In comp li an ce wi th c urrent

cop yrigh t law , Corn e ll University

Library p ro du c ed this
re l
p ace ment v o lum e on p ap er
that me ets the AN SI Standard
23 948 1 992 to rep lace the
-

irrep arab ly de terio rate d original .

 T HE

S erpent mg g
B E ING

MO N UME NT S IN T HE B RITI SH AND CONTI NE NTAL MUSE UMS ,

BY W R . .

Q O O PE R,
HON SE C SO C BIB
. . . . A RCHE O LO G Y.

Voth N ote
s a nd Remarks by D r S B I RCH, M RE NOUF, M L E N O RMA NJR,
. . . .

Being a, Paper rea d before the Vict oria Institute .

or. Phil osophical Society of G reat Brit ain, 8 Adelphi Terrace Strand . .

H
( i th the D iscussion)
’
.

THE W HO L E IL LUS T RAT ED W IT H 129 E NG RAV ING S .

L ON D O N

RO BE RT H A RD W I CK E , 192 ,
PI CCA D I L L Y .

( The righls of Transla ti on an d R ep roduction are reserved )

-
.
S h
rine of the great d y
eit h dd
Armi n-Ra, wit the g o esses Mersok ar and E ile ithy a in
h d
t he form of snak es on ei t er si de o f t he o or v l d
Abo e are t he so ar isk and t he
lc c v lv
.

usua orni e of e er i i ng uraei

. d
( Ley en Museum ) .
OB S E R VATI ON S ON TH E S E RP E N T M YTHS OF
AN CI E N T E G YP T wi th E xp la n a tory
.
* I llus tra ted
Figures from E gyp ti a n M onu me nts a nd An ci ent G ems B y .

W R CO O PE R E sq
. .
, .
, S ecreta ry o
f the S oci ety
f
o Bi bli ca l A rchaeolo
gy .

H I L E mu ch has b e e n d on e
for t he el ucid at io n o f the
O p h iol at ry of I n d ia, G ree c e, a n d R om e by m any mos t
a bl e s c h ol a rs , e t t he r e n t m y th s o f E gy t , — t he oldes t ,
y se p p
m os t ab un d an t, a n d b e s t p re s erv e d of th em a ll, h a v e b ee n b ut
l itt l e att en de d t o s inc e the ti me of Ch a mp oll ion a n d Wilkinson .

O n t he Con t in ent it i s t rue th a t MM P ierre t, B ru g s c h , a n d

L en or m
.

an t i h a v e
p ubli sh e d a fe w i sol a t e d p a p ers up on p art s of
t he l e g en d s o f hie rog lyp hy , b ut th ese h av e n ev e r b e e n t ra n s
l at ed in t o E n bglish , a n d e v en t he origin al s are bu t l itt l e k n own .

T h is is b ot h a S iibj e c t o f re g re t a n d of s ur pri s e, for n o on e s

who c on s id e rs t he v ery e a rly c onn e c t ion b et we en E gy p t a n d

I sra el in B ibl ica l t im e s c an fa il t o h a v e n oti c e d th a t th e re we re
man y allu si on s an d res tri cti on s i n t he c erem onial l a ws of t he
l a tt e r n at ion, wh ic h on ly by a re fe re n c e t o the c u s t oms of th eir
c on t e m oi ary n e i ghb ou rs c o ul d b e d uly un de rs t oo d Wh ile the
p .

R om an s d o ub t ed, a n d t he G re ek s 1 idic ule d, th eir g ods, t he

n obl e r a n d m ore p rim it i ve E gy p t ian s l ov e d, a n d we i e s u p o s e d
p
t o b e b e l o v e d, by th em The p rofan e a n d the 1 mp ure d iv in it ie s
.

of t h e G r e c ia n O ly m p us, t he de b a u ch e 1 ies o f S il e n u s a n d O f

P an , the fra u d ul e n t M erc ury, a n d the un ch a st e V e nu s , fi n d n o

c ou nt e rp art in the E gyp tian P a nt h e on N o t till t he irru p tion .

o f t he s e mi g re e k P s a mm e t ic i d oe s T h e b a n wors h ip be c om e
-

O b s c en e , a n d T h e b a n s c ul ture gra t ui t ou sly i n de c e nt ; an d i t

p
m ay b e s a fely a s s ert e d, with ou t fea r o f c ont ra dic tion , tha t
t h e re is, m ora lly a n d s c ien t ifi c a l ly , m ore t o d is g u st in t he
O des of H ora c e or The D a y s a nd ”f ee ls of Hesio d, t h a n in the
W h ol e v a s t ra n g e of an c i e nt E gy p t ia n l it era t ure .

Th ose aware of so me of the ten dencies of modern h ought will rec og

t
nize the v l ue pp
this a er S in e it was rea t he
a of . c d au t h or has k ind ly t ak en

the o pportunity of ad ing su d ch

n ew mat t er as the most re ent i n estigations c v
0 11 t he su bj c d d h
for , in or er t at i t mig t be as om ete a stat e ment of
e t af h c pl
p yh
t he ser ent m t s of an ient E g c
t a s ou yp
b e at resent pu is ed c ld
The p bl h .

v
engra i ngs a e h v b
een are u c f lly d
one on t he gra hot e ro ess Mr J o n p yp p c by h
llen —E D
.

A .

i M o tly
in the R evu e A rchéologtqu e, of P aris, and the Zei tschmf
ft fiir
' '
s

E gyp ttsche S p ra che, O f B er in. E ng and l l as y et p o sess

s es no j ournal wholly
v
d e oted to ex egeti a ar haeo og cl c l y .
 4
,

2 The d a nger of E gy pt ia n th eol ogy was not in its inn at e

.

i mp urit y, bu t i t s ext remely sp e c u l at iv e c h ara c t er, it s e nd le s s

s ub t l e tie s an d mi s un de rstoo mb olis ms, it s fe tish amu l e t s, an d
de gradin g anima l i dol atry i n th es e it was, t o a grea t ex t ent,
.

imit at e d by t he Jews, wh om, d esp it e t he p re ca u tion s of the

divin e la iver, it c orrup ted, while by associating with the
v isible ag en cie s of g ood and e vi l the i d eas of inv isibl e an d
s u ern at ura l p ower t he hie ro l h e rs, a s more or less all sy m
p g yp,

holi st s e v e nt ually do, ob s c ure d the a nt it y p es th ey int end e d t o

ty pify, and ove rloade d th eir im p erfe c tly signifi c ant faith by a
s t ill l es s s igni fi c an t sy s t e m of re re s e nt at ion
p fl T h e s e errors
t he p ri de an d su b t l e ty of the h ie rar c h y p e rmitt e d the c ommon
ord ers t o fall i nt o by the d i vi si o n of th e ir d og ma ti c te ac hing

int o an e x ot e ri c , an d e sot eric, mean in g —

on e for the p eop l e
an d an oth er for th e mselv es, —
an d th en , aft er a tim e , avaric :

an d st at e c ra ft us ur i ng the
p p l a c e of
p r inc ip l e,
t he b u lk of th e

E gy pt ian s were l e ft t o foll ow t h e ir own int erpret a t ion s of th ei r

s y mb ol ic s t a t u ary , wh i l e t he s e c re t b e auty of t he T h e oret i c

faith was re se rve d for the hierop han t s alon e .

3 F orem os t a m on g a ll the n a t ura l O bj e c t s fi rst as s o ciat e d a s

.

re r
p e se nt at ives , a nd th e n as hy p o s t a se s , of the D ei ty , were the
s u n and the h e a v e nly b odi es t he s u n a s Ch efer an d Horus-Ra
(fig . t he m oo n a s I si s, the h e a v e n s a s N eith ; an d up on earth

Fig 1. . Hem e Ra, weari ng the

- solar dis k and uraeus. Ar
-
( undale .
)

the b e n ev ol ent an d fertili z ing N il e a s the d eity Hapimou or a ,

form of K h e m fath er of the lan d of E gy p t T he san ctificati on
a nd re p t il es foll owed—
.
,

O f b e as ts b ird s
, , s ome for th e ir b eau t y
,
oth ers for th eir u tility ; th e n a s i rit of fear le d on t he wa
p y to
—
t he p ropitia tion of d es t ruc tiv e a g e n c ie s a nd inj uri o us an im als
the st orm t he e a s t wind the li gh ning in t he firs t cl a ss
, t , , ,
and the h i
pp op ot a mus t he c ro c o dil e and t he S E RPE NL I] in t he
'

oth er—
‘
, , __

t ill in the end aft er c e nt uries of sup erstit ion and de

, , ,
 M
O

c ad e n c e the ad oration v ocat iv e an d prec ative of this l att er

, , ,

re t il e s rea d th rough out t he wh ol e of t he E gy t ia n my tho

p p p
l o gy an d t he serp ent lay e n sh rin e d in t he t emp l e s of the
,

O l d e s t a n d most b en efi c ent d ivin it i es .

4 F rom the v ery ea rlie s t p erio d t o whic h our re search e s are

.

e n a bl e d t o ext end th ere i s wri tt e n a nd mon ume n t a l e vi d en c e

tha t ou t of th ree k inds of se rp e nts known i n E gyp t and

,

r e res e nt e d on t he mon u me nt s
p two were the obj e ct s of a ,

p e cu l iar v e n era ti on a nd of a n a l m os t un iv e rsal worshi p Un l ik e .

t he a dora tion of S eb ( t h e c roc od il e d e ity of O mb os an d

“

fig .

li ig
‘
. 2 T he
. deity S b ek
e weari ng t he T eshr or g reat pl um e of O si ri s .
( B unse n )

T enty ra , * an d the b atrochoc ep hala n d eity, P thah, the frog

h ea d e d fire -g od of M e mp hi s in t he D el t a, the rev ere n c e p aid
t o the s n a k e was not m ere ly l o c al or e v e n l imit e d t o on e
‘

e rio d of h ist ory , b ut it p re v a il e d a l ik e i n e v ery d i s t ri c t o f t he

p
P h aria n e mp ire, an d has l e ft it s i nd e libl e imp re ss up on t he a rc hi
t e c ture an d t he arc hae ology of b oth Upp er an d L ower E gyp t .

5 The thre e se rp e nt s p e c uliar the n t o E gyp t an d N orth

.

A fri c a app ear t o h a v e b een : 1 T he N aj a, or Cob ra di Cap ell o, the

Fig; 3 The Sa
. c dU
re e us or
rz B asilisk .
(S tr
. O ime n .
)

c
e t a cl n ak e of e- s t g the P or u ue s e a n d the U ae s r (fig 3 ) a nd
r u
‘
s
p
.

b a silis k o f the G re ek s ; a v eno mou s a n d m a gni fic ent re tile, with

p

Ch amp oll ion (le J e une) P a nthéon Egyp ti an .

U raeus, G r O uro arau, in hieroglyphics, the

. l etters c omposing the
d eterminative of k ing .
 6

p ro min ent eyes, ring ed sk in, an d in fl at e d b re a st . F rom it s dan

g ero u s b e au ty an d in c on se quen c e of an cient t ra di ti on a sse rt i n g
,

it t o h a ve b e en sp ont an eously p rod u c e d by t he ray s of the su n * ,

Fig 4 The
. . l di k
so a r s en ci cl d b y
r e an urae us we a ring t he Ps ch e nt .

this crea t ure was u niv ersally a s s u m e d a s the em bl em of d ivine

sa c ro re g a l s o vere i n t d 2 Th e A s p or Cera s t es (fig
g y
- .
.
,

Fig 5. . T he Cera st e s .
( B onomi , H ie rog lyp hi cs ) .

m ll d d d ly k in d f v i o s si bly t h e c oc k at ri c e of H oly
a s a a n e a o p e r,
p
W rit , I re m ark abl e for it s sh ort t h i c k b o dy , an d bl u nt an d flat
t en e d h e a d, crest e d with sc a ly h orn s 3 A l arg e an d u niden ti . .

fi e d s p e c ie s of c o l ub er, of grea t s t rength an d h i d e o us l ongi tu d e .

Fig 6 . . L i mest one t able t i n t h e B rit is Mu se u m, h p ossi bly p re resent ing t he

g e nera t i on of t he mon t s h .

T h is la st was ,
e ve n fro m t he e ar l ie s t a g e s a s s oc iat e d a s the
,

re
p re s ent a t i v e o f s p iri u al, a n dt o cc a s io n ally
p hy si c a l ev il a nd ,

Henc e the re p tile i s t erme d ,

on an an cient pa py rus ,
“
S oul of the b ody
of Ra ” .

t T he K ing
haraoh is h ieroglyp hi c ally re p resent ed by a b asilisk (urze us)
or P
-

enc ircling the sol ar orb alone as on t he g reat gat es of E l L u x or (Fig

,
-
. .

D eane an unsafe aut h orit y asserts t hat d e th by the s t ing of a n u rie ns

, ,
a

was supp ose d t o insu e an i mmortal l ife t o the vi c t im ; h en c e the p e c ul iar

r .

fi tn ess of t he d eat h of Cl eop atra .

I Th e e is a c urious bl oc k at the B it ish M useum rep resent ing on e l arge

,
r r ,

v ip e d istinguish ed from th ose c ommonly dra wn by an ex tremely large head)

r [

b et ween t w lve small er ones T he rep t ile is wrought in soft st ne of anc ient
e . o ,

E gyp t ian w k an d is unint elligibl e as t o t he my t h os rep resen ted t h ere

or , ,
be ing no hieroglyp h ic s (Fig . .
 7

wa s n ame d Hof Rehof, or A PO PHI s (fig 7 ) ; the

, .
I r, the ,

e ne m o the o ds * an d t he devourer of t he s ou l s of m e T h at
y f g ,

s u c h a c reat u re on c e in h ab it e d the L ib des ert, we have the

g
y

Fig 7 A p phi the destroy er The ierog p i s a o h ly h c b v his h d c mp t he

—
o s, e ea o ose
P—P
.

l
. .

e t t ers of his name, A .

t es ti mon y b oth of Ha n n o t he Ca rtha g in i an f a n d L uca n the

R om an gi an d if i t i s n ow n o l on g e r a n inh ab it an t of th a t
t

re g i on , i t i s
p rob ab ly owing t o t he a d v a n ce of c iviliz a tion
h a vin g drive n it furt he rs ou th .

6 W i th o ne or oth er o f th es e sn ak e s
. t he i d eo graph ic
th eol ogy of E gyp t is inv olved D oes k ing d esire t o .

Fig 8 Thothme s III wea ri ng the . c dc

s a re ro wn of O siri s be neat h it an d a bv o e
pl ll d
. .
,

the c la ft or a it e ea dh dd -
re ss , is fi x e d t he j e we e urazus .

l d e cl are his d ivin e a uth ority he ass umes t he sa cre d asp of

,
/
A m un Ra -
(fig an d wear s t he b a sili sk u p on his c rown The
l . .

From M or Hf is derive d the Coptic name of a snake t o this day .

"
i S ee P erip lus, Cory s
’
t rans l ation .

I
‘

pl
Firs t of t h ose agues the drows asp a ea red, y pp (Cerastes ) .

c
Th en fi rst her rest a nd s we ing ne k she reared ll c
l
A arger d ro of a k p
ongea ing oodbl c c l bl
D istinguished her amid st the d ead rood ly b
p
O f all the ser ent ra e are none so fe , c ll
N one with so man d eath s su h y
ent eous eno c pl v ms swell
c ly l
Her s a fo d th’ Hze marrhois un ends, b (A p oph is
p riest s of the Temp Ra at Heliop ol is, and the p
of
I si s at Al exandria, c arrie d s erp ent s in th eir h and s 0

n
'

Fig 9 The
. . b ask et of c
the Eleusinia Can ephorae , onta i ning a s erpent, from w en h ce
t he b J p
ask et of u it er S era is was p
eri ed d v
From a G re ek c om. (S arp e ) . h
”
a’
fl

p horae on their hea ds ( fig 9 ) t o d e clare th eir divin e ordination fl

.
i

(fig . Hence al so the s ecret ady ta or sacristies of the div ini

, ,

Fig 1 0 Eg
. . ypti n p i
a r e st ess c r ying th
a r e Fo
m r a P tol e mai c lb
s a v
engra ed i n
A dmir a nda
’
B art oli s .

t ie s , an d the c lpture d
s u ar ks ,
wi th t he m a ssive s hrin es g reat ,

A nd her vast length al ong the sand e xten ds

W here er she wounds , from ev ery part the blood
’

G ushes resist less in a c rims on fl oo d

The B as il isk , wit h d readful h issings h eard, (Uraeus )
A nd from afar by every serp ent feare d , .

To d istance d riv es t he v ulgar, and re mains

The l onely monarc h of the d es ert pl ain s
Luc an, P harsa li a, lib ix 1 200 3 0, Rowe s Transl at ion
'
-
. . .

Sometimes the P sch ent, or Royal c rown was de c orate d b a cres ting , ,

of p end ent um i similar t o t he us ual ornamen tat ion of a shrine

,

ee L epsius, .

A b th iii Bl 284
. . . .
 a ds, were crest ed with a c orni c e of j ewelle d s n ak e s
A s t he e mbl e m of di vin e g oo dn e ss , the c rown e d
f, wa s on e of the most u s ual of the
s t in g u on a s t a f
p

nnnnn
nn pn
Fig 1 1
. . U pp p
er ortion of snak e - reste c dc orni ce fro m int er cl
o u mnar s lb
a s .
( Philse )
.

fi gypti t nd ard s a n d the serp ent upon a p ol e

an s a , , wh ich
M oses by di vin e d ire c t ion up h e l d t o the I s rae lites
, ,
in the
wil d ern es s 1 2)
flha s b een s upp ose d t o h av e b ee n
, eith er

Fig 1 2 An E g
. yptian s ta n d ard, b eari ng a b ronz e figure of t he godd es s Ranno .

( Sharpe )
.

an a d ap tation or imita ti on of the wel l k n own p agan sy mb ol}

, ,
-

A g a in wh e n on c e t he Uraeu s ha d b e e n asso ciat e d with the

,

i d e a of d iv in ity the Th eb a n p ries t s rightly desiri ng t o

‘

‘
, ,

a s c rib e t h
fi
ift of li fe a n d t he p ower of h ealin g t o t he D eity

N um b ers x xi . 9 .
f Sharp e
‘

,
B ible Tracts, p 47. .
a on e,
l si
gnificantly en ough t wined t he serp e nt 3 11 511 11 3 the
tri d ent of J upi t e r Ammo n fi f of T h oth,
st a f
( g 1 3) an d the
“

13 . Trid ent and ser ent of p Jupite r Ammo n . F ro m a g em .

(Ma fi ei )

orHermes T rismegis tus (fig 1 4) the a uth or of m e dicin e .

imply t he so ur c e from which that su b ordinat e d emigod s

‘
’

on the t op is the m st ic. y h a wk of Ho rus Ra, -

a nd the
“

l
so ar
uraeus ( W ilk insbn
.
)

were der ve r
i d - From this ,
in the l at er p e riod s of her his t ory ,

1 The
‘
o lde I t l i n ntiquaries whose t tise are as
r a a a ,
rea s

d etail ,
as t h ey are xc ell nt in c mp o itio n h av e w itten
e e o s , r

ogical an l gi a
a ofo xamp l C tari V i
es s, r e e, ar

v zi em
,

An ti ch } 1 58 1 O l ndi O azio O
r, r a r sser a -
'

, ,

B ronze, 1 7 7 3 Agost ini, L e G emme An

'
Lionar o, d
lb y
i n the i rar of t he Scene M useum, t he urator of c
 h ermet c treatis es , eaduceus, er s erpent scep tre
-

Fig . 1 5 T he Ca
. d uc e us or ser ent -sta
p
‘
ff of Mercury .

and E s é ula
p i us an d by a sub

(F m Mai-Bet }
'
16 Sta t?
. or c - i
ti rr of [E sculap ius the god o i med iein e . ro

E
FQ I TH
‘

, the s n ak e a nd b owl of Hy g eia the g dod

e ss of
 12

F oll owing out the sa me symb olic t eac hing t o imp ly ,

the sm ftness and e xtent of the divin e att rib utes the serpent ,

Fig 1 8 The
.
. p
s er ent an ddish of the goddess Maut , the great mot h er .

of good is often inv est ed with win gs ; not that su ch creatures

e v er e x is t e d b ut t o id entify t he a c tive an d a s s iv e p rop ert i e s
,
p
of the divi n e e ssen c e in on e im ers n t
p o a ion s? I nst an c e s al so
o cc ur a s on the s arc o h a gus i n t he S oa n e M us e um
,
p 1 wh ere four ,

Fig 1 9
. . Four wing d
- e se rp ent, C hnuphi s or Bait .

wings divin e rep tile (fig

hed t o the
’

are a ttac tha t the four .

“

c orners of the earth a c ompl et e ly E gy p tian mode of ex

,
”
1

p ression might be repres ent e d a s b eing emb ra c e d by an d

,

s h el t e re d by the S upreme Provi d en c e whil e in an oth er in st an c e ,

t he sol ar dis k is c rest ed with four s erp ent s (fig t he Uraei .

of g ood n e ss e mb ody ing

,
the same me t ap h oric a l all us ion .

l c
See M afiei, A essandro, G amma A nti he fi gurate, 1 7 07 , p ates 5 5 an d 5 7
'
l .

p
The se r ent and how] are dou t ess d eri e d from t he h ierog bl hi a v lyp c l
c c
hara ters for Maut, the moth er goddess, th ese eing a serp ent u on a sh a ow b p ll
b l c
ow , whi h t he G reek s, not read ing as t he h ierog ph i a si ns for
g L ad ly cl y
Mother,” modified into mere ornamental at tri ut es b .

c p cc
1 S u h ser ents o ur on the sar o h agi of P epar, XXX D vn , in the
‘
cp . .

y
B ritis h M useum, and pap ri of P etuk Hans, Hesi Hem- e i, X XI D y n K b
_

and A men-S hau, XX I D yn V . .

1 Th at of Oimeneptheh
‘

I .
an d the v eng ing Cabereu (
a
fig . or t ort urers of the wipk ed

Fig 23 T he
. . symb lic wing
o ed serp e nt of d
the g o de ss E ileithy a ; wi ear ng the c ro wn O f

t he l owe r k ing om d .

i n the E gyp t ian purgat ory, infl ic t e d t he fe ll e s t u n ish m en t

p
up on the cond emn e d , b s c ourging th em wi th wh i s of l iving
y p

Fig 24 The
. . v
a eng ing Cab ereii, the tormentors of the d d At th l ft hand i t he
ea e e s
c d d by c ph li t h mbl m t ic m nk ys
.

h
qy
lon or ent ran e to ell, guar e two Cyno e a e e e a o e
ha p e )
,
o rut h and us we
. r .

s n ak es , or th rusting th em ,
in c omp any with ferocious vip e rs ,

Fig 25 The g o ddess Chiun V en u s . Fr o m a st elé i n t he B rit is h Mu seu m

h p
. .
, .

(S ar e )

int o a lak e or tank of fire s r The godd ess Itemphan (fi g . 2 .

)
l
m, from nap Ch il dren of Pthah Typ h on and his h ideous consc i it
Ca ere b .

Thoeris, the source of t he Hellene E umenides .

1 A c ommon representation, wh i c h occ urs on the outsid e of sev eral wood en

_

sarcoph agi in the B ritish M useum, as N o 3 8 , Upp er E gy p t ian room .

.
 15

an d y oung er Horus t o de clare th eir p ower ov er life an d

the ,

de ath h ol d sn a k es in one h a nd an d fl owers in the oth er offer

, ,

i ng the sy mb ol s of b e auty a n d h e al th t o t he E gy p tia n s an d ,

th reat e nin g the S yrian s on the l eft h and with the en ven ome d
c rea tures of death f l T he G re ek s who t wo t hou sand y e ars lat er
<
, , ,

i n t rod u c e d all t h e s e th eorie s in to their own my t hol ogy an d ,

int erpr e t e d t he s ac re d fig ures of t he E gyp ti an s by th eir own

l es s e s ot eric c ul t us h av e t h rough the mist ak es of th eir p hiloso
, ,

p hers greatly ob s c ure d t he rea l sy mb ol is m o f t he op h iol a t ry of

,

E gyp t ; an d tho se who wou l d u n ra v e l the my s t e ries o f A l ex

a n d ria n an d T h eb a n fa i th m u st b e gin by disre g arding the
,

O ly mpian P a n th eon an d forg e tting t he p e rv ersion s of R oman

,

i g n ora n c e an d P lin ia n s up erci l io u s in c r e dul ity .

