LEGENDS OF THE GODS

The Egyptian Texts, edited with Translations

by E. A. allis !"dge
London, #$#%
&Editorial note' Thro"gho"t the text ())))( represents i*ages whi+h
+annot be trans+ribed.,
-.EFA/E
The wel+o*e whi+h has been a++orded to the 0ol"*es o1 this Series, and
the 1a+t that so*e o1 the* ha0e passed into se+ond and third editions,
s"ggest that these little boo2s ha0e been 1o"nd "se1"l by beginners in
Egyptology and others. Hitherto the ob3e+t o1 the* has been to s"pply
in1or*ation abo"t the .eligion, 4agi+, Lang"age, and History o1 the
an+ient Egyptians, and to pro0ide editions o1 the original texts 1ro*
whi+h s"+h in1or*ation was deri0ed. There are, howe0er, *any bran+hes
o1 Egyptology whi+h need treat*ent in a si*ilar *anner in this Series,
and it has been s"ggested in *any 5"arters that the ti*e has now
arri0ed when the p"bli+ation o1 a series o1 gro"ps o1 texts
ill"strating Egyptian Literat"re in general *ight well be beg"n.
Seeing that nothing is 2nown abo"t the a"thors o1 Egyptian wor2s, not
e0en their na*es, it is i*possible to write a History o1 Egyptian
Literat"re in the ordinary sense o1 the word. The only thing to be
done is to print the a+t"al wor2s in the best and *ost +o*plete 1or*
possible, with translations, and then to p"t the* in the hands o1 the
reader and lea0e the* to his 3"dg*ent.
ith this ob3e+t in 0iew, it has been de+ided to p"blish in the Series
se0eral 0ol"*es whi+h shall be de0oted to the reprod"+tion in
hieroglyphi+ type o1 the best and *ost typi+al exa*ples o1 the 0ario"s
2inds o1 Egyptian Literat"re, with English translations, on a *"+h
larger s+ale than was possible in *y (First Steps in Egyptian( or in *y
(Egyptian .eading !oo2.( These 0ol"*es are intended to ser0e a do"ble
p"rpose, i.e., to s"pply the beginner in Egyptian with new *aterial and
a series o1 reading boo2s, and to pro0ide the general reader with
translations o1 Egyptian wor2s in a handy 1or*.
The Egyptian texts, whether the originals be written in hieroglyphi+ or
hierati+ +hara+ters, are here printed in hieroglyphi+ type, and are
arranged with English translations, page 1or page. They are printed as
they are written in the original do+"*ents, i.e., the words are not
di0ided. The beginner will 1ind the pra+ti+e o1 di0iding the words 1or
hi*sel1 *ost "se1"l in a+5"iring 1a+ility o1 reading and "nderstanding
the lang"age. The translations are as literal as +an reasonably be
expe+ted, and, as a whole, 6 belie0e that they *ean what the original
writers intended to say. 6n the +ase o1 passages where the text is
+orr"pt, and readings are *ixed, or where 0ery rare words o++"r, or
where words are o*itted, the renderings gi0en +lai* to be nothing *ore
than s"ggestions as to their *eanings. 6t *"st be re*e*bered that the
exa+t *eanings o1 *any Egyptian words ha0e still to be as+ertained, and
that the an+ient Egyptian s+ribes were as *"+h p"77led as we are by
so*e o1 the texts whi+h they +opied, and that owing to +arelessness,
ignoran+e, or weariness, or all three, they *ade bl"nders whi+h the
*odern st"dent is "nable to +orre+t. 6n the 6ntrod"+tion will be 1o"nd
brie1 des+riptions o1 the +ontents o1 the Egyptian texts, in whi+h
their general bearing and i*portan+e are indi+ated, and re1eren+es
gi0en to a"thoritati0e editions o1 texts and translations.
E. A. ALL6S !8DGE.
!.6T6SH 48SE84,
No0e*ber #9,#$##.
/ONTENTS
/HA-TE.
6. THE LEGEND OF THE /.EAT6ON
66. THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND
666. THE LEGEND OF .A AND THE SNA:E;!6TE
6<. THE LEGEND OF HO.8S OF EDF8 AND THE 6NGED D6S:
<. THE LEGEND OF THE O.6G6N OF HO.8S
<6. A LEGEND OF :HENS8 NEFE.;HETE- AND THE -.6N/ESS OF !E:HTEN
<66. THE LEGEND OF :HNE48 AND A SE<EN =EA.S> FA46NE
<666. THE LEGEND OF THE DEATH AND .ES8..E/T6ON OF HO.8S
6?. THE LEGEND OF 6S6S AND OS6.6S A//O.D6NG TO /LASS6/AL .6TE.S
L6ST OF -LATES AND 6LL8ST.AT6ONS ON O. FOLLO6NG -AGE'
The History o1 /reation
6. Hor"s holding the Hippopota*"s;1iend with +hain and spear
66. Hor"s spearing the Hippopota*"s;1iend
666. Hor"s spearing the Hippopota*"s;1iend
6<. Hor"s and 6sis +apt"ring the Hippopota*"s 1iend
<. Hor"s on the ba+2 o1 the Hippopota*"s;1iend
<6. The sla"ghter o1 the Hippopota*"s;1iend
<66. Hor"s o1 !eh"tet and .a;Har*a2his in a shrine
<666. Hor"s o1 !eh"tet and .a;Har*a2his in a shrine
6?. Ashthertet in her +hariot
?. Hor"s holding +apti0e 1oes and spearing Typhoni+ ani*als
?6. Hor"s spearing h"*an 1oes
?66. Hor"s spearing the +ro+odile
?666. Hor"s in the 1or* o1 a lion
?6<. The -ro+reation o1 Hor"s, son o1 6sis.
?<. The .es"rre+tion o1 Osiris.
?<6. The !e2hten Stele
?<66. The 4etterni+h Stele;;Ob0erse
?<666. The 4etterni+h Stele;;.e0erse
6NT.OD8/T6ON
6.
THE LEGEND OF THE GOD NE!;E.;T/HE., AND THE H6STO.= OF /.EAT6ON.
The text o1 the re*ar2able Legend o1 the /reation whi+h 1or*s the 1irst
se+tion o1 this 0ol"*e is preser0ed in a well;written papyr"s in the
!ritish 4"se"*, where it bears the n"*ber #@,#AA. This papyr"s was
a+5"ired by the late 4r. A. H. .hind in #AB# or #AB%, when he was
ex+a0ating so*e to*bs on the west ban2 o1 the Nile at Thebes. He did
not hi*sel1 1ind it in a to*b, b"t he re+ei0ed it 1ro* the !ritish
/ons"l at L"xor, 4"sta1a Agha, d"ring an inter+hange o1 gi1ts when 4r.
.hind was lea0ing the +o"ntry. 4"sta1a Agha obtained the papyr"s 1ro*
the 1a*o"s hiding;pla+e o1 the .oyal 4"**ies at Der;al;!ahari, with the
sit"ation o1 whi+h he was well a+5"ainted 1or *any years be1ore it
be+a*e 2nown to the Egyptian Ser0i+e o1 Anti5"ities. hen 4r. .hind
+a*e to England, the res"lts o1 his ex+a0ations were exa*ined by Dr.
!ir+h, who, re+ognising the great 0al"e o1 the papyr"s, arranged to
p"blish it in a +o*panion 0ol"*e to Fa+si*iles o1 Two -apyri, b"t the
death o1 4r. .hind in #ABC +a"sed the pro3e+t to 1all thro"gh. 4r.
.hind>s +olle+tion passed into the hands o1 4r. Da0id !re*ner, and the
papyr"s, together with *any other anti5"ities, was p"r+hased by the
Tr"stees o1 the !ritish 4"se"*. 6n #AA@ Dr. !ir+h s"ggested the
p"bli+ation o1 the papyr"s to Dr. -leyte, the Dire+tor o1 the Egyptian
4"se"* at Leyden. This sa0ant trans+ribed and translated so*e passages
1ro* the Festi0al Songs o1 6sis and Nephthys, whi+h is the 1irst text
in it, and these he p"blished in .e+"eil de Tra0a"x, -aris, to*. iii.,
pp. C9;BD. 6n #AAB by Dr. !ir+h>s 2indness 6 was allowed to wor2 at
the papyr"s, and 6 p"blished trans+ripts o1 so*e i*portant passages and
the a++o"nt o1 the /reation in the -ro+eedings o1 the So+iety o1
!ibli+al Ar+haeology, #AAB;9, pp. ##;%B. The Legend o1 the /reation
was +onsidered by Dr. H. !r"gs+h to be o1 +onsiderable 0al"e 1or the
st"dy o1 the Egyptian .eligion, and en+o"raged by hi*&FN)#, 6 *ade a
1"ll trans+ript o1 the papyr"s, whi+h was p"blished in Ar+haeologia,
E0ol. lii., London, #A$#F, with transliterations and translations. 6n
#$#@ 6 edited 1or the Tr"stees o1 the !ritish 4"se"* the +o*plete
hierati+ text with a re0ised translation.&FN)%,
&FN)#, Ein in *ogli+hst wortgetre"er 8eberset7"ng 0orglegter -apyr"s;
text soll den S+hl"ssstein *eines er2es bilden. Er wird den !eweis
1"r die .i+htig2eit *einer eigenen 8nters"+h"ngen 0ollenden, inde* er
das wi+htigste Ge"gniss altagyptis+hen 8rspr"ngs den 7ahlrei+hen, 0on
*ir ange7ogenen Stellen a"s den 6ns+hri1ten hin7"1"gt. Trot7 *an+her
S+hwierig2eit i* Ein7elnen ist der Gesa**tinhalt des Textes, den 7"erst
ein englis+her Gelehrter der issens+ha1t 7"gangli+h ge*a+ht hat, s"+h
ni+ht i* geringsten *iss7"0erstehen E!r"gs+h, .eligion, p. 9D@F. He
gi0es a Ger*an translation o1 the /reation Legend on pp. 9D@, 9D#, and
a transliteration on p. 9CB.
&FN)%, Egyptian Hierati+ -apyri in the !ritish 4"se"*, London, #$#@,
1olio.
The papyr"s is abo"t #B 1t. A in. in length, and is $ #HD in. in width.
6t +ontains %# +ol"*ns o1 hierati+ text whi+h are written in short
lines and are poeti+al in +hara+ter, and #% +ol"*ns or pages o1 text
written in long linesI the total n"*ber o1 lines is between $J@ and
$D@. The text is written in a s*all, 0ery bla+2, b"t neat hand, and
*ay be assigned to a ti*e between the ??<6th Dynasty and the -tole*ai+
-eriod. The titles, +at+h;words, r"bri+s, na*es o1 Apep and his
1iends, and a 1ew other words, are written in red in2. There are two
+olophonsI in the one we ha0e a date, na*ely, the (1irst day o1 the
1o"rth *onth o1 the twel1th year o1 -haraoh Alexander, the son o1
Alexander,( i.e., !./. J##, and in the other the na*e o1 the priest who
either had the papyr"s written, or appropriated it, na*ely, Nes;4en",
or Nes;A*s".
The Legend o1 the /reation is 1o"nd in the third wor2 whi+h is gi0en in
the papyr"s, and whi+h is +alled the (!oo2 o1 o0erthrowing Apep, the
Ene*y o1 .a, the Ene*y o1 8n;Ne1er( Ei.e., OsirisF. This wor2
+ontained a series o1 spells whi+h were re+ited d"ring the per1or*an+e
o1 +ertain pres+ribed +ere*onies, with the ob3e+t o1 pre0enting stor*s,
and dispersing rain;+lo"ds, and re*o0ing any obsta+le, ani*ate or
inani*ate, whi+h +o"ld pre0ent the rising o1 the s"n in the *orning, or
obs+"re his light d"ring the day. The Leader;in /hie1 o1 the hosts o1
dar2ness was a 1iend +alled Apep who appeared in the s2y in the 1or* o1
a *onster serpent, and, *arshalling all the 1iends o1 the T"at,
atte*pted to 2eep the S"n;god i*prisoned in the 2ingdo* o1 dar2ness.
.ight in the *idst o1 the spells whi+h were dire+ted against Apep we
1ind inserted the legend o1 the /reation, whi+h o++"rs in no other
2nown Egyptian do+"*ent E/ol. ??<6., l. %#, to /ol. ??<66., l. BF.
/"rio"sly eno"gh a longer 0ersion o1 the legend is gi0en a little
1arther on E/ol. ??<666., l. %@, to /ol. ??6?., l. BF. hether the
s+ribe had two +opies to wor2 1ro*, and si*ply inserted both, or
whether he +opied the short 0ersion and added to it as he went along,
+annot be said. The legend is entitled' !oo2 o1 2nowing the e0ol"tions
o1 .a &and o1, o0erthrowing Apep.
This +"rio"s (!oo2( des+ribes the origin not only o1 hea0en, and earth,
and all therein, b"t also o1 God Hi*sel1. 6n it the na*e o1 Apep is
not e0en *entioned, and it is i*possible to explain its appearan+e in
the Apep .it"al "nless we ass"*e that the whole (!oo2( was regarded as
a spell o1 the *ost potent +hara+ter, the *ere re+ital o1 whi+h was
1ra"ght with deadly e11e+t 1or Apep and his 1riends.
The story o1 the /reation is s"pposed to be told by the god Neb;er;
t+her. This na*e *eans the (Lord to the "tter*ost li*it,( and the
+hara+ter o1 the god s"ggests that the word (li*it( re1ers to ti*e and
spa+e, and that he was, in 1a+t, the E0erlasting God o1 the 8ni0erse.
This god>s na*e o++"rs in /opti+ texts, and then he appears as one who
possesses all the attrib"tes whi+h are asso+iated by *odern nations
with God Al*ighty. here and how Neb;er;t+her existed is not said, b"t
it see*s as i1 he was belie0ed to ha0e been an al*ighty and in0isible
power whi+h 1illed all spa+e. 6t see*s also that a desire arose in hi*
to +reate the world, and in order to do this he too2 "pon hi*sel1 the
1or* o1 the god :hepera, who 1ro* 1irst to last was regarded as the
/reator, par ex+ellen+e, a*ong all the gods 2nown to the Egyptians.
hen this trans1or*ation o1 Neb;er;t+her into :hepera too2 pla+e the
hea0ens and the earth had not been +reated, b"t there see*s to ha0e
existed a 0ast *ass o1 water, or world;o+ean, +alled N", and it *"st
ha0e been in this that the trans1or*ation too2 pla+e. 6n this
+elestial o+ean were the ger*s o1 all the li0ing things whi+h
a1terwards too2 1or* in hea0en and on earth, b"t they existed in a
state o1 inertness and helplessness. O"t o1 this o+ean :hepera raised
hi*sel1, and so passed 1ro* a state o1 passi0eness and inertness into
one o1 a+ti0ity. hen :hepera raised hi*sel1 o"t o1 the o+ean N", he
1o"nd hi*sel1 in 0ast e*pty spa+e, wherein was nothing on whi+h he
+o"ld stand. The se+ond 0ersion o1 the legend says that :hepera ga0e
being to hi*sel1 by "ttering his own na*e, and the 1irst 0ersion states
that he *ade "se o1 words in pro0iding hi*sel1 with a pla+e on whi+h to
stand. 6n other words, when :hepera was still a portion o1 the being
o1 Neb;er;t+her, he spa2e the word (:hepera,( and :hepera +a*e into
being. Si*ilarly, when he needed a pla+e whereon to stand, he "ttered
the na*e o1 the thing, or pla+e, on whi+h he wanted to stand, and that
thing, or pla+e, +a*e into being. This spell he see*s to ha0e
addressed to his heart, or as we sho"ld say, will, so that :hepera
willed this standing;pla+e to appear, and it did so 1orthwith. The
1irst 0ersion only *entions a heart, b"t the se+ond also spea2s o1 a
heart;so"l as assisting :hepera in his 1irst +reati0e a+tsI and we *ay
ass"*e that he tho"ght o"t in his heart what *anner o1 thing be wished
to +reate, and then by "ttering its na*e +a"sed his tho"ght to ta2e
+on+rete 1or*. This pro+ess o1 thin2ing o"t the existen+e o1 things is
expressed in Egyptian by words whi+h *ean (laying the 1o"ndation in the
heart.(
6n arranging his tho"ghts and their 0isible 1or*s :hepera was assisted
by the goddess 4aat, who is "s"ally regarded as the goddess o1 law,
order, and tr"th, and in late ti*es was held to be the 1e*ale
+o"nterpart o1 Thoth, (the heart o1 the god .a.( 6n this legend,
howe0er, she see*s to play the part o1 isdo*, as des+ribed in the !oo2
o1 -ro0erbs,&FN)J, 1or it was by 4aat that he (laid the 1o"ndation.(
&FN)J, (The Lord possessed *e in the beginning o1 his way, be1ore his
wor2s o1 old. 6 was set "p 1ro* e0erlasting, 1ro* the beginning, or
e0er the earth was. hen there were no depths 6 was bro"ght 1orth . .
. . . . . !e1ore the *o"ntains were settled, be1ore the hills was 6
bro"ght 1orth' while as yet he had not *ade the earth, nor the 1ields,
nor the highest part o1 the d"st o1 the world. hen he prepared the
hea0ens 6 was there' when he set a +o*pass "pon the 1a+e o1 the depth'
when he established the +lo"ds abo0e' when he strengthened the
1o"ntains o1 the deep' when he ga0e to the sea his de+ree, . . . . . .
when he appointed the 1o"ndations o1 the earth' then 6 was by hi*, as
one bro"ght "p with hi*. . . . . . .( -ro0erbs, 0iii. %% 11.K
Ha0ing des+ribed the +o*ing into being o1 :hepera and the pla+e on
whi+h he stood, the legend goes on to tell o1 the *eans by whi+h the
1irst Egyptian triad, or trinity, +a*e into existen+e. :hepera had, in
so*e 1or*, "nion with his own shadow, and so begot o11spring, who
pro+eeded 1ro* his body "nder the 1or*s o1 the gods Sh" and Te1n"t.
A++ording to a tradition preser0ed in the -yra*id Texts&FN)D, this
e0ent too2 pla+e at On EHeliopolisF, and the old 1or* o1 the legend
as+ribes the prod"+tion o1 Sh" and Te1n"t to an a+t o1 *ast"rbation.
Originally these gods were the personi1i+ations o1 air and dryness, and
li5"ids respe+ti0elyI th"s with their +reation the *aterials 1or the
+onstr"+tion o1 the at*osphere and s2y +a*e into being. Sh" and Te1n"t
were "nited, and their o11spring were :eb, the Earth;god, and N"t, the
S2y;goddess. e ha0e now 1i0e gods in existen+eI :hepera, the +reati0e
prin+iple, Sh", the at*osphere, Te1n"t, the waters abo0e the hea0ens,
N"t, the S2y;goddess, and :eb, the Earth;god. -res"*ably abo"t this
ti*e the s"n 1irst rose o"t o1 the watery abyss o1 N", and shone "pon
the world and prod"+ed day. 6n early ti*es the s"n, or his light, was
regarded as a 1or* o1 Sh". The gods :eb and N"t were "nited in an
e*bra+e, and the e11e+t o1 the +o*ing o1 light was to separate the*. As
long as the s"n shone, i.e., as long as it was day, N"t, the S2y;
goddess, re*ained in her pla+e abo0e the earth, being s"pported by Sh"I
b"t as soon as the s"n set she le1t the s2y and grad"ally des+ended
"ntil she rested on the body o1 the Earth;god, :eb.
&FN)D, -epi 6., l. DBB.
The e*bra+es o1 :eb +a"sed N"t to bring 1orth 1i0e gods at a birth,
na*ely, Osiris, Hor"s, Set, 6sis, and Nephthys. Osiris and 6sis
*arried be1ore their birth, and 6sis bro"ght 1orth a son +alled Hor"sI
Set and Nephthys also *arried be1ore their birth, and Nephthys bro"ght
1orth a son na*ed Anp" EAn"bisF, tho"gh he is not *entioned in the
legend. O1 these gods Osiris is singled o"t 1or spe+ial *ention in the
legend, in whi+h :hepera, spea2ing as Neb;er;t+her, says that his na*e
is A"sares, who is the essen+e o1 the pri*e0al *atter o1 whi+h he
hi*sel1 is 1or*ed. Th"s Osiris was o1 the sa*e s"bstan+e as the Great
God who +reated the world a++ording to the Egyptians, and was a
rein+arnation o1 his great;grand1ather. This portion o1 the legend
helps to explain the 0iews held abo"t Osiris as the great an+estral
spirit, who when on earth was a bene1a+tor o1 *an2ind, and who when in
hea0en was the sa0io"r o1 so"ls.
The legend spea2s o1 the s"n as the Eye o1 :hepera, or Neb;er;t+her,
and re1ers to so*e +ala*ity whi+h be1ell it and exting"ished its light.
This +ala*ity *ay ha0e been si*ply the +o*ing o1 night, or e+lipses, or
stor*sI b"t in any +ase the god *ade a se+ond Eye, i.e., the 4oon, to
whi+h he ga0e so*e o1 the splendo"r o1 the other Eye, i.e., the S"n,
and he ga0e it a pla+e in his Fa+e, and hen+e1orth it r"led thro"gho"t
the earth, and had spe+ial powers in respe+t o1 the prod"+tion o1
trees, plants, 0egetables, herbs, et+. Th"s 1ro* the earliest ti*es
the *oon was asso+iated with the 1ertility o1 the earth, espe+ially in
+onne+tion with the prod"+tion o1 ab"ndant +rops and s"++ess1"l
har0ests.
A++ording to the legend, *en and wo*en sprang not 1ro* the earth, b"t
dire+tly 1ro* the body o1 the god :hepera, or Neb;er;t+her, who pla+ed
his *e*bers together and then wept tears "pon the*, and *en and wo*en,
+a*e into being 1ro* the tears whi+h had 1allen 1ro* his eyes. No
spe+ial *ention is *ade o1 the +reation o1 beasts in the legend, b"t
the god says that he +reated +reeping things o1 all 2inds, and a*ong
these are probably in+l"ded the larger 5"adr"peds. The *en and wo*en,
and all the other li0ing +reat"res whi+h were *ade at that ti*e,
reprod"+ed their spe+ies, ea+h in his own way, and so the earth be+a*e
1illed with their des+endants whi+h we see at the present ti*e.
S"+h is the Legend o1 /reation as it is 1o"nd in the -apyr"s o1 Nes;
4en". The text o1 both 0ersions is 1"ll o1 di11i+"lt passages, and
so*e readings are +orr"ptI "n1ort"nately 0ariant 0ersions by whi+h they
*ight be +orre+ted are la+2ing. The general *eaning o1 the legend in
both 0ersions is 5"ite +lear, and it throws +onsiderable light on the
Egyptian religion. The Egyptians belie0ed in the existen+e o1 God, the
/reator and 4aintainer o1 all things, b"t they tho"ght that the
+on+erns o1 this world were +o**itted by Hi* to the s"perintenden+e o1
a series o1 s"bordinate spirits or beings +alled (gods,( o0er who* they
belie0ed *agi+al spells and +ere*onies to ha0e the greatest in1l"en+e.
The Deity was a !eing so re*ote, and o1 s"+h an exalted nat"re, that it
was idle to expe+t Hi* to inter1ere in the a11airs o1 *ortals, or to
+hange any de+ree or +o**and whi+h He had on+e "ttered. The spirits or
(gods,( on the other hand, possessing nat"res not 1ar re*o0ed 1ro*
those o1 *en, were tho"ght to be a*enable to s"ppli+ations and
1lattery, and to wheedling and +a3olery, espe+ially when a++o*panied by
gi1ts. 6t is o1 great interest to 1ind a legend in whi+h the power o1
God as the /reator o1 the world and the s"n and *oon is so +learly set
1orth, e*bedded in a boo2 o1 *agi+al spells de0oted to the destr"+tion
o1 the *ythologi+al *onster who existed solely to pre0ent the s"n 1ro*
rising and shining.
66.
THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND.
The text +ontaining the Legend o1 the Destr"+tion o1 4an2ind is written
in hieroglyphs, and is 1o"nd on the 1o"r walls o1 a s*all +ha*ber whi+h
is entered 1ro* the (hall o1 +ol"*ns( in the to*b o1 Seti 6., whi+h is
sit"ated on the west ban2 o1 the Nile at Thebes. On the wall 1a+ing
the door o1 this +ha*ber is painted in red the 1ig"re o1 the large (/ow
o1 Hea0en.( The lower part o1 her belly is de+orated with a series o1
thirteen stars, and i**ediately beneath it are the two !oats o1 .a,
+alled Se*2etet and 4ant+het, or Se2tet and 4atet. Ea+h o1 her 1o"r
legs is held in position by two gods, and the god Sh", with
o"tstret+hed "pli1ted ar*s, s"pports her body. The /ow was p"blished
by /ha*pollion,&FN)C, witho"t the text. This *ost i*portant
*ythologi+al text was 1irst p"blished and translated by -ro1essor E.
Na0ille in #A9D.&FN)B, 6t was rep"blished by !erg*ann&FN)9, and
!r"gs+h,&FN)A, who ga0e a trans+ription o1 the text, with a Ger*an
translation. Other Ger*an 0ersions by La"th,&FN)$, !r"gs+h,&FN)#@, and
iede*ann&FN)##, ha0e appeared, and a part o1 the text was translated
into Fren+h by Le1eb"re.&FN)#%, The latest edition o1 the text was
p"blished by Le1eb"re,&FN)#J, and text o1 a se+ond +opy, 0ery *"+h
*"tilated, was p"blished by -ro1essor Na0ille, with a Fren+h
translation in #AAC.&FN)#D, The text printed in this 0ol"*e is that o1
4. Le1eb"re.
&FN)C, 4on"*ents, to*. iii., p. %DC.
&FN)B, Trans. So+. !ibl. Ar+h., 0ol. i0., p. # 11.
&FN)9, Hieroglyphis+he 6ns+hri1ten, !l. AC 1l.
&FN)A, Die ne"e eltordn"ng na+h <erni+ht"ng des s"ndigen
4ens+henges+hle+htes, !erlin, #AA#.
&FN)$, A"s Aegyptens <or7eit, p. 9#.
&FN)#@, .eligion der alten Aegypter, p. DJB.
&FN)##, Die .eligion, p. J%.
&FN)#%, A. G., #AAJ, p. J%.
&FN)#J, To*bea" de Seti 6., -art 6<., plates #C;#A.
&FN)#D, Trans. So+. !ibl. Ar+h., 0ol. 0iii., p. D#% 1t.
The legend ta2es "s ba+2 to the ti*e when the gods o1 Egypt went abo"t
in the +o"ntry, and *ingled with *en and were thoro"ghly a+5"ainted
with their desires and needs. The 2ing who reigned o0er Egypt was .a,
the S"n;god, who was not, howe0er, the 1irst o1 the Dynasty o1 Gods who
r"led the land. His prede+essor on the throne was Hephaistos, who,
a++ording to 4anetho, reigned $@@@ years, whilst .a reigned only $$%
yearsI -anodor"s *a2es his reign to ha0e lasted less than #@@ years.
!e this as it *ay, it see*s that the (sel1;+reated and sel1;begotten(
god .a had been r"ling o0er *an2ind 1or a 0ery long ti*e, 1or his
s"b3e+ts were *"r*"ring against hi*, and they were +o*plaining that he
was old, that his bones were li2e sil0er, his body li2e gold, and his
hair li2e lapis;la7"li. hen .a heard these *"r*"rings he ordered his
bodyg"ard to s"**on all the gods who had been with hi* in the pri*e0al
orld;o+ean, and to bid the* pri0ately to asse*ble in the Great Ho"se,
whi+h +an be no other than the 1a*o"s te*ple o1 Heliopolis. This
state*ent is interesting, 1or it pro0es that the legend is o1
Heliopolitan origin, li2e the +"lt o1 .a itsel1, and that it does not
belong, at least in so 1ar as it applies to .a, to the -redynasti+
-eriod.
hen .a entered the Great Te*ple, the gods *ade obeisan+e to hi*, and
too2 "p their positions on ea+h side o1 hi*, and in1or*ed hi* that they
awaited his words. Addressing N", the personi1i+ation o1 the orld;
o+ean, .a bade the* to ta2e noti+e o1 the 1a+t that the *en and wo*en
who* his Eye had +reated were *"r*"ring against hi*. He then as2ed
the* to +onsider the *atter and to de0ise a plan o1 a+tion 1or hi*, 1or
he was "nwilling to slay the rebels witho"t hearing what his gods had
to say. 6n reply the gods ad0ised .a to send 1orth his Eye to destroy
the blasphe*ers, 1or there was no eye on earth that +o"ld resist it,
espe+ially when it too2 the 1or* o1 the goddess Hathor. .a a++epted
their ad0i+e and sent 1orth his Eye in the 1or* o1 Hathor to destroy
the*, and, tho"gh the rebels had 1led to the *o"ntains in 1ear, the Eye
p"rs"ed the* and o0ertoo2 the* and destroyed the*. Hathor re3oi+ed in
her wor2 o1 destr"+tion, and on her ret"rn was praised by .a, 1or what
she had done. The sla"ghter o1 *en began at S"ten;henen
EHera2leopolisF, and d"ring the night Hathor waded abo"t in the blood
o1 *en. .a asserted his intention o1 being *aster o1 the rebels, and
this is probably re1erred to in the !oo2 o1 the Dead, /hapter ?<66., in
whi+h it is said that .a rose as 2ing 1or the 1irst ti*e in S"ten;
henen. Osiris also was +rowned at S"ten;henen, and in this +ity li0ed
the great !enn" bird, or -hoenix, and the (/r"sher o1 !ones( *entioned
in the Negati0e /on1ession.
The legend now goes on to des+ribe an a+t o1 .a, the signi1i+an+e o1
whi+h it is di11i+"lt to explain. The god ordered *essengers to be
bro"ght to hi*, and when they arri0ed, he +o**anded the* to r"n li2e
the wind to Ab", or the +ity o1 Elephantine, and to bring hi* large
5"antities o1 the 1r"it +alled tataat. hat 2ind o1 1r"it this was is
not +lear, b"t !r"gs+h tho"ght they were (*andra2es,( the so;+alled
(lo0e;apples,( and this translation o1 tataat *ay be "sed
pro0isionally. The *andra2es were gi0en to Se2ti, a goddess o1
Heliopolis, to +r"sh and grind "p, and when this was done they were
*ixed with h"*an blood, and p"t in a large brewing o1 beer whi+h the
wo*en sla0es had *ade 1ro* wheat. 6n all they *ade 9,@@@ 0essels o1
beer. hen .a saw the beer he appro0ed o1 it, and ordered it to be
+arried "p the ri0er to where the goddess Hathor was still, it see*s,
engaged in sla"ghtering *en. D"ring the night he +a"sed this beer to
be po"red o"t into the *eadows o1 the Fo"r Hea0ens, and when Hathor
+a*e she saw the beer with h"*an blood and *andra2es in it, and dran2
o1 it and be+a*e dr"n2, and paid no 1"rther attention to *en and wo*en.
6n wel+o*ing the goddess, .a, +alled her (A*it,( i.e., (bea"ti1"l one,(
and 1ro* this ti*e onward (bea"ti1"l wo*en were 1o"nd in the +ity o1
A*it,( whi+h was sit"ated in the estern Delta, near La2e
4areotis.&FN)#C, .a also ordered that in 1"t"re at e0ery one o1 his
1esti0als 0essels o1 (sleep;prod"+ing beer( sho"ld be *ade, and that
their n"*ber sho"ld be the sa*e as the n"*ber o1 the hand*aidens o1 .a.
Those who too2 part in these 1esti0als o1 Hathor and .a dran2 beer in
0ery large 5"antities, and "nder the in1l"en+e o1 the (bea"ti1"l
wo*en,( i.e., the priestesses, who were s"pposed to rese*ble Hathor in
their physi+al attra+tions, the 1estal +elebrations degenerated into
dr"n2en and li+entio"s orgies.
&FN)#C, 6t was also +alled the (/ity o1 Apis,( E!r"gs+h, Di+t. Geog.,
p. D$#F, and is the Apis +ity o1 +lassi+al writers. 6t is, perhaps,
represented by the *odern :o* al;Hisn.
Soon a1ter this .a +o*plained that he was s*itten with pain, and that
he was weary o1 the, +hildren o1 *en. He tho"ght the* a worthless
re*nant, and wished that *ore o1 the* had been slain. The gods abo"t
hi* begged hi* to end"re, and re*inded hi* that his power was in
proportion to his will. .a was, howe0er, "n+onsoled, and he +o*plained
that his li*bs were wea2 1or the 1irst ti*e in his li1e. There"pon the
god N" told Sh" to help .a, and he ordered N"t to ta2e the great god .a
on her ba+2. N"t +hanged hersel1 into a +ow, and with the help o1 Sh"
.a got on her ba+2. As soon as *en saw that .a was on the ba+2 o1 the
/ow o1 Hea0en, and was abo"t to lea0e the*, they be+a*e 1illed with
1ear and repentan+e, and +ried o"t to .a to re*ain with the* and to
slay all those who had blasphe*ed against hi*. !"t the /ow *o0ed on
her way, and +arried .a to Het;Ahet, a town o1 the no*e o1 4areotis,
where in later days the right leg o1 Osiris was said to be preser0ed.
4eanwhile dar2ness +o0ered the land. hen day bro2e the *en who had
repented o1 their blasphe*ies appeared with their bows, and slew the
ene*ies o1 .a. At this res"lt .a was pleased, and he 1orga0e those who
had repented be+a"se o1 their righteo"s sla"ghter o1 his ene*ies. Fro*
this ti*e onwards h"*an sa+ri1i+es were o11ered "p at the 1esti0als o1
.a +elebrated in this pla+e, and at Heliopolis and in other parts o1
Egypt.
A1ter these things .a de+lared to N"t that he intended to lea0e this
world, and to as+end into hea0en, and that all those who wo"ld see his
1a+e *"st 1ollow hi* thither. Then he went "p into hea0en and prepared
a pla+e to whi+h all *ight +o*e. Then he said, (Hetep se2het aa,(
i.e., (Let a great 1ield be prod"+ed,( and straightway (Se2het;hetep,(
or the (Field o1 pea+e,( +a*e into being. He next said, (Let there be
reeds Eaar"F in it,( and straightway (Se2het Aar",( or the (Field o1
.eeds,( +a*e into being. Se2het;hetep was the Elysian Fields o1 the
Egyptians, and the Field o1 .eeds was a well;2nown se+tion o1 it.
Another +o**and o1 the god .a res"lted in the +reation o1 the stars,
whi+h the legend +o*pares to 1lowers. Then the goddess N"t tre*bled in
all her body, and .a, 1earing that she *ight 1all, +a"sed to +o*e into
being the Fo"r -illars on whi+h the hea0ens are s"pported. T"rning to
Sh", .a entreated hi* to prote+t these s"pports, and to pla+e hi*sel1
"nder N"t, and to hold her "p in position with his hands. Th"s Sh"
be+a*e the new S"n;god in the pla+e o1 .a, and the hea0ens in whi+h .a
li0ed were s"pported and pla+ed beyond the ris2 o1 1alling, and *an2ind
wo"ld li0e and re3oi+e in the light o1 the new s"n.
At this pla+e in the legend a text is inserted +alled the (/hapter o1
the /ow.( 6t des+ribes how the /ow o1 Hea0en and the two !oats o1 the
S"n shall be painted, and gi0es the positions o1 the gods who stand by
the legs o1 the /ow, and a n"*ber o1 short *agi+al na*es, or 1or*"lae,
whi+h are inexpli+able. The general *eaning o1 the pi+t"re o1 the /ow
is 5"ite +lear. The /ow represents the s2y in whi+h the !oats o1 .a,
sail, and her 1o"r legs are the 1o"r +ardinal points whi+h +annot be
+hanged. The region abo0e her ba+2 is the hea0en in whi+h .a reigns
o0er the beings who pass thereto 1ro* this earth when they die, and
here was sit"ated the ho*e o1 the gods and the +elestial spirits who
go0ern this world.
hen .a had *ade a hea0en 1or hi*sel1, and had arranged 1or a
+ontin"an+e o1 li1e on the earth, and the wel1are o1 h"*an beings, he
re*e*bered that at one ti*e when reigning on earth he had been bitten
by a serpent, and had nearly lost his li1e thro"gh the bite. Fearing
that the sa*e +ala*ity *ight be1all his s"++essor, he deter*ined to
ta2e steps to destroy the power o1 all noxio"s reptiles that dwelt on
the earth. ith this ob3e+t in 0iew he told Thoth to s"**on :eb, the
Earth;god, to his presen+e, and this god ha0ing arri0ed, .a told hi*
that war *"st be *ade against the serpents that dwelt in his do*inions.
He 1"rther +o**anded hi* to go to the god N", and to tell hi* to set a
wat+h o0er all the reptiles that were in the earth and in water, and to
draw "p a writing 1or e0ery pla+e in whi+h serpents are 2nown to be,
+ontaining stri+t orders that they are to bite, no one. Tho"gh these
serpents 2new that .a was retiring 1ro* the earth, they were ne0er to
1orget that his rays wo"ld 1all "pon the*. 6n his pla+e their 1ather
:eb was to 2eep wat+h o0er the*, and he was their 1ather 1or e0er.
As a 1"rther prote+tion against the* .a pro*ised to i*part to *agi+ians
and sna2e;+har*ers the parti+"lar word o1 power, he2a", with whi+h he
g"arded hi*sel1 against the atta+2s o1 serpents, and also to trans*it
it to his son Osiris. Th"s those who are ready to listen to the
1or*"lae o1 the sna2e;+har*ers shall always be i**"ne 1ro* the bites o1
serpents, and their +hildren also. Fro* this we *ay gather that the
pro1ession o1 the sna2e;+har*er is 0ery an+ient, and that this +lass o1
*agi+ians were s"pposed to owe the 1o"ndation o1 their +ra1t to a
de+ree o1 .a hi*sel1.
.a next sent 1or the god Thoth, and when he +a*e into the presen+e o1
.a, he in0ited hi* to go with hi* to a distan+e, to a pla+e +alled
(T"at,( i.e., hell, or the Other orld, in whi+h region he had
deter*ined to *a2e his light to shine. hen they arri0ed there he told
Thoth, the S+ribe o1 Tr"th, to write down on his tablets the na*es o1
all who were therein, and to p"nish those a*ong the* who had sinned
against hi*, and he dep"ted to Thoth the power to deal absol"tely as he
pleased with all the beings in the T"at. .a loathed the wi+2ed, and
wished the* to be 2ept at a distan+e 1ro* hi*. Thoth was to be his
0i+ar, to 1ill his pla+e, and (-la+e o1 .a,( was to be his na*e. He
ga0e hi* power to send o"t a *essenger EhabF, so the 6bis EhabiF +a*e
into being. All that Thoth wo"ld do wo"ld be good E2henF, there1ore
the Te2ni bird o1 Thoth +a*e into being. He ga0e Thoth power to
e*bra+e EanhF the hea0ens, there1ore the 4oon;god EAahF +a*e into
being. He ga0e Thoth power to t"rn ba+2 EananF the Northern peoples,
there1ore the dog;headed ape o1 Thoth +a*e into being. Finally .a told
Thoth that he wo"ld ta2e his pla+e in the sight o1 all those who were
wont to worship .a, and that all sho"ld praise hi* as God. Th"s the
abdi+ation o1 .a was +o*plete.
6n the 1rag*entary texts whi+h 1ollow we are told how a *an *ay bene1it
by the re+ital o1 this legend. He *"st pro+lai* that the so"l whi+h
ani*ated .a was the so"l o1 the Aged One, and that o1 Sh", :hne*" ELF,
Heh, M+., and then he *"st pro+lai* that he is .a hi*sel1, and his word
o1 power He2a. 61 he re+ites the /hapter +orre+tly he shall ha0e li1e
in the Other orld, and he will be held in greater 1ear there than
here. A r"bri+ adds that he *"st be dressed in new linen gar*ents, and
be well washed with Nile waterI he *"st wear white sandals, and his
body *"st be anointed with holy oil. He *"st b"rn in+ense in a +enser,
and a 1ig"re o1 4aat ETr"thF *"st be painted on his tong"e with green
paint. These reg"lations applied to the laity as well as to the
+lergy.
666.
THE LEGEND OF .A AND 6S6S.
The original text o1 this 0ery interesting legend is written in the
hierati+ +hara+ter on a papyr"s preser0ed at T"rin, and was p"blished
by -leyte and .ossi in their /orp"s o1 T"rin -apyri.&FN)#B, Fren+h and
Ger*an translations o1 it were p"blished by Le1eb"re,&FN)#9, and
iede*ann&FN)#A, respe+ti0ely, and s"**aries o1 its +ontents were gi0en
by Er*an&FN)#$, and 4aspero.&FN)%@, A trans+ript o1 the hierati+ text
into hieroglyphi+s, with transliteration and translation, was p"blished
by *e in #A$C.&FN)%#,
&FN)#B, -apyr"s de T"rin, pll. J#, 99, #J#;#JA.
&FN)#9, A. G., #AAJ, p. %9 11.
&FN)#A, Die .eligion, p. %$.
&FN)#$, Aegypten, p. JC$ 11.
&FN)%@, Les Origines, <. #B%;D.
&FN)%#, First Steps in Egyptian, p. %D# 11.
6t has already been seen that the god .a, when retiring 1ro* the
go0ern*ent o1 this world, too2 steps thro"gh Thoth to s"pply *an2ind
with words o1 power and spells with whi+h to prote+t the*sel0es against
the bites o1 serpents and other noxio"s reptiles. The legend o1 the
Destr"+tion o1 4an2ind a11ords no explanation o1 this re*ar2able 1a+t,
b"t when we read the 1ollowing legend o1 .a and 6sis we "nderstand why
.a, tho"gh 2ing o1 the gods, was a1raid o1 the reptiles whi+h li0ed in
the 2ingdo* o1 :eb. The legend, or (/hapter o1 the Di0ine God,( begins
by en"*erating the *ighty attrib"tes o1 .a as the +reator o1 the
"ni0erse, and des+ribes the god o1 (*any na*es( as "n2nowable, e0en by
the gods. At this ti*e 6sis li0ed in the 1or* o1 a wo*an who possessed
the 2nowledge o1 spells and in+antations, that is to say, she was
regarded *"+h in the sa*e way as *odern A1ri+an peoples regard their
(*edi+ine;wo*en,( or (wit+h;wo*en.( She had "sed her spells on *en,
and was tired o1 exer+ising her powers on the*, and she +ra0ed the
opport"nity o1 *a2ing hersel1 *istress o1 gods and spirits as well as
o1 *en. She *editated how she +o"ld *a2e hersel1 *istress both o1
hea0en and earth, and 1inally she de+ided that she +o"ld only obtain
the power she wanted i1 she possessed the 2nowledge o1 the se+ret na*e
o1 .a, in whi+h his 0ery existen+e was bo"nd "p. .a g"arded this na*e
*ost 3ealo"sly, 1or he 2new that i1 he re0ealed it to any being he
wo"ld hen+e1orth be at that being>s *er+y. 6sis saw that it was
i*possible to *a2e .a de+lare his na*e to her by ordinary *ethods, and
she there1ore tho"ght o"t the 1ollowing plan. 6t was well 2nown in
Egypt and the S"dan at a 0ery early period that i1 a *agi+ian obtained
so*e portion o1 a person>s body, e.g., a hair, a paring o1 a nail, a
1rag*ent o1 s2in, or a portion o1 so*e e11l"x 1ro* the body, spells
+o"ld be "sed "pon the* whi+h wo"ld ha0e the e11e+t o1 +a"sing grie0o"s
har* to that person. 6sis noted that .a had be+o*e old and 1eeble, and
that as he went abo"t he dribbled at the *o"th, and that his sali0a
1ell "pon the gro"nd. at+hing her opport"nity she +a"ght so*e o1 the
sali0a o1 the and *ixing it with d"st, she *o"lded it into the 1or* o1
a large serpent, with poison;1angs, and ha0ing "ttered her spells o0er
it, she le1t the serpent lying on the path, by whi+h .a tra0elled day
by day as he went abo"t inspe+ting Egypt, so that it *ight stri2e at
hi* as he passed along. e *ay note in passing that the !anyoro in the
S"dan e*ploy serpents in 2illing b"11aloes at the present day. They
+at+h a p"11;adder in a noose, and then nail it ali0e by the tip o1 its
tail to the ro"nd in the *iddle o1 a b"11alo tra+2, so that when an
ani*al passes the reptile *ay stri2e at it. -resently a b"11alo +o*es
along, does what it is expe+ted to do, and then the p"11;adder stri2es
at it, in3e+ts its poison, and the ani*al dies soon a1ter. As *any as
ten b"11aloes ha0e been 2illed in a day by one p"11;adder. The body o1
the 1irst b"11alo is not eaten, 1or it is regarded as poisoned *eat,
b"t all the others are "sed as 1ood.&FN)%%,
&FN)%%, Nohnston, 8ganda, 0ol. ii., p. CAD. The a"thority 1or this
state*ent is 4r. George ilson, 1or*erly /olle+tor in 8nyoro.
Soon a1ter 6sis had pla+ed the serpent on the -ath, .a passed by, and
the reptile bit hi*, th"s in3e+ting poison into his body. 6ts e11e+t
was terrible, and .a +ried o"t in agony. His 3aws +hattered, his lips
tre*bled, and he be+a*e spee+hless 1or a ti*eI ne0er be1ore had be
s"11ered s"+h pain. The gods hearing his +ry r"shed to hi*, and when
he +o"ld spea2 he told the* that he had been bitten by a deadly
serpent. 6n spite o1 all the words o1 power whi+h were 2nown to hi*,
and his se+ret na*e whi+h had been hidden in his body at his birth, a
serpent had bitten hi*, and he was being +ons"*ed with a 1iery pain.
He then +o**anded that all the gods who had any 2nowledge o1 *agi+al
spells sho"ld +o*e to hi*, and when they +a*e, 6sis, the great lady o1
spells, the destroyer o1 diseases, and the re0i0i1ier o1 the dead, +a*e
with the*. T"rning to .a she said, (hat hath happened, O di0ine
FatherL( and in answer the god told her that a serpent had bitten hi*,
that he was hotter than 1ire and +older than water, that his li*bs
5"a2ed, and that he was losing the power o1 sight. Then 6sis said to
hi* with g"ile, (Di0ine Father, tell *e thy na*e, 1or he who "ttereth
his own na*e shall li0e.( There"pon .a pro+eeded to en"*erate the
0ario"s things that he had done, and to des+ribe his +reati0e a+ts, and
ended his spee+h to 6sis by saying, that he was :hepera in the *orning,
.a at noon, and Te*" in the e0ening. Apparently he tho"ght that the
na*ing o1 these three great na*es wo"ld satis1y 6sis, and that she
wo"ld i**ediately prono"n+e a word o1 power and stop the pain in his
body, whi+h, d"ring his spee+h, had be+o*e *ore a+"te. 6sis, howe0er,
was not de+ei0ed, and she 2new well that .a had not de+lared to her his
hidden na*eI this she told hi*, and she begged hi* on+e again to tell
her his na*e. For a ti*e the god re1"sed to "tter the na*e, b"t as the
pain in his body be+a*e *ore 0iolent, and the poison passed thro"gh his
0eins li2e 1ire, he said, (6sis shall sear+h in *e, and *y na*e shall
pass 1ro* *y body into hers.( At that *o*ent .a re*o0ed hi*sel1 1ro*
the sight o1 the gods in his !oat, and the Throne in the !oat o1
4illions o1 =ears had no o++"pant. The great na*e o1 .a was, it see*s,
hidden in his heart, and 6sis, ha0ing so*e do"bt as to whether .a wo"ld
2eep his word or not, agreed with Hor"s that .a *"st be *ade to ta2e an
oath to part with his two Eyes, that is, the S"n and the 4oon. At
length .a allowed his heart to be ta2en 1ro* his body, and his great
and se+ret na*e, whereby he li0ed, passed into the possession o1 6sis.
.a th"s be+a*e to all intents and p"rposes a dead god. Then 6sis,
strong in the power o1 her spells, said' (Flow, poison, +o*e o"t o1 .a.
Eye o1 Hor"s, +o*e o"t o1 .a, and shine o"tside his *o"th. 6t is 6,
6sis, who wor2, and 6 ha0e *ade the poison to 1all on the gro"nd.
<erily the na*e o1 the great god is ta2en 1ro* hi*, .a shall li0e and
the poison shall dieI i1 the poison li0e .a shall die.(
This was the in1allible spell whi+h was to be "sed in +ases o1
poisoning, 1or it rendered the bite or sting o1 e0ery 0eno*o"s reptile
har*less. 6t dro0e the poison o"t o1 .a, and sin+e it was +o*posed by
6sis a1ter she obtained the 2nowledge o1 his se+ret na*e it was
irresistible. 61 the words were written on papyr"s or linen o0er a
1ig"re o1 Te*" or Her";he2en", or 6sis, or Hor"s, they be+a*e a *ighty
+har*. 61 the papyr"s or linen were steeped in water and the water
dr"n2, the words were e5"ally e11i+a+io"s as a +har* against sna2e;
bites. To this day water in whi+h the written words o1 a text 1ro* the
:"r>an ha0e been dissol0ed, or water dr"n2 1ro* a bowl on the inside o1
whi+h religio"s texts ha0e been written, is still regarded as a ne0er;
1ailing +har* in Egypt and the S"dan. Th"s we see that the *odern
+"sto* o1 drin2ing *agi+al water was deri0ed 1ro* the an+ient
Egyptians, who belie0ed that it +on0eyed into their bodies the a+t"al
power o1 their gods.
6<.
THE LEGEND OF HE.8;!EH8TET AND THE 6NGED D6S:.
The text o1 this legend is +"t in hieroglyphi+s on the walls o1 the
te*ple o1 Ed1" in 8pper Egypt, and +ertain portions o1 it are
ill"strated by large bas;relie1s. !oth text and relie1s were p"blished
by -ro1essor Na0ille in his 0ol"*e entitled 4ythe d>Hor"s, 1ol., plates
#%;#$, Gene0a, #A9@. A Ger*an translation by !r"gs+h appeared in the
Ahandl"ngen der Gottinger A2ade*ie, !and xi0., pp. #9J;%JB, and another
by iede*ann in his Die .eligion, p. JA 11. Esee the English
translation p. B$ 11.F. The legend, in the 1or* in whi+h it is here
gi0en, dates 1ro* the -tole*ai+ -eriod, b"t the *atter whi+h it
+ontains is 1ar older, and it is probable that the 1a+ts re+orded in it
are 1rag*ents o1 a+t"al history, whi+h the Egyptians o1 the late period
tried to pie+e together in +hronologi+al order. e shall see as we
read that the writer o1 the legend as we ha0e it was not well
a+5"ainted with Egyptian history, and that in his a++o"nt o1 the
+on5"est o1 Egypt he has +on1o"nded one god with another, and *ixed "p
histori+al 1a+ts with *ythologi+al legends to s"+h a degree that his
*eaning is 1re5"ently "n+ertain. The great 1a+t whi+h he wished to
des+ribe is the +on5"est o1 Egypt by an early 2ing, who, ha0ing s"bd"ed
the peoples in the So"th, ad0an+ed northwards, and *ade all the people
who* he +on5"ered s"b*it to his yo2e. Now the :ing o1 Egypt was always
+alled Hor"s, and the priests o1 Ed1" wishing to *agni1y their lo+al
god, Hor"s o1 !eh"tet, or Hor"s o1 Ed1", attrib"ted to hi* the
+on5"ests o1 this h"*an, and probably predynasti+, 2ing. e *"st
re*e*ber that the legend ass"*es that .a, was still reigning on earth,
tho"gh he was old and 1eeble, and had probably dep"ted his power to his
s"++essor, who* the legend regards as his son.
