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Egyptian Myth and Legend

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Egyptian Tales Translated from the Papyri: IVth to XIXth dynasty. Ancient Egypt Myth and History. Legends of the Egyptian Gods. A Tale of Four Dervishes. The Gods of the Egyptians, Volume 2. Egyptian Ideas of the Afterlife. Gods Of The Egyptians - 2 Vols. Egyptian Tales, Second Series. The Hours of Isis. The Book of Gates. The Dwellers on the Nile. Egyptian Literature Routledge Revivals. The Life and Times of Akhnaton. Notes For The Nile. Luxor And Its Temples. Religion of the Ancient Egyptians. Comparative History of the Egyptian and Mesopotamian Religions.

Egyptian Myth and Legend. Teutonic Myth And Legend. Representation in Scientific Practice Revisited. How to write a great review. The review must be at least 50 characters long. The title should be at least 4 characters long. Your display name should be at least 2 characters long. At Kobo, we try to ensure that published reviews do not contain rude or profane language, spoilers, or any of our reviewer's personal information. You submitted the following rating and review. We'll publish them on our site once we've reviewed them.

Item s unavailable for purchase. In aftertime these two deities shone as stars amidst the constellations of heaven, and they were called " The Twins ". Then came into being Seb, the earth god, and Nut, the goddess of the firmament, who became the parents of Osiris and his consort Isis and also of Set and his consort Nepthys. Ra spake at the beginning of Creation, and bade the earth and the heavens to rise out of the waste of water.

In the brightness of his majesty they appeared, and Shu, the uplifter, raised Nut upon high. She formed the vault, which is arched over Seb, the god of earth, who lies prostrate beneath her from where, at the eastern horizon, she is poised upon her toes to where, at the western horizon, bending down with outstretched arms, she rests upon her finger tips. In the darkness are beheld the stars which sparkle upon her body and over her great unwearied limbs. When Ra, according to his desire, uttered the deep thoughts of his mind, that which he named had being.

Egyptian mythology

When he gazed into space, that which he desired to see appeared before him. He created all things that move in the waters and upon the dry land. Now, mankind were born from his eye, and Ra, the Creator, who was ruler of the gods, became the first king upon earth. He went about among men; he took form like unto theirs, and to him the centuries were as years. Ra had many names that were not known unto gods or men, and he had one secret name which gave to him his divine power.

The goddess Isis, who dwelt in the world as a woman, grew weary of the ways of mankind; she sought rather to be amidst the mighty gods. In her heart, therefore, she yearned to know the secret name 1 of the ruling god, which was hidden in his bosom and was never revealed in speech. Each day Ra walked forth, and the gods who were of his train followed him, and he sat upon his throne and uttered decrees.

He had grown old, and as he spake moisture dripped from his mouth and fell upon the ground. Isis followed after him, and when she found his saliva she baked it with the earth on which it lay. In the form of a spear she shaped the substance, and it became a venomous serpent. She lifted it up; she cast it vfrom her, and it lay on the path which Ra was wont to traverse when he went up and down his kingdom, surveying that which he had made. Now the sacred serpent which Isis created was -invisible to gods and men.

Soon there came a day when Ra, the aged god, walked along the path followed by his companions. He came nigh to the serpent, which awaited him, and the serpent stung him. The burning venom entered his body, and Ra was stricken with great pain.

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Translated by Elizabeth Bredeck. There cometh unto thee Isis, lady of the horizon, Who hath begotten herself alone. Present events repeat the events of myth, and in doing so renew maat , the fundamental order of the universe. A mythological scene sculptured upon a cliff at Ibreez in Cappadocia is supposed to represent the marriage of the two Great Father and Mother deities, and it is significant to find that the son accompanies the self-created bride. The coffin of Osiris was borne to the ship in which the queen goddess had sailed unto Syria.

A loud and mighty cry broke from his lips, and it was heard in highest heaven. Then spake the gods who were with him, saying: But at length he possessed himself and subdued his heart and the fears of his heart. He spake, and his words were: I am stricken with great pain by something I know not of Of that I have knowledge in my heart, for I have not done myself an injury with mine own hand. I am without power to make known who hath stricken me thus. Never before hath such sorrow and pain been mine. Nu, my father, conceived my secret name which giveth me power, and he concealed it in my heart so that no magician might ever know it, and, knowing it, be given power to work evil against me.

