The story The Eloquent Peasant is important for the study of Ancient Egypt as it presents significant concepts from the legal practice of the period. Shupak notes that the story has a unique structure and cannot be viewed outside the legal background (18). First of all, the text describes the role of political authorities in ancient Egyptian society and also illustrates the concept of Ma’at (Jeffers 427-432, 438). Jeffers notes that the story reflects the position of authorities represented by Rensi as safeguards, leaders, and producers of public good (432). Additionally, the narrative describes formal legal processes, including inscribing proceedings, legal claims, investigating and reaching a verdict, as well as sentencing (Shupak 10-13). It is also important that the story describes the principles of courts and the duties of judges in ancient Egypt.
The characters in the story are the peasant Khun-Anup, the vassal of the high steward, Nemtynakht, the high steward Rensi, and King Nebkaure. The story begins when Khun-Anup heads to Egypt to exchange goods for supplies for his family. Along the way, the peasant meets Nemtynakht, who is “the son of a man named Isri and a subordinate of the high steward Rensi, the son of Meru” (Lichtheim 170). Nemtynakht decides to steal donkeys with goods that belong to Khun-Anup and develops a plan. The peasant’s way runs through a narrow path, which is bounded on one side by water and on the other by private barley fields. Nemtynakht orders to put the cloth on the road so that Khun-Anup cannot pass without stepping on it. The peasant also cannot bypass it since he is forced either to enter the water or to the private territory. However, one of his donkeys ate some of Nemtynakht’s barley. In punishment for this, he threatens to take the goods from Khun-Anup or kill him for the attempt to complain.
This ruling does not seem fair to Khun-Anup, and he appeals to Rensi, the son of Meru, with a complaint about Nemtynakht’s actions. The high steward transfers the peasant’s case to the magistrate, where he is rejected, which he does not inform the victim about. Khun-Anup continues his appeal for justice to Rensi, who admires the peasant’s eloquence and reports it to King Nebkaure. The king orders the high steward to record the speeches of Khun-Anup, instructing Rensi: “In order to keep him talking, be silent” (Lichtheim 173). The king also orders Renzi to provide food for the peasant and his family.
Khun-Anup speaks to Rensi for nine days, after which he feels frustrated, threatens to commit suicide, and insults the high steward. The peasant is punished by beating for this act, after which he gives the ninth speech and leaves. However, impressed by the last speech, Rensi orders to satisfy the peasant’s complaint. The high steward orders the reimbursement of the selected goods with all Nemtynakht property, which makes him poor.
Thus, The Eloquent Peasant exemplifies the principles of law and justice in Ancient Egypt. However, the most important thing seems to be the role of authority in the life of society. Khun-Anup notes that Renzi “should be the model for all men” (Lichtheim 179). This claim illustrates that for the peasant, the high steward and the king are moral examples guiding society. Khun-Anup also refers to Renzi in the first petition as father, husband, brother, and apron (Lichtheim 172). In this case, the principles of Ma’at, which personify justice and truth as inseparable concepts, are illustrated (Jeffers 438). Members of the community probably approached the judges with faith in the truth and trust.
Works Cited
Jeffers, Chike. “Embodying Justice in Ancient Egypt: The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant as a Classic of Political Philosophy.” British Journal for the History of Philosophy, Vol. 21, No. 3, 2013, pp. 421–442.
Lichtheim, M. Ancient Egyptian Literature, Volume 1. University of California Press, 1973.
Shupak, Nili. “A New Source for the Study of the Judiciary and Law of Ancient Egypt: The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant.” Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 51, No. 1, 1992, pp. 1-18.