-LATE 6.
Hor"s holding the Hippopota*"s;1iend with +hain and spear. !ehind
stand 6sis and Her" :henti;:hatti.
-LATE 66.
Hor"s dri0ing his spear into the Hippopota*"s;1iendI behind hi* stands
one o1 his (!la+2s*iths(.
-LATE 666.
Hor"s dri0ing his spear into the belly o1 the Hippopota*"s;1iend as he
lies on his ba+2I behind stands on o1 his (!la+2s*iths(.
-LATE 6<.
Hor"s and 6sis +apt"ring the Hippopota*"s;1iend.
6n the JBJrd year o1 his reign .a;Har*a2his&FN)%J, was in N"bia with
his ar*y with the intention o1 destroying those who had +onspired
against hi*I be+a"se o1 their +onspira+y Ea""F N"bia is +alled (8a"a(
to this day. Fro* N"bia .a;Har*a2his sailed down the ri0er to Ed1",
where Her";!eh"tet entered his boat, and told hi* that his 1oes were
+onspiring against hi*. .a;Har*a2his in answer addressed Her";!eh"tet
as his son, and +o**anded hi* to set o"t witho"t delay and slay the
wi+2ed rebels. Then Her";!eh"tet too2 the 1or* o1 a great winged Dis2,
and at on+e 1lew "p into the s2y, where he too2 the pla+e o1 .a, the
old S"n;god. Loo2ing down 1ro* the height o1 hea0en he was able to
dis+o0er the whereabo"ts o1 the rebels, and he p"rs"ed the* in the 1or*
o1 a winged dis2. Then he atta+2ed the* with s"+h 0iolen+e that they
be+a*e da7ed, and +o"ld neither see where they were going, nor hear,
the res"lt o1 this being that they slew ea+h other, and in a 0ery short
ti*e they were all dead. Thoth, seeing this, told .a that be+a"se
Hor"s had appeared as a great winged dis2 he *"st be +alled (Her";
!eh"tet,( and by this na*e Hor"s was 2nown e0er a1ter at Ed1". .a
e*bra+ed Hor"s, and re1erred with pleas"re to the blood whi+h he had
shed, and Hor"s in0ited his 1ather to +o*e and loo2 "pon the slain. .a
set o"t with the goddess Ashthertet EOAshtorethF to do this, and they
saw the ene*ies lying 1ettered on the gro"nd. The legend here
introd"+es a n"*ber o1 +"rio"s deri0ations o1 the na*es o1 Ed1", M+.,
whi+h are 0al"eless, and whi+h re*ind "s o1 the deri0ations o1 pla+e;
na*es propo"nded by an+ient Se*iti+ s+ribes.
&FN)%J, i.e., .a on the hori7on.
-LATE <.
Hor"s standing on the ba+2 o1 the Hippopota*"s;1iend, and spearing hi*
in the presen+e o1 6sis.
-LATE <6.
The (!"t+her;priest( sli+ing open the Hippopota*"s;1iend.
6n gladness o1 heart .a proposed a sail on the Nile, b"t as soon as his
ene*ies heard that he was +o*ing, they +hanged the*sel0es into
+ro+odiles and hippopota*i, so that they *ight be able to wre+2 his
boat and de0o"r hi*. As the boat o1 the god approa+hed the* they
opened their 3aws to +r"sh it, b"t Hor"s and his 1ollowers +a*e 5"i+2ly
on the s+ene, and de1eated their p"rpose. The 1ollowers o1 Hor"s here
*entioned are +alled in the text (4esni",( i.e., (bla+2s*iths,( or
(wor2ers in *etal,( and they represent the pri*iti0e +on5"erors o1 the
Egyptians, who were ar*ed with *etal weapons, and so were able to
o0er+o*e with tolerable ease the indigeno"s Egyptians, whose weapons
were *ade o1 1lint and wood. Hor"s and his (bla+2s*iths( were pro0ided
with iron lan+es and +hains, and, baying +ast the +hains o0er the
*onsters in the ri0er, they dro0e their lan+es into their sno"ts, and
slew BC# o1 the*. !e+a"se Hor"s gained his 0i+tory by *eans o1 *etal
weapons, .a de+reed that a *etal stat"e o1 Hor"s sho"ld be pla+ed at
Ed1", and re*ain there 1or e0er, and a na*e was gi0en to the town to
+o**e*orate the great battle that had ta2en pla+e there. .a appla"ded
Hor"s 1or the *ighty deeds whi+h be had been able to per1or* by *eans
o1 the spells +ontained in the (!oo2 o1 Slaying the Hippopota*"s.(
Hor"s then asso+iated with hi*sel1 the goddesses 8at+het and Ne2hebet,
who were in the 1or* o1 serpents, and, ta2ing his pla+e as the winged
Dis2 on the 1ront o1 the !oat o1 .a, destroyed all the ene*ies o1 .a
wheresoe0er he 1o"nd the*. hen the re*nant o1 the ene*ies o1 .a, saw
that they were li2ely to be slain, they do"bled ba+2 to the So"th, b"t
Hor"s p"rs"ed the*, and dro0e the* down the ri0er be1ore hi* as 1ar as
Thebes. One battle too2 pla+e at T+het*et, and another at Denderah,
and Hor"s was always 0i+torio"sI the ene*ies were +a"ght by +hains
thrown o0er the*, and the deadly spears o1 the !la+2s*iths dran2 their
blood.
A1ter this the ene*y 1led to the North, and too2 re1"ge in the swa*ps
o1 the Delta, and in the shallows o1 the 4editerranean Sea, and Hor"s
p"rs"ed the* thither. A1ter sear+hing 1or the* 1or 1o"r days and 1o"r
nights he 1o"nd the*, and they were speedily slain. One h"ndred and
1orty;two o1 the* and a *ale hippopota*"s were dragged on to the !oat
o1 .a, and there Hor"s d"g o"t their entrails, and ha+2ed their
+ar+ases in pie+es, whi+h he ga0e to his !la+2s*iths and the gods who
1or*ed the +rew o1 the !oat o1 .a. !e1ore despat+hing the
hippopota*"s, Hor"s leaped on to the ba+2 o1 the *onster as a *ar2 o1
his tri"*ph, and to +o**e*orate this e0ent the priest o1 Heben, the
town wherein these things happened, was +alled (He who standeth on the
ba+2 e0er a1ter.(
The end o1 the great 1ight, howe0er, was not yet. Another ar*y o1
ene*ies appeared by the North La2e, and they were *ar+hing towards the
seaI b"t terror o1 Hor"s s*ote their hearts, and they 1led and too2
re1"ge in 4ertet;A*ent, where they allied the*sel0es with the 1ollowers
o1 Set, the Ar+h;1iend and great Ene*y o1 .a. Thither Hor"s and his
well;ar*ed !la+2s*iths p"rs"ed the*, and +a*e "p with the* at the town
+alled -er;.ereh", whi+h deri0ed its na*e 1ro* the (Two /o*batants,( or
(Two 4en,( Hor"s and Set. A great 1ight too2 pla+e, the ene*ies o1 .a
were de1eated with great sla"ghter, and Hor"s dragged JA# prisoners on
to the !oat o1 .a, where he slew the*, and ga0e their bodies to his
1ollowers.
-LATE <66.
Hor"s o1 !eh"tet and .a;Har*a2his in a shrine.
-LATE <666.
Hor"s o1 !eh"tet and Har*a2his in a shrine.
-LATE 6?.
Ashthertet E>Ashtoreth>F dri0ing her +hariot o0er the prostrate 1oe.
-LATE ?.
Le1t' Hor"s o1 !eh"tet spearing a Typhoni+ ani*al, and holding his
prisoners with rope.
.ight' Hor"s o1 !eh"tet, a++o*panied by .a;Har*a2his and 4en", spearing
the Hippopota*"s;1iend.
Then Set rose "p and +"rsed Hor"s be+a"se he had slain his allies, and
he "sed s"+h 1o"l lang"age that Thoth +alled hi* (Nehaha;her,( i.e.,
(Stin2ing Fa+e,( and this na*e +l"ng to hi* e0er a1ter. A1ter this
Hor"s and Set engaged in a 1ight whi+h lasted a 0ery long ti*e, b"t at
length Hor"s dro0e his spear into the ne+2 o1 Set with s"+h 0iolen+e
that the Fiend 1ell headlong to the gro"nd. Then Hor"s s*ote with his
+l"b the *o"th whi+h had "ttered s"+h blasphe*ies, and 1ettered hi*
with his +hain. 6n this state Hor"s dragged Set into the presen+e o1
.a, who as+ribed great praise to Hor"s, and spe+ial na*es were gi0en to
the pala+e o1 Hor"s and the high priest o1 the te*ple in +o**e*oration
o1 the e0ent. hen the 5"estion o1 the disposal o1 Set was being
dis+"ssed by the gods, .a ordered that he and his 1iends sho"ld be
gi0en o0er to 6sis and her son Hor"s, who were to do what they pleased
with the*. Hor"s pro*ptly +"t o11 the heads o1 Set and his 1iends in
the presen+e o1 .a and 6sis, and be dragged Set by his 1eet thro"gh the
+o"ntry with his spear sti+2ing in his head and ne+2. A1ter this 6sis
appointed Hor"s o1 !eh"tet to be the prote+ting deity o1 her son Hor"s.
The 1ight between the S"n;god and Set was a 0ery 1a0o"rite s"b3e+t with
Egyptian writers, and there are *any 1or*s o1 it. Th"s there is the
1ight between Her";"r and Set, the 1ight between .a and Set, the 1ight
between Her";!eh"tet and Set, the 1ight between Osiris and Set, and the
1ight between Hor"s, son o1 6sis, and Set. 6n the oldest ti*es the
+o*bat was *erely the nat"ral opposition o1 light to dar2ness, b"t
later the S"n;god be+a*e the sy*bol o1 right and tr"th as well as o1
light, and Set the sy*bol o1 sin and wi+2edness as well as o1 dar2ness,
and "lti*ately the nat"re *yth was 1orgotten, and the 1ight between the
two gods be+a*e the type o1 the e0erlasting war whi+h good *en wage
against sin. 6n /opti+ literat"re we ha0e the well;2nown legend o1 the
sla"ghter o1 the dragon by St. George, and this is nothing b"t a
/hristian adaptation o1 the legend o1 Hor"s and Set.
A1ter these things Hor"s, son o1 .a, and Hor"s, son o1 6sis, ea+h too2
the 1or* o1 a *ighty *an, with the 1a+e and body o1 a haw2, and ea+h
wore the .ed and hite /rowns, and ea+h +arried a spear and +hain. 6n
these 1or*s the two gods slew the re*nant o1 the ene*ies. Now by so*e
*eans or other Set +a*e to li1e again, and he too2 the 1or* o1 a *ighty
hissing or (roaring( serpent, and hid hi*sel1 in the gro"nd, in a pla+e
whi+h was e0er a1ter +alled the (pla+e o1 the roarer.( 6n 1ront o1 his
hiding;pla+e Hor"s, son o1 6sis, stationed hi*sel1 in the 1or* o1 a
haw2;headed sta11 to pre0ent hi* 1ro* +o*ing o"t. 6n spite o1 this,
howe0er, Set *anaged to es+ape, and he gathered abo"t hi* the S*ai and
Seba 1iends at the La2e o1 4eh, and waged war on+e *ore against Hor"sI
the ene*ies o1 .a were again de1eated, and Hor"s slew the* in the
presen+e o1 his 1ather.
-LATE ?6.
Hor"s o1 !eh"tet and Thoth spearing h"*an 0i+ti*s with the assistan+e
o1 6sis.
-LATE ?66.
Hor"s o1 !eh"tet and Thoth spearing Set in the 1or* o1 a +ro+odile.
Hor"s, it see*s, now +eased to 1ight 1or so*e ti*e, and de0oted hi*sel1
to 2eeping g"ard o0er the (Great God( who was in An;r"t;1, a distri+t
in or near Hera2leopolis. This Great God was no other than Osiris, and
the d"ty o1 Hor"s was to pre0ent the S*ai 1iends 1ro* +o*ing by night
to the pla+e. 6n spite o1 the power o1 Hor"s, it was 1o"nd ne+essary
to s"**on the aid o1 6sis to 2eep away the 1iends, and it was only by
her words o1 power that the 1iend !a was 2ept o"t o1 the san+t"ary. As
a reward 1or what he had already done, Thoth de+reed that Hor"s sho"ld
be +alled the (4aster;Fighter.( -assing o0er the deri0ations o1 pla+e;
na*es whi+h o++"r here in the text, we 1ind that Hor"s and his
!la+2s*iths were again obliged to 1ight bodies o1 the ene*y who had
*anaged to es+ape, and that on one o++asion they 2illed one h"ndred and
six 1oes. 6n e0ery 1ight the !la+2s*iths per1or*ed *ighty deeds o1
0alo"r, and in reward 1or their ser0i+es a spe+ial distri+t was
allotted to the* to dwell in.
The last great 1ight in the North too2 pla+e at Tanis, in the eastern
part o1 the Delta. hen the position o1 the ene*y had been lo+ated,
Hor"s too2 the 1or* o1 a lion with the 1a+e o1 a *an, and he p"t on his
head the Triple /rown. His +laws were li2e 1lints, and with the* he
dragged away one h"ndred and 1orty;two o1 the ene*y, and tore the* in
pie+es, and d"g o"t their tong"es, whi+h he +arried o11 as sy*bols o1
his 0i+tory.
4eanwhile rebellion had again bro2en o"t in N"bia, where abo"t one;
third o1 the ene*y had ta2en re1"ge in the ri0er in the 1or*s o1
+ro+odiles and hippopota*i. .a +o"nselled Hor"s to sail "p the Nile
with his !la+2s*iths, and when Thoth had re+ited the (/hapters o1
prote+ting the !oat o1 .a( o0er the boats, the expedition set sail 1or
the So"th. The ob3e+t o1 re+iting these spells was to pre0ent the
*onsters whi+h were in the ri0er 1ro* *a2ing the wa0es to rise and 1ro*
stirring "p stor*s whi+h *ight eng"l1 the boats o1 .a and Hor"s and the
!la+2s*iths. hen the rebels and 1iends who had been "ttering, treason
against Hor"s saw the boat o1 .a, with the winged Dis2 o1 Hor"s
a++o*panied by the goddesses 8at+het and Ne2hebet in the 1or* o1
serpents, they were s*itten with 1ear, and their hearts 5"a2ed, and all
power o1 resistan+e le1t the*, and they died o1 1right straightway.
hen Hor"s ret"rned in tri"*ph to Ed1", .a ordered that an i*age o1 the
winged Dis2 sho"ld be pla+ed in ea+h o1 his san+t"aries, and that in
e0ery pla+e wherein a winged Dis2 was set, that san+t"ary sho"ld be a
san+t"ary o1 Hor"s o1 !eh"tet. The winged dis2s whi+h are seen abo0e
the doorways o1 the te*ples still standing in Egypt show that the
+o**and o1 .a, was 1aith1"lly +arried o"t by the priests.
-LATE ?666.
Hor"s o1 !eh"tet in the 1or* o1 a lion slaying his 1oes.
<.
LEGEND OF THE !6.TH OF HO.8S, SON OF 6S6S AND OS6.6S.
-LATE ?6<.
The -ro+reation o1 Hor"s, son o1 6sis.
The text whi+h +ontains this legend is 1o"nd +"t in hieroglyphi+s "pon
a stele whi+h is now preser0ed in -aris. Attention was 1irst +alled to
it by /habas, who in #AC9 ga0e a translation o1 it in the .e0"e
Ar+heologi5"e, p. BC 11., and pointed o"t the i*portan+e o1 its
+ontents with his +hara+teristi+ ability. The hieroglyphi+ text was
1irst p"blished by Ledrain in his wor2 on the *on"*ents o1 the
!ibliothe5"e Nationale in -aris,&FN)%D, and 6 ga0e a trans+ript o1 the
text, with transliteration and translation, in #A$C.&FN)%C,
&FN)%D, Les 4on"*ents Egyptiens E/abinet des 4edailles et Anti5"esF,
6n the !ibliothe5"e de l>E+ole des Ha"tes Et"des, -aris, #A9$;#AA%,
plate xxii. 11.
&FN)%C, First Steps in Egyptian, pp. #9$;#AA.
The greater part o1 the text +onsists o1 a hy*n to Osiris, whi+h was
probably +o*posed "nder the ?<666th Dynasty, when an extraordinary
de0elop*ent o1 the +"lt o1 that god too2 pla+e, and when he was pla+ed
by Egyptian theologians at the head o1 all the gods. Tho"gh "nseen in
the te*ples, his presen+e 1illed all Egypt, and his body 1or*ed the
0ery s"bstan+e o1 the +o"ntry. He was the God o1 all gods and the
Go0ernor o1 the Two /o*panies o1 the gods, he 1or*ed the so"l and body
o1 .a, he was the bene1i+ent Spirit o1 all spirits, he was hi*sel1 the
+elestial 1ood on whi+h the Do"bles in the Other orld li0ed. He was
the greatest o1 the gods in On EHeliopolisF, 4e*phis, Hera2leopolis,
Her*opolis, Abydos, and the region o1 the First /atara+t, and so. He
e*bodied in his own person the *ight o1 .a;Te*, Apis and -tah, the
Hor"s;gods, Thoth and :hne*", and his r"le o0er !"siris and Abydos
+ontin"ed to be s"pre*e, as it had been 1or *any, *any h"ndreds o1
years. He was the so"r+e o1 the Nile, the north wind sprang 1ro* hi*,
his seats were the stars o1 hea0en whi+h ne0er set, and the
i*perishable stars were his *inisters. All hea0en was his do*inion,
and the doors o1 the s2y opened be1ore hi* o1 their own a++ord when he
appeared. He inherited the earth 1ro* his 1ather :eb, and the
so0ereignty o1 hea0en 1ro* his *other N"t. 6n his person he "nited
endless ti*e in the past and endless ti*e in the 1"t"re. Li2e .a he
had 1o"ght Seba, or Set, the *onster o1 e0il, and had de1eated hi*, and
his 0i+tory ass"red to hi* lasting a"thority o0er the gods and the
dead. He exer+ised his +reati0e power in *a2ing land and water, trees
and herbs, +attle and other 1o"r;1ooted beasts, birds o1 all 2inds, and
1ish and +reeping thingsI e0en the waste spa+es o1 the desert owed
allegian+e to hi* as the +reator. And he rolled o"t the s2y, and set
the light abo0e the dar2ness.
The last paragraph o1 the text +ontains an all"sion to 6sis, the sister
and wi1e o1 Osiris, and *entions the legend o1 the birth o1 Hor"s,
whi+h e0en "nder the ?<666th Dynasty was 0ery an+ient, 6sis, we are
told, was the +onstant prote+tress o1 her brother, she dro0e away the
1iends that wanted to atta+2 hi*, and 2ept the* o"t o1 his shrine and
to*b, and she g"arded hi* 1ro* all a++idents. All these things she did
by *eans o1 spells and in+antations, large n"*bers o1 whi+h were 2nown
to her, and by her power as the (wit+h;goddess.( Her (*o"th was
trained to per1e+tion, and she *ade no *ista2e in prono"n+ing her
spells, and her tong"e was s2illed and halted not.( At length +a*e the
"nl"+2y day when Set s"++eeded in 2illing Osiris d"ring the war whi+h
the (good god( was waging against hi* and his 1iends. Details o1 the
engage*ent are wanting, b"t the -yra*id Texts state that the body o1
Osiris was h"rled to the gro"nd by Set at a pla+e +alled Netat, whi+h
see*s to ha0e been near Abydos.&FN)%B, The news o1 the death o1 Osiris
was bro"ght to 6sis, and she at on+e set o"t to 1ind his body. All
legends agree in saying that she too2 the 1or* o1 a bird, and that she
1lew abo"t "n+easingly, going hither and thither, and "ttering wailing
+ries o1 grie1. At length she 1o"nd the body, and with a pier+ing +ry
she alighted on the gro"nd. The -yra*id Texts say that Nephthys was
with her that (6sis +a*e, Nephthys +a*e, the one on the right side, the
other on the le1t side, one in the 1or* o1 a Hat bird, the other in the
1or* o1 a T+hert bird, and they 1o"nd Osiris thrown on the gro"nd in
Netat by his brother Set.( The late 1or* o1 the legend goes on to say
that 6sis 1anned the body with her 1eathers, and prod"+ed air, and that
at length she +a"sed the inert *e*bers o1 Osiris to *o0e, and drew 1ro*
hi* his essen+e, where1ro* she prod"+ed her +hild Hor"s.
&FN)%B, -epi 6., line D9CI -epi 66., line #%BJ.
This bare state*ent o1 the dog*a o1 the +on+eption o1 Hor"s does not
represent all that is 2nown abo"t it, and it *ay well be s"pple*ented
by a passage 1ro* the -yra*id Texts,&FN)%9, whi+h reads, (Adoration to
thee, O Osiris.&FN)%A, .ise tho" "p on thy le1t side, pla+e thysel1 on
thy right side. This water whi+h 6 gi0e "nto thee is the water o1
yo"th Eor re3"0enationF. Adoration to thee, O OsirisP .ise tho" "p on
thy le1t side, pla+e thysel1 on thy right side. This bread whi+h 6
ha0e *ade 1or thee is war*th. Adoration to thee, O OsirisP The doors
o1 hea0en are opened to thee, the doors o1 the strea*s are thrown wide
open to thee. The gods in the +ity o1 -e +o*e &to thee,, Osiris, at
the so"nd Eor 0oi+eF o1 the s"ppli+ation o1 6sis and Nephthys. . . . .
Thy elder sister too2 thy body in her ar*s, she +ha1ed thy hands,
she +lasped thee to her breast &when, she 1o"nd thee &lying, on thy
side on the plain o1 Netat.( And in another pla+e we read'&FN)%$, (Thy
two sisters, 6sis and Nephthys, +a*e to thee, :a*;"rt, in thy na*e o1
:a*;"r, 8at+het;"rt, in thy na*e o1 8at+h;"r . . . . . . . 6sis and
Nephthys wea0e *agi+al prote+tion 1or thee in the +ity o1 Sa"t, 1or
thee their lord, in thy na*e o1 >Lord o1 Sa"t,> 1or their god, in thy
na*e o1 >God.> They praise theeI go not tho" 1ar 1ro* the* in thy na*e
o1 >T"a.> They present o11erings to theeI be not wroth in thy na*e o1
>T+hentr".> Thy sister 6sis +o*eth to thee re3oi+ing in her lo0e 1or
thee.&FN)J@, Tho" hast "nion with her, thy seed entereth her. She
+on+ei0eth in the 1or* o1 the star Septet ESothisF. Hor"s;Sept iss"eth
1ro* thee in the 1or* o1 Hor"s, dweller in the star Septet. Tho"
*a2est a spirit to be in hi* in his na*e >Spirit dwelling in the god
T+hentr".> He a0engeth thee in his na*e o1 >Hor"s, the son who a0enged
his 1ather.> Hail, Osiris, :eb hath bro"ght to thee Hor"s, he hath
a0enged thee, he hath bro"ght to thee the hearts o1 the gods, Hor"s
hath gi0en thee his Eye, tho" hast ta2en possession o1 the 8rert /rown
thereby at the head o1 the gods. Hor"s hath presented to thee thy
*e*bers, he hath +olle+ted the* +o*pletely, there is no disorder in
thee. Thoth hath sei7ed thy ene*y and hath slain hi* and those who
were with hi*.( The abo0e words are addressed to dead 2ings in the
-yra*id Texts, and what the gods were s"pposed to do 1or the* was
belie0ed by the Egyptians to ha0e been a+t"ally done 1or Osiris. These
extra+ts are pe+"liarly 0al"able, 1or they pro0e that the legend o1
Osiris whi+h was +"rrent "nder the ?<666th Dynasty was based "pon
traditions whi+h were "ni0ersally a++epted in Egypt "nder the <th and
<6th Dynasties.
&FN)%9, 4er;en;.a, line JJBI -epi 66., line AB%.
&FN)%A, 6 o*it the 2ing>s na*es.
&FN)%$, Teta, line %9DI -epi 6., line %9I 4er;en;.a, line J9I and -epi
66., line B9.
&FN)J@, -yra*id Text, Teta, l. %9B.
-LATE ?<.
-LATE ?<6.
The Stele re+ording the +asting o"t o1 a de0il 1ro* the -rin+ess o1
!e2hten.
The hy*n +on+l"des with a re1eren+e to the a++ession o1 Hor"s, son o1
6sis, the 1lesh and bone o1 Osiris, to the throne o1 his grand1ather
:eb, and to the wel+o*e whi+h he re+ei0ed 1ro* the T+hat+ha, or
Ad*inistrators o1 hea0en, and the /o*pany o1 the Gods, and the Lords o1
Tr"th, who asse*bled in the Great Ho"se o1 Heliopolis to a+2nowledge
his so0ereignty. His s"++ession also re+ei0ed the appro0al o1 Neb;er;
t+her, who, as we saw 1ro* the 1irst legend in this boo2, was the
/reator o1 the 8ni0erse.
<6.
A LEGEND OF :HENS8 NEFE.;HETE-&FN)J#, AND THE -.6N/ESS OF !E:HTEN.
&FN)J#, 6n the headlines o1 this se+tion, p. #@B 11., 1or -tah
Ne1er;hetep read :hens" Ne1er;hetep.
The text o1 this legend is +"t in hieroglyphi+s "pon a sandstone stele,
with a ro"nded top, whi+h was 1o"nd in the te*ple o1 :hens" at Thebes,
and is now preser0ed in the !ibliothe5"e Nationale at -arisI it was
dis+o0ered by /ha*pollion, and re*o0ed to -aris by -risse d>A0ennes in
#ADB. The text was 1irst p"blished by -risse d>A0ennes,&FN)J%, and it
was 1irst translated by !ir+h&FN)JJ, in #ACJ. The text was rep"blished
and translated into Fren+h by E. de .o"ge in #ACA,&FN)JD, and se0eral
other renderings ha0e been gi0en in Ger*an and in English sin+e that
date.&FN)JC, hen the text was 1irst p"blished, and 1or so*e years
a1terwards, it was generally tho"ght that the legend re1erred to e0ents
whi+h were said to ha0e ta2en pla+e "nder a 2ing who was identi1ied as
.a*eses ?666., b"t this *is+on+eption was +orre+ted by Er*an, who
showed&FN)JB, that the 2ing was in reality .a*eses 66. !y a +are1"l
exa*ination o1 the +onstr"+tion o1 the text he pro0ed that the
narrati0e on the stele was drawn "p se0eral h"ndreds o1 years a1ter the
e0ents des+ribed in it too2 pla+e, and that its a"thor was b"t
i*per1e+tly a+5"ainted with the 1or* o1 the Egyptian lang"age in "se in
the reign o1 .a*eses 66. 6n 1a+t, the legend was written in the
interests o1 the priests o1 the te*ple o1 :hens", who wished to *agni1y
their god and his power to +ast o"t de0ils and to exor+ise e0il
spiritsI it was probably +o*posed between !./. BC@ and !./. %C@.&FN)J9,
&FN)J%, /hoix de 4on"*ents Egyptiens, -aris, #AD9, plate xxi0.
&FN)JJ, Transa+tions o1 the .oyal So+iety o1 Literat"re, New Series,
0ol. i0., p. %#9 11.
&FN)JD, No"rnal Asiati5"e EEt"de s"r "ne Stele EgyptienneF, A"g"st,
#ACB, A"g"st, #AC9, and A"g"st;Sept., #ACA, -aris, A0o, with plate.
&FN)JC, !r"gs+h, Ges+hi+hte Aegyptens, #A99, p. B%9 11.I !ir+h,
.e+ords o1 the -ast, Old Series, 0ol. i0., p. CJ 11.I !"dge, Egyptian
.eading !oo2, text and transliteration, p. D@ 11.I translation, p.
xx0iii. 11.
&FN)JB, Aeg. Geit., #AAJ, pp. CD;B@.
&FN)J9, 4aspero, Les /ontes -op"laires, Jrd edit., p. #BB.
The legend, a1ter en"*erating the great na*es o1 .a*eses 66., goes on
to state that the 2ing was in the (+o"ntry o1 the two ri0ers,( by whi+h
we are to "nderstand so*e portion o1 4esopota*ia, the ri0ers being the
Tigris and E"phrates, and that th
lo+al +hie1s were bringing to hi*
trib"te +onsisting o1 gold, lapis;la7"li, t"r5"oise, and logs o1 wood
1ro* the Land o1 the God. 6t is di11i+"lt to "nderstand how gold and
logs o1 wood 1ro* So"thern Arabia and East A1ri+a +a*e to be prod"+ed
as trib"te by +hie1s who li0ed so 1ar to the north. A*ong those who
sent gi1ts was the -rin+e o1 !e2hten, and at the head o1 all his
trib"te he sent his eldest da"ghter, bearing his *essage o1 ho*age and
d"ty. Now the *aiden was bea"ti1"l, and the :ing o1 Egypt tho"ght her
so lo0ely that be too2 her to wi1e, and bestowed "pon her the na*e (.a;
ne1er",( whi+h *eans so*ething li2e the (bea"ties o1 .a.( He too2 her
ba+2 with hi* to Egypt, where she was installed as Q"een.
D"ring the s"**er o1 the 1i1teenth year o1 his reign, whilst .a*eses
66. was +elebrating a 1esti0al o1 A*en;.a in the Te*ple o1 L"xor, one
+a*e to hi* and reported that an en0oy had arri0ed 1ro* the -rin+e o1
!e2hten, bearing with hi* *any gi1ts 1or the .oyal i1e .a;ne1er".
hen the en0oy had been bro"ght into the presen+e, he addressed words
o1 ho*age to the 2ing, and, ha0ing presented the gi1ts 1ro* his lord,
he said that he had +o*e to beg His 4a3esty to send a (learned *an,(
i.e., a *agi+ian, to !e2hten to attend !ent;enth;resh, His 4a3esty>s
sister;in;law, who was stri+2en with so*e disease. There"pon the 2ing
s"**oned the learned *en o1 the Ho"se o1 Li1e, i.e., the *e*bers o1 the
great /ollege o1 4agi+ at Thebes, and the 5enbet" o11i+ials, and when
they had entered his presen+e, he +o**anded the* to sele+t a *an o1
(wise heart and de1t 1ingers( to go to !e2hten. The +hoi+e 1ell "pon
one Teh"ti;e*;heb, and His 4a3esty sent hi* to !e2hten with the en0oy.
hen they arri0ed in !e2hten, Teh"ti;e*;heb 1o"nd that the -rin+ess
!ent;enth;resh was possessed by an e0il spirit whi+h re1"sed to be
exor+ised by hi*, and he was "nable to +ast o"t the de0il. The -rin+e
o1 !e2hten, seeing that the healing o1 his da"ghter was beyond the
power o1 the Egyptian, sent a se+ond en0oy to .a*eses 66., and beso"ght
hi* to send a god to dri0e o"t the de0il. This en0oy arri0ed in Egypt
in the s"**er o1 the twenty;sixth year o1 the reign o1 .a*eses 66., and
1o"nd the 2ing +elebrating a 1esti0al in Thebes. hen he heard the
petition o1 the en0oy, he went to the Te*ple o1 :hens" Ne1er;hetep (a
se+ond ti*e,(&FN)JA, and presented hi*sel1 be1ore the god and beso"ght
his help on behal1 o1 his sister;in;law.
&FN)JA, Th"s the 2ing *"st ha0e in0o2ed the help o1 :hens" on the
o++asion o1 the 0isit o1 the 1irst en0oy.
Then the priests o1 :hens" Ne1er;hetep +arried the stat"e o1 this god
to the pla+e where was the stat"e o1 :hens" s"rna*ed (-a;ari;se2her,(
i.e., the (or2er o1 destinies,( who was able to repel the atta+2s o1
e0il spirits and to dri0e the* o"t. hen the stat"es o1 the two gods
were 1a+ing ea+h other, .a*eses 66. entreated :hens" Ne1er;hetep to
(t"rn his 1a+e towards,( i.e., to loo2 1a0o"rably "pon :hens". -a;ari;
se2her, and to let hi* go to !e2hten to dri0e the de0il o"t o1 the
-rin+ess o1 !e2hten. The text a11ords no explanation o1 the 1a+t that
:hens" Ne1er;hetep was regarded as a greater god than :hens" -a;ari;
se2her, or why his per*ission had to be obtained be1ore the latter
+o"ld lea0e the +o"ntry. 6t is probable that the de*ands *ade "pon
:hens" Ne1er;hetep by the Egyptians who li0ed in Thebes and its
neighbo"rhood were so n"*ero"s that it was i*possible to let his stat"e
go into o"tlying distri+ts or 1oreign lands, and that a dep"ty;god was
appointed to per1or* *ira+les o"tside Thebes. This arrange*ent wo"ld
bene1it the people, and wo"ld, *oreo0er, bring *"+h *oney to the
priests. The appoint*ent o1 a dep"ty;god is not so strange as it *ay
see*, and *odern A1ri+an peoples are 1a*iliar with the expedient.
Abo"t one h"ndred years ago the priests o1 the god !obowissi o1
innebah, in the Tshi region o1 est A1ri+a, 1o"nd their b"siness so
large that it was absol"tely ne+essary 1or the* to appoint a dep"ty.
The priests there1ore sele+ted !rah1o, i.e., (dep"ty,( and ga0e o"t
that !obowissi had dep"ted all *inor *atters to hi*, and that his
"tteran+es were to be regarded as those o1 !obowissi. Delegates were
ordered to be sent to innebah in Ashanti, where they wo"ld be shown
the (dep"ty( god by the priests, and a1terwards he wo"ld be ta2en to
4an2assi*, where he wo"ld reside, and do 1or the people all that
!obowissi had done hitherto.&FN)J$,
&FN)J$, Ellis, Tshi;spea2ing -eoples, p. CC.
hen .a*eses 66. had *ade his petition to :hens" Ne1er;hetep, the
stat"e o1 the god bowed its head twi+e, in to2en o1 assent. Here it is
+lear that we ha0e an exa*ple o1 the "se o1 stat"es with *o0able li*bs,
whi+h were wor2ed, when o++asion re5"ired, by the priests. The 2ing
then *ade a se+ond petition to the god to trans1er his sa, or *agi+al
power, to :hens" -a;ari;se2her so that when he had arri0ed in !e2hten
he wo"ld be able to heal the -rin+ess. Again the stat"e o1 :hens"
Ne1er;hetep bowed its head twi+e, and the petition o1 the 2ing was
granted. The text goes on to say that the *agi+al power o1 the greater
god was trans1erred to the lesser god 1o"r ti*es, or in a 1o"r1old
*eas"re, b"t we are not told how this was e11e+ted. e 2now 1ro* *any
passages in the texts that e0ery god was belie0ed to possess this
*agi+al power, whi+h is +alled the (sa o1 li1e,( or the (sa o1 the
god,(.&FN)D@, This sa +o"ld be trans1erred by a god or goddess to a
h"*an being, either by an e*bra+e or thro"gh so*e o11ering whi+h was
eaten. Th"s Te*" trans1erred the *agi+al power o1 his li1e to Sh" and
Te1n"t by e*bra+ing the*,&FN)D#, and in the .it"al o1 the Di0ine
/"lt&FN)D%, the priest says, The two 0essels o1 *il2 o1 Te*" are the (sa
o1 *y li*bs.( The *an who possessed this sa +o"ld trans1er it to his
1riend by e*bra+ing hi* and then (*a2ing passes( with his hands along
his ba+2. The sa +o"ld be re+ei0ed by a *an 1ro* a god and then
trans*itted by hi* to a stat"e by ta2ing it in his ar*s, and this
+ere*ony was a+t"ally per1or*ed by the 2ing in the .it"al o1 the Di0ine
/"lt.&FN)DJ, The pri*ary so"r+e o1 this sa was .a, who bestowed it
witho"t *eas"re on the blessed dead,&FN)DD, and +a"sed the* to li0e 1or
e0er thereby. These, 1a+ts *a2e it tolerably +ertain that the *agi+al
power o1 :hens" Ne1er;hetep was trans1erred to :hens" -a;ari;se2her in
one o1 two ways' either the stat"e o1 the latter was bro"ght near to
that o1 the 1or*er and it re+ei0ed the sa by +onta+t, or the high
priest 1irst re+ei0ed the sa 1ro* the greater god and then trans*itted
it to the lesser god by e*bra+es and (passes( with his hands. !e this
as it *ay, :hens" -a;ari;se2her re+ei0ed the *agi+al power, and ha0ing
been pla+ed in his boat, he set o"t 1or !e2hten, a++o*panied by 1i0e
s*aller boats, and +hariots and horses whi+h *ar+hed on ea+h side o1
hi*.
&FN)D@, Text o1 8nas, line CB%.
&FN)D#, -yra*id Texts, -epi 6., l. DBB.
&FN)D%, Ed. 4oret, p. %#.
&FN)DJ, 6bid., p. $$.
&FN)DD, -epi 6., line BBB.
hen a1ter a 3o"rney o1 se0enteen *onths :hens" -a;ari;se2her arri0ed
in !e2hten, he was +ordially wel+o*ed by the -rin+e, and, ha0ing gone
to the pla+e where the -rin+ess who was possessed o1 a de0il li0ed, he
exer+ised his power to s"+h p"rpose that she was healed i**ediately.
4oreo0er, the de0il whi+h had been +ast o"t ad*itted that :hens" -a;
ari;se2her was his *aster, and pro*ised that he wo"ld depart to the
pla+e when+e he +a*e, pro0ided that the -rin+e o1 !e2hten wo"ld
+elebrate a 1esti0al in his hono"r be1ore his depart"re. 4eanwhile
the -rin+e and his soldiers stood by listening to the +on0ersation
between the god and the de0il, and they were 0ery *"+h a1raid.
Following the instr"+tions o1 :hens" -a;ari;se2her the -rin+e *ade
a great 1east in hono"r o1 the s"pernat"ral 0isitors, and then the
de0il departed to the (pla+e whi+h he lo0ed,( and there was general
re3oi+ing in the land. The -rin+e o1 !e2hten was so pleased with the
Egyptian god that he deter*ined not to allow hi* to ret"rn to Egypt.
hen the stat"e o1 :hens" -a;ari;se2her had been in !e2hten 1or three
years and nine *onths, the -rin+e in a 0ision saw the god, in the 1or*
o1 a golden haw2, +o*e 1orth 1ro* his shrine, and 1ly "p into the air
and dire+t his +o"rse to Egypt. .eali7ing that the stat"e o1 the god
was "seless witho"t its indwelling spirit, the -rin+e o1 !e2hten
per*itted the priests o1 :hens" -a;ari;se2her to depart with it to
Egypt, and dis*issed the* with gi1ts o1 all 2inds. 6n d"e +o"rse they
arri0ed in Egypt and the priests too2 their stat"e to the te*ple o1
:hens" Ne1er;hetep, and handed o0er to that god all the gi1ts whi+h the
-rin+e o1 !e2hten had gi0en the*, 2eeping ba+2 nothing 1or their own
god. A1ter this :hens" -a;ari;se2her ret"rned to his te*ple in pea+e,
in the thirty;third year o1 the reign o1 .a*eses 66., ha0ing been
absent 1ro* it abo"t eight years.
<66.
A LEGEND OF :HNE48 AND OF A SE<EN =EA.S> FA46NE.
The text o1 this *ost interesting legend is 1o"nd in hieroglyphi+s on
one side o1 a large ro"nded blo+2 o1 granite so*e eight or nine 1eet
high, whi+h stands on the so"th;east portion o1 Sahal, a little island
lying in the First /atara+t, two or three *iles to the so"th o1
Elephantine 6sland and the *odern town o1 Aswan. The ins+ription is
not +"t into the ro+2 in the ordinary way, b"t was (st"nned( on it with
a bl"nted +hisel, and is, in so*e lights, 5"ite in0isible to anyone
standing near the ro+2, "nless he is aware o1 its existen+e. 6t is in
1"ll 0iew o1 the ri0er;path whi+h leads 1ro* 4ahallah to -hilae, and
yet it es+aped the noti+e o1 s+ores o1 tra0ellers who ha0e sear+hed the
ro+2s and islands in the /atara+t 1or gra11iti and ins+riptions. The
ins+ription, whi+h +o0ers a spa+e six 1eet by 1i0e 1eet, was dis+o0ered
a++identally on Febr"ary Bth, #AA$, by the late 4r. /. E. ilbo"r, a
disting"ished A*eri+an gentle*an who spent *any years in resear+h in
Egypt. He 1irst +opied the text, dis+o0ering in the +o"rse o1 his wor2
the re*ar2able nat"re o1 its +ontents and then his 1riend 4r. 4a"dslay
photographed it. The 1ollowing year he sent prints 1ro* 4r. 4a"dslay>s
negati0es to Dr. !r"gs+h, who in the +o"rse o1 #A$# p"blished a
trans+ript o1 the text with a Ger*an translation and notes in a wor2
entitled Die biblis+hen sieben Nahre der H"ngersnoth, Leip7ig, A0o.
The legend +ontained in this re*ar2able text des+ribes a terrible
1a*ine whi+h too2 pla+e in the reign o1 T+heser, a 2ing o1 the 666rd
Dynasty, and lasted 1or se0en years. 6ns"11i+ient Nile;1loods were, o1
+o"rse, the physi+al +a"se o1 the 1a*ine, b"t the legend shows that the
(low Niles( were bro"ght abo"t by the negle+t o1 the Egyptians in
respe+t o1 the worship o1 the god o1 the First /atara+t, the great god
:hne*". hen, a++ording to the legend, 2ing T+heser had been *ade to
belie0e that the 1a*ine too2 pla+e be+a"se *en had +eased to worship
:hne*" in a *anner appropriate to his greatness, and when he had ta2en
steps to re*o0e the gro"nd o1 +o*plaint, the Nile rose to its
a++"sto*ed height, the +rops be+a*e ab"ndant on+e *ore, and all *isery
+a"sed by s+ar+ity o1 pro0isions +eased. 6n other words, when T+heser
restored the o11erings o1 :hne*", and re;endowed his san+t"ary and his
priesthood, the god allowed Hapi to po"r 1orth his strea*s 1ro* the
+a0erns in the /atara+t, and to 1lood the land with ab"ndan+e. The
general +hara+ter o1 the legend, as we ha0e it here, *a2es it 5"ite
+ertain that it belongs to a late period, and the 1or*s o1 the
hieroglyphi+s and the spellings o1 the words indi+ate that the text was
(st"nned( on the ro+2 in the reign o1 one o1 the -tole*ies, probably at
a ti*e when it was to the interest o1 so*e *en to restore the worship
o1 :hne*", god o1 the First /atara+t. These interested people +o"ld
only ha0e been the priests o1 :hne*", and the probability that this was
so be+o*es al*ost a +ertainty when we read in the latter part o1 the
text the list o1 the tolls and taxes whi+h they were e*powered to le0y
on the *er+hants, 1ar*ers, *iners, et+., whose goods passed down the
/atara+t into Egypt. hy, i1 this be the +ase, they sho"ld ha0e +hosen
to +onne+t the 1a*ine with the reign o1 T+heser is not +lear. They *ay
ha0e wished to pro0e the great anti5"ity o1 the worship o1 :hne*", b"t
it wo"ld ha0e been 5"ite easy to sele+t the na*e o1 so*e 2ing o1 the
6st Dynasty, and had they done this, they wo"ld ha0e *ade the a"thority
o1 :hne*" o0er the Nile +oae0al with Dynasti+ +i0ili7ation. 6t is
i*possible to ass"*e that no great 1a*ine too2 pla+e in Egypt between
the reign o1 T+heser and the period when the ins+ription was *ade, and
when we +onsider this 1a+t the +hoi+e by the editor o1 the legend o1 a
1a*ine whi+h too2 pla+e "nder the 666rd Dynasty to ill"strate the power
o1 :hne*" see*s inexpli+able.
O1 the 1a*ines whi+h *"st ha0e ta2en pla+e in the Dynasti+ period the
ins+riptions tell "s nothing, b"t the story o1 the se0en years> 1a*ine
*entioned in the !oo2 o1 Genesis shows that there is nothing i*probable
in a 1a*ine lasting so long in Egypt. Arab historians also *ention
se0eral 1a*ines whi+h lasted 1or se0en years. That whi+h too2 pla+e in
the years #@BB;#@9% nearly r"ined the whole +o"ntry. A +a2e o1 bread
was sold 1or #C dinanir, Ethe dinar R #@s.F, a horse was sold 1or %@, a
dog 1or C, a +at 1or J, and an egg 1or # dinar. hen all the ani*als
were eaten *en began to eat ea+h other, and h"*an 1lesh was sold in
p"bli+. (-assengers were +a"ght in the streets by hoo2s let down 1ro*
the windows, drawn "p, 2illed, and +oo2ed.(&FN)DC, D"ring the 1a*ine
whi+h began in #%@# people ate h"*an 1lesh habit"ally. -arents 2illed
and +oo2ed their own +hildren, and a wi1e was 1o"nd eating her h"sband
raw. !aby 1ri+assee and haggis o1 +hildren>s heads were ordinary
arti+les o1 diet. The gra0es e0en were ransa+2ed 1or 1ood. An ox sold
1or 9@ dinanir. &FN)DB,
&FN)DC, Lane -oole, 4iddle Ages, p. #DB.
&FN)DB, 6bid., p. %#B.
The legend begins with the state*ent that in the #Ath year o1 the reign
o1 :ing T+heser, when 4atar, the Erpa -rin+e and Ha, was the Go0ernor
o1 the te*ple properties o1 the So"th and North, and was also the
Dire+tor o1 the :henti *en at Elephantine EAswanF, a royal despat+h was
deli0ered to hi*, in whi+h the 2ing said' (6 a* in *isery on *y throne.
4y heart is 0ery sore be+a"se o1 the +ala*ity whi+h hath happened, 1or
the Nile hath not +o*e 1orth&FN)D9, 1or se0en years. There is no
grain, there are no 0egetables, there is no 1ood, and e0ery *an is
robbing his neighbo"r. 4en wish to wal2, b"t they are "nable to *o0eI
the yo"ng *an drags along his li*bs, the hearts o1 the aged are +r"shed
with despair, their legs 1ail the*, they sin2 to the gro"nd, and they
+l"t+h their bodies with their hands in pain. The +o"n+illors are
d"*b, and nothing b"t wind +o*es o"t o1 the granaries when they are
opened. E0erything is in a state o1 r"in.( A *ore graphi+ pi+t"re o1
the *isery +a"sed by the 1a*ine +o"ld hardly be i*agined. The 2ing
then goes on to as2 4atar where the Nile is bornL what god or goddess
presides o0er itL and what is his &or her, 1or*L He says he wo"ld li2e
to go to the te*ple o1 Thoth to en5"ire o1 that god, to go to the
/ollege o1 the 4agi+ians, and sear+h thro"gh the sa+red boo2s in order
to 1ind o"t these things.
&FN)D9, i.e., there ha0e been ins"11i+ient Nile;1loods.
hen 4atar had read the despat+h, he set o"t to go to the 2ing, and
explained to hi* the things whi+h he wished to 2now. He told hi* that,
the Nile rose near the +ity o1 Elephantine, that it 1lowed o"t o1 two
+a0erns, whi+h were the breasts o1 the Nile;god, that it rose to a
height o1 twenty;eight +"bits at Elephantine, and to the height o1
se0en +"bits at S*a;!eh"tet, or, Diospolis -ar0a in the Delta. He who
+ontrolled the Nile was :hne*", and when this god drew the bolt o1 the
doors whi+h sh"t in the strea*, and s*ote the earth with his sandals,
the ri0er r"shed 1orth. 4atar also des+ribed to the 2ing the 1or* o1
:hne*", whi+h was that o1 Sh", and the wor2 whi+h he did, and the
wooden ho"se in whi+h he li0ed, and its exa+t position, whi+h was near
the 1a*o"s granite 5"arries. The gods who dwelt with :hne*" were the
goddess Sept ESothis, or the Dog;starF, the goddess An5et, Hap Eor
HepF, the Nile;god, Sh", :eb, N"t, Osiris, 6sis, Nephthys, and Hor"s.
Th"s we see that the priests o1 :hne*" *ade hi* to be the head o1 a
/o*pany o1 Gods. Finally 4atar ga0e the 2ing a list o1 all the stones,
pre+io"s and otherwise, whi+h were 1o"nd in and abo"t Elephantine.
hen the 2ing, who had, it see*s, +o*e to Elephantine, heard these
things he re3oi+ed greatly, and he went into the te*ple o1 :hne*".
The priests drew ba+2 the +"rtains and sprin2led hi* with holy water,
and then he passed into the shrine and o11ered "p a great sa+ri1i+e o1
bread;+a2es, beer, geese, oxen, and all 2inds o1 good things, to the
gods and goddesses who dwelt at Elephantine, in the pla+e +alled (/o"+h
o1 the heart in li1e and power.( S"ddenly he 1o"nd hi*sel1 standing
1a+e to 1a+e with the god :hne*", who* he pla+ated with a pea+e;
o11ering and with prayer. Then the god opened his eyes, and bent his
body towards the 2ing, and spa2e to hi* *ighty words, saying, (6 a*
:hne*", who *ade thee. 4y hands 2nitted together thy body and *ade it
so"nd, and 6 ga0e thee thy heart.( :hne*" then went on to +o*plain
that, altho"gh the gro"nd "nder the 2ing>s 1eet was 1illed with stones
and *etal, *en were too inert to wor2 the* and to e*ploy the* in
repairing or reb"ilding o1 the shrines o1 the gods, or in doing what
they o"ght to do 1or hi*, their Lord and /reator. These words were, o1
+o"rse, *eant as a reb"2e 1or the 2ing, who e0idently, tho"gh it is not
so stated in the text, was intended by :hne*" to "nderta2e the
reb"ilding o1 his shrine witho"t delay. The god then went on to
pro+lai* his *a3esty and power, and de+lared hi*sel1 to be N", the
/elestial O+ean, and the Nile;god, (who +a*e into being at the
beginning, and riseth at his will to gi0e health to hi* that labo"reth
1or :hne*".( He des+ribed hi*sel1 as the Father o1 the gods, the
Go0ernor o1 the earth and o1 *en, and then he pro*ised the 2ing to *a2e
the Nile rise yearly, reg"larly, and "n+easingly, to gi0e ab"ndant
har0ests, to gi0e all people their heart>s desire, to *a2e *isery to
pass away, to 1ill the granaries, and to *a2e the whole land o1 Egypt
yellow with wa0ing 1ields o1 1"ll ripe grain. hen the 2ing, who had
been in a drea*, heard the god *ention +rops, he wo2e "p, and his
+o"rage ret"rned to hi*, and ha0ing +ast away despair 1ro* his heart he
iss"ed a de+ree by whi+h he *ade a*ple pro0ision 1or the *aintenan+e o1
the worship o1 the god in a 1itting state. 6n this de+ree, the 1irst
+opy o1 whi+h was +"t "pon wood, the 2ing endowed :hne*" with %@
s+hoinoi o1 land on ea+h side o1 the ri0er, with gardens, et+. 6t was
1"rther ena+ted that e0ery *an who drew water 1ro* the Nile 1or his
land sho"ld +ontrib"te a portion o1 his +rops to the god. Fisher*en,
1owlers, and h"nters were to pay an o+troi d"ty o1 one;tenth o1 the
0al"e o1 their +at+hes when they bro"ght the* into the +ity, and a
tithe o1 the +attle was to be set apart 1or the daily sa+ri1i+e. The
*asters o1 +ara0ans +o*ing 1ro* the S"dan were to pay a tithe also, b"t
they were not liable to any 1"rther tax in the +o"ntry northwards.
