The Judgment Room

 

 

play by Ruth Salles

Piece adapted from Scotsman Pelham Moffat. The author explains that the Egyptians believed that, after death, the soul was judged by the gods in the Hall of Judgment: its heart was placed in one of the scales and, in the other, the Pen of Truth. If the weights were equal, the soul could ascend to the Fields of Peace. In the play, a worthy man is trapped by a wicked brother. Unjustly condemned to death, he is later judged by the gods. This last scene is taken from the Egyptian Book of the Dead and forms a striking contrast to the tragic story that precedes it.

CHARACTERS:
Ani, Pharaoh's scribe / Hotep, his brother / the Pharaoh / Minister / Ahuri, Ani's old nurse / Servant / Servant-door / people of the court / shakers / scribes / guards / gods (Osiris, Horus, Anubis, Thoth, Isis , Nephthys, other gods if you will)

 

Scene 1

Annie's room. (Ahuri, the old nurse, weaves; the maid cleans the room.)

SERVANT:
- Ahuri, let's go! Tell the old story
about the strange subterranean worlds.

AHURI:
– …And when the sun, which is the boat of the god Ra,
will dive on the west side,
the souls of those who die embark on it.
And go to Amenti, holy realm.
And it is there that these souls are judged.

SERVANT:
-And then? And then?

AHURI:
– In the Great Hall
the god Osiris makes the judgment.
The god Anubis weighs the heart
on a scale pan; on the other plate
the Pen of Truth is placed.
If the scales balance,
the soul goes into eternity,
to the Fields of Peace, of clarity.

PORTER SERVANT (calls):
– Ahuri! Ahuri! Love my lord!
A stranger has arrived and wants to talk to you.

HOTEP (entering):
- Madam, is this Ani's house?
who was a scribe with Pharaoh?

AHURI:
“He is still a scribe, and I am his mistress.

HOTEL:
– And I, madam, am Ani's brother.
I was given up for dead a long time ago.
Let me reveal my story.

AHURI:
— Well, speak, my lord.

HOTEL:
- In that time,
me and Ani were responsible
by the secret chamber key
from the treasury of our Pharaoh.
But my brother one day found out
that the golden urn had disappeared
full of rare gems.

AHURI:
- Was stolen?

HOTEL:
– There was no sign of thieves.
"Don't tell Pharaoh anything!" - I said.
But my honest brother told him,
and he thought one of us was the thief.
And I said, "If I deserve this accusation,
let a stone fall on my head.”
At the same time, a pebble comes loose.
from somewhere and come hit me.
And the voice of Pharaoh is lifted up and says:
“Be Hotep banned from the country!”
I'm gone… And here I am again.

PORTMAN:
- Annie has arrived!

ANI (angry):
– Hotep!!… You're here!

HOTEL:
- Brother! You don't even welcome me as a friend?

ANI:
- By the way you've taken your luck,
one more step is a step towards death.
Yours and mine.

HOTEL:
– Fear nothing. You will tell Pharaoh
that after all your brother was innocent,
and that he was unfairly punished.
And then, you well know – do not deny it –
that with bribery anything can be achieved.

ANI:
- I need to bribe someone, so
to tell the king that I was the thief?
For this is the root of your intentions.

HOTEL:
– Not at all! But you're the one who told
the theft of Pharaoh. you caused me
all the sadness of my luck.

ANI:
- I am not! But I'll think about it, then we'll figure it out.

HOTEP (to himself):
– I think it's all settled!

 

scene 2

Ani's room, three days later (The scene is empty. On a small table is a golden box. The servant enters.)

 

SERVANT (seeing the box and peering into it):
- What a beautiful box! And it's golden...
Perhaps it belongs to my lord. (opens)
There are so many gems! Oh!! How horrible!
(closes; runs and hides in a corner)

HOTEP (entering with Ani and taking the box):
– You give the box to Pharaoh.
Maybe it's not like me to hand it over.
It would look like pay. (leave)

SERVANT (calling):
– Ahuri! Ahuri! What a disgrace… No! (leaves)

 

scene 3

Pharaoh's Court (The Pharaoh on the throne. The court, fans, scribes and guards. Enter the Minister.)