7 F urth er b e it r eme mb ere d t he E gy p ti a n re v ere n c e b oth

.
, , ,

i n fear a n d l ov e of the s erp en t wa s c on t em p ora n e o us with the

, ,

l ives o f t he ol d e s t Bibl i cal p atria rc h s and t o on e who is

u n abl e or u nwilli n t o a cc e p t t he sa c re d c h ron icl e s an d the
g
a nt iquit y of th eir earl ies t c h a t ers it is e x c ee d in gly d if
fi c ult t o
p ,

Fig 26 ld f ld
K rishna entang e in the o s of t he gre at s er ent Caliy a , who is bit ing p
h l c d y dv c f l
. .

his e e t he i n arna t e ei t i s wa it ing for i ine a ss is t an e rom I ndra to enab e

v c
hi m t o o er ome t he ene m y .

a ccount for the pre v al e n c e of a serp e nt my th n ot only in ,

E gy p t but in A ssy ria E truria an d Hind u s t a n ; T s t ill more

,
-
, ,

d iffi c ul t is it for s uch a o ne to e x plain the extraordin arily

S h arp e, E gyp ti a n M onu ments i n the Bri ti sh M u seum

,
, p 70. .

1 A s i n the my ths of Ramayana and

“
K i sh nar , and t he p
s er ent G al lya .

For an exh aust i ’

ve treat is e on I nd ian op h ol atry
i ,
see F g
er usson s
’
Tree a nd
S erp ent IVorshzp .
 16

cl ose nal og ies existing b etween the very words in which

a
t he s erp ent i s d escrib ed and t he ac t
s in which he is re p re
,
se nt e d a s offic i ati ng and
the se titl es and d ee d s by wh ic h the
,

Fig . Kris hna triumph nt ove C liy a r a a; wit hb h

ot his h nd
a s the deity g ip
r s the
folds o the hated m n t and c u h h db t h his
f
o s er, r s es i ts ea enea feet
.
(Conf G en
. .

m ls
.

an cient nt
is p ainfully familiar to us all in the Mosaic
serpe
re c ord A G re co-E gyp tian writ er of the P t ol emaic p erio d,
. _

Horap olloyf d oe s, indee d , assign a motiv e for the sup erstiti o n ;

an d his l ang uage i s s uf fi cient ly curious to ex c u se our qu ot ing
it acc ordingly ; and here is also the b est p l a c e wh erein t o
int erp ola t e a few oth er ext rac t s wh ose n ov e lty will at l ea s t
e x cuse th e ir introd uc tion, thou gh it will b e ob vious th at, from
a
pur ely p hilosophi cal p oint of view, the exp lan a tion th ey a fford
of the s erp ent -worsh ip of E gyp t i s un s a tis fa c t ory in the

e xt reme .

hey woul d represent the un i vers e they delineate a serpent with

W h en t '

variegated scales devouring its own tai l ; by the scales intimating the stars in
,

the univ erse The animal is also e x tremely h eavy as is t he earth and
. , ,

e x tremely slipp ery l ik e the water ; moreover it every year puts off its -
,

old age w i th its sk in as in the univ erse the annual p eriod effec ts a c orre
,

spondi ng c hange and b ec omes renovated ,

And the mak ing use of its own .

T} and the pre ceeding figure are from drawings su pplied by William
S impson, E sq .

i Horap ollo, lib i

"
. . cap»1 1 .
 17

b ody for food implies that all things whatsoever that are generated by D ivine
P rovi denc e in the worl d und er o a c orrup tion int o it a ain ”
g g .

Fig 28 The Or
. . phi c egg, s ymb li o z ing inert matte r vivified by the demiurg e
y
.

(B r ant )1
~
.

T his re a es l t t o the c ol ub er or serp ent call e d B ait, s oul of

t he worl d, ” a o l ne . A ccording t o Champ ollion , t he emblem of

Fig 29 The
. . p
ser ent C hnuphi s. F rom G nost ic g em
a (Montfauc on ) T he name
l cl ch Michael
.

de the h
.

insi Cir e is t at of the Ar ang e .

the Cre a tive p ower of the D e it y (fig 29 ) u nd er t he form of the .

g od Chnup his (fi g a de it y i d e nt i fi e d with J eh ov ah

.
S ab aw

Fig 30 The
. . d ity Chnuphi s as d ubl h ad d serp nt
e , a o e- e e e
h mp lli n P nt/ é n E gyp ti n )
.

(C a o o , a i o e .

( I AQ E ABAQ H: (fig 31 ) by the G nostic h eretics of the

. c nd
se o
c e nt ury § .

Henc e the well-k nown symb ol of a serp ent ent wine d round an egg , use d
by t he O rp h ic mystics to signify matter vi vifi ed
by sp i it r .

1 For furth er d etail s of the great E gyp t ian O rp h ic myth whic h ev olv ed
’

creation out of the c osmic egg wh ic h break ing t he up ? b ec ame 1

h eaven and the l ower earth see Creu e s S y mb li k ii 224 and 353—
,
’
, t ,

5 z r o i

I nmj x (Tsebaoth) L d of Hosts

, . .
, , .

‘
S D a ch ,
“
or -
. r
.

S ee M o
ntfauc on art G nostiques ,
tom 1 part 2
. . 1. .

C
 18

V’hen they woul d re resent eterni ty differentl the delineate a serp ent
t p y, y
wi th i ts tail covered by the rest of its b ody and th ey lac e gol d en figures of
’

, p
i t romi d the od s * The E gyptians say th at eternity is represent ed by th is
g .

Fig 31
. . The s ymb lic o p
ser ent of t he d ity I AQ
e .
(D rawn from memory ) .

ani mal because of the t hree existing speci es of ser ents p the ot hers are

mortal , but th is al one is immort al , and b ec ause it d estroys any ot h er a nimal

by merely b reathing upon it, even without biting: A nd h enc e, as it app ears t o
h ave the power of li fe and death, th ey plac e it upon the h eads of the gods 1 ”
.
‘

Fig 32 S olar isk

. . d and d ubl
o e uraei. (Leemana )

T hi s evident ly refers to the uraeu s on ly who i s frequ ent ly ,

nt e d a s g uar d i ng the s a cre d cy p ress g rov es of t he

rep rese
t h thing t fi re t o d e s troy an y in v a d ing
Am e n i ( S eol ) by b re a ou

l H e n c e aro s e t he ori gi n of t he
or u nj u s t ifi e d s on j (fig
; .

f t f t h h d dr ess es p e culiar t o d iv ini t ies and k ings

O n the a -
ro n o e e .

i i A c u rious ex ample of t he manner in whi c h a

1 Ho p
ra o ll o lib ca p .

c anc e is misund erst ood or forgott en is

. . .
,
w h i i i fi
symb ol is e xaggera d te en t s s g n ,

by w E p i n sta ue of a k i ng wearing t he great

t wo ur
—
d m G t
y a
-
affor ed a R o a n o or r e g
m d i vmi ty W i th t aei i nst ea d of one on
c rown of A m u n R a th e s u
, p r e e
by h
,

e sculp tor as a double c ompliment

,

the solar disk ridi c l ly in te n d e d t ,

ch —S
u ou s

M usée de L ei de, p art l

p ate 1
—
1.
t o the monar ee
.

b u furnac e S D ra ch
Uraeus 1m g
l i h t rning
1
. .
 19

G re cia n my th of the Hesp eri d ean garde n an d the fire brea thing
dra gon s whi c h g uard e d it With resp ec t t o the urae us ,

c
33 T he orners of Para i se g u ar e
. d d d by b h
fi re - reat i ng ura i furt er on, but h not
h
s o wn in t he pl
a t e , are t he b
odi es of t he j ust a wait ing i n t he p ress s a des t cy h h e ir

l
u t i mat e re vivi fi cati on ( S at Oi me n )
. . .

on e cir c u mst an c e de s erves no t ic e lway s re pre sen t e d in

it is a

t he feminine form ,
an d is u se d as a s mb ol o f fe c u nd ity
y H en c e .

T he s erp ent guarding t he a ppl e -t ree of the Hes p id

er e s. F m a G reek
ro v
a se

i n the Britis h Mu eum s .

(Shar p )
e

all the goddes se s of E gyp t were a dorn e d with and represent e d

”

by uraei a n d n ot un fre quently the s na k e is al on e fig ure d with

,
,

t he n a me of the g odde s s writt en in hierogly p hi c s ab o v e (fig .

T his i s n ota bly the c ase in the t abl e t s from the B elmore c ol
l e c tion in the B ritish Mus eum (see i nfra § l l fi rs t moie ty) and , , ,
 20

on the hagus of Hapimen a great fun c tion ary of the

sar o c
p ,
nin et ee nth dynasty and on that of Oimene thah I a mon arc h
of t he s a me
p , .
,

pe riod (Fig . .

To re resent
p mouth they d epict a serpent, b ec ause the
the is
serpent
p owerful in no oth er of its memb ers ex c e t th
m t h l ”
p e ou a one

Fig 35 . l b
. J e we ia p
ronz e, re rese nt in d
g the serp ent of g oo ness, or the g o ess Rann o, dd
G w E gyp t n p d (F l c lc c
_

re rom the ori i na in t he Ha

- ia eri o .
g y ol e t ion ) Exa t si z e . .

T his l atter ass er t ion is n ot b orn e out by the hierog lyp hic s ,
wh ere the nt si mp ly the
uraeus 1 is p h on e ti c of t he le tt er
ser e
p
d t he c ol ub er of the l et t er
f or a s ound an al o
an
9, as
p, or , ,

ddesses of Heav by th v
'

Fig 36
. . T he go en as ure i res ting e si de of the ri er of Amenti .

(S ar Oimen )
. .

gous t o the G reek 4 : al on e P ossibly it wa s a n e rror for t he .

n a me of an other snak e Ru which is the det e rmina tive id eo , ,

grap h for month 1 Thi s i den tifi c at ion of P haraoh with the
.

s erp e nt of goodness § gives a won derfi1 l s ig ifi c an c e t o the

n .
_
z
n

b itter ap ostroph e of the Jewish prop h e t who from t hé ri ver of

” e
'

Ch eb ar forese ein g the final s ubj ec t ion of the E gyp tian empire
,

by the Chal dean s t erms t he sovereign of Th e bes the g reat

,

Horap ollo, lib i . . ca .

45 j S D ra ch
. .
I
i p 5 45 , noteBunsen, vol. . . .

6 The first k ing of byssmia 18 tradi t i ona sai d t o ha e lly

een a ser ent
p v b .

I s this a misun ders tood m t h deri e d also from E gy pt, wh ose k ings, und er
y v
the ni ne teenth dynasty, v y
in aded, i f the di d not on uer, A ssinia ? c q by
 22

c
y of Theb es there are also sacred serpents not at all trouble
I n the vi init
s ome t o men t h ey are v ery small but hav e t wo h orns on t he t op of t he
,
head W hen th ey die th ey are b uried in the t empl e of Ja pit el t o wh om
.
,
’
,

t h ey are sai d t o b el on ”
g .

c orresp onds in some degre e t o a st at e ment by the

T his
famous P rin cip al of the Med ical Coll e ge at Cairo M Clot B ey ,
. ,

who a ss e rt s 1 th at the uraeus or c ob ra i s not ois on ou s

‘
U n
p .
, ,
fortuna t ely the p assage from Herodot u s imp lie s n ot the N aj a or ,

N a sh a b ut the Cera st es or t wo h orn e d v i er T he t emp l e of

p
, - .
,
J upit er i s of c ourse th at of the o d Ch e fe r Ra who h e l d a -
g ,

p ositi on in some resp e c t s an al ogou s t o th a t of Jup it er with t he

R oman s or Zeu s among the G ree k s .

Cit e we y et a furth er p assa g e and th is time i t sh all b e on e ,

from the G rea t Ritual of the D e a d it self I t is t he ap o .

”
st ro h e t o the s er en t B at a in H v n wh re the s u n i s
p p e a e e ,
.

( Fig .

Fig 39 The
. . ser ent p S ati, or B ata, on the Hig h Hill of Hea v en. (R itual , c ap . cxlix ) .

Xyears in ength , in t he
gone, 0 ser ent of mi ions of years, mi ions of
S ay, t h ou who
l
hast
q
uart er of the regi on of t he great win d s, t he oo of
p ll ll
p l
l y
mi lions of ears ; all the oth er gods ret urn t o all a es, stret h ing t o pl c c
bl
wh ere is the road e onging to him ? (13 e who can measure the engt h of . . l
his infinit y of ye rs) M illi n of yea a f ll wing t o him The oad is
a . o s rs re o o . r

t h ey whi l in fi behind him (Celestial not infe nal fire is h ere t o ”

of fire, r re .
,
r ,

be un erst oo d d )I.

T his symb olic creat ure may b e t he s erp en t a ll u d e d t o by

J ob, wh en, in sp e cia l referen c e t o the work s of G o d i n t he
h eavens, he de clares, B y his sp irit he garnis h e d the h ea v e n s .

His h ea d wound e d the crook e d (c oward ly § ) s erp e nt J ob .

xx vi 1 3 (Fig s 40,
. . .

Herodotus, E a teop e, 7 4 .

T B onomi, Ca ta logue of A nttq m tes, H artwell H ouse, p 22, N o 1 7 1 . . ,

I Ch ap c xxxi .

t anslation m: mm
.

S har pe s ’
r . Q uer y ,
“
l
g iding or b arred serp ent .

S D rac h
. .
 23

F rom a mis con c eption or mis tran sl at ion of this ch apt er it ,

is
p rob abl e th a t Horap ollo d eriv e d hi s c on fuse d acc ount of t he

Fig 40 The . c onst e ll ati on Hyd F m t h Z di c

ra . ro e o a of D en d h era Romano ‘

E gypti n p i d
. .

a(D n ) er o . e on .

s e rp e n t my th s
B et we en the E gy p t ia n s a n d t he G re e k s t h ere
.

w a s l it t l e i n c omm o n , a n d t he p riest s p urp os e ly misl e d th eir

G re c ia n q ue ris t s, wh om i n d ee d th e y d e si gna t e d an d t reat e d a s
c h il dren * .

Fig 41
. . T he sa me c ons te ll ati on . F ro m th e Zo dia c of E s ne . A ittl l e ear li per eri o d .

(D e non ) .

9 A s, in t he or d e r of P rovi de n c e , g oo d alway s p re c e d e s
.

e vi l , we will s o far d igre ss from t he m a in p ur p ort of t h i s

ap e r, t he My t h of A p op hi s, t he D est roy er, a s t o d we ll for

p
a fe w p a ra g ra p h s up on t he u raeu s of i mmort al d ivi nity , a n d

t he E gyp t ian g odde sses sy m b oliz e d by it (Fig . .

Fig 42 T he g o dd es s h h ld
P as t , or B ut o, o i ng i n one a n t he Cu cufa h d s taf
f a nd in the
h f
. _

ot e r a e mini ne uraeus (Sar Oime n ) . . .

1 0 The fe minin e d eit ie s were more n u merous, an d th e ir cha

.

ra c t er an d offi c e s we re l e ss d i s t in c ti v e th a n t he m al e d iv init i es .

E a c h a n d a ll of t h em a re writt e n h ie rogly p hic ally by a n uraeu s

a l on e , s ome t im e s wi th the ord in a ry p rop er n a m e a ffix e d ;

re ply of the E g ypti n p i t a r es to S o l on the Atheni an is al mo t pro

s

v erbial Yo u G r eek s e c h il d en
ar r .
 24

so metimes with the ep ith et s living spark ling shin ing 0 1

“
, .
‘

,
i mmort a l
”
(fig . and s ometimes and far more fre q ue nt ly
,

Fig 43 . . One of a series of g oddesses adoring Amun Ra, and h lding

o s tars a s
Oi men )
‘

ofi ering s . (S ar . .

w th n my stic al c omp ound

ame the ex a c t si gn ifi c a n c e of
l
a s o,
i a
whi c h i s n ot ap a e of lit eral int er ret ation
,

c bl p O ft e n a s the .

femi ni n e spi ri tual prin cipl e the goddess as a se rp e nt t win e s

. .

, , ,

Fig 44 The g od Khonso in

. . h
a s rine at his f eet is the ser p ent Ranno .
(S ar O i men )
. .

rou nd , clin e s b en eath

re , or o v er c an opies
- on e of the gre at er
mal e divinities (fig . or with ri si n g cres t an d infl a t e d

Fig 45 T he g od Knup hi s, or h p
C uum, t he s irit , in a s ri ne on t he oat of the sun, h b
c pi d by th p fc
.

d d d
.

ano e g o dess
e Ranno, who i s also re resent e as a ing hi m i nsi e t he
s h in
r e. (S ar. O lmen,)

l
B e more Co e tion, ate 1 8 ll c pl . S ee l
a so t ri ple mummy
c ase of A e -
ro

pl
A i, ate 1 , N um in the sa red c b a ge
r
p rote te c d and c anopied by Renno
I
or sis
”
.
 25

h ood , p rot e c t s her p rot e é with her t erribl e fangs (fig .

T he g en erativ e p ower 0 the solar b e a ms is a l wa y s t ifi e d

yp

46 The wi ng e d s un of T e
. hb es . Fro m t he g re at Py l ons at E l Lu x or (B onomi )
c y p d d by p l
. .

h
I n t is instan e t he sig net of a uth orit is s us en e t he s er ent s in ieu of
l c
t he us ua T au ross .

by p e nde nt u raei (fig . whi c h l att er h av e g en erally t he

Fig 47. . T he b wl
o and s nak e of t he g od d es s Mersok ar b en eat hi s the i l ly of t he
u pp c er ount r y .
(W i lk i ns on )
c rown s U pp e r a n d L ower E gy p t , rep rese n ting t he
of
g od
d es s e s M els ok ar (fig 47 ) and E ileithya (fig 48 ) res p e c t iv e ly ?
.
.

Fig 48 T he bowl and sh a k e of t he g o dd e ss E ile ithya b eneat h is the p py u

a r s of the
l
. .

o wer k ing dm
o .
( W ilk inson )

O ft en a go ddes s in c arn at e d in
,
a s er
p e n t, in re s s t a sh rin e
o r s it s u on a th ron e t o re c e iv e
p t he wors h ip of her v ot ary i

W il k ins A nci ent E gyp ti a ns , vol i

on, 239 , se ond series . . p . c .

1 A n ci en t E gyp ti a ns, vol

'
45 . v p
. . .

q pl
I A s in a n uni ue e xam e of the P to emai eri od i n the B ri t is h M useum, l cp
c p q l
wh i h re resent s a uadrang u ar shrine , at the door of whi h a sittin g uraeus c
c lp
ls s u t ured c
The orni e is t ermina te d
. a
y c
ra mi d i on, and the wh o e i s by p l
c
e x e ute d i n s oft imestone l
A near , but not ui te, Si mi ar sh ri ne, i s figured
. ly q l .

in llI usé e de L eidc, vol i ate 3 5 . . pl .

 26

F ruit b read fl owers an d in c en s e are the gift s most u sua lly

, , ,

p res ent e d, h uman b eing s an d a nim al s n ev er * T he g odde ss es ,

.

Fig 49
. . The c du
sa re rzeus of goo ness, or d
t he g od es s Ra nno, d we aring the symbolica .

crown of A mun -Ba (Sh arp e ) .

wh ose c ul t us has l eft the mos t p osi tive tra c e s of it s e xt ent , are
M elsok ar or M ersok c ar, the p a t ron of L owe r E gyp t ; R enn o

Fig 50 S
. . hrine , with t he c du
sa re raeu s .
( From memory ) .

(fig . the moth er of ge s t a t ion, a n d g odd ess of h arvest ; j <

an d Urhuk , on e of the d oork eep e rs of S he ol or Amenti Of all .

Fig 51 . S h rine, with t he sac re du raeus h

O n e it er si e d are c lumn b
o s earing a v
as e
yf p l
. .

of oil and h one or t he foo d of t he re t i e .

( Le e mans ) .

these st at ement s the in cis e d a n d p ain t e d t able t s an d p apyri in

,

the B rit ish M use um affor d a m p le e vi d e n c e ; an d some of t h e se

,

Contrary in th is respec t t o the ser e nt

p Fire fa e i nf a fig 1 00
ce
.
”
s e r , .

pm (Cant i L5 )
.

1 Curi ously enough , the Heb rew word for

'

gree n v g t ti n
e e a o .
,
mbl es
2g ne
2 hat of h
t is go ddess Ma y th wo d h v e an E gyp ti n
1 09
3 rese t . e r a a
1 1
 27

and n ot ably so th ose in the B e lmore c oll ec t ion we will now ,

p roc e e d t o d e s crib e .

O n fo ur o f th e se m on u men t s the a d orat ion of one who , ,

in a dd iti on t o her oth er ofific e s was the p at ron d e ity of ,

n urs e s women an d chil dren the go dd es s B ann o is repre

, , ,
'
,

s ent e d I n e a c h c as e the o fi erin g s are p re c isely simil ar

.
,

a n d c on si s t of fl owe rs fr uit a n d c ak e s In N o , whi c h ,

. .

i s unfort una t e ly b rok en a N ub i a n g ent l e man * kn ee l in g , ,

o n on e k n e e
p resent s the div in i ty with l otu s flowers a n d
-
,

Fig 52 S e
. . p lch l t bl
u ra a et i n the B e more l c ll cti
o e on, re p resent ing t he wors i hp of the
go dd es s Ra nno .
( B rit ish M us eum ) .

m en tal l eav e s , an d offers for he r a cc e p t an c e

o rn a k ind of wa ve
a

o feri n
f g T R a nn o (fig 52) is drawn a s c ra wlin g
. . on th e g rou n d

b e fore t he s up
p l ia n t and t he s er p en t s
’
s c aly c re s t i s s ur

Fig 53 S e
. . pulch l t bl ra a et as a bv o e. (S ame collection ) .

mount e d by l a c i d h um a n h e a d 1 a d orn e d wi th a s p l end i d

a p ,

coll ar I n fig 5 3 t he s am e s ubj e c t i s a gain r e

as k h or .

§ .

B elmore Co le tion, at e 8 l c pl .

v
1 The wa e offering of the J ews seems t o ha e een orrowed from E g p t,
'
v b b y
as it was a ure p ly yp c c
E g tian ust om, it onsiste d of wa ing efore t he deit v b y
a sma ll l c v bl
meta stand, ontaining eget a es and fl owers .

l
I B e more Co ection, ate 8 ll pl .

pl c c c
For an e x am e of this h ara t eri sti de orati on, see the mummi es i n
0

c
the Upp p l
er E gy t ian S a oon, B ritish M useum .

l
B e more Co e tion, ll c
at e 1 2 pl .
 28

d, differing only in th is re sp ec t , th a t no v otivi are pre se nt e d ,

p e at e
a n d the g odd ess e nt irely s e r e ntin e i s rest i ng on the out si d e
, p ,

Fig 54 A not
. . h er, ditt o di t t o . T h ese t h
r ee tab l et s are fu lly d c ib d in t h
es r e e x
te t .

of thehrin e or p ylon In fig 54 * R an n o is rep rese nt e d a s

s . .

a fe m al e fig ure on ly so far op h it e a s t o h av e a s e rp e nt s h e a d
’
.
,

S he i s s e a te d up on t he o rdin a ry th ron e o f t he g od s an d in ,

he r right h a nd h o l d s the p e c u li ar c uc ufa st aff u s e d by the ,

ma l e d eities alo n e (the p rop er s c ep t re of t he g odd esses b eing a

p apy rus s t e m in bl oss om wi th wh i c h th ey a re u s ua lly rep re ,

t he l e ft h a nd of the d eity app ears t o h a v e b ee n ih

t en d e d t o cla sp the a nkh or c ross of life 1 A p rie st kn e e lin g . ,

b e fore the g reat g odde s s sh iel ds his fa c e with his h ands whil e
,

su
pp li c at ing her fa v o ur In fig 5 5 the s ubj e c t rep res ent e d is
. .

p urely my thic al a nd forms p art of the vign ett e t o a fun eral s t elé
,
.