E0ery *etal;wor2er, ore;+r"sher, *iner, *ason, and handi+ra1ts*an o1
e0ery 2ind, was to pay to the te*ple o1 the god one;tenth o1 the 0al"e
o1 the *aterial prod"+ed or wor2ed by his labo"r. The de+ree pro0ided
also 1or the appoint*ent o1 an inspe+tor whose d"ty it wo"ld be to
weigh the gold, sil0er and +opper whi+h +a*e into the town o1
Elephantine, and to assess the 0al"e both o1 these *etals and o1 the
pre+io"s stones, et+., whi+h were to be de0oted to the ser0i+e o1
:hne*". All *aterials e*ployed in *a2ing the i*ages o1 the gods, and
all handi+ra1ts*en e*ployed in the wor2 were exe*pted 1ro* tithing. 6n
short, the worship o1 the god and his +o*pany was to be *aintained
a++ording to an+ient "se and wont, and the people were to s"pply the
te*ple with e0erything ne+essary in a genero"s spirit and with a
liberal hand. He who 1ailed in any way to +o*ply with the ena+t*ents
was to be beaten with the rope, and the na*e o1 T+heser was to be
perpet"ated in the te*ple.
<666.
THE LEGEND OF THE DEATH AND .ES8..E/T6ON OF HO.8S, AND OTHE. 4AG6/AL
TE?TS.
The *agi+al and religio"s texts o1 the Egyptians o1 all periods +ontain
spells intended to be "sed against serpents, s+orpions, and noxio"s
reptiles o1 all 2inds, and their n"*ber, and the i*portan+e whi+h was
atta+hed to the*, s"ggest that Egypt *"st always ha0e prod"+ed these
pests in ab"ndan+e, and that the Egyptians were always horribly a1raid
o1 the*. The text o1 8nas, whi+h was written towards the +lose o1 the
<th Dynasty, +ontains *any s"+h spells, and in the Theban and Saite
!oo2s o1 the Dead se0eral /hapters +onsist o1 nothing b"t spells and
in+antations, *any o1 whi+h are based on ar+hai+ texts, against
+ro+odiles, serpents, and other deadly reptiles, and inse+ts o1 all
2inds. All s"+h +reat"res were regarded as in+arnations o1 e0il
spirits, whi+h atta+2 the dead as well as the li0ing, and there1ore it
was ne+essary 1or the well;being o1 the 1or*er that +opies o1 spells
against the* sho"ld be written "pon the walls o1 to*bs, +o11ins,
1"nerary a*"lets, et+. The gods were 3"st as open to the atta+2s o1
0eno*o"s reptiles as *an, and .a, hi*sel1, the 2ing o1 the gods, nearly
died 1ro* the poison o1 a sna2e;bite. Now the gods were, as a r"le,
able to de1end the*sel0es against the atta+2s o1 Set and his 1iends,
and the poisono"s sna2es and inse+ts whi+h were their e*issaries, by
0irt"e o1 the 1l"id o1 li1e, whi+h was the pe+"liar attrib"te o1
di0inity, and the e11orts o1 Egyptians were dire+ted to the a+5"isition
o1 a portion o1 this *agi+al power, whi+h wo"ld prote+t their so"ls and
bodies and their ho"ses and +attle, and other property, ea+h day and
ea+h night thro"gho"t the year. hen a *an +ared 1or the prote+tion o1
hi*sel1 only he wore an a*"let o1 so*e 2ind, in whi+h the 1l"id o1 li1e
was lo+ali7ed. hen he wished to prote+t his ho"se against in0asion by
0eno*o"s reptiles he pla+ed stat"es +ontaining the 1l"id o1 li1e in
ni+hes in the walls o1 0ario"s +ha*bers, or in so*e pla+e o"tside b"t
near the ho"se, or b"ried the* in the earth with their 1a+es t"rned in
the dire+tion 1ro* whi+h he expe+ted the atta+2 to +o*e.
-LATE ?<66.
The 4etterni+h Stele;;Ob0erse.
-LATE ?<666.
The 4etterni+h Stele;;.e0erse.
Towards the +lose o1 the ??<6th Dynasty, when s"perstition in its *ost
exaggerated 1or* was general in Egypt, it be+a*e the +"sto* to *a2e
ho"se talis*ans in the 1or* o1 s*all stone stelae, with ro"nded tops,
whi+h rested on bases ha0ing +on0ex 1ronts. On the 1ront o1 s"+h a
talis*an was s+"lpt"red in relie1 a 1ig"re o1 Hor"s the /hild
EHarpo2ratesF, standing on two +ro+odiles, holding in his hands 1ig"res
o1 serpents, s+orpions, a lion, and a horned ani*al, ea+h o1 these
being a sy*bol o1 an e*issary or ally o1 Set, the god o1 E0il. Abo0e
his head was the head o1 !es, and on ea+h side o1 hi* were' solar
sy*bols, i.e., the lily o1 Ne1er;Te*, 1ig"res o1 .a and Har*a2his, the
Eyes o1 .a Ethe S"n and 4oonF, et+. The re0erse o1 the stele and the
whole o1 the base were +o0ered with *agi+al texts and spells, and when
a talis*an o1 this 2ind was pla+ed in a ho"se, it was s"pposed to be
dire+tly "nder the prote+tion o1 Hor"s and his +o*panion gods, who had
0an5"ished all the hosts o1 dar2ness and all the powers o1 physi+al and
*oral e0il. 4any exa*ples o1 this talis*an are to be seen in the great
4"se"*s o1 E"rope, and there are se0eral 1ine spe+i*ens in the Third
Egyptian .oo* in the !ritish 4"se"*. They are "s"ally +alled (/ippi o1
Hor"s.( The largest and *ost i*portant o1 all these (+ippi( is that
whi+h is +o**only 2nown as the (4etterni+h Stele,( be+a"se it was gi0en
to -rin+e 4etterni+h by 4"ha**ad OAli -ashaI it was d"g "p in #A%A
d"ring the b"ilding o1 a +istern in a Fran+is+an 4onastery in
Alexandria, and was 1irst p"blished, with a translation o1 a large part
o1 the text, by -ro1essor Golenis+he11.&FN)DA, The i*portan+e o1 the
stele is enhan+ed by the 1a+t that it *entions the na*e o1 the 2ing in
whose reign it was *ade, 0i7., Ne+taneb"s 6., who reigned 1ro* !./. J9A
to !./. JB@.
&FN)DA, See 4etterni+hstele, Leip7ig, #A99. The Stele was *ade 1or
An2h;-se*the2, son o1 the lady Tent;Het;n"b, prophet o1 Neb"n, o0erseer
o1 Te*t and s+ribe o1 Het Esee line A9F.
The ob0erse, re0erse, and two sides o1 the 4etterni+h Stele ha0e +"t
"pon the* nearly three h"ndred 1ig"res o1 gods and +elestial beings.
These in+l"de 1ig"res o1 the great gods o1 hea0en, earth, and the Other
orld, 1ig"res o1 the gods o1 the planets and the De2ans, 1ig"res o1
the gods o1 the days o1 the wee2, o1 the wee2s, and *onths, and seasons
o1 the year, and o1 the year. !esides these there are a n"*ber o1
1ig"res o1 lo+al 1or*s o1 the gods whi+h it is di11i+"lt to identi1y.
On the ro"nded portion o1 the ob0erse the pla+e o1 hono"r is held by
the solar dis2, in whi+h is seen a 1ig"re o1 :hne*" with 1o"r ra*>s
heads, whi+h rests between a pair o1 ar*s, and is s"pported on a la2e
o1 +elestial waterI on ea+h side o1 it are 1o"r o1 the spirits o1 the
dawn, and on the right stands the sy*bol o1 the rising s"n, Ne1er;Te*",
and on the le1t stands Thoth. !elow this are 1i0e rows o1 s*all
1ig"res o1 gods. !elow these is Harpo2rates in relie1, in the attit"de
already des+ribed. He stands on two +ro+odiles "nder a 2ind o1 +anopy,
the sides o1 whi+h are s"pported by Thoth and 6sis, and holds Typhoni+
ani*als and reptiles. Abo0e the +anopy are the two Eyes o1 .a, ea+h
ha0ing a pair o1 h"*an ar*s and hands. On the right o1 Harpo2rates are
Se2er and Hor"s, and on his le1t the sy*bol o1 Ne1er;Te*". On the le1t
and right are the goddesses Ne2hebet and 8at+het, who g"ard the So"th
o1 Egypt and the North respe+ti0ely. On the re0erse and sides are
n"*ero"s s*all 1ig"res o1 gods. This stele represented the power to
prote+t *an possessed by all the di0ine beings in the "ni0erse, and,
howe0er it was pla+ed, it 1or*ed an i*passable barrier to e0ery spirit
o1 e0il and to e0ery 0eno*o"s reptile. The spells, whi+h are +"t in
hieroglyphi+s on all the parts o1 the stele not o++"pied by 1ig"res o1
gods, were o1 the *ost potent +hara+ter, 1or they +ontained the a+t"al
words by whi+h the gods 0an5"ished the powers o1 dar2ness and e0il.
These spells 1or* the texts whi+h are printed on p. #D% 11., and *ay be
th"s s"**ari7ed';;
The 1irst spell is an in+antation dire+ted against reptiles and noxio"s
+reat"res in general. The +hie1 o1 these was Apep, the great ene*y o1
.a, who too2 the 1or* o1 a h"ge serpent that (rese*bled the
intestines,( and the spell doo*ed hi* to de+apitation, and b"rning and
ba+2ing in pie+es. These things wo"ld be e11e+ted by Ser5et, the
S+orpion;goddess. The se+ond part o1 the spell was dire+ted against
the poison o1 Apep, and was to be re+ited o0er anyone who was bitten by
a sna2e. hen "ttered by Hor"s it *ade Apep to 0o*it, and when "sed by
a *agi+ian properly 5"ali1ied wo"ld *a2e the bitten person to 0o*it,
and so 1ree his body 1ro* the poison.
The next spell is dire+ted to be said to the /at, i.e., a sy*bol o1 the
da"ghter o1 .a, or 6sis, who had the head o1 .a, the eyes o1 the
"rae"s, the nose o1 Thoth, the ears o1 Neb;er;t+her, the *o"th o1 Te*,
the ne+2 o1 Neheb;2a, the breast o1 Thoth, the heart o1 .a, the hands
o1 the gods, the belly o1 Osiris, the thighs o1 4enth", the legs o1
:hens", the 1eet o1 A*en;Hor"s, the ha"n+hes o1 Hor"s, the soles o1 the
1eet o1 .a, and the bowels o1 4eh;"rit. E0ery *e*ber o1 the /at
+ontained a god or goddess, and she was able to destroy the poison o1
any serpent, or s+orpion, or reptile, whi+h *ight be in3e+ted into her
body. The spell opens with an address to .a, who is entreated to +o*e
to his da"ghter, who has been st"ng by a s+orpion on a lonely road, and
to +a"se the poison to lea0e her body. Th"s it see*s as i1 6sis, the
great *agi+ian, was at so*e ti*e st"ng by a s+orpion.
The next se+tion is 0ery di11i+"lt to "nderstand. .a;Har*a2his is
+alled "pon to +o*e to his da"ghter, and Sh" to his wi1e, and 6sis to
her sister, who has been poisoned. Then the Aged One, i.e., .a, is
as2ed to let Thoth t"rn ba+2 Neha;her, or Set. (Osiris is in the
water, b"t Hor"s is with hi*, and the Great !eetle o0ershadows hi*,(
and e0ery e0il spirit whi+h dwells in the water is ad3"red to allow
Hor"s to pro+eed to Osiris. .a, Se2het, Thoth, and He2a, this last;
na*ed being the spell personi1ied, are the 1o"r great gods who prote+t
Osiris, and who will blind and +ho2e his ene*ies, and +"t o"t their
tong"es. The +ry o1 the /at is again re1erred to, and .a is as2ed i1
he does not re*e*ber the +ry whi+h +a*e 1ro* the ban2 o1 Netit. The
all"sion here is to the +ries whi+h 6sis "ttered when she arri0ed at
Netit near Abydos, and 1o"nd lying there the dead body o1 her h"sband.
At this point on the Stele the spells are interr"pted by a long
narrati0e p"t into the *o"th o1 6sis, whi+h s"pplies "s with so*e
a++o"nt o1 the tro"bles that she s"11ered, and des+ribes the death o1
Hor"s thro"gh the sting o1 a s+orpion. 6sis, it see*s, was sh"t "p in
so*e dwelling by Set a1ter he *"rdered Osiris, probably with the
intention o1 1or+ing her to *arry hi*, and so assist hi* to legali7e
his sei7"re o1 the 2ingdo*. 6sis, as we ha0e already seen, had been
*ade pregnant by her h"sband a1ter his death, and Thoth now appeared to
her, and ad0ised her to hide hersel1 with her "nborn +hild, and to
bring hi* 1orth in se+ret, and he pro*ised her that her son sho"ld
s"++eed in d"e +o"rse to his 1ather>s throne. ith the help o1 Thoth
she es+aped 1ro* her +apti0ity, and went 1orth a++o*panied by the Se0en
S+orpion;goddesses, who bro"ght her to the town o1 -er;S"i, on the edge
o1 the .eed Swa*ps. She applied to a wo*an 1or a night>s shelter, b"t
the wo*an sh"t her door in her 1a+e. To p"nish her one o1 the
S+orpion;goddesses 1or+ed her way into the wo*an>s ho"se, and st"ng her
+hild to death. The grie1 o1 the wo*an was so bitter and sy*pathy;
+o*pelling that 6sis laid her hands on the +hild, and, ha0ing "ttered
one o1 her *ost potent spells o0er hi*, the poison o1 the s+orpion ran
o"t o1 his body, and the +hild +a*e to li1e again. The words o1 the
spell are +"t on the Stele, and they were treas"red by the Egyptians as
an in1allible re*edy 1or s+orpion stings. hen the wo*an saw that her
son had been bro"ght ba+2 to li1e by 6sis, she was 1illed with 3oy and
gratit"de, and, as a *ar2 o1 her repentan+e, she bro"ght large
5"antities o1 things 1ro* her ho"se as gi1ts 1or 6sis, and they were so
*any that they 1illed the ho"se o1 the 2ind, b"t poor, wo*an who had
gi0en 6sis shelter.
Now soon a1ter 6sis had restored to li1e the son o1 the wo*an who had
shown +h"rlishness to her, a terrible +ala*ity 1ell "pon her, 1or her
belo0ed son Hor"s was st"ng by a s+orpion and died. The news o1 this
e0ent was +on0eyed to her by the gods, who +ried o"t to her to +o*e to
see her son Hor"s, who* the terrible s+orpion 8hat had 2illed. 6sis,
stabbed with pain at the news, as i1 a 2ni1e had been dri0en into her
body, ran o"t distra"ght with grie1. 6t see*s that she had gone to
per1or* a religio"s +ere*ony in hono"r o1 Osiris in a te*ple near
Hetep;he*t, lea0ing her +hild +are1"lly +on+ealed in Se2het;An. D"ring
her absen+e the s+orpion 8hat, whi+h had been sent by Set, 1or+ed its
way into the biding;pla+e o1 Hor"s, and there st"ng hi* to death. hen
6sis +a*e and 1o"nd the dead body, she b"rst 1orth in la*entations, the
so"nd o1 whi+h bro"ght all the people 1ro* the neighbo"ring distri+ts
to her side. As she related to the* the history o1 her s"11erings they
endea0o"red to +onsole her, and when they 1o"nd this to be i*possible
they li1ted "p their 0oi+es and wept with her. Then 6sis pla+ed her
nose in the *o"th o1 Hor"s so that she *ight dis+o0er i1 he still
breathed, b"t there was no breath in his throatI and when she exa*ined
the wo"nd in his body *ade by the 1iend A"n;Ab she saw in it tra+es o1
poison. No do"bt abo"t his death then re*ained in her *ind, and
+lasping hi* in her ar*s she li1ted hi* "p, and in her transports o1
grie1 leaped abo"t li2e 1ish when they are laid on red;hot +oals. Then
she "ttered a series o1 heartbrea2ing la*ents, ea+h o1 whi+h begins
with the words (Hor"s is bitten.( The heir o1 hea0en, the son o1 8n;
Ne1er, the +hild o1 the gods, he who was wholly 1air, is bittenP He
1or whose wants 6 pro0ided, he who was to a0enge his 1ather, is bittenP
He 1or who* 6 +ared and s"11ered when he was being 1ashioned in *y
wo*b, is bittenP He who* 6 tended so that 6 *ight ga7e "pon hi*, is
bittenP He whose li1e 6 prayed 1or is bittenP /ala*ity hath o0erta2en
the +hild, and he hath perished.
hilst 6sis was saying these and *any si*ilar words, her sister
Nephthys, who had been weeping bitterly 1or her nephew Hor"s as she
wandered abo"t a*ong the swa*ps, +a*e, in +o*pany with the S+orpion;
goddess Ser5et, and ad0ised 6sis to pray to hea0en 1or help. -ray that
the sailors in the !oat o1 .a *ay +ease 1ro* rowing, 1or the !oat
+annot tra0el onwards whilst Hor"s lies dead. Then 6sis +ried o"t to
hea0en, and her 0oi+e rea+hed the !oat o1 4illions o1 =ears, and the
Dis2 +eased to *o0e onward, and +a*e to a standstill. Fro* the !oat
Thoth des+ended, being e5"ipped with words o1 power and spells o1 all
2inds, and bearing with hi* the (great +o**and o1 *aa;2her",( i.e., the
O.D, whose +o**ands were per1or*ed, instantly and +o*pletely, by e0ery
god, spirit, 1iend, h"*an being and by e0ery thing, ani*ate and
inani*ate, in hea0en, earth, and the Other orld. Then he +a*e to 6sis
and told her that no har* +o"ld possibly ha0e happened to Hor"s, 1or he
was "nder the prote+tion o1 the !oat o1 .aI b"t his words 1ailed to
+o*1ort 6sis, and tho"gh she a+2nowledged the greatness o1 his designs,
she +o*plained that they sa0o"red o1 delay. (hat is the good,( she
as2s, (o1 all thy spells, and in+antations, and *agi+al 1or*"lae, and
the great +o**and o1 *aa;2her", i1 Hor"s is to perish by the poison o1
a s+orpion, and to lie here in the ar*s o1 DeathL E0il, e0il is his
destiny, 1or it hath entailed the deepest *isery 1or hi* and death.(
6n answer to these words Thoth, t"rning to 6sis and Nephthys, bade the*
to 1ear not, and to ha0e no anxiety abo"t Hor"s, (For,( said he, (6
ha0e +o*e 1ro* hea0en to heal the +hild 1or his *other.( He then
pointed o"t that Hor"s was "nder prote+tion as the Dweller in his Dis2
EAtenF, the Great Dwar1, the 4ighty .a*, the Great Haw2, the Holy
!eetle, the Hidden !ody, the Di0ine !enn", et+., and pro+eeded to "tter
the great spell whi+h restored Hor"s to li1e. !y his words o1 power
Thoth trans1erred the 1l"id o1 li1e o1 .a, and as soon as this +a*e
"pon the +hild>s body the poison o1 the s+orpion 1lowed o"t o1 hi*, and
he on+e *ore breathed and li0ed. hen this was done Thoth ret"rned to
the !oat o1 .a, the gods who 1or*ed its +rew res"*ed their rowing, and
the Dis2 passed on its way to *a2e its daily 3o"rney a+ross the s2y.
The gods in hea0en, who were a*a7ed and "ttered +ries o1 terror when
they heard o1 the death o1 Hor"s, were *ade happy on+e *ore, and sang
songs o1 3oy o0er his re+o0ery. The happiness o1 6sis in her +hild>s
restoration to li1e was 0ery great, 1or she +o"ld again hope that he
wo"ld a0enge his 1ather>s *"rder, and o++"py his throne. The 1inal
words o1 Thoth +o*1orted her greatly, 1or he told her that he wo"ld
ta2e +harge o1 the +ase o1 Hor"s in the N"dg*ent Hall o1 An", wherein
Osiris had been 3"dged, and that as his ad0o+ate he wo"ld *a2e any
a++"sations whi+h *ight be bro"ght against Hor"s to re+oil on hi* that
bro"ght the*. F"rther*ore, he wo"ld gi0e Hor"s power to rep"lse any
atta+2s whi+h *ight be *ade "pon hi* by beings in the heights abo0e, or
1iends in the depths below, and wo"ld ens"re his s"++ession to the
Throne o1 the Two Lands, i.e., Egypt. Thoth also pro*ised 6sis that .a
hi*sel1 sho"ld a+t as the ad0o+ate o1 Hor"s, e0en as he had done 1or
his 1ather Osiris. He was also +are1"l to all"de to the share whi+h
6sis had ta2en in the restoration o1 Hor"s to li1e, saying, (6t is the
words o1 power o1 his *other whi+h ha0e li1ted "p his 1a+e, and they
shall enable hi* to 3o"rney wheresoe0er he pleaseth, and to p"t 1ear
into the powers abo0e. 6 *ysel1 hasten &to obey the*,.( Th"s
e0erything t"rned on the power o1 the spells o1 6sis, who *ade the s"n
to stand still, and +a"sed the dead to be raised.
S"+h are the +ontents o1 the texts on the 1a*o"s 4etterni+h Stele.
There appears to be so*e +on1"sion in their arrange*ent, and so*e o1
the* +learly are *ispla+ed, and, in pla+es, the text is *ani1estly
+orr"pt. 6t is i*possible to explain se0eral passages, 1or we do not
"nderstand all the details o1 the syste* o1 *agi+ whi+h they represent.
Still, the general *eaning o1 the texts on the Stele is 5"ite +lear,
and they re+ord a legend o1 6sis and Hor"s whi+h is not 1o"nd so 1"lly
des+ribed on any other *on"*ent.
6?.
THE H6STO.= OF 6S6S AND OS6.6S.
The history o1 6sis and Osiris gi0en on pp. %DA is ta2en 1ro* the
1a*o"s treatise o1 -l"tar+h entitled De 6side et Osiride, and 1or*s a
1itting +on+l"sion to this 0ol"*e o1 Legends o1 the Gods. 6t +ontains
all the essential 1a+ts gi0en in -l"tar+h>s wor2, and the only things
o*itted are his deri0ations and *ythologi+al spe+"lations, whi+h are
really "ni*portant 1or the Egyptologist. Egyptian literat"re is 1"ll
o1 all"sions to e0ents whi+h too2 pla+e in the li1e o1 Osiris, and to
his perse+"tion, *"rder, and res"rre+tion, and n"*ero"s texts o1 all
periods des+ribe the lo0e and de0otion o1 his sister and wi1e 6sis, and
the 1ilial piety o1 Hor"s. Nowhere, howe0er, ha0e we in Egyptian a
+onne+ted a++o"nt o1 the +a"ses whi+h led to the *"rder by Set o1
Osiris, or o1 the s"bse5"ent e0ents whi+h res"lted in his be+o*ing the
2ing o1 hea0en and 3"dge o1 the dead. Howe0er +are1"lly we pie+e
together the 1rag*ents o1 in1or*ation whi+h we +an extra+t 1ro* nati0e
Egyptian literat"re, there still re*ains a series o1 gaps whi+h +an
only be 1illed by g"esswor2. -l"tar+h, as a learned *an and a st"dent
o1 +o*parati0e religion and *ythology was *ost anxio"s to "nderstand
the history o1 6sis and Osiris, whi+h Gree2 and .o*an s+holars tal2ed
abo"t 1reely, and whi+h none o1 the* +o*prehended, and he *ade
en5"iries o1 priests and others, and exa*ined +riti+ally s"+h
in1or*ation as he +o"ld obtain, belie0ing and hoping that he wo"ld
penetrate the *ystery in whi+h these gods were wrapped. As a res"lt o1
his labo"rs he +olle+ted a n"*ber o1 1a+ts abo"t the 1or* o1 the Legend
o1 6sis and Osiris as it was 2nown to the learned *en o1 his day, b"t
there is no e0iden+e that he had the slightest 2nowledge o1 the details
o1 the original A1ri+an Legend o1 these gods as it was 2nown to the
Egyptians, say, "nder the <6th Dynasty. 4oreo0er, he ne0er reali7ed
that the +hara+teristi+s and attrib"tes o1 both 6sis and Osiris +hanged
se0eral ti*es d"ring the long history o1 Egypt, and that a tho"sand
years be1ore he li0ed the Egyptians the*sel0es had 1orgotten what the
original 1or* o1 the legend was. They preser0ed a n"*ber o1
+ere*onies, and per1or*ed 0ery +are1"lly all the details o1 an an+ient
rit"al at the ann"al +o**e*oration 1esti0al o1 Osiris whi+h was held in
No0e*ber and De+e*ber, b"t the e0iden+e o1 the texts *a2es it 5"ite
+lear that the *eaning and sy*bolis* o1 nearly all the details were
"n2nown ali2e to priests and people.
An i*portant *odi1i+ation o1 the +"lt o1 6sis and Osiris too2 pla+e in
the third +ent"ry be1ore /hrist, when the -tole*ies began to
+onsolidate their r"le in Egypt. A 1or* o1 religion whi+h wo"ld be
a++eptable both to Egyptians and Gree2s had to be pro0ided, and this
was prod"+ed by *odi1ying the +hara+teristi+s o1 Osiris and +alling hi*
Sarapis, and identi1ying hi* with the Gree2 -l"to. To 6sis were added
*any o1 the attrib"tes o1 the great Gree2 goddesses, and into her
worship were introd"+ed (*ysteries( deri0ed 1ro* non;Egyptian +"lts,
whi+h *ade it a++eptable to the people e0erywhere. Had a high priest
o1 Osiris who li0ed at Abydos "nder the ?<666th Dynasty witnessed the
+elebration o1 the great 1esti0al o1 6sis and Osiris in any large town
in the 1irst +ent"ry be1ore /hrist, it is tolerably +ertain that he
wo"ld ha0e regarded it as a lengthy a+t o1 worship o1 strange gods, in
whi+h there appeared, here and there, +ere*onies and phrases whi+h
re*inded hi* o1 the an+ient Abydos rit"al. hen the 1or* o1 the +"lt
o1 6sis and Osiris introd"+ed by the -tole*ies into Egypt extended to
the great +ities o1 Gree+e and 6taly, still 1"rther *odi1i+ations too2
pla+e in it, and the +hara+ters o1 6sis and Osiris were still 1"rther
+hanged. !y degrees Osiris +a*e to be regarded as the god o1 death
p"re and si*ple, or as the personi1i+ation o1 Death, and he +eased to
be regarded as the great prote+ting an+estral spirit, and the all;
power1"l prote+ting Father o1 his people. As the i*portan+e o1 Osiris
de+lined that o1 6sis grew, and *en +a*e to regard her as the great
4other;goddess o1 the world. The priests des+ribed 1ro* tradition the
great 1a+ts o1 her li1e a++ording to the Egyptian legends, how she had
been a lo0ing and de0oted wi1e, how she had gone 1orth a1ter her
h"sband>s *"rder by Set to see2 1or his body, how she had 1o"nd it and
bro"ght it ho*e, how she re0i0i1ied it by her spells and had "nion with
Osiris and +on+ei0ed by hi*, and how in d"e +o"rse she bro"ght 1orth
her son, in pain and sorrow and loneliness in the Swa*ps o1 the Delta,
and how she reared hi* and wat+hed o0er hi* "ntil he was old eno"gh to
1ight and 0an5"ish his 1ather>s *"rderer, and how at length she seated
hi* in tri"*ph on his 1ather>s throne. These things endeared 6sis to
the people e0erywhere, and as she hersel1 had not s"11ered death li2e
Osiris, she +a*e to be regarded as the eternal *other o1 li1e and o1
all li0ing things. She was the +reatress o1 +rops, she prod"+ed 1r"it,
0egetables, plants o1 all 2inds and trees, she *ade +attle proli1i+,
she bro"ght *en and wo*en together and ga0e the* o11spring, she was the
a"thoress o1 all lo0e, 0irt"e, goodness and happiness. She *ade the
light to shine, she was the spirit o1 the Dog;star whi+h heralded the
Nile;1lood, she was the so"r+e o1 the power in the bene1i+ent light o1
the *oonI and 1inally she too2 the dead to her boso* and ga0e the*
pea+e, and introd"+ed the* to a li1e o1 i**ortality and happiness
si*ilar to that whi+h she had bestowed "pon Osiris.
The *essage o1 the +"lt o1 6sis as prea+hed by her priests was one o1
hope and happiness, and +o*ing to the Gree2s and .o*ans, as it did, at
a ti*e when *en were weary o1 their national +"lts, and when the
spe+"lations o1 the philosophers +arried no weight with the general
p"bli+, the people e0erywhere wel+o*ed it with the greatest enth"sias*.
Fro* Egypt it was +arried to the 6slands o1 Gree+e and to the *ainland,
to 6taly, Ger*any, Fran+e, Spain and -ort"gal, and then +rossing the
western end o1 the 4editerranean it entered North A1ri+a, and with
/arthage as a +entre spread east and west along the +oast. here0er
the +"lt o1 6sis +a*e *en a++epted it as so*ething whi+h s"pplied what
they tho"ght to be la+2ing in their nati0e +"ltsI ri+h and poor, gentle
and si*ple, all wel+o*ed it, and the philosopher as well as the
ignorant *an re3oi+ed in the hope o1 a 1"t"re li1e whi+h it ga0e to
the*. 6ts Egyptian origin +a"sed it to be regarded with the
pro1o"ndest interest, and its priests were *ost +are1"l to *a2e the
te*ples o1 6sis 5"ite di11erent 1ro* those o1 the national gods, and to
de+orate the* with obelis2s, sphinxes, shrines, altars, et+., whi+h
were either i*ported 1ro* te*ples in Egypt, or were +opied 1ro*
Egyptian originals. 6n the te*ples o1 6sis ser0i+es were held at
daybrea2 and in the early a1ternoon daily, and e0erywhere these were
attended by +rowds o1 people. The holy water "sed in the libations and
1or sprin2ling the people was Nile water, spe+ially i*ported 1ro*
Egypt, and to the 0otaries o1 the goddess it sy*boli7ed the seed o1 the
god Osiris, whi+h ger*inated and bro"ght 1orth 1r"it thro"gh the spells
o1 the goddess 6sis. The 1esti0als and pro+essions o1 6sis were
e0erywhere *ost pop"lar, and were en3oyed by learned and "nlearned
ali2e. 6n 1a+t, the 6sis;play whi+h was a+ted ann"ally in No0e*ber,
and the 1esti0al o1 the blessing o1 the ship, whi+h too2 pla+e in the
spring, were the *ost i*portant 1esti0als o1 the year. /"rio"sly
eno"gh, all the oldest gods and goddesses o1 Egypt passed into absol"te
obli0ion, with the ex+eption o1 Osiris ESarapisF, 6sis, An"bis the
physi+ian, and Harpo2rates, the +hild o1 Osiris and 6sis, and these,
1ro* being the an+estral spirits o1 a +o*parati0ely obs+"re A1ri+an
tribe in early dynasti+ ti*es, be+a*e 1or se0eral h"ndreds o1 years the
prin+ipal ob3e+ts o1 worship o1 so*e o1 the *ost +"lt"red and
intelle+t"al nations. The treatise o1 -l"tar+h De 6side helps to
explain how this +a*e abo"t, and 1or those who st"dy the Egyptian
Legend o1 6sis and Osiris the wor2 has +onsiderable i*portan+e.
THE H6STO.= OF /.EAT6ON;;A.
THE !OO: OF :NO6NG THE E<OL8T6ONS&FN)D$, OF .A, AND OF O<E.TH.O6NG
A-E-.
&FN)D$, :heper". The 0erb :heper *eans (to *a2e, to 1or*, to prod"+e,
to be+o*e, and to rollI( 2heper" here *eans (the things whi+h +o*e into
being thro"gh the rollings o1 the ball o1 the god :heper Ethe rollerF,(
i.e., the S"n.
&These are, the words whi+h the god Neb;er;t+her spa2e a1ter he had
+o*e into being';;(6 a* he who +a*e into being in the 1or* o1 the god
:hepera, and 6 a* the +reator o1 that whi+h +a*e into being, that is to
say, 6 a* the +reator o1 e0erything whi+h +a*e into being' now the
things whi+h 6 +reated, and whi+h +a*e 1orth o"t o1 *y *onth a1ter that
6 had +o*e into being *ysel1 were ex+eedingly *any. The s2y Eor
hea0enF had not +o*e into being, the earth did not exist, and the
+hildren o1 the earth&FN)C@,, and the +reeping, things, had not been
*ade at that ti*e. 6 *ysel1 raised the* "p 1ro* o"t o1 N"&FN)C#,, 1ro*
a state o1 helpless inertness. 6 1o"nd no pla+e whereon 6 +o"ld stand.
6 wor2ed a +har*&FN)C%, "pon *y own heart Eor, willF, 6 laid the
1o"ndation &o1 things, by 4aat,&FN)CJ, and 6 *ade e0erything whi+h had
1or*. 6 was &then, one by *ysel1, 1or 6 had not e*itted 1ro* *ysel1
the god Sh", and 6 had not spit o"t 1ro* *ysel1 the goddess Te1n"tI and
there existed no other who +o"ld wor2 with *e. 6 laid the 1o"ndations
&o1 things, in *y own heart, and there +a*e into being *"ltit"des o1
+reated things, whi+h +a*e into being 1ro* the +reated things whi+h
were born 1ro* the +reated things whi+h arose 1ro* what they bro"ght
1orth. 6 had "nion with *y +losed hand, and 6 e*bra+ed *y shadow as a
wi1e, and 6 po"red seed into *y own *o"th, and 6 sent 1orth 1ro* *ysel1
iss"e in the 1or* o1 the gods Sh" and Te1n"t. Saith *y 1ather N"';;4y
Eye was +o0ered "p behind the* Ei.e., Sh". and Te1n"tF, b"t a1ter two
hen periods had passed 1ro* the ti*e when they departed 1ro* *e, 1ro*
being one god 6 be+a*e three gods, and 6 +a*e into being in the earth.
Then Sh" and Te1n"t re3oi+ed 1ro* o"t o1 the inert watery *ass wherein
they 6 were, and they bro"ght to *e *y Eye Ei.e., the S"nF. Now a1ter
these things 6 gathered together *y *e*bers, and 6 wept o0er the*, and
*en and wo*en sprang into being 1ro* the tears whi+h +a*e 1orth 1ro* *y
Eye. And when *y Eye +a*e to *e, and 1o"nd that 6 had *ade another
&Eye, in pla+e where it was Ei.e., the 4oonF, it was wroth with Eor,
raged atF *e, where"pon 6 endowed it Ei.e., the se+ond EyeF with &so*e
o1, the splendo"r whi+h 6 had *ade 1or the 1irst &Eye,, and 6 *ade it
to o++"py its pla+e in *y Fa+e, and hen+e1orth it r"led thro"gho"t all
this earth.(
&FN)C@, i.e., serpents and sna2es, or perhaps plants.
&FN)C#, The pri*e0al watery *ass whi+h was the so"r+e and origin o1
all beings and things.
&FN)C%, i.e., he "ttered a *agi+al 1or*"la.
&FN)CJ, i.e., by exa+t and de1inite r"les.
(hen there 1ell on the* their *o*ent&FN)CD, thro"gh plant;li2e +lo"ds,
6 restored what had been ta2en away 1ro* the*, and 6 appeared 1ro* o"t
o1 the plant;li2e +lo"ds. 6 +reated +reeping things o1 e0ery 2ind, and
e0erything whi+h +a*e into being 1ro* the*. Sh" and Te1n"t bro"ght
1orth &Seb and, N"tI and Seb and N"t bro"ght 1orth Osiris, and Her";
2hent;an;*aati,&FN)CC, and Set, and 6sis, and Nephthys&FN)CB, at one
birth, one a1ter the other, and they prod"+ed their *"ltit"dino"s
o11spring in this earth.(
&FN)CD, i.e., the period o1 +ala*ity wherein their light was 0eiled
thro"gh plant;li2e +lo"ds.
&FN)CC, i.e., the !lind Hor"s.
&FN)CB, i.e., these 1i0e gods were all born at one ti*e.
THE H6STO.= OF /.EAT6ON;;!.
THE !OO: OF :NO6NG THE E<OL8T6ONS OF .A, AND OF O<E.TH.O6NG A-E-.
&These are, the words o1 the god Neb;er;t+her, who said' (6 a* the
+reator o1 what hath +o*e into being, and 6 *ysel1 +a*e into being
"nder the 1or* o1 the god :hepera, and 6 +a*e into being in pri*e0al
ti*e. 6 +a*e into being in the 1or* o1 :hepera, and 6 a* the +reator
o1 what did +o*e into being, that is to say, 6 1or*ed *ysel1 o"t o1 the
pri*e0al *atter, and 6 *ade and 1or*ed *ysel1 o"t o1 the s"bstan+e
whi+h existed in pri*e0al ti*e. 4y na*e is A8SA.ES Ei.e., OsirisF, who
is the pri*e0al *atter o1 pri*e0al *atter. 6 ha0e done *y will in
e0erything in this earth. 6 ha0e spread *ysel1 abroad therein, and 6
ha0e *ade strong *y hand. 6 was ONE by *ysel1, 1or they Ei.e., the
godsF had not been bro"ght 1orth, and 6 had e*itted 1ro* *ysel1 neither
Sh" nor Te1n"t. 6 bro"ght *y own na*e&FN)C9, into *y *o"th as a word
o1 power, and 6 1orthwith +a*e into being "nder the 1or* o1 things
whi+h are and "nder the 1or* o1 :hepera. 6 +a*e into being 1ro* o"t o1
pri*e0al *atter, and 1ro* the beginning 6 appeared "nder the 1or* o1
the *"ltit"dino"s things whi+h existI nothing whatsoe0er existed at
that ti*e in this earth, and it was 6 who *ade whatsoe0er was *ade. 6
was ONE' by *ysel1, and there was no other being who wor2ed with *e in
that pla+e. 6 *ade all the things "nder the 1or*s o1 whi+h 6 appeared
then by *eans o1 the So"l;God whi+h 6 raised into 1ir*ness at that ti*e
1ro* o"t o1 N", 1ro* a state o1 ina+ti0ity. 6 1o"nd no pla+e
whatsoe0er there whereon 6 +o"ld stand, 6 wor2ed by the power o1 a
spell by *eans o1 *y heart, 6 laid a 1o"ndation &1or things, be1ore *e,
and whatsoe0er was *ade, 6 *ade. 6 was ONE by *ysel1, and 6 laid the
1o"ndation o1 things &by *eans o1, *y heart, and 6 *ade the other
things whi+h +a*e into being, and the things o1 :hepera whi+h were *ade
were *ani1old, and their o11spring +a*e into existen+e 1ro* the things
to whi+h they ga0e birth. 6 it was who e*itted Sh", and 6 it was who
e*itted Te1n"t, and 1ro* being the ONE, god Eor, the only godF 6 be+a*e
three godsI the two other gods who +a*e into being on this earth sprang
1ro* *e, and Sh" and Te1n"t re3oi+ed Eor, were raised "pF 1ro* o"t o1
N" in whi+h they were. Now behold, they bro"ght *y Eye to *e a1ter two
hen periods sin+e the ti*e when they went 1orth 1ro* *e. 6 gathered
together *y *e*bers whi+h had appeared in *y own body, and a1terwards
6 had "nion with *y hand, and *y heart Eor, willF +a*e "nto *e 1ro* o"t
o1 *y hand, and the seed 1ell into *y *o"th, and 6 e*itted 1ro* *ysel1
the gods Sh" and Te1n"t, and so 1ro* being the ONE god Eor, the only,
godF 6 be+a*e three godsI th"s the two other gods who +a*e into being
on this earth sprang 1ro* *e, and Sh" and Te1n"t re3oi+ed Eor, were
raised "pF 1ro* o"t o1 N" in whi+h they were. 4y 1ather N" saith';;
They +o0ered "p Eor, +on+ealedF *y Eye with the plant;li2e +lo"ds whi+h
were behind the* Ei.e., Sh" and Te1n"tF 1or 0ery *any hen periods.
-lants and +reeping things &sprang "p, 1ro* the god .E4, thro"gh the
tears whi+h 6 let 1all. 6 +ried o"t to *y Eye, and *en and wo*en +a*e
into existen+e. Then 6 bestowed "pon *y Eye the "rae"s o1 1ire, and it
was wroth with *e when another Eye Ei.e., the 4oonF +a*e and grew "p in
its pla+eI its 0igoro"s power 1ell on the plants, on the plants whi+h 6
had pla+ed there, and it set order a*ong the*, and it too2 "p its pla+e
in *y 1a+e, and it doth r"le the whole earth. Then Sh" and Te1n"t
bro"ght 1orth Osiris, and Her";2henti;an;*aa, and Set, and 6sis, and
Nephthys and behold, they ha0e prod"+ed o11spring, and ha0e +reated
*"ltit"dino"s +hildren in this earth, by *eans o1 the beings whi+h +a*e
into existen+e 1ro* the +reat"res whi+h they prod"+ed. They in0o2e *y
na*e, and they o0erthrow their ene*ies, and they *a2e words o1 power
1or the o0erthrowing o1 Apep, o0er whose hands and ar*s A:E. 2eepeth
ward. His hands and ar*s shall not exist, his 1eet and leas shall not
exist, and he is +hained in one pla+e whilst .a in1li+ts "pon hi* the
blows whi+h are de+reed 1or hi*. He is thrown "pon his a++"rsed ba+2,
his 1a+e is slit open by reason o1 the e0il whi+h he hath done, and he
shall re*ain "pon his a++"rsed ba+2.(
&FN)C9, i.e., 6 "ttered *y own na*e 1ro* *y own *o"th as a word o1
power.
THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND.
/HA-TE. 6.
&Here is the story o1 .a,, the god who was sel1;begotten and sel1;
+reated, a1ter he had ass"*ed the so0ereignty o0er *en and wo*en, and
gods, and things, the ONE god. Now *en and wo*en were spea2ing words
o1 +o*plaint, saying';;(!ehold, his 4a3esty ELi1e, Strength, and Health
to hi*PF hath grown old, and his bones ha0e be+o*e li2e sil0er, and
his *e*bers ha0e t"rned into gold and his hair is li2e "nto real lapis;
la7"li.( His 4a3esty heard the words o1 +o*plaint whi+h *en and wo*en
were "ttering, and his 4a3esty ELi1e, Strength, and Health to hi*PF
said "nto those who were in his train';;(/ry o"t, and bring to *e *y
Eye, and Sh", and Te1n"t, and Seb, and N"t, and the 1ather;gods, and
the *other;gods who were with *e, e0en when 6 was in N" side by side
with *y god N". Let there be bro"ght along with *y Eye his *inisters,
and let the* be led to *e hither se+retly, so that *en and wo*en *ay
not per+ei0e the* &+o*ing, hither, and *ay not there1ore ta2e to 1light
with their hearts. /o*e tho"&FN)CA, with the* to the Great Ho"se, and
let the* de+lare their plans Eor, arrange*entsF 1"lly, 1or 6 will go
1ro* N" into the pla+e wherein 6 bro"ght abo"t *y own existen+e, and
let those gods be bro"ght "nto *e there.( Now the gods were drawn "p
on ea+h side o1 .a, and they bowed down be1ore his 4a3esty "ntil their
heads to"+hed the gro"nd, and the *a2er o1 *en and wo*en, the 2ing o1
those who ha0e 2nowledge, spa2e his words in the presen+e o1 the Father
o1 the 1irst;born gods. And the gods spa2e in the presen+e o1 his
4a3esty, saying';;(Spea2 "nto "s, 1or we are listening to the*( Ei.e.,
thy wordsF. Then .a spa2e "nto N", saying';;(O tho" 1irst;born god
1ro* who* 6 +a*e into being, O ye gods o1 an+ient ti*e, *y an+estors,
ta2e ye heed to what *en and wo*en &are doing,I 1or behold, those who
were +reated by *y Eye are "ttering words o1 +o*plaint against *e.
Tell *e what ye wo"ld do in the *atter, and +onsider this thing 1or *e,
and see2 o"t &a plan, 1or *e, 1or 6 will not slay the* "ntil 6 ha0e
heard what ye shall say to *e +on+erning it.(
&FN)CA, The god here addressed appears to ha0e been N".
Then the 4a3esty o1 N", to son .a, spa2e, saying';;(Tho" art the god
who art greater than he who *ade thee, tho" art the so0ereign o1 those
who were +reated with thee, thy throne is set, and the 1ear o1 thee is
greatI let thine Eye go against those who ha0e "ttered blasphe*ies
against thee.( And the 4a3esty o1 .a, said';;(!ehold, they ha0e
beta2en the*sel0es to 1light into the *o"ntain lands, 1or their hearts
are a1raid be+a"se o1 the words whi+h they ha0e "ttered.( Then the
gods spa2e in the presen+e o1 his 4a3esty, saying';;(Let thine Eye go
1orth and let it destroy 1or thee those who re0ile thee with words o1
e0il, 1or there is no eye whatsoe0er that +an go be1ore it and resist
thee and it when it 3o"rneyeth in the 1or* o1 Hathor.( There"pon this
goddess went 1orth and slew the *en and the wo*en who were on the
*o"ntain Eor, desert landF. And the 4a3esty o1 this god said, (/o*e,
+o*e in pea+e, O Hathor, 1or the wor2 is a++o*plished.( Then this
goddess said, (Tho" hast *ade *e to li0e, 1or when 6 gained the *astery
o0er *en and wo*en it was sweet to *y heartI( and the 4a3esty o1 .a
said, (6 *ysel1 will be *aster o0er the* as &their, 2ing, and 6 will
destroy the*.( And it +a*e to pass that Se2het o1 the o11erings waded
abo"t in the night season in their blood, beginning at S"ten;
henen.&FN)C$, Then the 4a3esty o1 .a, spa2e &saying,, (/ry o"t, and
let there +o*e to *e swi1t and speedy *essengers who shall be able to
r"n li2e the wind . . . .I( and straightway *essengers o1 this 2ind
were bro"ght "nto hi*. And the 4a3esty o1 this god spa2e &saying,,
(Let these *essengers go to Ab",&FN)B@, and bring "nto *e *andra2es in
great n"*bersI( and &when, these *andra2es were bro"ght "nto hi* the
4a3esty o1 this god ga0e the* to Se2het, the goddess who dwelleth in
Ann" EHeliopolisF to +r"sh. And behold, when the *aidser0ants were
br"ising the grain 1or &*a2ing, beer, these *andra2es were pla+ed in
the 0essels whi+h were to hold the beer, and so*e o1 the blood o1 the
*en and wo*en &who had been slain,. Now they *ade se0en tho"sand
0essels o1 beer. Now when the 4a3esty o1 .e, the :ing o1 the So"th and
North, had +o*e with the gods to loo2 at the 0essels o1 beer, and
behold, the daylight had appeared a1ter the sla"ghter o1 *en and wo*en
by the goddess in their season as she sailed "p the ri0er, the 4a3esty
o1 .a said, (6t is good, it is good, ne0ertheless 6 *"st prote+t *en
and wo*en against her.( And .a, said, (Let the* ta2e "p the 0ases and
+arry the* to the pla+e where the *en and wo*en were sla"ghtered by
her.( Then the 4a3esty o1 the :ing o1 the So"th and North in the
three;1old bea"ty o1 the night +a"sed to be po"red o"t these 0ases o1
beer whi+h *a2e &*en, to lie down Eor, sleepF, and the *eadows o1 the
Fo"r Hea0ens&FN)B#, were 1illed with beer Eor, waterF by reason o1 the
So"ls o1 the 4a3esty o1 this god. And it +a*e to pass that when this
goddess arri0ed at the dawn o1 day, she 1o"nd these &Hea0ens, 1looded
&with beer,, and she was pleased thereatI and she dran2 &o1 the beer
and blood,, and her heart re3oi+ed, and she be+a*e dr"n2, and she ga0e
no 1"rther attention to *en and wo*en. Then said the 4a3esty o1 .a to
this goddess, (/o*e in pea+e, +o*e in pea+e, O A*it,(&FN)B%, and
there"pon bea"ti1"l wo*en +a*e into being in the +ity o1 A*it Eor,
A*e*F. And the 4a3esty o1 .a spa2e &+on+erning, this goddess,
&saying,, (Let there be *ade 1or her 0essels o1 the beer whi+h
prod"+eth sleep at e0ery holy ti*e and season o1 the year, and they
shall be in n"*ber a++ording to the n"*ber o1 *y hand;*aidensI( and
1ro* that early ti*e "ntil now *en ha0e been wont to *a2e on the
o++asions o1 the 1esti0al o1 Hathor 0essels o1 the beer whi+h *a2e the*
to sleep in n"*ber a++ording to the n"*ber o1 the hand*aidens o1 .a.
And the 4a3esty o1 .a spa2e "nto this goddess, &saying,, (6 a* s*itten
with the pain o1 the 1ire o1 si+2nessI when+e +o*eth to *e &this,
painL( And the 4a3esty o1 .a said, (6 li0e, b"t *y heart hath be+o*e
ex+eedingly weary&FN)BJ, with existen+e with the* Ei.e., with *enFI 6
ha0e slain &so*e o1, the*, b"t there is a re*nant o1 worthless ones,
1or the destr"+tion whi+h 6 wro"ght a*ong the* was not as great as *y
power.( Then the gods who were in his 1ollowing said "nto hi*, (!e not
o0er+o*e by thy ina+ti0ity, 1or thy *ight is in proportion to thy
will.( And the 4a3esty o1 this god said "nto the 4a3esty o1 N", (4y
*e*bers are wea2 1or Eor, as atF the 1irst ti*eI 6 will not per*it this
to +o*e "pon *e a se+ond ti*e.( And the 4a3esty o1 the god N" said, (O
son Sh", be tho" the Eye >1or thy 1ather . . . . . and a0en"e ELF hi*,
and >tho" goddess N"t, pla+e hi* . . . . . ... And the goddess N"t
said, (How +an this be then, O *y 1ather N"L Hail,( said N"t . . . . .
to the god N", and the goddess straightway be+a*e &a +ow,, and she set
the 4a3esty o1 .a "pon &her, ba+2 . . . . . And when these things had
been done, *en and wo*en saw the god .a, "pon the ba+2 &o1 the +ow,.
Then these *en and wo*en said, (.e*ain with "s, and we will o0erthrow
thine ene*ies who spea2 words o1 blasphe*y &against thee.,, and
&destroy the*,.( Then his 4a3esty &.a, set o"t 1or the Great Ho"se,
and &the gods who were in the train o1 .a re*ained, with the* Ei.e.,
the *enFI d"ring that ti*e the earth was in dar2ness. And when the
earth be+a*e light &again, and the *orning had dawned, the *en +a*e
1orth with their bows and their &weapons,, and they set their ar*s in
*otion to shoot the ene*ies &o1 .a,. Then said the 4a3esty o1 this
god, (=o"r (transgressions o1 0iolen+e are pla+ed behind yo", 1or the
sla"ghtering o1 the ene*ies is abo0e the sla"ghter &o1 sa+ri1i+e,I(
th"s +a*e into being the sla"ghter &o1 sa+ri1i+e,. And the 4a3esty o1
this god said "nto N"t, (6 ha0e pla+ed *ysel1 "pon *y ba+2 in order to
stret+h *ysel1 o"t.( hat then is the *eaning o1 thisL 6t *eaneth
that he "nited ELF hi*sel1 with N"t. &Th"s +a*e into being, . . . . .