It is not fire, yet it burns in my flesh ; it is not water, yet cold is my body and my limbs tremble. My command is that all my children be brought nigh to me so that they may pronounce words of power which shall be felt upon earth and in the heavens. She spoke forth mighty words, for she could utter incanta- tions to subdue pain and to give life unto that from which life had departed.

Unto Ra spake Isis, saying: Thou hast been bitten by a serpent, one of the creatures which thou didst create. I shall weave spells ; I shall thwart thine enemy with magic. I shall overwhelm the serpent utterly in the brightness of thy glory. It is not fire, yet it burns my flesh.

It is not water, yet cold is my body, and my limbs tremble. Drops of sweat fall from my face. I have even framed the earth, and the mountains are the work of my hands ; I made the sea, and I cause the Nile to flood the land of Egypt. I am the Great Father of the gods and the goddesses. I gave life unto them. When I open my eyes there is light: My secret name is known not unto the gods.

I am Khepera at dawn, Ra at high noon, and Turn at eventide. The poison still burned in his flesh and his body trembled. He seemed ready to die. Isis, the enchantress, heard him, but there was no sorrow in her heart. She desired, above all other things, to share the power of Ra, and she must needs have revealed unto her his sacred name which Nu conceived and uttered at the beginning.

So she spake to Ra, saying: If thou shalt reveal it unto me I will have strength to give thee healing. Like raging flames it consumed his flesh, and he suffered fierce agony. The sun boat was empty, and there was thick darkness. Isis waited, and when the secret name of the divine father was about to leave his heart and pass into her own, she spake unto Horus her son and said: I have worked the spell. I have overcome the serpent and caused the venom to be spilled upon the ground, because that the secret name of the divine father hath been given unto me.

Now let Ra live, for the venom hath perished. The venom departed from his body and there was no longer pain in his heart or any sorrow. As Ra grew old ruling over men, there were those among his subjects who spake disdainfully regarding him, saying: He spake unto his divine followers and said: Let them all come hither in secret, so that men may not behold them, and, fearing, take sudden flight.

Let all the gods assemble in my great temple at Heliopolis. It is my desire that ye should instruct me what ye would do in this matter. Consider well among yourselves and guide me with wisdom. I have hesitated to punish mankind until I have heard from your lips what should now be done regarding them. I desire in my heart to destroy utterly that which I did create. All the world will become a waste of water through a great flood as it was at the beginning, and I alone shall be left remaining, with no one else beside me save Osiris and his son Horus.

I shall be- come a small serpent invisible to the gods. To Osiris will be given power to reign over the dead, and Horus will be exalted on the throne which is set upon the island of fiery flames. Stead- fast is thy throne ; great is the fear of thee among men. Let thine eye go forth against those who are rebels in the kingdom. When it cometh down from heaven as Hathor, no human eye can be raised against it. The goddess rejoiced in her work and drave over the land, so that for many nights she waded in blood.

His fierce anger passed away, and he sought to save the remnant of mankind.

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He sent messengers, who ran swifter than the storm wind, unto Elephantine, so that they might obtain speedily many plants of virtue. These they brought back, and they were well ground and steeped with barley in vessels filled with the blood of mankind. So was beer made and seven thousand jars were filled with it. Day dawned and Hathor 1 went upstream slaughter- ing mankind.

Ra surveyed the jars and said: It is my will that Hathor may slay them no longer. The jars were emptied out as was his desire, and the land was covered with the flood. When Hathor awoke her heart was made glad. She 1 The feline goddess Sekhet is also given as the slaughterer. In one of the temple chants we read: Then began she to drink eagerly, and she was made drunken so that she went to and fro over the land, nor took any heed ot mankind.

Ra spake unto her, saying: Men and women partook ot the draughts of sweetness at the festival and were made drunken like the goddess. Now when Hathor had returned to Ra he spake unto her with weariness, saying: I am still alive, but I am weary of heart and desire no longer to dwell among men. I have not destroyed them as I have power to do. Power is thine according to thy desire. I shall go forth no longer alone, nor shall I wait until I am stricken again with pain.