Fig 55 T he god C
. . huum v c o er ano pi d by th
e e go dd ess Ranno .
(Same c ll ct i
o e on.
)

T h is p ic t ure c on t a in s t he D eity Chnup his ( fig or K n e h- Ra,

p .

the c re at in g a g en cy , in the for m of a ra m - h e a d e d ma n , sitting

l
B e more Co e tion, ll c
at e 7 pl .

pl
1 S ee an e xam e in t he B ritis h M useum, from the
‘
ilk inson Collec W
t ion , Cas e 1 , G reat S a oon l .

pl b
I S ee for e xam es of oth t h is s e tre and t he ank h, the o ossa s tatues cp cl l
of t he godd es s P ash t or B ubas tis at t he B rit is h M use um L ower S aloon
, .

l
B e more Col e tion lc .

cc
O r N um, a ording to D r B ir . ch .
 30

Fig 5 8, . the l a st an d mos t s in g ular st a t e in t he wh ol e

9 0 119 0 5 0 11 , i s O f a v ery d iffere nt cl a ss t o t he p re c e di n an d i t
_

g
i s to b e re g rett e d th a t E gy t ol o gis t s a re n ot y e t de ci d e d a s t o
p

Fig 58 . . A do ation of an unk n

r o wn s p ci
e es of c lub
o er. (Same c ll cti
o e on .
)

it s ac t u a nifi cation B efore a l arg e a n d sl end er s erp ent

l sig .
,

more rese mbling A p op his th an any oth er of the my s tic sp ak e s

of E gyp t kn e e l s u p on on e kn e e a n a d oring worshi pp er
,
He .

i s n ot a s in oth er i n st an c es s hiel ding or hi di ng hi s fa c e with

, ,

hi s h a nd s b ut i s up lift ing th e m i n the u su al attitu d e hiero

,

g lyphic a lly a d op t e d t o si gni fy the v e rb The grea t

”
to p ray .

s n a k e i t s el f i s c oil e d i n four up ri ght c on v olut ion s an d a p p e a rs ,

t o re gard the s uppl ia nt with a m aj es t ic and n ot u nge nt l e

asp e c t Al th ou gh re sembl ing A p op his (fig
. this rep tile .

Fig 59 T he c art ou ch cont aini n l

t he nam e of t he ast but one of t he Hy csos k ings,
d Ap phi p v p dc
. .

who was name o s a t er t he g reat ser ent of e il w om hi s re e es sors h

wors i e h pp d .

c ann ot b e i de ntifi e d wit h t h a t mon st er for th ere is n o ,

e x a mp l e of d irec t worship p ai d t o t he ev il c reat ure th rou gh out

Fig 60 H e a
. . d of the ser entp A p phi
o s, wit h th hi
e e rog lyphic s co m p osing his name .

l
B e more Co ll ct i
e on, pl ate 7 .
 31

t he wh ol e E gyp t ia n My th ol o gy, * u nl e s s, ind ee d, we id ent ify

of
i t wi th S ut e k h a s the s h e h e rd k in g s l a st b ut on e of wh om
, p , the
wa s n a me d Ap op hi s ( a p e ar t o h a v e d on e ; a n d in th a t
fig p .

c ase the inn ovat ion le d t o a san g uin ary re v ol ution , wh i ch t ermi
h a t e d the s wa y o f t he s e v e n t e e nth dy n as t y a cc rd in g t o som
, o e
c hronol og ers 221 4 B C 1 The p rob ab ility , th erefore, is th at . .

the a d ora tion in t en d e d on th is l a s t t abl e t wa s offere d t o on e o f

t he h o u s eh ol d s e rp e nt in e divinit ie s an a l og ous t o t h a t whic h
ob t ain e d , i n aft er-t i me a mong the R oman s who in all lik e li
, , ,

h oo d, d erive d it throu gh the E t rus c an s, from the E gyp tian s

t he ms elves i With resp e c t t o the k ind of food offere d in all
th ese c ases t o serp ent d eit ie s, S ir G ar dn er Wilk ins on , in his

Fig 61 . . The d o mesti c s nak e of the Romans, wi t h th l t c nt e a ar o aining a cl ust er of

fruit .
(F rom G e a nd G an ll dy P mp ii )
’
s o e .

b ut imp erfe c t , b e c a u s e p a s se, work , ha s a m os t i nt ere s t

t ’
re a
g
in
g p ara grap h , wh ich it will b e o n ly p rop er h ere t o in t ro d u c e .

“
ZE lian § re a t es l many strange st ories of the asp and the resp ect p aid t o
it by t he E gyp tians b ut we may s upp ose t hat in his six teen sp ecies of asps'll
ot h er snak es were He also sp eak s of a drag on, wh i ch was sacre d
yp
i n t he E g tian M elite, and anot h er k ind of snak e a c ll d P i s or P aru e ar e as,

c p l
d ed i at e d to E sculapius fl The ser ent of M o ite had p iests nd ministe
.
‘
r a rs ,

a tabl e and a b owi li I t wa k ep t in a t ower (fi g 6 1 ) and f d by the p i st s wit h

s . e r e

c ak es made of fl our and h oney wh ic h th y placed t h ere in the b owl ,

e .

Having d one t his t h ey reti ed The nex t d y on

,
tu ning t o t he ap a t
r . a ,
re r r

L e P age Renouf, ex gn , in a etter t o the aut h or . l .

1 L enormant , A nci en t H i story, v ol i

"
1 97 . . p . .

I S ee G e and G a nll
d ’
y
s P omp ei a na , p lat e 7 6 , for i ustrations of mura ll l
p p
aint ings re resent ing t he Roman h ouseh o d s er ent s (Fig l p .

l
E ian, x 3 1 , x i 3 2, i v 5 4
.
[IP in , iii 23 . . . l y v . .

1T ZE lian, x 3 1 . ZE lian, x i 0 1 7
. . . .

v
H I t is e i d ent from P ausanias, th at the dragon of the G ree”k s was onl a
‘
y
large k in d of snak e, wit h , as he sa s, s a es ik e a ine one y cl l p c .

II ZE lian, iii 19 v . c . .

Cak es seem t o h a e een usua v b

gi en t o the snak es of anti ui t , as lly v q y
t o the d ragon of t he Hes erid es E nei d, iv 48 3 p .
— . .
 32

ment , the food was found to be eaten and the same quantity was againmput -
,
e
i nt o the b owl for it was not lawful for an on e t o see t he sacred rep t il e .

, y
A cc ord ing t o J uvenalfl t he priests of I sis in his time c ontri v ed t h at
’

, ,

the silver i dols of snak es k ept in her t empl e sh oul d mov e their head s t o a ,
,

sup li c atin V 0 t a1
p g y
— A nci ent E ‘

gyp ti a ns v ol v p p 240 1 ,
. . .
-
.

Fig 62 The
. . ser ent p in t he t ower . F ro m a G nosti g em c .
(Montfaucon .

All thi s is in e x a c t a cc ord a n c e with m on umental e vid en c e, a nd

in h armon y with one of t he m o s t c uriou s of the A p ocryp hal
b ook s, the st ory of B el an d the D ragon .

1 2 R et urn we n ow t o the serp en t, t he ri s e of wh os e myth

—
.

i s more imme dia t e ly b e fore u s, A PO PHI s, I the D e s troy e r .

P romin e nt ab ove all oth er s p e ci e s o f rep til e, a king among his

g en us, this b al eful serp e nt t win es his imb ricat e d fol d s, as it were,
arou nd the s t e m of t he a n c e s tral tree of the E gy p t ian T h eo

g ony, an d with b raz en h ea d an d fi ery eye s § st and s forth

in awfu l p romine n c e V en g eful and my s t erious , alway s a
.

m align ant b ein g, he was c h osen t o rep re sent the v ery

i mp erson a tion of spirit ua l, a s his b r other Ty p h on, or B aal;
wa s of p hy si c al , e vil For t he remaind er the n of this, not
.

Cf O v id, lib i i A mer E l eg 1 3 t o I sis : L abatur c irca donaria serpens

”—
. . . . . .

1'
E t m ov iss e c ap ut v is a e s t ar g en t ea s erp en s Juv enal, S at VI 5 3 7
—
. . . .

G en t ly t he si lv er ser p en t se em s t o n o d ”
H o ly d ay ’
s Transl at ion
. .

The silv er snak e

A b h orrent of the de ed, was seen t o quak e ” .

G ifi ord’s rend ering

'
.

I A p op his ” N-
I HR d uplicate of “ ist
l nose, wr at h, an: foaming wit h
rage (a nap h) .

The us ua e ith e ts l p a pplied to A p phis

o , in the Ritua l of the D ea d a nd
y
t he Litan of the S un .
 33

e xha us t ive but indicative e s say his c ultus cl aims an d , ,

m us t re c ei v e o ur sol e and b es t a tt ention * ,
.

, T h is fearfu l .

m on s t er c a ll e d a l s o the G ia n t t he E n emy and t he D v

, e oure r
was b el i ev e d t o inh ab it t lie de t hs of t at m t
_ ' , ,

m m
p y s eri o us
o c e an u on
Ea v1 g at e d by the 6 3 s throu h the h ou rs oi He and m ht
< ’

G
.
,
in e c e es i a reg i on s n n ot a fe w i n st an c es he was .

i d e nti fi e d wi th T hon f t he murde11 3£ of O siri s the B h ot

(
~

A me n t i or j u g e of t he dé a d) a nd the an tag on i s t oi Ch e fer

_

, ,

Ra t he b e n e v ol ent creat or by wh ose s on the j uv en il e d iv in it y

, , ,

Fig 63 T e O sirian and the od e ss I sis ri n in A

.

h .
g g g d b p ph i
o s wounded and b
oun dt o
b e s a i n i n t he ea l H orus h d by
I sis stan s a t th e . d head an d the O siri an at t he
t ai -o p l
op his
(S ar e, S ar O imen ) . h p . .
,

'

H orus ( fig . he is ev e nt ually ov erc om e, a i d e d by the un it e d

e ffort s of I s is , t he Q uee n of He a v e n , s is t e r-con sort of O s iris ,
and th e t welv e l es s er deiti ly p owers A ll th is, .

d
Fig 6 4 T he g o s S et and Horus, uni te a s one di ini ty , et ween the triple serp ent s
. . d v b
of
g oo E e ut e d . xc dp
ri or t o t he t i me o f t he ob li te ra t ion of all re mai ns o f t he
hp
wors i of S et , who was s ubse q ue nt onfounde wit A o is (S ar O imen ly c d h p ph
m
. . .

O asiona cc lly p
A oph is is d rawn wit h t he rown of the ower k ingd om c l
p c v
u on his h ea d , wh i h , h owe er, is n ot ex tra ord inar , as t he re igion of t he y l
l l
D e ta had a great dea more of a nima wors h i in it t han t h at of the Th e aid , l -
p b
a n d t h ere the
gods were enerate d more from fear t han o e v lv .

l c
i I n at er G re o-Roman t imes , as i n the ear ier eriod , A op h is is a so l p p l
i d ent ifie d with S et, or S et h , the ass—
h eade d deit of the S rian or Hy esis y y
b
t ri es v yl
O ne er at e monume nt ind ee d s eak s of S eth, who is the A o h is p pp
—
.

of t he wat ers
”
Buns en, i 427 . . .
 84

d eri v e d from in ex p licabl e;

a n d muc h more wh ic h i s wh olly 13

i l t th at m OSt
.

p erhap s t he ol d e s t of all u n p d
i u r l es
n s r e l g )

n nt t n d
‘

r e m a rk a bl e c omb in a t io n of
p ray ers
i c a a i o s
,
a n c on
,

c h t d c ll ed In
fe s sion s which ex t en ds o v er 1 6 6
,
‘

a
p e r s a n 18
a ,

L i ght 9 1 t h9
O

hie rog lyphy The B ook o f t he ,

“
M a ni fe s t a t i o n t o ,
‘

Ritu a l of t he D ea d T h is work may be al mos t c ert ai n ly

_ _

t ra c e d b a c k t o the reign of He s ep t i of t he fi rs t dy n a s t y ,
;

a cc ord in g t o L en orm an t * wh os e era is 5 004 B C a n d t o th a t o f . .

,
,

M e nk era t he Myc erin us of H ero d ot u s of t he fourth d y n a sty

, ,
,

4325 T he n a me s of b oth of th es e e arly P h ara oh s o cc u r in

t he t e x t it s el f a l th ou g h—an d thi s i s a m o s t imp ort a nt i n ci d e n t

t o n ot e —the fin a l re vi s ion o f t he work an d a fe w a d di ti on a l
,

c h a p t e rs were a dd e d a s l at e a s the p eriod of E thi opi an c on que st

,

o f E gy t u nd e r t he t wen ty si xth dy n a s ty 6 6 5 B C
p ,
- T h ro ugh o u t
,
. .

this won d erful R it ua l t he i dea of t he s e rp en t as the s oul of t he ,

wo rl d a nd an o t h er v a riety of it t he A p op h i s a s t he e v il b ein g
, , , ,

b ot h a n t alog ue s of e a c h o th er o cc u rs a g ain an d a ga in the s ou l ,

.
,

has t o a rm i t s e l f a g ain s t it s m a c h in a tion s a n d the b ody t o b e ,

ro t e c t e d from i t s m a l i g ni t y T h e d e c eas e d wh en sou l a n d

p .
,

b o dy are re unit e d in t he A m e nti or E gy ptian S h eol has , ,

t o do c o mb a t wi th i t a n d the ai d of e v e ry div in ity i s i n t urn

,

i n v oke d t o o v e rc om e t he e n em y o f t he sun j: T his will b e c om e .

s t ill m ore a
p p are nt a s we p roc e e d t o ex a min e the Rit ua l
’

following the an alys is of M L en ormant an d D r Birc h the . .

,

wh il e ill us t rat ng o ur e x amin a ti on by ext ra c t s fro m t he my ste

i

ri on s d o c u me nt i t se l f .

1 3 The op e ning c h a p t er (1 ) of th i s a n c i ent formulary is thu s

.

h ea de d The b egin ning o f the Ch a p t ers of t he c o ming forth

fro m the D ay of b e aring t he D e a d (sp irits) in Ha d es (K er
n et er) s aid on the day of th e fun eral by the ( soul of ) /

t he O siria n d e c ea se d I n th i s p re fa t ory p ort ion of t he R itual

”
.
,

t he d e c e a se d a dd res sin g t he d eit y of Ha d e s by t he mou th o f

, ,

T hoth § t he g o d of writing e n u merat e s a ll his cla i ms t o his

, ,

fa vour a n d a sk s for a dmittan c e i nt o his d ominions He re

,

.
,

a t on c e a
p p ea rs the fi rs t i nd i c a ti on of t he c ont es t a gains t

M ann a l of the A nci en t Hi story of the E ast, vol . i .

,
wh os e ch ronology is
fair ma medi a b e tween the extravaganc ies of t he French and t he incredu
’

a ,
liti es of t he E ngl ish s c h ool , .

1 T he enormous antiquity as c rib e d by th ese aut h ors t o t he E gyp tian

“

e mp ire is neith er enerall y acc ep t e d or ev en a vowed a s t he mat erials are s t ill

g ,

t oo few t o fi x a c h ron ol ogical tabl e with any c ertainty

-
.

i The mod ern J ews reci te many bl ess ings as t h ey cl oth e — t h emselv es in
t he morni ng on ris ing a syst em apparent ly b orrowe d from t he Zendavesta
L it urgy —A nq uetil d i P erron A dora ti on of Ormu z d
,
f
. i ,
.

M erc u y or H mes P sych op omp os of t he G reek

r , er ,
 ‘
35

A pop h is , the e v il b ein g, by t he s oul of the d e c ease d ex

cl ai m ing t o t he g d
o s
“
I ha v e fought for thee I c ome .

t o e x p e l the wic k e d [ literally ‘ the opp osers ’ of S at a n the

a cc us er
] from S k hem (the h ea v enly T o this
a
p pea l t he s o ul s of t he p rev ious ly d ec ease d, rep ly by i n
t erce ding wit h O siris for t he a d mis sion of the a
pp lic an t ;
sp ea ki ng, a s i n t he an cient i diom , of th emse lves in t he thir d

p ers on , they e x claim : O h, c omp ani on s of soul s, ma d e in t he

h ou s e of O siris, acc ompan y ye t he soul of the O sirian, with
y ours e lves, t o t he h ou se of O siris " L et him see a s y e s ee ;
let him h ear a s y e h ear ; let him s t a nd a s y e st and le t hi m
sit as e s it O h g i v f f d -
a n d d rink t o the s irit s a n d
y , er s o o o
p
s oul s m a d e in the h ou se of O s iri s, g iv e
y e foo d an d d rink i n
due s ea s on t o the O sirian with y ours e lv es
ma d e

He e nt ers the gat e of O siri s ; he is not found wantin in

M
“

h b a l a n c e ; he goes in with e r

p ass es th rou gh ) in p e a c e ; he is l ik e t he demon s i n h e av en ;

he is j u s t ifi e d
1 4 A ft er thi s grand ex ordi um foll ow many sh ort p aragrap h s
.

(ii t o x i v ) of far l ess sign ifi c an c e, rel at ing c hiefl y to the b ody

. .

of t he d e c e a s e d , a nd t he
p rel imin a ry c e rem onies of his fun eral .

T h es e o cc up y the second t o the fourt eenth c h ap t ers At l ast .

t he s o u l of t he d e c ea se d p asse s throu gh t he gat es of t he

K ernet er ( Ha d es) , which, by t he way , i s a su bterra nea n S p h e re,
a n d at i t s e n t ry i s d azz l e d by the gl ory of t he s un, wh ic h it

n ow see s for t he fi rs t t ime sin ce it s d ep art ure from the b o d y

c h w - s t ruc k with rais e a n d a d mirat ion, thu s t he
( a
p . A e p
O siria n , or ra th er his soul, a dd re s s es the b enefic ent e mbl e m o f
h
t e C rea t or z
“ —
Hail l S un, L or d of t he sunb eams, L ord of
e t e rni ty " Hai l "0 S un, Cre at or "s e l f c re at e d " Pe rfe c t i s th y
-

l ight in the h oriz on , ill umin ating the worl d with th y ray s A ll
the g o d s rej oic e wh e n th ey s e e t he K ing of Hea v en " G l ory
t o th ee, s hin ing in the fi rma me n t : th ou h ast s hon e, th ou
h as t re ndere d it divin e, mak in g fes t iv e all c ountries, citi es,
an d t e m p l es ; supp ort e d by th y g oodn es s ; g iving v i c t ory ,
fi rst of the firs t ; ill umin ating the O siria n i n Ha d es, smi ti n g
t he evil , p l a cing hi m out of sin, an d l e tti n g hi m b e W i th the
great bl e sse d " Hail "th ouj udge o f the god s, wei ghi ng words
in Ha d e s Ha il th ou who art ov er t he g od s
.
Hai l "thou who
.

Cf . I sa iah (x l 3 )
.
“
P rep are y e t he way of the Lor d mak e straigh t in
the d esert a hi hwa for our G od
y
o .
 36

h t
as c ut in p ie c es the s c orn er, a n f l s tra ngled
'

the Ap op hi s
f h O h "
( T h ou a rt the
gc od p ea e o c f t h e s o u l s o t e

Creat or, F a th er of the go d s , in c orru pt ibl e Wi t h t hi s

m a gnifi c e n t a p ost rop h e c on cl ud es t he fi rst p art O f t he
R i tu a l .

1 5 In the se c on d s e c tion o f t he b ook are t ra c e d the j ourn ey s

.

a n d mi g ra ti on s of the sou l in t he l owe r re g i on or to

re are i t for wh ic h a l on g a n d c o m l i c a t e d c re e d i s i n tro
p p p )
du c e d, fo rmin g t he si xt een th cha p t e r, or t he E gy p t i an fa i th .

T hi s se c tio n i s a c c omp a n ie d, a s in d ee d is e v ery c h ap t er, W i th

a l arge v ig n e tt e , r e r ese n t in g th e m os t sa c re d sy mb ol s of t he
p
m y s tic re l i gion ; a n d t he t ex t c on t ai n s a d e s c rip t i on o f th es e
fig ures , wit h t h eir my s ti c al exp l an ation A t fi rs t t h es e are s uf.

fi c ien tly cl e ar, b ut , as th ey a d v an c e , a hi gh er an d m ore ob s cure

r e gion i s re a ch e d
; a n d, as i t n ot un fre qu e n t ly h ap p en s in
t h e ol ogi c al work s , t he e x p l a n at ion e nds by b ein g m ore ob s c ure
t h a n t he sy m b o l s in t en d e d t o b e e x p l ain e d T hi s arises i n a
.

great m e a sure from the rub ric s a dd e d on t o the t ext at a l at er

d a te} p rob a bly in the nin e t e ent h dyn as ty ; an d al so t o the
e so t e ric , or m a g i c a l in v oc at ion s , wh i c h
(by the sa me prin cipl e
as t he s e c re ta i n the R om a n M is sal
) were ordere d t o b e said
p ri va t e ly By the e m bal mer o n b e h al f o f t he d e c e as e d, a nd by
t he soul it s e l f b efore t he Ha d e a n d ei tie s I n p roc ess of ti me
.

th es e gl os s es an d rub ric s b e c a m e con fu se d with the Ritu al,

a n d by t he i g n ora n c e of t he E gy t i an s c rib e s , who ha d l os t the
p .

kn owle dge of the sacre d l an gu a g e th ey copie dj The c onfusion '

i s th us ren d ere d n ow a lm o st in e xt ri c a ble T o m ak e this ap pa .

.

re nt, a fe w se nt e n c es fro m t he c h a t e r s h all h e re foll ow The

p .

s ou l sp e a k s, a s b e fore, so m e t i m e s i n the thi rd

p erson , or el se
i n t he ch a ra c t er of ea c h of t he p rin cip al divinit e s , by hy p ost a ti c
u n ion . T he rub ric s are h ere it a lic is e d , an d the gl os s e s p rint e d
in c apit a l s I a m t he grea t G o d c reating hi mself I T I S W ATE R
. .

o n N U, W Ho I S T H E FAT H E R or T HE c ons L et him exp la in i t

. I .

a m y e st erd ay [ p re ex is t e n t e t ernity ]
- I k n ow the ornin g
.
m
[fut ure et ern ity ] L et him exp la i n i t Y E S TE RD AY i s O s1 Ri s ,
" '

. .

T H E MO RN I N G T H E S UN T he day o n wh ic h are stra ngl e d t he

.

d erid e rs of the u niv ers a l l ord S ou l of the S un is his n am e

.

B e g ott e n by H im self i s hi s n am e L et him exp la i n i t I am .

t he s ou l in t wo h a lv e s L et hi m exp la in i t
. T H E S O UL I N .

T wo HA LV E S I S T H E S O UL O F T H E S U N , A N D T H E S O U L or O S I R I S .

H e (the s ou l ) i s c on c e iv e d by I s is , en g e n d e re d by N ep thy s .

I s is c orre c t s his crim e s , N ep thy s c u t s a way hi s failin g s .

L enorma nt s rend ering

’
.

1 A s t he
mod ern B rah min has t h a t of the V e i dc S ansc rit
‘

.
 38

u n able t o move, and has no t y et a c quire d the us e of his limb s ,

it i s n e c essary t o a dd res s t he go ds , who s uc ce sswely res t ore
a ll t he fa c ul ties he s s ess e d d uring l ife, s o h a t he c an s t and
p o
t
up right, walk , sp ea k , e at , an d fight a gai n st the serp e nt
A p op h is, a nd his adherent s T hi s p ro c e ss o cc up i e s c hap t ers
.

t o xxi x , whic h form the se c tio n c all e d the Rec on struc

“
.

t io n of the d ec ease d ” O siris O p e n s his mouth, gives him

.

w e t o e k e s t ores hi s mi nd , & c an d th us p rep are d

p o r s p a ,
r .

he s t art s ; he h ol d s the p e c t ora l s c arab eus ov er his h eart a s a

t a l isman, and th en t riump h an tly p a s se s from the gat es O f
H a d es, ex claini ing a s he d oe s s o : “ I fl ourish up on earth ; '

I n e ver die in the west ; I fl ou ris h a s a sp irit th ere for

( c h ap
”
e ve r .

1 8 F rom t he fi rs t s t ep h owe v e r the a c t ual c onflic t of

.
, ,

t he soul b e g in s ; t errible o b s ta cl e s present th emselv es in

i t s way ; frightful A p ophi c m on s t e rs serv ant s of Typ h on , ,

c ro c odil es on l and and in wa t er s erp en t s of all k inds t ort oises , , ,

a n d o t h er re til es
p more wil d an d t errible th an F useli ev er
,

i m agi n e d or B re ugh el d rew a ssail the d e c ease d, an d att emp t

, ,

t o dev our him .

p ll c cd (Sharpe, irom t he
'
Fi g 66 . . The O sirian re e i ng the ro o iles in Amenti .

Todtenbok b y L e si us ) p .

19 . F irst a
pp roa ch es the c roc odil e of S eb (fig . whom he
a
p os t rop hiz es thu s
S top , go b ack , 0 crocod il e, from c oming t o me I know th ee by my .

sp ell s Th ou darest not sp eak the name of t he great G od,* b ecause I myself
.

ha v e c ome I perc eiv e, I prevail , I j udge I h ave defended mysel f I h ave

.

s at in t he b irth pl ac e of O siris b or w h him I w m y lf lik e him ”

n i t ,
re ne se .

