Hedvig Győry: Mélanges offerts a Edith Varga „Le lotus qui sort de terre” (Bulletin du Musée Hongrois des Beaux-Arts Supplément 1. Budapest, 2001)

MARGARET M. BAKOS: The divine power of Wine

This verse sounds somewhat Freudian. Although the association between libido and censorship is quite clear to us, this association may not have been made by the Ancient Egyptians, either in words or images. The scribe subtly indicates that the drinking of wine could set free emotions and desires they would not openly express. As evident through a variety of sources, wine was a very special drink in Ancient Egypt. It was related to three important gods, and it was used as an offering for the Gods and for the ka of the dead. It was rare and expensive, a symbol of power and richness. The Egyptians also acknowledged that wine could set free controlled emotions, so it was used to describe love, either in a direct or in a metaphoric manner. When used in excess, wine could lead a person to inappropriate behaviour. In Ancient Egypt, as in several contemporary societies, wine was considered a beverage for special occasions. As the Egyptians became acquainted with wine's various properties, they respected its power for changing feelings and even behaviour. They realized the ability of wine to allow humans to feel their vulnerabity and to feel the illusion of their certainties. Margaret Marchiori Bakos Department of History Faculty of Philosophy and Humanities Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul Porto Allègre