What Is The Thesis Of The Eloquent Peasnt

Bradley Allgire

Arch 365 Statecraft

Professor Miglio

1 March, 2023

The Eloquent Peasant The ancient Egyptian story The Eloquent Peasant concerns the titular peasant, a man named Khunanup. This story originated in the Middle Kingdom, but appears to be set earlier, during the First Intermediate Period. The text seems to direct criticism towards and call out injustices within the legal system which would have been in place at the time. The story begins with a peasant, Khunanup, packing up goods on his donkeys, so that he might trade them for supplies elsewhere in Egypt. A list of what he had packed is provided, and includes items such as reeds, natron and salt, various unknown plants and stones, and animal skins. He leaves from a town called

In these speeches, he criticizes the justice system which allowed him to be put into this situation. One of the statements he makes in his second petition to that effect is that “The judges are an insatiable belly”. The meaning of this is that they readily accept bribes which will alter the outcome of a case. This accusation may be applied on several levels. First, it is saying that the justice system itself is corrupt. Furthermore, it suggests an implicit bias against those of a lower class, who would not be able to afford to give such a bribe. Not only this, but the very next line states that “the speaking of falsehood is like (fine) herbs for them”. This implies that not only will the judges be dishonest in their rulings if offered a sufficient sum, but the very act of lying is enjoyable to

However, the pharaoh of the story, Nebkaure the justified, king of Upper and Lower Egypt, has instructed him to not assist or even respond to the peasant, and instead to only record his petitions so that they may be read to him as entertainment. This indicates that the king, having been notified of the peasant’s skill in speechcraft, wants to hear more from him before he returns home, which he would surely do if his appeal was heard and granted right away.

Throughout all of the peasant’s petitions are inserted lines where he posits how this system should be run, in contrast to what often actually happens. Khunanup says the judges should be like a beacon for the population, a paragon of virtue and an example to live by. In this way, the peasant’s speeches often come across as an entreaty for the officials to improve their actions in this regard. A prime example of this is in his sixth petition:

You are educated, you are intelligent, you are proficient— but certainly not in order to steal— but look at yourself! You make yourself just like everyone else! Your deeds are perverse, and the example for all men is now the deceiver of the entire land. He who tends the garden of evil waters his field with corruption, and cultivates his plot / with falsehood, so as to irrigate iniquity