B uns n s transl ation, c h ap xxx i

’
e . .

“
Back , c roc odil e Hem, b ack , c roc od il e S h ui Come not against me I . .

y c
The m sti name of de it a mong the G reek s, or the Tetragrammaton,
a y
l ll
was ik ewise not a owed t o be ut te re d The J e ws h a e a S i mi ar notion con v l
_
‘

cerning t he word m c
m, whi h the asserte d ena ed Jesus to p erform all his y bl
mira es, cl by l
st ea ing t he pronun iation of it from the h igh priest wh i e c l
pl y
a in
g in the t em e area pl .
 39

h ave k nowledge of potent sp e ll s. Utter not the name of the great G od .

Renouf’s t rans ation

l .

B y th e s e a dj ura tion s the croc od il e is rep elle d .

20 F o ur oth er c roc od il e s n ow ap pr oa ch one from e a c h

.
,

q uart er of the worl d ; b ut th es e are a l s o driv e n b a c k by the

O siria n wit h t he foll owing p re cat ions
,

M y f t h e sav es me f om the eigh t croc od il es B ack croc odil e of the

a r r .
,

west li v ing off t h o e t h at nev er rest I am not giv en t o th ee B ack c c o

, s ,
.
,
ro

d il e in the east do not turn me I h ave not b een given t o thee B ck

, ,
. a ,

croc odil e of the south l ivi ng off the un cl ean do not gore me with t hy cl w
, ,
a ,

I am not given t o th ee B ack croc odi l e of t he north sp it t h ou thy v enom

.
, ,

away from my h ead I am not

giv en t o t h ee M y fac e is op en my h e t is
, .
,
ar

in its pl c e my h ead is on m e daily I am t he sun creating h imself no evil

a , ,

t h ing i nj ures me (c h ap
”
.

21 T h ese d ri v e n a wa y a v ip er ap p roa c h es the O sirian

.
, ,

wh ic h wi th a sp ear he t urn s b a c k a dd re ssing i t th us

, , ,

Fig 67 . . T he O siri an re p lling th vip

e e er Ru in A menti . bv ) (Sh arpe, as a o e.

0 walk ing— v ip er, mak est t h ou S eb a nd S hu (the deit i ) st op Th es . ou

h ast eat en th e ab omi nabl e rat of the sun

N a h -4

t h ou h st d ev oured the b one

a s of

t he fil t h y cat ( c hap xxxi ii ) .

Or
‘

O v ip er
d vanc e not M in e is the v irtue of S eb and Shu Thou
Ru, a .
.

W
hast eat en the rat h c h e
w i t h s un
Q E EE E
T S '

22 O th e r c om b at s foll ow ; t he d e c e a s e d a n d the rep t il e s

. ,

a ga in s t wh i c h h e c on t e nd s m ut u ally in su l tin g an d men a cin g ,

e a c h o th er in a p erfe c t ly H o me ric
fa s hi on A t l a s t i n the .
,

3 9 th c h a p t er a s erp ent s ent fort h from A po ph i s at ta c k s him

,
,

b re at h in g ou t v en om a n d fi re b ut in v ai n ; W i t h hi s weapon ,

m anyi ng t he a c ti on W i th
o

t he O i i n e e l s t h e r e p t il e s a cc o p
s r a r p ,

th e se wor d s
Ba k , t h ou c p recursor ,
the sent forth from A p ophis thou s hal t be

— passage wh ich means si m ply I m

"
T h is literal rend ering of a a
it is theZ , ,

S eb an d S hu
”
Renouf . .
 40

drowned in the pool of t he firmament, wh ere t hy fath er has ordered th ee to

be c ut u
p
. c
Ba k , block of st one, thy d estruct ion is ordere d for t h ee by

23 T h us b affl e d, t he t e rribl e s erp e nt wou l d wi thdra w ; b ut

.

h e i s n o t t h us t o e s c a e u n is h m e n t , for t he d e c e as e d ,
p p
a s s u mi ng the c h ara c t er of e a c h o f th e l e s s er g o d s in t urn ,

a s s i s t s t h e m t o l o os en th e r o e s from th e b a c k of t he s u n , an d
p
t he re with t o b i n d t he A p op his O t her d ei ti e s , W i th sn ares .

Fig 6 8
. . T he g o d h lding Ap phi b ck
s o o s a .
(S ar Oimen )
. .

a nd ne s , t s ear ch t hec el es t ia l l ak e in p ursuit of the hid eous

re
p til e (fig . wh o m at las t th e y fi n d, a nd wh os e struggle s

Fig . 69 . T he h nd
a of A mun restra ini n
g t he ma lvl c
e o en e of A p phi
o s .
(Sar Oimen )
. .

woul d o v ert urn the b oa t of t he s un , and immers e the d eiti es

in t he wa t er, if it we re n ot for a n e n orm o us my st ic ha nd

(fi g 6 9) (th at of A m un ) , whi ch ,
.
s u dd e n ly a ri s in g from t h e

Fig 7 0 A not
. . h vig n
er e tt e re prese nt ing th e sa me s u b ect .
j (S ar O imen )
. .

d e p t hs b elow s eiz es t he rop e a n d t hu s s e c ures

, , t he E vi l
l
k
O n e (fig O n c e fa st en e d H or us wou n d s the
.
, s na inke
t he h ea d with his s p e ar * while t he d e c eas e d , an d t he

Here the my th ic c ont ests of Vish nu and the great serp ent Cali a in
y ,
H ind u th eol ogy, will at onc e occ ur t o t he rec oll ec tion of the reader .
 41

g uard ia n d eit ies t d in g up on it s v ol umin ous fol d s

, s an ,
s ta b
t he A p op hi c mon s t er wit h k n iv e s a n d l an c e s (fig .

Fig 7 1 . . A p phi
o s t ransfi x d by k niv
e es . ( S ar O imen ) . .

W oun de d t orture d an d a pri s on e r t he great snak e is

, , ,

a t l as t d es troy e d a nd a n n i h il a t e d 1 a n d t h e b oa t of t he su n
'

s h ort ly a fter at ta in s t he e xt rem e lim i t of the h oriz on an d ,

di sa pp e a rs in t he h e av enly re gion of A m e n ti or t he wes t I I t ,

.

has b e e n n e c e s s a ry a lit tl e t o a n t ic ip a t e t h is s t ru ggl e of g oo d

a g a in s t e v i l t he ori g in of t he P e rs ia n d ual is ti c sy st e m a n d
, ,

t he O p h it e G n os tic h ere sy n e c e s s ary b e ca u s e t he so ul of the , ,

d e ce a se d in the c h aract er of the g o ds p erform s t h e s e av enging

, ,

a c t s a n d i n the t a unt i ng s e e c h e s wh i ch
, p p r e fa c e th e m de cl are s ,

t he s up re me s ov ere ign ty of on e D iv i ne b e in g § the c rea t or a l ik e ,

o f g oo d a n d e v il t he re wa r d er of all the j u s t a nd the ul t imat e

, ,

a n n i h il at or of t he wic k e d T his p re fa c e d t he foll owin g .

,

e xt ra c t s from t he 3 9 th c h a t e r o f t he R i t u a l wil l n ow b e c o m e
p
i n t e llig ibl e I t i s t he s o ul who i s a cc o s ti ng the b a fii e d A p op h is
‘
.
,

a n d p ro h et i c ally f o re t e ll in g hi s fu t u r e c on q ues t of it by
p
s
p e ak ing in t he p as t an d p re se nt t en se s .

I
p c e bly for t h ee 0 un I mak e t he h aul of thy p e 0 un
a ct ea a ,
s ro , s .

The A p op his is ov e th wn the c o d f all the god s b ind t h r ro ut h r s o e so ,

n o t h ea t and we t
r ,
s T h eir c d s a
,
n him sV ict y the ph inx
. or re o . or ,
S

ov e th wn hi m ; t he god B uh h has k n tt d hi m Th A p op h is nd
r ro ar a o e . e a

a ccusers of the sun fall v erth wn is t h d v an c e f A p p h is [To A p ph i ]

,
o ro e a o o . o s :

Thy t ong ue is g e t e t h an t he nv i ou t n gu r a f c o p i n wh ic h has b een

r e s o e o a s r o

m d e t t h ee it h
a o f il ed in it p owe fo v B a c k thy h d h d is
as a s r r e er .
,
ar ea

e t ; t he g d d ag thy l imb s
i o nd ut thy
s r ms [To Ho u ] O H u a c ar . r s : or s ,

a t he w t e of t h a un is t pp d by t h e
r T h g eat A p op h i t he acc uso of
e s s o e e . e r s, r

t he s un has b e n j udged by A k ar
,
L ift y e up y ou g od f c
e Th .
r o a es . e

wick e d n ha b e n s opp e by t he a s mbl d god

o e s e h ha b n c eiv d s e e s e s ee re e
I

/ by N u (th d eity Ch nup h i ) He t nd s nd the g t g d e vict

e s . s a ,
a rea o s ar ors

t owing hi n l A tho n d t he god s d ag him xh au t ed

i r a v enging t h un f u r e s ,
a e s o r

t im [ n E
es y
g p t ian i d iom signify ing p erfe c tly ] gain t t h A p p h i
a ,
a s e o s.
”

B onomi, S arcop ha gus of O i mmwp tha h I , P at es 2, 3 , 7 , and 8 l .

1 Cf I saiah x x vii 1
“
. Rev x ii 9 J ob xx i 1 3
'

. . . v . .

C
I “ h m p ll
o ion, L otti es é cri tes s
- u r l
’
E g y p tc, 1 8 3 3 , 23 2 p
—
.
a
.

I mak e ea e a nd reat e e il
”
p c
I s ai ah x 7 c v . lv . .

H T h e wh o e of t h is h a ter is dreadfu l c p
orru t, and uni nt e lly c p ll g blei i

ex e t c p by b
i ts Renouf — .
 42

24 A ft er
. this triumph ant vic t ory the de cease d or ra th er , ,

his soul b reak s out int o a s on g of t riump h H e d e cl ares .

,

himself t o b e i dentical with the great god s a n d li k en s the

.

m emb ers of his b ody t o th os e of the g od s t o wh om th ey are

d e dic at e d and by whom t h ey are p rot ec t e d He e v e n b oast s
,
.

tha t he has the strength of Typ h on wh om he ha s overth rown i ,

,

a n d th u s he d e cl ares his m e m b e rs t o b e d e di c t d
a e a n d e q u a l "
, ,

t o thos e of the foll owing deiti e s

T he D edicati on f
o dif erent p a rts of the body (c hap . xiii ) .

M y Hair is in sh ap e (an) t h at of Nu * .

Fac e Ra .

E yes A thor .

E ars S p heru .

N ose K hentsk hem .

Lip s A nup .

Teet h S e lk .

N e ck I sis .

L ord of Tat tu (the soul ) .

E lb ows N eith, of S ais .

L egs M entu, of K h ar .

ll
B e y and B a k c S eb, or Thot h .

S pine
P h allus O siris .

T high E y e of Horus .

L egs (2) Nu .

Feet P thah .

Arms HerHeft,or S heft (t he ram -

headed)
Fingers and N ails Living Uraei .

T h ere is not a limb of him (the . _

a
god O s irian) wi th out .

H e it i s who c omes out soun d z i mmortal is his name He j

.

d ie s n ot a gain He i s e s c ap e d from all evil thing s He is

. .
_ _

Horus (i n hi s c ap ac ity lives

of t he B o dy in Ha d es .
)
25 A fter thes e e xh a us tin g l a b ours t he O s iria n nee d s res t,
.

an d for a wh il e he wait s i n A m e n t i t o re c rui t his s tre ngth ,

a n d s a t is fy his hu ng er (c h ap s x l ii i t o He ha s e s c ap e d . .

gre at da n gers, and ha s n o t gon e a stray i n the mys ti c desert ,

' '

v e b c mmay be eith indi c tive or s ubj unc tive I b elieve the con
The r er a .

t e x t equ i s it t o be subj unct i v nd t h t all t h is is a p ray er t h us L et “

r re e, a a

t he h ir of t he O sirian be t hat f N u ( r b ec ome N u)

a o Let t h ere not
o

b e l mb of him without a goc —Renouf

a i .
 43

wh ere he woul d ha v e die d of h ung er an d thirst c h a s li

( p
A t l as t he re a c h es t he s a c re d s yc a more or t ree of life * in t he
. .

, ,

. . dd
Fig 7 2 The go ess N u i n the sa re s amore t ree, ou rin out the water of ifec d yc -
p g l
to the O si rian and his sou , re rese nt e as a i r , in A me nt i l p d
( S ar e, from a . b d h p
l
.

f
une rea st elé in t he Brit is Mus e um ) h .

mi dst of the b ou ghs of whi ch the g odd es s N u l (fig 7 2) is ''

.

s t at ion e d S he, p itying his e xh a ust e d c ondition , and

.

a nx ious t o a id his furth er p rogress g iv es him h eav en ly ,

b rea d, with sup ern at ural v irt u es of s u s t e ntation , and a fl ui d

whi c h is ex p ressly t erme d the g
“
of l ife
”
This h av ing
g$
.

'

drunk, grat e ful an d refre s e t e sirian ex cl aims, I

g w, I live, I b e th g n
ro r a e a a i "”
an d
p rep are s t o rec ommen c e
his j ourn ey t o rea c h the fi rst g a t e of h e a v e n I .

26 T h en c omme n c es a l on g d ia l ogu e b et wee n the d ec ease d

.

an d the
p ers on ifi c a tion of the d iv in e l ight , who in st ru c t s him
i n a c h ap t er c all e d the M a nife s t a t io n t o Li ght (c h ap .

bl an c e to the

atis myst ical

an d p ro found in t he s o-ca ll e d Her e ti c b ook s
’
'

,
m of t he l at er

P lat on is t s .

27 T he O sirian h a vin g p as se d t h e fi rs t g at e, c ont inu es t o

.

a d va n c e , ui de d by th is n e w i h
l g t, t o wh ,
o m i n the lx vth
to
tg
t he lx x v c h a p t ers, he a dd re sses hi s i n v o c at i on s He th en .

The tree of life is metimes

so re p resent e d as a pe sea
r , or p ea ch tree
-
,

g
v
ro es of wh ic hd formerly
or ned t he i uner c ourt s of many E gypt ia
a

t emples and t he l ast sp ec i men of wh ic h i n E gyp t e st ed ti ll v ery lately i n

,
ici

t he gard en of a c onv ent at Cairo but has b een rec ently want only d estroyed ,
.

t Wilk inson ,
vol . i p 39 1
. . .
I L enormant,
.
an loco .

Ri i ua l, cap . lix .
 44

e nt ers t ran sformation more a n d more el ev at e d

on a s e ri e s of , ,

a s s umin g t he form of and i d en t ify ing h i m s e l f W i th t he ,

,

n obl e s t d ivi ne sy mb ol s He i s c h ange d s uc c e ssw ely i n t o a .

h a wk e mbl em of Horus Ra (chap l xx vi i ) an a ng el or a

“

- . .
,
,

d ivin e m e s se n ger (c h ap s Ixxi x l xxx ) i n t o a l ot u s (lx

,
xxi ) ; . .
,
.

u re l ily wh ic h c om e s ou t of t he fi e l d s of t he s
un i nto
t he p
t he g od P thah i n wh i c h hy p o s t a si s he de cl are s he i s
i nt o a k i nd of c re
s tron g e r t h an t h e l or d of ma n y y e a r s st ed

h eron t he sa cre d b ird of O siris c alle d B e n n u (c hap

, ' ,
.

wh o s e re s ide n c e is on the b ou gh s o f t he t re e of l ife ; i nt o a fife

‘

c ra n e o r a s e c i e s o f n yc ti c ora x (Ch a p l xxx i v ) int o a h u ma n

p . .
,

h e a d e d b ird * t he m ost u s u al of all e mbl e mat ic rep rese nt at i on s

,

o f th e so ul a b i rd more ov e r o cc a s i o
,
n ally rep res ente d a s fur
, ,

h i s h e d wit h h u m an h a n ds wh i c h i t h ol d s u p in a d ora t io n t o
’

t he s un (c h ap l xxx v ) in t o a s wa ll ow (c h ap. .
in wh i c h .

l att e r form the s oul u tt e rs t his re ma rk a bl e e x p res sion 0 ,

“

g re a t on e I h a v e dissip at e d my s in s ; I h a v e d e st roy ed my
,

fai l ing s for I h av e g ot ri d of the sin s whi c h d et ain e d me up on

,

e ar t h n ex t in t o a serp en t t he so u l of t he e arth a n d h e re , ,

a lt h ou gh in on e form t he s e r en
p t fif ths
“

wit h A p op hi s i n a n other it is d i s ti n c t a c irc umsta n c e whic h

, ,
,

ha s mis l e d m an y s t ud e n t s in c o mp a ra t iv e my th ol ogy A s the .

c h a p t er (lxxx v ii ) is a s h ort one i t will b e as we ll t o re in s ert

.
,
-

i t en tire .

I am t he serp ent B — ta"( n t A p op h is) [or S ata (the erp ent) of l ng

a o ,
‘
s o

y ea s in the ex t emiti s of the ea th —Renouf ] oul of th e th who

r , r e r .
’
,
s e ar ,
se

l ength is ye rs l aid ut and b o n daily ; I m th ul of the earth in the

a , o r a e so

p t of the earth I am laid out an d b orn d ecay and b ec ome young daily
ar s ,
.
”

(S e e su
p ra, fig .

28 . T he l as t t ran s forma t i o n of the O s iria n is in t o an oth er

re til e ; the fi rs t of t h o s e wh i c h on e n t e rin g Ha d e s he ov er
p
c ame , viz a c roc o dil e (c h ap lxxx v iii ) n o l on g er t he ea t er of
. . .

fi l th an d e op p o e of the s oul s, b ut t he c ro c odile who

t h s r r
” “

d well s in vic t orie s, wh ose s ou l c om es from men, the great fi sh

(or rat h e r re p til e ) of H or u s U p t o th is t im e t he s ou l of t he
”
.

d e c ease d ha s b ee n mak in g it s j o urn ey s al o n e, it has b een

m e rely a so rt o f ei dw k o v (e i d ol o n ) , t h a t i s a n i m ag e a sh ad e
’
—
wit h t he app eara n c e o f t he b o dy wh ic h y e t lay t o rp i d a nd
s e n s a t i on l e s s A ft e r th e s e t ra n s forma ti on s , t he s oul b e c ome s
.

re u n i t e d t o t he b o d y wh i c h i t wil l n ee d for t he res t of it s

j o urney Thi s t h eory i t wa s wh ic h ren dered t he p ro c es s of

.

mu mmific at ion so imp ort a n t , for i t wa s in di sp e n s abl e t ha t t he

The sou s of l
k ings are g enera lly fu n i h d r s e with c r wns
o
, as vi de nu merous
ex a m pl
es in t he Hay o e ti on c ll c
—
.

T B ata, B rass of E a rth D r Bir . . ch .

 46

tinue s, h ave b rought the rop es s t opp ing the wick e d (one)
I ,

o a l on g in the b oat o f P thah ; I h a v e c ome f o

as I r m t he
g
ol s from the fl a min g fi e l d s a l iv e from
s c a l ding o
t he gre a t
p , ,

30 E re, h owe ver, t he O siria n c an ent er t he b oa t of P thah,

.

it i s n e c es sary t o as c ert a in if he i s really c apabl e of m ak i ng

t he v oy a g e, if t he d e c ease d p o s se s se s a s ut i ent a mou nt of
t he k n owl e dge n e c es sary t o b i s s a fe t y , an d whi c h he 1 8 s up
'

a i n e d fro m t he p a p y ri p res e nt e d t o hi m by
.

p os e d t o h a]
v e o bt
T h oth The di vin e b oa t m e n a cc ordin gly p rop o se s a s eri e s of
. _

qu es tion s t o his p a ssen g er, who d e cla re s he has c ome to see

his fa th er O siri s, (h a vin g , a s b e fore st a t e d, tak e n t he n at ure
a n d form of Horu s,
) an d t o fight the A p“op h is T hi s rep ly .

s a t i s fi es the i n t erl oc u t or, who b i d s hi m g o t o t he b oat ,

whi c h will c arry him t o the pla c e h e kn owe th wh e e r
”
Here I .

a m o st c u riou s an d my s t i c a l s c e n e en s u es , for ea c h
p art of t he
v e ss e l b e c om in g a nim a t e d, re qu e st s t he O sirian to t ell me my
n a e, th at i s , the esot eric m e an in g of it A n ch or, p a ddl e,
m ”
.

m a st , p oop , hull, p l a nki n g, a ll i n t urn a cc ost , a nd a re in t urn

re li e d t o, for t we n t y th ree q ue st i on s and an swers ; which
p
-

fi h d, e dec ea s e d en t re at s t he g oo d b eings, l ords of

n i s e t h “

t ruth, who are livin g for ev er, c ircling for ever, ” t o p as s him
through the wa t ers, t o giv e him t o e at food, and b ak e d
“

c ak es, a nd a p l ac e in the h all of the t wo tru th s b e fore t he great fiég f s

I n the h u n dre dth c h a p t er t he O sirian, h a ving d e cl ar e d

”
G od .

a g ain th at he ha s st o e d t he A p op h is a n d t urn e d b a c k
“
pp
it s fe e t , ”
i s p ermit t e d t o e mb ark , a n d s afely cros sin g the
'

mi ghty riv er, l and s on the o th er b ank in t he l an d of the

m ount ain s of the wes t , t he bl esse d c ount ry of A ment i .

Fig 7 4 O ne
. . of th e m y tic c c dil
s ro o es of A menti, name d Sh h he h
es -s s .
(S ar . O imen .

31 . H ere c om me n c e
n oth er s e ries of ch ap ters c ont ainin g
a ,

des c rip t ion s of a nd a n ab stra c t o f the g e ogra ph y of the

s iri t l a n d a n d h ere a ga in a s u s ua l i n t he Rit ual the O h it e
p -
,p ,

my th is in t erwo v e n th rou gh ou t T he bl ess e d r e gio n is de .

s c rib e d a s t he v all ey of B a l ot 1 or a b u n d an c e a t the e n d of

'

, ,

l p
I t wou d b e su erfl u ous t o do more h ere than refer t o the G reek m th s of
if y
y b
Ha des, S t x , Charon and his oat , and to the mediae a egend of S t P at ri k ’s v ll .
c
purgat or , as v y y
gi en in t he Hist or of Roger de en d o er t h e ir a most e x a t W v l c
ana ol y bv l p
g is too o i ous t o be dwe t u on
i C ll e d mo e p op e ly the V ll ey of B u hat —
.

a r r Ren uf
r a c . o .
 47

h v n,
ea e 3 7 0 c b ts lo g a
u i n n d 1 40 b oa d
r
”
I n a c a v ern in on e of .

t he h oly m oun t ain s i s t he g rea t croc o dil e S ab ak

(c hap .

a n d a t the h e a d of t he va ll ey e xt e nd s a n e n ormo us s n ak e th irty

c ub it s l ong and six in circ u mfere n c e Hi s h e a d is of st on e, Tan d .

i s th re e c ub it s b roa d, a n d t he n am e of the t erribl e s u ern atural

p
is E at e r of fi re ” O n c o min g n ear t o th is g uardia n g enius,
.

for s u c h t he s erp e nt i s, t he O sirian i n s e c re t a ssume s t he cha

ra c ter of a si mil ar re t il e a n d d e cl are
p ,

he rth e r, tha t
e tt in g from the
l and of li fe t o hi s h oriz on th at “ he k n ows t he p assa ge of
s irit s, t he arres t of the A o h i s in i t T his se em s t o b e, as
”
p p p .

n early a s m a
y b e g ue ss e d , t he me a nin g of thi s c h ap t er
wh ic h i s on e of the m os t c onfu se d in t he R it ual .

3 2 I n t he n e xt c h ap t er (c ix ) is a furt h er d esc rip tion of

. .

the h e a v e n ly re gion , on t he n orth of wh i c h i s a l ak e c a ll e d

t he L ak e of Primordi el a t t er
1 a ch ao s in fa c t ; an d on the
s ou th t he l a k of S a c r e d Pri n c i p l e s, p os si bly sp iri t u al e s s e n c es
e .