Then said the 4a3esty o1 this god, (6 a* departing 1ro* the* Ei.e.,
1ro* *enF, and he *"st +o*e a1ter *e who wo"ld see *eI( th"s +a*e into
being . . . . . Then the 4a3esty o1 this god loo2ed 1orth 1ro* its
interior, saying, (Gather together &*en 1or *e,, and *a2e ready 1or *e
an abode 1or *"ltit"desI( th"s +a*e into being . . . . . . . And his
4a3esty Eli1e, health, and strength be to hi*PF said, (Let a great
1ield Ese2hetF be prod"+ed EhetepFI( there"pon Se2het;hetep +a*e into
being. &And the god said,, (6 will gather herbs EaaratF thereinI(
there"pon Se2het;aar" +a*e into being. &And the god said,, (6 will
*a2e it to +ontain as dwellers things E2hetF li2e stars o1 all sortsI(
there"pon the stars Ea2he2haF +a*e into being. Then the goddess N"t
tre*bled be+a"se o1 the height.
&FN)C$, Or, Henen;s", Shbw ?aNeSK, i.e., Hera2leopolis, 4agna.
&FN)B@, i.e., Elephantine, or Syene, a pla+e better 2nown by the
Arabi+ na*e ASAN.
&FN)B#, i.e., the So"th, North, est, and East o1 the s2y.
&FN)B%, i.e., (the 1air and gra+io"s goddess.(
&FN)BJ, Literally, (4y heart hath stopped greatly.(
And the 4a3esty o1 .a said, (6 de+ree that s"pports be to bear &the
goddess "p,I( there"pon the props o1 hea0en EhehF +a*e into being. And
the 4a3esty o1 .a said, (O *y son Sh", 6 pray thee to set thysel1 "nder
&*y, da"ghter N"t, and g"ard tho" 1or *e the s"pports EhehF o1 the
*illions EhehF whi+h are there, and whi+h li0e in dar2ness. Ta2e tho"
the goddess "pon thy head, and a+t tho" as n"rse 1or herI( there"pon
+a*e into being &the +"sto*, o1 a son n"rsing a da"ghter, and &the
+"sto*, o1 a 1ather +arrying a son "pon his head.
THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND
/HA-TE. 66.
66. This /hapter shall be said o0er &a 1ig"re o1, the +ow.;;The
s"pporters &+alled, Heh;enti shall be by her sho"lder. The s"pporters
&+alled, Heh;enti shall be at her side, and one +"bit and 1o"r spans o1
hers shall be in +olo"rs, and nine stars shall be on her belly, and Set
shall be by her two thighs and shall 2eep wat+h be1ore her two legs,
and be1ore her two legs shall be Sh", "nder her belly, and he shall be
*ade Ei.e., paintedF in green 5enat +olo"r. His two ar*s shall be "nder
the stars, and his na*e shall be *ade Ei.e., writtenF in the *iddle o1
the*, na*ely, Sh" hi*sel1. (A boat with a r"dder and a do"ble shrine
shall be therein, and Aten Ei.e., the Dis2F shall be abo0e it, and .a
shall be in it, in 1ront o1 Sh", near his hand, or, as another reading
hath, behind hi*, near his hand. And the "dders o1 the /ow shall be
*ade to be between her legs, towards the le1t side. And on the two
1lan2s, towards the *iddle o1 the legs, shall be done in writing &the
words,, (The exterior hea0en,( and (6 a* what is in *e,( and (6 will
not per*it the* to *a2e her to t"rn.( That whi+h is &written, "nder
the boat whi+h is in 1ront shall read, (Tho" shalt not be *otionless,
*y sonI( and the words whi+h are written in an opposite dire+tion shall
read, (Thy s"pport is li2e li1e,( and (The word is as the word there,(
and (Thy son is with *e,( and (Li1e, strength, and health be to thy
nostrilsP( And that whi+h is behind Sh", near his sho"lder, shall
read, (They 2eep ward,( and that whi+h is behind hi*, written +lose to
his 1eet in an opposite dire+tion, shall read, (4aat,( and (They +o*e
in,( and (6 prote+t daily.( And that whi+h is "nder the sho"lder o1
the di0ine 1ig"re whi+h is "nder the le1t leg, and is behind it shall
read, (He who sealeth all things.( That whi+h is o0er his head, "nder
the thighs o1 the /ow, and that whi+h is by her legs shall read,
(G"ardian o1 his exit.( That whi+h is behind the two 1ig"res whi+h are
by her two legs, that is to say, o0er their heads, shall read, (The
Aged One who is adored as he goeth 1orth,( and The Aged One to who*
praise is gi0en when he goeth in.( That whi+h is o0er the head o1 the
two 1ig"res, and is between the two thighs o1 the /ow, shall read,
(Listener,( (Hearer,( (S+eptre o1 the 8pper Hea0en,( and (Star( ELF.
THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND
/HA-TE. 666.
666. Then the *a3esty o1 this god spa2e "nto Thoth, &saying, (Let a
+all go 1orth 1or *e to the 4a3esty o1 the god Seb, saying, >/o*e, with
the "t*ost speed, at on+e.(> And when the 4a3esty o1 Seb had +o*e, the
4a3esty o1 this god said "nto hi*, (Let war be *ade against thy wor*s
Eor, serpentsF
hi+h are in theeI 0erily, they shall ha0e 1ear o1 *e as
long as 6 ha0e beingI b"t tho" 2nowest their *agi+al powers. Do tho"
go to the pla+e where *y 1ather N" is, and say tho" "nto hi*, >:eep
ward o0er the wor*s Eor, serpentsF whi+h are in the earth and water.>
And *oreo0er, tho" shalt *a2e a writing 1or ea+h o1 the nests o1 thy
serpents whi+h are there, saying, >:eep ye g"ard &lest ye, +a"se in3"ry
to anything.> They shall 2now that 6 a* re*o0ing *ysel1 &1ro* the*,,
b"t indeed 6 shall shine "pon the*. Sin+e, howe0er, they indeed wish
1or a 1ather, tho" shalt be a 1ather "nto the* in this land 1or e0er.
4oreo0er, let good heed be ta2en to the *en who ha0e *y words o1 power,
and to those whose *o"ths ha0e 2nowledge o1 s"+h thingsI 0erily *y own
words o1 power are there, 0erily it shall not happen that any shall
parti+ipate with *e in *y prote+tion, by reason o1 the *a3esty whi+h
hath +o*e into being be1ore *e. 6 will de+ree the* to thy son Osiris,
and their +hildren shall be wat+hed o0er, the hearts o1 their prin+es
shall be obedient Eor, readyF by reason o1 the *agi+al powers o1 those
who a+t a++ording to their desire in all the earth thro"gh their words
o1 power whi+h are in their bodies.(
THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND
/HA-TE. 6<.
6<. And the *a3esty o1 this god said, (/all to *e the god Thoth,( and
one bro"ght the god to hi* 1orthwith. And the 4a3esty o1 this god said
"nto Thoth, (Let "s depart to a distan+e 1ro* hea0en, 1ro* *y pla+e,
be+a"se 6 wo"ld *a2e light and the god o1 light E:h"F in the T"at and
&in, the Land o1 /a0es. Tho" shalt write down &the things whi+h are,
in it, and tho" shalt p"nish those who are in it, that is to say, the
wor2ers who ha0e wor2ed ini5"ity Eor, rebellionF. Thro"gh thee 6 will
2eep away 1ro* the ser0ants who* this heart &o1 *ine, loatheth. Tho"
shalt be in *y pla+e EastF AST6, and tho" shalt there1ore be +alled, O
Thoth, the >Asti o1 .a.> 4oreo0er, 6 gi0e thee power to send EhabF
1orth . . . . .I there"pon shall +o*e into being the 6bis EhabiF bird
o1 Thoth. 6 *oreo0er gi0e thee &power, to li1t "p thine hand be1ore
the two /o*panies o1 the gods who are greater than tho", and what tho"
doest shall be 1airer than &the wor2 o1, the god :henI there1ore shall
the di0ine bird te2ni o1 Thoth +o*e into being. 4oreo0er, 6 gi0e thee
&-ower, to e*bra+e EanhF the two hea0ens with thy bea"ties, and with
thy rays o1 lightI there1ore shall +o*e into being the 4oon;god EAahF
o1 Thoth. 4oreo0er, 6 gi0e thee &power, to dri0e ba+2 EananF the Ha;
neb"I&FN)BD, there1ore shall +o*e into being the dog;headed Ape EananF
o1 Thoth, and he shall a+t as go0ernor 1or *e. 4oreo0er, tho" art now
in *y pla+e in the sight o1 all those who see thee and who present
o11erings to thee, and e0ery being shall as+ribe praise "nto thee, O
tho" who art God.(
&FN)BD, i.e., the (North;lords,( that is to say, the peoples who li0ed
in the extre*e north o1 the Delta, and on its sea;+oasts, and perhaps
in the 6slands o1 the 4editerranean.
THE LEGEND OF THE DEST.8/T6ON OF 4AN:6ND
/HA-TE. <.
<. hosoe0er shall re+ite the words o1 this +o*position o0er hi*sel1
shall anoint hi*sel1 with oli0e oil and with thi+2 "ng"ent, and he
shall ha0e propitiatory o11erings on both his hands o1 in+ense, and
behind his two ears shall be p"re natron, and sweet;s*elling sal0e
shall be on his lips. He shall be arrayed in a new do"ble t"ni+, and
his body shall be p"ri1ied with the water o1 the nile;1lood, and he
shall ha0e "pon his 1eet a pair o1 sandals *ade o1 white &leather,, and
a 1ig"re o1 the goddess 4aat shall be drawn "pon his tong"e with green;
+olo"red o+hre. hensoe0er Thoth shall wish to re+ite this +o*position
on behal1 o1 .a, he *"st per1or* a se0en1old ELF p"ri1i+ation 1or three
days, and priests and &ordinary, *en shall do li2ewise. hosoe0er
shall re+ite the abo0e words shall per1or* the +ere*onies whi+h are to
be per1or*ed when this boo2 is being read. And he shall *a2e his pla+e
o1 standing ELF in a +ir+le Eor, at an angleF . . . . . whi+h is beyond
&hi*,, and his two eyes shall be 1ixed "pon hi*sel1, all his *e*bers
shall be &+o*posed,, and his steps shall not +arry hi* away &1ro* the
pla+e,. hosoe0er a*ong *en shall re+ite &these, words shall be li2e
.a on the day o1 his birthI and his possessions shall not be+o*e 1ewer,
and his ho"se shall ne0er 1all into de+ay, b"t shall end"re 1or a
*illion eternities.
Then the Aged One hi*sel1 Ei.e., .aF e*bra+ed ELF the god N", and spa2e
"nto the gods who +a*e 1orth in the east o1 the s2y, (As+ribe ye praise
to the god, the Aged One, 1ro* who* 6 ha0e +o*e into being. 6 a* he
who *ade the hea0ens, and 6 Eset in order &the earth, and +reated the
gods, and, 6 was with the* 1or an ex+eedingly long periodI then was
born the year and . . . . . . b"t *y so"l is older than it Ei.e.,
ti*eF. 6t is the So"l o1 Sh", it is the So"l o1 :hne*" ELF,&FN)BC, it
is the So"l o1 Heh, it is the So"l o1 :e2 and :erh Ei.e., Night and
Dar2nessF, it is the So"l o1 N" and o1 .a, it is the So"l o1 Osiris,
the lord o1 Tett", it is the So"l o1 the Seba2 /ro+odile;gods and o1
the /ro+odiles, it is the So"l o1 e0ery god &who dwelleth, in the
di0ine Sna2es, it is the So"l o1 Apep in 4o"nt !a2ha" Ei.e., the 4o"nt
o1 S"nriseF, and it is the So"l o1 .a whi+h per0adeth the whole world.(
&FN)BC, There are *ista2es in the text here.
hosoe0er sayeth &these words, wor2eth his own prote+tion by *eans o1
the words o1 power, (6 a* the god He2a" Ei.e., the di0ine ord o1
powerF, and &6 a*, p"re in *y *o"th, and &in, *y bellyI &6 a*, .a 1ro*
who* the gods pro+eeded. 6 a* .a, the Light;god E:h"F.( hen tho"
sayest &this,, stop 1orth in the e0ening and in the *orning on thine
own behal1 i1 tho" wo"ldst *a2e to 1all the ene*ies o1 .a. 6 a* his
So"l, and 6 a* He2a.
Hail, tho" lord o1 eternity, tho" +reator o1 e0erlastingness, who
bringest to no"ght the gods who +a*e 1orth 1ro* .a, tho" lord o1 thy
god, tho" prin+e who didst *a2e what *ade thee, who art belo0ed by the
1athers o1 the gods, on whose head are the p"re words o1 power, who
didst +reate the wo*an EerpitF that standeth on the so"th side o1 thee,
who didst +reate the goddess who hath her 1a+e on her breast, and the
serpent whi+h standeth on his tail, with her eye on his belly, and with
his tail on the earth, to who* Thoth gi0eth praises, and "pon who* the
hea0ens rest, and to who* Sh" stret+heth o"t his two hands, deli0er
tho" *e 1ro* those two great gods who sit in the east o1 the s2y, who
a+t as wardens o1 hea0en and as wardens o1 earth, and who *a2e 1ir* the
se+ret pla+es, and who are +alled (Aai";s",( and (-er;1;er;*aa;N".(
4oreo0er &there shall beF a p"ri1ying on the . . . . . day o1 the *onth
. . . . . . .. e0en a++ording to the per1or*an+e o1 the +ere*onies in
the oldest ti*e.
hosoe0er shall re+ite this /hapter shall ha0e li1e in Neter;2her
Ei.e., 8nderworldF, and the 1ear o1 hi* shall be *"+h greater than it
was 1or*erly &"pon earth, . . . . . . . and they shall say, (Thy na*es
are >Eternity> and >E0erlastingness.>( They are +alled, they are
+alled, (A";peh;ne1;n;aa;e*;ta;"at;ap",( and (.e2h;2"a;&t"t,;en;neter;
p"i;. . . . . . en en;hra;1;Her;she1".( 6 a* he who hath strengthened
the boat with the +o*pany o1 the gods, and his Shenit, and his Gods, by
*eans o1 words o1 power.
THE LEGEND OF .A AND 6S6S.
The /hapter o1 the di0ine Eor, *ightyF god, who +reated hi*sel1, who
*ade the hea0ens and the earth, and the breath o1 li1e, and 1ire, and
the gods, and *en, and beasts, and +attle, and reptiles, and the 1owl
o1 the air, and the 1ish, who is the 2ing o1 *en and gods, &who
existeth, in one For*, &to who*, periods o1 one h"ndred and twenty
years axe as single years, whose na*es by reason o1 their *"ltit"de are
"n2nowable, 1or &e0en, the gods 2now the* not. !ehold, the goddess
6sis li0ed in the 1or*, o1 a wo*an, who had the 2nowledge o1 words &o1
power,. Her heart t"rned away in disg"st 1ro* the *illions o1 *en, and
she +hose 1or hersel1 the *illions o1 the gods, b"t estee*ed *ore
highly the *illions o1 the spirits. as it not possible to be+o*e e0en
as was .a in hea0en and "pon earth, and to *a2e &hersel1, *istress o1
the earth, and a &*ighty, goddess;;th"s she *editated in her heart;;by
the 2nowledge o1 the Na*e o1 the holy godL !ehold, .a entered &hea0en,
ea+h day at the head o1 his *ariners, establishing hi*sel1 "pon the
do"ble throne o1 the two hori7ons. Now the di0ine one had be+o*e old,
he dribbled at the *o"th, and he let his e*issions go 1orth 1ro* hi*
"pon the earth, and his spittle 1ell "pon the gro"nd. This 6sis
2neaded in her hand,&FN)BB, with &so*e, d"st, and she 1ashioned it in
the 1or* o1 a sa+red serpent, and *ade it to ha0e the 1or* o1 a dart,
so that none *ight be able to es+ape ali0e 1ro* it, and she le1t it
lying "pon the road whereon the great god tra0elled, a++ording to his
desire, abo"t the two lands. Then the holy god rose "p in the
taberna+le o1 the gods in the great do"ble ho"se Eli1e, strength,
healthPF a*ong those who were in his train, and &as, he 3o"rneyed on
his way a++ording to his daily wont, the holy serpent shot its 1ang
into hi*, and the li0ing 1ire was departing 1ro* the god>s own body,
and the reptile destroyed the dweller a*ong the +edars. And the *ighty
god opened his *o"th, and the +ry o1 His 4a3esty Eli1e, strength,
healthPF rea+hed "nto the hea0ens, and the +o*pany o1 the gods said,
(hat is itL( and his gods said, (hat is the *atterL( And the god
1o"nd &no words, wherewith to answer +on+erning hi*sel1. His 3aws
shoo2, his lips tre*bled, and the poison too2 possession o1 all his
1lesh 3"st as Hapi Ei.e., the NileF ta2eth possession o1 the land
thro"gh whi+h he 1loweth. Then the great god *ade 1ir* his heart
Ei.e., too2 +o"rageF and he +ried o"t to those who were in his
1ollowing';;(/o*e ye "nto *e, O ye who ha0e +o*e into being 1ro* *y
*e*bers,&FN)B9, ye gods who ha0e pro+eeded 1ro* *e, 1or 6 wo"ld *a2e
yo" to 2now what hath happened. 6 ha0e been s*itten by so*e deadly
thing, o1 whi+h *y heart hath no 2nowledge, and whi+h 6 ha0e neither
seen with *y eyes nor *ade with *y handI and 6 ha0e no 2nowledge at all
who hath done this to *e. 6 ha0e ne0er be1ore 1elt any pain li2e "nto
it, and no pain +an be worse than this &is,. 6 a* a -rin+e, the son o1
a -rin+e, and the di0ine e*anation whi+h was prod"+ed 1ro* a god. 6 a*
a Great One, the son o1 a Great One, and *y 1ather hath deter*ined 1or
*e *y na*e. 6 ha0e *"ltit"des o1 na*es, and 6 ha0e *"ltit"des o1
1or*s, and *y being existeth in e0ery god. 6 ha0e been in0o2ed Eor,
pro+lai*edLF by Te*" and Her";He2enn". 4y 1ather and *y *other "ttered
*y na*e, and &they, hid it in *y body at *y birth so that none o1 those
who wo"ld "se against *e words o1 power *ight s"++eed in *a2ing their
en+hant*ents ha0e do*inion o0er *e.&FN)BA, 6 had +o*e 1orth 1ro* *y
taberna+le to loo2 "pon that whi+h 6 had *ade, and was *a2ing *y way
thro"gh the two lands whi+h 6 had *ade, when a blow was ai*ed at *e,
b"t 6 2now not o1 what 2ind. !ehold, is it 1ireL !ehold, is it waterL
4y heart is 1"ll o1 b"rning 1ire, *y li*bs are shi0ering, and *y
*e*bers ha0e darting pains in the*. Let there be bro"ght "nto *e *y
+hildren the gods, who possess words o1 *agi+, whose *o"ths are +"nning
&in "ttering the*,, and whose powers rea+h "p to hea0en.( Then his
+hildren +a*e "nto hi*, and e0ery god was there with his +ry o1
la*entationI and 6sis&FN)B$, +a*e with her words o1 *agi+, and the
pla+e o1 her *o"th &was 1illed with, the breath o1 li1e, 1or the words
whi+h she p"tteth together destroy diseases, and her words *a2e to li0e
those whose throats are +ho2ed Ei.e., the deadF. And she said, (hat
is this, O di0ine 1atherL hat is itL Hath a serpent shot his 0eno*
into theeL Hath a thing whi+h tho" hast 1ashioned li1ted "p its head
against theeL <erily it shall be o0erthrown by bene1i+ent words o1
power, and 6 will *a2e it to retreat in the sight o1 thy rays.( The
holy god opened his *o"th, &saying,, 6 was going along the road and
passing thro"gh the two lands o1 *y +o"ntry, 1or *y heart wished to
loo2 "pon what 6 had *ade, when 6 was bitten by a serpent whi+h 6 did
not seeI behold, is it 1ireL !ehold, is it waterL 6 a* +older than
water, 6 a* hotter than 1ire, all *y *e*bers sweat, 6 *ysel1 5"a2e,
*ine eye is "nsteady. 6 +annot loo2 at the hea0ens, and water 1or+eth
itsel1 on *y 1a+e as in the ti*e o1 the 6n"ndation.(&FN)9@, And 6sis
said "nto .a, (O *y di0ine 1ather, tell *e thy na*e, 1or he who is able
to prono"n+e his na*e li0eth.( &And .a said,, (6 a* the *a2er o1 the
hea0ens and the earth, 6 ha0e 2nit together the *o"ntains, and 6 ha0e
+reated e0erything whi+h existeth "pon the*. 6 a* the *a2er o1 the
aters, and 6 ha0e *ade 4eht;"r to +o*e into beingI 6 ha0e *ade the
!"ll o1 his 4other, and 6 ha0e *ade the 3oys o1 lo0e to exist. 6 a*
the *a2er o1 hea0en, and 6 ha0e *ade to be hidden the two gods o1 the
hori7on, and 6 ha0e pla+ed the so"ls o1 the gods within the*. 6 a* the
!eing who openeth his eyes and the light +o*ethI 6 a* the !eing who
sh"tteth his eyes and there is dar2ness. 6 a* the !eing who gi0eth the
+o**and, and the waters o1 Hapi Ethe NileF b"rst 1orth, 6 a* the !eing
whose na*e the gods 2now not. 6 a* the *a2er o1 the ho"rs and the
+reator o1 the days. 6 a* the opener Ei.e., ina"g"ratorF o1 the
1esti0als, and the *a2er o1 the 1loods o1 water. 6 a* the +reator o1
the 1ire o1 li1e whereby the wor2s o1 the ho"ses are +a"sed to +o*e
into being. 6 a* :hepera in the *orning, and .a Eat the ti*e o1 his
+"l*ination Ei.e., noonF, and Te*" in the e0ening.(&FN)9#,
Ne0ertheless the poison was not dri0en 1ro* its +o"rse, and the great
god 1elt no better. Then 6sis said "nto .a, (A*ong the things whi+h
tho" hast said "nto *e thy na*e hath not been *entioned. O de+lare
tho" it "nto *e, and the poison shall +o*e 1orthI 1or the person who
hath de+lared his na*e shall li0e.( 4eanwhile the poison b"rned with
bla7ing 1ire and the heat thereo1 was stronger than that o1 a bla7ing
1la*e. Then the 4a3esty o1 .a, said, (6 will allow *ysel1 to be
sear+hed thro"gh by 6sis, and *y na*e shall +o*e 1orth 1ro* *y body and
go into hers.( Then the di0ine one hid hi*sel1 1ro* the gods, and the
throne in the !oat o1 4illions o1 =ears&FN)9%, was e*pty. And it +a*e
to pass that when it was the ti*e 1or the heart to +o*e 1orth &1ro* the
god,, she said "nto her son Hor"s, (The great god shall bind hi*sel1 by
an oath to gi0e his two eyes.(&FN)9J, Th"s was the great god *ade to
yield "p his na*e, and 6sis, the great lady o1 en+hant*ents, said,
(Flow on, poison, and +o*e 1orth 1ro* .aI let the Eye o1 Hor"s +o*e
1orth 1ro* the god and shineELF o"tside his *o"th. 6 ha0e wor2ed, and
6 *a2e the poison to 1all on the gro"nd, 1or the 0eno* hath been
*astered. <erily the na*e hath been ta2en away 1ro* the great god.
Let .a li0e, and let the poison dieI and i1 the poison li0e then .a
shall die. And si*ilarly, a +ertain *an, the son o1 a +ertain *an,
shall li0e and the poison shall die.( These were the words whi+h spa2e
6sis, the great lady, the *istress o1 the gods, and she had 2nowledge
o1 .a in his own na*e. The abo0e words shall be said o0er an i*age o1
Te*" and an i*age o1 Her";He2enn",&FN)9D, and o0er an i*age o1 6sis and
an i*age o1 Hor"s.
&FN)BB, Here we ha0e another instan+e o1 the i*portant part whi+h the
spittle played in *agi+al +ere*onies that were intended to prod"+e e0il
e11e+ts. The a+t o1 spitting, howe0er, was intended so*eti*es to +arry
a +"rse with it, and so*eti*es a blessing, 1or a *an spat in the 1a+e
o1 his ene*y in order to lay the +"rse o1 i*p"rity "pon hi*, and at the
present ti*e, *en spit "pon *oney to 2eep the de0ils away 1ro* it.
&FN)B9, The gods were, a++ording to one belie1, nothing *ore than the
0ario"s na*es o1 .a, who had ta2en the 1or*s o1 the 0ario"s *e*bers o1
his body.
&FN)BA, Th"s the god>s own na*e be+a*e his *ost i*portant talis*an.
&FN)B$, The position o1 6sis as the (great en+hantress( is well
de1ined, and se0eral instan+es o1 her *agi+al powers are re+orded. !y
the "tteran+e o1 her words o1 power she s"++eeded in raising her dead
h"sband Osiris to li1e, and she enabled hi* by their *eans to beget
Hor"s o1 her. Nothing +o"ld withstand the*, be+a"se they were o1
di0ine origin, and she had learned the* 1ro* Thoth, the intelligen+e o1
the greatest o1 the gods.
&FN)9@, Or, (the period o1 the s"**er.( The season She**", began soon
a1ter the beginning o1 April and lasted "ntil nearly the end o1 N"ly.
&FN)9#, :hepera, .d, and Te*" were the three prin+ipal 1or*s o1 the
S"n;god a++ording to the theologi+al syste* o1 the priests o1
Heliopolis.
&FN)9%, The na*e by whi+h the !oat o1 .a is generally 2nown in
Egyptian texts. 6t was this boat whi+h was stopped in its +o"rse when
Thoth des+ended 1ro* the s2y to i*part to 6sis the words o1 power that
were to raise her dead +hild Hor"s to li1e.
&FN)9J, i.e., the 1l"id o1 li1e o1 the s"n, and the 1l"id o1 li1e o1
the *oon. The s"n and the *oon were the 0isible, *aterial sy*bols o1
the S"n god.
&FN)9D, The attrib"tes o1 this god are not well de1ined. He was a god
o1 the Eastern Delta, and was asso+iated with the +ities where Te*" was
worshipped.
THE LEGEND OF HO.8S OF !EH8TET AND THE 6NGED D6S:.
?66. 6n the three h"ndred and sixty;third year o1 .a;Her";:h"ti, who
li0eth 1or e0er and 1ore0er, His 4a3esty was in Ta;:ens,&FN)9C, and his
soldiers were with hi*I &the ene*y, did not +onspire Ea""F against
their lord, and the land &is +alled, 8a"atet "nto this day. And .a set
o"t on an expedition in his boat, and his 1ollowers were with hi*, and
he arri0ed at 8thes;Her",&FN)9B, &whi+h lay to, the west o1 this no*e,
and to the east o1 the +anal -a2henn", whi+h is +alled & . . . . . . .
to this day,. And Her";!eh"tet was in the boat o1 .a, and he said
"nto his 1ather .a;Her";:h"ti Ei.e., .a;Har*a+hisF, (6 see that the
ene*ies are +onspiring against their lordI let thy 1iery serpent gain
the *astery . . . . . o0er the*.(
&FN)9C, i.e., in N"bia, probably the portion o1 it whi+h lies ro"nd
abo"t the *odern :alabsha. 6n an+ient days Ta;2ens appears to ha0e
in+l"ded a portion o1 the Nile <alley to the north o1 Aswan.
?666. Then the 4a3esty o1 .a Har*a+his said "nto thy di0ine :A, (O
Her";!eh"tet, O son o1 .a, tho" exalted one, who didst pro+eed 1ro* *e,
o0erthrow tho" the ene*ies who are be1ore thee straightway.( And Her";
!eh"tet 1lew "p into the hori7on in the 1or* o1 the great inged Dis2,
1or whi+h reason he is +alled (Great god, lord o1 hea0en,( "nto this
day. And when he saw the ene*ies in the heights o1 hea0en he set o"t
to 1ollow a1ter the* in the 1or* o1 the great inged Dis2, and he
atta+2ed with s"+h terri1i+ 1or+e those who opposed hi*, that they
+o"ld neither see with their eyes nor hear with their ears, and ea+h o1
the* slew his 1ellow. 6n a *o*ent o1 ti*e there was not a single
+reat"re le1t ali0e. Then Her" !eh"tet, shining with 0ery *any
+olo"rs, +a*e in the 1or* o1 the great inged Dis2 to the !oat o1 .a;
Har*a+his, and Thoth said "nto .a, (O Lord o1 the gods, !eh"tet hath
ret"rned in the 1or* o1 the great inged Dis2, shining &with *any
+olo"rs, . . . . . . +hildrenI( 1or this reason he is +alled Her";
!eh"tet "nto this day. And Thoth said, (The +ity Teb shall be +alled
the +ity o1 Her";!eh"tet,( and th"s is it +alled "nto this day. And .a
e*bra+ed the . . . . . o1 .a, and said "nto Her";!eh"tet, (Tho" didst
p"t grapes&FN)99, into the water whi+h +o*eth 1orth 1ro* it,&FN)9A, and
thy heart re3oi+ed thereatI( and 1or this reason the water Eor, +analF
o1 Her";!eh"tet is +alled (&Grape;ater,( "nto this day, and the . . .
. . . . . . . . "nto this day. And Her";!eh"tet said, (Ad0an+e, O .a,
and loo2 tho" "pon thine ene*ies who are lying "nder thee on this
landI( there"pon the 4a3esty o1 .a set o"t on the way, and the goddess
Asthertet E>AshtorethLF was with hi*, and he saw the ene*ies o0erthrown
on the gro"nd, ea+h one o1 the* being 1ettered. Then said .a to Her";
!eh"tet, (There is sweet li1e in this pla+e,( and 1or this reason the
abode o1 the pala+e o1 Her";!eh"tet is +alled (Sweet Li1e( "nto this
day. And .a, said "nto Thoth, (&Here was the sla"ghter, o1 *ine
ene*iesI (and the pla+e is +alled Teb&FN)9$, "nto this day. And Thoth
said "nto Her";!eh"tet, (Tho" art a great prote+tor E*a2aaFI( and the
!oat o1 Her";!eh"tet is +alled 4a2aa&FN)A@, "nto this day. Then said
.a "nto the gods who were in his 1ollowing, (!ehold now, let "s sail in
o"r boat "pon the water, 1or o"r hearts are glad be+a"se o"r ene*ies
ha0e been o0erthrown on the earthI( and the water where the great god
sailed is +alled -;:hen;8r&FN)A#, "nto this day. And behold the
ene*ies &o1 .a, r"shed into the water, and they too2 the 1or*s o1
&+ro+odiles and, hippopota*i, b"t ne0ertheless .a;Her";:h"ti sailed
o0er the waters in his boat, and when the +ro+odiles and the
hippopota*i had +o*e nigh "nto hi*, they opened wide their 3aws in
order to destroy .a;Her";:h"ti. And when Her";!eh"tet arri0ed and his
1ollowers who were behind hi* in the 1or*s o1 wor2ers in *etal, ea+h
ha0ing in his hands an iron spear and a +hain, a++ording to his na*e,
they s*ote the +ro+odiles and the hippopota*iI and there were bro"ght
in there straightway six h"ndred and 1i1ty;one +ro+odiles, whi+h had
been slain be1ore the +ity o1 Ed1". Then spa2e .a;Har*a+his "nto Her";
!eh"tet, (4y 6*age shall be &here, in the land o1 the So"th, Ewhi+h is
a ho"se o1 0i+tory Eor, strengthFI (and the Ho"se o1 Her";!eh"tet is
+alled Ne2ht;Het "nto this day.
&FN)9B, i.e., Apollinopolis, the *odern Ed1".
&FN)99, i.e. drops o1 blood.
&FN)9A, i.e., 1ro* the +ity.
&FN)9$, i.e., Ed1".
&FN)A@, i.e., Great -rote+tor.
&FN)A#, i.e., (Great /anal.(
?6<. Then the god Thoth spa2e, a1ter he had loo2ed "pon the ene*ies
lying "pon the gro"nd, saying, (Let yo"r hearts re3oi+e, O ye gods o1
hea0enP Let yo"r hearts re3oi+e, O ye gods who are in the earthP
Hor"s, the =o"th1"l One, +o*eth in pea+e, and he hath *ade *ani1est on
his 3o"rney deeds o1 0ery great *ight, whi+h he hath per1or*ed
a++ording to >the !oo2 o1 Slaying the Hippopota*"s.>( And 1ro* that day
1ig"res o1 Her";!eh"tet in *etal ha0e existed.
Then Her";!eh"tet too2 "pon hi*sel1 the 1or* o1 the inged Dis2, and he
pla+ed hi*sel1 "pon the 1ront o1 the !oat o1 Ea. And he pla+ed by his
side the goddess Ne2hebet&FN)A%, and the goddess 8at+het,&FN)AJ, in the
1or* o1 two serpents, that they *ight *a2e the ene*ies to 5"a2e in
&all, their li*bs when they were in the 1or*s o1 +ro+odiles and
hippopota*i in e0ery pla+e wherein be +a*e in the Land o1 the So"th and
in the Land o1 the North. Then those ene*ies rose "p to *a2e their
es+ape 1ro* be1ore hi*, and their 1a+e was towards the Land o1 the
So"th. And their hearts were stri+2en down thro"gh 1ear o1 hi*. And
Her";!eh"tet was at the ba+2 Eor, sideF o1 the* in the !oat o1 .a, and
there were in his hands a *etal lan+e and a *etal +hainI and the *etal
wor2ers who were with their lord were e5"ipped 1or 1ighting with lan+es
and +hains. And Her";!eh"tet saw the*&FN)AD, to the so"th;east o1 the
+ity o1 8ast EThebesF so*e distan+e away. Then .a said to Thoth,
(Those ene*ies shall be s*itten with blows that 2illI( and Thoth said
to .a, (&That pla+e, is +alled the +ity T+het;4et "nto this day.( And
Her";!eh"tet *ade a great o0erthrow a*ong the*, and .a said, (Stand
still, O Her";!eh"tet,( and &that pla+e, is +alled (Het;.a( to this
day, and the god who dwelleth therein is Her";!eh"tet;.a;A*s" Eor,
4inF. Then those ene*ies rose "p to *a2e their es+ape 1ro* be1ore hi*,
and the 1a+e o1 the god was towards the Land o1 the North, and their
hearts were stri+2en thro"gh 1ear o1 hi*. And Her";!eh"tet was at the
ba+2 Eor, sideF o1 the* in the !oat o1 .a, and those who were 1ollowing
hi* had spears o1 *etal and +hains o1 *etal in their handsI and the god
hi*sel1 was e5"ipped 1or battle with the weapons o1 the *etal wor2ers
whi+h they had with the*. And he passed a whole day be1ore he saw the*
to the north;east o1 the no*e o1 Tentyra EDenderaF. Then .a said "nto
Thoth, (The ene*ies are resting . . . . . . . their lord.( And the
4a3esty o1 .a;Har*a+his said to Her";!eh"tet, (Tho" art *y exalted son
who didst pro+eed 1ro* N"t. The +o"rage o1 the Eene*ies hath 1ailed in
a *o*ent.( And Her";!eh"tet *ade great sla"ghter a*ong the*. And
Thoth said (The inged Dis2 shall be +alled. . . . . in the na*e o1
this AatI( and is +alled Her";!eh"tet . . . . . its *istress. His na*e
is to the So"th in the na*e o1 this god, and the a+a+ia and the
sy+a*ore shall be the trees o1 the san+t"ary. Then the ene*ies t"rned
aside to 1lee 1ro* be1ore hi*, and their 1a+es were &towards the North,
and they went, to the swa*ps o1 8at+h;"r Ei.e., the 4editerraneanF, and
&their +o"rage 1ailed thro"gh 1ear o1 hi*,. And Her";!eh"tet was at
the ba+2 Eor, sideF o1 the* in the !oat o1 .a, and the *etal spear was
in his hands, and those who were in his 1ollowing were e5"ipped with
the weapons 1or battle o1 the *etal wor2ers. And the god spent 1o"r
days and 1o"r nights in the water in p"rs"it o1 the*, b"t he did not
see one o1 the ene*ies, who 1led 1ro* be1ore hi* in the water in the
1or*s o1 +ro+odiles and hippopota*i. At length he 1o"nd the* and saw
the*. And .a said "nto Hor"s o1 Heben, (O inged Dis2, tho" great god
and lord o1 hea0en, sei7e tho" the* . . . . . .I( and he h"rled his
lan+e a1ter the*, and he slew the*, and wor2ed a great o0erthrow o1
the*. And he bro"ght one h"ndred and 1orty;two ene*ies to the 1orepart
o1 the !oat &o1 .a,, and with the* was a *ale hippopota*"s whi+h had
been a*ong those ene*ies. And he ha+2ed the* in pie+es with his 2ni1e,
and he ga0e their entrails to those who were in his 1ollowing, and he
ga0e their +ar+ases to the gods and goddesses who were in the !oat o1
.a on the ri0er;ban2 o1 the +ity o1 Heben. Then .a said "nto Thoth,
(See what *ighty things Her";!eh"tet hath per1or*ed in his deeds
against the ene*ies' 0erily he hath s*itten the*P And o1 the *ale
hippopota*"s he hath opened the *o"th, and he hath speared it, and he
hath *o"nted "pon its ba+2.( Then said Thoth to .a, (Hor"s shall be
+alled >inged Dis2, Great God, S*iter o1 the ene*ies in the town o1
Heben> 1ro* this day 1orward, and he shall be +alled >He who standeth
on the ba+2> and >prophet o1 this god,> 1ro* this day 1orward.( These
are the things whi+h happened in the lands o1 the +ity o1 Heben, in a
region whi+h *eas"red three h"ndred and 1orty;two *eas"res on the
so"th, and on the north, on the west, and on the east.
&FN)A%, The goddess Ne2hebet was in+arnate in a spe+ial 2ind o1
serpent, and the +entre o1 her worship was in the +ity o1 Ne2heb, whi+h
the Gree2s +alled Eileithyiaspolis, and the Arabs Al;:ab.
&FN)AJ, The +entre o1 the worship o1 8at+het, or 8at+hit, was at -er;
8at+het, a +ity in the Delta.
&FN)AD, i.e., the ene*ies.
?<. Then the ene*ies rose "p be1ore hi* by the La2e o1 the North, and
their 1a+es were set towards 8at+h;"r&FN)AC, whi+h they desired to
rea+h by sailingI b"t the god s*ote their hearts and they t"rned and
1led in the water, and they dire+ted their +o"rse to the water o1 the
no*e o1 4ertet;A*ent, and they gathered the*sel0es together in the
water o1 4ertet in order to 3oin the*sel0es with the ene*ies &who
ser0e, Set and who are in this region. And Her";!eh"tet 1ollowed the*,
being e5"ipped with all his weapons o1 war to 1ight against the*. And
Her";!eh"tet *ade a 3o"rney in the !oat o1 .a, together with the great
god who was in his boat with those who were his 1ollowers, and he
p"rs"ed the* on the La2e o1 the North twi+e, and passed one day and one
night sailing down the ri0er in p"rs"it o1 the* be1ore he per+ei0ed and
o0ertoo2 the*, 1or he 2new not the pla+e where they were. Then he
arri0ed at the +ity o1 -er;.eh". And the 4a3esty o1 .a said "nto Her";
!eh"tet, (hat hath happened to the ene*iesL They ha0e gathered
together the*sel0es in the water to the west ELF o1 the no*e o1 4ertet
in order to "nite the*sel0es with the ene*ies &who ser0e, Set, and who
are in this region, at the pla+e where are o"r sta11 and s+eptre.( And
Thoth said "nto .a, (8ast in the no*e o1 4ertet is +alled 8aseb be+a"se
o1 this "nto this day, and the La2e whi+h is in it is +alled Te*pt.(
Then Her";!eh"tet spa2e in the presen+e o1 his 1ather .a, saying, (6
besee+h thee to set thy boat against the*, so that 6 *ay be able to
per1or* against the* that whi+h .a willethI( and this was done. Then
he *ade an atta+2 "pon the* on the La2e whi+h was at the west o1 this
distri+t, and he per+ei0ed the* on the ban2 o1 the +ity . . . . . .
whi+h belongeth to the La2e o1 4ertet. Then Her";!eh"tet *ade an
expedition against the*, and his 1ollowers were with hi*, and they were
pro0ided with weapons o1 all 2inds 1or battle, and he wro"ght a great
o0erthrow a*ong the*, and he bro"ght in three h"ndred and eighty;one
ene*ies, and he sla"ghtered the* in the 1orepart o1 the !oat o1 .a, and
he ga0e one o1 the* to ea+h o1 those who were in his train. Then Set
rose "p and +a*e 1orth, and raged lo"dly with words o1 +"rsing and
ab"se be+a"se o1 the things whi+h Her";beh"tet had done in respe+t o1
the sla"ghter o1 the ene*ies. And .a said "nto Thoth, (This 1iend
Nehaha;hra "ttereth words at the top o1 his 0oi+e be+a"se o1 the things
whi+h Her";!eh"tet hath done "nto hi*I( and Thoth said "nto .a, (/ries
o1 this 2ind shall be +alled Nehaha;hra "nto this day.( And Her";
!eh"tet did battle with the Ene*y 1or a period o1 ti*e, and he h"rled
his iron lan+e at hi*, and he throw hi* down on the gro"nd in this
region, whi+h is +alled -a;.ereht" "nto this day. Then Her";!eh"tet
+a*e and bro"ght the Ene*y with hi*, and his spear was in his ne+2, and
his +hain was ro"nd his hands and ar*s, and the weapon o1 Hor"s had
1allen on his *o"th and had +losed itI and he went with hi* be1ore his
1ather .a, who said, (O Hor"s, tho" inged Dis2, twi+e great E8r"i;
TentenF is the deed o1 0alo"r whi+h tho" hast done, and tho" hast
+leansed the distri+t.( And .a, said "nto Thoth, (The pala+e o1 Her";
!eh"tet shall be +alled, >Lord o1 the distri+t whi+h is +leansed>
be+a"se o1 thisI( and &th"s is it +alled, "nto this day. And the na*e
o1 the priest thereo1 is +alled 8r;Tenten "nto this day. And .a said
"nto Thoth, (Let the ene*ies and Set be gi0en o0er to 6sis and her son
Hor"s, and let the* wor2 all their heart>s desire "pon the*.( And she
and her son Hor"s set the*sel0es in position with their spears in hi*
at the ti*e when there was stor* Eor, disasterF in the distri+t, and
the La2e o1 the god was +alled She;En;Aha 1ro* that day to this. Then
Hor"s the son o1 6sis +"t o11 the head o1 the Ene*y &Set,, and the
heads o1 his 1iends in the presen+e o1 1ather .a and o1 the great
+o*pany o1 the gods, and he dragged hi* by his 1eet thro"gh his
distri+t with his spear dri0en thro"gh his head and ba+2. And .a said
"nto Thoth, (Let the son o1 Osiris drag the being o1 disaster thro"gh
his territoryI( and Thoth said, (6t shall be +alled Ateh,( and this
hath been the na*e o1 the region 1ro* that day to this. And 6sis, the
di0ine lady, spa2e be1ore .a, saying, (Let the exalted inged Dis2
be+o*e the a*"let o1 *y son Hor"s, who hath +"t o11 the head o1 the
Ene*y and the heads o1 his 1iends.(
&FN)AC, i.e., the 4editerranean.
?<6. Th"s Her";!eh"tet and Hor"s, the son o1 6sis, sla"ghtered that
e0il Ene*y, and his 1iends, and the inert 1oes, and +a*e 1orth with
the* to the water on the west side o1 this distri+t. And Her";!eh"tet
was in the 1or* o1 a *an o1 *ighty strength, and he had the 1a+e o1 a
haw2, and his head was +rowned with the hite /rown and the .ed /rown,
and with two pl"*es and two "raei, and he had the ba+2 o1 a haw2, and
his spear and his +hain were in his hands. And Hor"s, the son o1 6sis,
trans1or*ed hi*sel1 into a si*ilar shape, e0en as Her";!eh"tet had done
be1ore hi*. And they slew the ene*ies all together on the west o1 -er;
.eh", on the edge o1 the strea*, and this god hath sailed o0er the
water wherein the ene*ies had banded the*sel0es to;ether against hi*
1ro* that day to this. Now these things too2 pla+e on the 9th day o1
the 1irst *o"th o1 the season -ert. And Thoth said, (This region shall
be +alled AAT;SHATET,( and this hath been the na*e o1 the region 1ro*
that day "nto thisI and the La2e whi+h is +lose by it hath been +alled
Te*t 1ro* that day to this, and the 9th day o1 the 1irst *onth o1 the
season -ert hath been +alled the Festi0al o1 Sailing 1ro* that day to
this.
Then Set too2 "pon hi*sel1 the 1or* o1 a hissing serpent, and he
entered into the earth in this distri+t witho"t being seen. And .a
said, (Set hath ta2en "pon hi*sel1 the 1or* o1 a hissing serpent. Let
Hor"s, the son o1 6sis, in the 1or* o1 a haw2;headed sta11, set hi*sel1
o0er the pla+e where he is, so that the serpent *ay ne0er *ore appear.(
And Thoth said, (Let this distri+t be +alled He*he*et&FN)AB, by na*eI(
and th"s hath it been +alled 1ro* that day to this. And Hor"s, the son
o1 6sis, in the 1or* o1 a haw2;headed sta11, too2 "p his abode there
with his *other 6sisI in this *anner did these things happen.
&FN)AB, This na*e *eans (the pla+e o1 the .oarer,( He*he*ti, being a
well;2nown na*e o1 the E0il One. So*e texts see* to indi+ate that
peals o1 th"nder were +a"sed by the 1iend Set.
Then the !oat o1 .a arri0ed at the town o1 Het;AhaI its 1orepart was
*ade o1 pal* wood, and the hind part was *ade o1 a+a+ia woodI th"s the
pal* tree and the a+a+ia tree ha0e been sa+red trees 1ro* that day to
this. Then Her";!eh"tet e*bar2ed in the !oat o1 .a, a1ter he had *ade
an end o1 1ighting, and sailedI and .a said "nto Thoth, (Let this !oat
be +alled . . . . . . .I( and th"s hath it been +alled 1ro* that day to
this, and these things ha0e been done in +o**e*oration in this pla+e
1ro* that day to this.
And .a said "nto Her";!eh"tet, (!ehold the 1ighting o1 the S*ait 1iend
and his two;1old strength, and the S*ai 1iend Set, are "pon the water
o1 the North, and they will sail down strea* "pon . . . . . .( &And,
Her";!eh"tet said, (hatsoe0er tho" +o**andest shall ta2e pla+e, O .a,
Lord o1 the gods. Grant tho", howe0er, that this thy !oat *ay p"rs"e
the* into e0ery pla+e whithersoe0er they shall go, and 6 will do to
the* whatsoe0er pleaseth .a.( And e0erything was done a++ording to
what he had said. Then this !oat o1 .a was bro"ght by the winged S"n;
dis2 "pon the waters o1 the La2e o1 4eh,&FN)A9, &and, Her";!eh"tet too2
in his hands his weapons, his darts, and his harpoon, and all the
+hains &whi+h he re5"ired, 1or the 1ight.
&FN)A9, 6t is probable that the La2e o1 4eh, i.e., the La2e o1 the
North, was sit"ated in the north;east o1 the Delta, not 1ar 1ro* La2e
4an7alah.
And Her";!eh"tet loo2ed and saw one &only, o1 these Seba"&FN)AA, 1iends
there on the spot, and he was by hi*sel1. And he threw one *etal dart,
and bro"ght Eor, draggedF the* along straightway, and he sla"ghtered
the* in the presen+e o1 .a. And he *ade an end &o1 the*, and there
were no *ore o1 the 1iends, o1 Set in this pla+e at &that, *o*ent.
&FN)AA, (Sebi"( is a +o**on na*e 1or the asso+iates o1 Seti, and this
1iend is hi*sel1 +alled (Seba,( a word whi+h *eans so*ething li2e
(rebel.(
?<66. And Thoth said, (This pla+e shall be +alled Ast;Ab;Her"(&FN)A$,
be+a"se Her";!eh"tet wro"ght his desire "pon the* Ei.e., the ene*yFI
and he passed six days and six nights +o*ing into port on the waters
thereo1 and did not see one o1 the*. And he saw the* 1all down in the
watery depths, and he *ade ready the pla+e o1 Ast;ab;Her" there. 6t
was sit"ated on the ban2 o1 the water, and the 1a+e Ei.e., dire+tionF
thereo1 was 1"ll;1ront towards the So"th. And all the rites and
+ere*onies o1 Her";!eh"tet were per1or*ed on the 1irst day o1 the 1irst
*onth&FN)$@, o1 the season A2het, and on the 1irst day o1 the 1irst
*onth&FN)$#, o1 the season -ert, and on the twenty;1irst and twenty;
1o"rth days o1 the se+ond *onth&FN)$%, o1 the season -ert. These are
the 1esti0als in the town o1 Ast;ab, by the side o1 the So"th, in An;
r"t;1.&FN)$J, And he +a*e into port and went against the*, 2eeping
wat+h as 1or a 2ing o0er the Great God in An;r"t;1, in this pla+e, in
order to dri0e away the Ene*y and his S*ai" 1iends at his +o*ing by
night 1ro* the region o1 4ertet, to the west o1 this pla+e.
&FN)A$, i.e., pla+e o1 the desire o1 Hor"s.
&FN)$@, The *onth Thoth.
&FN)$#, The *onth Tybi.
&FN)$%, The *onth 4e2hir.
&FN)$J, A *ythologi+al lo+ality originally pla+ed near Hera2leopolis.
The na*e *eans (the pla+e where nothing grows.( Se0eral 1or*s o1 the
na*e o++"r in the older literat"re, e.g. in the Theban .e+ension o1 the
!oo2 o1 the Dead.
And Her";!eh"tet was in the 1or* o1 a *an who possessed great strength,
with the 1a+e o1 a haw2I and he was +rowned with the hite
/rown,&FN)$D, and the .ed /rown,&FN)$C, and the two pl"*es, and the
8rerit /rown, and there were two "raei "pon his head. His hand grasped
1ir*ly his harpoon to slay the hippopota*"s, whi+h was &as hard, as the
2hene*&FN)$B, stone in its *o"ntain bed.
&FN)$D, The /rown o1 the So"th.
&FN)$C, The /rown o1 the North.
&FN)$B, A 2ind o1 3asper ELF.
And .a said "nto Thoth, (6ndeed &Her";,!eh"tet is li2e a 4aster;1ighter
in the sla"ghter o1 his ene*ies . . . . . .(
And Thoth said "nto .a, (He shall be +alled >Neb;Aha">( Ei.e., 4aster;
1ighterFI and 1or this reason he hath been th"s +alled by the priest o1
this god "nto this day.
And 6sis *ade in+antations o1 e0ery 2ind in order to dri0e away the
1iend .a 1ro* An;r"t;1, and 1ro* the Great God in this pla+e. And
Thoth said &"nto .a,, (The priestess o1 this god shall be +alled by the
na*e o1 >Nebt;He2a> 1or this reason.(
And Thoth said "nto .a, (!ea"ti1"l, bea"ti1"l is this pla+e wherein
tho" hast ta2en "p thy seat, 2eeping wat+h, as 1or a 2ing, o0er the
Great God who is in An;r"t;1&FN)$9, in pea+e.(
&FN)$9, i.e., Osiris.
