What qualies and behaviour defined the Egypan ideal of a good man? For an encompassing analysis of what qualies and behaviour constuted a good man in ancient Egypt it is necessary to incorporate evidence that reflects this ideal on both a social and individual level from throughout pharaonic history. Fortunately the literary tradion of ancient Egypt permits us to glimpse at these ideals, in parcular there are two genres of texts that are especially rewarding with regards to virtuous behaviour and atudes: didacc texts and biographical inscripons. The former includes composions that vehemently portray socially accepted moral behaviour, asserng what an individual should or should not do in specific circumstances. Biographical inscripons abound in praises of good character and declaraons of a virtuous life at an individual level (Parkinson 1991: 98-99). A comparison between the two genres can aid in idenfying key themes that reflect ideals of a good man and allow an aempt to clarify this noon in more defined terms and to some extent how literary tradions represented realisc behaviour and morals. The underlying element of a good Egypan man was the concept of Maat; to ensure that an individual, be him the King or peasant, upheld his social and personal responsibilies in order to keep chaos at bay (Lichtheim, 1997: 12). For the ancient Egypans behaviour was perceived in having an acve relaonship with parts of the human anatomy, for example a man’s acons were said to have been influenced by specific organs such as the heart and the belly: The trusted man who does not vent his belly’s speech, he will himself become a leader. A man of means–what is he... He whose heart obeys his belly puts contempt of himself in place of love. His heart is bald, his body unanointed. The great-hearted is God-given. He who obeys his belly belongs to the enemy (Maxims of Ptahhotep: li 237-247; Lichtheim, 2006: 67). The above passage reflects these percepons with similar moral themes present throughout most of the pharaonic period (see also Instrucon of Any: li 7,9-10; Lichtheim, 1976: 140), the message clearly being listen to your heart and do not obey your belly. Statements such as ‘ [it is] the heart which makes plenful character, a brave teacher to fashion good qualies’ (P. Ramasseum II vso i.5) reflect how an Egypan understood the organ to be the seat of one’s character and the source of not only good but also knowledge, understanding, and emoon (Lichtheim, 1997: 17). Reoccurring references to the heart in both didacc and biographical texts suggest that the Egypans revered the heart and greatly believed in its autonomous nature and power to control the desny of an individual. To ignore the wisdom of one’s heart was foolish and was believed to likely lead to ruin while adhering to its advice would lead to the maintenance of Maat and thus acng as a good man (Parkinson, 2002: 93). In the Maxims of Ptahhotep the belly ( Xt) was clearly believed to be the seat of contempt and considered the enemy of oneself, while other textual composions show that the belly was also the source for desire, passion, greed, lust, evil and if it were listened to would only let oneself fall into the clutches of immorality (Lichtheim, 1997: 17) Biographical inscripons are a valuable source in understanding the percepons of a good man at a more personal level. The repeon of statements such as ‘ I gave bread to the hungry, clothing to the