I n c h a p t er c x i s fu rth er d e s crib e d a s
a m a g ni fi e d k i n gd om of E gy t , wit h it s l ak es , c an al s ,
p p a l a c e s,
fi e l ds, 85 0 T h ere the wall s are of iron, an d the c orn grows
.

s e v e n c ub it s h i gh T h e re th e syc am ore t re es (t rees of l ife)

.
-

Fig 7 5 l c cl d by th p t f t n l y
T he g od Ni us or Hap imou en ir e e se r en o e er a ears .

y h v y l h p
. .

t d (W lk
P os si bl t he - e a enl N i e is ere ) re re se n e . i i nson
.

a re of c o p e r an d th e re t he sp iri t s o f t he bl e s t a re d well in g
p ,
,

a n d the s un s h in e s for e v e r I n th is d e li gh t ful cli mat e for

.

A ft er wh om S abak oph, t he E thiopian, ment ione d in 2 K ings x vii 4, .

d t h n m e o f S o w as n am e d T h e name i s t h ere wri tt en Nyp

u n er e a
,
.
,

1 A n i io
' d m fo r e x t re m e h ar d n es s
/ ,
a p e c ul iarit y c ommon t o t he frontal

p l a t es of c erta in s p ec ies of v ip ers . . 2x“

c d lly h t t iq i t y of t he Ri t ual s p rov en by i ts c ont i nual

I I n i e n t a ,
t e g r ea a n u i
f c l c s uc h as the p eni nsul ar Hell enes d el i ght ed
e t k S o r o ea n s

m
re r en e o a es
. eas ,
a s, who, up t o the t ime of
'

cc z y h l f t Ef t p l i
’

do no t o u r in {B e t o o gy o t yp
Tl m
b

enc e of th e A t anti c , nor t i ll t h at of

iothm ,
.

t t
‘ '

w w f t
fi

o s e s er e n o a ar e o x i s

Ne c h o,
t h o u g
h t o t h e r w is e t h an t h at the M e dit erranean was a v ast l ak e .
 49

a wh il e the O siria n dwell s, sowing c orn, l oughing with h eav en ly

p
ox en , a n d re a ing the h arv e s t i n t h e E ly sian fi el d s I t was for
p .

t hi s p urp os e th at a hoe and a b a sk e t full of c orn were b urie d

Wi th e v e ry E gyp tian th at in the fut ure l ife he might not be
,

u n p re are d t o foll ow his a gri c u l t ura l l ab our s Th ere the

p .

O siria n free ly a nd fre que nt ly p art a k e s of the b read of kn ow

, ,

l e dge whi ch he is s h ortly t o find m ore n e c essary tha n e ver

, ,

a s he ha s arri v e d at t he e nd of all his t rial s b ut one an d th a t

,
on e the l as t and mos t t erri bl e for a s y et he is only in a .
,

s u eri or k ind of S heol or Ha d es u nd erg oing a p uri fi c at ion

p , , ,

Fig 77 . . T he v
a eng ing c
A ssessor wat hing t o p u nis h t he O sirian.
( Pa py rus, Britis h
Museum ) .

as in Ha d es it sel f his to p urga t oria l in

l wa s
sou su bj ec t e d
flue nce c ond u c t e d ,
by A nub is
the g uardian of t he d ea d,
t he O sir ia n t rav erses an un kn own l a by rinth (ch a p s c x iii t o . .

c xxi ) but by the aid of a clue an d t he a ssist an c e of T h oth, he

.

p en e t ra t es throu gh all it s int ri c a c ie s an d winding s, a nd a t la s t

is us h ere d int o the j u dg ment h all, wh ere O siris Rhot-A me nti, *
-

Fig 7 8 The
. .
h
snak e- eade d A ssessor s tanding t o inte rrogate the O sirian .
(W ilk inson .

t he j u dg e of the d ea d ,
w a i
at s hi m s ea t e d on hi s thron e, s ur

nd e d by a j ury w ith c u rt of fort -two asse s s ors,

ro u as ,
a o y
four of wh om are s er e nt h e a d e d (fi g s 7 7 Th e re the
p
-
, .

W h enc e the G reek name of Pluto , Rhadamanthus, was dou t b less deriv ed .

E
 50

d e c isiv e sent en c e is to b e p ron oun c e d eith er a d mitting the de ,

c ea se d t o h appiness or e x cl u ding him for eve r (c h ap

,
.

t he
_

3 3 O n a ra is e d th ro n e b e fo r e the O s i ri a n
. .
S i ts ,

a wful d eit y O s i ris up on wh o se h e a d are t he d ou bl e c own s

, r
of the un it e d k ingd om s of Upp e r and L ower E gy p t '
,

c ircl e d wit h t he sol ar a s p or uraeu s I n hi s h ands are t he .

*
cross of life t he Q uc ufa s taff of d om inion , t
,
h e c v dl
ur e i t u u s

d e noting sa c erdotal au thority and the s c ourge of K he m

'

.
,

B ehind his th ron e a re t he av enging Cab ereii c hi l d re n of ,

Typ h on or S et and hi s c o n sort t he hipp opot amus h ea d e d

,
-

g o ddess (Thoeris ) of h ell ; lastly u ndern eath h i s f t f tt c d

e e e e r
,
-
,

a n d tort ure d li e t he soul s of t he c o nd e mn e d 1 L e s t t he O sm a n

‘

.
,

s h oul d q uail a n d b e un a bl e t o s t and b e fore the s o l e mn a s sem bly ,

t he g odd es s e s I sis an d N e pt hys d e iti e s of t he upp e r a nd ,

l owe r fi rmame nt resp e ct ive ly s upp ort his tre mbl ing foot st ep s , ,

wh il e A mset T a ut mutf K abhs en uf and Ha pi t he gua rdia n

, , , ,

d eit ie s of the de ad i nt e rc e de for his p rot e c tion O n an a ltar

,
.

b e fore t he m fl o wers an d in c en s e b urn in fra gran t p ropitiat ion

, ,

a n d b et we e n i t a n d t he j u dg e in a m a ssi v e a n d yet d e l i c at e
,

b a lan c e the h e art of t he d ec eas e d is weigh e d again s t t he

,

fea t h er of Thm e i the go dde s s of Truth T hoth the introd u c er

,
.
,

o f s p irits writ e s d own the p rep on dera n c e of t he weight for

,

g oo d or e vil whil e an ap e (the embl em of j ust ic e b ec ause all his

,

e xt re mit ies are e ve n ) s itt in g on t he summit of the c ro s s

,

b ea m p re v ent s ei th er frau d or favou r N ow i s the O sirian

, .

t o gi v e an a cc ou nt of his wh ol e for me r l ife an d W hil e e a c h of ,

t he fort y two a s s e s sors a ccu s e s hi m of s ome fl a gra nt faul t he

-
,

ha s in re t urn t o re v ea l t o th e q ue s t ion er his own s ec ret n ame an d ,

t o p rofess his inn oc e n c e of t he fa ul t a ll e g e d T h is is c a ll e d t he .

a ol o gy or t he n e g a ti v e c on fe ssion a n d i t i s o ne of the mos t

p , ,

s ubl i me an d s in gul ar e thi c al formu laries in the wh ol e of

'

a n ci e nt my th ol ogy T he fi rs t p art o f thi s a ddre s s i s n e gative ;

‘

b ut a s h eav e n t o the E gy p t ian s wa s n ot acc e s sibl e by m ere

s inl es s n ess b ut wa s t he re war d on ly of a c t i v e v irtue t he
, ,

O s iri a n from t he e vi l s he has n ot d on e p roc ee d s t o the

, ,

e n u meration of the g oo d wh i c h he ha s
p erforme d an d en ,

tre at s n ot the cl eme n cy b ut the e quity of t he J udge , , .

E xt e n d in g th e n his ar ms t oward s t he d eit y th u s he address es ,

t he a dj u dic at or O s iris an d hi s c oa dj u t or d iv initie s

O y e L ords of t uth 0 t h ou G reat G od L d of t u th I h ave c ome to

r , ,
or r ,

t h ee my L ord I h av e b rough t mysel f to see thy bl essings I I have k n wn

, ,
o

b
I s this the origin oth of the D ruid i a it uus and the e is op a sta ff 7 c ll p c l
l y p
1 N ot a wa s re resente d on the funera Pa ri S ee S ar Oi men p l 5
'
l py
—
. . .
.

I F or
“
ess ibl
ngs read s e n d i d ories
”
Re nouf pl l . .
 51

t hee I hav e k nown thy name I h av e k nown the names of the forty two of
, ,
-

the god s who are with t h ee in the b all of the Two Trut h s who liv e by ,

c at c hing the wi ck ed and feeding off t h eir bl ood in the day of reck oning of
, ,
words b e fore the good b eing the
, ,
“
Rub e away my faults for I ha v e not p ri v il d one ev il against mank ind
y ,:t y ,

neit er h av e I affl ic ted ersons or men I h ave not t ol d fals eh oods b efore the
p
t ribunal of truth I hav e had no a cquaintan c e with evil I hav e not done an y
, ,

wick e d thi ng I h ave not made the lab ouring man perform more t h an his
,

daily task I have not b een id l e I ha ve n ot failed I h ave not b een weak (i n ) C
, , ,
«

the sense of si nful) I h av e not d one wh at is h at eful t o the gods I h av e n ot

, ,

c alumniated t he slave t o his master I ha ve not sac rifi c ed (fi lled the ofi ce ,

wrongfu lly of a p ri est) I h ave not murd ere d I h av e not giv en ord ers t o
, ,

s mit e a p erson p rivily I hav e not done fraud t o any man neither hav e I
, ,

alt ere d the measures of the c ount ry I h av e not inj ured the images of the .

god s I h av e not withhel d milk from t he mouth s of suck l ings neit h er

, ,

h av e I netted the sacred fi sh ;:t I hav e not st opped running water I have not ,

robb e d t he god s of t h eir oflered h aunc h es I h av e not cause d t o weep I h a v e

‘

, ,

not mul tip l ie d word s in sp eak in g I h av e not blasphen i ed a god I hav e not , ,

mad e a c ons p iracy I h av e not c orrup t e d women or men neit h er hav e I

, ,

p oll ut e d mys el f ; I hav e not stolen from t he d ead I h av e not played the ,

h ypocrite I h ave not caus e d any t o wee p I have not despised any god in
, ,

my h eart ; I am p ure I am p ure — let no h arm h app en t o me from the

,

av engin g geni i save 0 save me from t h em , .

0 L ords of t ruth I h ave mad e t o the god s the dfi erings due unt o t h e m
'
“
, ,

I have given food t o the hungry I h ave giv en drink t o the t hirsty I hav e , ,

given cl oth es t o the nak ed § I h a v e b een at t enti v e t o the word s o

,
f t rut h I , .

am pu re from all sins I am free from t he c urs e of t he wi ck e d I hav e d one

what the gods writ u p on earth I h ave no sins and no p erv ersion—
, ,

pla ce me
, ,

b efore t hyself O L ord of E ternity and let me pass through the roads of
, ,

dark ness and dwe ll with t hee for ever .

3 4 T o s o ma gn i fi c ent a n a p p e al , an d t o a so u
. l so c ons c iou sly
er fe c t , b u t on e a ns we r c a n t h e d e i t y ret u rn A t a s ig n a l
p
.

from O siris, the d ec eas e d is in veste d in a long white l in en rob e, I]

I h av e b h h v bl d out y our ini q y uit — I (l

ht to y ou trut , an d a e otte .

roug
.

f T he first cl ause, i tera l

1 m ncfer, may lly rea lly be not an a ddress but a
prop er name —I d
O xyrhy nc hus N ilot ic us, worsh i pped at L atop ol
.

I The L e p id ot us , or
c
i s as a

a ns, vol i i
form of the goddess
’
A t hor W il k ins
.
on s A n i en t E gyp ti . .

24 8 — 25 1
pp . .

f h and a py
oat t o cl b
A fter nak e d o i m cc ri t h
“
e u rt er ause,

—
a
u rs,
n s o e p ,

L h
t he s ip wre k ec
d ”
Renouf .

pc i on measure d 1 6 fee t c ll c by
.

;
h H t 9,
7 A s e ime n of t is ga rm en t i n th e a y o e

and was furnis h ed wit h a roa d t wi s t e d fr in gbe a o ng t he ou ter

s
dg e T he l .
.

h m E t i ans was B asoui

na m e for t is g arm en t a o n g t he an oi e n t o
y p { 1 .

E 2

lh
 52

fringe d with a sy mb olic al fring e al ong on e s i d e of it (the

* mes: p ans
g
ori i n p os sibly o f t h e J e wi s h arb a n g k a n p ho t h ) ,

an d th e n wh il e T h oth writ e s the d e c re e of a cq ui tt a l u pon t e

h
,

roll s of He a v en t he d ei ty a n d as s e ss ors j oint ly a ddres sm g t he

, ,

O sirian ex cl aim ,
G o forth th ou who h a s t b e e n i nt ro d u c e d
, ,
.

T hy foo d is from t he ey e of G o d th y d rin k is from the ey e ,

o f G od thy me a t s are from t he e y e of G od

,
G o th ou forth . ,

O O siria n j u s tifi e d for e v er ,

.

3 5 A ft er t he c onfe ssi on (c xx v ) c ommen c es the th ird p art of

. .

t he Rit ua l or the A d orat ion of the S un

,
T he ch apt ers in this .

a re more my s t ic a l an d ob s c ure th an any of t he pre c e d ing .

The O s irian h e n c eforth i d e nt ifi e d with t he sun t rav erse s wit h

, ,

hi m an d a s he the v ari ou s h ou s es of h e av e n fightin g a gain

, , ,

with t he A p op h is an d a sc e ndin g t o the lak e of c e l e stia l fire

, ,

t he a ntip od e s o f the E gyp t ia n h ell a n d the s ou rc e of all l ig ht ,

.

I n it s cl osing c h ap t ers t he work ri se s t o a s t ill m ore my st ic a l

a n d h i gh er
p ra ct i c a l c h ara c t e r a n d the d e c e a se d i s fi n ally ,

hy p os t a t e d in t o t he form of e v ery sa c re d a n imal a nd d ivin it y

in t he E gy p t ia n P a n th e on a n d with t hi s g ran d c on s ummation ,

t he Rit ua l cl ose s B ut e v e n in h ea v e n it se lf t he s erp e nt my th

.

i s d om i n a n t N ot on ly does the d e c ease d as the su n d ecl are

.
, ,

Fi g 7 9
. . v
T he O si ri a n ende a ouring t o s na re t he gi ant A o p phi s ; a b v hi h d
o e s ea ,
as

p c
ro te t ing him i n his da n erous t ask , i s t he win e
g g d orb , s ymb lic f divin
o o e

m ,
p
i nt e r e n e tra tion an d a ss i st a n e ( S ar O ime n ) c . . .

that he p ut s forth bl ows a g ain st t he Ap ophis (6 g stran g .

l in g the wi ck e d in t he we st (ch ap b ut ev en in the ”

.

S ee M ill s The B ri ti sh J ews

’
.

Wh at t his fearful lak e was may be gath ered from the following descrip
t ion of yptian Hell
the E g
place of wat —none f the dead c n st n d in it it wat er is of
.

O h the ers o a a
, s

fi e i ts flow i of fi e it gl w wit h m k ing fi ; if wish ed th e e is no

r ,
s r ,
o s s o re
, r
d ink ing it The th irst f th os who a e in it i inex tingui h bl Th ough
r . o e r s s a e
. r

t he g reat ness i ts t error, and the magni t ud e of it s fear, the god s, t he

of
c p l
de eased , and the s irits, ook at its waters from a d ist an e Th eir t hirst is c .

y v
ii i ex tinguishable th e h a e no ea e if t h e W i sh , th e p c y yc cp
.

"
annot es a e it .

R i tu a l, h a c p cl
x iii a o e . . . b v .
 54

of G en eration s, and the sn a k e Con spirat or 7 the G at e .

of R uin , a nd the s n ak e D e st roy er ; 8 G a t e of In e xti ng ui sh abl e

“ ”
.

F ire, and the sn ak e Prot ect or of the S ac re d E y e 9 Mi s ,

.

tress of Limb o (fig s 8 37 847

a n d the s nak e
“
Pri d e
.
,

G at e of L ou d W ord s, and the sn a k e

“
G reat Cl asper
G a t e of Hard -fac e, and t he sn ak e T errifi er
”
1 2 G at e of t he .

The Mist resses or D oork ee p ers of A ment i, with the great Uranus a bv o e.

( Rit ual, c ap . c lv
x -
vi .
)

g . 83 .
“
Her name is 84 “
He r na me is H an nek ah -
85 .
“
Her name is Me s
y l b
.

or Commanding t he i d e
"
N arau, or V ict or .
”
. P thah, or orn of P thah .

Q uest ion er E arth 1 3 G a t e of I s is

of 1 4 Mi s t re ss of E xul t . .

a t i on 1 5 G at e of S oul s o f the Re d-h aire d

. The na mes of .

t he sna k e s of the four l as t g at e s are n ot g iv en To th ese ab od e s .

su cc e ed (ch ap c xlv iii ) s e v e n s t airc a se s, wh os e g uard ians h av e

. .

t he s ame names as t he sn a k es of t he s ev en g at es Th e n the .

O siria n p asses t o the fourt e e n a b od e s of E ly s ium, in t he

fourth of which on the v ery hi gh hill in Hades, the h eav e n ‘

—
“

f
rest s u on i t,
p o cc urs a s nak e S ati i s his n ame He i s — .

Fig 86 . . h m th un h m de (Ritual cap cxlix )

Ruhak , the gre at harmer w c o e s as a . . .

ab ou t se v enty c ub i t s in his c oil a n d he l i v es by d e c a it ati n g

p ,

t he c ond emn e d ? I n t he s e v e n th ab o d e d well s a simil ar

”

s n ak e — Ru hak i s i t s n ame ( He i s ab ou t sev en c ub it s

“
, fig .

I s t his an allusion to t he I nd o G ermanic myth o

f the c onnec tion b et ween
—
-

l fe and fire l S ee Cox s M ythology of the A ryan N ations ; and K elly,

i ’

I mic- G ermani c Folk- lore .

1 I s t h is an ex aggerat ion of the great A frican rock -snak e (P ython regi a ) ,

'
f

who, by the way, resembl es in a remark able degr ee the E ypt ian fi ures of
g g
A p ph is
o .
 55

in t he l ength of
his b ac k, living o ff t he d ead st rangl ing th eir
p i ri t s
,
s .
”
Him the O sirian b es ee c h e s

D raw thy t eet h, weak en th venom or th ou d ost not pass by me

y , . Do
not sen d thy v enom to me overth rowin
, g and p rost rat ing me t h rough i t .

O r, more p rop erly, B e thy t eeth b ro k en , and thy v en om

we ak en e d c o me n ot again st me e mit n ot thy v en om ag ain
, st
me, ov erth ro win g and ros tra t in g me th rou gh it ” Ren ouf
,

p ( ) ( ) . .

F i nally, at the door of the sixt eenth a b od e resid es anoth e r

s n ak e , a t t he mou
th of the h ea v en ly N ile, who i s p ac ifi e d
by offe ri n g s of food and grain O th e r ma gic al ad dre s s es .

f“oll ow th e se, an d t he rub ric of the l as t c hapt er end s thu s '

T hi s b ook i s the gre at e st of all my st eries d not l t

; o et h e

Fig 87. . W ooden v tiv

o e dd F
figure of the g o e ss Urhap t ( rom a stat ue in the B rit is
. h
h lp l yd
.

Muse um ,
re s to re d by t he e of a simi a r fi g ure in t he L e en Mus eu m ) .

ey e of a ny on e se e it, that i s d et e s t a bl e L earn it, hide it,

.

mak e it Th— e B ook

pi
.
tha R uler of the S e cre t Pl a c e is it
n am e d H i s end ed ?“
.

th e n is a s ummary of the c ont ent s of the mos t

S u ch , ,

an c ie nt rit u a l ext a nt From it h a v e p rob ably b een d erive d

.

all t he l at e r s y s t e ms of O hiol a t ry a s in i t s
p p ag es are p re ,

s erv e d t he de fi e c t e d e c h oe s of a ri mi tiv e re v el at ion P os

p
s ess ing ext ra or d in ary c oin c id e n c e s with l ater dog m
.

a sTthere i s

y et l i t t l e d o ub t th a t the c ond it ion of t he work a s we n ow

h ave it i s on e of g reat a nd wilful mu t il a t ion—wh ol e ch ap t ers
a re in v ert e d a n d se nt en c es mi s c on s t rue d
,
N or c an the res u l t .

h e wond ere d at wh en it i s re c oll e ct e d th a t t o q uot e Pro fe s s or ,

Ly e ll 1 no l a ng uag e is extant a fte r a l ap s e of a thousand y ea rs

,
'
,

l/ 4" Ruhak U rtuk is, as b efore ment ioned , occas ionally represent ed as a
or

T
“

odd ess i n t he form of an n riti t ail c oile d in a k ind of b ow

g
k not r a p e d est al S everal v oti v i, in wood , t o th is go ess are in t e
.
,

B ri t ish M u seum, ases 1 0 and 1 1 , Upp er E gyp ti an S al oon

_

f E lements of G eology
‘
.
 56

an d the Rit ual of t he D ea d wa s u se d and writt e n in a n cient

E gyp t for more th a n thirt y c en t urie s * .

3 7 Ap art, h owe v er, from t he Rit u a l , the t ra i l of the s erp ent

.

is a s con s pi cu ous the m onu me nt al his t ory E gyp t as it i s

Fig . 88 . The l
so ar orb wit h the em bl e mati c figu re of the g od e ss T mei, d h or Trut h
,

b et ween t he c d
sa re u raei .
(Cas se ll .
) S ee fig 40 . .

in the archae ogra p hi c E very s ep ulchra l s t el eor fun ere al s la b

.

b ore at it s upp er ext remity the u su a l W in g e d di s c of Ra, with it s

‘

p e nd ent b asili sk s (fig 8 8 ) wearing the a l t ern at e crown s of

.

The ro y al and sa re c dh dd ea -
ress es unit e d .

Up p er an d L ower E gyp t d t he c ros s of l ife N ot unfre q uent ly

an .

t he g od Ra , a n d e v e n t he K in g h ims e l f, as th at d eity s i n c arn a

’

t ion , is represent e d, a s a glob e s urroun de dbya serp en t, wh ose t ai l

L enormant s A nci ent H istory

’
of the E ast ,
vol . i . c tion vii
se .
 is t wis t e d t ight ly a ai s th
g n t e so ar di s k
l T he serp ent d e c ora t e d
.

the mon arc h ’s c rown

89 (fig .
) a n d fring e d the ext re mi ti es of hi
s

Fig 90 . . Roy l g i dle f ing d with j

a r r e e we ll d u
e raei . From figure of K S et i
Menep thah I
.

.
(A rundale ) .

g irdl e (fig I n a n oth er in s t an c e a s hinx e mbl e m of re a l

.

p g ,

p ower u nd er t he t it l e L ord of t he Horiz on ” ( “

z, z r ,
fig ,is rep re .

s ent e d as su
pp ort e d by or sta nding b e tween two proc umb en t , ,

Fig 91. . T op of an Eg ypti an stan ar d d S p hinx and ura

e i, im plying h v nly vict
ea e ory .
( Le e ma ns ) .

uraei * . S ome time s, as on t he S oa n e sar o

p c hag us (one of the
mos t wond erful of all E gyp tian s ar o
p c hag i , orig in ally e x e c ut e d

b l h
Fig 92 T he e e t e of C e fer Ra , in the S o ar orb, surroun e by the serp ent Ranno l dd
by y l
. .

yh c c
.

Pos s i l t he E g ptian origi na , a s far as t he M t os was on erned of

p c
t he O r hi fig ure, N o 28 ( S at O i men ) . .
,
. .

a b ou t t he time of M oses for O im enep thah or S e t i M enep

,

th a h nt of e t ern ity e n viron s (

fig 9 2) the d i sk of the
.

t he se rp e .

S ee M usée dc L ai dc, P art I .

, plate 21 .
 58

s un with s ev e n in v ol u t ion s * an d the c ircl e is c omp l e t ed by

“
the
,

t ail of the re ptil e b ein g p lac e d in it s m outh as i n the G reek ,

Fig 93 D oub
. . l e sn ak e - h d d d it y
ea e e .
(S ar . Q i men .
)

inte rp re t atiOn 1 I n the M u s e u m sp e cim en, howe v er, the

.

Col ub e r, a nd n ot the N aj a or Cob ra , i s the sp e ci es of s n a k e

’

Fig 94 Sing le snak e hea de

. .
-
d d ity we e ari ng t he c ro y
wn of L ower Eg p t ( S ar Q imen ) . .
‘

ad op t e d A gain on the same work of art is a l ong vign e tt e

.

re res ent ing a n um b e r of d ei tie s ma ny o f th ese a gai n be in g

p ,

Fig , 95 .
Q uadruple snak e- h eade d d ity h lding f th
e o or a k ni f
e to l y th Ap phi
s a e o s
.