And Thoth said, (This Great Ho"se in this pla+e shall there1ore be
+alled >Ast;Ne1ert>&FN)$A, 1ro* this day. 6t is sit"ated to the
so"th;west o1 the +ity o1 Nart, and &+o0ereth, a spa+e o1 1o"r
s+hoinoi.( And .a Her";!eh"tet said "nto Thoth, (Hast tho" not
sear+hed thro"gh this water 1or the ene*yL( And Thoth said, (The water
o1 the God;ho"se in this pla+e shall be +alled by the na*e o1 >Heh>
Ei.e., so"ght o"tF.( And .a said, (Thy ship, O Her";!eh"tet, is great
ELF "pon Ant;*er ELF . . . . . . And Thoth said, (The na*e o1 &thy
ship, shall be +alled >8r>, and this strea* shall be +alled >Ant;*er
ELF.>( As +on+erning Eor, nowF the pla+e Ab;!at ELF is sit"ated on the
shore o1 the water. (Ast;ne1ert( is the na*e o1 the Great ho"se, (Neb;
Aha( &is the na*e o1, the priest . . . . . . . . is the na*e o1 the
priestess, (Heh( is the na*e o1 the la2e . . . . . . . &is the na*e, o1
the water, (A*;her;net( is the na*e o1 the holy ELF a+a+ia tree, (Neter
het( is the na*e o1 the do*ain o1 the god, (8r"( is the na*e o1 the
sa+red boat, the gods therein are Her";!eh"tet, the s*iter o1 the
lands, Hor"s, the son o1 6sis &and, Osiris . . . . . . . . his
bla+2s*iths&FN)$$, are to hi*, and those who are in his 1ollowing are
to hi* in his territory, with his *etal lan+e, with his &*a+e,, with
his dagger, and with all his +hains Eor, 1ettersF whi+h are in the +ity
o1 Her";!eh"tet.
&FN)$A, i.e., (!ea"ti1"l -la+e.(
&FN)$$, Or perhaps 1ighting *en who were ar*ed with *etal weapons.
&And when he had rea+hed the land o1 the North with his 1ollowers, he
1o"nd the ene*y., Now as 1or the bla+2s*iths who were o0er the *iddle
regions, they *ade a great sla"ghter o1 the ene*y, and there were
bro"ght ba+2 one h"ndred and six o1 the*. Now as 1or the bla+2s*iths
o1 the est, they bro"ght ba+2 one h"ndred and six o1 the ene*y. Now
as 1or the bla+2s*iths o1 the East, a*ong who* was Her";!eh"tet, he
slew the* Ei.e., the ene*yF in the presen+e o1 .a in the 4iddle
Do*ains.&FN)#@@,
&FN)#@@, 6n the s+"lpt"res ENa0ille, 4ythe, pl. #9F Her";!eh"tet is
seen standing in a boat spearing a +ro+odile, and i**ediately behind d
hi* in the boat is .a;Har*a+his in his shrine. The 4esenti" o1 the
est are represented by an ar*ed warrior in a boat, who is spearing a
+ro+odile, and leads the way 1or Her";!eh"tet. 6n a boat behind the
great god is a representati0e o1 the 4esenti" o1 the East spearing a
+ro+odile.
And .a, said "nto Thoth, (4y heart &is satis1ied, with the wor2s o1
these bla+2s*iths o1 Her";!eh"tet who are in his bodyg"ard. They shall
dwell in san+t"aries, and libations and p"ri1i+ations and o11erings
shall be *ade to their i*ages, and &there shall be appointed 1or the*,
priests who shall *inister by the *onth, and priests who shall *inister
by the ho"r, in all their God;ho"ses whatsoe0er, as their reward
be+a"se they ha0e slain the ene*ies o1 the god.(
And Thoth said, (The &4iddle, Do*ains shall be +alled a1ter the na*es
o1 these bla+2s*iths 1ro* this day onwards, and the god who dwelleth
a*ong the*, Her";!eh"tet, shall be +alled the >Lord o1 4esent> 1ro*
this day onwards, and the do*ain shall be +alled >4esent o1 the est>
1ro* this day onwards.(
As +on+erning 4esent o1 the est, the 1a+e Eor, 1rontF thereo1 shall be
towards &the East,, towards the pla+e where .a riseth, and this 4esent
shall be +alled (4esent o1 the East( 1ro* this day onwards. As
+on+erning the do"ble town o1 4esent, the wor2 o1 these bla+2s*iths o1
the East, the 1a+e Eor, 1rontF thereo1 shall be towards the So"th,
towards the +ity o1 !eh"tet, the hiding;pla+e o1 Her";!eh"tet. And
there shall be per1or*ed therein all the rites and +ere*onies o1 Her";
!eh"tet on the se+ond day o1 the 1irst *onth&FN)#@#, o1 the season o1
A2het, and on the twenty;1o"rth day o1 the 1o"rth *onth&FN)#@%, o1 the
season o1 A2het, and on the se0enth day o1 the 1irst *onth&FN)#@J, o1
the season -ert, and on the twenty;1irst day o1 the se+ond
*onth&FN)#@D, o1 the season -ert, 1ro* this day onwards. Their strea*
shall be +alled (Asti,( the na*e o1 their Great Ho"se shall be +alled
(Abet,( the &priest ELF, shall be +alled (Qen;aha,( and their do*ain
shall be +alled (:a";4esent( 1ro* this day onwards.
&FN)#@#, The *onth Thoth.
&FN)#@%, The *onth /hoia2.
&FN)#@J, The *onth Tybi.
&FN)#@D, The *o"th 4e+hir.
?<666. And .a said "nto Her";!eh"tet, (These ene*ies ha0e sailed "p
the ri0er, to the +o"ntry o1 Setet, to the end o1 the pillar;ho"se o1
Hat, and they ha0e sailed "p the ri0er to the east, to the +o"ntry or
T+halt Eor, T+hartF,&FN)#@C, whi+h is their region o1 swa*ps.( And
Her";!eh"tet said, (E0erything whi+h tho" hast +o**anded hath +o*e to
pass, .a, Lord o1 the GodsI tho" art the lord o1 +o**ands.( And they
"ntied the !oat o1 .a, and they sailed "p the ri0er to the east. Then
he loo2ed "pon those ene*ies whereo1 so*e o1 the* had 1allen into the
sea Eor, ri0erF, and the others had 1allen headlong on the *o"ntains.
&FN)#@C, Goan;Tanis.
And Her";!eh"tet trans1or*ed hi*sel1 into a lion whi+h had the 1a+e o1
a *an, and whi+h was +rowned with the triple +rown.&FN)#@B, His paw
was li2e "nto a 1lint 2ni1e, and he went ro"nd and ro"nd by the side o1
the*, and bro"ght ba+2 one h"ndred and 1orty;two &o1 the ene*y,, and be
rent the* in pie+es with his +laws. He tore o"t their tong"es, and
their blood 1lowed on the ridges o1 the land in this pla+eI and he *ade
the* the property o1 those who were in his 1ollowing &whilst, he was
"pon the *o"ntains.
&FN)#@B, 6n the s+"lpt"re ENa0ille, 4ythe, pl. #AF, we see a
representation o1 this lion, whi+h is standing o0er the bodies o1 slain
ene*ies "pon a re+tang"lar pedestal, or blo+2.
And .a said "nto Thoth, (!ehold, Her";!eh"tet is li2e "nto a lion in
his lair &when, he is on the ba+2 o1 the ene*y who ha0e gi0en "nto hi*
their tong"es.(
And Thoth said, (This do*ain shall be +alled >:hent;abt,> and it shall
&also, be +alled >T+halt> Eor, T+hartF 1ro* this day onwards. And the
bringing o1 the tong"es 1ro* the re*ote pla+es o1 T+halt Eor, T+hartF
&shall be +o**e*orated, 1ro* this day onwards. And this god shall be
+alled >Her";!eh"tet, Lord o1 4esent,> 1ro* this day onwards.(
And .a said "nto Her";!eh"tet, (Let "s sail to the so"th "p the ri0er,
and let "s s*ite the ene*ies &who are, in the 1or*s o1 +ro+odiles and
hippopota*i in the 1a+e o1 Egypt.(
And Her";!eh"tet said, (Thy di0ine :a, O .a, Lord o1 the godsP Let "s
sail "p the ri0er against the re*ainder;;one third;;o1 the ene*ies who
are in the water Eor, ri0erF.( Then Thoth re+ited the /hapters o1
prote+ting the !oat &o1 .a, and the boats o1 the bla+2s*iths, &whi+h he
"sed, 1or *a2ing tran5"il the sea at the *o*ent when a stor* was raging
on it.
And .a said "nto Thoth, (Ha0e we not 3o"rneyed thro"gho"t the whole
landL Shall we not 3o"rney +o0er the whole sea in li2e *annerL( And
Thoth said, (This water shall be +alled the >Sea o1 3o"rneying,> 1ro*
this day onward.(
And they sailed abo"t o0er the water d"ring the night, and they did not
see any o1 those ene*ies at all.
Then they *ade a 3o"rney 1orth and arri0ed in the +o"ntry o1 Ta;
sti,&FN)#@9, at the town o1 Shas;hertet, and he per+ei0ed the *ost able
o1 their ene*ies in the +o"ntry o1 8a"a,&FN)#@A, and they were "ttering
treason against Hor"s their Lord.
&FN)#@9, Northern N"biaI the na*e *eans (Land o1 the !ow.(
&FN)#@A, A portion o1 Northern N"bia.
And Her";!eh"t +hanged his 1or* into that o1 the inged Dis2, &and too2
his pla+e, abo0e the bow o1 the !oat o1 .a. And he *ade the goddess
Ne2hebit&FN)#@$, and the goddess 8at+hit&FN)##@, to be with hi* in the
1or* o1 serpents, so that they *ight *a2e the Seba" 1iends to 5"a2e in
&all, their li*bs Eor, bodiesF. Their boldness Ei.e., that o1 the
1iendsF s"bsided thro"gh the 1ear o1 hi*, they *ade no resistan+e
whatsoe0er, and they died straightway.
&FN)#@$, The goddess o1 the So"th.
&FN)##@, The goddess o1 the North.
Then the gods who were in the 1ollowing o1 the !oat o1 Her";2h"ti said,
(Great, great is that whi+h he hath done a*ong the* by *eans o1 the two
Serpent Goddesses,&FN)###, 1or he hath o0erthrown the ene*y by *eans o1
their 1ear o1 hi*.(
&FN)###, i.e., Ne2hebit and 8at+hit.
And .a Her";2h"ti said, (The great one o1 the two Serpent Goddesses o1
Her";!eh"tet shall be +alled >8r;8at+hti>&FN)##%, 1ro* this day
onwards.(
&FN)##%, (Great one o1 the Two 8raei;goddessesI( these goddesses had
their pla+es abo0e the brow o1 the god, or at the right and le1t o1 the
solar dis2.
?6?. And Her";2h"ti tra0elled on in his boat, and landed at the +ity
o1 Thes;Her" EApollinopolis 4agnaF. And Thoth said, (The being o1
light who hath +o*e 1orth 1ro* the hori7on hath s*itten the ene*y in
the 1or* whi+h he hath *ade, and he shall be +alled !eing o1 light who
hath +o*e 1orth 1ro* the hori7on 1ro* this day onwards.(&FN)##J,
&FN)##J, 6n the s+"lpt"re ENa0ille, 4ythe, pl. #$F we see the god, who
is haw2;headed, and wears the +rowns o1 the So"th and North, seated in
a shrine set "pon a pedestal. 6n the right hand he holds the s+eptre
and in the le1t the an2h.
And .a Her";2h"ti E.a Har*a+hisF said to Thoth, (Tho" shalt *a2e this
inged Dis2 to be in e0ery pla+e wherein 6 seat *ysel1 Eor, dwellF, and
in &all, the seats o1 the gods in the So"th, and in &all, the seats o1
the gods in the Land o1 the North . . . . . . . in the /o"ntry o1
Hor"s, that it *ay dri0e away the e0il ones 1ro* their do*ains.(
Then Thoth *ade the i*age o1 the inged Dis2 to be in e0ery san+t"ary
and in e0ery te*ple, where they now are, wherein are all the gods and
all the goddesses 1ro* this day onwards. Now thro"gh the inged Dis2
whi+h is on the te*ple;b"ildings o1 all the gods and all the goddesses
o1 the Land o1 the Lily,&FN)##D, and the Land o1 the -apyr"s,&FN)##C,
&these b"ildings, be+o*e shrines o1 Her";!eh"tet.
&FN)##D, i.e., the North, espe+ially the Delta.
&FN)##C, i.e., the So"th.
As +on+erning Her";!eh"tet, the great god, the lord o1 hea0en, the
president o1 the Ater o1 the So"th,&FN)##B, he it is who is *ade to be
on the right hand. This is Her";!eh"tet on who* the goddess Ne2hebit
is pla+ed in the 1or* o1 a serpent Eor, "rae"sF. As +on+erning Her";
!eh"tet, the great god, the lord o1 hea0en, the lord o1 4esent, the
president o1 the Ater o1 the North,&FN)##9, he it is who is *ade to be
on the le1t hand. This Her";!eh"tet on who* the goddess 8at+hit is
pla+ed is in the 1or* o1 a serpent.
&FN)##B, i.e., the so"thern hal1 o1 hea0en.
&FN)##9, i.e., the northern hal1 o1 hea0en.
As +on+erning Her";!eh"tet, the great god, the lord o1 hea0en, the lord
o1 4esent, the president o1 the two Aterti o1 the So"th and North, .a
Her";2h"ti set it Ei.e., the inged Dis2F in his e0ery pla+e, to
o0erthrow the ene*ies in e0ery pla+e wherein they are. And he shall be
+alled -resident o1 the two Aterti o1 the So"th and North be+a"se o1
this 1ro* this day onwards.&FN)##A,
&FN)##A, 6n the s+"lpt"re whi+h ill"strates this portion o1 the text
at Ed1", two inged Dis2s are represented. The 1irst has )))) on ea+h
side o1 it. The dis2 has an "rae"s on ea+h side. The se+ond winged
sy*bol o1 the god +onsists o1 a beetle with o"tstret+hed wings, whi+h
holds between his 1orelegs the solar dis2, and between his hind legs
the sy*bol o1 the orbit o1 the s"n.
A H=4N TO OS6.6S AND A LEGEND OF THE O.6G6N OF HO.8S.
Ho*age to thee, Osiris, Lord o1 eternity, :ing o1 the gods, whose na*es
are *ani1old, whose trans1or*ations are s"bli*e, whose 1or* is hidden
in the te*ples whose :a is holy, the Go0ernor o1 Tet"t,&FN)##$, the
*ighty one o1 possessions ELFin the shrine,&FN)#%@, the Lord o1
praises&FN)#%#, in the no*e o1 Anet+h,&FN)#%%, -resident o1 the t+he1a
1ood in An",&FN)#%J, Lord who art +o**e*orated in &the town o1,
4aati,&FN)#%D, the *ysterio"s Eor, hiddenF So"l, the Lord o1
Qerret,&FN)#%C, the s"bli*e one in hite all,&FN)#%B, the So"l o1 .a
&and, his 0ery body, who hast thy dwelling in Henens",&FN)#%9, the
bene1i+ent one, who art praised in Nart,&FN)#%A, who *a2est to rise "p
thy So"l, Lord o1 the Great Ho"se in the +ity&FN)#%$, o1 the Eight
Gods,&FN)#J@, &who inspirest, great terror in Shas;hetep,&FN)#J#, Lord
o1 eternity, Go0ernor o1 Abt" EAbydosF.
&FN)##$, 4ore 1"lly -a;Asar;neb;Tet"t, the !"siris o1 the Gree2sI
!"siris R -a;Asar, (Ho"se o1 Osiris,( par ex+ellen+e. The 0ariant
Tata"t also o++"rs.
&FN)#%@, An all"sion, perhaps, to the town Se2he*, the +apital o1 the
se+ond no*e ELetopolitesF o1 Lower Egypt.
&FN)#%#, i.e., lord whose praises are s"ng.
&FN)#%%, Letopolites.
&FN)#%J, Heliopolis.
&FN)#%D, i.e., a 1a*o"s san+t"ary in the Letopolite no*e where -tah
was worshipped.
&FN)#%C, The region o1 the First /atara+t, where the Nile was belie0ed
to rise.
&FN)#%B, 4e*phis.
&FN)#%9, Hera2leopolis, the Shbw ?aNeSK o1 6saiah.
&FN)#%A, A na*e o1 Hera2leopolis.
&FN)#%$, :he*en" or Her*opolis, the +ity o1 Thoth.
&FN)#J@, These gods were' N" and N"tI Heh" and Heh"tI :e2"i and
:e2"itI :erh and :erhet.
&FN)#J#, The +apital o1 Set, the ele0enth no*e o1 8pper EgyptI the
+hie1 lo+al deity was :hne*".
Thy seat Eor, do*ainF rea+heth 1ar into Ta;t+hesert,&FN)#J%, and thy
na*e is 1ir*ly stablished in the *o"th&s, o1 *en. Tho" art the two;
1old s"bstan+e o1 the Two Lands&FN)#JJ, e0erywhere ELF, and the di0ine
1ood Et+he1F o1 the :a",&FN)#JD, the Go0ernor o1 the /o*panies&FN)#JC,
o1 the Gods, and the bene1i+ent Eor, per1e+tF Spirit;so"l&FN)#JB, a*ong
Spirit;so"ls. The god N" draweth his waters 1ro* thee,&FN)#J9, and
tho" bringest 1orth the north wind at e0entide, and wind 1ro* thy
nostrils to the satis1a+tion o1 thy heart. Thy heart 1lo"risheth, and
tho" bringest 1orth the splendo"r o1 t+he1 1ood.
&FN)#J%, A na*e o1 the Other orld.
&FN)#JJ, i.e., the two Egypts, 8pper and Lower.
&FN)#JD, The Do"bles o1 the beati1ied who are 1ed by Osiris in the
Other orld.
&FN)#JC, Three /o*panies are disting"ished' the gods o1 Hea0en, the
gods o1 Earth, and the gods o1 the Other orld.
&FN)#JB, The indestr"+tible, i**ortal Spirit;so"l as opposed to the
!a;so"l or ani*al;so"l.
&FN)#J9, Here and in other pla+es 6 ha0e +hanged the prono"n o1 the
third person into that o1 the se+ond to a0oid the abr"pt +hanges o1 the
original.
The height o1 hea0en and the stars &thereo1, are obedient "nto thee,
and tho" *a2est to be opened the great gates &o1 the s2y,. Tho" art
the lord to who* praises are s"ng in the so"thern hea0en, tho" art he
to who* than2s are gi0en in the northern hea0en. The stars whi+h ne0er
di*inish are "nder the pla+e o1 thy 1a+e,&FN)#JA, and thy seats are the
stars whi+h ne0er rest.&FN)#J$, O11erings appear be1ore thee by the
+o**and o1 :eb. The /o*panies o1 the Gods as+ribe praise "nto thee,
the Star;gods o1 the T"at s*ell the earth be1ore thee,&FN)#D@, the
do*ains &*a2e, bowings &be1ore thee,, and the ends o1 the earth *a2e
s"ppli+ation to thee &when, they see thee.
&FN)#JA, i.e., they are "nder thy inspe+tion and +are.
&FN)#J$, i.e., the stars whi+h ne0er set. The all"sion is probably to
+ertain +ir+"*polar stars.
&FN)#D@, i.e., do ho*age.
Those who are a*ong the holy ones are in terror o1 hi*, and the Two
Lands, all o1 the*, *a2e a++la*ations to hi* when they *eet His
4a3esty. Tho" art a shining Noble at the head o1 the nobles, per*anent
in &thy, high ran2, stablished in &thy, so0ereignty, the bene1i+ent
-ower o1 the /o*pany o1 the Gods. ell;pleasing &is thy, 1a+e, and
tho" art belo0ed by hi* that seeth thee. Tho" settest the 1ear o1 thee
in all lands, and be+a"se o1 their lo0e 1or thee &*en, hold thy na*e to
be pre;e*inent. E0ery *an *a2eth o11erings "nto thee, and tho" art the
Lord who is +o**e*orated in hea0en and "pon earth. 4ani1old are the
+ries o1 a++la*ation to thee in the 8a2&FN)#D#, 1esti0al, and the Two
Lands sho"t 3oyo"sly to thee with one a++ord. Tho" art the eldest, the
1irst o1 thy brethren, the -rin+e o1 the /o*pany o1 the Gods, and the
stablisher o1 Tr"th thro"gho"t the Two Lands. Tho" settest &thy, son
"pon the great throne o1 his 1ather :eb. Tho" art the belo0ed one o1
thy *other N"t, whose 0alo"r is *ost *ighty &when, tho" o0erthrowest
the Seba Fiend. Tho" hast sla"ghtered thy ene*y, and hast p"t the 1ear
o1 thee into thy Ad0ersary.
&FN)#D#, One o1 the +hie1 1esti0als o1 Osiris, d"ring whi+h the god
*ade a peripl"s.
Tho" art the bringer in o1 the re*otest bo"ndaries, and art stable o1
heart, and thy two 1eet are li1ted "p ELFI tho" art the heir o1 :eb and
o1 the so0ereignty o1 the Two Lands, and he Ei.e., :ebF hath seen thy
splendid 5"alities, and hath +o**anded thee to g"ide the lands Ei.e.,
the worldF by thy hand so long as ti*es &and seasons, end"re.
Tho" hast *ade this earth with thy hand, the waters thereo1, the winds
thereo1, the trees and herbs thereo1, the +attle thereo1 o1 e0ery 2ind,
the birds thereo1 o1 e0ery 2ind, the 1ish thereo1 o1 e0ery 2ind, the
+reeping things thereo1, and the 1o"r;1ooted beasts thereo1. The land
o1 the desert&FN)#D%, belongeth by right to the son o1 N"t, and the Two
Lands ha0e +ontent*ent in *a2ing hi* to rise&FN)#DJ, "pon the throne o1
his 1ather li2e .a.
&FN)#D%, This *ay also represent the *o"ntaino"s distri+ts o1 Egypt,
or e0en 1oreign +o"ntries in general.
&FN)#DJ, To *a2e hi* rise li2e the s"n, or to enthrone hi*.
Tho" rollest "p into the hori7on, tho" settest the light abo0e the
dar2ness, tho" ill"*inest &the Two Lands, with the light 1ro* thy two
pl"*es, tho" 1loodest the Two Lands li2e the Dis2 at the beginning o1
the dawn. Thy hite /rown pier+eth the height o1 hea0en sal"ting the
stars,&FN)#DD, tho" art the g"ide o1 e0ery god. Tho" art
per1e+t&FN)#DC, in +o**and and word. Tho" art the 1a0o"red one o1 the
Great /o*pany o1 the Gods, and tho" art the belo0ed one o1 the Little
/o*pany o1 the Gods.
&FN)#DD, Or, (be+o*ing a brother to the stars,( or the Star;gods.
&FN)#DC, Or, bene1i+ent.
Thy sister &6sis, a+ted as a prote+tress to thee. She dro0e &thy,
ene*ies away, she a0erted seasons &o1 +ala*ity 1ro* thee,, she re+ited
the word Eor, 1or*"laF with the *agi+al power o1 her *o"th, &being,
s2illed o1 tong"e and ne0er halting 1or a word, being per1e+t in
+o**and and word. 6sis the *agi+ian a0enged her brother. She went
abo"t see2ing 1or hi* "ntiringly.
She 1lew ro"nd and ro"nd o0er this earth "ttering wailing +ries o1
grie1, and she did not alight on the gro"nd "ntil she had 1o"nd hi*.
She *ade light &to +o*e 1orth, 1ro* her 1eathers, she *ade air to +o*e
into being by *eans o1 her two wings, and she +ried o"t the death +ries
1or her brother. She *ade to rise "p the helpless *e*bers o1 hi* whose
heart was at rest, she drew 1ro* hi* his essen+e, and she *ade
there1ro* an heir. She s"+2led the +hild in solitariness and none 2new
where his pla+e was, and he grew in strength. His hand is *ighty Eor,
0i+torio"sF within the ho"se o1 :eb, and the /o*pany o1 the Gods
re3oi+e greatly at the +o*ing o1 Hor"s, the son o1 Osiris, whose heart
is 1ir*ly stablished, the tri"*phant one, the son o1 6sis, the 1lesh
and bone o1 Osiris. The T+hat+ha&FN)#DB, o1 Tr"th, and the /o*pany o1
the Gods, and Neb;er;t+her&FN)#D9, hi*sel1, and the Lords o1 Tr"th,
gather together to hi*, and asse*ble therein.&FN)#DA, <erily those who
de1eat ini5"ity re3oi+e&FN)#D$, in the Ho"se o1 :eb to bestow the
di0ine ran2 and dignity "pon hi* to who* it belongeth, and the
so0ereignty "pon hi* whose it is by right.
&FN)#DB, Literally, the (Heads,( 6.e., the di0ine so0ereign /hie1s at
the +o"rt o1 Osiris, who a+ted as ad*inistrators o1 the god, and e0en
as tas2;*asters.
&FN)#D9, (He who is the lord to the end Eor, li*itF o1 the world,( a
na*e o1 Osiris.
&FN)#DA, i.e., in the Ho"se o1 :eb.
&FN)#D$, Or perhaps (ta2e their seats in the Ho"se o1 :eb.(
A LEGEND OF -TAH NEFE.;HETE- AND THE -.6N/ESS OF !E:HTEN.
The Hor"s' (4ighty !"ll, the 1or*ELF o1 risings&FN)#C@,, stablished in
so0ereignty li2e Te*.( The Golden Hor"s' (4ighty one o1
strength&FN)#C#,, destroyer o1 the Nine Nations o1 the !ow.(&FN)#C%,
:ing o1 the So"th and North' (The Lord o1 the Two Lands, 8ser;4aat;.a;
setep;en;.a Son o1 .a' O1 his body, .a;*eses;*eri;A*en, o1 A*en;
.aI&FN)#CJ, the Lord o1 the thrones o1 the Two Lands, and o1 the
/o*pany o1 the Gods, the Lords o1 Thebes, the belo0ed one. The
bene1i+ent god, the son o1 A*en, born o1 4"t, begotten o1 Her";2h"ti,
the glorio"s o11spring o1 Neb;t+hert,&FN)#CD, begetting &as, the !"ll
o1 his 4other, &FN)#CC, 2ing o1 Egypt, Go0ernor o1 the deserts, the
So0ereign who hath ta2en possession o1 the Nine Nations o1 the !owI
&who, on +o*ing 1orth 1ro* the wo*b ordained *ighty things, who ga0e
+o**ands whilst he was in the egg, the !"ll, stable o1 heart, who hath
sent 1orth his seedI the 2ing who is a b"ll, &and, a god who +o*eth
1orth on the day o1 battle li2e 4enth",&FN)#CB, the *ighty one o1
strength li2e the son o1 N"t.(&FN)#C9,
&FN)#C@, i.e., the i*age who rises li2e the s"n day by day, or the
i*age o1 &*any, +rowns.
&FN)#C#, Or, *ighty one o1 the thigh, i.e., he o1 the *ighty thigh.
&FN)#C%, The nations o1 N"bia who 1o"ght with bows and arrows.
&FN)#CJ, 6n this 0ersion o1 the proto+ol o1 .a*eses 66. the se+ond
(strong na*e( o1 the 2ing is o*itted.
&FN)#CD, i.e., Neb;er;t+her.
&FN)#CC, :a;*"t;1, the Sgree2 2a*hT1i+K o1 the Gree2s.
&FN)#CB, The ar;god o1 Thebes.
&FN)#C9, i.e., Osiris.
!ehold, His 4a3esty was in the +o"ntry o1 Neher"&FN)#CA, a++ording to
his +"sto* e0ery year, and the +hie1s o1 e0ery land, e0en as 1ar as the
swa*ps, +a*e &to pay, ho*age, bearing o11erings to the So"ls o1 His
4a3estyI and they bro"ght their gi1ts, gold, lapis;la7"li, t"r5"oise,
bars o1 wood o1 e0ery 2ind o1 the Land o1 the God,&FN)#C$, on their
ba+2s, and ea+h one s"rpassed his neighbo"r.
&FN)#CA, The (+o"ntry o1 the ri0ers,( the Shbw Aa.a* NaHa.a=i*K o1
Gen. xxi0. #@, the )))) o1 Syrian writers.
&FN)#C$, A na*e in+l"ding estern Asia and a portion o1 the East /oast
o1 A1ri+a.
And the -rin+e o1 !e2hten &also, +a"sed his gi1ts to be bro"ght, and he
set his eldest da"ghter at the head o1 the* all, and he addressed words
o1 praise to His 4a3esty, and prayed to hi* 1or his li1e. And the
*aiden was bea"ti1"l, and His 4a3esty +onsidered her to be the *ost
lo0ely &wo*an, in the world, and he wrote down as her title, (Great
.oyal i1e, .a;ne1er"(I and when His 4a3esty arri0ed in Egypt, he did
1or her whatsoe0er was done 1or the .oyal i1e.
On the twenty;se+ond day o1 the se+ond *onth o1 the season o1
She*",&FN)#B@, in the 1i1teenth year &o1 his reign,, behold, His
4a3esty was in Thebes, the 4ighty &+ity,, the 4istress o1 +ities,
per1or*ing the praises o1 Father A*en, the Lord o1 the thrones o1 the
Two Lands, in his bea"ti1"l Festi0al o1 the So"thern Apt,&FN)#B#, whi+h
was the seat o1 his heart Ei.e., the +hosen spotF 1ro* pri*ae0al ti*e,
&when, one +a*e to say to His 4a3esty, (An a*bassador o1 the -rin+e o1
!e2hten hath arri0ed bearing *any gi1ts 1or the .oyal i1e.(
&FN)#B@, The s"**er. The /opts +alled the se+ond *onth o1 this season
-aoni.
&FN)#B#, The *odern Te*ple o1 L"xor.
And ha0ing been bro"ght into the presen+e o1 His 4a3esty with his
gi1ts, he spa2e words o1 adoration to His 4a3esty, saying, (-raise be
"nto thee, O tho" S"n E.aF o1 the Nine Nations o1 the !ow, per*it "s to
li0e be1ore theeP( And when he had spo2en, and had s*elt the earth
be1ore His 4a3esty, he +ontin"ed his spee+h be1ore His 4a3esty, saying,
(6 ha0e +o*e "nto thee, *y :ing and Lord, on behal1 o1 !ent;.esht, the
yo"nger sister o1 the .oyal i1e .a;ne1er". &So*e, disease hath
penetrated into her *e*bers, and 6 besee+h Thy 4a3esty to send a *an o1
learning to see her.(
And His 4a3esty said, (!ring to *e the *agi+ians Eor, s+ribesF o1 the
Ho"se o1 Li1e, and the nobles o1 the pala+e.( And ha0ing been bro"ght
into his presen+e straightway, His 4a3esty said "nto the*, (!ehold, 6
ha0e +a"sed yo" to be s"**oned &hither, in order that ye *ay hear this
*atter. Now bring to *e &one, o1 yo"r +o*pany whose heart is
wise&FN)#B%,, and whose 1ingers are de1t.( And the royal s+ribe
Teh"ti;e*;heb +a*e into the presen+e o1 His 4a3esty, and His 4a3esty
+o**anded hi* to depart to !e2hten with that a*bassador.
&FN)#B%, Or, a s2illed +ra1ts*an.
And when the *an o1 learning had arri0ed in !e2hten, he 1o"nd !ent;
.esht in the +ondition o1 a wo*an who is possessed by a spirit, and he
1o"nd #% this spirit to be an e0il one, and to be hostile in his
disposition towards hi*.
And the -rin+e o1 !e2hten sent a *essenger a se+ond ti*e into the
presen+e o1 His 4a3esty, saying, (O :ing, *y Lord, 6 pray His Ei.e.,
ThyF 4a3esty to +o**and that a god be bro"ght hither to +ontend
against the spirit.(
Now when the *essenger +a*e to His 4a3esty in the 1irst *onth&FN)#BJ,
o1 the season o1 She*", in the twenty;sixth year &o1 his reign,, on the
day whi+h +oin+ided with that o1 the Festi0al o1 A*en, His 4a3esty was
in the pala+e Eor, te*pleLF o1 Thebes. And His 4a3esty spa2e a se+ond
ti*e&FN)#BD, in the presen+e o1 :hens" in Thebes, &+alled, (Ne1er;
Hetep,( saying, (O *y 1air Lord, 6 present *ysel1 be1ore thee a se+ond
ti*e on behal1 o1 the da"ghter o1 the -rin+e o1 !e2hten.( Then :hens",
in Thebes, &+alled, (Ne1er;Hetep(, was +arried to :hens", &+alled, (-a;
ari;se2her,( the great god who dri0eth away the spirits whi+h atta+2.
And His 4a3esty spa2e be1ore :hens" in Thebes, &+alled, (Ne1er;Hetep,(
saying, (O *y 1air Lord, i1 tho" wilt gi0e Ei.e., t"rnF thy 1a+e to
:hens", &+alled, >-a;ari;se2her,> the great god who dri0eth away the
spirits whi+h atta+2, per*it tho" that he *ay depart to !e2htenI( &and
the god, in+lined his head with a deep in+lination twi+e. And His
4a3esty said, (Let, 6 pray, thy prote+ti0e Eor, *agi+alF power &go,
with hi*, so that 6 *ay *a2e His 4a3esty to go to !e2hten to deli0er
the da"ghter o1 the -rin+e o1 !e2hten &1ro* the spirit,.(
&FN)#BJ, The *onth -a2hon o1 the /opts.
&FN)#BD, The text *a2es no *ention o1 the 1irst appli+ation to :hens".
And :hens" in Thebes, &+alled, (Ne1er;Hetep,( in+lined his head with a
deep in+lination twi+e. And he *ade &his, prote+ti0e power to pass
into :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast,( in a 1o"r1old *eas"re.
Then His 4a3esty +o**anded that :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;
8ast,( sho"ld set o"t on his 3o"rney in a great boat, &a++o*panied by,
1i0e s*aller boats, and +hariots, and a large n"*ber o1 horses &whi+h
*ar+hed, on the right side and on the le1t.
And when this god arri0ed in !e2hten at the end o1 a period o1 one year
and 1i0e *onths, the -rin+e o1 !e2hten +a*e 1orth with his soldiers and
his +hie1&s, be1ore :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her,( and he +ast
hi*sel1 down "pon his belly, saying, (Tho" hast +o*e to "s, and tho"
art wel+o*ed by "s, by the +o**ands o1 the :ing o1 the So"th and North,
8ser;4aat;.a;setep;en;.aP(
And when this god had passed o0er to the pla+e where !ent;.esht was, he
wor2ed "pon the da"ghter o1 the -rin+e o1 !e2hten with his *agi+al
power, and she be+a*e better Ei.e., was healedF straightway. And this
spirit whi+h had been with her said, in the presen+e o1 :hens",
&+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast,( (/o*e in pea+e Ei.e., el+o*ePF, O
great god, who dost dri0e away the spirits whi+h atta+2P !e2hten is
thy +ity, the people thereo1, both *en and wo*en, are thy Eser0ants,
and 6 *ysel1 a* thy ser0ant. 6 will &now, depart "nto the pla+e when+e
6 +a*e, so that 6 *ay +a"se thy heart to be +ontent abo"t the *atter
+on+erning whi+h tho" hast +o*e. 6 pray that Thy 4a3esty will +o**and
that a happy day Ei.e., a 1esti0al, or day o1 re3oi+ingF be *ade with
*e, and with the -rin+e o1 !e2hten.( And this god in+lined his head
&in appro0al, to his priest, saying, (Let the -rin+e o1 !e2hten *a2e a
great o11ering in the Epresen+e o1 this spirit.(
Now
hilst :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast,( was arranging
these &things, with the spirit, the -rin+e o1 !e2hten and his soldiers
were standing there, and they 1eared with an ex+eedingly great 1ear.
And the -rin+e o1 !e2hten *ade a great o11ering in the presen+e o1
:hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast,( and the spirit o1 the -rin+e
o1 !e2hten, and he *ade a happy day Ei.e., 1esti0alF on their behal1,
and &then, the spirit departed in pea+e "nto the pla+e whi+h he lo0ed,
by the +o**and o1 :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast.( And the
-rin+e o1 !e2hten, and e0ery person who was in the +o"ntry o1 !e2hten,
re3oi+ed 0ery greatly, and he too2 +o"nsel with his heart, saying, (6t
hath happened that this god hath been gi0en as a gi1t to !e2hten, and 6
will not per*it hi* to depart to Egypt.(
And &when, this god had tarried 1or three years and nine *onths in
!e2hten, the -rin+e o1 !e2hten, who was lying down asleep on his bed,
saw this god +o*e 1orth o"tside his shrine Enow he was in the 1or* o1 a
golden haw2F, and he 1lew "p into the hea0ens and departed to EgyptI
and when the -rin+e wo2e "p he was tre*bling. And he said "nto the
prophet o1 :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast,( (This god who
tarried with "s hath departed to EgyptI let his +hariot also depart to
Egypt.(
And the -rin+e o1 !e2hten per*itted &the i*age o1, the god to set o"t
1or Egypt, and he ga0e hi* *any great gi1ts o1 bea"ti1"l things o1 all
2inds, and a large n"*ber o1 soldiers and horses &went with hi*,. And
when they had arri0ed in pea+e in Thebes, :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;
se2her;e*;8ast,( went into the Te*ple o1 :hens" in Thebes, &+alled,
(Ne1er;Hetep,( and he pla+ed the o11erings whi+h the -rin+e o1 !e2hten
had gi0en "nto hi*, bea"ti1"l things o1 all 2inds, be1ore :hens" in
Thebes, &+alled, (Ne1er;Hetep,( and he ga0e nothing thereo1 whatsoe0er
to his &own, te*ple.
Th"s :hens", &+alled, (-a;ari;se2her;e*;8ast,( arri0ed in his te*ple in
pea+e, on the nineteenth day o1 the se+ond *onth&FN)#BC, o1 the season
-ert, in the thirty;third year o1 the &reign o1 the, :ing o1 the So"th
and North, 8ser;4aat;en;.a;setep;en;.a, the gi0er o1 li1e, li2e .a, 1or
e0er.
&FN)#BC, The *onth 4e2hir o1 the /optsI the season -ert is the
Egyptian spring.
A LEGEND OF THE GOD :HNE48 AND OF A SE<EN =EA.S> FA46NE.
6n the eighteenth year o1 the Hor"s, Neter;:hat, o1 the :ing o1 the
So"th and North, Neter;:hat, o1 the Lord o1 the Shrines o1 8at+hit and
Ne2hebit, Neter;:hat, o1 the Golden Hor"s T+heser,&FN)#BB, when 4atar
was Ha -rin+e, and Erpa, and Go0ernor o1 the te*ple;+ities in the Land
o1 the So"th, and dire+tor o1 the :henti&FN)#B9, 1ol2 in Abt",&FN)#BA,
there was bro"ght "nto hi* the 1ollowing royal despat+h' (This is to
in1or* thee that *isery hath laid hold "pon *e &as 6 sit, "pon the
great throne by reason o1 those who dwell in the Great Ho"se.&FN)#B$,
4y heart is grie0o"sly a11li+ted by reason o1 the ex+eedingly great e0il
&whi+h hath happened, be+a"se Hapi Ei.e., the NileF hath not +o*e
1orth&FN)#9@, in *y ti*e to the &proper, height 1or se0en years. Grain
is 0ery s+ar+e, 0egetables are la+2ing altogether, e0ery 2ind o1 thing
whi+h *en eat 1or their 1ood hath +eased, and e0ery *an &now, pl"ndereth
(his neighbo"r. 4en wish to wal2, b"t are "nable to *o0e, the +hild
waileth, the yo"ng *an draggeth his li*bs along, and the hearts o1 the
aged 1ol2 are +r"shed with despairI their legs gi0e way "nder the*, and
they sin2 down to the gro"nd, and their hands are laid "pon their bodies
&in pain,. The shenn"&FN)#9#, nobles are destit"te o1 +o"nsel, and
&when, the storeho"ses whi+h sho"ld +ontain s"pplies are opened, there
+o*eth 1orth there1ro* nothing b"t wind. E0erything is in a state o1
r"in. 4y *ind hath re*e*bered, going ba+2 to 1or*er ti*e, when 6 had an
ad0o+ate, to the ti*e o1 the gods, and o1 the 6bis;god, and o1 the +hie1
:her;heb priest 6;e*;hetep,&FN)#9%, the son o1 -tah o1 his So"thern
all.(
&FN)#BB, T+heser was a 2ing o1 the 666rd Dynasty, and is 1a*o"s as the
b"ilder o1 the Step -yra*id at Sa22arah. His to*b was dis+o0ered by
4r. N. Garstang at !et :halla1 in 8pper Egypt in #$@#.
&FN)#B9, i.e., the people who were in 1ront o1, that is, to the So"th
o1 Egypt, or the pop"lation o1 the +o"ntry whi+h lies between Da22ah
and Aswan.
&FN)#BA, The an+ient Egyptian na*e 1or Elephantine 6sland, whi+h
appears to ha0e gained this na*e be+a"se it rese*bled an elephant in
shape.
&FN)#B$, i.e., the pala+e.
&FN)#9@, i.e., risen.
&FN)#9#, i.e., the high +o"rt o11i+ials and ad*inistrators.
&FN)#9%, The 1a*o"s priest and *agi+ian, who was s"bse5"ently dei1ied
and be+a*e one o1 the +hie1 gods o1 4e*phis.
(here is the pla+e o1 birth o1 Hapi Ethe NileFL hat god, or what
goddess, presideth ELF o0er itL hat *anner o1 1or* hath heL 6t is he
who stablisheth re0en"e 1or *e, and a 1"ll store o1 grain. 6 wo"ld go
to the /hie1 o1 Het;Se2het&FN)#9J, whose bene1i+en+e strengtheneth all
*en in their wor2s. 6 wo"ld enter into the Ho"se o1 Li1e,&FN)#9D, 6
wo"ld "n1old the written rolls &therein,, and 6 wo"ld lay *y hand "pon
the*.(
&FN)#9J, Her*opolis.
&FN)#9D, -er;an2h, or -a;an2h, was a na*e gi0en to one o1 the te*ple;
+olleges o1 priests and s+ribes.
Then &4atar, set o"t on his 3o"rney, and he ret"rned to *e straightway.
He ga0e *e instr"+tion +on+erning the in+rease o1 Hapi,&FN)#9C, and
told *e all things whi+h *en had written +on+erning it, and he re0ealed
to *e the se+ret doors ELF whereto *y an+estors had beta2en the*sel0es
5"i+2ly, the li2e o1 whi+h has ne0er been, to &any, 2ing sin+e the ti*e
o1 .a, ELF. And he said "nto *e' (There is a +ity in the *iddle o1 the
strea* where1ro* Hapi *a2eth his appearan+eI (>Ab">&FN)#9B, was its
na*e in the beginningI it is the /ity o1 the !eginning, and it is the
No*e o1 the /ity o1 the !eginning. &6t rea+heth, to 8a"a,&FN)#99,
whi+h is the beginning o1 the land. There is too a 1light o1
steps,&FN)#9A, whi+h reareth itsel1 to a great height, and is the
s"pport o1 .a, when he *a2eth his +al+"lation to prolong li1e to
e0eryoneI >Net+he*t+he* An2h>&FN)#9$, is the na*e o1 its abode. >The
two Qerti>&FN)#A@, is the na*e o1 the water, and they are the two
breasts 1ro* whi+h e0ery good thing +o*eth 1orth ELF.
&FN)#9C, i.e., the 6n"ndation, or Nile Flood.
&FN)#9B, The Elephant /ity, i.e., Elephantine.
&FN)#99, A portion o1 Northern N"bia.
&FN)#9A, This is probably an all"sion to the 1a*o"s Nilo*eter on the
6sland o1 -hilae.
&FN)#9$, i.e., (Sweet, sweet li1e.(
&FN)#A@, The Qerti were the two openings thro"gh whi+h the Nile
entered this world 1ro* the great +elestial o+ean.
(Here is the bed o1 Hapi Ethe NileF, wherein he reneweth his yo"th &in
his season,, wherein he +a"seth the 1looding o1 the land. He +o*eth
and hath "nion as he 3o"rneyeth, as a *an hath "nion with a wo*an. And
again he playeth the part o1 a h"sband and satis1ieth his desire. He
riseth to the height o1 twenty;eight +"bits &at Ab",, and he droppeth
at S*a;!eh"tet&FN)#A#, to se0en +"bits. The "nionELF there is that o1
the god :hne*" in &Ab". He s*iteth the gro"nd, with his sandals, and
&its, 1"lness be+o*eth ab"ndantI he openeth the bolt o1 the door with
his hand, and he throweth open the do"ble door o1 the opening thro"gh
whi+h the water +o*eth.(
&FN)#A#, Diospolis o1 Lower Egypt, or (Thebes o1 the North.(
(4oreo0er, he dwelleth there in the 1or* o1 the god Sh",&FN)#A%, as one
who is lord o0er his own territory, and his ho*estead, the na*e o1
whi+h is >Aa> Ei.e., the >6sland>F. There he 2eepeth an a++o"nt o1 the
prod"+ts o1 the Land o1 the So"th and o1 the Land o1 the North, (in
order to gi0e "nto e0ery god his proper share, and he leadeth to ea+h
&the *etals,, and the &pre+io"s stones, and the 1o"r;1ooted beasts,,
and the 1eathered 1owl, and the 1ish, and e0ery thing whereon they
li0e. And the +ord &1or the *eas"ring o1 the land, and the tablet
whereon the register is 2ept are there.
&FN)#A%, The god who separated the S2y;goddess N"t 1ro* the e*bra+e o1
her h"sband, the Earth;god :eb, and who holds her abo0e hi* ea+h day.
(And there is an edi1i+e o1 wood there, with the portals thereo1 1or*ed
o1 reeds, wherein he dwelleth as one who is o0er his own territory, and
he *a2eth the 1oliage o1 the trees ELF to ser0e as a roo1.
(His God;ho"se hath an opening towards the so"th;east, and .a Eor, the
S"nF standeth i**ediately opposite thereto e0ery day. The strea* whi+h
1loweth along the so"th side thereo1 hath danger &1or hi* that
atta+2eth it,, and it hath as a de1en+e a wall whi+h entereth into the
region o1 the *en o1 :ens&FN)#AJ, on the So"th. H"ge *o"ntains &1illed
with, *asses o1 stone are ro"nd abo"t its do*ain on the east side, and
sh"t it in. Thither +o*e the 5"arry*en with things EtoolsLF o1 e0ery
2ind, &when, they (see2 to b"ild a Ho"se 1or any god in the Land o1 the
So"th, or in the Land o1 the North, or &shrines, as abodes 1or sa+red
ani*als, or royal pyra*ids, and stat"es o1 all 2inds. They stand "p in
1ront o1 the Ho"se o1 the God and in the san+t"ary +ha*ber, and their
sweet s*elling o11erings are presented be1ore the 1a+e o1 the god
:hne*" d"ring his +ir+"it, e0en as &when they bring, (garden herbs and
1lowers o1 e0ery 2ind. The 1ore parts thereo1 are in Ab"
EElephantineF, and the hind parts are in the +ity o1 S"nt ELF.&FN)#AD,
One portion thereo1 is on the east side&FN)#AC, o1 the ri0er, and
another portion is on the west side&FN)#AB, o1 the ri0er, and another
portion is in the *iddle&FN)#A9, o1 the ri0er. The strea* de+2eth the
region with its waters d"ring a +ertain season o1 the year, and it is a
pla+e o1 delight 1or e0ery *an. And wor2s are +arried on a*ong these
5"arries &whi+h are, on the edges &o1 the ri0erL,, (1or the strea*
i**ediately 1a+eth this +ity o1 Ab" itsel1, and there existeth the
granite, the s"bstan+e whereo1 is hard ELFI >Stone o1 Ab"> it is
+alled.
&FN)#AJ, :ens extended so"th 1ro* -hilae as 1ar as :oros2o.
&FN)#AD, -erhaps S"n"t, R the Syene o1 the Gree2s, and the Shbw
S"eNeHK o1 the Hebrews.
&FN)#AC, i.e., Syene.
&FN)#AB, i.e., /ontra Syene.
&FN)#A9, i.e., the 6sland o1 Elephantine.
(&Here is, a list o1 the na*es o1 the gods who dwell in the Di0ine
Ho"se o1 :hne*". The goddess o1 the star Sept ESothisF, the goddess
An5et, Hap Ethe Nile;godF, Sh", :eb, N"t, Osiris, Hor"s, 6sis, and
Nephthys.
(&Here are, (the na*es o1 the stones whi+h lie in the heart o1 the
*o"ntains, so*e on the east side, so*e on the west side, and so*e in
&the *idst o1, the strea* o1 Ab". They exist in the heart o1 Ab", they
exist in the +o"ntry on the east ban2, and in the +o"ntry on the west
ban2, and in the *idst o1 the strea*, na*ely, (!e2hen;stone, 4eri Eor
4eliF;stone, Atbe2hab ELF;stone, .a2es;stone, and white 8tshi;stoneI
these are 1o"nd on the east ban2. -er;t+hani;stone is 1o"nd on the
west ban2, and the Teshi;stone in the ri0er.
(&Here are, the na*es o1 the hard Eor, hiddenF pre+io"s stones, whi+h
are 1o"nd in the "pper side, a*ong the* being the . . . . . stone, the
na*e&FN)#AA, o1 whi+h hath spread abroad thro"gh &a spa+e o1, 1o"r atr"
*eas"res' Gold, Sil0er, /opper, 6ron, Lapis;la7"li, E*erald, Thehen
E/rystalLF, :hene* E."byF, :ai, 4enn", !et2a ELF, Te*i, Na ELF. The
1ollowing +o*e 1orth 1ro* the 1ore part&FN)#A$, o1 the land' 4ehi;
stone, &He,*a2i;stone, Abheti;stone, iron ore, alabaster 1or stat"es,
*other;o1;e*erald, anti*ony, seeds Eor, g"*F o1 the sehi plant, seeds
Eor, g"*F o1 the a*e* plant, and seeds Eor, g"*F o1 the in+ense plantI
these are 1o"nd in the 1ore parts o1 its do"ble +ity.( These were the
things whi+h 6 learned there1ro* Ei.e., 1ro* 4atarF.
&FN)#AA, i.e., the stone was 0ery 1a*o"s.
&FN)#A$, The (1ore part,( or (1ront,( o1 the land *eans the +o"ntry
lying to the so"th o1 N"bia, and probably so*e part o1 the *odern
Egyptian S"dan.
Now *y heart was 0ery happy when 6 heard these things, and 6 entered
into &the te*ple o1 :hne*",. The o0erseers "nrolled the do+"*ents
whi+h were 1astened "p, the water o1 p"ri1i+ation was sprin2led &"pon
*e,, a progress was *ade &thro"gh, the se+ret pla+es, and a great
o11ering &+onsisting, o1 bread;+a2es, beer, geese, oxen Eor, b"llsF,
and bea"ti1"l things o1 all 2inds were o11ered to the gods and
goddesses who dwell in Ab", whose na*es are pro+lai*ed at the pla+e
&whi+h is +alled,, (/o"+h o1 the heart in li1e and power.(
And 6 1o"nd the God standing in 1ront o1 *e, and 6 *ade hi* to be at
pea+e with *e by *eans o1 the than2;o11ering whi+h 6 o11ered "nto hi*,
and 6 *ade prayer and s"ppli+ation be1ore hi*. Then he opened his
eyes, and his heart was in+lined &to hear, *e, and his words were
strong &when he said,, (6 a* :hne*",&FN)#$@, who 1ashioned thee. 4y
two hands were abo"t thee and 2nitted together thy body, and (*ade
healthy thy *e*bersI and it is 6 who ga0e thee thy heart. =et the
*inerals Eor, pre+io"s stonesF &lie, "nder ea+h other, &and they ha0e
done so, 1ro* olden ti*e, and no *an hath wor2ed the* in order to b"ild
the ho"ses o1 the god, or to restore those whi+h ha0e 1allen into r"in,
or to hew o"t shrines 1or the gods o1 the So"th and o1 the North, or to
do what he o"ght to do 1or his lord, notwithstanding that 6 a* the Lord
and the /reator.