Help shall be given unto me according to my desire. The Nile is then in full flood. Then darkness came on. Men issued forth from their hiding places in great fear, and when they beheld Ra departing from them they sorrowed because of the rebellious words which had been spoken against his majesty. Indeed they cried unto Ra, be- seeching him to slay those of his enemies who remained. But Ra was borne through the darkness, and men fol- lowed him until he appeared again and shed light upon the earth.

Then did his faithful subjects arm themselve; with weapons, and they sallied forth against the enemies of the sun god and slaughtered them in battle. Ra beheld that which his followers among men had done, and he was well pleased. He spake unto them saying: Slaughter atones for slaughter. Such is sacrifice and the purport thereof. No longer will I reign upon the earth.

The great god went on his way through the realms which are above, and these he divided and set in order. He spake creating words, and called into existence the field of Aalu, and there he caused to assemble a multitude of beings which are beheld in heaven, even the stars, and these were born of Nut. In millions they came to praise and glorify Ra. Unto Shu, the god of atmosphere, whose consort is Nut, was given the keeping of the multitude of beings that shine in thick darkness. Shu raised his arms, uplifting over his head the Celestial Cow 1 and the millions and millions of stars.

It is my will now that they may have dread of me as great as is my dread of them. Thou shalt discover why they are moved with enmity against me. When thou hast done that, thou shalt go unto Nu, my father, and bid him to have knowledge of all the reptiles in the deep and upon the dry land. Let it be made known unto each one that my rays shall fall upon them. By words of magic alone can they be overcome. Thou shalt record the sins of men, and the names of those who are mine enemies ; in Duat thou shalt bind them.

Thou shalt be temporary dweller in my place ; thou art my deputy. Lo I I now give messengers unto thee. Ra spake again, saying: At 1 Here the old lunar deity Thoth is associated with the dawn. The chattering of apes at sunrise gave origin to the idea that they worshipped the rising sun. Five-and-seventy invocations are chanted to give him power to overcome the demons of darkness who are his enemies. He then enters the western gate, through which dead men's souls pass to be judged before Osiris. In front of him goes the jackal god, Anubis, for he is "Opener of the Ways".

Ra has a sceptre in one hand: When the sun bark enters the river Urnes of the underworld the companions of Ra are with him. Watch- man is there, and Striker, and Steersman is at the helm, and in the bark are also those divinities who are given power, by uttering magical incantations, to overcome the demons of evil. The gloomy darkness of the first hour-division is scattered by the brightness of Ra. Beside the bark gather the pale shades of the newly dead, but none of them can enter it without knowledge of the magical formulae which it is given unto few to possess.

At the end of the first hour-division is a high and strong wall, and a gate is opened by incantations so that the bark of Ra may pass through. So from division to division, all through the perilous night, the sun god proceeds, and the number of demons that must be thwarted by magic and fierce fighting increases as he goes.

Apep, the great Night serpent, ever seeks to overcome Ra and devour him. The fifth hour-division is the domain of dreaded Sokar, the underworld god, with three human heads, a serpent's body, and mighty wings between which appears his hawk form. His abode is in a dark and secret place which is guarded by fierce sphinxes. Strange and mysterious tonus hover nigh, and in the pool are genii in torture, their heads aflame with everlasting fire. In the seventh hour-division sits Osiris, divine judge of the dead.

Fiery serpents, which are many-headed, obey his will. Feet have they to walk upon and hands, and some carry sharp knives with which to cut to pieces the souls of the wicked. Whom Osiris deems to be worthy, he favours ; such shall live in the Nether World: In this division of peril the darksome Night serpent Apep attacks the sun bark, curling its great body round the compartment of Ra with ferocious intent to devour him.

But the allies of the god contend against the serpent ; they stab it with knives until it is overcome. I sis utters mighty incantations which cause the sun bark to sail onward unscathed nor stayed. In the eighth division are serpents which spit forth fire to illumine the darkness, and in the tenth are fierce water reptiles and ravenous fishes. The god Horus burns great beacons in the eleventh hour-division; ruddy flames and flames of gold blaze aloft in beauty: The sun god is reborn in the twelfth hour-division.