(S ar Oi men )
. .

l p
A s imi ar re resentation a t t he foot of t he s ar oph agus of N ask atu, at c
v vl
the B riti s h M useu m, gi es nin eteen in o ut ions t o t he s ame s m o i ser ent
“

y b lc p .

I S e B onomi s S arcop ’
“”
e
’
mgu s of Oi menep tha h I , ate 5 .
pl .
 59

s n a k e h ea d e d
-
with l ing s
ro
p es an d s

Fig 96 S ing
. . l h d d d it y b
e snak e- ea e e rin g ing a mmt o b ind the Apophis .

(S ar Q i men )
. .

97 . The deit i s binding A p phi f

e o s m above
ro .
(S ar O lmen
. .

Fig 98 Anot
. . he vig n r e tt e re p resent i n
g th e sa me bj ct
su e (Sar Cimen )
. .

s naring the A p op h i s* (fig . A n oth er vign ett e sh ows

Fi g 99 A
. ,
p ph i b
o s oun db l e o w with hains c and b ronz e sta pl es. (S ar Oime n )
. .

i" S ee Bonomi s S arwp ha gus

’
f
o Oi menep tha h I l
p ate 1 2 .
h and the E t ern al h ol d ing the e n chain e d mon ster ; a n oth er,
of
h c h n d h g nd by f c h m b oli z m
Ap op is ai e t o t e r o u o ur ai n s ,
s y g
h
t e fo ur ra c es o f m a n k i n d fight ing a g a i ns t t he e vI l
,
.

n oth er A o h i s writ h ing in a g on b e t wee n

on e (fig . 99 )
p p a y ,

the a s se mble d g o d s who h a v e t ra n sfix e d hi m W i th m a ny

,

kniv e s ; an oth er 1 A p op his in the my sti c lak e fol d e d i n

,
'

t we n t ei ht c on v ol ution s , a n d l astly 1 A p op h i s b rought

-
g ,

Fig 1 00 The ser ent p Fi re -fa e c dv e ou ri ng c

the wi k ed ; th e a venging deit ies are
p f ld vi l c b
.

( S ar Q i men )
.

d
s t an ing u on hi s o s to rest ra in hi s o en e W i thi n due
,

ou n s d . . .

pri so n er to Horus R a an d sl a i n by th a t m e rc ifu l divin i ty § .

T h e s e, a s t he Ritual ha s s h own , all b el ong di re c t ly t o t he my th

Fig 1 01
. . O ne of the twe lv e s er p nt w
e arders of the t we lv d
e oors of Hades .

(S ar Q i me n )
. .

of A p op h is b ut on the me a l ab a st er sarc op h agus is engrav en

sa

ano ther subj e c t ,

vi z . a t roo
p of wi c k e d m en with t h eir h a nd s an d

S ee B onomi s S arcop ha gus of Oim enep tha h I plat e 9

’
i“ .

t Ila , plate 1 5 I Ila , pl at e 7 I b , plat e 1 1

“
. . . .
 62

fe min in e hea ds the rep re s e nta t ion s of the g od A t mooj fthe g od

,

of d arkn e ss a n d a b a s ilis k Wi th th ree fa c es the S i gn i fi c ant ,

,

Fig 1 04
. . F our fi g ures milar
p c di g S p nt m d H pu (S Oim )
si to re e n . er e s na e a . ar
. en .

i d eograp h of the E gy p t ia n tria d of Horus (fig I sis and

O s iri s th ,
—
e p rod uc ing the p ro d u c e r an d t he
ppoduc e d 5 the
, ,
,

v yc
Fig 1 05 V ot i e mumm - a se in ronz e , ont ai ning t he mumm b c y of a n e el sa c dtre o
d y
. .

t he g od A tu m, or A t moo, t he b e n e ficent eit of ark ness

-
d .
(L eemans ) .

al most c on simil ar a n a l og ues of t he Hin du tria d of E l ep han ta ,

B rah ma V i shn u an d S i va xf
, ,
'

Fig 1 06 . . The m y tic t i

s r une b ili k
as s of Horus, I s is, a nd O s iris .
( S ar Q imen )
. .

38 .An ot h e r s arc op ha gus illu s t ra t in g t he s erp e nt my th os,

i s th a t of R am es es I II , the gre a t fo un d e r of M e d in e t Ha b o u,
.

a t Ca mb ridg e , aroun d t he in s c rib e d si d es of who s e b as al t

c o fli n c oil s an e norm ou s s nak e ; t he ex tre miti e s o f the re ti l e
p
are c onj oin ed, a n d t he fi g ure wa s
p rob a bly int en d e d t o r ep re
s e nt the e t e rn al l ife of t he K in g
p rot e c t e d by t he s na k e
“

S ome t imes sig nifi ant enough re resent ed c ly p by an eel ,

as in the v otive
eel in the B ritish M useum, ase N o 38 ( Fig c . . .

1 S ee B o nom i
’
s Sarcop hagu s of Oi menep thah I , . plate 11 .
 63

y ears—mill ion s
gm
ho s e n a me is million s of of day s e n c ompa ss
”
1 .

39 nd es c ri b ed wo o d e n mu mm y c as e l at ely s ol d a t t he
An u -
:
P a l ai s R oy a l * R e g e nt S t ree t b ore a simil ar u n c ommon d e li
, ,
n e a ti on In t he B rit is hM us e um a re th ree t erra c ott a grou s v ery -
.

p ,
rou gh ly e x e c u t ed of a m oth er an d c h i l d
(fig 1 07 ) lying up on a
,
.

Fig 1 07
. . F un e re a l t bl
a et, mot her and child p rot e ct ed by t he de ity Chnuphi s
,
.

( Bri tish M use um ) .

c ouc h with a s nak e i n th is in s t an c e n ot t he Col ub er but t he

, ,

As p e n c irclin g th em ; p rob ably a fla tt erin g st at uett e imply

, ,

ing th a t t he mot h er and c h il d o f the own er s h o ul d l ik e I s is ,

and H orus e nj oy the e tern al y e a rs of di v ini ty

,

40 T hu s a ll usion t o Horus re c a lls a circumst a n c e wh ic h

.

mus t n ot lightly be p ass e d ov er 1 A ll s erp ent s e ven thou gh .

'

divin e were n ot h armless up on this t erren e s p h ere an d a s

, ,

Horus was t he g rea t i n c arn ate s on of O siris wh os e mission ,

was t o o v er c ome e v il and t o d e s t roy t he A p op hi s s o th a t '

,

divini t y b e c a m e n a t ura lly a ss ocia t e d with t he ofli ce of st op p er

of all s n ak e s H e n c e aros e th e c us t o m of in s c rib ing v ot iv e
.
”

cipp i t o th a t d ei ty repres enting him a s a y outhful and b eau

,

t iful b e in g s t a nding up on the h e a d s of t wo croc odil es an d

, ,

h ol din g sn a k e s and s c orp ion s in his h a n d s Ab ove him is alway s .

the h orrible h e a d of B a al or S e t T y p h o n a n d the v arious a ttri ,

-
,

but e s o f life d omin ion p ower go o d n e s s & c with my s tic v a l e

, , , ,
.
,

i c i t i n g d n d hi m A v e r fi ne sp e c i m en
dic t o r
y n s r
p o s r ou p e ar o u
y .

in w o o d a n d o th
,
e rs s m a ll e r in s t o n e a re in the B ri t i sh ,

l“
“
B y M essrs T h urgood and G i es , J u , 1 8 7 1
.
T he sar o hagus was l ly . cp of

s
yc d
amore woo , a nd ro a
- p b bly
d ated fr’om t he nineteenth dynas t y .

1 S ee N avie lle ,
T es
s i e de la M ythe d H orus, for fu er d etai s . ll l .
 61

Mus eum an other a s fin e in h ard wood was formerlyi n t he Hay

c oll ec tion and ha s l at ely g on e t o B os t on in th e U ni t e d S ta t es
'

, ,

A v ariety of th e s e c ippi a t th a t t ime s u pp os e d by D e non

,
,

Wilkinson an d ot h ers t o b e ast ron omic al a re e ngra ve d i n

, ,
’
t he M é m oires a cc omp anying t he D escrip ti on ole l E gg/p t
“ ”

o v erie s of l at er E gy pt ol ogi st s h a v e
.

(fig 1
. 0 8 ) a n d t he d i s c

Fig 1 08 l c h
T a is mani s rine of Horu s, t he st o e r of sn ak es ppO n one si e s ta n s the
. d d
l f h y
. .

st af and q uadrang u ar eat ers of t he dei t A t um, t he g o d of dark nes s, a nd on

h pp h
t he ot er t he a yrus , st a fi , a nd a wk of Horus-Ra I n t he ent re st an s Horus
‘

. c d
h lf h d c c dl
imse , t re adi ng up on t he ea s of t wo ro o i es, e m e ms of ty bl oni o wer, ph c p
and in e it er an h h d h ld v
he o s snak e s an d s a ag e b east s, as rest rai ning t eir h
l c
vio e n e bv
A o e him is t he h d
ea l h
of S e t or B aa , w ose sup e r u man o wer h p
pp d h v ll cc lly
.

Horus i s su ose t o a e assumed T he u sua ong look of air (a identa

. h
v d
re erse by
t he a rt i st ) h v
ang s o er t he e t s ou l f h ld
er of t he eit (D enon, d y .

D escr ip tion dc

p rov en , b ey ond all d oub t from the hieroglyph ics th emse lv es

, ,

that th ese obj e c ts were univ ersally a dop t e d in a n cient E gyp t

as
pre s ervat iv es a gain s t the att a c k s of all ven omous or dan

Fig 1 09 Por
. . cl e ain a l c
mu et (exa t siz e) . Th e snak e N uhab mak ing an offering of wine
to t he g o sd .

g eron s til es by the b en e v ol ent p rot e ction of Horu s and were

rep ,

e v en by t he G nos ti c Chris tian s d e dic at e d t o J e h ov ah a s the

 65

Go d S o me t i mes min ia t ure

these c ippi were c opies of
manu fa c tu re d i n bl ue
p orc e la in an d were h un g a s a mule t s ,

around the n e c k s of c h il dre n a s was a l so a l ess c ommon fig ure ,

1 1 0 Por
. cl
e ain a mul e t (exa t c s iz e
) . Horns t he s nak e . head d
-
e .
(Hay c ll ct i n )
o e o .

of t he g od Horu s ( fig 1 09 ) weari ng a . s er
p en t ’
s hea-d
t he talism am c fi gures of the ser
p e nt of Ra nn o g .

A mu l et ( e x-
a c t s iz e ) . Horus, ‘
as a h
a wk -hea de d uraeus, we aring the l
so ar

disk .

In fa ct th ere wa s the p apyrus o n ly ex c ep t e d, s carcely a ny

,
“

a s a n e mbl em
o bj e c t s o fre q uen t ly u s e d o r re p re s e n t e d ei th er , ,

of g o o d er e v i l as t he s n a k e ,
i n it s th re e g rea t varie t ies , ,

bfd u l nch e 3 7 0 tom ii p a

gggs onfi—
i 11
gin
. . .

g
l o m y st i c lly i d entifi ed
a s a with the G ood S erpent
h d m W il k
‘

i n on v 39 8 s
Ag t
.
e
.

a a . ,
 66

or ra the r gen era of Col ub er N aj a and A sp (fig 6

, , ,
.
,

a n c ie nt writ ers gravely a ss ert e d th a t s and

Fig; 1 1 2 N a . h ab , or N a h bk
a
‘
-
a, as i n fig .

Th eb an de s ert s p on t aneous ly g e nerat e d th es e d a n g erou s

.

rep tile s 93 an d it woul d s e e m a s if the wh ol e of the T h eb

m y thol ogy w ere bu rie d in t he c ocka t ri c e den, or writ ten up on
t he s k in of a s n ak e .

41 A p e culiar maligni ty ,
. e E g yp tia n s, a t ta Che d
it s elf t o a s erp ent ’s b ite, was i t fa t al t o the .

l ivin g, b ut t he de a d th e m selve s b ec a me obn OX iou s t o its influ - .

e n ce .The p ure s p irit of the E t ern a l c oul d n ot inh ab it a b ody

Fig 1 1 3: St eat it e
. a mule t (exa t siz e )c . T he g o d d ess Mersp k ar '

.
(Hay c ll cti
o e on. )

infe c t e d with the v en om of a s n ak e or sc orp ion -r He nc e the

m ummies of the d ec eas e d were p rot e c t e d from op h it e i nj ury by

D iodorus S iculus, lib i cap i . . . .

cp
l Ri t ual, a s xxx and x li
'
. v . .
 67

Fig 1 1 4 Porc e
. . l
ai n amu e t l (exact siz e) . The g od d ess Ranno .
(Hay c ll cti
o e on .
)
ch arms t al is ma n s an d i n c ant ation s
, (fi g s 1 1 3
, S ome of .
,

these of the G re co-E gyp tian or P to lemaic period h a ve b ee n

, ,

Fig 1 1 5 W oo
. . den a mulet for domest ic use . S ame deity .
( L eemans ) .

p reserve d to the p res ent t ime (fig The highly sy mb ol ic a l .

n ature of the fig ures d ep ic t e d, an d my thic al ch ara c ter of the

word s emp l oy e d, re nd er th em ex c e e din g ly d iffi c ul t of in t erp re
t ation not t o m e nt io n the circ um s t a n c e th a t in man y in s t an ces
the pap yri a n d t abl e t s h a ve b e e n wil fully d e fa c e d, or b rok e n
as und er by l a t er s e c t arie s O ne o f t h em , e ngrav e d by S h arp e ,
.

in the E gyp ti a n I n scrip ti ons, * has b ee n i n p art t ran sl at e d by ,

M Ch ab as, 1 a n d a pp ears t o c ont ain, in the fi rst s ec t ion , a se rie s

.
'

of dire c t ion s o r rub ri c s t o the m ou rn ers or e mb al m e rs A ft er .

'

th ese follows the ch arm it se l f b ein an a d urat ion a ain st the

s er e t s e n em ie s , b oth i n thi s e a rt h an d I men t i a dd res se d
n ’

b fi
ow sfl H e nm
i t e c t mr of the dea d
e —
h eep h eep who suck est the mil of h eep k
$
“
0 s ,
s on of a s , b , son of a s ,

t hy mot-her the s h e ep , do not et the defunc t b e b it ten by any s erpent, male

femal e, by any scorp ion or any reptile ; do n ot let any one of th em
K 0;
h
p ossess [ a
v e t he m as t ery ] o v er his l im b s D o n ot le t him b e p enet rat e d [
. or

ay no sh ad e of any S p iri t h aunt

p ossessed ]
h
M f h p
d
t H
m
m ha hu f h av e no p ower ov er —
him, may th m t t n -
e ou o e ser e a -

m "
.

hi m ” (Figs 1 1 6, 1 1 7
. .

c
E gyp ti a n I ns ri ti ons , fol 1 8 3 7 , p ates 9 1 2
-
l
p
. .

B u lh ti n A rchéo ogi que, p 44, J um, 1 8 5 5 . .

r 2
 68

Here the all u sion s, b oth t o t he serp e nt enemies of the soul

an d the p ossib ilit y of the b o dy of one man b ei ng int erp ene

Fig 1 1 6 T he s er ent g erminating

. . Ap i t oria represent ation . pc l of a ph rase use d
in t he Mag i a Pa ri cl
(See Birc , py
S ur nu Pa rus . h py
A rc/zé olog ique )

n oth er an d th at an e vil one —

.

t ra t e d by the s ou l of a ,
the ,

doc trin e of the Pis tis S op h ia of the G n ostic s are th eol o gic ally ,

e x c ee ding ly v al u abl e .

Fig 1 1 7 The four . h ded ura us

-
ea . Anot h er of the i deogr phic a snak e s drawn in the
Mag ical Pa p
.

yri .

Fig 11 8 Bronz e coin of the E m

. p eror Hadria n, stru k c at l
A exa n dria showing th e
pp p vil
.

t wo o osing ser ent s o f g o o d a nd e .

(S harp e )
,

Fi g 1 19 A simi
. . l
ar c oi n. d Jp
T he eit y u it e r S e ra is, as the Se rp ent p of e vil c arry ing
a bas k et u on hi s p
e ad h
( S he rp a ) .
,
 70

Fig 1 23 . A simi l
ar g em Aroun the
. d l i h d
e on n e ea of the serp ent are the un ci l
a
c c c mp ing hi
.

G reek ha ra t ers o os s na me .
*

Fig 124 Anot h l

g em”, er a t e Roman
er s i mi v yl
The ins ri tion p rohab c p means
—
. . ar .

b
A ra x as, name of G od, AB B E SS E S , N UM E N ( for nomen) D A E I . ci ),
miswritt en by c
t he ig noran e of t he A e an ri an sea -eng ra er (Mont a
‘

lx d l v . f

Fig 125 C hnuphi s wa k ingl c

rown e d with v se en st a rs (a form aft erwards much use d
c
. .

b y t he G nost i s. S ee fi g .
(D enon ) .

b
I n the eginning, eart h and water, t o mu d ond ensing, unit ed A ft er c .

ds a t h ird rin i p c pl
e Was orn, a ser ent wi th t he h eads of a b
u and a p b ll
li on, an d in the midst the fa ce of a god it had wings on its shou d ers, and was l
— q
pp —
c l g y m T este Hellanicus, uot ed in Creuzer s S ymboli k ,
’

al ed X p é r o a r a fl e .
’

. 81 4 S e e a so
. ing l K
C W , T he G nosti s and thei r Remai ns ,
. . . c
pl v
ates and vii
. .
 of B a si liu s int o t he Ch ris tia n re l igion fi
( g It was as if .

the gi a nt A o his o f E gy t i n dy ing und

p p p , er the s ear o f
,
p
A l ex a n dri a n Ch ris tia nity i nfe c t e d it s d e s troy er with it s
.

,
e n v e nome d breath
, and p oison e d wh om it c oul d not ov er

Fig 1 26
. v y c yp
A er curious G re o-E g tian G nost i sea ( onsi era
. c lc
g ) C rist
e n ar e d bly l d h
b p c c dl vl
.

h d
wit t he at tri utes of Horus, t rea ing u on the ro o i e of e i , and olding h
c dy bl
the sa re s m o of hi s name , a fi sh, t x9 vg, i e I na ovc Xpw 'r og O eov T rag i c/ m
. .
p
J h v
( es us C rist, t he S on of G od, t he S a iour ) T is g em i s e u iar y a ua e, as
. h p c l l v l bl
h ly
s owi ng h ow e asi lx d h
t he A e an ria n C ris t ia n s int rodu e t e ir an ie nt em e ms cd h c bl
h c p d h
and t e ir orres on ing t eori es int o th e rising Christ ianit of E g t ( rom y yp F
cl
.

the o le ction in t he B rit is Museum ) h .

po wer* (fig . i s a wi d e, a grav e, and a sac re d

The su bj ect
on e, an d if st u die d at a ll mu st b e re v ere nt ly a n d un b ia sse d ly
st ud ie d Close we t he s t ory of E gyp t ian O p h i ol a t ry h ere, and
.

in as few wor d s a s may b e c omp at i bl e with t he l a t e n e ss of t he

h ou r, an d t he e xt en t of the m at e ri a l s , s ummariz e the results
of th i s im p erfe c t e x a mi n a t ion .

43 I T h at in t he E gyp tian my th ol ogy, the ol de st which ,

. .

a art from t he B ibl e , has b ee n h an d e d d own t o u s, a n d is cl ea rly

p

(N ote on some of the p recedi ng na ntes o f serp ents ) .

Ab ra x as fall en spirit (2) A h rah ak

-
. From E z ek iel i 1 5 1 6 ,
-
.

Cabbal a- S oh ar gi ves 19 1R O p ha n (wh eel) an or er d of A nge ls

, as I ND
s h oot) wand ering J ob i 7 ; ii 2
Krub (c h eru b) W
e? (S atan) from at ? ( ,
. .

—ng
.

m s A ph aph,
- a er, wrat h (of G od) Q J N (A nap h) foami ng with
.

—3
,

N ose, infl ated nos 5 1 M D rach

q } :
, . .

rage
 72

t rac eable for three thousand years there are p reserv e d ,

a l ong with oth e rs th ou gh in a c orrup t e d an d e x a gg e ra t e d fo rm

,
,

ma n y of the great doc trin e s of re v e al e d reli gi on .

I I T ha t p romin e nt ab ov e ot h er m yt h s 1 11 th a t re li gi ou s
0

.
, .

sy s t em wa s the b e li e f in a m on st rou s p erson a l e v1 l b e1 ng 1

, ,

typi cally represent e d a s a serp e nt and wh os e offi c e was t o ,

a cc us e t he ri ght eous op ose t he S up re me D ei t y a n d d e v our

p , ,

t he wic k e d .

I II T hat cc ex ist ent ly in t he ord er of time th ere aros e a

.
,
-
,

dualistic p rin cipl e of good lik ewise rep re sent e d for s carc ely , ,

in t e lligible rea son s by a n en t ire ly different s e rpent an d th a t, ,

b et ween th e se two a c on sta n t spiritual warfare was main

’

t ain e d .
1
IV T h at, in the ab s tra c t, b oth g ood an d e vil were dire c tly
.

rod u c e d by one S u rem e B e in g , who a l s o cc - o erat e d with

p p p
t he right eous in th eir e nd eav ours a ft e r h ol in e s s .

V T h at the doc tri n e of t he M e t emp syc h osis , a nd the

. .

d ogma s of P urgat ory, vi c ariou s p ropitiation , a t an gibl e Ha d es,

Hea v en an d He ll, were al s o a p art of the E gy ptian Cul tu s .

V I T ha t n e ga tiv e an d p ositiv e h olin ess , reward s an d

.

p un ish me nt s, and c on formit y t o t he d ivin e n at ure, were doc

t ri n es of the s a me th eo lo gy .

V II T hat the sup re m e d el ight of the j usti fi e d c on sis t e d in

.

consci ou s h o sta ti c un ion wi th the E t ern al B e in whic h wa s

a tt ain ab le on l a ft er m u c h ur a tion , an d l on - c ontin u e d
y p g g
g irt ; —
h

V II I T h at the fi na l p unish men t of t he W ick e d c on sist e d

‘
f
.

i n utt er a nnih ilat ion, aft e r a p erio d of frightful t ort ure in a

fi ery hell .

I X Th at the c ont e st b etwee n g oo d an d evil wou l d b e a t

.

la st t ermin at ed by t he in carn a tion of D eity ov ercomin g the

g re at s erp ent an d utt e rly d est roying him ” ,
.

X T hat b e si de s all th is the s e rp e n t my th s origin at e d oth er

.
,

s y mb ol is ms ind ire c t ly c onn e c t e d with t he p re c e d ing d og mas ,

a n d th a t th e s e n ot b e ing re v e al e d by the
p rie s t s t o the g e n eral
,

b ody of the p e op l e were by th e m misun d ers t oo d , .

L enormant, B unsen , and i k ins on Wl

w w
.

1’ S atan no S heitan, the hin d erer, or from shoot L

o ) b ut the
{
7 7

wanderer (J ob i 7 , . and 1 1 .

I S ee P u ta r h D
a sol
e I si de and Blun sen E ’
c
gyp s P lace i n Uni versa l
t
H i story, vol i ook i , for a fu ler a ount of the O siri—
, ,
. . b T h oni m th
. l cc yp c y .
'
D ifi ering h erein essent ia lly
from the N irwana or re ose of B uddh ism p
i
.

l b p p l
S ee a so for a rief o u ar ré s umé of the prin ipa of t h ese d o trines, c l c
K y
ear , E a rl E
y gyp ti a n H i story, pp 36 4 409 . .
 73

XI T ha t the rin c i al c orru tion s of rimi ti v e Ch ris tianit y

p p p p
.

a ros e fro m t he P l a t on i s t s a n d G n o s t i c s o f t he G r e c o E gy
p tia n
-

c api tal A l e x an dria * i n t he s ame m a n n er a s th eir own an cien t

,
reli gi o n was origin a ly d e ri ve d from a
l p urer s our c e now on ly ,
to be fo'w nol i n the B i ble .

XII T h at t he s t u dy of E gy p tian my th ol ogy will th row m ore

.

i
l ght p n the re s tric iv e c us t oms o f t he J e s n the allusion s
u o t w L

of t he
p rop h e t s, a n d the ea rly hi s t ory of the Chris t ia n chu rc h,
th an th a t o f a ny oth er c oun try .