&FN)#$@, He was the (b"ilder o1 *en, *a2er o1 the gods, the Father who
was 1ro* the beginning, the *a2er o1 things whi+h are, the +reator o1
things whi+h shall be, the so"r+e o1 things whi+h exist, Father o1
1athers, 4other o1 *others, Father o1 the 1athers o1 the gods and
goddesses, lord o1 +reated things, *a2er o1 hea0en, earth, T"at, water
and *o"ntains( ELan7one, Di7ionario, p. $C9F.
(6 a* &he, who +reated hi*sel1, N", the Great &God,, who +a*e into being
at the beginning, &and, Hapi, who riseth a++ording to his will, in
order to gi0e health to hi* that labo"reth 1or *e. 6 a* the Dire+tor
and G"ide o1 all *en at their seasons, the 4ost Great, the Father o1 the
Gods, Sh", the Great One, the /hie1 o1 the Earth. The two hal0es o1 the
s2y Ei.e., the East and the estF are as a habitation below *e. A la2e
o1 water hath been po"red o"t 1or *e, &na*ely,, Hap Ei.e., the NileF,
whi+h e*bra+eth the 1ield;land, and his e*bra+e pro0ideth the &*eans o1,
li1e 1or (%# e0ery nose Ei.e., e0ery oneF, a++ording to the extent o1
his e*bra+e o1 the 1ield;land. ith old age &+o*eth, the +ondition o1
wea2ness. 6 will *a2e Hap Ei.e., the NileF rise 1or thee, and &in, no
year shall &he, 1ail, and he shall spread hi*sel1 o"t in rest "pon e0ery
land. Green plants and herbs and trees shall bow beneath &the weight o1,
their prod"+e. The goddess .enenet&FN)#$#, shall be at the head o1
e0erything, and e0ery prod"+t shall in+rease by h"ndreds o1 tho"sands,
a++ording to the +"bit o1 the year. The people shall be 1illed, 0erily
to their hearts> desire, (and e0eryone. 4isery shall pass away, and the
e*ptiness o1 their store;ho"ses o1 grain shall +o*e to an end. The land
o1 Ta;4ert Ei.e., EgyptF shall +o*e to be a region o1 +"lti0ated land,
the distri+ts &thereo1, shall be yellow with grain +rops, and the grain
&thereo1, shall be goodly. And 1ertility shall +o*e a++ording to the
desire &o1 the people,, *ore than there hath e0er been be1ore.(
&FN)#$#, The goddess o1 the har0est.
Then 6 wo2e "p at &the *ention o1, +rops, *y heart Eor, +o"rageF +a*e
&ba+2,, and was e5"al to *y &1or*er, despair, and 6 *ade the 1ollowing
de+ree in the te*ple o1 *y 1ather :hne*"';;
The 2ing gi0eth an o11ering to :hne*"&FN)#$%, the Lord o1 the +ity o1
Qebhet,&FN)#$J, the Go0ernor o1 Ta;Sti,&FN)#$D, in ret"rn 1or those
things whi+h tho" hast done 1or *e. There shall be gi0en "nto thee on
thy right hand &the ri0er ban2, o1 4an",&FN)#$C, and on thy le1t hand
the ri0er ban2 o1 Ab", together with the land abo"t the +ity, 1or a
spa+e o1 twenty *eas"res,&FN)#$B, on the east side and on the west
side, with the gardens, and the ri0er 1ront (e0erywhere thro"gho"t the
region in+l"ded in these *eas"res. Fro* e0ery h"sband*an who tilleth
the gro"nd, and *a2eth to li0e again the slain, and pla+eth water "pon
the ri0er ban2s and all the islands whi+h are in 1ront o1 the region o1
these *eas"res, shall be de*anded a 1"rther +ontrib"tion 1ro* the
growing +rops and 1ro* e0ery storeho"se, as (thy share.
&FN)#$%, Or perhaps, :hne*";.a.
&FN)#$J, Qebhet is the na*e gi0en to the whole region o1 the First
/atara+t.
&FN)#$D, The (Land o1 the !ow,( i.e., the Northern S"dan.
&FN)#$C, The Land o1 the setting s"n, the est.
&FN)#$B, S+hoinos.
(hatsoe0er is +a"ght in the nets by e0ery 1isher*an and by e0ery
1owler, and whatsoe0er is ta2en by the +at+hers o1 1ish, and by the
snarers o1 birds, and by e0ery h"nter o1 wild ani*als, and by e0ery *an
who snareth lions in the *o"ntains, when these things enter &the +ity,
one tenth o1 the* shall be de*anded.
(And o1 all the +al0es whi+h are +ast thro"gho"t the regions whi+h are
in+l"ded in these *eas"res, one tenth o1 their n"*ber (shall be set
apart as ani*als whi+h are sealed 1or all the b"rnt o11erings whi+h are
o11ered "p daily.
(And, *oreo0er, the gi1t o1 one tenth shall be le0ied "pon the gold,
i0ory, ebony, spi+es, +arnelians ELF, sa wood, seshes spi+e, d"* pal*
1r"it ELF, ne1 wood, and "pon woods and prod"+ts o1 e0ery 2ind
whatsoe0er, whi+h the :henti", &FN)#$9, and the :henti" o1 Hen;
.es",&FN)#$A, and the Egyptians, and e0ery person whatsoe0er &shall
bring in,.
&FN)#$9, The inhabitants o1 the Northern S"dan, probably as 1ar to the
so"th as Napata.
&FN)#$A, The people o1 the 6sland o1 4eroe, and probably those li0ing
on the !l"e and hite Niles.
(And &e0ery, hand shall pass the* by, and no o11i+er o1 the re0en"e
whatsoe0er shall "tter a word beyond these pla+es to de*and Eor, le0y
onF things 1ro* the*, or to ta2e things o0er and abo0e &those whi+h are
intended 1or, thy +apital +ity.
(And 6 will gi0e "nto thee the land belonging to the +ity, whi+h
beareth stones, and good land 1or +"lti0ation. Nothing thereo1 shall be
&di*inished, or withheld, (o1 all these things in order to de+ei0e the
s+ribes, and the re0en"e o11i+ers, and the inspe+tors o1 the 2ing, on
who* it shall be in+"*bent to +erti1y e0erything.
(And 1"rther, 6 will +a"se the *asons, and the hewers o1 ore ELF, and
the wor2ers in *etal, and the s*elters ELF o1 gold, and the s+"lptors
in stone, (and the ore;+r"shers, and the 1"rna+e;*en ELF, and
handi+ra1ts*en o1 e0ery 2ind whatsoe0er, who wor2 in hewing, and
+"tting, and polishing these stones, and in gold, and sil0er, and
+opper, and lead, and e0ery wor2er in wood who shall +"t down any tree,
or +arry on a trade o1 any 2ind, or wor2 whi+h is +onne+ted with the
wood trade, to (pay tithe "pon all the nat"ral prod"+ts ELF, and also
"pon the hard stones whi+h are bro"ght 1ro* their beds abo0e, and
5"arried stones o1 all 2inds.
(And there shall be an inspe+tor o0er the weighing o1 the gold, and
sil0er, and +opper, and real Ei.e., pre+io"sF stones, and the &other,
things, whi+h the *etal;wor2ers re5"ire 1or the Ho"se o1 Gold, (and the
s+"lptors o1 the i*ages o1 the gods need in the *a2ing and repairing o1
the*, and &these things, shall be exe*pted 1ro* tithing, and the
wor2*en also. And e0erything shall be deli0ered Eor, gi0enF in 1ront
o1 the storeho"se to their +hildren, a se+ond ti*e, 1or the prote+tion
o1 e0erything. And whatsoe0er is be1ore thy God;ho"se shall be in
ab"ndan+e, 3"st as it hath e0er been 1ro* the earliest ti*e.
(And a +opy o1 this de+ree shall be ins+ribed "pon a stele, &whi+h
shall be set "p, in the holy pla+e, a++ording to the writing o1 the
&original, do+"*ent whi+h is +"t "pon wood, and &1ig"res o1, this god
and the o0erseers o1 the te*ple shall be &+"t, thereon. hosoe0er
shall spit "pon that whi+h is on it shall be ad*onished by the rope.
And the o0erseers o1 the priests, and e0ery o0erseer o1 the people o1
the Ho"se o1 the God, shall ens"re the perpet"ation o1 *y na*e in the
Ho"se o1 the god :hne*";.a, the lord o1 Ab" EElephantineF, 1or e0er.(
THE LEGEND OF THE DEATH OF HO.8S TH.O8GH THE ST6NG OF A S/O.-6ON AND OF
H6S .ES8..E/T6ON TH.O8GH THOTH, AND OTHE. 4AG6/AL TE?TS.
6.;;6N/ANTAT6ONS AGA6NST .E-T6LES AND NO?6O8S /.EAT8.ES 6N GENE.AL.
Get thee ba+2, Apep, tho" ene*y o1 .a, tho" winding serpent in the 1or*
o1 an intestine, witho"t ar*s &and, witho"t legs. Thy body +annot
stand "pright so that tho" *ayest ha0e therein being, long is
thy&FN)#$$, tail in 1ront o1 thy den, tho" ene*yI retreat be1ore .a.
Thy head shall be +"t o11, and the sla"ghter o1 thee shall be +arried
o"t. Tho" shalt not li1t "p thy 1a+e, 1or his Ei.e., .a>sF 1la*e is in
thy a++"rsed so"l. The odo"r whi+h is in his +ha*ber o1 sla"ghter is
in thy *e*bers, and thy 1or* shall be o0erthrown by the sla"ghtering
2ni1e o1 the great god. The spell o1 the S+orpion;goddess Ser5 dri0eth
ba+2 thy *ight. Stand still, stand still, and retreat thro"gh her
spell.
&FN)#$$, Literally, (his.(
!e 0o*ited, O poison, 6 ad3"re thee to +o*e 1orth on the earth. Hor"s
"ttereth a spell o0er thee, Hor"s ha+2eth thee in pie+es, he spitteth
"pon theeI tho" shalt not rise "p towards hea0en, b"t shalt totter
downwards, O 1eeble one, witho"t strength, +owardly, "nable to 1ight,
blind, witho"t eyes, and with thine head t"rned "pside down. Li1t not
"p thy 1a+e. Get thee ba+2 5"i+2ly, and 1ind not the way. Lie down in
despair, re3oi+e not, retreat speedily, and show not thy 1a+e be+a"se
o1 the spee+h o1 Hor"s, who is per1e+t in words o1 power. The poison
re3oi+ed, &b"t, the heart&s, o1 *any were 0ery sad thereat. Hor"s hath
s*itten it with his *agi+al spells, and he who was in sorrow is &now,
in 3oy. Stand still then, O tho" who art in sorrow, &1or, Hor"s hath
been endowed with li1e. He +oineth +harged, appearing hi*sel1 to
o0erthrow the Sebi" 1iends whi+h bite. All *en when they see .a praise
the son o1 Osiris. Get thee ba+2, or*, and draw o"t thy poison whi+h
is in all the *e*bers o1 hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e. <erily the *ight
o1 the word o1 power o1 Hor"s is against thee. <o*it tho", O Ene*y, get
thee ba+2, O poison.
$. THE /HA-TE. OF /AST6NG A S-ELL ON THE /AT.
.e+ite &the 1ollowing 1or*"la,';;
(Hail, .a, +o*e to thy da"ghterP A s+orpion hath st"ng her on a
lonely road. Her +ry hath penetrated the heights o1 hea0en, and is
heard along the paths. The poison hath entered into her body, and
+ir+"lateth thro"gh her 1lesh. She hath set her *o"th against
itI&FN)%@@, 0erily the poison is in her *e*bers.
&FN)%@@, i.e., she hath dire+ted her words against it.
(/o*e then with thy strength, with thy 1ier+e atta+2, and with thy red
powers, and 1or+e it to be hidden be1ore thee. !ehold, the poison hath
entered into all the *e*bers o1 this /at whi+h is "nder *y 1ingers. !e
not a1raid, be not a1raid, *y da"ghter, *y splendo"r, &1or, 6 ha0e set
*ysel1 near Eor, behindF thee. 6 ha0e o0erthrown the poison whi+h is
in all the li*bs o1 this /at. O tho" /at, thy head is the head o1 .a,
the Lord o1 the Two Lands, the s*iter o1 the rebellio"s peoples.
Thy&FN)%@#, 1ear is in all lands, O Lord o1 the li0ing, Lord o1
eternity. O tho" /at, thy two eyes are the Eye o1 the Lord o1 the :h"t
"rae"s, who ill"*ineth the Two Lands with his Eye, and ill"*ineth the
1a+e on the path o1 dar2ness. O tho" /at, thy nose is the nose o1
Thoth, the Twi+e Great, Lord o1 :he*en" EHer*opolisF, the /hie1 o1 the
Two Lands o1 .a, who p"tteth breath into the nostrils o1 e0ery person.
O tho" /at, thine ears are the ears o1 Nebert+her, who hear2eneth "nto
the 0oi+e o1 all persons when they appeal to hi*, and weigheth words
Ei.e., 3"dgethF in all the earth. O tho" /at, thy *o"th is the *o"th
o1 Te*, the Lord o1 li1e, the "niter ELF o1 +reation, who hath +a"sed
the "nion ELF o1 +reationI he shall deli0er thee 1ro* e0ery poison. O
tho" /at, thy ne+2 EnehebtF is the ne+2 o1 Neheb;2a, -resident o1 the
Great Ho"se, 0i0i1ier o1 *en and wo*en by *eans o1 the *o"th o1 his two
ar*s. O tho" /at, thy breast is the breast o1 Thoth, the Lord o1
Tr"th, who hath gi0en to thee breath to re1resh ELF thy throat, and
hath gi0en breath to that whi+h is therein. O tho" /at, thy heart is
the heart o1 the god -tah, who healeth thy heart o1 the e0il poison
whi+h is in all thy li*bs. O tho" /at, thy hands %C are the hands o1
the Great /o*pany o1 the gods and the Little /o*pany o1 the gods, and
they shall deli0er thy hand 1ro* the poison 1ro* the *o"th o1 e0ery
serpent. O tho" /at, thy belly is the belly o1 Osiris, Lord o1
!"siris, the poison shall not wor2 any o1 its wishes in thy belly. O
tho" /at, thy thighs are the thighs o1 the god 4enth", who shall *a2e
thy thighs to stand "p, and shall bring the poison to the gro"nd. O
tho" /at, thy leg;bones are the leg;bones o1 :hens",&FN)%@%, who
tra0elleth o0er all the Two Lands by day and by night, and shall lead
the poison to the gro"nd. O tho" /at, thy legs Eor, 1eetF are the legs
o1 A*en the Great, Hor"s, Lord o1 Thebes, who shall stablish thy 1eet
on the earth, and shall o0erthrow the poison. O tho" /at, thy ha"n+hes
are the ha"n+hes o1 Hor"s, the a0enger Eor, ad0o+ateF o1 his 1ather
Osiris, and they shall pla+e Set in the e0il whi+h he hath wro"ght. O
tho" /at, thy soles are the soles o1 .a, who shall *a2e the poison to
ret"rn to the earth. O tho" /at, thy bowels are the bowels o1 the /ow;
goddess 4eh;"rt, who shall o0erthrow and +"t in pie+es the poison whi+h
is in thy belly and in all the *e*bers in thee, and in &all, the
*e*bers o1 the gods in hea0en, and in &all, the *e*bers o1 the gods on
earth, and shall o0erthrow e0ery poison in thee. There is no *e*ber in
thee witho"t the goddess who shall o0erthrow and +"t in pie+es the
poison o1 e0ery *ale serpent, and e0ery 1e*ale serpent, and e0ery
s+orpion, and e0ery reptile, whi+h *ay be in any *e*ber o1 this /at
whi+h is "nder the 2ni1e. <erily 6sis wea0eth and Nephthys spinneth
against the poison. This wo0en gar*ent strengtheneth this &being,
i.e., Hor"s,, who is per1e+t in words o1 power, thro"gh the spee+h o1
.a Her";2h"ti, the great god, -resident o1 the So"th and North' >O e0il
poison whi+h is in any *e*ber o1 this /at whi+h is "nder the 2ni1e,
+o*e, iss"e 1orth "pon the earth.>(
&FN)%@#, Literally (his.(
&FN)%@%, He was the *essenger o1 the gods, and tra0elled a+ross the
s2y "nder the 1or* o1 the 4oonI he so*eti*es appears as a 1or* o1
Thoth.
ANOTHE. /HA-TE..
Say the &1ollowing, words';;
(O .a;&:h"ti,, +o*e to thy da"ghter. O Sh", +o*e to thy wi1e. O 6sis,
+o*e to thy sister, and deli0er her 1ro* the e0il poison whi+h is in
all her *e*bers. Hail, O ye gods, +o*e ye and o0erthrow ye the e0il
poison whi+h is in all the *e*bers o1 the /at whi+h is "nder the 2ni1e.
(Hail, O aged one, who renewest thy yo"th in thy season, tho" old *an
who *a2est thysel1 to be a boy, grant tho" that Thoth *ay +o*e to *e at
&the so"nd o1, *y 0oi+e, and behold, let hi* t"rn ba+2 1ro* *e Netater.
Osiris is on the water, the Eye o1 Hor"s is with hi*. A great
!eetle spreadeth hi*sel1 o0er hi*, great by reason o1 his grasp,
prod"+ed by the gods 1ro* a +hild. He who is o0er the water appeareth
in a healthy 1or*. 61 he who is o0er the water shall be approa+hed
Eor, atta+2edF, the Eye o1 Hor"s, whi+h weepeth, shall be approa+hed.
(Get ye ba+2, O ye who dwell in the water, +ro+odiles, 1ish, that
Ene*y, *ale dead person and 1e*ale dead person, *ale 1iend and 1e*ale
1iend, o1 e0ery 2ind whatsoe0er, li1t not "p yo"r 1a+es, O ye who dwell
in the waters, ye +ro+odiles and 1ish. hen Osiris 3o"rneyeth o0er
yo", per*it ye hi* to go to !"siris. Let yo"r nostrils &be +losed,,
yo"r throats stopped "p.
(Get ye ba+2, Seba 1iendsP Li1t ye not "p yo"r 1a+es against hi* that
is on the water . . . . . Osiris;.a, riseth "p in his !oat to loo2 at
the gods o1 :her;ahat, and the Lords o1 the T"at stand "p to slay thee
when &tho", +o*est, O Neha;her, against Osiris. &hen, he is on the
water the Eye o1 Hor"s is o0er hi* to t"rn yo"r 1a+es "pside down and
to set yo" on yo"r ba+2s.
(Hail, ye who dwell in the water, +ro+odiles and 1ish, .a sh"tteth "p
yo"r *o"ths, Se2het stoppeth "p yo"r throats, Thoth +"tteth o"t yo"r
tong"es, and S+ontK He2a blindeth yo"r eyes. These are the 1o"r great
gods who prote+t Osiris by their *agi+al power, and they e11e+t the
prote+tion o1 hi* that is on the water, o1 *en and wo*en o1 e0ery 2ind,
and o1 beasts and ani*als o1 e0ery 2ind whi+h are on the water by day.
-rote+ted are those who dwell in the waters, prote+ted is the s2y
wherein is .a, prote+ted is the great god who is in the sar+ophag"s,
prote+ted is he who is on the water.
(A 0oi+e &whi+h, +rieth lo"dly is in the Ho"se o1 Net ENeithF, a lo"d
0oi+e is in the Great Ho"se, a great o"t+ry 1ro* the *o"th o1 the /at.
The gods and the goddesses say, >hat is itL hat is itL> &6t,
+on+erneth the Abt" Fish whi+h is born. 4a2e to retreat 1ro* *e thy
1ootsteps, O Seba" 1iend. 6 a* :hne*", the Lord o1 Her;"rt. G"ard
thysel1 again 1ro* the atta+2 whi+h is repeated, besides this whi+h
tho" hast done in the presen+e o1 the Great /o*pany o1 the gods. Get
thee ba+2, retreat tho" 1ro* *e. 6 a* the god. Oh, Oh, O &.a,, hast
tho" not heard the 0oi+e whi+h +ried o"t lo"dly "ntil the e0ening on
the ban2 o1 Netit, the 0oi+e o1 all the gods and goddesses whi+h +ried
o"t lo"dly, the o"t+ry +on+erning the wi+2edness whi+h tho" hast done,
O wi+2ed Seba" 1iendL <erily the lord .a th"ndered and growled
thereat, and he ordered thy sla"ghter to be +arried o"t. Get thee
ba+2, Seba 1iendP HailP HailP(
66.;;THE NA..AT6<E OF 6S6S.
6 a* 6sis, &and, 6 ha0e +o*e 1orth 1ro* the dwelling Eor, prisonF
wherein *y brother Set pla+ed *e. !ehold the god Thoth, the great god,
the /hie1 o1 4aat&FN)%@J, &both, in hea0en and on the earth, said "nto
*e, (/o*e now, O 6sis, tho" goddess, *oreo0er it is a good thing to
hear2en,&FN)%@D, &1or there is, li1e to one who shall be g"ided &by the
ad0i+e, o1 another. Hide tho" thysel1 with &thy, son the +hild, and
there shall +o*e "nto hi* these things. His *e*bers shall
grow,&FN)%@C, and two;1old strength o1 e0ery 2ind shall spring "p &in
hi*,. &And he, shall be *ade to ta2e his seat "pon the throne o1 his
1ather, &who*, he shall a0enge,&FN)%@B, &and he shall ta2e possession
o1, the exalted position o1 He5&FN)%@9, o1 the Two Lands.(&FN)%@A,
&FN)%@J, i.e., Law, or Tr"th.
&FN)%@D, Or, obey.
&FN)%@C, i.e., 1lo"rish.
&FN)%@B, He a0enged his 1ather Osiris by 0an5"ishing Set.
&FN)%@9, i.e., tribal +hie1.
&FN)%@A, i.e., 8pper and Lower Egypt.
6 +a*e 1orth &1ro* the dwelling, at the ti*e o1 e0ening, and there +a*e
1orth the Se0en S+orpions whi+h were to a++o*pany *e and to stri2eELF
1or *e with &their, stings. Two s+orpions, Te1en and !e1en, were
behind *e, two s+orpions, 4estet and 4estete1, were by *y side, and
three s+orpions, -etet, Thetet, and 4aatet Eor, 4artetF, were 1or
preparing the road 1or *e. 6 +harged the* 0ery stri+tly Eor, in a lo"d
0oi+eF, and *y words penetrated into their ears' (Ha0e no 2nowledge o1
&any,, *a2e no +ry to the Tesher" beings, and pay no attention to the
>son o1 a *an> Ei.e., anyoneF who belongeth to a *an o1 no a++o"nt,(
&and 6 said,, (Let yo"r 1a+es be t"rned towards the gro"nd &that ye *ay
show *e, the way.( So the g"ardian o1 the +o*pany bro"ght *e to the
bo"ndaries o1 the +ity o1 -a;S"i,&FN)%@$, the +ity o1 the goddesses o1
the Di0ine Sandals, &whi+h was sit"ated, in 1ront o1 the -apyr"s
Swa*ps.&FN)%#@,
&FN)%@$, (The Ho"se o1 the /ro+odile,( perhaps the sa*e town as -a;
Sebe2t, a distri+t in the <66th no*e o1 Lower Egypt E4etelitesF.
&FN)%#@, -erhaps a distri+t in the 4etelite no*e.
hen 6 had arri0ed at the pla+e where the people li0ed&FN)%##, 6 +a*e
to the ho"ses wherein dwelt the wi0es &and, h"sbands. And a +ertain
wo*an o1 5"ality spied *e as 6 was 3o"rneying along the road, and she
sh"t her doors on *e. Now she was si+2 at heart by reason o1 those
&s+orpions, whi+h were with *e. Then &the Se0en S+orpions, too2
+o"nsel +on+erning her, and they all at one ti*e shot o"t their 0eno*
on the tail o1 the s+orpion Te1enI as 1or *e, the wo*an Taha&FN)%#%,
opened her door, and 6 entered into the ho"se o1 the *iserable lady.
&FN)%##, 6n Egyptian Teb, whi+h *ay be the Teb"t in the 4etelite no*e.
&FN)%#%, Taha *ay be the na*e o1 a wo*an, or goddess, or the word *ay
*ean a (dweller in the swa*ps,( as Golenis+he11 thin2s.
Then the s+orpion Te1en entered in "nder the lea0es o1 the door and
s*ote Ei.e., st"ngF the son o1 8sert, and a 1ire bro2e o"t in the ho"se
o1 8sert, and there was no water there to exting"ish itI &b"t, the s2y
rained "pon the ho"se o1 8sert, tho"gh it was not the season 1or
rain.&FN)%#J,
&FN)%#J, i.e., it was not the season o1 the in"ndation.
!ehold, the heart o1 her who had not opened her door to *e was
grie0o"sly sad, 1or she 2new not whether he Ei.e., her sonF wo"ld li0e
&or not,, and altho"gh she went ro"nd abo"t thro"gh her town "ttering
+ries &1or help,, there was none who +a*e at &the so"nd o1, her 0oi+e.
Now *ine own heart was grie0o"sly sad 1or the sa2e o1 the +hild, and &6
wished, to *a2e to li0e &again, hi* that was 1ree 1ro* 1a"lt.
&There"pon, 6 +ried o"t to the noble lady, (/o*e to *e. /o*e to *e.
<erily *y *o"th ELF possesseth li1e. 6 a* a da"ghter &well, 2nown in
her town, &and 6, +an destroy the de*on o1 death by the spell Eor,
"tteran+eF whi+h *y 1ather ta"ght *e to 2now. 6 a* his da"ghter, the
belo0ed &o11spring, o1 his body.(
Then 6sis pla+ed her two hands on the +hild in order to *a2e to li0e hi*
whose throat was stopped, &and she said,, (O poison o1 the s+orpion
Te1ent, +o*e 1orth and appear on the gro"ndP Tho" shalt neither enter
nor penetrate &1"rther into the body o1 the +hild,. O poison o1 the
s+orpion !e1ent, +o*e 1orth and appear on the gro"ndP 6 a* 6sis, the
goddess, the lady Eor, *istressF o1 words o1 power, and 6 a* the *a2er
o1 words o1 power Ei.e., spellsF, and 6 2now how to "tter words with
*agi+al e11e+t.&FN)%#D, Hear2en ye "nto *e, O e0ery reptile whi+h
possesseth the power to bite Ei.e., to stingF, and 1all headlong to the
gro"ndP O poison o1 the s+orpion 4estet, *a2e no ad0an+e &into his
body,. O poison o1 the s+orpion 4estete1, rise not "p &in his body,. O
poison o1 the s+orpions -etet and Thetet, penetrate not &into his body,.
&O poison o1, the s+orpion 4aatet Eor, 4artetF, 1all down on the
gro"nd.(
&FN)%#D, !y "ttering spells 6sis restored li1e to her h"sband Osiris
1or a season, and so be+a*e with +hild by hi*. She *ade a *agi+al
1ig"re o1 a reptile, and ha0ing endowed it with li1e, it st"ng .a as he
passed thro"gh the s2y, and the great god al*ost died. 6n Gree2 ti*es
it was belie0ed that she dis+o0ered a *edi+ine whi+h wo"ld raise the
dead, and she was rep"ted to be a great expert in the art o1 healing
*en>s si+2nesses. As a goddess she appeared to the si+2, and +"red
the*.
&Here 1ollows the, (/hapter o1 the stinging &o1 s+orpions,.(
And 6sis, the goddess, the great *istress o1 spells Eor, words o1
powerF, she who is at the head o1 the gods, "nto who* the god :eb ga0e
his own *agi+al spells 1or the dri0ing away o1 poison at noon;day ELF,
and 1or *a2ing poison to go ba+2, and retreat, and withdraw, and go
ba+2ward, spa2e, saying, (As+end not into hea0en, thro"gh the +o**and
o1 the belo0ed one o1 .a, the egg o1 the S*en goose whi+h +o*eth 1orth
1ro* the sy+a*ore. <erily *y words are *ade to +o**and the "tter*ost
li*it o1 the night. 6 spea2 "nto yo", &O s+orpions, 6 a* alone and in
sorrow be+a"se o"r na*es will s"11er disgra+e thro"gho"t the no*es. Do
not *a2e lo0e, do not +ry o"t to the Tesher" 1iends, and +ast no
glan+es "pon the noble ladies in their ho"ses. T"rn yo"r 1a+es towards
the earth and &1ind o"t, the road, so that we *ay arri0e at the hidden
pla+es in the town o1 :hebt.&FN)%#C, Oh the +hild shall li0e and the
poison dieP .a li0eth and the poison diethP <erily Hor"s shall be in
good +ase Eor, healthyF 1or his *other 6sis. <erily he who is stri+2en
shall be in good +ase li2ewise.(
&FN)%#C, The island o1 /he**is o1 +lassi+al writers.
And the 1ire &whi+h was in the ho"se o1 8sert, was exting"ished, and
hea0en was satis1ied with the "tteran+e o1 6sis, the goddess.
Then the lady 8sert +a*e, and she bro"ght "nto *e her possessions, and
she 1illed the ho"se o1 the wo*an Tah ELF, 1or the :a o1 Tah
ELF be+a"se &she, had opened to *e her door. Now the lady 8sert
s"11ered pain and ang"ish the whole night, and her *o"th tasted Ei.e.,
1eltF the sting &whi+h, her son &had s"11ered,. And she bro"ght her
possessions as the penalty 1or not ha0ing opened the door to *e. Oh
the +hild shall li0e and the poison dieP <erily Hor"s shall be in good
+ase 1or his *other 6sis. <erily e0eryone who is stri+2en shall be in
good +ase li2ewise.
Lo, a bread;+a2e &*ade, o1 barley *eal shall dri0e o"t Eor, destroyF
the poison, and natron shall *a2e it to withdraw, and the 1ire &*ade,
o1 het+het;plant shall dri0e o"t Eor, destroyF 1e0er;heat 1ro* the
li*bs.
(O 6sis, O 6sis, +o*e tho" to thy Hor"s, O tho" wo*an o1 the wise
*o"thP /o*e to thy son(;;th"s +ried the gods who dwelt in her 5"arter
o1 the town;;(1or he is as one who* a s+orpion hath st"ng, and li2e
one who* the s+orpion 8hat, whi+h the ani*al Antesh dro0e away, hath
wo"nded.(
&Then, 6sis ran o"t li2e one who had a 2ni1e &st"+2, in her body, and
she opened her ar*s wide, &saying, (!ehold *e, behold *e, *y son Hor"s,
ha0e no 1ear, ha0e no 1ear, O son *y gloryP No e0il thing o1 any 2ind
whatsoe0er shall happen "nto thee, &1or, there is in thee the essen+e
Eor, 1l"idF whi+h *ade the things whi+h exist. Tho" art the son 1ro*
the +o"ntry o1 4es5et,&FN)%#B, &tho" hast, +o*e 1orth 1ro* the
+elestial waters N", and tho" shalt not die by the heat o1 the poison.
Tho" wast the Great !enn",&FN)%#9, who art born Eor, prod"+edF orI the
top o1 the balsa*;trees&FN)%#A, whi+h are in the Ho"se o1 the Aged One
in An" EHeliopolisF. Tho" art the brother o1 the Abt" Fish,&FN)%#$,
who orderest what is to be, and art the n"rsling o1 the /at&FN)%%@, who
dwelleth in the Ho"se o1 Neith. The goddess .eret,&FN)%%#, the goddess
Hat, and the god !es prote+t thy *e*bers. Thy head shall not 1all to
the T+hat 1iend that atta+2eth thee. Thy *e*bers shall not re+ei0e the
1ire o1 that whi+h is thy poison. Tho" shalt not go ba+2wards on the
land, and tho" shalt not be bro"ght low on the water. No reptile whi+h
biteth Eor, stingethF shall gain the *astery o0er thee, and no lion
shall s"bd"e thee or ha0e do*inion o0er thee. Tho" art the son o1 the
s"bli*e god A% who pro+eeded 1ro* :eb. Tho" art Hor"s, and the poison
shall not gain the *astery o0er thy *e*bers. Tho" art the son o1 the
s"bli*e god who pro+eeded 1ro* :eb, and th"s li2ewise shall it be with
those who are "nder the 2ni1e. And the 1o"r a"g"st goddesses shall
prote+t thy *e*bers.(
&FN)%#B, 4es5et was originally the na*e o1 the b"ll>s s2in in whi+h
the de+eased was wrapped in order to se+"re 1or hi* the now li1eI later
the na*e was applied to the Other orld generally. SSee !oo2 o1 the
Dead, /hap. x0ii. #%#.K
&FN)%#9, The !enn" who 2ept the boo2 o1 destiny. See !oo2 o1 the Dead,
/hap. x0ii. %C.
&FN)%#A, These are the balsa*;trees 1or whi+h Heliopolis has been
always 1a*o"s. They are des+ribed by ansleben, L>Histoire de
l>Eglise, pp. AA;$J, and by >Abd al;Lati1 Eed. de Sa+yF, p. AA.
&FN)%#$, The Abt" and Ant Fishes swa* be1ore the !oat o1 .a and g"ided
it.
&FN)%%@, This is the /at who li0ed by the -ersea tree in Heliopolis.
See !oo2 o1 the Dead, /hap. x0ii. #A.
&FN)%%#, A hippopota*"s goddess.
&Here the narrati0e is interr"pted by the 1ollowing texts',
&6 a*, he who rolleth "p into the s2y, and who goeth down Ei.e.,
settethF in the T"at, whose 1or* is in the Ho"se o1 height, thro"gh
who* when he openeth his Eye the light +o*eth into being, and when he
+loseth his Eye it be+o*eth night. &6 a*, the ater;god Het when he
gi0eth +o**ands, whose na*e is "n2nown to the gods. 6 ill"*ine the Two
Lands, night beta2eth itsel1 to 1light, and 6 shine by day and by
night.&FN)%%%, 6 a* the !"ll o1 !a2ha&FN)%%J,, and the Lion o1
4an"&FN)%%D,. 6 a* he who tra0erseth the hea0ens by day and by night
witho"t being rep"lsed. 6 ha0e +o*e AC by reason o1 the 0oi+e Eor,
+ryF o1 the son o1 6sis. <erily the blind serpent Na hath bitten the
!"ll. O tho" poison whi+h 1loweth thro"gh e0ery *e*ber o1 hi* that is
"nder the 2ni1e, +o*e 1orth, 6 +harge thee, "pon the gro"nd. !ehold,
he that is "nder the 2ni1e shall not be bitten. Tho" art 4en", the
Lord o1 /optos, the +hild o1 the hite Shat&FN)%%C, whi+h is in An"
EHeliopolisF, whi+h was bitten &by a reptile,. O 4en", Lord o1 /optos,
gi0e tho" air "nto hi* that is "nder the 2ni1eI and air shall be gi0en
to thee. Hail, di0ine 1ather and *inister o1 the god Neb"n, &+alled,
4er;Te*, son o1 the di0ine 1ather and *inister o1 the god Neb"n, s+ribe
o1 the ater;god Het, &+alled, An2h;Se*pte2 Esi+F, son o1 the lady o1
the ho"se Tent;Het;n"bP He restored this ins+ription a1ter he had
1o"nd it in a r"ined state in the Te*ple o1 Osiris;4ne0is, be+a"se he
wished to *a2e to li0e her na*e . . . . . . . . . . and to gi0e air
"nto hi* that is "nder &the 2ni1e,, and to gi0e li1e "nto the an+estors
o1 all the gods. And his Lord Osiris;4ne0is shall *a2e long his li1e
with happiness o1 heart, &and shall gi0e hi*, a bea"ti1"l b"rial a1ter
&attaining to, an old age, be+a"se o1 what he hath done 1or the Te*ple
o1 Osiris;4ne0is.
&FN)%%%, i.e., always.
&FN)%%J, The land o1 the s"nrise, the East.
&FN)%%D, The land o1 the s"nset, the est.
&FN)%%C, -erhaps an ani*al o1 the Lynx +lass.
A$. Hor"s was bitten Ei.e., st"ngF in Se2het;An, to the north o1 Hetep;
he*t, whilst his *other 6sis was in the +elestial ho"ses *a2ing a
libation 1or her brother Osiris. And Hor"s sent 1orth his +ry into the
hori7on, and it was heard by those who were in . . . . . . There"pon
the 2eepers o1 the doors who were in the &te*ple o1, the holy A+a+ia
Tree started "p at the 0oi+e o1 Hor"s. And one sent 1orth a +ry o1
la*entation, and Hea0en ga0e the order that Hor"s was to be healed.
And &the gods, too2 +o"nsel &together, +on+erning the li1e &o1 Hor"s,
saying,, (O goddess -aiELF, O god Asten, who dwellest in Aat;:h"sELF
. . . . .&FN)%%B, thy . . . . . . enter in . . . . . lord o1 sleep . .
. . . . the +hild Hor"s. Oh, Oh, bring tho" the things whi+h are thine
to +"t o11 the poison whi+h is in e0ery *e*ber o1 Hor"s, the son o1
6sis, and whi+h is in e0ery *e*ber o1 hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e
li2ewise.(
&FN)%%B, The text appears to be +orr"pt in this passage.
#@#. A H=4N OF -.A6SE TO HO.8S TO GLO.6F= H64, H6/H 6S TO !E SA6D #@%
O<E. THE ATE.S AND O<E. THE LAND.
Thoth spea2eth and this god re+iteth &the 1ollowing,';;
(Ho*age to thee, god, son o1 a god. Ho*age to thee, heir, son o1 an
heir. Ho*age to thee, b"ll, son o1 a b"ll, who wast bro"ght 1orth by a
holy goddess. Ho*age to thee, Hor"s, who +o*est 1orth 1ro* Osiris, and
wast bro"ght 1orth by the goddess 6sis. 6 re+ite thy words o1 power, 6
spea2 with thy *agi+al "tteran+e. 6 prono"n+e a spell in thine own
words, whi+h thy heart hath +reated, and all the spells and
in+antations whi+h ha0e +o*e 1orth 1ro* thy *o"th, whi+h thy 1ather :eb
+o**anded thee &to re+ite,, and thy *other N"t ga0e to thee, and the
*a3esty o1 the Go0ernor o1 Se2he* ta"ght thee to *a2e "se o1 1or thy
prote+tion, in order to do"ble Eor, repeatF thy prote+ti0e 1or*"lae, to
sh"t the *o"th o1 e0ery reptile whi+h is in hea0en, and on the earth,
and in the waters, to *a2e *en and wo*en to li0e, to *a2e the gods to
be at pea+e &with thee,, and to *a2e .a to e*ploy his *agi+al spells
thro"gh thy +hants o1 praise. /o*e to *e this day, 5"i+2ly, 5"i+2ly,
as tho" wor2est the paddle o1 the !oat o1 the god. Dri0e tho" away
1ro* *e e0ery lion on the plain, and e0ery +ro+odile in the waters, and
all *o"ths whi+h bite Eor, stingF in their holes. 4a2e tho" the*
be1ore *e li2e the stone o1 the *o"ntain, li2e a bro2en pot lying abo"t
in a 5"arter o1 the town. Dig tho" o"t 1ro* *e the poison whi+h riseth
and is in e0ery *e*ber o1 hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e. :eep tho" wat+h
o0er hi* . . . . . . by *eans o1 thy words. <erily let thy na*e be
in0o2ed this day. Let thy power E5e1a"F +o*e into being in hi*. Exalt
tho" thy *agi+al powers. 4a2e *e to li0e and hi* whose throat is
+losed "p. Then shall *an2ind gi0e thee praise, and the righteo"s ELF
shall gi0e than2s "nto thy 1or*s. And all the gods li2ewise shall
in0o2e thee, and in tr"th thy na*e shall be in0o2ed this day. 6 a*
Hor"s &o1, Shet&en", ELF.
(O tho" who art in the +a0ern,&FN)%%9, O tho" who art in the +a0ern. O
tho" who art at the *o"th o1 the +a0ern. O tho" who art on the way, O
tho" who art on the way. O tho" who art at the *o"th o1 the way. He
is 8r*er E4ne0isF who approa+heth e0ery *an and e0ery beast. He is
li2e the god Sep who is in An" EHeliopolisF. He is the S+orpion;&god,
who is in the Great Ho"se EHet;"rF. !ite hi* not, 1or he is .a. Sting
hi* not, 1or he is Thoth. Shoot ye not yo"r poison o0er hi*, 1or he is
Ne1er;Te*. O e0ery *ale serpent, O e0ery 1e*ale serpent, O e0ery
antesh Es+orpionLF whi+h bite with yo"r *o"ths, and sting with yo"r
tails, bite ye hi* not with yo"r *o"ths, and sting ye hi* not with yo"r
tails. Get ye a1ar o11 1ro* hi*, *a2e ye not yo"r 1ire to be against
hi*, 1or he is the son o1 Osiris. <o*it ye. &Say, 1o"r ti*es';;
(6 a* Thoth, 6 ha0e +o*e 1ro* hea0en to *a2e prote+tion o1 Hor"s, and
to dri0e away the poison o1 the s+orpion whi+h is in e0ery *e*ber o1
Hor"s. Thy head is to thee, Hor"sI it shall be stable "nder the 8rert
/rown. Thine eye is to thee, Hor"s, &1or, tho" art Hor"s, the son o1
:eb, the Lord o1 the Two Eyes, in the *idst o1 the /o*pany &o1 the
gods,. Thy nose is to thee, Hor"s, &1or, tho" art Hor"s the Elder, the
son o1 .a, and tho" shalt not inhale the 1iery wind. Thine ar* is to
thee, Hor"s, great is thy strength to sla"ghter the ene*ies o1 thy
1ather. Thy two thighs&FN)%%A, are to thee, Hor"s. .e+ei0e tho" the
ran2 and dignity o1 thy 1ather Osiris. -tah hath balan+ed 1or thee thy
*o"th on the day o1 thy birth. Thy heart Eor, breastF is to thee,
Hor"s, and the Dis2 *a2eth thy prote+tion. Thine eye is to thee,
Hor"sI thy right eye is li2e Sh", and thy le1t eye li2e Te1n"t, who are
the +hildren o1 .a. Thy belly is to thee, Hor"s, and the /hildren are
the gods who are therein, and they shall not re+ei0e the essen+e Eor,
1l"idF o1 the s+orpion. Thy strength is to thee, Hor"s, and the
strength o1 Set shall not exist against thee. Thy phall"s is to thee,
Hor"s, and tho" art :a*"te1, the prote+tor o1 his 1ather, who *a2eth an
answer 1or his +hildren in the +o"rse o1 e0ery day. Thy thighs are to
thee, Hor"s, and thy strength shall sla"ghter the ene*ies o1 thy
1ather. Thy +al0es are to thee, Hor"sI the god :hne*" hath b"ilded
&the*,, and the goddess 6sis hath +o0ered the* with 1lesh. The soles
o1 thy 1eet are to thee, Hor"s, and the nations who 1ight with the bow
E-etiF 1all "nder thy 1eet. Tho" r"lest the So"th, North, est, and
East, and tho" seest li2e .a. &Say, 1o"r ti*es. And li2ewise hi* that
is "nder the 2ni1e.(
&FN)%%9, Or, den or hole.
&FN)%%A, e o"ght, perhaps, to translate this as (1orear*s.(
!ea"ti1"l god, Senet+he*;ab;.a;setep;&en,;A*en, son o1 .a, Ne2ht;Her";
Hebit, tho" art prote+ted, and the gods and goddesses are prote+ted,
and +on0ersely. !ea"ti1"l god, Senet+he*;ab;.a;setep;&en,;.a, son o1
.a, Ne2ht;Her";Hebit, tho" art prote+ted, and Her";Shet&en",, the great
god, is prote+ted, and +on0ersely.
ANOTHE. /HA-TE. L6:E 8NTO 6T. (Fear not, 1ear not, O !ast, the strong
o1 heart, at the head o1 the holy 1ield, the *ighty one a*ong all the
gods, nothing shall gain the *astery o0er thee. /o*e tho" o"tside,
1ollowing *y spee+h Eor, *o"thF, O e0il poison whi+h is in all the
*e*bers o1 the lion Eor, +atF whi+h is "nder the 2ni1e.(
&The narrati0e o1 the stinging o1 Hor"s by a s+orpion is +ontin"ed
th"s,'
(6 a* 6sis, who +on+ei0ed a +hild by her h"sband, and she be+a*e hea0y
with Hor"s, the di0ine &+hild,. 6 ga0e birth to Hor"s, the son o1
Osiris, in a nest o1 papyr"s plants.&FN)%%$, 6 re3oi+ed ex+eedingly
o0er this, be+a"se 6 saw &in hi* one, who wo"ld *a2e answer 1or his
1ather. 6 hid hi*, and 6 +on+ealed hi* thro"gh 1ear o1 that &1iend
ELF,.&FN)%J@, 6 went away to the +ity o1 A*, &where, the people ga0e
than2s &1or *e, thro"gh &their, 1ear o1 *y *a2ing tro"ble &1or the*,.
6 passed the day in see2ing to pro0ide 1ood 1or the +hild, &and, on
ret"rning to ta2e Hor"s into *y ar*s 6 1o"nd hi*, Hor"s, the bea"ti1"l
one o1 gold, the boy, the +hild, witho"t &li1e,. He had bedewed the
gro"nd with the water o1 his eye, and with 1oa* 1ro* his lips. His
body was *otionless, his heart was powerless to *o0e, and the sinews
Eor, *"s+lesF o1 his *e*bers were &helpless,. 6 sent 1orth a +ry,
&saying,'
&FN)%%$, Or, Ateh, the papyr"s swa*p.
&FN)%J@, i.e., Set.
(>6, e0en 6, la+2 a son to *a2e answer &1or *e,.&FN)%J#, &4y, two
breasts are 1"ll to o0er1lowing, &b"t, *y body is e*pty. &4y, *o"th
wished 1or that whi+h +on+erned hi*.&FN)%J%, A +istern o1 water and a
strea* o1 the in"ndation was 6. The +hild was the desire o1 *y heart,
and 6 longed to prote+t hi* ELF. 6 +arried hi* in *y wo*b, 6 ga0e birth
to hi*, 6 end"red the agony o1 the birth pangs, 6 was all alone, and
the great ones were a1raid o1 disaster and to +o*e o"t at the so"nd o1
*y 0oi+e. 4y 1ather is in the T"at,&FN)%JJ, *y *other is in
A5ert,&FN)%JD, and *y elder brother is in the sar+ophag"s. Thin2 o1
the ene*y and o1 how prolonged was the wrath o1 his heart against *e,
&when, 6, the great lady, was in his ho"se.>
&FN)%J#, i.e., to be *y ad0o+ate.
&FN)%J%, Literally (his thing.(
&FN)%JJ, T"at is a 0ery an+ient na*e o1 the Other orld, whi+h was
sit"ated either parallel with Egypt or a+ross the +elestial o+ean whi+h
s"rro"nded the world.
&FN)%JD, The (per1e+t pla+e,( i.e., the Other orld.
(6 +ried then, &saying,, >ho a*ong the people will indeed let their
hearts +o*e ro"nd to *eL> 6 +ried then to those who dwelt in the
papyr"s swa*ps Eor, AtehF, and they in+lined to *e straightway. And
the people +a*e 1orth to *e 1ro* their ho"ses, and they thronged abo"t
*e at &the so"nd o1, *y 0oi+e, and they lo"dly bewailed with *e the
greatness o1 *y a11li+tion. There was no *an there who set restraint
ELF on his *o"th, e0ery person a*ong the* la*ented with great
la*entation. There was none there who 2new how to *a2e &*y +hild, to
li0e.
(And there +a*e 1orth "nto *e a wo*an who was &well, 2nown in her +ity,
a lady who was *istress o1 her &own, estate.&FN)%JC, She +a*e 1orth to
*e. Her *o"th possessed li1e, and her heart was 1illed with the *atter
whi+h was therein, &and she said,, >Fear not, 1ear not, O son Hor"sP
!e not +ast down, be not +ast down, O *other o1 the god. The +hild o1
the Oli0e;tree is by the *o"ntain o1 his brother, the b"sh is hidden,
and no ene*y shall enter therein. The word o1 power o1 Te*, the Father
o1 the gods, who is in hea0en, *a2eth to li0e. Set shall not enter
into this region, he shall not go ro"nd abo"t it. The *arsh o1 Hor"s
o1 the Oli0e;tree is by the *o"ntain o1 his brotherI those who are in
his 1ollowing shall not at any ti*e . . . . . . it. This shall happen
to hi*' Hor"s shall li0e 1or his *other, and shall sal"te ELF &her,
with his *o"th. A s+orpion hath s*itten Ei.e., st"ngF hi*, and the
reptile A"n;ab hath wo"nded hi*.>(
&FN)%JC, Or perhaps, (a lady who was at the head o1 her distri+t.(
Then 6sis pla+ed her nose in his *o"th&FN)%JB, so that she *ight 2now
whether he who was in his +o11in breathed, and she exa*ined the
wo"nd&FN)%J9, o1 the heir o1 the god, and she 1o"nd that there was
poison in it. She threw her ar*s ro"nd hi*, and then 5"i+2ly she
leaped abo"t with hi* li2e 1ish when they are laid "pon the hot +oals,
&saying,'
&FN)%JB, i.e., the *o"th o1 Hor"s.
&FN)%J9, Literally, (pain( or (disease.(
(Hor"s is bitten, O .a. Thy son is bitten, &O Osiris,. Hor"s is
bitten, the 1lesh and blood o1 the Heir, the Lord o1 the diade*s ELF o1
the 2ingdo*s o1 Sh". Hor"s is bitten, the !oy o1 the *arsh +ity o1
Ateh, the /hild in the Ho"se o1 the -rin+e. The bea"ti1"l /hild o1
gold is bitten, the !abe hath s"11ered pain and is not.&FN)%JA, Hor"s
is bitten, he the son o1 8n;Ne1er, who was born o1 A"h;*" ELF. Hor"s
is bitten, he in who* there was nothing abo*inable, the son, the yo"th
a*ong the gods. Hor"s is bitten, he 1or whose wants 6 prepared in
ab"ndan+e, 1or 6 saw that he wo"ld *a2e answer&FN)%J$, 1or his 1ather.
Hor"s is bitten, he 1or who* &6, had +are &when he was, in the hidden
wo*an &and 1or who* 6 was a1raid when he was, in the wo*b o1 his
*other. Hor"s is bitten, he who* 6 g"arded to loo2 "pon. 6 ha0e
wished 1or the li1e o1 his heart. /ala*ity hath be1allen the +hild on
the water, and the +hild hath perished.(
&FN)%JA, He is nothing, i.e., he is dead.
&FN)%J$, i.e., be+o*e an ad0o+ate 1or.