MINISTER:
– My lord and my king, grave news
just reached my ears:
borders are being invaded
by a people from the south. and your life
You are in danger here, in your own court!

GUARDS (wielding weapons):
- Oh, oh, oh, oh!!!

WRITES:
- It's impossible!

COURTIER:
– Treason at court?!

COURTESAN:
– Pharaoh himself threatened?!!

PHARAOH:
– Gentlemen, calm down! Let's finish the hearings first. Who waits?

MINISTER:
– Only Ani and her brother Hotep.

PHARAOH:
- Send them in.

(The minister waves to a guard who introduces Ani and Hotep. The two bow.)

PHARAOH:
“You are here, Hotep, to ask for forgiveness, the most valuable word for anyone who makes a mistake. I grant pardon (scribe records.)

HOTEL:
– Thanks, sir. (He bows, then leaves slowly, slipping away.)

ANI:
– Sir, accept now this gift, this chest of jewels, similar to that urn that was taken from you.

(Ani hands the chest over to the Minister, who is about to hand it over to Pharaoh.)

AHURI (runs in and shouts):
- Pharaoh! Pharaoh, do not touch this!
That vault contains death!
I swear my lord Ani is not guilty.

(The Minister half-opens the safe, closes it quickly, and sets it on the table.)

MINISTER:
– A snake mixed with pearls!!
It was this, Pharaoh, that the informants
had rightly declared:
that your life was threatened!

(Guards hold Ani, one on each side.)

COURTIER:
- Hotep got away!
MINISTER:
- Guards! Go look for him! (to Pharaoh): – And for this man, Pharaoh, what are the orders?

PHARAOH (rising and addressing Ani):
- You, my old friend,
that you can tell me to defend you
in the face of such a harsh accusation?

ANI:
– I protest, sir, my innocence.
I didn't know that in the safe there was
the deadly serpent. Here's the truth.

PHARAOH:
- Ani, you say you don't know this,
of a betrayal within Egypt itself?!
For I say that Hotep, your brother,
came from the south to kill me and that you know.
You will die. I can only condemn you.
It's the law. When the sun has gone,
the great god Osiris will judge you.

(Ani is led away by the guards. The court withdraws after Pharaoh.)

 

scene 4

Hall of Judgment (Osiris is on his throne. Behind him, Isis and Nephthys. Ahead, Horus, Anubis, Thoth. Ani enters as if unseen. Stops at the threshold and speaks to the front.)

 

ANI:
– Honored be Ra, who shines in such glory!

ISIS:
– Whose voice honors the sun?

GODS (in chorus):
– In Amenti alone we reign
and we judge the dead.
Ra can nothing here. O soul,
enter and you will be judged!

(Ani sees them and enters a little further.)

THOT:
– Look! This is Ani, Pharaoh's faithful scribe.

NEPHTHYS:
– Let him answer to us, then!

GODS (in chorus):
– Let him be judged!

ANI:
– I praise you, O great gods!
you are lords of truth
and the Law. Judge me!
No man I killed,
I have not committed any theft;
I wasn't fake, I didn't lie
and I never hated anyone.

GODS (in chorus, to Anubis):
– Anubis, bring your heart
in order to be heavy!
Put it on the other pan of the scale
the Pen of Truth! (Anubis obeys.)

ANI (kneeling):
– O heart, heart!
O source of my life!
that you can take me
to the clear Fields of Peace!

ANUBIS:
- This heart was heavy
with all accuracy;
and the feather weight, equaled
for your righteousness.

GODS:
– Come, Ani, conquering soul,
because right now you're going
inhabit the Fields of Peace!

HORUS (takes Ani by the hand and leads him to Osiris):
– Osiris, I give you a serene spirit.
We weigh your heart very heavily.
Grant him divine peace.

ANI:
– Look at me, O god of gods!
Make me your beloved son forever!

(Osiris blesses him with his hands. Ani walks forward.)

ANI:
– Now I will always dwell in the heavens.
The judgment of man is cloudy.
Only Ra is the light!

 

 

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