T hu s the n for a t im e we roll b a c k the p a p yru s on wh i ch i s

i ns crib e d t he s t ory o f the s erp en t A p op h is, ask we, W h y
t he Fa t h e r o f M a nk ind ha s p e rm i t t e d th e s e re c ord s t o c on
t ain , a mid so man y errors, mu ch t o t e st ify of p roph e ti c an d
sp irit ua l t r uth ? S e e k th e n t he a n s wer in t he word s of the
A p os tle of the G e ntiles , i G od l e ft n ot h im s e l f with ou t wit
n ess in the worl d ,” s o tha t e v en by the l ight of n atu re, all the
worl d m i ght b e c o me g uil t y b efore Him, an d m ight in the
fuln e ss of time b e s a v e d by His S on who is G od ov er all, the
v c t or o ver the grea t dra g on , th a t old s e rp e nt , for e v e r—and
i ”

e v e rmore .

N VLV S

j ti an M yt o ogy a d gyp
S he I oe E gr h l n E ti a n Chri sti a ni ty

E ii
.
.

S ee ) aiticul rly C a as, F ,

' h b
He eeo gyp
b r .E “
t ia ca-
,
”
T ra ns S oc B i b
. . .

A rchwol gy,
o V O L i an d L .
c
aii th, M oses cler E bra eer, 1 86 8 , whi h , a th ough l
wron gin i t s on u sic cl
on s ,
t h rows mu h igh t on ear c l J ly
ewish h ist or y .

I A tsc xi v . 17 .
 74

APPE N D I X .

may ll
interest P h i o ogists t o see all the name s and s ignific ant epith ets
—
Ir
'
‘

of the v p
ari ous ser ent s o r ser ent forme d D eit ies of E gyp t in One is t
p l

A pap ,
‘
Ap ep i, A p ophis, A p opth, App , B aba, B eb ou, E th, Chf, Che f,

N AM E S as T HE S O UL or T HE WO RL D .

B ai, B ait, B at, K num Chnouph-is, Chnnmis .

NA M E S OF OT HE R S E R P E N T S, ‘

Fenti, G atfi, Ham, Har, Hu-ef, Mersok ar Mhn Nfi ,

‘
, , N u, Ru, Rn hak,
T et bi Urtuk ,

v owels b eing in many ca es

The . s want ing, the true et ymology of t h ese
names cannot now be recov ered .

E N G LISH TRANS L A T IO N S OF
'
E P I TH E TS A PPL I E D IN
“

T HE RI T UA L OF

DEA D TO T HE V A RI O S U S E RPE N T S
'

RE F E RRE D
Ad ve rsary (B unsen) .

B reak er of the W i c k ed X .

1“ Brass o
f E arth
”
.

Circli ng (Shi r Dimeh

. .
—e pith et , 1 st d oork eeper) .

Consumer (B uns en) .

D estroyer (B uns En) .

D evaurer (S ar Q imen , A. . p op hi s ) . 3/

y
E nem ( B unsen) .

femi nine deities were as before stated

A ll the h
eit er repres ente d
were v enerated under the form of ureeL—B ircli
, ,

.
 75

( c
E re tor B unsen
) .

Flr -fa e ca 1 45 2nd ha lc l

e ( p ) .

Fi re i n hi s E e S ar O ime n —8 th
.

y ( doork eep er)

F ame-fa e (ca 1 45 —5 th ha
. . .

l p c ) . ll .

G iant (B unsen
) .

G reat Clas p er
—
.

Horn of the E arth (S ar O imen 3rd d oork eeper of A menti)

S p ark fac e ( S ar Q imen —7 t h d oork eep er of A menti)
. . .

-
. . .

Sp arklin g Fac e (S ar 0imen 7 th doork eep er of A menti) . .

-
.

S p itter of Fir e .

S to pp er of the Rej ec ted (cap 1 45 —7 th hall)

—
. .

S tone Head (cap 1 45 . 6 th h ll ) a .

The G reat D est royer .

The L i ing (S ar v .

c
The wi k ed , Sba (B unsen) .

For the names of the S hak es distinguish ed by an as terisk t he aut hor is

b
ind e ted t o the c ou te y of the d istingui h ed h ieroglyphist D
r s s r. S . Birc h .

The CHA I R M A N .
—I a m sure t hat we all d esire t o return a c ordial v ote of
t hank s to M r Coop er for his abl e and in teresting p ap er
. .
(Cheers )
Rev . J J A M E S — I sh oul d l ik e t o ask M r Coop er
. . question In one

the D ea d writt en—ih hi eroglyp hi c h ieratic

.

what c h a acter is th is Ritual of

r
,

or demot i c

M CO O P E R —I t is generally found in the h i oglyp h ic and h i tic

r. er era

c haracters I n the ol dest papy i the w itin g is almost p u ely ideographic

.

The demoti c script is v e y imil r t o th h ie at ic but far l s intelligibl e r s

r

a
r

e r ,
r

es
.

X
having more resemblanc e t o an e x c eedingly bad c hool boy s hand of the s -
’

present time
—
.

M r J a mE s. D o you mean t h at t h ere are t h ree hara t ers of the same c c

—
.

h
t ings sometimes ly
the h ierog p h i , s omet im es the h ierat i , an d someti mes c c
the emoti ?
d c
Mr Com ma
.
—Y es three sty es l of writ in g the s ame langu age p evail ed
r

throughout E gyp t for four t h ousand years The language was written in .

hieroglyp h ic and h ierati c or d e mot i c si de by sid e j u st as y ou might p rin t the , , ,

P rayer b ook i n bla c k l ett er and in it al ic or any ot h er c h arac t er

’
- .

Mr J A i ms —A re th ere not sev eral manuscrip ts of t h is l it urgy

—
.

M L P e R enouf has enumerat e d and c ollat ed 27 2

Mr C P O O. E R e a g .
.
.

A mong t h em are t he c opy of L ey d en wh i c h c ont ains I t h in

k a h und ed , , ,
r
,

c
p erfect a h p t er s a n d t h e c o py of T urin wh i c h c ont ains a h undre d and fi fty
,
,

h re so many c op ies in ex isten c e t h at wh at i s wan ti ng

c h apters B u t t e r e a

n t hat way we get al toget h er the one

.

in one is suppl i d e in a n o t h er a n d i ,

hundred an d x y s i t s i x c h a p t ers of wh i c h the b ook is c omp ose d

- .

— I s h oul d l ik e t o draw att ention t o wh a t I

Rev J H T i.
r C O M B .
'
.

c rativ e my t h ol ogy e h av e b een muc h ih

.

f m W
may call a lit l t e b i t o o pa .
 76

t erested t o nig t in the serp ent

-
h myt hs of E gyp t S ome time sinc e I read .

an a cc c d v
ount of the S an ina ian myt h ol ogy , and almost the i dentical pi cture
is t h e pre ente d wh ic h w find in t he 23 d secti n of th is p ap er The
er s e r o .

S c nd inavi n l ik e the E gyp tian myth ol ogy represented a l k e wit h the

a a , ,
a

e vil pi it und e
s rthe form of a sep ent and the gods in c onfl ic t wi th th at
r r ,

se p ent
r Th or is in c onfl i ct with t he serp e nt M idgar on a lak e the serp ent
. _

r ise and nea ly ov erturns the b at in whic h he is

s r The circumstanc e is o .

int e t ing as sh o wing how apa t f om E gyp t in remote pe iod s f t ime

res ,
r r ,
r o

an d in d iff nt p o tions of t he gl ob e we h av e a ep rod uction of the ame

ere r ,
r s

my t h It i
. n xt o dinary piec e of evidenc e of the unity of the human
s a e ra r

c e nd f the c ommon o igin f t h ese myth s as drawn from one c entre

"

ra ,
a o r o

t he Wo d of G od r With fe nc e t o t he same subj ect of c omparative

. re re

myth l ogy and se p ent myt h it m y b e int eresting to you for me t o read n
o r s, a a

e xt ct f m a wo k by S quier entitl d S p ent Symbol i n A m i ca He gives

ra ro r . e er er .

a rem k abl e acc oun t of on

ar of the t aditions of t he L napp i I ndians and
e r e ,

d esc ibes a great c onfl ict b et ween M nabo li o the p e iding genius of the
r a z ,
r s

t ib
r and the S pi it of E vi l represent e d as a large serp ent
e, r The words are .

as f ll ws
o o

O ne day, returning h ome from a ong j ourne , M ana ozh o, the G reat l y b
c
T ea h er of the Al onq uins, missed his ousin who li ed wit h him He a led c v . cl
his name. but re ei ed no ans wer c v
He ook ed around on the sand for the . l
c
t ra k of his feet , and th ere for t he first time d is o ered the trai of t he great cv l
p
ser ent , M eshek enabek , the S irit of E i Th en he k new t h at his ousin p vl . c
b
had een seiz ed his great enem by
He armed h imse f and fol owe d on his y . l l
c p
t ra k ; assed the great ri er ; rossed o er mountains t o t he sh ores of the v c v
dee p la k e wh ere he d we t l
The ottom of t he ak e was fi ed wit h e i. b l ll vl
p
s irit s, his att end ants and om anions I n the entre of t h em he saw c p . c
l c l
M eshek enabek himse f, oi ing his o umes around his ha ess ousin His v l pl c .

bl
h ead was red as with ood, and his e es g owe d ik e fire M ana oz ho ook ed y l l . b l
on this and owe d v
engean e v c
He d ire t e d the ouds t o disa ear from t he . c cl pp
v
h ea ens, the winds t o be s til , and the air to e ome stagnant o er the ak e, l bc v l
a nd b
ad e t he sun t o s h in e on it fi er e , in o
rder t h at his enem migh t be c ly y
c l
d rawn forth from the oo sh a dows of the trees B y and-by the water .
-

b c
e a me t rou ed , and u bl b bbl
es ros e t o t he surfa e, for t he ra s of the sun c y
p enet ra te d t o the h orri e rood wit h in it s d e t hs bl b
The ommot ion in rease d , p . c c
and t he hot wa es d as h e d wi dl v
a gainst t he ro k s on it s sh ore S oon l y c .

M eshek enab ek , the great ser ent, emerged s ow t o the surfa e and mo ed p l ly c v
t owards t he shore b
M ana oz h o, who had transforme d h imse f in to the
. l
stu m p
of a t ree, t h en silent ly
drew an arrow from his ui er and ai med at q v
t he h eart of his e nem y
T he h ow of t he monst er sh ook the mountains, for
. l
he was morta wound ed lly .

This is ce
ga ined in anot h er and sti more distant part of
an instan ll
l
t he wor d, among t he rud e t ri es of N orth A meri a, wh ere the ser ent m th b c p y
c p
ro s up i n a wa l l p c l
y t hat one wou d east e x e t, and i n a manner ana ogous
yp
t o t h at of E g t c py
Here is a o pc
of a ll
i ture of the J udgment -h a of

O i i f m t h v y papyrus of wh i c h M r Coop e has b een s eak i n —

. .

g th at at
s r s ro e er r
p .

T u in but instead of ex pl ining it myself; I shall a k him t o do so for ou

r a s
y .
 78

writ ing d own the good deeds of the dec eased ,

and t he resu l t of his a cquittal
or c ondemnation I am muc h obl iged to .
M r Tit c omb for
. b ringing this
p i cture .

M r I T P RI CHA RD —I c annot t h row much ligh t up on the subj ect but

. . . . ,

h av ing b e n in I ndia may be ble t o giv e a litt le evidenc e f om mod ern

e ,
a r

t ime in efe ence t o the v ery p ec ul ia v en

s r tion t h at the nativ es of In d ia
r r era

hav e f se p ent s ev en t he most v en mous

or r The k ind of c ob a th at
,
o .
r

M C p e has mentioned i v ery c mmon in I ndia and ev n the most

‘

r . oo r s o ,
e

v enomou serpents th t we find occasionally in the g rdens or in the hous s it

s a a e

is imp ossible t o get any of the nat iv e of th l ow cl asses to t ou ch Th ey will s e er .

not k ill t h em but a e d p erat ely f aid of th em b ecause a b ite is generally

,
r es a r ,

d e th though with prop er me u e l ife an b saved I h ave often inquired

a ,
as r s c e .

the ea on but t h ey nev e giv e any — th ey me ly ay it is against t heir rel i

r s ,
r re s

gion T hey h av e some el igious obj cti n against inj u ing t h ese creatu es
. r e o r r ,

an d it woul d c e tain ly eem as if me k in d f t ad ition had b een h nd ed

r s so o r a

d wn f om e ly t imes t h at t h e e ept iles h d so t of sanc tit y ab out th em

o r ar s r a a r ,

and h enc e the p eopl e a e afraid of t ouc h ing th em ev en in self d efen c e I -

r , .

sp e k f a m t he ex p erien ce of v ery re c nt y
ro s e ea r .

M CO O PE R —The c ommon E gyp tians lik ewise nev er touch ed the serp ent :
r .

t h ey had t oo much reverenc e for it Th y al ways c ar ied it in an ark b o ne . e r r

by four p iests and only occa ionally exhibited i t to the v ulgar eye
r s .

Rev S WA I N W RIG HT D D —I presume th at p agr

,

. . ap h 4 sect i n 43 ,
. . ar ,
o ,

i s t o be r g rd d nly gi ving t h ul t of M Coop er s inquiries in ’

s e a e a o e res r .

E gyptian Myth ol ogy ap t f om t he B ibl b c use it efers t o a p oint wh ic h ar r e, e a r

n it h er he nor we ec gniz e a b el onging t Rev eal d R l igion— I all ud e to the

e r o s o e e

wo d r I n the ab stract b ot h go d and e vil we

s
,
“
d i ectly p od uc ed by ,
o re r r

one S up reme B ein g A not h p oint I wi h t o mention i th t t o wh ich

”
er s s a

M r Tit c omb eferred—

.

. the S c n d inavian M yt h ol ogy t

r sh w t h t t h ere a , o o a

t t h e was an acc ount of a b oat n

oo. er l k e— it occurred t o me t ugg st o a a o s e

t h at p haps that i dea of the b oat wh ic h we find e x isting in l and so far

er s

re mote, may be a sort of fl oating trad ition of the ark .

M r CO O PE R — I n
. c ommon with all the Hamit ic rac es th ere , is no fl ood
d
t ra it ion in E gy t p .
*

T here is no qu ter of th gl b wh re m de n d i cove y an pl ay a ar e o e e o r s r c

p
m ore im ortant part th an in Af ic c ompa tiv ely littl i k n wn b ut r a , as ra e s o a o

I n regard to M C p e stat ement I fi nd a well k nown mod n w it er

’
it . r . oo rs ,
-
er r

on geol ogy y T h e e seems t o e x i t n uc h d efinit e outl ine of the

sa s, r s o s

E gy pti n t ad ition referred t o by J

a ph u th t p e e ved of the Chal d n
r ose s as a r s r ea

on E v n in E gyp t h ow v
e . th c oll ec tion of the D eluge seem t o h v e
e ,
e er, e re s a
su viv d t h ou h it lay ent angl ed ami d wh at
e em t o be y mb ol i ed mem ories se
r
g , s z
f unu ual floodings of t he iv e N il N ah of E gyp t says P o
”
o s Th r r e . e
“
o , r
fesso Hit c h c ock r app e to h av e b een O iris nd it is a c u i us f ct th at
,
“
ars s ,
a r o a
h emb k ed on t he 1 7 th day of the mont h A thy
e ar the v e y day most r, r ,
p bably wh en N h nt d t he k I m y add th at s regards the
ro , oa e ere ar .
”
a , a
Ch l d n cc unt of t he fl ood M r G S mith h re c ently f und the f agm nt s
a ea a o , . . as o r e
of n A s y i n t abl t f om N inev h in the B ritish M useum ; the insc ipti n
a s ra e r e , r o ,
 79

Dr WA I N W RI G HT —
.
W el l t h ere e tw more p oints on wh ic h I h ul d be
. .
,
ar o s o

gla d t o ha ve information W e k n w t h t c ertain cl asses f p n ts are . o a o s er e

p is onous and I shoul d lik e to k now if suc h are found i n a fossil t te

o
, s a

3 15 0 if t he E y tians al ways rep e en te d rp ents as c umb ent

Mr CoorE m—
; g p r s se .

.
The d ed uc ti ns gi v en towards the cl ose of my p p er a e o a r

deductions f om the myth ol gy of E gypt an d my own fait h win ds up the

r o ,

las t paragrap h whi c h I b elie ve t o he rth odox , As t o fossil erp ents

. o . s

b eing venomous or non v enomous I do n ot k now how that may be b orne -

out I bel ieve t hat they were not v enomous The S erpent of G d is al ways . oo

repres ente d by t he E gyp t ia ns as u p igh t and the S erp ent of E vil as c r wl ing r ,
a ,

and t h at is g nerally the only d ist in c tion wh ic h t h ey mak e

e

Rev G HE NS L ow —
.

. Fossil se p ents are v ery rare

.
geol ogists k now
. r

v ery little ab out them ; but in the E oc ene cl ay snak es have b een found ,

whic h P rofes or O wen c onsiders as p rob ably frequent ing wat er

s

M CO O PE R —
.

The water snak e is nev er represent ed in E gyp t

M r R E NSLow —
r . .
- .

. There is a snak e lik e form of animal among the A ssy ian

. .
- r

monuments .

M r Coorun .
fi —I t is an em blem ofHea, the Assyrian water deit y With .

res ep ct t o t he eel the E gyp tians

,
k n ew of it , but t h ey dedi cat ed it t o t he G od
of D ark ness q uite evid enc e enough ab ut the
A s t o the oat, t b h ere is o

cha acter of the mystic b ark of the sun—the D iv ine B aris—with out troubl ing
.

ourselv ab ut it in t h is c ase
es The N ile was the great h igh way of the
o .

E gyptians and it is natural enough t o ep resent the sun as t av elli ng by

, r r

wat er the only road he c oul d t v l by more esp ec ially as th ey b lieve d

~
ra e e ,

with the early P elasgians mentioned by Herod otus t h at t he wo l d was

-
,
r

entirely surround e d by an imp as abl e ocean in wh i c h the d eit ies sail ed nd s a

beyond whic h they resided a theory whi c h has an I ndi an anal gue in the ,
o

cosmos of the B uddhi t s and if I mistak e n ot is al so preserved in the E dd

s
, , ,
as

of the S candi navian na t ions If t h ey had travelled as the Assy ians did .
r ,

by land t hey woul d have rep esent d the s un as walk ing or have put him
,
r e , ,

as othe nations did on the b ck s of h o es as for instanc e the G eek s who r

‘
-
r a rs ,
,

put Phaeton in his quadri ga

—
.

Rev C A Row From the ook al e d The Ritua of

. . .
“
.
t he D ea d, do
”
b c l l
you o n udc cl
e t h at the E g p t ian t h eo og w a s of an e x usi e anth eis t i y l y cl v ly p c
chara ter ? want t o k now wheth er the i d ea of deit in o ed freedom of
c I y v lv
l
wi l or fa te
,
w h e t h er it on ei e d of —
him , or n ot ,
as a li ing ers on ? A c c v
so, v p l

emi i B b ni ncp d w f i h ld 6 6d c
0 Iro m a C a ean o u

i
t a as o e

i
o

53v
a
11 1 1 c

: ll i
,

121 3 l
I c t) , at eas
fl d
t s
v
b
old
t
a
s
c
t
l
h e yl
d y
7 t h
l
e c
n t u r
h c
y
B C ,

t
a n d
e, and
ontai s man of
n
rut ert ai n
. .

the e ents of the o o ,

u g i en i n a e ge n a r s
y t
minor di eren es, w
ff c h c h ih sh ow t b at d i t dem c
o i e d
s p
a d is t i n t an d i n e en ent
.

bl
t ra it ion e onging
d dt o cis p
t inpl t eo es h M hr G d S m i t , w en rea i ng a p ap er n
p . . .

c p b f
t is ins ri tion e or
h e t h ce yS o iebl
t c l
o f B i i a A v
r cbhm o l o
gy , i n N o em er,

remark edb d on the

v alu e o f t h e h ih
s t orl es d
t a t ar e s t or e i n t he mounds and rui ne
d
c ities now urie i n t h e p la ih
n sl d
o f C ca c d l
ea, on e the ra e of crvrhz at 1 0n .
 80

what are l ; wh ether immortality was regarded as more or

the i deas of the s ou

l ess involving aper nal exi tenc e 3 so s

M CO O P E R —Fi st of all t he S upreme D eity of the E gy ptians was

.

r. . r
.

A mman Ra the sp i itual auth

-
of all exist enc e p hy ica l mo al and ev e y
, r or ,
s ,
r ,
r

t h ing el se B ut th at w s t oo b strac t an i d ea for the peopl e to g

. a p a ras ,

es
pec i lly th ose of L owe E gypt
a Th erefore t he priests t ypifie d all ther .

a tt ib ut s of deity and t h u c ame nea t o t he P ersian y tem

r e ,
but f r all s r s s o

t h is t hey nev e l st sight of one S up eme B eing wh ile the p eopl e inv i bly
r o r ,
ar a

did and t hat is t he g

, t d i tinc tion b et ween t h em A s would naturally
rea s .

foll ow f om suc h a y t m t hey were not d i tinct ab out t h eir d eities one
r s s e ,
s

man woul d w h ip g od und the form of S te wh il e

ors nother woul d
a er a ,
a

wo ship the same god und er the n me of I si

r nd anot her und er th at of a s, a

N p thy e Th y h d t iad of god —

s. a mal e fem l e a
e a nd a c h il d
r but th ey
s s, , a ,

we not ll the s me t i ds th ough all we e mo

re a a l sy mb li ed or
r a ,
r re or ess o z

c owned by se pents A ll the goddes e w e se p en ts t h i no ev idenc e

r r . s s er r ere s

t supp os th t t he S up m B eing w s e v er l ost sigh t of by t h ose who k new

o e a re e a

the e ote ic meaning of t he E gypt ian f it h

s r A s t o the soul it was distinc t a .
,
a

p onali ty sep rate from the b ody emanating f om the S upreme B eing it
ers ,
a ,
r

ha d t o n w fo i ts mi d oing and if at the d eat h of t he b od y it was not

a s er r s s, , ,

g od nough it had t o c ome b ack t o ea t h t o be pu ged

o e , B ut if it we e good r r . r ,

it w ul d go in a condition of e x treme h app iness into t he p

o nc e of rese

G d nd sume the c h ar c t
o , a as f ne r t h e of t he inf ior d ivini t ies fo a er o o o o r er r

a n n
( eo but t hen it woul d c me b ck t o ea th l ose all its c onsc iou ne f o a r , s ss o

e x is tenc e and b e come t he s oul of s m b od y el se

, B ut it c oul d not inh b it o e . a

any t h e b ody with out the p e mi i n of t he S up eme B eing

o r nd if it r ss o r ,
a

f und its o iginal b ody all c umbl ed to piec es or if anot her spi it had by
o r r , r

some ev il m e n p s essed it t he unh appy soul woul d h av e to fl oat ab ut l ik e

a s o s ,
o

t he d isemb odied gh os ts in V irgil For t h is eason p pl e were very anxious . r eo

for the p ese v t ion of t h ei b odi

r fter deat h B ut it was believ d th at in
r a r es a . e

s ome e in t nc es wh ere t he o igin l b d y was c ompl et ly d estr y d

rar s a ,
r a o e o e ,

t he S up eme B eing g v e the sou l p e missi on t o i nh ab it som ot h er b ody

r a r e .

I n the t ime of the P tol emie it w t h ugh t t o be p s ible th t the oul nd s as o o s a s a

b ody migh t mi tak e e c h othe t th e u ection t o l ife and h nc e ises

s a r a e r s rr , e ar

m uch of t h b utiful P l tonic myth s of E ros nd P yc h The re u rect i n

e ea a a s e . s r o

o f ll m n w n t h el d by t h m as by us t h ey b eliev ed that all m n woul d

a e as o e e

be j udged but not all at t he sa me time

M r Row —Ho w
, .

