Interview with Aten
Transcript of the Case Akhenaten vs. the Gods of Egypt
Court Bailiff: All rise for the Honorable Judge Ma'at.
Judge Ma'at: Please be seated. On the charge of impiety in the first degree, Akhenaten is being charged by the gods of Egypt. Let the trial commence.
Nefertiti: Your Honor, I am representing the defense, my client, Pharaoh Akhenaten. I call to the stand Amun-Re.
Amun-Re, would you please describe your relationship with my client?
Amun-Re: It's kind of hard to explain.
Nefertiti: Oh is it? Please try.
Amun-Re: Okay, so: Aten is the sun disk itself, the big thing hanging in the sky. I'm the man behind the scenes, the big guy, but I'm also sort of the "hidden god" as Amun. Akhenaten ousted me to worship Aten.
Thoth: Objection. Speculation!
Ma'at: Sustained. Please continue.
Amun-Re: But, when Akhenaten came to power, he merged us into one big god, so our attributes got all sorts of mixed up.
Nefertiti: So, during my husband's reign, were you honored by humankind?
Amun-Re: Yes, but...
Ma'at: Please answer the question.
Amun-Re: Under a different guise, yeah, I suppose I was.
Nefertiti: Thank you. No further questions.
Thoth: Your Honor, I am Thoth, attorney for the defense. I would like to ask the witness a few questions.
Ma'at: Proceed.
Thoth: Re, what happened to your worship when Akhenaten came to power?
Amun-Re: The truth is, even though Akhenaten merged me with Aten, all of the temple offerings were made to Aten. He got honored, while the rest of us gods got shunted to the wayside. Akhenaten might've included everybody, but he decided not to.
Thoth: Why do you think that was?
Amun-Re: I think he wanted all the power for himself. If he was the chief priest of Aten, no one else could have a say.
Nefertiti: Objection, Your Honor! Conjecture!
Ma'at: I'll allow it.
Thoth: What made you think this?
Re: He ruined my reliefs and carvings. Same with Amun's.
Thoth: I have no further questions.
Nefertiti: I call Akhenaten to the stand! Akhenaten, please tell us the reasons for your religious revolution.
Akhenaten: Sure, sugar-dove. First of all, I believed in him. Secondly, the priests of Amun-Re were so powerful that they almost matched my majesty! That wasn't acceptable, so I took their power away from them by rejecting their gods and creating the worship of my own. That way, I was the only priest and I controlled all talk between gods and humans--and all of the temple riches.
Nefertiti: Gotta say, that's a pretty brilliant plan, eh Ma'at?
Ma'at: Ms. Counselor, please restrain your questions to the witness of the stand, or I'll boot the lot of you out of my court.
Thoth: Your Honor, the accused all but just admitted that he did what he did out of greed and spite. Their case has melted like an snowman on the Great Pyramids. Can we move to the jury's decision?
Ma'at: That's not necessary, Thoth. I, too, am a god of Egypt, and I am just as appalled by Akhenaten's actions as anyone else. I hereby sentence Akhenaten to a lifetime of torture in the afterlife. His blood will be drained away and he'll be devoured by the monster Ammit. He will be burned alive. Basically, his whole afterlife will stink. How does that sound?
Akhenaten: Aw nuts!
Thoth: We are very satisfied, Your Honor.
Ma'at: Court adjourned!