Principal Characters

Historical persons are set in bold characters, followed by pronunciation pointers in parenthesis and the translation of the names in italics. The letter combination ‘th’ is pronounced like an aspirated ‘t’.

Hori and his family

Hori – name of god Horus – As a physician, he wants to help the living but soon finds himself among the dead.

Sobekemhat (Sobek-em-hat) – Sobek is at the top – Hori’s father and a treasurer, who doesn’t treasure his son.

Nofret – the beautiful – Hori’s mother rather caters to the wishes of her husband than the needs of her sons.

Teti and Puy – Hori’s brothers are chips of the old block, no doubt.

Ameny and his family

Ameny (short for Amen-em-het) – Amun is at the top – The second prophet of Amun has a willful daughter, so he gets her a minder.

Isis – name of the goddess Isis – Ameny’s wife notices a lot but rarely wastes a word on anything.

Mutnofret (Mut-nofret) – (the goddess) Mut is beautiful – The daughter who gets her own way with a sharp tongue.

Hetepet – the content – The daughter who can’t say anything anymore.

Huni and Bata – Twins who become unmistakable in the course of this story.

Penu – mouse – A servant who proves mice also have teeth.

A goat who gave its heart’s blood for the cause.

At the House of Life

Nakhtmin (Nakht-min) – Min is strong – Feels much weaker than his name indicates, still he takes on a hard task.

Meriamun and Weni – Physicians who show little collegiality when it is imperative.

Imhotepankh (Imhotep-ankh) – Imhotep shall live – Head of doctors with an acute awareness of tradition.

Inpu – name of the god Anubis – Head of the House of Life, a principal with principles.

Nebit and his family

Nebit – mistress, name of a goddess – Vizier with punchy arguments and peculiar affections.

Sitamun (Sit-amun) – daughter of Amun – His wife, who is hardly affected by him.

Neferib (Nefer-ib) – beautiful heart – His oldest son, who had an unfortunate fall.

Shepses – the noble – His second son. Unfortunately, many women fall for him but not the right one.

Hotep – the content – His youngest son and a case of bad luck.

Henut – the mistress – His daughter, a stroke of luck, but not for everyone.

At the House of Death

Hut-Nefer – beautiful house – The head of the embalmers has a knack for dramatic appearances.

Kheper – formation – An embalmer with a good heart although he likes to remove other people’s hearts.

The royal dynasty

Senusret III. (Senusret) – husband of goddess Useret – A young pharaoh with an ancient secret.

Khenmetneferhedjet II (Khenmet-nefer-hedjet) – joined with the White Crown – Although the Geat Royal Wife is called Sherit, the younger, she is older than her brother Senusret.

Nofrethenut (Nofret-henut) – beautiful mistress – Second royal wife, who hasn’t much to say for starters.

Additional persons

Thotnakht (Thot-nakht) – Thot is strong – The king’s first scribe scribbles on scrolls and in the end gets rolled over.

Bastet – name of the cat goddess – She cannot tell her father Thotnakht anything anymore.

Merit-Neith – loved by goddess Neith – Daughter of a harem official, but her heart has gone cold already.

Ankhes – she lives – The king’s ward, whose name tells a lie.

Isisnofret, Beast-Merit, Nofriti and several other Merits and Nofrets – spoiled young women without inhibitions.

Khonsu – name of the god Khons – Innkeeper of a tavern with a haughty name He has much to laugh about.

Nebet-Het – mistress of the house – His daughter, who has little reason to laugh.