. far is the pant heon of E gy t p llied

a t o the pant heon of
I n d ia
M r CO O P E R —A t presen t nob ody c an d efi nitely t ell us t hat W e h ave
. .

some mat erial as t o t he a nc ient rel ig ion of h it h er I n dia in t he p re

B huddist p eriod , and th ere is a great s imilarity b etween t h at and the
E gypt ian, but we cannot d ogmatiz e on t he subj ec t The E g yptian my .

t hology was p erfec t at l east years b efore Ch rist , and all we can say
is tha t e very th ing in t he I ndian my th ol ogy meets it s anal og ue in the E yp tian
g
my t h ol ogy Wh en t he S emitic p eople came a cross with Rameses from I ndia
.
 81

and co n quere d th e ab original races th ey intro duce d muc h o f th eir own ,

cultus but th ey also ad opt e d Egyptian forms th e result being a very great
, ,

c hang e i nd ee d and it is possible th at th e R m sidze may h ave intro duce d an a e

Indi an myth olog y with th em or at all events h ave e xplai n e d Turan ian myth s
, , ,

by Semitic th eories
Mr Row—
.

.
W a th e Egyp tian th eolo gy a perso ni fi cat io n o f th e powers o f
s

n ature
Mr COO P E R —N but th at the theurgia o f a Supreme Being man ifeste d
.
O

i n th e powers o f n ature .

Mr Rom But was i t n ot simply aperson ifi cat io n o f th e powers of n ature

-

Mr COOP ER —By n o mean s [M Cooper h ere d rew upo n th e black boar d

.

. . r .

representatio n s o f th e h ea d o f an an cient Egy ptian and o f th e h ea d o f on e o f ,

the men o f th e Rameside perio d t o s h ow th e d eg en eratio n in th e p hysiolog ical

,

charact er of th e races He th en procee d e d t o say It was an Indo Germanic

.
-

race th at co n quere d Egyp t i n th e t ime o f th e Rameses and mad e great ,

improvements All th e remains o f Egy pt e x cep t th e pyrami d s and o n e or

.
,

two impe rfect t ombs belong t o th at race Th ere was also an o th er co n quering
,
.

race o f a different or A rabian typ e wh ose influen ce again mo difi e d th e ,

Egyp tian cultus but i t has left very few evi d e nces T h ey seem t o have
,
.

possesse d n o li t erature and n o evi den ce o f th eir sway remain e d e x cept th e

,

e xt reme h atre d th at every E gyp t i an bore t o th e s h ep her d or Hyk shos

rulers .

Rev T M GO RMA N —I s h oul d lik e t o as k o n e questio n wh ic h seems

. . . .

t o h ave an import ant be aring o n th e r ti onale o f th is curious and diffi cult a

subj ec t In th e paper j us t read referen ce h as been ma d e t o th e i d ea o f a

.

spiritual Supreme Being as kn own t o th e mos t an cient Egyptian s Can .

Egyp tolo gers throw any light o n th e origi n o f this i d ea ? I t woul d be a

point of great interest t o s h ow th at th e i d ea wa d erive d n o t from th e fan cy s , ,

or eve n th e reaso n o f this origin ally g rave and th oughtful people but fro m ,

th e primeval Revelation It appears t o me th at th e real and lasting value of

.

researc h es suc h as th ese d epend s mat erially upo n the solution o f question s
like th at h ere propose d If carefully a nd patient ly worke d out consi derable
. ,

light might be th rown o n th e true c h aract er and purport o f Egy ptian symbol
ism a subj ect full o f int erest for th e Ch rist ian s tu d ent of an cient lore As
,
.

an illus tratio n o f wh at is meant may be mention e d the ad op tio n of th e ,

serpent by th e Egyp tians for an emblem of evil as opening up on e of th e

, , ,
.

most di ffi cul t ques tions i n th eology Th e s tu d y of this and k ind re d subj ects .

bring s before us a fac t wh ic h d eserves our bes t con si derat io n i n th ese d ys a

e power a ep o e i i acul y as vm d by th e
.

namely th
,
nd d th f th th nk ng f t e ce

a t io n s o f th e orl d i n recor d s th a t h ave bee n preserve d f the ‘

ll
O ld W
o
n
t h e

n atio n al life U .
pwar d s o f t we nt y ce nt uries a g o th e E g yp t ians h a d fall

eir pris i e e li e me T eir s a e descr be d

Zo n a ? h
away from th t n n ght n nt h t t t is i 1 e

i n spire d wor d s o f t h Hebrew e prop h e t T h e pr n ces o f s i a re

n
oo ,

th e counsel o f th e wise cou n sellors o f P h arao h become bru t s h I t is i .

n o t so i n th e ol d t ime We lear n o n th e sa me auth or t y that Egyp t i

was .

G
 82

was o nce calle d th e so n o f th e wise th e :so n o f th e king s o f antiquity

“
,
.

Were it possible t o arrive at th e primal source o f th e kn owle dg e pos

sesse d by th e Egyp tian s o f th e Supreme Deity as a spiritual creat or ,

and g ove rnor some th ing perh aps mi ght be d o n e in th e way o f solvi ng
,

an o th er di ffi cul t problem—th e separation of wh at is g enuin e from wh at is

spurious in Egyptian myt h ology It might th us be possible t o d istin guish
more clearly th an has yet bee n d on e th e t ruth —of wh ich th e symbol is th e
.
,

e xpressio n—from th e fable by wh ic h in th e lapse o f ages that truth has been , ,

overgrow n a nd well nigh lost t o view By workin g assi duously in th e same

-
.

direct io n i t might be possible t o lesse n in some d egree th e confusion o f truth

and myt h wh ic h at present e xis ts in th e ol d er Greek and Roman myth ology .

F h ere also ha ve bee n preserve d some rem n ant s o f a t rue symbolism

or To .

discover th en th e source o f th at spiritual i d ea o f th e Deity whi c h on ce

, ,

prevaile d among th is ancient and peculiar people woul d it seems t o me , , ,

impart a n ew and li vi ng in t erest t o research es suc h as th ose o n wh ic h th e

i n tructive pap er o f this evening is bas e d and place stu d ents of Egyptology
s ,

i n a muc h more a d vantageous posit io n for estimating th e true value o f

results arrive d at in th is bran c h o f learni ng Th e acu te remark o f a well .

i nforme d writer on th e subj ect well d eserves t o be born e i n mind in the

present conn ec tio n The Egyptians are n o t th e only people wh o h ave co n
verte d type int o substan ce or ad op t e d in a li teral sense th e met aph orical
,

symbols o f faith .
”

Mr COO P E R —Th e book th at cont ain s th e an swer t o that ques tio n is very
.

abs truse an d diffi cul t to unders tand because it is writt en in purely i d eograp h ic ,

symboli s m It is th e boo k o f th e Manifestation s or Li turg y o f th e Sun and

.
, ,

has bee n publis h e d by M C h abas We cann o t obt ai n muc h from i t o th erwise

. .

th an th at th e abs tract sen se o f Deity is represe nt e d by th e fi rst o f all sym

bols—fi e by light and air and by everything beautiful Th ere is a
r , , .

passage th at implies that th e Deity is h olin ess also .

Rev C G RA H A M — V ith regar d t o th e myt h ology of Greece and Rome

. . .
V
,

you will find that i t illustrat es man y o f th e g reat fact s in th e Book o f

Gen esis Of course it d oes so i n a corrupt e d form ; but n everth eless th ose
.

fact s are illus trate d and I woul d ve nture t o say th at th ey are derive d from
,

Egy p tian myth olo gy In Ge nesis we are t ol d mos t distin ctly that a serpent
.

induce d Eve t o eat o f th e forbi dd en fruit N ow in th e Greek and .

Roman myth ology we h ave th e Gar den o f th e Hesperi d es suppose d t o be ,

j us t o n th e bord ers o f Eth iopia We h ave a serpent coile d rou nd th e tree .

d e fending th e g ol d e n apples and A tlas surrou nding th e gard en s with ,

mountain s in or der t o prevent th e fulfilment o f an an cient proph ecy th at

th e son o f a go d woul d at length d es troy th e serpent and tak e off th e apples .

An oth er fact recor d e d in Gen esis is th at th e see d of th e woman was t o bruis e ,

th e h ead o f th e serpent N ow in mythology we have that great truth

.

also t r nsmitted We h ave for in stan ce Hercules d est roying th e serpent

a .
, ,

wi th his club accor ding t o Apollon ius and according t o O vi d and o th ers we
, ,

h ave Apollo d estroying th e Pytho n with h is arrows Th ese fact s w hic h lie at .
,
 83

th e found atio n o f our religio n are di stin ctly t ransmitte d fro m classic ,

myt h olo gy and i n all probabili ty th ey passe d from Egypt t o Greece and
,

Rome W ith regar d t o th e wor d Hesperi des i tself many learn e d men d erive
.
,

i t from th e Hebrew wor d ets p ert—a tree o f fruit T h e serpent accord ing t o .
,

Apollo n ius is calle d L aden wh ich le arn e d me n d erive from E l A dan th e

, , ,

Go d o f E d en attribu ting t o the serpe nt divin e power and maki ng it a go d

, , .

Th ese matt ers are important I d o n o t k n ow wh ether Mr Cooper woul d . .

t ell us that th e myth olo gy o f Greece and Rome was main ly d erive d from
an Egyp tian so urce
Mr COO P E R —Oh n o n o t i n your sens e N o d oub t E gyp t is th e moth er
.

,
. . .

of th ose myth olo gies bu t s h e h as very ba d d aught ers , .

Mr GRAHA M —Jus t so But i n th ese cases th e myt h ology o f Greece and

. . .

Rome is more dist in ct and illus trat ive even th an th at o f an cient Eg ypt Th e , .

great fac ts o f th e Fall and o f th e Re d emp tio n come ou t mos t dis tin c tly i n th e
mythology of Greece and Rome .

Mr COO P ER —Far less so as matt ers o f d oct ri n e t o my belief th an th ey

.
, ,

d o i n Egyp t th e gre at dist in ct io n be t wee n p hysical and moral evil and ,

th e sense o f human respo ns ibility prevaili ng far more l arg ely in th e Egyptian
faith th an i t di d ei th er i n Helle n e or Latin th eolo gy Plat o d oub te d o f wh at .

Go d was ma de and Pliny d oub t e d if th ere were a Supreme Deity at all

,
.

Th e great men were p h il osop h ical sen sualist s and th e people unreflecting ,

fet ischists
Mr J ALLEN —Y0u spok e o f th e Egyp tian myth ology being perfec t
.

. . .

years before C h ris t I suppose you mean accor ding t o th e c hron ology o f th e
.

Egypt ian s th emselves .

Mr COO P E R —C h ro n olo gis t s differ very muc h T h ere are th ose w h o lik e
. . .
,

S harpe fix th e i nitial d at e at abou t

, before C h rist and o th ers lik e , ,

Bunsen and L enormant w h o th row i t back t o years ; but th ose are

,

mere th eories until we g et more as tro n omical fact s We h ave g o t some .

atronomical fac t s h owever —in th e r ign o f Rameses III eclipses and e .

s tellar p h en omen a are recor d e d at th e t emple o f Me di n et Habou wh ich some , ,

say coul d only h ave occurre d

,
or years ag o But th en a great .

d eal depe nd s upo n h ow far th e i n scrip t ion s can be ch ro n ologically arrang e d .

W ith re g ar d t o th e Bible th e Pe ntat euch is full o f E gyp t I th i nk th at it was

, .

writt e n in th e Egyp tian alp h abet for a people saturat e d with the symbolism ,

and th e ultil re o f E gyp t and I co n si d er th at th e Hebrew ch aract ers di d n o t

c

e xist at th at t ime or for centuries aft erwar d s I f this be so wh en Moses

,
.
,

wro t e th e early sacre d book s th e writ ing mus t h ave been i d eo grap hic or i n
pict orial hi ero glyp h ic ch aract ers ; and in all probabilit y h e follo we d ou t
th e plan o f th e Egyp tian s co nveying partly by sym bols partly by S gn s
.

,
i ,
,

and partly by a mix ture o f bo th th e d octrin es wh ich were aft erwar d s ,

pu t int o g oo d H brew by E ra a nd thee lat er pr es t s T h a t d oes n ozt 1 .

*

The p Hebrew c h arac t

resen t
er was i nt ro d uce d t o th e Jews fr m C h al daea
o ,

probably abou t th e t ime o f th e Babylo n ia n cap t ivi t y bu t th at is n o reaso n

 84

i mpugn th e truth o f th e Bible at all ; but th ough as a boo k it may , ,

be in some respects comparatively mo d ern th e d octrin es o f th e Bible ,

are coev al wi th th e ori g i n o f th e h uma n race i tsel f and coul d o n ly h ave ,

been made k n own by divin e revelat ion We h ave prove d th at book t o .

be absolutely t rue i n matters o f h is tory and I believe we s h all prove i t

t o be absol ut ely t rue i n matt ers o f th eolo g y also but th at mus t be d on e
by different person s If you t ak e a circle and all men t ravel in d irec t
.
,

lin es from its circumferen ce th ey will all co nverg e in a common centre ,

.

Th at centre in this cas e is orth o d o x y an y di verg e n ce fro m i t is o nly ap

p arent n o t real (Ch eers )
Dr W A I NW RIG Hr —I t h as bee n sh own by Professor Do nal d that i n
, .

. .

th e t ime o f M oses Hebrew was alrea dy a languag e and had attain e d a ,

certain s tage of con solid atio n ; as is sh own by th e fossiliz e d character o f

certain o f its element s Th ere are int erest ing ind icatio ns o f th e e xtreme
.

ant iquity of th e l an u ag e w h ic h s h ow tha t i n th e t ime o f M oses i t had

g ,

such an antiquity as t o possess o th er previous s tag es corresponding to th e

earlier s tages o f our own languag e in th e time of Ch aucer
Mr COO P E R —That is a matter o f t e xt a nd th e ol d es t copy o f th e Hebrew
.

.
,

Bible in England dates from abou t th e eighth century ; my authority is

Pro fessor L enormant— indee d we h ave n o copy o f any writing in Greek , ,

Lat in or Hebrew so ol d as th e t i me of our Lord but we have Egyp tian

, ,

i nscription s that can be t race d up cert ainly t o or years

before C h rist I d o n o t n ow allu d e t o i ncise d in script ion s ? It is a
.

curious fact that as far as writt en t es timony goes we h ave n on e e arlier th an

, ,

th e Ch risti an era e xcep t th e Egyp tian papyri and the A ssyrian magical
,

for assuming that th e Language h a d n o t an arch aic c h aract er of i ts ow n or ,

that Moses wrote i n th e i deo grap h ic Eg yp t ian T h e Moabit e s to n e . ,

9 00 D c rece nt ly d iscovere d (sec p

. .
, is wri tt e n in pure Hebrew bu t i n .
,

th e an cie nt Phoen ician c harac ter ; i n w h ic h charact er mos t pro bably th e

Pentateuc h i tself was writte n—(J H T ) Dr Espin remarks (Sp eakers
, ,
’
. . . .

Commentary vol ii p Ar c h aisms fou nd i n th e writings o f Moses

, . . .
, ,
are n o t found in th e boo k o f Jos hua and there are t races i n th e latter ,

th at th e language had somewh at d evelope d i tself in the i nt erval .

”

Th ere are some remark able in s ta nces o f this give n i n th e Transaction s of

th e Palestin e E xploratio n Fund for 1 8 7 2 w h ic h are n ow add e d t o th e
“
,
In sti tu te s Library [E D ] ’
. .

1 Si n ce this d iscussio n Mr G anneau h as ment ion e d as re gard s an cient

'

, .
,

Hebrew in scrip tion s th at up t o this t ime th e te xts found i n Palestin e and

,

Jer usalem are few in n umber and o f small importan ce : amongs t th em are
t wo Hebrew t e xt s in Ph oenician ch aract er discovere d at Siloam Two Hebrew .

cach ets i n Pho nician ch aract ers give th e Biblical n ames o f An an ias Azarias
e
, ,
and A c hbor Th ese four t exts belo ng t o the time of th e kings o f Ju dah also
.

several in scription s in square Hebrew To th ese I may add th e seal o f .

”

Haggai (520 n o ) th e auth enticity of wh ic h is however n o t ye t admitt e d by

, , ,

a l and th e Moabi t e s t o n e A curious remark is ma d e by Joseph us A ntiq

l
, .
,
.
,
xii ii 1
. it is that Demetrius Phalerins library k eeper t o Pt olemy Ph ila
.
,
-

d elphus (27 7 no ) spok e o f th e Hebrew as similar in sou nd and charact er

,

t o th e langu age proper t o the Syrian s .

”
 86

N O TE O N THE HEBREW A LP HAB E T A N D V O W E L PO IN T S .

By the Rev C G RA HA M . . .

G esenius rehat Howev er dissimilar the S hemitish w

mark s , t
“
ritt en c a
h
ract ers ma
y now app ear t h ey h av e un d oub tedly all c ome by vari ous modi fi
, ,
c ations from one and the same original alphab et of wh ich the truest c opy
, ,

now ex t ant is the P h oeni ci an from whi c h also the A nc ient G re ek and t h rough ,

it all oth er E urop ean c haracters were d eriv e d

, O f the Hebrew l etters now
,
.
”

in use c all e d t he A ssyri a n or S qu are ch aracter in wh i c h t he manusc ri pts

, ,

of t he O ld Testament are writt en he says Th ey are not of the origmal “

, ,
form O n the c oins of the M accab ean P rinc es is found another c haracter
.
,

wh i c h at an earlier p eriod was prob ably in g eneral use and wh ich b ears a ,

stron
g resemblan c e t o the S amaritan and P h oenic ian l etters The s quare .

letter may also be traced b ack t o the P hoenic ian ; but it has most agree
ment with c ert ain Aramaean ins criptions foun d in E gypt and at P al myra .
”

G esenius remark s wh at one woul d t h ink ough t t o be obvious t o every one

, ,

t h at t he ant iquity of the l ett ers is cl early prov e d by t he alp h ab eti c al p oetic
c omp ositions in Ps xx v xxxiv xx xvii c xix Lam i t o iv
. .
, .
, .
, . . . .
”

A gain he says , B ot h t he names and the ord er of the l ett ers (wit h a
,
“

t rifling al terat ion) p assed ov er from t he P h oeni cian into the G reek in wh ic h ,

the l etters from A lp h a t o Tau c orresp ond ed t o the a nc ient alp hab et
, ,
.

“
Wh en the Hebrew c eased t o b e a sp ok en language and the danger of
c ont inually i ncreased the rowel—
,

losing the c orrect p ronunciation si gns ,

or p oi nts were i nv ent ed wh ic h minut ely set t l ed wh at ha d p rev iously b een
,
l eft unc ertain .

T h is v owel syst em he s ays has p rob ably for its b asis the pronun cia
,
”
,
“
,
t ion of the J e ws of P al estine and its c onsis ten cy as well a s t he anal ogy of
, ,
t he k ind re d l anguages furnish es s trong p roof of it s c orrec t nes s at l east as
, ,

a wh ol e I ts auth ors h ave lab oure d t o exh ib it by s igns t he minute grad a

.

t ions of t he v owel sou nd s c arefully mak ing even half— ,

v owels and h elp ing
sp ont aneou sly ad op te d in all l anguages
sound s
y e t sel d om ex p resse d in
writing —S ee I nt odu c ti on to G esen i us s
, ,

. r H eb ew G rammar from the ’ “

r ,
”

fourteenth G erman edi ti on , enla rged a nd i mp roved by D R E . . R6D I G E R ,

transla ted by D r B D A V I E S . . .
 flbbj ms [If t c ilirteria gustitutr .

First To investigate fully and impart ially the most im ortant q uestions of
p
.

P h ilosoph y and S cienc e, but more esp ec ially th ose that b ear up on the
great trut h s revea ed in Ho l
S ri ture, with the iew of re ly c p v c onciling
any apparent d is re an ies
p c
et ween Christ ianitcand S ien e b y c c
—T
.

S e c ond ciate men of S cience an d auth ors who h ave already b een
o asso

en age d in suc h investi at i ns and all oth ers who ma be intereste d

g g yo ,

in t h em in order t o strengt hen t h ei efforts by as soc iation ; and by

, r

bringing t ogether the results of suc h L b ours after full discussion in a , ,

the printe d Transactions of an Ins t itution to give greater force and

influence to proofs and argu ment s which mi gh t be littl e known or
e v en di sregard ed if put forward merely by indiv iduals .

T h ird —T c
o d
onsi er the mutual
b ea ings of the v arious scientific c onclusions
r

arri v ed at in the several d i t in ct b anc h es int o whi c h S cienc e i now

s r s

divided in order to get rid of cont adictions and c onfli cting hypoth ses
,
r e ,

and t h us p romot e the real ad v n cem nt f t rue S cienc e a and t o examin e e o

and discuss all supp osed s c ient ifi c ults wit h referenc e t o final c aus s
res e ,

and the more comprehens ive and fun d ament al princ ipl es of P h i l os p hy o

p rop er bas ed upon faith in the e xi tenc e of one E ternal G od who in

,
s ,

His wisdom created all th ings v e y good r .

Fourth — To p ubli sh Pap ers read b efo e the S oc iety in furtherance of the r

ab ove obj e cts al ong wit h full rep o t

,
of the d is cussions t h ereon in r s ,

the form of a J ournal or as the Trans ctions of the Institut e

.
,
a .

Fifth — W hen subj ects have b een fully di cussed to mak e the results k nown s ,

by means of Lectures of more p opular k ind ; and to publish uch

a. s

Lec tures .

S ixth — To publish E nglish tran lat ion f imp ortant foreign work s of rea l
s s o

scientifi c and ph ilosoph ic al v al ue esp ecially th ose b eari ng up n t he o

,

rel ation b et ween the S c ipt u es an

d S c ienc e ; and t o cc Sperat e wit h
r r
-

c
ot h er philosop hical so i t ie at
home nd abroad which are now or m y
e s a ,
a

h ereafter be formed in the int re t of S criptural truth and f re l

,
e s o a

S c ienc e and generally in furt h eranc e of t he obj ects o h S c y

f t is o iet .

v
S e enth — T o f ound a L ib ra ry
. and R e d ing R oms for the use of the M emb e s
a o r

of the I nstitute
combining the p incipal advantages of a Li terary Cl ub
,
r .
 ® £t m5 sf m e mbers ip ibi , .

THE Obj ects of the Vic toria I n st it ut e b eing of t he h ighest importanc e both

to S cience and Rel igion, while t h ey are suc h as ha v e not b een attempte d to be
attained by any
previously existing s c ientifi c soc iety, it is antic ip ate d th at
wh en its establishment is k nown, it will receiv e the most l iberal supp ort by
gifts and d onations from frien ds, and be j oined by large numb ers of M embers
and Assoc iates .

The annual sub scription for M emb ers is Two G uineas eac h , wit h One
G uinea E ntranc e D onation .

The annual bc
su s ription for As sociates is O ne G uinea ea ch , W i thout any
E ntran ce Fee .

Life Memb ers to pay Twe nty G uin eas ; an d L ife Associates t o p ay Ten
~ .

G uineas, resp ectively, in lieu of the ab ov e A nnual S ubscriptions .

Vice Patrons (ladies

-
o r gentl emen) t o p ay not less than Si xty G uineas
each, as a D onation to the funds of t he I nst it ut e .

All who j oin the S o iet c y as M embe s must be professedly Christians

r .

Ap p bications for ami s m an d g en era l corresp ond ence ( as to p ap ers

p rop osed to be read , &c ) s hould be addressed to the Honorar y S e retary of t he c
I ns ti tute .

AL L AN N UA L S UB S CR I PTI O N S JAN UARY I ST

B E CO ME D UE IN A D V A N CE ON

I N E A CH YE AR AND IT I S PA RT I CULA RLY RE Q U E ST E D T HAT T HE Y MA Y BE RE G UL A RLY

,
a
nE m T rE D To urn HO N O R AR Y T RE AS UR E R W N W E ST E sq AT T HE O FF I CE
, . .
, .
, ,

8 AD E LPHI TE RRACE
,
S T RAN D L O N D O N W C
, Cnnq uns To BE c nossnn
, ,
. .

P O ST O FF ICE O RD E RS TO B E c nossnn 1N LI KE M AN N E R A N D
”
RAN d Co .
,

M A DE PA Y A BL E AT T HE CHI E F MO N E Y O R D R O FF ICE LON DO N ( D O NATI ON S T o

_
- E , .

THE E ndowment Fwnd; on T HE L ib y Fund M A Y B E SE NT I N L I KE M A NN E R )

ra r .

Any risk atten ant on sen d v id d by M mb

ding mon ey by p os t wi ll be a o e e ers

and A s ci t s giving th i B nk
so a e ut h it y t p y the u b c ipt i ns
e r a f ers a or o a s s r o ,
“
or

t he Vict ia I nst it ut t M R n m 8 C 1 P ll Mall E ast

”
or e, B nk e
o e ss rs . a so 6 O .
, a rs . , a ,

L ndon S W
o , Fo ms f th i p u p s
. fu ni h d by the Inst itute
r or s r o e are r s e .