Then +a*e Nephthys shedding tears and "ttering +ries o1 la*entation, and
going ro"nd abo"t thro"gh the papyr"s swa*ps. And Ser5 &+a*e also and
they said,' (!ehold, behold, what hath happened to Hor"s, son o1 6sis,
and who &hath done it,L -ray then to hea0en, and let the *ariners o1 .a
+ease their labo"rs 1or a spa+e, 1or the !oat o1 .a +annot tra0el
onwards &whilst, son Hor"s &lieth dead, on his pla+e.(
And 6sis sent 1orth her 0oi+e into hea0en, and *ade s"ppli+ation to the
!oat o1 4illions o1 =ears, and the Dis2 stopped&FN)%D@, in its
3o"rneying, and *o0ed not 1ro* the pla+e whereon it rested. Then +a*e
1orth Thoth, who is e5"ipped with his spells Eor, words o1 powerF, and
possesseth the great word o1 +o**and o1 *aa;2her",&FN)%D#, &and said',
(hat &aileth thee,, what &aileth thee,, O 6sis, tho" goddess who hast
*agi+al spells, whose *o"th hath "nderstandingL Ass"redly no e0il
thing hath be1allen &thy, son Hor"s, &1or, the !oat o1 .a hath hi*
"nder its prote+tion. 6 ha0e +o*e this day in the Di0ine !oat o1 the
Dis2 1ro* the pla+e where it was yesterday,;;now dar2ness +a*e and the
light was destroyed;;in order to heal Hor"s 1or his *other 6sis and
e0ery person who is "nder the 2ni1e li2ewise.(
&FN)%D@, Literally, (alighted.(
&FN)%D#, hen a god or a *an was de+lared to be *aa;2her", (tr"e o1
0oi+e,( or (tr"e o1 word,( his power be+a*e illi*itable. 6t ga0e hi*
r"le and a"thority, and e0ery +o**and "ttered by hi* was i**ediately
1ollowed by the e11e+t re5"ired.
And 6sis, the goddess, said' (O Thoth, great things &are in, thy heart,
&b"t, delay belongeth to thy plan. Hast tho" +o*e e5"ipped with thy
spells and in+antations, and ha0ing the great 1or*"la o1 *aa;2her", and
one &spell, a1ter the other, the n"*bers whereo1 are not 2nownL <erily
Hor"s is in the +radleELF o1 the poison. E0il, e0il is his +ase,
death, &and, *isery to the 1"llest &extent,. The +ry o1 his *o"th is
towards his *otherELF. 6 +annot &bear, to see these things in his
train. 4y heart &hath not, rested be+a"se o1 the* sin+e the
beginningELF &when, 6 *ade haste to *a2e answer &1or, Hor"s;.a ELF,
pla+ing &*ysel1, on the earth, &and, sin+e the day &when, 6 was ta2en
possession o1 by hi*. 6 desired Neheb;2a . . . . . . .(
&And Thoth said', (Fear not, 1ear not, O goddess 6sis, 1ear not, 1ear
not, O Nephthys, and let not anxiety &be to yo",. 6 ha0e +o*e 1ro*
hea0en ha0ing li1e to healELF the +hild 1or his *other, Hor"s is . . .
Let thy heart be 1ir*I&FN)%D%, he shall not sin2 "nder the 1la*e.
Hor"s is prote+ted as the Dweller in his Dis2,&FN)%DJ, who lighteth "p
the Two Lands by the splendo"r o1 his two EyesI&FN)%DD, and he who is
"nder the 2ni1e is li2ewise prote+ted. Hor"s is prote+ted as the
First;born son in hea0en,&FN)%DC, who is ordained to be the g"ide o1
the things whi+h exist and o1 the things whi+h are not yet +reatedI and
he who "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted as
that great Dwar1 Ene*"F&FN)%DB, who goeth ro"nd abo"t the Two Lands in
the dar2nessI and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted li2ewise.
Hor"s is prote+ted as the Lord ELF in the night, who re0ol0eth at the
head o1 the Land o1 the S"nset E4an"FI and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is
prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted as the 4ighty .a*&FN)%D9, who
is hidden, and who goeth ro"nd abo"t in 1ront o1 his EyesI and he who
is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted as the
Great Haw2&FN)%DA, whi+h 1lieth thro"gh hea0en, earth, and the Other
orld ET"atFI and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted li2ewise.
Hor"s is prote+ted as the Holy !eetle, the *ighty ELF wings o1 whi+h
are at the head o1 the s2yI&FN)%D$, and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is
prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted as the Hidden !ody,&FN)%C@, and
as he whose *"**y is in his sar+ophag"sI and he who is "nder the 2ni1e
is prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted &as the Dweller, in the
Other orld &and in the, Two Lands, who goeth ro"nd abo"t >Those who
are o0er Hidden Things>I and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted
li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted as the Di0ine !enn"&FN)%C#, who alighteth
in 1ront o1 his two EyesI and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted
li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted %J@ in his own body, and the spells whi+h
his *other 6sis hath wo0en prote+t hi*. Hor"s is prote+ted by the
na*es o1 his 1ather &Osiris, in his 1or*s in the no*esI&FN)%C%, and he
who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is prote+ted by
the weeping o1 his *other, and by the +ries o1 grie1 o1 his brethrenI
and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted li2ewise. Hor"s is
prote+ted by his own na*e and heart, and the gods go ro"nd abo"t hi* to
*a2e his 1"neral bedI and he who is "nder the 2ni1e is prote+ted
li2ewise.(
&FN)%D%, i.e., (!e o1 good +o"rage.(
&FN)%DJ, The S"n;god.
&FN)%DD, The S"n and 4oon.
&FN)%DC, Osiris ELF.
&FN)%DB, !es ELF.
&FN)%D9, -robably the .a*, Lord o1 Tatt", or the .a* o1 4endes.
&FN)%DA, Her";!eh"tet.
&FN)%D$, The beetle o1 :hepera, a 1or* o1 the S"n;god when he is abo"t
to rise on this earth.
&FN)%C@, The Hidden !ody is Osiris, who lay in his sar+ophag"s, with
6sis and Nephthys weeping o0er it.
&FN)%C#, The !enn" was the so"l o1 .a and the in+arnation o1 Osiris.
&FN)%C%, See the na*es o1 Osiris and his san+t"aries in /hapter /?L66.
o1 the !oo2 o1 the Dead.
&And Thoth said',
(a2e "p, Hor"sP Thy prote+tion is established. 4a2e tho" happy the
heart o1 thy *other 6sis. The words o1 Hor"s shall bind "p hearts, he
shall +a"se to be at pea+e hi* who is in a11li+tion. Let yo"r hearts
be happy, O ye who dwell in the hea0ens EN"tF. Hor"s, he who hath
a0enged Eor, prote+tedF his 1ather shall +a"se the poison to retreat.
<erily that whi+h is in the *o"th o1 .a shall go ro"nd abo"t Ei.e.,
+ir+"lateF, and the tong"e o1 the Great God shall rep"lse
&opposition,. The !oat &o1 .a, standeth still, and tra0elleth not
onwards. The Dis2 is in the &sa*e, pla+e where it was yesterday to
heal Hor"s 1or his *other 6sis, and to heal hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e
o1 his *other&FN)%CJ, li2ewise. /o*e to the earth, draw nigh, O !oat
o1 .a, *a2e the boat to tra0el, O *ariners o1 hea0en, transport
pro0isions ELF o1 . . . . . . Se2he*&FN)%CD, to heal Hor"s 1or his
*other 6sis, and to heal hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e o1 his *other
li2ewise. Hasten away, O pain whi+h is in the region ro"nd abo"t, and
let it Ei.e., the !oatF des+end "pon the pla+e where it was yesterday
to heal Hor"s 1or his *other 6sis, and to heal hi* that is "nder the
2ni1e o1 his *other li2ewise. Get thee ro"nd and ro"nd, O bald ELF
1iend, witho"t horns at the seasons ELF, not seeing the 1or*s thro"gh
the shadow o1 the two Eyes, to heal Hor"s 1or his *other 6sis, and to
heal hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e li2ewise. !e 1illed, O two hal0es o1
hea0en, be e*pty, O papyr"s roll, ret"rn, O li1e, into the li0ing to
heal Hor"s 1or his it *other 6sis, and to heal hi* that is "nder the
2ni1e li2ewise. /o*e tho" to earth, O poison. Let hearts be glad, and
let radian+e Eor, lightF go ro"nd abo"t.
&FN)%CJ, e sho"ld probably stri2e o"t the words (o1 his *other.(
&FN)%CD, The +ity in the Delta +alled by the Gree2s Letopolis.
(6 a* Thoth,&FN)%CC, the 1irstborn son, the son o1 .a, and Te* and the
/o*pany o1 the gods ha0e +o**anded *e to heal Hor"s 1or his *other
6sis, and to heal hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e li2ewise. O Hor"s, O
Hor"s, thy :a prote+teth thee, and thy 6*age wor2eth prote+tion 1or
thee. The poison is as the da"ghter o1 its &own, 1la*eI &it is,
destroyed &be+a"se, it s*ote the strong son. =o"r te*ples are in good
+ondition 1or yo", &1or, Hor"s li0eth 1or his *other, and he who is
"nder the 2ni1e li2ewise.(
&FN)%CC, Thoth stood by d"ring the 1ight between Hor"s and Set, and
healed the wo"nds whi+h they in1li+ted on ea+h other.
And the goddess 6sis said'
(Set tho" his 1a+e towards those who dwell in the North Land EAtehF,
the n"rses who dwell in the +ity -e;Tept E!"toF, 1or they ha0e o11ered
0ery large o11erings in order to +a"se the +hild to be *ade strong 1or
his *other, and to *a2e strong hi* that is "nder the 2ni1e li2ewise.
Do not allow the* to re+ogni7e the di0ine :a in the Swa*p Land, in the
+ity ELF o1 Ne*hett" ELF &and, in her +ity.(
Then spa2e Thoth "nto the great gods who dwell in the Swa*p;Land
&saying,' (O ye n"rses who dwell in the +ity o1 -e, who s*ite &1iends,
with yo"r hands, and o0erthrow &the*, with yo"r ar*s on behal1 o1 that
Great One who appeareth in 1ront o1 yo" &in, the Se2tet !oat,&FN)%CB,
let the 4atet&FN)%C9, E4ant+hetF !oat tra0el on. Hor"s is to yo", he
is +o"nted "p 1or li1e, and he is de+lared 1or the li1e o1 his 1ather
&Osiris,. 6 ha0e gi0en gladness "nto those who are in the Se2tet !oat,
and the *ariners &o1 .a, *a2e it to 3o"rney on. Hor"s li0eth 1or his
*other 6sis and he who is "nder the 2ni1e li0eth 1or his *other
li2ewise. As 1or the poison, the strength thereo1 has been *ade
powerless. <erily 6 a* a 1a0o"red one, and 6 will 3oin *ysel1 to his
ho"r&FN)%CA, to h"rl ba+2 the report o1 e0il to hi* that sent it 1orth.
The heart o1 .a;Her";:h"ti re3oi+eth. Thy son Hor"s is +o"nted "p 1or
li1e &whi+h is, on this +hild to *a2e hi* to s*ite, and to retreat ELF
1ro* those who are abo0e, and to t"rn ba+2 the paths o1 the Sebi"
1iends 1ro* hi*, so that he *ay ta2e possession o1 the throne o1 the
Two Lands. .a is in hea0en to *a2e answer on %C# behal1 o1 hi* and his
1ather. The words o1 power o1 his *other ha0e li1ted "p his 1a+e, and
they prote+t hi* and enable hi* to go ro"nd abo"t wheresoe0er he
pleaseth, and to set the terror o1 hi* in +elestial beings. 6 ha0e
*ade haste . . . . . .(
&FN)%CB, The boat in whi+h .a tra0elled 1ro* noon to s"nset, or
perhaps "ntil *idnight.
&FN)%C9, The boat in whi+h .a tra0elled 1ro* dawn, or perhaps 1ro*
*idnight, to noon.
&FN)%CA, i.e., 6 will be with hi* at the *o*ent o1 his need.
THE H6STO.= OF 6S6S AND OS6.6S,
6TH E?-LANAT6ONS OF THE SA4E, /OLLE/TED != -L8TA./H, AND S8--LE4ENTED
!= H6S ON <6ES.
6. Tho"gh it be the wise *an>s d"ty, O /lea,&FN)%C$, to apply to the
gods 1or e0ery good thing whi+h he hopes to en3oy, yet o"ght he *ore
espe+ially to pray to the* 1or their assistan+e in his sear+h a1ter
that 2nowledge whi+h *ore i**ediately regards the*sel0es, as 1ar as
s"+h 2nowledge *ay be attained, inas*"+h as there is nothing whi+h they
+an bestow *ore tr"ly bene1i+ial to *an2ind, or *ore worthy the*sel0es,
than tr"th. For whate0er other good things are ind"lged to the wants
o1 *en, they ha0e all, properly spea2ing, no relation to, and are o1 a
nat"re 5"ite di11erent 1ro*, that o1 their di0ine donors. For >tis not
the ab"ndan+e o1 their gold and sil0er, nor the +o**and o1 the th"nder,
b"t wisdo* and 2nowledge whi+h +onstit"te the power and happiness o1
those hea0enly beings. 6t is there1ore well obser0ed by Ho*er E6liad,
xiii. JCDF, and indeed with *ore propriety than be "s"ally tal2s o1 the
gods, when, spea2ing o1 Ge"s and -oseidon, he tells "s that both were
des+ended 1ro* the sa*e parents, and born in the sa*e region, b"t that
Ge"s was the elder and 2new *ostI plainly inti*ating thereby that the
e*pire o1 the 1or*er was *ore a"g"st and hono"rable than that o1 his
brother, as by *eans o1 his age he was his s"perior, and *ore ad0an+ed
in wisdo* and s+ien+e. Nay, >tis *y opinion, 6 own, that e0en the
blessedness o1 that eternity whi+h is the portion o1 the Deity hi*sel1
+onsists in that "ni0ersal 2nowledge o1 all nat"re whi+h a++o*panies
itI 1or setting this aside, eternity *ight be *ore properly styled an
endless d"ration than an en3oy*ent o1 existen+e.
&FN)%C$, She is said to ha0e been a priestess o1 6sis and o1 Apollo
Delphi+"s.
66. To desire, there1ore, and +o0et a1ter tr"th, those tr"ths *ore
espe+ially whi+h +on+ern the di0ine nat"re, is to aspire to be
parta2ers o1 that nat"re itsel1, and to pro1ess that all o"r st"dies
and in5"iries are de0oted to the a+5"isition o1 holiness. This
o++"pation is s"rely *ore tr"ly religio"s than any external
p"ri1i+ations or *ere ser0i+e o1 the te*ple +an be. !"t *ore
espe+ially *"st s"+h a disposition o1 *ind be highly a++eptable to that
goddess to whose ser0i+e yo" are dedi+ated, 1or her espe+ial
+hara+teristi+s are wisdo* and 1oresight, and her 0ery na*e see*s to
express the pe+"liar relation whi+h she bears to 2nowledge. For
(6sis(&FN)%B@, is a Gree2 word, and *eans (2nowledge,( and
(Typhon,(&FN)%B#, the na*e o1 her pro1essed ad0ersary, is also a Gree2
word, and *eans (pride and insolen+e.( This latter na*e is well
adapted to one who, 1"ll o1 ignoran+e and error, tears in pie+es and
+on+eals that holy do+trine whi+h the goddess +olle+ts, +o*piles, and
deli0ers to those who aspire a1ter the *ost per1e+t parti+ipation in
the di0ine nat"re. This do+trin
in+"l+ates a steady perse0eran+e in
one "ni1or* and te*perate +o"rse o1 li1e, and an abstinen+e 1ro*
parti+"lar 2inds o1 1oods, as well as 1ro* all ind"lgen+e o1 the +arnal
appetite, and it restrains the inte*perate and 0ol"pt"o"s part within
d"e bo"nds, and at the sa*e ti*e habit"ates her 0otaries to "ndergo
those a"stere and rigid +ere*onies whi+h their religion obliges the* to
obser0e. The end and ai* o1 all these toils and labo"rs is the
attain*ent o1 the 2nowledge o1 the First and /hie1 !eing, who alone is
the ob3e+t o1 the "nderstanding o1 the *indI and this 2nowledge the
goddess in0ites "s to see2 a1ter, as being near and dwelling
+ontin"ally with her. And this also is what the 0ery na*e o1 her
te*ple pro*iseth to "s, that is to say, the 2nowledge and "nderstanding
o1 the eternal and sel1;existent !eing Eto" ontasF;now, it is +alled
(6seion,( whi+h s"ggests that i1 we approa+h the te*ple o1 the goddess
rightly, and with p"rity, we shall obtain the 2nowledge o1 that eternal
and sel1;existent !eing Eto onF.
&FN)%B@, The Egyptian 1or* o1 the na*e is As;T, )))), )))), or )))).
-l"tar+h wishes to deri0e the na*e 1ro* so*e 1or* o1 Sgree2 oidaK.
&FN)%B#, 6n Egyptian, Tebh.
666. The goddess 6sis is said by so*e a"thors to be the
da"ghter&FN)%B%, o1 Her*es, &FN)%BJ, and by others o1 -ro*ethe"s, both
o1 the* 1a*o"s 1or their philosophi+ t"rn o1 *ind. The latter is
s"pposed to ha0e 1irst ta"ght *an2ind wisdo* and 1oresight, as the
1or*er is rep"ted to ha0e in0ented letters and *"si+.
&FN)%B%, A++ording to the Egyptian Heliopolitan do+trine, 6sis was the
da"ghter o1 :eb, the Earth;god, and N"t, the S2y;goddessI she was the
wi1e o1 Osiris, *other o1 Hor"s, and sister o1 Set and Nephthys.
&FN)%BJ, The Egyptian. Teh"ti, or Thoth, who in0ented letters,
*athe*ati+s, M+. He was the (heart o1 .a,( the s+ribe o1 the gods, and
he "ttered the words whi+h +reated the worldI he +o*posed the (words o1
power,( or *agi+al 1or*"lae whi+h were bene1i+ial 1or the dead, and the
religio"s wor2s whi+h were "sed by so"ls in their 3o"rney 1ro* this
world to the next.
They li2ewise +all the 1or*er o1 the two 4"ses at Her*opolis&FN)%BD,
6sis as well as Di2aios"ne,&FN)%BC, she being none other, it is said,
than isdo* pointing o"t the 2nowledge o1 di0ine tr"ths to her
0otaries, the tr"e Hierophori and Hierostoli. Now, by the 1or*er o1
these are *eant s"+h who +arry abo"t the* loo2ed "p in their so"ls, as
in a +hest, the sa+red do+trine +on+erning the gods, p"ri1ied 1ro* all
s"+h s"per1l"ities as s"perstition *ay ha0e added thereto. And the
holy apparel with whi+h the Hierostoli adorn the stat"es o1 these
deities, whi+h is partly o1 a dar2 and gloo*y and partly o1 a *ore
bright and shining +olo"r, see*s aptly eno"gh to represent the notions
whi+h this do+trine tea+hes "s to entertain o1 the di0ine nat"re
itsel1, partly +lear and partly obs+"re. And inas*"+h as the de0otees
o1 6sis a1ter their de+ease are wrapped "p in these sa+red 0est*ents,
is not this intended to signi1y that this holy do+trine still abides
with the*, and that this alone a++o*panies the* in another li1eL For
as >tis not the length o1 the beard or the +oarseness o1 the habit
whi+h *a2es a philosopher, so neither will these 1re5"ent sha0ings, or
the *ere wearing o1 a linen 0est*ent, +onstit"te a 0otary o1 6sis. He
alone is a tr"e ser0ant or 1ollower o1 this goddess who, a1ter he has
heard, and has been *ade a+5"ainted in a proper *anner with the history
o1 the a+tions o1 these gods, sear+hes into the hidden tr"ths whi+h lie
+on+ealed "nder the*, and exa*ines the whole by the di+tates o1 reason
and philosophy.
&FN)%BD, The Her*opolis here re1erred to is the +ity o1 :he*en" in
8pper Egypt, wherein was the great san+t"ary o1 Thoth.
&FN)%BC, i.e., .ighteo"sness, or N"sti+e. The goddess re1erred to is
probably 4aat.
6<. Nor, indeed, o"ght s"+h an exa*ination to be loo2ed on as
"nne+essary whilst there are so *any ignorant o1 the tr"e reason e0en
o1 the *ost ordinary rites obser0ed by the Egyptian priests, s"+h as
their sha0ings&FN)%BB, and wearing linen gar*ents. So*e, indeed, there
are who ne0er tro"ble the*sel0es to thin2 at all abo"t these *atters,
whilst others rest satis1ied with the *ost s"per1i+ial a++o"nts o1
the*' (They pay a pe+"liar 0eneration to the sheep,&FN)%B9, there1ore
they thin2 it their d"ty not only to abstain 1ro* eating its 1lesh, b"t
li2ewise 1ro* wearing its wool. They are +ontin"ally *o"rning 1or
their gods, there1ore they sha0e the*sel0es. The light a7"re blosso*
o1 the 1lax rese*bles the +lear and bloo*y +olo"r o1 the ethereal s2y,
there1ore they wear linen(I whereas the tr"e reason o1 the instit"tion
and obser0ation o1 these rites is b"t one, and that +o**on to all o1
the*, na*ely, the extraordinary notions whi+h they entertain o1
+leanliness, pers"aded as they are, a++ording to the saying o1 -lato,
(none b"t the p"re o"ght to approa+h the p"re.( Now, no s"per1l"ity o1
o"r 1ood, and no ex+re*entitio"s s"bstan+e, is loo2ed "pon by the* as
p"re and +leanI s"+h, howe0er, are all 2inds o1 wool and down, o"r hair
and o"r nails. 6t wo"ld be the highest abs"rdity, there1ore, 1or those
who, whilstI they are in a +o"rse o1 p"ri1i+ation, are at so *"+h pains
to ta2e o11 the hair 1ro* e0ery part o1 their own bodies, at the sa*e
ti*e to +lothe the*sel0es with that o1 other ani*als. So when we are
told by Hesiod (not to pare o"r nails whilst we are present at the
1esti0als o1 the gods,(&FN)%BA, we o"ght to "nderstand that he intended
hereby to in+"l+ate that p"rity wherewith we o"ght to +o*e prepared
be1ore we enter "pon any religio"s d"ty, that we ha0e not to *a2e
o"rsel0es +lean whilst we o"ght to be o++"pied in attending to the
sole*nity itsel1. Now, with regard to 1lax, this springs o"t o1 the
i**ortal earth itsel1I and not only prod"+es a 1r"it 1it 1or 1ood, b"t
*oreo0er 1"rnishes a light and neat sort o1 +lothing, extre*ely
agreeable to the wearer, adapted to all the seasons o1 the year, and
not in the least s"b3e+t, as is said, to prod"+e or no"rish 0er*inI b"t
*ore o1 this in another pla+e.
&FN)%BB, A r"bri+ in the papyr"s o1 Nes;4en" in the !ritish 4"se"*
orders the priestesses o1 6sis and Nephthys to ha0e (the hair o1 their
bodies sha0ed o11( ENo. #@,#AA, +ol. #F, b"t they are also ordered to
wear 1illets o1 ra*s> wool on their heads.
&FN)%B9, -robably the ra* o1 A*en. Ani*al sa+ri1i+es were in0ariably
b"lls and +ows.
&FN)%BA, This saying is by -ythagoras;;Sgree2 -ara d"sian
*hOon"xi7o"K. The saying o1 Hesiod Eor2s and Days, 9D@F is rendered
by Goodwin';;
(Not at a 1east o1 Gods 1ro* 1i0e;bran+hed tree,
ith sharp;edged steel to part the green 1ro* dry.(
<. Now, the priests are so s+r"p"lo"s in endea0o"ring to a0oid
e0erything whi+h *ay tend to the in+rease o1 the abo0e;*entioned
ex+re*entitio"s s"bstan+es, that, on this a++o"nt, they abstain not
only 1ro* *ost sorts o1 p"lse, and 1ro* the 1lesh o1 sheep and swine,
b"t li2ewise, in their *ore sole*n p"ri1i+ations, they e0en ex+l"de
salt 1ro* their *eals. This they do 1or *any reasons, b"t +hie1ly
be+a"se it whets their appetites, and in+ites the* to eat *ore than
they otherwise wo"ld. Now, as to salt being a++o"nted i*p"re be+a"se,
as Aristagoras tells "s, *any little inse+ts are +a"ght in it whilst it
is hardening, and are thereby 2illed therein;this 0iew is wholly
tri1ling and abs"rd. Fro* these sa*e *oti0es also they gi0e the Apis
!"ll his water 1ro* a well spe+ially set apart 1or the p"rpose,&FN)%B$,
and they pre0ent hi* altogether 1ro* drin2ing o1 the Nile, not indeed
that they regard the ri0er as i*p"re, and poll"ted be+a"se o1 the
+ro+odiles whi+h are in it, as so*e pretend, 1or there is nothing whi+h
the Egyptians hold in greater 0eneration than the Nile, b"t be+a"se its
waters are obser0ed to be parti+"larly no"rishing&FN)%9@, and
1attening. And they stri0e to pre0ent 1atness in Apis as well as in
the*sel0es, 1or they are anxio"s that their bodies sho"ld sit as light
and easy abo"t their so"ls as possible, and that their *ortal part
sho"ld not oppress and weigh down the di0ine and i**ortal.
&FN)%B$, 6t is 5"ite possible that Apis dran2 1ro* a spe+ial well, b"t
the water in it +ertainly +a*e 1ro* the Nile by in1iltration. 6n all
the old wells at 4e*phis the water sin2s as the Nile sin2s, and rises
as it rises.
&FN)%9@, On a++o"nt o1 the large a*o"nt o1 ani*al *atter +ontained in
it.
<6. The priests o1 the S"n at Heliopolis&FN)%9#, ne0er +arry wine into
their te*ples, 1or they regard it as inde+ent 1or those who are de0oted
to the ser0i+e o1 any god to ind"lge in the drin2ing o1 wine whilst
they are "nder the i**ediate inspe+tion o1 their Lord and :ing.&FN)%9%,
The priests o1 the other deities are not so s+r"p"lo"s in this respe+t,
1or they "se it, tho"gh sparingly. D"ring their *ore sole*n
p"ri1i+ations they abstain 1ro* wine wholly, and they gi0e the*sel0es
"p entirely to st"dy and *editation, and to the hearing and tea+hing o1
those di0ine tr"ths whi+h treat o1 the di0ine nat"re. E0en the 2ings,
who are li2ewise priests, only parta2e o1 wine in the *eas"re whi+h is
pres+ribed 1or the* in the sa+red boo2s, as we are told by He+atae"s.
This +"sto* was only introd"+ed d"ring the reign o1 -sa**eti+h"s, and
be1ore that ti*e they dran2 no wine at all. 61 they "sed it at any
ti*e in po"ring o"t libations to the gods, it was not be+a"se they
loo2ed "pon it as being a++eptable to the* 1or its own sa2e, b"t they
po"red it o"t o0er their altars as the blood o1 their ene*ies who had
in ti*es past 1o"ght against the*. For they belie0e the 0ine to ha0e
1irst spr"ng o"t o1 the earth a1ter it was 1attened by the bodies o1
those who 1ell in the wars against the gods. And this, they say, is
the reason why drin2ing its 3"i+e in great 5"antities *a2es *en *ad and
beside the*sel0es, 1illing the*, as it were, with the blood o1 their
own an+estors. These things are th"s related by E"dox"s in the se+ond
boo2 o1 his Tra0els, as he had the* 1ro* the priests the*sel0es.
&FN)%9#, /alled AN8 in the Egyptian textsI it was the +entre o1 the
great solar +"lt o1 Egypt. 6t is the (On( o1 the !ible.
&FN)%9%, The S"n;god was +alled .a.
<66. As to sea;1ish, the Egyptians in general do not abstain 1ro* all
2inds o1 the*, b"t so*e 1ro* one sort and so*e 1ro* another. Th"s, 1or
exa*ple, the inhabitants o1 Oxyrhyn+h"s&FN)%9J, will not to"+h any that
ha0e been ta2en with an angleI 1or as they pay espe+ial re0eren+e to
the Oxyrhyn+h"s Fish,&FN)%9D, 1ro* when+e they deri0e their na*e, they
are a1raid lest perhaps the hoo2 *ay be de1iled by ha0ing been at so*e
ti*e or other e*ployed in +at+hing their 1a0o"rite 1ish. The people o1
Syene&FN)%9C, in li2e *anner abstain 1ro* the -hagr"s Fish&FN)%9B,I 1or
as this 1ish is obser0ed by the* to *a2e his 1irst appearan+e "pon
their +oasts 3"st as the Nile begins to o0er1low, they pay spe+ial
regard to these 0ol"ntary *essengers as it were o1 that *ost 3oy1"l
news. The priests, indeed, entirely abstain 1ro* all sorts in
general.&FN)%99, There1ore, "pon the ninth day o1 the 1irst *onth,
when all the rest o1 the Egyptians are obliged by their religion to eat
a 1ried 1ish be1ore the door o1 their ho"ses, they only b"rn the*, not
tasting the* at all. For this +"sto* they gi0e two reasons' the 1irst
and *ost +"rio"s, as 1alling in with the sa+red philosophy o1 Osiris
and Typhon, will be *ore properly explained in another pla+e. The
se+ond, that whi+h is *ost ob0io"s and *ani1est, is that 1ish is
neither a dainty nor e0en a ne+essary 2ind o1 1ood, a 1a+t whi+h see*s
to be ab"ndantly +on1ir*ed by the writings o1 Ho*er, who ne0er *a2es
either the deli+ate -hea+ians or the 6tha+ans Etho"gh both peoples were
islandersF to 1eed "pon 1ish, nor e0en the +o*panions o1 8lysses d"ring
their long and *ost tedio"s 0oyage, till they were red"+ed thereto by
extre*e ne+essity. 6n short, they +onsider the sea to ha0e been 1or+ed
o"t o1 the earth by the power o1 1ire, and there1ore to lie o"t o1
nat"re>s +on1inesI and they regard it not as a part o1 the world, or
one o1 the ele*ents, b"t as a preternat"ral and +orr"pt and *orbid
ex+re*ent.
&FN)%9J, The -er;4at+het.
&FN)%9D, -robably the pi2e, or (1ighting 1ish.(
&FN)%9C, 6n Egyptian, S8N8, the Seweneh o1 the !ible, and the *odern
Aswan.
&FN)%9B, A 2ind o1 brea*, the an o1 the Egyptian texts.
&FN)%99, /o*pare /hap. /???<66A o1 the !oo2 o1 the Dead. (And behold,
these things shall be per1or*ed by a *an who is +lean, and is
+ere*onially p"re, one who hath eaten neither *eat nor 1ish, and who
hath not had inter+o"rse with wo*en( Ell. C%, CJF.
<666. This *"+h *ay be depended "pon' the, religio"s rites and
+ere*onies o1 the Egyptians were ne0er instit"ted "pon irrational
gro"nds, ne0er b"ilt "pon *ere 1able and s"perstition, b"t 1o"nded with
a 0iew to pro*ote the *orality and happiness o1 those who were to
obser0e the*, or at least to preser0e the *e*ory o1 so*e 0al"able pie+e
o1 history, or to represent to "s so*e o1 the pheno*ena o1 nat"re. As
+on+erning the abhorren+e whi+h is expressed 1or onions, it is wholly
i*probable that this detestation is owing to the loss o1 Di2tys, who,
whilst he was "nder the g"ardianship o1 6sis, is s"pposed to ha0e
1allen into the ri0er and to ha0e been drowned as he was rea+hing a1ter
a b"n+h o1 the*. No, the tr"e reason o1 their abstinen+e 1ro* onions
is be+a"se they are obser0ed to 1lo"rish *ost and to be in the greatest
0igo"r at the wane o1 the *oon, and also be+a"se they are entirely
"seless to the* either in their 1easts&FN)%9A, or in their ti*es o1
abstinen+e and p"ri1i+ation, 1or in the 1or*er +ase they *a2e tears
+o*e 1ro* those who "se the*, and in the latter they +reate thirst.
For *"+h the sa*e reason they li2ewise loo2 "pon the pig as an i*p"re
ani*al, and to be a0oided, obser0ing it to be *ost apt to engender "pon
the de+rease o1 the *oon, and they thin2 that those who drin2 its *il2
are *ore s"b3e+t to leprosy and s"+h;li2e +"taneo"s diseases than
others. The +"sto* o1 abstaining 1ro* the 1lesh o1 the pig&FN)%9$, is
not always obser0ed, 1or those who sa+ri1i+e a sow to Typhon on+e a
year, at the 1"ll *oon, a1terwards eat its 1lesh. The reason they gi0e
1or this pra+ti+e is this' Typhon being in p"rs"it o1 this ani*al at
that season o1 the *oon, a++identally 1o"nd the wooden +hest wherein
was deposited the body o1 Osiris, whi+h he i**ediately p"lled to
pie+es. This story, howe0er, is not generally ad*itted, there being
so*e who loo2 "pon it, as they do *any other relations o1 the sa*e
2ind, as 1o"nded "pon so*e *ista2e or *isrepresentation. All agree,
howe0er, in saying that so great was the abhorren+e whi+h the an+ient
Egyptians expressed 1or whate0er tended to pro*ote l"x"ry, expense, and
0ol"pt"o"sness, that in order to expose it as *"+h as possible they
ere+ted a +ol"*n in one o1 the te*ples o1 Thebes, 1"ll o1 +"rses
against their 2ing 4einis, who 1irst drew the* o11 1ro* their 1or*er
1r"gal and parsi*onio"s +o"rse o1 li1e. The i**ediate +a"se 1or the
ere+tion o1 the pillar is th"s gi0en' Te+hnatis,&FN)%A@, the 1ather o1
!o++horis, leading an ar*y against the Arabians, and his baggage and
pro0isions not +o*ing "p to hi* as soon as he expe+ted, was there1ore
obliged to eat so*e o1 the 0ery poor 1ood whi+h was obtainable, and
ha0ing eaten, he lay down on the bare gro"nd and slept 0ery so"ndly.
This ga0e hi* a great a11e+tion 1or a *ean and 1r"gal diet, and ind"+ed
hi* to +"rse the *e*ory o1 4einis, and with the per*ission o1 the
priests he *ade these +"rses p"bli+ by +"tting the* "pon a
pillar.&FN)%A#,
&FN)%9A, !"n+hes o1 onions were o11ered to the dead at all periods o1
Egyptian history, and they were regarded as typi+al o1 the (white
teeth( o1 Hor"s. The onion was largely "sed in *edi+ine.
&FN)%9$, The pig was asso+iated with Set, or Typhon, and the bla+2
0ariety was spe+ially abo*inated be+a"se it was a bla+2 pig whi+h
str"+2 Hor"s in the eye, and da*aged it se0erely. See !oo2 o1 the
Dead, /hap. /?66.
&FN)%A@, 6n Egyptian, TAFNE:HT, the 1irst 2ing o1 the ??6<th Dynasty.
&FN)%A#, An "nli2ely story, 1or Ta1ne2ht had no a"thority at Thebes.
6?. Now, the 2ings o1 Egypt were always +hosen either o"t o1 the
soldiery or priesthood, the 1or*er order being hono"red and respe+ted
1or its 0alo"r, and the latter 1or its wisdo*. 61 the +hoi+e 1ell "pon
a soldier, he was i**ediately initiated into the order o1 priests, and
by the* instr"+ted in their abstr"se and hidden philosophy, a
philosophy 1or the *ost part in0ol0ed in 1able and allegory, and
exhibiting only dar2 hints and obs+"re rese*blan+es o1 the tr"th. This
the priesthood hints to "s in *any instan+es, parti+"larly by the
sphinxes, whi+h they see* to ha0e pla+ed designedly be1ore their
te*ples as types o1 the enig*ati+al nat"re o1 their theology. To this
p"rpose, li2ewise, is that ins+ription whi+h they ha0e engra0ed "pon
the base o1 the stat"e o1 Athene&FN)%A%, at Sais, who* they identi1y
with 6sis' (6 a* e0erything that has been, that is, and that shall be'
and *y 0eil no *an hath raised.( 6n li2e *anner the word (A*o"n,( or
as it is expressed in the Gree2 lang"age, (A**on,( whi+h is generally
loo2ed "pon as the proper na*e o1 the Egyptian Ge"s, is interpreted by
4anetho&FN)%AJ, the Sebennite&FN)%AD, to signi1y (+on+eal*ent( or
(so*ething whi+h is hidden.(&FN)%AC, He+atae"s o1 Abdera indeed tells
"s that the Egyptians *a2e "se o1 this ter* when they +all o"t to one
another. 61 this be so, then their in0o2ing A*o"n is the sa*e thing as
+alling "pon the s"pre*e being, who* they belie0e to be (hidden( and
(+on+ealed( in the "ni0ersal nat"re, to appear and *ani1est itsel1 to
the*. So +a"tio"s and reser0ed was the Egyptian wisdo* in those things
whi+h appertained to religion.
&FN)%A%, The Egyptian goddess Net, in Gree2 Sgree2 NhidK, the great
goddess o1 Sais, in the estern Delta. She was sel1;existent, and
prod"+ed her son, the S"n;god, witho"t "nion with a god. 6n an address
to her, 5"oted by 4allet E/"lte de Neit, p. #D@F, are 1o"nd the words,
(thy gar*ent hath not been "nloosed,( th"s -l"tar+h>s 5"otation is
+orre+t.
&FN)%AJ, He +o*piled a History o1 Egypt 1or -tole*y 66., and
1lo"rished abo"t !./. %9@I only the :ing;List 1ro* this wor2 is
preser0ed.
&FN)%AD, He was a nati0e o1 the town o1 Sebennyt"s.
&FN)%AC, A*en *eans (hidden,( and A4EN is the (hidden god.(
?. And this is still 1arther e0in+ed 1ro* those 0oyages whi+h ha0e
been *ade into Egypt by the wisest *en a*ong the Gree2s, na*ely, by
Solo, Thales -lato, E"dox"s, -ythagoras, and, as so*e say, e0en by
Ly+"rg"s hi*sel1, on p"rpose to +on0erse with the priests. And we are
also told that E"dox"s was a dis+iple o1 /hno"phis the 4e*phite, Solo
o1 Son+his the Saite, and -ythagoras o1 Oin"phis the Heliopolite. !"t
none o1 these philosophers see*s either to ha0e been *ore ad*ired and
in greater 1a0o"r with the priests, or to ha0e paid a *ore espe+ial
regard to their *ethod o1 philosophising, than this last na*ed, who has
parti+"larly i*itated their *ysterio"s and sy*boli+al *anner in his own
writings, and li2e the* +on0eyed his do+trines to the world in a 2ind
o1 riddle. For *any o1 the pre+epts o1 -ythagoras +o*e nothing short
o1 the hieroglyphi+al representations the*sel0es, s"+h as, (eat not in
a +hariot,( (sit not on a *eas"re E+hoenixF,( (plant not a pal*;tree,(
and (stir not the 1ire with a sword in the ho"se.( And 6 *ysel1 a* o1
the opinion that, when the -ythagoreans appropriated the na*es o1
se0eral o1 the gods to parti+"lar n"*bers, as that o1 Apollo to the
"nit, o1 Arte*is to the d"ad, o1 Athene to the se0en, and o1 -oseidon
to the 1irst +"be, in this they all"de to so*ething whi+h the 1o"nder
o1 their se+t saw in the Egyptian te*ples, or to so*e +ere*onies
per1or*ed in the*, or to so*e sy*bols there exhibited. Th"s, their
great 2ing and lord Osiris is represented by the hieroglyphi+s 1or an
eye and a s+eptre,&FN)%AB, the na*e itsel1 signi1ying (*any;eyed,( as
we are told by so*e&FN)%A9, who wo"ld deri0e it 1ro* the words
os,&FN)%AA, (*any,( and iri,&FN)%A$, an (eye,( whi+h ha0e this *eaning
in the Egyptian lang"age. Si*ilarly, be+a"se the hea0ens are eternal
and are ne0er +ons"*ed or wax old, they represent the* by a heart with
a +enser pla+ed "nder it. 4"+h in the sa*e way are those stat"es o1
the N"dges at Thebes witho"t hands, and their +hie1, or president, is
represented with his eyes t"rned downwards, whi+h signi1ies that
3"sti+e o"ght not to be obtainable by bribes, nor g"ided by 1a0o"r or
a11e+tion. O1 a li2e nat"re is the !eetle whi+h we see engra0en "pon
the seals o1 the soldiers, 1or there is no s"+h thing as a 1e*ale
beetle o1 this spe+iesI 1or they are all *ales, and they propagate
their 2ind by +asting their seed into ro"nd balls o1 dirt, whi+h a11ord
not only a proper pla+e wherein the yo"ng *ay be hat+hed, b"t also
no"rish*ent 1or the* as soon as they are born.
&FN)%AB, The oldest 1or* o1 the na*e is As;Ar, ))))I the 1irst sign,
)))), is a throne, and the se+ond, )))), is an eye, b"t the exa+t
*eaning represented by the two signs is not 2nown. 6n late ti*es a
s+eptre, )))) too2 the pla+e o1 the throne, b"t only be+a"se o1 its
phoneti+ 0al"e as or "s. Th"s we ha0e the 1or*s )))) and )))).
&FN)%A9, This is a *ista2e.
&FN)%AA, 6n Egyptian, )))) ash, (*any.(
&FN)%A$, 6n Egyptian, )))) art, /opti+ )))), (eye.(
?6. hen yo" hear, there1ore, the *ythologi+al tales whi+h the
Egyptians tell o1 their gods, their wanderings, their *"tilations, and
*any other disasters whi+h be1ell the*, re*e*ber what has 3"st been
said, and be ass"red that nothing o1 what is th"s told yo" is really
tr"e, or e0er happened in 1a+t. For +an it be i*agined that it is the
dog&FN)%$@, itsel1 whi+h is re0eren+ed by the* "nder the na*e o1
Her*es&FN)%$#,L 6t is the 5"alities o1 this ani*al, his +onstant
0igilan+e, and his a+"*en in disting"ishing his 1riends 1ro* his 1oes,
whi+h ha0e rendered hi*, as -lato says, a *eet e*ble* o1 that god who
is the +hie1 patron o1 intelligen+e. Nor +an we i*agine that they
thin2 that the s"n, li2e a newly born babe, springs "p e0ery day o"t o1
a lily. 6t is 5"ite tr"e that they represent the rising s"n in this
*anner,&FN)%$%, b"t the reason is be+a"se they wish to indi+ate thereby
that it is *oist"re to whi+h we owe the 1irst 2indling o1 this
l"*inary. 6n li2e *anner, the +r"el and bloody 2ing o1 -ersia, O+h"s,
who not only p"t to death great n"*bers o1 the people, b"t e0en slew
the Apis !"ll hi*sel1, and a1terwards ser0ed hi* "p in a ban5"et to his
1riends, is represented by the* by a sword, and by this na*e he is
still to be 1o"nd in the +atalog"e o1 their 2ings. This na*e,
there1ore, does not represent his person, b"t indi+ates his base and
+r"el 5"alities, whi+h were best s"ggested by the pi+t"re o1 an
instr"*ent o1 destr"+tion. 61, there1ore, O /lea, yo" will hear and
entertain the story o1 these gods 1ro* those who 2now how to explain it
+onsistently with religion and philosophy, i1 yo" will steadily persist
in the obser0an+e o1 all these holy rites whi+h the laws re5"ire o1
yo", and are *oreo0er 1"lly pers"aded that to 1or* tr"e notions o1 the
di0ine nat"re is *ore a++eptable to the* than any sa+ri1i+e or *ere
external a+t o1 worship +an be, yo" will by this *eans be entirely
exe*pt 1ro* any danger o1 1alling into s"perstition, an e0il no less to
be a0oided than atheis* itsel1.
&FN)%$@, The ani*al here re1erred to *"st be the dog;headed ape, )))),
whi+h we see in pi+t"res o1 the N"dg*ent assisting Thoth to weigh the
heart o1 the dead. This dog;headed ape is a wonder1"lly intelligent
+reat"re, and its weird +le0erness is astonishing.
&FN)%$#, The Egyptian Teh"ti, or Thoth.
&FN)%$%, )))).
?66. Now, the story o1 6sis and Osiris, its *ost insigni1i+ant and
s"per1l"o"s parts being o*itted, r"ns th"s';;
The goddess .hea,&FN)%$J, they say, ha0ing a++o*panied with
:ronos&FN)%$D, by stealth, was dis+o0ered by Helios&FN)%$C, who
straightway +"rsed her, and de+lared that she sho"ld not be deli0ered
in any *onth or year. Her*es, howe0er, >being also in lo0e with the
sa*e goddess, in ret"rn 1or the 1a0o"rs whi+h he had re+ei0ed 1ro* her,
went and played at di+e with Selene,&FN)%$B, and won 1ro* her the
se0entieth part o1 ea+h day. These parts he 3oined together and *ade
1ro* the* 1i0e +o*plete days, and he added the* to the three h"ndred
and sixty days o1 whi+h the year 1or*erly +onsisted. These 1i0e days
are to this day +alled the (Epago*enae,(&FN)%$9, that is, the
s"peradded, and they are obser0ed by the* as the birthdays o1 their
gods.&FN)%$A, On the 1irst o1 these, they say, Osiris was born, and as
he +a*e into the world a 0oi+e was heard saying, (The Lord o1
All&FN)%$$, is born.( So*e relate the *atter in a di11erent way, and
say that a +ertain person na*ed -a*yles, as he was 1et+hing water 1ro*
the te*ple o1 Dios at Thebes, heard a 0oi+e +o**anding hi* to pro+lai*
alo"d that the good and great 2ing Osiris was then born, and that 1or
this reason :ronos +o**itted the ed"+ation o1 the +hild to hi*, and
that in *e*ory o1 this e0ent the -a*ylia were a1terwards instit"ted,
whi+h +losely rese*ble the -hallephoria or -riapeia o1 the Gree2s.
8pon the se+ond o1 these days was born Aro"eris,&FN)J@@, who* so*e +all
Apollo, and others the Elder Hor"s. 8pon the third day Typhon was
born, who +a*e into the world neither at the proper ti*e nor by the
right way, b"t he 1or+ed a passage thro"gh a wo"nd whi+h he *ade in his
*other>s side. 8pon the 1o"rth day 6sis was born, in the *arshes o1
Egypt,&FN)J@#, and "pon the 1i1th day Nephthys, who* so*e +all Tele"te,
or Aphrodite, or Ni2e, was born. As regards the 1athers o1 these
+hildren, the 1irst two are said to ha0e been begotten by Helios, 6sis
by Her*es, and Typhon and Nephthys by :ronos. There1ore, sin+e the
third o1 the s"peradded days was the birthday o1 Typhon, the 2ings
+onsidered it to be "nl"+2y,&FN)J@%, and in +onse5"en+e they neither
transa+ted any b"siness in it, nor e0en s"11ered the*sel0es to ta2e any
re1resh*ent "ntil the e0ening. They 1"rther add that Typhon *arried
Nephthys,&FN)J@J, and that 6sis and Osiris, ha0ing a *"t"al a11e+tion,
en3oyed ea+h other in their *other>s wo*b be1ore they were born, and
that 1ro* this +o**er+e sprang Aro"eris, who* the Egyptians li2ewise
+all Hor"s the Elder, and the Gree2s Apollo.
&FN)%$J, i.e., N"t, the S2y;goddess.
&FN)%$D, i.e., :eb, the Earth;god.
&FN)%$C, i.e., .a.
&FN)%$B, i.e., Aah.
&FN)%$9, 6n Egyptian, (the 1i0e days o0er the year,(
&FN)%$A, 6n Egyptian th"s';;
6. !irthday o1 Osiris,
66. !irthday o1 Hor"s,
666. !irthday o1 Set,
6<. !irthday o1 6sis,
<. !irthday o1 Nephthys
&FN)%$$, One o1 the +hie1 titles o1 Osiris was Neb er t+her, i.e.,
(lord to the "tter*ost li*it o1 e0erything.(
&FN)J@@, i.e., Her";"r, (Hor"s the Elder.(
&FN)J@#, 6t was Hor"s, son o1 6sis, who was born in the *arshes o1
Egypt.
&FN)J@%, This day is des+ribed as "nl"+2y in the hieroglyphi+ texts.
&FN)J@J, Set and Nephthys are regarded as h"sband and wi1e in the
textsI their o11spring was An"bis, Anp".
?666. Osiris ha0ing be+o*e 2ing o1 Egypt, applied hi*sel1 to
+i0ili7ing his +o"ntry*en by t"rning the* 1ro* their 1or*er indigent
and barbaro"s +o"rse o1 li1e. He ta"ght the* how to +"lti0ate and
i*pro0e the 1r"its o1 the earth, and he ga0e the* a body o1 laws
whereby to reg"late their +ond"+t, and instr"+ted the* in the re0eren+e
and worship whi+h they were to pay to the gods. ith the sa*e good
disposition he a1terwards tra0elled o0er the rest o1 the world,
ind"+ing the people e0erywhere to s"b*it to his dis+ipline, not indeed
+o*pelling the* by 1or+e o1 ar*s, b"t pers"ading the* to yield to the
strength o1 his reasons, whi+h were +on0eyed to the* in the *ost
agreeable *anner, in hy*ns and songs, a++o*panied with instr"*ents o1
*"si+. Fro* this last +ir+"*stan+e the Gree2s identi1ied hi* with
their Dionysos, or !a++h"s. D"ring the absen+e o1 Osiris 1ro* his
2ingdo*, Typhon had no opport"nity o1 *a2ing any inno0ations in the
state, 6sis being extre*ely 0igilant in the go0ern*ent, and always "pon
her g"ard. A1ter his ret"rn, howe0er, ha0ing 1irst pers"aded se0enty;
two other people to 3oin with hi* in the +onspira+y, together with a
+ertain 5"een o1 Ethiopia +alled Aso, who +han+ed to be in Egypt at
that ti*e, he 1or*ed a +ra1ty plot against hi*. For ha0ing pri0ily
ta2en the *eas"re o1 the body o1 Osiris, he +a"sed a +hest to be *ade
o1 exa+tly the sa*e si7e, and it was 0ery bea"ti1"l and highly
de+orated. This +hest he bro"ght into a +ertain ban5"eting roo*, where
it was greatly ad*ired by all who were present, and Typhon, as i1 in
3est, pro*ised to gi0e it to that *an whose body when tried wo"ld be
1o"nd to 1it it. There"pon the whole +o*pany, one a1ter the other,
went into it, b"t it did not 1it any o1 the*I last o1 all Osiris
hi*sel1 lay down in it. There"pon all the +onspirators ran to the
+hest, and +lapped the +o0er "pon it, and then they 1astened it down
with nails on the o"tside, and po"red *elted lead o0er it. They next
too2 the +hest to the ri0er, whi+h +arried it to the sea thro"gh the
Tanaiti+ *o"th o1 the NileI and 1or this reason this *o"th o1 the Nile
is still held in the "t*ost abo*ination by the Egyptians, and is ne0er
*entioned by the* ex+ept with *ar2s o1 detestation. These things, so*e
say, too2 pla+e on the se0enteenth day o1 the *onth o1 Hathor, when the
s"n was in S+orpio, in the twenty;eighth year o1 the reign o1 Osiris,
tho"gh others tell "s that this was the year o1 his li1e and not o1 his
reign.
