maat.[1]
Philosophy[edit | edit source]
The Maxims of Ptahhotep covers human behaviour, ethics, and morality; it belongs to the ancient Egyptian literary genre of sebayt (wisdom literature). [2]
Maat[edit | edit source]
Ptahhotep's entire philosophical framework is built upon the concept of Maat, which roughly translates to harmony, order, balance, morality, law, and justice. Ptahhotep states that a good life is one lived in accordance with Maat, and that short-term gains from greed, deceit, and wickedness will never stand the test of time as actions aligned with Maat do.[2]
‘’Injustice exists in abundance, but evil can never succeed in the long run. ... In the end, it is Maat that lasts.’’[2]
Intellectual Humility[edit | edit source]
Ptahhotep states that there is no limit to knowledge and that one should act with humility, as no individual has reached their full level. [2]
From the first maxim, "Do not be arrogant because of your knowledge, but confer with the ignorant man as with the learned. For no limit can be set to skill, neither is there any craftsman that has achieved the full level of his craft. Good speech is more hidden than emeralds, yet it is found among the maids at the grindstones."[2]
The Silent Man[edit | edit source]
In recorded ancient Egyptian literature, the ultimate moral example is the "Silent" or "Tranquil Man," who opposes the "Heated Man," an impulsive, hot-tempered person. He advised speaking only when one has something valuable or worthwhile to say.[2]
"Your silence will be more profitable than babbling, so speak only when you know that you are qualified."[2]
Within the archetype of the Silent Man, there is the value of listening, with Ptahhotep also stating that. [2]
"To listen is better than anything... God loves him who listens. He hates those who do not listen. ... A son who accepts what his father says, old age will come upon him thereby. ... Speak to your children, so that they may speak to their children."[2]
He also stated that a leader or judge who listens patiently to their petitioner, even if they are unable to grant the request, does more good than one who dismisses them.[2]
Maxim 17: "If you are a leader, be gracious when you listen to the speech of a petitioner. Do not stop him until he has emptied his belly of what he planned to tell you. ... Not everything for which he petitions can come to be, but a good hearing is soothing for the heart."[2]
Conflict and Debate[edit | edit source]
Maxims 1, 2, and 3 are advice for how to handle conflicts and debates depending on the social standing of the opponent.[2]
"If you find a disputant in action, a powerful man, superior to you, fold your arms, bend your back; to flout him will not make him agree with you. Make little of the evil speech by not opposing him while he is in action; he will be called an ignoramus, your self-control will match his pile of words."[2]
"If you find a disputant in action, your equal, one who is on your level, you will overcome him by being silent while he speaks evilly. There will be much talk among the hearers, your name will be good in the mind of the magistrates."[2]
"If you find a disputant in action, a poor man, not your equal, do not attack him because he is weak. Leave him alone, he will confound himself. Do not answer him to relieve your heart; do not vent yourself against your opponent. Wretched is he who injures a poor man."[2]
Social Etiquette[edit | edit source]
Ptahhotep states that politics often comes down to social grace and etiquette; in Maxim 7, he says...[2]
"If you are one of those sitting at the table of one greater than you, take what he gives as it is set before you. Look at what is before you, do not stare at him... Laugh when he laughs; it will be very pleasing to his heart."[2]
Lust and Greed[edit | edit source]
Ptahhotep states that there are two major dangers that ruin individuals and communities: greed and lust.[2]
On Maxim 18: "If you want friendship to endure in a house you enter... beware of approaching the women. ... A thousand men are turned away from their good because of a short moment that is like a dream."[2]
On Maxim 19: "If you wish your conduct to be good and to save yourself from all evil, resist the opportunity of greed. It is a grievous sickness without cure. ... It embroils fathers and mothers, with mother's brothers. It entangles the wife and the man... There is no tomb for the greedy-hearted."[2]
Relationships[edit | edit source]
Ptahhotep gives advice on how to treat one's spouse with gentleness and love so as to have a loving household.[2]
On Maxim 21: "If you are excellent, found your household, love your wife within reckoning. Fill her belly, clothe her back; ointment is the remedy for her body. Gladden her heart as long as you live. She is a fertile field for her lord. ... Be not harsh, for gentleness masters her more than strength."[2]
Work-Life Balance[edit | edit source]
Ptahhotep advises balancing work with following your own heart, stating that one should not do more than required.[2]
On Maxim 11: "Follow your heart as long as you live; do no more than is required, do not shorten the time of 'following the heart,' for wasting time is an abomination to the ka. Do not waste time on daily cares beyond providing for your household. When wealth has come, follow your heart! Wealth does no good if one is weary."[2]
There are 37 Maxims; these are just a few. The Maxims of Ptahhotep arose in an increasingly centralized Old Kingdom, dependent on agricultural surplus and bureaucracy to distribute resources. It was made to teach officials how to manage the people and the class tensions in order to ensure the functioning of the mode of production.[2]