He enters the tail of the mighty serpent, which is named " Divine Life ", and issues from its mouth in the form of Khepera, which is a beetle. Those who are with the god are reborn also. The last door of all is guarded by Isis, wife of Osiris, and Nepthys, wife of Set, in the form of serpents. They enter the sun bark with Ra. And as Ra was lifted out of the deep at the beginning, so he is lifted by Nu at dawn. He is then received by Nut, goddess of the heavens ; he is born of Nut and grows in majesty, ascending to high noon. The souls of the dead utter loud lamentations when the sun god departs out of the darkness of Duat.

Ra is first a human god the Pharaoh , then a world god like Ptah in his giant form, and lastly a cosmic deity. The priests were evidently engaged in systematizing the theology of the sun cult. Ra, the sun, is shown to be greater than his father Nu, and a concession is made to the worshippers of Isis in the legend which credits Ra with imparting to her the powers she possessed. Thoth also, as Ah, has control of the moon. The retult of the compromising process was to leave everything vague and even confused, but the greatness of Ra was made manifcei.

When Osiris was born, a voice from out of the heavens proclaimed: When Ra grew old and ascended unto heaven, Osiris sat in his throne and ruled over the land of Egypt. Men were but savages when he first came amongst them. They hunted wild animals, they wandered in broken tribes hither and thither, up and down the valley and among the mountains, and the tribes contended fiercely in battle. Evil were their ways and their desires were sinful. Osiris ushered in a new age. He made good and binding laws, he uttered just decrees, and he judged with wisdom between men. He caused peace to prevail at length over all the land of Egypt.

Perceiving the need of mankind, she gathered the ears of barley and wheat which she found growing wild, and these she gave unto the king. Then Osiris taught men to break up the land which had been under flood, to sow the seed, and, in due season , to reap the harvest.

He instructed them also how to grind corn and knead flour and meal so that they might have food in plenty. By the wise ruler was the vine trained upon poles, and he cultivated fruit trees and caused the fruit to be gathered. A father was he unto his people, and he taught them to worship the gods, to erect temples, and to live holy lives. The hand of man was no longer lifted against his brother. There was prosperity in the land of Egypt in the days of Osiris the Good. When the king perceived the excellent works which he had accomplished in Egypt, he went forth to traverse the whole world with purpose to teach wisdom unto all men, and prevail upon them to abandon their evil ways.

Not by battle conquest did he achieve his triumphs, but by reason of gentle and persuasive speech and by music and song. Peace followed in his footsteps, and men learned wisdom from his lips. Isis reigned over the land of Egypt until his return. She was stronger than Set, who regarded with jealous eyes the good works of his brother, for his heart was full of evil and he loved warfare better than peace. He desired to stir up rebellion in the kingdom. The queen frustrated his wicked designs.

He sought in vain to prevail in battle against her, so he plotted to overcome Osiris by guile. His followers were seventy and two men who were subjects of the dusky queen of Ethiopia. A royal feast was held, and Set came to make merry, and with him were his fellow conspirators. He brought a shapely and decorated chest, which he had caused to be made according to the mea- surements of the king's body. All men praised it at the feast, admiring its beauty, and many desired greatly to possess it. When hearts were made glad with beer- drinking, Set proclaimed that he would gift the chest unto him whose body fitted its proportions with exact- ness.

There was no suspicion of evil design among the faithful subjects of Osiris. The guests spoke lightly, uttering jests one against another, and all were eager to make trial as Set had desired. So it happened that one after another entered the chest on that fateful night, until it seemed that no man could be found to win it for him- self.

Then Osiris came forward. He lay down within the chest, and he filled it in every part. But dearly was his triumph won in that dark hour which was his hour of doom. Ere he could raise his body, the evil followers of Set sprang suddenly forward and shut down the lid, which they nailed fast and soldered with lead. So the richly decorated chest became the coffin of the good king Osiris, from whom departed the breath of life. The feast was broken up in confusion.