?6<. The 1irst who had 2nowledge o1 the a++ident whi+h had be1allen
their 2ing were the -ans and Satyrs, who inhabited the +o"ntry ro"nd
abo"t /he**is,&FN)J@D, and they ha0ing in1or*ed the people abo"t it,
ga0e the 1irst o++asion to the na*e o1 -ani+ Terrors, whi+h has e0er
sin+e been *ade "se o1 to signi1y any s"dden 1right or a*a7e*ent o1 a
*"ltit"de. As soon as the report rea+hed 6sis, she i**ediately +"t o11
one o1 the lo+2s o1 her hair, and p"t on *o"rning apparel in that 0ery
pla+e where she happened to beI 1or this reason the pla+e has e0er
sin+e been +alled (:optos,( or the (+ity o1 *o"rning,( tho"gh so*e are
o1 opinion that this word rather signi1ies (depri0ation.( A1ter this
she wandered ro"nd abo"t thro"gh the +o"ntry, being 1"ll o1 dis5"iet"de
and perplexity, sear+hing 1or the +hest, and she in5"ired o1 e0ery
person she *et, in+l"ding so*e +hildren who* she saw, whether they 2new
what was be+o*e o1 it. Now, it so happened that these +hildren had
seen what Typhon>s a++o*pli+es had done with the body, and they
a++ordingly told her by what *o"th o1 the Nile it had been +on0eyed to
the sea. For this reason the Egyptians loo2 "pon +hildren as end"ed
with a 2ind o1 1a+"lty o1 di0ining, and in +onse5"en+e o1 this notion
are 0ery +"rio"s in obser0ing the a++idental prattle whi+h they ha0e
with one another whilst they are at play, espe+ially i1 it be in a
sa+red pla+e, 1or*ing o*ens and presages 1ro* it. 6sis *eanwhile
ha0ing been in1or*ed that Osiris, de+ei0ed by her sister Nephthys, who
was in lo0e with hi*, had "nwittingly en3oyed her instead o1 hersel1,
as she +on+l"ded 1ro* the *elilot;garland whi+h he had le1t with her,
*ade it her b"siness li2ewise to sear+h o"t the +hild, the 1r"it o1
this "nlaw1"l +o**er+e E1or her sister, dreading the anger o1 her
h"sband Typhon, had exposed it as soon as it was bornF. A++ordingly,
a1ter *"+h pains and di11i+"lty, by *eans o1 so*e dogs that +ond"+ted
her to the pla+e where it was, she 1o"nd it and bred it "pI and in
pro+ess o1 ti*e it be+a*e her +onstant g"ard and attendant, and
obtained the na*e o1 An"bis, and it is tho"ght that it wat+hes and
g"ards the gods as dogs do *en.
&FN)J@D, 6n Egyptian, :hebt, in the <666th no*e o1 Lower Egypt.
?<. At length 6sis re+ei0ed *ore parti+"lar news that the +hest had
been +arried by the wa0es o1 the sea to the +oast o1 !yblos, and there
gently lodged in the bran+hes o1 a b"sh o1 ta*aris2, whi+h in a short
ti*e had grown "p into a large and bea"ti1"l tree, and had grown ro"nd
the +hest and en+losed it on e0ery side so +o*pletely that it was not
to be seen. 4oreo0er, the 2ing o1 the +o"ntry, a*a7ed at its "n"s"al
si7e, had +"t the tree down, and *ade that part o1 the tr"n2 wherein
the +hest was +on+ealed into a pillar to s"pport the roo1 o1 his ho"se.
These things, they say, ha0ing been *ade 2nown to 6sis in an
extraordinary *anner by the report o1 de*ons, she i**ediately went to
!yblos, where, setting hersel1 down by the side o1 a 1o"ntain, she
re1"sed to spea2 to anybody ex+ept the 5"een>s wo*en who +han+ed to be
there. These, howe0er, she sal"ted and +aressed in the 2indest *anner
possible, plaiting their hair 1or the*, and trans*itting into the* part
o1 that wonder1"l odo"r whi+h iss"ed 1ro* her own body. This raised a
great desire in the 5"een their *istress to see the stranger who had
this ad*irable 1a+"lty o1 trans1"sing so 1ragrant a s*ell 1ro* hersel1
into the hair and s2in o1 other people. She there1ore sent 1or her to
+o"rt, and, a1ter a 1"rther a+5"aintan+e with her, *ade her n"rse to
one o1 her sons. Now, the na*e o1 the 2ing who reigned at this ti*e at
!yblos was 4el2ander E4el2arthLF, and that o1 his wi1e was Astarte, or,
a++ording to others, Saosis, tho"gh so*e +all her Ne*ano"n, whi+h
answers to the Gree2 na*e Athenais.
?<6. 6sis n"rsed the +hild by gi0ing it her 1inger to s"+2 instead o1
the breast. She li2ewise p"t hi* ea+h night into the 1ire in order to
+ons"*e his *ortal part, whilst, ha0ing trans1or*ed hersel1 into a
swallow, she +ir+led ro"nd the pillar and be*oaned her sad 1ate. This
she +ontin"ed to do 1or so*e ti*e, till the 5"een, who stood wat+hing
her, obser0ing the +hild to be all o1 a 1la*e, +ried o"t, and thereby
depri0ed hi* o1 so*e o1 that i**ortality whi+h wo"ld otherwise ha0e
been +on1erred "pon hi*. The goddess then *ade hersel1 2nown, and
as2ed that the pillar whi+h s"pported the roo1 *ight be gi0en to her.
Ha0ing ta2en the pillar down, she +"t it open easily, and ha0ing ta2en
o"t what she wanted, she wrapped "p the re*ainder o1 the tr"n2 in 1ine
linen, and ha0ing po"red per1"*ed oil o0er it, she deli0ered it again
into the hands o1 the 2ing and 5"een. Now, this pie+e o1 wood is to
this day preser0ed in the te*ple, and worshipped by the people o1
!yblos. hen this was done, 6sis threw hersel1 "pon the +hest, and
*ade at the sa*e ti*e s"+h lo"d and terrible +ries o1 la*entation o0er
it, that the yo"nger o1 the 2ing>s sons who heard her was 1rightened
o"t o1 his li1e. !"t the elder o1 the* she too2 with her, and set sail
with the +hest 1or Egypt. Now, it being *orning the ri0er -haedr"s
sent 1orth a 2een and +hill air, and be+o*ing angry she dried "p its
+"rrent.
?<66. At the 1irst pla+e where she stopped, and when she belie0ed that
she was alone, she opened the +hest, and laying her 1a+e "pon that o1
her dead h"sband, she e*bra+ed hi* and wept bitterly. Then, seeing
that the little boy had silently stolen "p behind her, and had 1o"nd
o"t the reason o1 her grie1, she t"rned "pon hi* s"ddenly, and, in her
anger, ga0e hi* so 1ier+e and terrible a loo2 that he died o1 1right
i**ediately. Others say that his death did not happen in this *anner,
b"t, as already hinted, that he 1ell into the sea. A1terwards he
re+ei0ed the greatest hono"r on a++o"nt o1 the goddess, 1or this
4aneros, who* the Egyptians so 1re5"ently +all "pon at their ban5"ets,
is none other than he. This story is +ontradi+ted by those who tell "s
that the tr"e na*e o1 this +hild was -alaestin"s, or -el"si"s, and that
the +ity o1 this na*e was b"ilt by the goddess in *e*ory o1 hi*. And
they 1"rther add that this 4aneros is th"s hono"red by the Egyptians at
their 1easts be+a"se he was the 1irst who in0ented *"si+. Others again
state that 4aneros is not the na*e o1 any parti+"lar person, b"t a were
+"sto*ary 1or* o1 +o*pli*entary greeting whi+h the Egyptians "se
towards ea+h other at their *ore sole*n 1easts and ban5"ets, *eaning no
*ore by it than to wish (that what they were then abo"t *ight pro0e
1ort"nate and happy to the*.( This is the tr"e i*port o1 the word. 6n
li2e *anner they say that the h"*an s2eleton whi+h is +arried abo"t in
a box on 1estal o++asions, and shown to the g"ests, is not designed, as
so*e i*agine, to represent the parti+"lar *is1ort"nes o1 Osiris, b"t
rather to re*ind the* o1 their *ortality, and thereby to ex+ite the*
1reely to *a2e "se o1 and to en3oy the good things whi+h are set be1ore
the*, seeing that they *"st 5"i+2ly be+o*e s"+h as they there saw.
This is the tr"e reason 1or introd"+ing the s2eleton at their ban5"ets.
!"t to pro+eed with the narrati0e.
?<666. hen 6sis had +o*e to her son Hor"s, who was being reared at
!"to,&FN)J@C, she deposited the +hest in a re*ote and "n1re5"ented
pla+e. One night, howe0er, when Typhon was h"nting by the light o1 the
*oon, he +a*e "pon it by +han+e, and re+ogni7ing the body whi+h was
en+losed in it, he tore it into se0eral pie+es, 1o"rteen&FN)J@B, in
all, and s+attered the* in di11erent pla+es "p and down the +o"ntry.
hen 6sis 2new what had been done, she set o"t in sear+h o1 the
s+attered portions o1 her h"sband>s bodyI and in order to pass *ore
easily thro"gh the lower, *arshy parts o1 the +o"ntry, she *ade "se o1
a boat *ade o1 the papyr"s plant. For this reason, they say, either
1earing the anger o1 the goddess, or else 0enerating the papyr"s, the
+ro+odile ne0er in3"res anyone who tra0els in this sort o1
0essel.&FN)J@9, And this, they say, hath gi0en rise to the report that
there are 0ery *any di11erent sep"l+hres o1 Osiris in Egypt, 1or
where0er 6sis 1o"nd one o1 the s+attered portions o1 her h"sband>s
body, there she b"ried it. Others, howe0er, +ontradi+t this story, and
tell "s that the 0ariety o1 sep"l+hres o1 Osiris was d"e rather to the
poli+y o1 the 5"een, who, instead o1 the real body, as she pretended,
presented to these +ities only an i*age o1 her h"sband. This she did
in order to in+rease the hono"rs whi+h wo"ld by these *eans be paid to
his *e*ory, and also to de1eat Typhon, who, i1 he were 0i+torio"s in
his 1ight against Hor"s in whi+h he was abo"t to engage, wo"ld sear+h
1or the body o1 Osiris, and being distra+ted by the n"*ber o1
sep"l+hres wo"ld despair o1 e0er being able to 1ind the tr"e one. e
are told, *oreo0er, that notwithstanding all her e11orts, 6sis was
ne0er able to dis+o0er the phall"s o1 Osiris, whi+h, ha0ing been thrown
into the Nile i**ediately "pon its separation 1ro* the rest o1 the
body,&FN)J@A, had been de0o"red by the Lepidot"s, the -hagr"s, and the
Oxyrhyn+h"s, 1ish whi+h abo0e all others, 1or this reason, the
Egyptians ha0e in *ore espe+ial a0oidan+e. 6n order, howe0er, to *a2e
so*e a*ends 1or the loss, 6sis +onse+rated the phall"s *ade in
i*itation o1 it, and instit"ted a sole*n 1esti0al to its *e*ory, whi+h
is e0en to this day obser0ed by the Egyptians.
&FN)J@C, 6n Egyptian, the do"ble +ity -e;Tep. See the texts 1ro* the
4etterni+h Stele printed in this 0ol"*e.
&FN)J@B, The 1o"rteen *e*bers are' head, 1eet, bones, ar*s, heart,
interior, tong"e, eyes, 1ists, 1ingers, ba+2, ears, loins, and body.
So*e o1 the lists in Egyptian add the 1a+e o1 a ra* and the hair. The
+ities in whi+h 6sis b"ried the portions o1 his body are' :optos,
-hilae in Elephantine, Hera2leopolis 4agna, :"sae, Heliopolis,
Diospolis o1 Lower Egypt, Letopolis, Sais, Her*opolis o1 Lower Egypt,
Athribis, A5 ES+hediaF, Ab in the Libyan no*e, Netert, Apis.
&FN)J@9, 4oses was laid in an ar2 o1 b"lr"shes, i.e., papyr"s, and was
1o"nd "nin3"red.
&FN)J@A, e *eet with a si*ilar state*ent in the Tale o1 the Two
!rothers, where we are told that the yo"nger brother, ha0ing de+lared
his inno+en+e to the elder brother, o"t o11 his phall"s and threw it
into the ri0er, where it was de0o"red by the nar" 1ish.
?6?. A1ter these things Osiris ret"rned 1ro* the other world, and
appeared to his son Hor"s, and en+o"raged hi* to 1ight, and at the sa*e
ti*e instr"+ted hi* in the exer+ise o1 ar*s. He then as2ed hi* what he
tho"ght was the *ost glorio"s a+tion a *an +o"ld per1or*, to whi+h
Hor"s replied, (To re0enge the in3"ries o11ered to his 1ather&FN)J@$,
and *other.( Osiris then as2ed hi* what ani*al he tho"ght *ost
ser0i+eable to a soldier, and Hor"s replied, (A horse.( On this Osiris
wondered, and he 5"estioned hi* 1"rther, as2ing hi* why he pre1erred a
horse to a lion, and Hor"s replied, (Tho"gh the lion is the *ore
ser0i+eable +reat"re to one who stands in need o1 help, yet is the
horse *ore "se1"l in o0erta2ing and +"tting o11 a 1lying
ene*y.(&FN)J#@, These replies +a"sed Osiris to re3oi+e greatly, 1or
they showed hi* that his son was s"11i+iently prepared 1or his ene*y.
e are, *oreo0er, told that a*ongst the great n"*bers who were
+ontin"ally deserting 1ro* Typhon>s party was his +on+"bine
Tho"eris,&FN)J##, and that a serpent whi+h p"rs"ed her as she was
+o*ing o0er to Hor"s was slain by his soldiers. The *e*ory o1 this
a+tion is, they say, still preser0ed in that +ord whi+h is thrown into
the *idst o1 their asse*blies, and then +hopped in pie+es. A1terwards
a battle too2 pla+e between Hor"s and Typhon, whi+h lasted *any days,
b"t Hor"s was at length 0i+torio"s, and Typhon was ta2en prisoner. He
was deli0ered o0er into the +"stody o1 6sis, who, instead o1 p"tting
hi* to death, loosed his 1etters and set hi* 1ree. This a+tion o1 his
*other in+ensed Hor"s to s"+h a degree that he sei7ed her, and p"lled
the royal +rown o11 her headI b"t Her*es +a*e 1orward, and set "pon her
head the head o1 an ox instead o1 a hel*et.&FN)J#%, A1ter this Typhon
a++"sed Hor"s o1 illegiti*a+y, b"t, by the assistan+e o1 Her*es, his
legiti*a+y was 1"lly established by a de+ree o1 the gods
the*sel0es.&FN)J#J, A1ter this two other battles were 1o"ght between
Hor"s and Typhon, and in both Typhon was de1eated. 4oreo0er, 6sis is
said to ha0e had "nion with Osiris a1ter his death,&FN)J#D, and she
bro"ght 1orth Harpo2rates,&FN)J#C, who +a*e into the world be1ore his
ti*e, and was la*e in his lower li*bs.
&FN)J@$, The texts gi0e as a 0ery +o**on title o1 Hor"s, (Hor"s, the
a0enger o1 his 1ather.(
&FN)J#@, There is no e0iden+e that the Egyptians e*ployed the horse in
war be1ore the ?<666th Dynasty, a 1a+t whi+h pro0es that the dialog"e
here gi0en is an in0ention o1 a *"+h later date than the original
legend o1 Osiris.
&FN)J##, 6n Egyptian, TA;8.T, the hippopota*"s goddess.
&FN)J#%, A++ording to the legend gi0en in the Fo"rth Sallier -apyr"s,
the 1ight between Hor"s and Set began on the %Bth day o1 the *onth o1
Thoth, and lasted three days and three nights. 6t was 1o"ght in or
near the hall o1 the lords o1 :her;aha, i.e., near Heliopolis, and in
the presen+e o1 6sis, who see*s to ha0e tried to spare both her brother
Set and her son Hor"s. For so*e reason Hor"s be+a*e enraged with his
*other, and atta+2ing her li2e a (leopard o1 the so"th,( he +"t o11 the
head o1 6sis. There"pon Thoth +a*e 1orward, and "sing words o1 power,
+reated a s"bstit"te in the 1or* o1 a +ow>s head, and pla+ed it on her
body ESallier, i0., p. %I see Sele+t -apyri, pl. +xl0.F.
&FN)J#J, Hor"s inherited the throne by his 1ather>s will, a 1a+t whi+h
is so o1ten e*phasi7ed in the texts that it see*s there *ay be so*e
gro"nd 1or -l"tar+h>s 0iew.
&FN)J#D, This 0iew is +on1ir*ed by the words in the hy*n to Osiris,
(she *o0ed the ina+ti0ity o1 the Still;Heart EOsirisF, she drew 1ro*
hi* his essen+e, she *ade an heir.(
&FN)J#C, 6n Egyptian, HE.8;-A;:HA.T, (Hor"s the /hild.(
??. S"+h then are the prin+ipal +ir+"*stan+es o1 this 1a*o"s story,
the *ore harsh and sho+2ing parts o1 it, s"+h as the +"tting "p o1
Hor"s and the beheading o1 6sis, being o*itted. Now, i1 s"+h +o"ld be
s"pposed to be the real senti*ents o1 the Egyptians +on+erning those
di0ine !eings whose *ost disting"ishing +hara+teristi+s are happiness
and i**ortality, or +o"ld it be i*agined that they a+t"ally belie0ed
what they th"s tell "s e0er to ha0e a+t"ally ta2en pla+e, 6 sho"ld not
need to warn yo", O /lea, yo" who are already s"11i+iently a0erse to
s"+h i*pio"s and abs"rd notions o1 the God, 6 sho"ld not, 6 say, ha0e
need to +a"tion yo", to testi1y yo"r abhorren+e o1 the*, and, as
Aes+hyl"s expresses it, (to spit and wash yo"r *o"th( a1ter the re+ital
o1 the*. 6n the present +ase, howe0er, it is not so. And 6 do"bt not
that yo" yo"rsel1 are +ons+io"s o1 the di11eren+e between this history
and those light and idle 1i+tions whi+h the poets and other writers o1
1ables, li2e spiders, wea0e and spin o"t o1 their own i*aginations,
witho"t ha0ing any s"bstantial gro"nd or 1ir* 1o"ndation to wor2 "pon.
There *"st ha0e been so*e real distress, so*e a+t"al +ala*ity, at the
botto* as the gro"nd;wor2 o1 the narrationI 1or, as *athe*ati+ians
ass"re "s, the rainbow is nothing else b"t a 0ariegated i*age o1 the
s"n, thrown "pon the sight by the re1le+tion o1 his bea*s 1ro* the
+lo"dsI and th"s o"ght we to loo2 "pon the present story as the
representation, or rather re1le+tion, o1 so*ething real as its tr"e
+a"se. And this notion is still 1arther s"ggested to "s as well by
that sole*n air o1 grie1 and sadness whi+h appears in their sa+ri1i+es,
as by the 0ery 1or* and arrange*ent o1 their te*ples, whi+h extend into
long a0en"es and open aisles in so*e portions,&FN)J#B, and in others
retreating into dar2 and gloo*y +hapels whi+h rese*bled the "ndergro"nd
0a"lts whi+h are allotted to the dead. That the history has a
s"bstantial 1o"ndation is pro0ed by the opinion whi+h obtains generally
+on+erning the sep"l+hres o1 Osiris. There are *any pla+es wherein his
body is said to ha0e been deposited, and a*ong these are Abydos and
4e*phis, both o1 whi+h are said to +ontain his body. 6t is 1or this
reason, they say, that the ri+her and *ore prospero"s +iti7ens wish to
be b"ried in the 1or*er o1 these +ities, being a*bitio"s o1 lying, as
it were, in the gra0e with Osiris.&FN)J#9, The title o1 4e*phis to be
regarded as the gra0e o1 Osiris see*s to rest "pon the 1a+t that the
Apis !"ll, who is +onsidered to be the i*age o1 the so"l o1 Osiris, is
2ept in that +ity 1or the express p"rpose that it *ay be as near his
body as possible.&FN)J#A, Others again tell "s that the interpretation
o1 the na*e 4e*phis&FN)J#$, is (the ha0en o1 good *en,( and that the
tr"e sep"l+hre o1 Osiris lies in that little island whi+h the Nile
*a2es at -hilae.&FN)J%@, This island is, they say, ina++essible, and
neither bird +an alight on it, nor 1ish swi* near it, ex+ept at the
ti*es when the priests go o0er to it 1ro* the *ainland to sole*ni7e
their +"sto*ary rites to the dead, and to +rown his to*b with 1lowers,
whi+h, they say, is o0ershadowed by the bran+hes o1 a ta*aris2;tree,
the si7e o1 whi+h ex+eeds that o1 an oli0e;tree.
&FN)J#B, -l"tar+h re1ers to the long +olonnaded +o"rts whi+h extend in
a straight line to the san+t"ary, whi+h o1ten +ontains *ore than one
shrine, and to the +ha*bers wherein te*ple properties, 0est*ents, M+.,
were 2ept.
&FN)J#9, 6n what +ity the +"lt o1 Osiris originated is not 2nown, b"t
it is 5"ite +ertain that be1ore the end o1 the <6th Dynasty Abydos
be+a*e the +entre o1 his worship, and that he dispossessed the lo+al
god An;Her in the a11e+tions o1 the people. Tradition a11ir*ed that
the head o1 Osiris was preser0ed at Abydos in a box, and a pi+t"re o1
it, )))) be+a*e the sy*bol o1 the +ity. At Abydos a sort o1 *ira+le
play, in whi+h all the s"11erings and res"rre+tion o1 Osiris were
+o**e*orated, was per1or*ed ann"ally, and the raising "p o1 a *odel o1
his body, and the pla+ing o1 his head "pon it, were the +"l*inating
+ere*onies. At Abydos was the 1a*o"s sha1t into whi+h o11erings were
+ast 1or trans*ission to the dead in the Other orld, and thro"gh the
Gap in the hills +lose by so"ls were belie0ed to set o"t on their
3o"rney thither. One tradition pla+es the Elysian Fields in the
neighbo"rhood o1 Abydos. A 1ine stone bier, a restoration probably o1
the ??<6th Dynasty, whi+h represented the original bier o1 Osiris, was
dis+o0ered there by 4. A*elinea". 6t is now in the Egyptian 4"se"* at
/airo.
&FN)J#A, Apis is +alled the (li1e o1 Osiris,( )))), and on the death
o1 the !"ll, its so"l went to hea0en and 3oined itsel1 to that o1
Osiris, and it 1or*ed with hi* the d"al;god Asar;Hep, i.e., Osiris;
Apis, or Sarapis. The 1a*o"s Serape"* at 4e*phis was +alled )))).
&FN)J#$, 6n Egyptian, 4en;Ne1er, i.e., (1air ha0en.(
&FN)J%@, Osiris and 6sis were worshipped at -hilae "ntil the reign o1
N"stinian, when his general, Narses, +losed the te*ple and +arried o11
the stat"es o1 the gods to /onstantinople, where they were probably
*elted down.
??6. E"dox"s indeed asserts that, altho"gh there are *any pretended
sep"l+hres o1 Osiris in Egypt, the, pla+e where his body a+t"ally lies
is !"siris,&FN)J%#, where li2ewise he was born.&FN)J%%, As to
Taphosiris, there is no need to *ention it parti+"larly, 1or its 0ery
na*e indi+ates its +lai* to be the to*b o1 Osiris. There are li2ewise
other +ir+"*stan+es in the Egyptian rit"al whi+h hint to "s the reality
"pon whi+h this history is gro"nded, s"+h as their +lea0ing the tr"n2
o1 a tree, their wrapping it "p in linen whi+h they tear in pie+es 1or
that p"rpose, and the libations o1 oil whi+h they a1terwards po"r "pon
itI b"t these 6 do not insist on, be+a"se they are inter*ixed with s"+h
o1 their *ysteries as *ay not be re0ealed.
&FN)J%#, 6n Egyptian, -a;Asar;neb;Tet", (the ho"se o1 Osiris, the lord
o1 Tet".( 6n the te*ple o1 Neb;Se2ert, the ba+2bone o1 the god was
preser0ed, a++ording to one text, b"t another says it was his 3awsELF
and interior.
&FN)J%%, This 0iew represents a late tradition, or at all e0ents one
whi+h sprang "p a1ter the de+ay o1 Abydos.
&F6.ST E?-LANAT6ON OF THE STO.=.,
??66. Now as to those who, 1ro* *any things o1 this 2ind, so*e o1
whi+h are pro+lai*ed openly, and others are dar2ly hinted at in their
religio"s instit"tions, wo"ld +on+l"de that the whole story is no other
than a *ere +o**e*oration o1 the 0ario"s a+tions o1 their 2ings and
other great *en, who, by reason o1 their ex+ellent 0irt"e and the
*ightiness o1 their power, added to their other titles the hono"r o1
di0inity, tho"gh they a1terwards 1ell into *any and grie0o"s
+ala*ities, those, 6 say, who wo"ld in this *anner a++o"nt 1or the
0ario"s s+enes abo0e;*entioned, *"st be owned indeed to *a2e "se o1 a
0ery pla"sible *ethod o1 el"ding s"+h di11i+"lties as *ay arise abo"t
this s"b3e+t, and ingenio"sly eno"gh to trans1er the *ost sho+2ing
parts o1 it 1ro* the di0ine to the h"*an nat"re. 4oreo0er, it *"st be
ad*itted that s"+h a sol"tion is not entirely destit"te o1 any
appearan+e o1 histori+al e0iden+e 1or its s"pport. For when the
Egyptians the*sel0es tell "s that Her*es had one hand shorter than
another, that Typhon was o1 red +o*plexion, Hor"s 1air, and Osiris
bla+2, does not this show that they were o1 the h"*an spe+ies, and
s"b3e+t to the sa*e a++idents as all other *enL&FN)J%J, Nay, they go
1arther, and e0en de+lare the parti+"lar wor2 in whi+h ea+h was engaged
whilst ali0e. Th"s they say that Osiris was a general, that /anop"s,
1ro* who* the star too2 its na*e, was a pilot, and that the ship whi+h
the Gree2s +all Argo, being *ade in i*itation o1 the ship o1 Osiris,
was, in hono"r o1 hi*, t"rned into a +onstellation and pla+ed near
Orion and the Dog;star, the 1or*er being sa+red to Hor"s and the latter
to 6sis.
&FN)J%J, .ed is the +olo"r attrib"ted to all 1iends in the Egyptian
texts. One o1 the 1or*s o1 Hor"s is des+ribed as being (bl"e;eyed,(
and the +olo"r o1 the 1a+e o1 Osiris is o1ten green, and so*eti*es
bla+2.
??666. !"t 6 a* *"+h a1raid that to gi0e in to this explanation o1 the
story will be to *o0e things whi+h o"ght not to be *o0edI and not only,
as Si*onides says, (to de+lare war against all anti5"ity,( b"t li2ewise
against whole 1a*ilies and nations who are 1"lly possessed with the
belie1 in the di0inity o1 these beings. And it wo"ld be no less than
dispossessing those great na*es o1 their hea0en, and bringing the* down
to the earth. 6t wo"ld be to sha2e and loosen a worship and 1aith
whi+h ha0e been 1ir*ly settled in nearly all *an2ind 1ro* their
in1an+y. 6t wo"ld be to open a wide door 1or atheis* to enter in at,
and to en+o"rage the atte*pts o1 those who wo"ld h"*ani7e the di0ine
nat"re. 4ore parti+"larly it wo"ld gi0e a +lear san+tion and a"thority
to the i*post"res o1 E"he*er"s the 4essenian, who 1ro* *ere
i*agination, and witho"t the least appearan+e o1 tr"th to s"pport it,
has in0ented a new *ythology o1 his own, asserting that (all those in
general who are +alled and de+lared to be gods are none other than so
*any an+ient generals and sea;+aptains and 2ings.( Now, he says that
he 1o"nd this state*ent written in the -an+haean diale+t in letters o1
gold, tho"gh in what part o1 the globe his -an+haeans dwell, any *ore
than the Tryphillians, who* he *entions at the sa*e ti*e with the*, he
does not in1or* "s. Nor +an 6 learn that any other person, whether
Gree2 or !arbarian, ex+ept hi*sel1, has e0er yet been so 1ort"nate as
to *eet with these i*aginary +o"ntries.
&6n Se+. ??6<. -l"tar+h goes on to say that the Assyrians +o**e*orate
Se*ira*is, the Egyptians Sesostris, the -hrygians 4anis or 4asdis, the
-ersians /yr"s, and the 4a+edonians Alexander, yet these heroes are not
regarded as gods by their peoples. The 2ings who ha0e a++epted the
title o1 gods ha0e a1terwards had to s"11er the reproa+h o1 0anity and
pres"*ption, and i*piety and in3"sti+e.,
&SE/OND E?-LANAT6ON OF THE STO.=.,
??<. There is another and a better *ethod whi+h so*e e*ploy in
explaining this story. They assert that what is related o1 Typhon,
Osiris, and 6sis is not to be regarded as the a11li+tions o1 gods, or
o1 *ere *ortals, b"t rather as the ad0ent"res o1 +ertain great Dae*ons.
These beings, they say, are s"pposed by so*e o1 the wisest o1 the Gree2
philosophers, that is to say, -lato, -ythagoras, ?eno+rates, and
/hrysipp"s, in a++ordan+e with what they had learned 1ro* an+ient
theologians, to be stronger and *ore power1"l than *en, and o1 a nat"re
s"perior to the*. They are, at the sa*e ti*e, in1erior to the p"re and
"n*ixed nat"re o1 the gods, as parta2ing o1 the sensations o1 the body,
as well as o1 the per+eptions o1 the so"l, and +onse5"ently liable to
pain as well as pleas"re, and to s"+h other appetites and a11e+tions,
as 1low 1ro* their 0ario"s +o*binations. S"+h a11e+tions, howe0er,
ha0e a greater power and in1l"en+e o0er so*e o1 the* than o0er others,
3"st as there are di11erent degrees o1 0irt"e and 0i+e 1o"nd in these
Dae*ons as well as in *an2ind. 6n li2e *anner, the wars o1 the Giants
and the Titans whi+h are so *"+h spo2en o1 by the Gree2s, the
detestable a+tions o1 :ronos, the +o*bats between Apollo and the
-ython, the 1lights o1 Dionysos, and the wanderings o1 De*eter, are
exa+tly o1 the sa*e nat"re as the ad0ent"res o1 Osiris and Typhon.
There1ore, they all are to be a++o"nted 1or in the sa*e *anner, and
e0ery treatise o1 *ythology will readily 1"rnish "s with an ab"ndan+e
o1 other si*ilar instan+es. The sa*e thing *ay also be a11ir*ed o1
those other things whi+h are so +are1"lly +on+ealed "nder the +o0er o1
*ysteries and i*itations.
&6n Se+. ??<6. -l"tar+h points o"t that Ho*er +alls great and good *en
(god;li2e( and (God>s +o*peers,( b"t the word Dae*on is applied to the
good and bad indi11erently Esee Odyssey, 0i. #%I 6liad, xiii. A#@, 0.
DJA, i0. J#, M+.F. -lato assigns to the Oly*pian Gods good things and
the odd n"*bers, and the opposite to the Dae*ons. ?eno+rates belie0ed
in the existen+e o1 a series o1 strong and power1"l beings whi+h ta2e
pleas"re in s+o"rgings and 1astings, M+. Hesiod spea2s o1 (holy
dae*ons( Eor2s and Days, #%BF and (g"ardians o1 *an2ind,( and
(bestowers o1 wealth,( and these are regarded by -lato as a (*iddle
order o1 beings between the gods and *en, interpreters o1 the wills o1
the gods to *en, and *inistering to their wants, +arrying the prayers
and s"ppli+ations o1 *ortals to hea0en, and bringing down then+e in
ret"rn ora+les and all other blessings o1 li1e.( E*pedo+les tho"ght
that the Dae*ons "nderwent p"nish*ent, and that when +hastened and
p"ri1ied they were restored to their original state.,
&Se+. ??<66. To this +lass belonged Typhon, who was p"nished by 6sis. 6n
*e*ory o1 all she had done and s"11ered, she established +ertain rites
and *ysteries whi+h were to be types and i*ages o1 her deeds, and
intended these to in+ite people to piety, and, to a11ord the*
+onsolation. 6sis and Osiris were translated 1ro* good Dae*ons into
gods, and the hono"rs d"e to the* are rightly o1 a *ixed 2ind, being
those d"e to gods and Dae*ons. Osiris is none other than -l"to, and
6sis is not di11erent 1ro* -roserpine.,
&Se+. ???. Typhon is held by the Egyptians in the greatest +onte*pt, and
they do all they +an to 0ili1y hi*. The +olo"r red being asso+iated
with hi*, they treat with +ont"*ely all those who ha0e a r"ddy
+o*plexionI the ass&FN)J%D, being "s"ally o1 a reddish +olo"r, the *en
o1 :optos are in the habit o1 sa+ri1i+ing asses by +asting the* down
pre+ipi+es. The inhabitants o1 !"siris and Ly+opolis ne0er "se
tr"*pets, be+a"se their so"nds rese*ble the braying o1 an ass. The
+a2es whi+h are o11ered at the 1esti0als d"ring -aoni and -aopi are
sta*ped with the 1ig"re o1 a 1ettered ass. The -ythagoreans regarded
Typhon as a dae*on, and a++ording to the* he was prod"+ed in the e0en
n"*ber 1i1ty;sixI and E"dox"s says that a 1ig"re o1 1i1ty;six angles
typi1ies the nat"re o1 Typhon.,
&FN)J%D, The ass is asso+iated with Set, or Typhon, in the texts, b"t
on a++o"nt o1 his 0irility he also typi1ies a 1or* o1 the S"n;god. 6n
a hy*n the de+eased prays, (4ay 6 s*ite the Ass, *ay 6 +r"sh the
serpent;1iend Seba",( b"t the ?Lth /hapter o1 the !oo2 o1 the Dead is
entitled, (/hapter o1 dri0ing ba+2 the Eater o1 the Ass.( The 0ignette
shows "s the de+eased in the a+t o1 spearing a *onster serpent whi+h
has 1astened its 3aws in the ba+2 o1 an ass. 6n /hapter /??<. there is
a dialog"e between the /at and the Ass.
&Se+. ???6. The Egyptians only sa+ri1i+e red;+olo"red b"lls, and a single
bla+2 or white hair in the ani*al>s head dis5"ali1ies it 1or sa+ri1i+e.
They sa+ri1i+e +reat"res wherein the so"ls o1 the wi+2ed ha0e been
+on1ined, and thro"gh this 0iew arose the +"sto* o1 +"rsing the ani*al
to be sa+ri1i+ed, and +"tting o11 its bead and throwing it into the
Nile. No b"llo+2 is sa+ri1i+ed whi+h has not on it the seal o1 the
priests who were +alled (Sealers.( The i*pression 1ro* this seal
represents a *an "pon his 2nees, with his hands tied behind hi*, and a
sword pointed at his throat. The ass is identi1ied with Typhon not
only be+a"se o1 his +olo"r, b"t also be+a"se o1 his st"pidity and the
sens"ality o1 his disposition. The -ersian 2ing O+h"s was ni+2na*ed
the (Ass,( whi+h *ade hi* to say, (This ass shall dine "pon yo"r ox,(
and a++ordingly he slew Apis. Typhon is said to ha0e es+aped 1ro*
Hor"s by a 1light o1 se0en days on an ass.,
&TH6.D E?-LANAT6ON OF THE STO.=.,
???66. S"+h then are the arg"*ents o1 those who endea0o"r to a++o"nt
1or the abo0e;*entioned history o1 6sis and Osiris "pon a s"pposition
that they were o1 the order o1 Dae*onsI b"t there are others who
pretend to explain it "pon other prin+iples, and in *ore philosophi+al
*anner. To begin, then, with those whose reasoning is the *ost si*ple
and ob0io"s. As the Gree2s allegori7e their :ronos into Ti*e, and
their Hera into Air, and tell "s that the birth o1 Hephaistos is no
other b"t the +hange o1 air into 1ire, so these philosophers say that
by Osiris the Egyptians *ean the Nile, by 6sis that part o1 the +o"ntry
whi+h Osiris, or the Nile, o0er1lows, and by Typhon the sea, whi+h, by
re+ei0ing the Nile as it r"ns into it, does, as it were, tear it into
*any pie+es, and indeed entirely destroys it, ex+epting only so *"+h o1
it as is ad*itted into the boso* o1 the earth in its passage o0er it,
whi+h is thereby rendered 1ertile. The tr"th o1 this explanation is
+on1ir*ed, they say, by that sa+red dirge whi+h they *a2e o0er Osiris
when they bewail (hi* who was born on the right side o1 the world and
who perished on the le1t.(&FN)J%C, For it *"st be obser0ed that the
Egyptians loo2 "pon the east as the 1ront or 1a+e o1 the world,&FN)J%B,
"pon the north as its right side,&FN)J%9, and "pon the so"th as its
le1t.&FN)J%A, As, there1ore, the Nile rises in the so"th, and r"nning
dire+tly northwards is at last swallowed "p by the sea, it *ay rightly
eno"gh be said to be born on the right and to perish on the le1t side.
This +on+l"sion, they say, is still 1arther strengthened 1ro* that
abhorren+e whi+h the priests express towards the sea, as well as salt,
whi+h they +all (Typhon>s 1oa*.( And a*ongst their prohibitions is one
whi+h 1orbids salt being laid on their tables. And do they not also
+are1"lly a0oid spea2ing to pilots, be+a"se this +lass o1 *en ha0e *"+h
to do with the sea and get their li0ing by itL And this is not the
least o1 their reasons 1or the great disli2e whi+h they ha0e 1or 1ish,
and they e0en *a2e the 1ish a sy*bol o1 (hatred,( as is pro0ed by the
pi+t"res whi+h are to be seen on the por+h o1 the te*ple o1 Neith at
Sais. The 1irst o1 these is a +hild, the se+ond is an old *an, the
third is a haw2, and then 1ollow a 1ish and a hippopota*"s. The
*eaning o1 all these is e0idently, (O yo" who are +o*ing into the
world, and yo" who are going o"t o1 it Ei.e., both yo"ng and oldF, God
hateth i*p"den+e.( For by the +hild is indi+ated (all those who are
+o*ing into li1e(I by the old *an, (those who are going o"t o1 it(I by
the haw2, (God(I by the 1ish, (hatred,( on a++o"nt o1 the sea, as has
been be1ore statedI and by the hippopota*"s, (i*p"den+e,( this +reat"re
being said 1irst to slay his sire, and a1terwards to 1or+e his
da*.&FN)J%$, The -ythagoreans li2ewise *ay be tho"ght perhaps by so*e
to ha0e loo2ed "pon the sea as i*p"re, and 5"ite di11erent 1ro* all the
rest o1 nat"re, and that th"s *"+h is intended by the* when they +all
it the (tears o1 :ronos.(
&FN)J%C, -l"tar+h here re1ers to Osiris as the 4oon, whi+h rises in
the est.
&FN)J%B, A++ording to the texts the 1ront o1 the world was the so"th,
2hent, )))) and 1ro* this word is 1or*ed the 0erb )))) )))) (to sail to
the so"th.(
&FN)J%9, 6n the texts the west is the right side, "ne*i, )))) in
/opti+, )))).
&FN)J%A, 6n the texts the east is the le1t side, abti.
&FN)J%$, Ea+h o1 these signs, )))), ex+ept the last, does *ean what
-l"tar+h says it *eans, b"t his *ethod o1 reading the* together is
wrong, and it pro0es that he did not "nderstand that hieroglyphi+s were
"sed alphabeti+ally as well as ideographi+ally.
&Se+s. ???666., ???6<. So*e o1 the *ore philosophi+al priests assert that
Osiris does not sy*boli7e the Nile only, nor Typhon the sea only, b"t
that Osiris represents the prin+iple and power o1 *oist"re in general,
and that Typhon represents e0erything whi+h is s+or+hing, b"rning, and
1iery, and whate0er destroys *oist"re. Osiris they belie0e to ha0e
been o1 a bla+2&FN)JJ@, +olo"r, be+a"se water gi0es a bla+2 tinge to
e0erything with whi+h it is *ixed. The 4ne0is !"ll&FN)JJ#, 2ept at
Heliopolis is, li2e Osiris, bla+2 in +olo"r, (and e0en Egypt&FN)JJ%,
itsel1, by reason o1 the extre*e bla+2ness o1 the soil, is +alled by
the* >/he*ia,> the 0ery na*e whi+h is gi0en to the bla+2 part or p"pil
o1 the eye.&FN)JJJ, 6t is, *oreo0er, represented by the* "nder the
1ig"re o1 a h"*an heart.( The S"n and 4oon are not represented as
being drawn abo"t in +hariots, b"t as sailing ro"nd the world in ships,
whi+h shows that they owe their *otion, s"pport, and no"rish*ent to the
power o1 h"*idity.&FN)JJD, Ho*er and Thales both learned 1ro* Egypt
that (water was the 1irst prin+iple o1 all things, and the +a"se o1
generation.(&FN)JJC,,
&FN)JJ@, Experi*ents re+ently +ond"+ted by Lord .ayleigh indi+ate that
the tr"e +olo"r o1 water is bl"e.
&FN)JJ#, 6n Egyptian, Ne*;"r, or 4en;"r, and he was (+alled the li1e
o1 .a.(
&FN)JJ%, The +o**onest na*e o1 Egypt is :e*t, (bla+2 land,( as opposed
to the reddish;yellow sandy deserts on ea+h side o1 the (0alley o1
bla+2 *"d.( The word 1or (bla+2( is 2a*.
&FN)JJJ, -l"tar+h see*s to ha0e erred here. The early texts +all the
p"pil o1 the eye (the +hild in the eye,( as did the Se*iti+ peoples
Esee *y Lit"rgy o1 F"nerary O11erings, p. #JBF. The /opts spo2e o1 the
(bla+2 o1 the eye,( deri0ed 1ro* the hieroglyphi+ (dar2ness,(
(bla+2ness.(
&FN)JJD, There is no s"pport 1or this 0iew in the texts.
&FN)JJC, 6t was a 0ery +o**on belie1 in Egypt that all things arose
1ro* the great +elestial o+ean +alled N", when+e +a*e the Nile.
&Se+. ???<6. The Nile and all 2inds o1 *oist"re are +alled the (e11l"x o1
Osiris.( There1ore a water;pit+her&FN)JJB, is always +arried 1irst in
his pro+essions, and the lea1 o1 a 1ir;tree represents both Osiris and
Egypt.&FN)JJ9, Osiris is the great prin+iple o1 1e+"ndity, whi+h is
pro0ed by the -a*ylia 1esti0als, in whi+h a stat"e o1 the god with a
triple phall"s is +arried abo"t.&FN)JJA, The three;1old phall"s *erely
signi1ies any great and inde1inite n"*ber.,
&FN)JJB, -l"tar+h re1ers to the 0essel o1 water, with whi+h the priest
sprin2les the gro"nd to p"ri1y it.
&FN)JJ9, He see*s to re1er here to the oli0e;tree' !e5et, (oli0e
land,( was one o1 the na*es o1 Egypt.
&FN)JJA, -l"tar+h see*s to be +on1o"nding Osiris with 4en", the god o1
generation, who is generally represented in an ithyphalli+ 1or*. The
1esti0al o1 the phall"s s"r0i0ed in Egypt "ntil 5"ite re+ently.
&Se+. ???<666. The S"n is +onse+rated to Osiris, and the lion is
worshipped, and te
ples are orna*ented with 1ig"res o1 this ani*al,
be+a"se the Nile rises when the s"n is in the +onstellation o1 the
Lion. Hor"s, the o11spring o1 Osiris, the Nile, and 6sis, the Earth,
was born in the *arshes o1 !"to, be+a"se the 0apo"r o1 da*p land
destroys dro"ght. Nephthys, or Tele"te, represents the extre*e li*its
o1 the +o"ntry and the sea;shore, that is, barren land. Osiris Ei.e.,
the NileF o0er1lowed this barren land, and An"bis&FN)JJ$, was the
res"lt.&FN)JD@,,
&FN)JJ$, The Egyptian Anp". The texts *a2e one 1or* o1 hi* to be the
son o1 Set and Nephthys.
&FN)JD@, -l"tar+h>s explanations in this +hapter are "ns"pported by
the texts.
&Se+. ???6?. 6n the 1irst part o1 this +hapter -l"tar+h +ontin"es his
identi1i+ation o1 Typhon with dro"ght, and his ally Aso, Q"een o1
Ethiopia, he +onsiders to be the Etesian or north winds, whi+h blow 1or
a long period when the Nile is 1alling. He goes on to say';;,
As to what they relate o1 the sh"tting "p o1 Osiris in a box, this
appears to *ean the withdrawal o1 the Nile to its own bed. This is the
*ore probable as this *is1ort"ne is said to ha0e happened to Osiris in
the *onth o1 Hathor, pre+isely at that season o1 the year when, "pon
the +essation o1 the Etesian or north winds the Nile ret"rns to its own
bed, and lea0es the +o"ntry e0erywhere bare and na2ed. At this ti*e
also the length o1 the nights in+reases, dar2ness pre0ails, whilst
light is di*inished and o0er+o*e. At this ti*e the priests +elebrate
dole1"l rites, and they exhibit as a s"itable representation o1 the
grie1 o1 6sis a gilded ox +o0ered with a 1ine bla+2 linen +loth. Now,
the ox is regarded as the li0ing i*age o1 Osiris. This +ere*ony is
per1or*ed on the se0enteenth and three 1ollowing days,&FN)JD#, and they
*o"rn' #. The 1alling o1 the NileI %. The +essation o1 the north
windsI J. The de+rease in the length o1 the daysI D. The desolate
+ondition o1 the land. On the nineteenth o1 the *onth -a+hons they
*ar+h in pro+ession to the sea, whither the priests and other o11i+ials
+arry the sa+red +hest, wherein is en+losed a s*all boat o1 goldI into
this they 1irst po"r so*e water, and then all present +ry o"t with a
lo"d 0oi+e, (Osiris is 1o"nd.( This done, they throw so*e earth,
s+ent, and spi+es into the water, and *ix it well together, and wor2 it
"p into the i*age o1 a +res+ent, whi+h they a1terwards dress in
+lothes. This shows that they regard the gods as the essen+e and power
o1 water and earth.
&FN)JD#, The #9th day is 0ery "nl"+2yI the #Ath is 0ery l"+2yI the
#$th and %@th are 0ery "nl"+2y. On the #9th day 6sis and Nephthys *ade
great la*entation 1or their brother 8n;ne1er at SaisI on the #$th no
*an sho"ld lea0e the ho"seI and the *an born on the %@th wo"ld die o1
the plag"e.
&Se+. ?L. Tho"gh Typhon was +on5"ered by Hor"s, 6sis wo"ld not allow hi*
to be destroyed. Typhon was on+e *aster o1 all Egypt, i.e., Egypt was
on+e +o0ered by the sea, whi+h is pro0ed by the sea;shells whi+h are
d"g o"t o1 the *ines, and are 1o"nd on the tops o1 the hills. The Nile
year by year +reates new land, and th"s dri0es away the sea 1"rther and
1"rther, i.e., Osiris tri"*phs o0er Typhon.,
&FO8.TH E?-LANAT6ON OF THE STO.=.,
&Se+. ?L6. Osiris is the 4oon, and Typhon is the S"nI Typhon is there1ore
+alled Seth,&FN)JD%, a word *eaning (0iolen+e,( (1or+e,( M+. Hera2les
a++o*panies the S"n, and Her*es the 4oon. 6n Se+. ?L66. -l"tar+h +onne+ts
the death;day o1 Osiris, the se0enteenth o1 Hathor, with the
se0enteenth day o1 the 4oon>s re0ol"tion, when she begins to wane. The
age o1 Osiris, twenty;eight years, s"ggests the +o*parison with the
twenty;eight days o1 the 4oon>s re0ol"tion. The tree;tr"n2 whi+h is
*ade into the shape o1 a +res+ent at the 1"neral o1 Osiris re1ers to
the +res+ent *oon when she wanes. The 1o"rteen pie+es into whi+h
Osiris was bro2en re1er to the 1o"rteen days in whi+h the *oon wanes.,
&FN)JD%, 6n Egyptian, )))), or )))) whi+h -l"tar+h see*s to +onne+t
with set, )))).
&Se+. ?L666. The height o1 the Nile in 1lood at Elephantine is twenty;
eight +"bits, at 4endes and ?ois low Nile is se0en +"bits, and at
4e*phis *iddle Nile is 1o"rteen +"bitsI these 1ig"res are to be
+o*pared with the twenty;eight days o1 the 4oon>s re0ol"tion, the
se0en;day phase o1 the 4oon, and the 1o"rteen days> 4oon, or 1"ll *oon.
Apis was begotten by a ray o1 light 1ro* the 4oon, and on the
1o"rteenth day o1 the *onth -ha*enoth&FN)JDJ, Osiris entered the 4oon.
Osiris is the power o1 the 4oon, 6sis the prod"+ti0e 1a+"lty in it.,
&FN)JDJ, 4ar2ed in the papyr"s Sallier 6<. as a parti+"larly "nl"+2y
day.
&F6FTH E?-LANAT6ON OF THE STO.=.,
&Se+. ?L6<. The philosophers say that the story is nothing b"t an
enig*ati+al des+ription o1 the pheno*ena o1 E+lipses. 6n Se+. ?L<.
-l"tar+h dis+"sses the 1i0e explanations whi+h he has des+ribed, and
begins to state his own 0iews abo"t the*. 6t *"st be +on+l"ded, he
says, that none o1 these explanations ta2en by itsel1 +ontains the tr"e
explanation o1 the 1oregoing history, tho"gh all o1 the* together do.
Typhon *eans e0ery phase o1 Nat"re whi+h is h"rt1"l and destr"+ti0e,
not only dro"ght, dar2ness, the sea, M+. 6t is i*possible that any one
+a"se, be it bad or e0en good, sho"ld be the +o**on prin+iple o1 all
things. There *"st be two opposite and 5"ite di11erent and distin+t
-rin+iples. 6n Se+. ?L<6., -l"tar+h +o*pares this 0iew with the 4agian
belie1 in Or*a7d and Ahri*an, the 1or*er springing 1ro* light ESe+.
?L<66.F, and the latter 1ro* dar2ness. Or*a7d *ade six good gods, and
Ahri*an six o1 a 5"ite +ontrary nat"re. Or*a7d in+reased his own b"l2
three ti*es, and adorned the hea0en with stars, *a2ing the S"n to be
the g"ard o1 the other stars. He then +reated twenty;1o"r other gods,
and pla+ed the* in an egg, and Ahri*an also +reated twenty;1o"r godsI
the latter bored a hole in the shell o1 the egg and e11e+ted an
entran+e into it, and th"s good and e0il be+a*e *ixed together. 6n Se+.
?L<666. -l"tar+h 5"otes E*pedo+les, Anaxagoras, Aristotle, and -lato in
s"pport o1 his hypothesis o1 the Two -rin+iples, and re1ers to -lato>s
Third -rin+iple. Se+. ?L6?. Osiris represents the good 5"alities o1 the
"ni0ersal So"l, and Typhon the badI !ebo&FN)JDD, is a *alignant being
li2e Typhon, with who* 4anetho identi1ies hi*. Se+. L. The ass,
+ro+odile, and hippopota*"s are all asso+iated with TyphonI in the 1or*
o1 a +ro+odile Typhon es+aped 1ro* Hor"s.&FN)JDC,
&FN)JDD, 6n Egyptian, !ebi, or !aba, or !abai, he was the 1irst;born
Son o1 Osiris.
&FN)JDC, See the Legend o1 Her";!eh"tet, Spr. B9K.
The +a2es o11ered on the se0enth day o1 the *onth Tybi ha0e a
hippopota*"s sta*ped on the*. Se+. L6. Osiris sy*boli7es wisdo* and
power, and Typhon all that is *alignant and bad.,
The re*aining se+tions +ontain a long series o1 1an+i1"l state*ents by
-l"tar+h +on+erning the religion and *anners and +"sto*s o1 the
Egyptians, o1 whi+h the Egyptian texts now a0ailable gi0e no proo1s.
END
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-rod"+ed by Nohn !. Hare and /arrie .. Loren7