The litany of Re celebrates Re’s relationship with
the underworld and there are twelve of them, each one representing an hour of the night. This litany usually gets mentioned in funerary texts. It also talks about how Re struggles to enter the Netherworld so to do so, he takes the form of a bird and he flies into the netherworld in this form every night.
The litanies go as follows:
1. The late king says to know the different forms of Re and he asks Re to open the underworld for him
The beings who live in the underworld prepare for the arrival of the dead king.
The late king asks to be taken to the west which symbolizes the Egyptian desire of resurrection.
Re brings light to the underworld.
A prayer for the release of those trapped in the underworld.
The late king begs Re for his guidance.
The late king says Re is the one responsible for his ascension. The kings extremities disappear as he is transformed into a god.
The text comes to an end with prayers to the west.
The late king is related to Re.
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