Merry- making ended in sorrow, and blood flowed after that instead of beer. Set commanded his followers to carry away the chest and dispose of it secretly. As he bade them, so did they do. They hastened through the night and flung it into the Nile. The current bore it away in the darkness, and when morning came it reached the great ocean and was driven hither and thither, tossing among the waves. So ended the days of Osiris and the years of his wise and prosperous reign in the land of Egypt. She wept bitter tears and cried aloud. Then she uttered a binding vow, cut off a lock of her shining hair, and put on the garments of mourning.

Thereafter the widowed queen wandered up and down the land, seeking for the body of Osiris. Nor would she rest nor stay until she found what she sought. She questioned each one she encountered, and one after another they answered her without knowledge. Long she made search in vain, but at length she was told by shoreland children that they had beheld the chest floating down the Nile and entering the sea by the Delta mouth which takes its name from the city of Tanis. Men were wronged and despoiled of their possessions. Tyranny prevailed and great disorder, and the followers of Osiris suffered persecution.

The good queen Isis became a fugitive in the kingdom, and she sought concealment from her enemies in the swamps' and deep jungle of the Delta. Seven scorpions followed her, and these were her protectors. Ra, looking down from heaven, was moved to pity because of her sore distress, and he sent to her aid Anubis, "the opener of the ways", who was the son of Osiris and Nepthys, and he became her guide.

One day Isis sought shelter at the house of a poor woman, who was stricken with such great fear when she beheld the fearsome scorpions that she closed the door against the wandering queen. But a scorpion gained entrance, and bit her child so that he died. Then loud and long were the lamentations of the stricken mother. Then Isis gave birth unto her son Horus; but Set came to know where the mother and babe were concealed, and he made them prisoners in the house. But wise Thoth came out of heaven and gave warning unto Isis, and she fled with her child into the night.

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by Donald Mackenzie. This highly readable book covers Egyptian religion, history, and culture through its entire civilization. Mackenzie includes many extracts from religious texts, folk tales, and historical documents. In this volume the myths and legends of ancient Egypt are embraced in a historical narrative Egyptian mythology is of highly complex character, and cannot be.

She took refuge in Buto, where she gave Horus into the keeping of Uazit, the virgin goddess of the -city, who was a serpent, 2 so that he might have protection against the jealous wrath of Set, his wicked uncle, while she went forth to search for the body of Osiris. But one day, when she came to gaze upon the child, she found him lying dead. A scorpion had bitten him, nor was it in her power to restore him to life again. In her bitter grief she called upon the great god Ra.

Her voice ascended to high heaven, and the sun boat was stayed in its course. Then wise Thoth came down to give aid. He worked a mighty spell; he spoke magical words over the child Horus, who was immediately restored to life again. The coffin of Osiris was driven by the waves to Byblos, in Syria, and it was cast upon the shore.

A sacred tree sprang up and grew round it, and the body of the dead ruler was enclosed in its great trunk. The king of that 1 Another version of the myth places the birth of Horus after the body of Osiris was found. As he desired, so it was done. Then was the trunk erected in his house as a sacred pillar, but to no man was given knowledge of the secret which it contained. A revelation came unto Isis, and she set out towards Byblos in a ship. When she reached the Syrian coast she went ashore clad in common raiment, and she sat beside a well, weeping bitterly.

Women came to draw water, and they spoke to her with pity, but Isis answered not, nor ceased to grieve, until the handmaidens of the queen drew nigh. Unto them she gave kindly greetings. When they had spoken gently unto her she braided their hair, and into each lock she breathed sweet and alluring perfume. So it chanced that when the maidens returned unto the king's house the queen smelt the perfume, and commanded that the strange woman should be brought before her. Then it was that Isis found favour in the eyes of the queen, who chose her to be the foster-mother of the royal babe.

But Isis refused to suckle the child, and to silence his cries for milk she put her finger into his mouth. When night came she caused fire to burn away his flesh, and she took the form of a swallow and flew, uttering broken cries of sorrow, round about the sacred pillar which con- tained the body of Osiris.

It chanced that the queen came nigh and beheld her babe in the flames. She imme- diately plucked him forth; but although she rescued his body she caused him to be denied immortality. The ghost of Patroklos says: Then she asked the king that the sacred pillar be given unto her. The boon was granted, and she cut deep into the trunk and took forth the chest which was concealed therein. Embracing it tenderly, she uttered cries of lamentation that were so bitter and keen that the royal babe died with terror.

