Historical persons are set in bold characters, followed by pronunciation pointers in parenthesis and the translation of the names in italics. The letter combination ‘th ’ is pronounced like an aspirated ‘t ’.
The royal dynasty
Senusret III. (Senusret) – husband of goddess Useret – A young pharaoh with an ancient secret.
Khenmetneferhedjet II (Khenmet-nefer-hedjet) – joined with the White Crown – Although the Great Royal Wife is called Sherit, the younger, she is older than her brother Senusret.
Nofrethenut (Nofret-henut) – beautiful mistress – Second royal wife, who hasn’t much to say for starters.
Hori and his family
Hori – name of god Horus – As a physician, he wants to help the living but soon finds himself among the dead.
Sobekemhat (Sobek-em-hat) – Sobek is at the top – Hori’s father and a treasurer, who doesn’t treasure his son.
Nofret – the beautiful – Hori’s mother rather caters to the wishes of her husband than to the needs of her sons.
Teti and Puy – Hori’s brothers are chips off the old block, no doubt.
Ameny and his family
Ameny (short for Amen-em-het) – Amun is at the top – The second prophet of Amun has a willful daughter, so he gets her a minder.
Isis – name of the goddess Isis – Ameny’s wife notices a lot but rarely wastes a word on anything.
Mutnofret (Mut-nofret) – ( the goddess ) Mut is beautiful – The daughter who gets her own way with a sharp tongue.
Hetepet – the content – The daughter who can’t say anything anymore.
Huni and Bata – Twins who become unmistakable in the course of this story.
Penu – mouse – A servant who proves mice also have teeth.
A goat who gave its heart’s blood for the cause.
At the House of Life
Nakhtmin (Nakht-min) – Min is strong – Feels much weaker than his name indicates, still he takes on a hard task.
Meriamun and Weni – Physicians who show little collegiality when it is imperative.
Imhotepankh (Imhotep-ankh) – Imhotep shall live – Head of doctors with an acute awareness of tradition.
Inpu – name of the god Anubis – Head of the House of Life, a principal with principles.
Nebit and his family
Nebit – mistress, n ame of a goddess – Vizier with punchy arguments and peculiar affections.
Sitamun (Sit-amun) – daughter of Amun – His wife, who is hardly affected by him.
Neferib (Nefer-ib) – beautiful heart – His oldest son, who had an unfortunate fall.
Shepses – the noble – His second son. Unfortunately, many women fall for him but not the right one.
Hotep – the content – His youngest son and a case of bad luck.
Henut – the mistress – His daughter, a stroke of luck, but not for everyone.
At the House of Death
Hut-Nefer – beautiful house – The head of the embalmers has a knack for dramatic appearances.
Kheper – formation – An embalmer with a good heart although he likes to remove other people’s hearts.
Additional persons
Thotnakht (Thot-nakht) – Thot is strong – The king’s first scribe scribbles on scrolls and in the end gets rolled over.
Bastet – name of the cat goddess – She cannot tell her father Thotnakht anything anymore.
Merit-Neith – loved by goddess Neith – Daughter of a harem official, but her heart has gone cold already.
Ankhes – she lives – The king’s ward, whose name tells a lie.
Isisnofret, Beast-Merit, Nofriti and several other Merits and Nofrets – spoiled young women without inhibitions.
Khonsu – name of the god Khonsu – Innkeeper of a tavern with a haughty name. He has much to laugh about.
Nebet-Het – mistress of the house – His daughter, who has little reason to laugh.