Maksymy Wezyra Ptahhotepa –wyraz ideologii klasy urzędniczej okresu Starego Państwa

The paper is an analysis of the philosophical content of the oldest surviving wisdom book - The Maxims of Ptahhotep. The first part deals with the concept of Ma’at, which is of key importance for understanding ancient Egyptian political, legal, and ethical thought. The next part of the paper is devoted to the logical construction of the maxims. I try to show that they have a consistent tripartite structure (hypothesis, disposition, sanction) and explain the meaning of the few existing deviations from this structure. Then, using the tripartite model, I try to reconstruct the axiology and ethics contained in the work of the Vizier. In the last part I reflect on the ideological aspects of the book.