Then she consecrated the sacred pillar, which she wrapped in linen and anointed with myrrh, and it was afterwards placed in a temple which the king caused to be erected to I sis, and for long centuries it was worshipped by the people of Byblos. The coffin of Osiris was borne to the ship in which the queen goddess had sailed unto Syria. Then she went aboard, and took with her Maneros, the king's first-born, and put forth to sea.

The ship sped on, and the land faded from sight. Isis yearned to behold once again the face of her dead husband, and she opened the chest and kissed passionately his cold lips, while tears streamed from her eyes. Maneros, son of the King of Byblos, came stealthily behind her, wondering what secret the chest contained. Isis looked round with anger, her bright eyes blinded him, and he fell back dead into the sea.

When Isis reached the land of Egypt she concealed the body of the dead king in a secret place, and hastened towards the city of Buto to embrace her son Horus; but shortlived was her triumph. It chanced that Set came hunting the boar 1 at full moon in the Delta jungle, and he found the chest which Isis had taken back from Syria. He caused it to be opened, and the body of Osiris was taken forth and rent into fourteen pieces, which he cast into the Nile, so that the crocodiles might devour them.

But these reptiles had fear of Isis and touched them not, 1 The Osiris boar. The heart of Isis was filled with grief when she came to know what Set had done. She had made for herself a papyrus boat and sailed up and down the Delta waters, searching for the fragments of her husband's body, and at length she recovered them all, save the part which had been swallowed by the fish.

She buried the fragments where they were found, and for each she made a tomb. In after days temples were erected over the tombs, and in these Osiris was worshipped by the people for long centuries. Set continued to rule over Egypt, and he persecuted the followers of Osiris and Isis in the Delta swamps and along the seacoast to the north. But Horus, who was rightful king, grew into strong manhood. He prepared for the coming conflict, and became a strong and brave warrior. Among his followers were cunning workers in metal who were called Mesniu smiths , and bright and keen were their weapons of war.

The sun hawk was blazoned on their battle banners.

One night there appeared to Horus in a dream a vision of his father Osiris. So he gathered his army together and went forth to battle. Set came against him at Edfu and slew many of his followers.

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But Horus secured the aid of the tribes that remained faithful to Osiris and Isis, and Set was again attacked and driven towards the eastern frontier. The usurper uttered a 1 The crocodile worshippers held that their sacred reptile recovered the body of Osiris for Isis. He rested at Zaru, and there was the last battle fought. It was waged for many days, and Horus lost an eye. But Set was still more grievously wounded, 1 and he was at length driven with his army out of the kingdom.

It is told that the god Thoth descended out of heaven and healed the wounds of Horus and Set. Then the slayer of Osiris appeared before the divine council and claimed the throne. But the gods gave judgment that Horus was the rightful king, and he established his power in the land of Egypt, and became a wise and strong ruler like to his father Osiris.

Another version of the legend relates that when the fragments of the body of Osiris were recovered from the Nile, Tsis and Nepthys lamented over them, weeping bitterly. In one of the temple chants Isis exclaims: Gods, and men before the face of the gods, are weeping for thee at the same time when they behold me! I invoke thee with wailing that reacheth high as heaven — Yet thou hearest not my voice. I, thy sister, I love thee more than all the earth — And thou lovest not another as thou dost thy sister!

Nepthys cries, Subdue every sorrow which is in the hearts of us thy sisters. Live before us, desiring to behold thee. Thus had origin the mummy form of the god. Then the winged Isis hovered over 1 He was mutilated by Horus as he himself had mutilated Osiris. J The Burden of Isis, translated by J. Dennis Wisdom of the East Series.

Myths and Legends 78 Egyptian Mythology The Master Namer

He afterwards became the Judge and King of the Dead. Egyptian burial rites were based upon this legend. At the ceremony enacted in the tomb chapel two female relatives of the deceased took the parts of Isis and Nepthys, and recited magical formulae so that the dead might be imbued with vitality and enabled to pass to the Judgment Hall and Paradise. Osiris and Isis, the traditional king and queen of ancient Egyptian tribes, were identified with the deities who symbolized the forces of Nature, and were accord- ingly associated with agricultural rites.