Reading Week 5: Ancient Egypt (A)

Note: I will only be reading the section A for Ancient Egypt and will be reading section B of Arabian Nights: Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.

Ancient Egypt Part A

Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie (1907) Source.

Creation

• world was watery wasteland Nu, abode of Great Father he was Nu
• Nu gave being to the sun god who said I am Khepera at dawn Ra at noon and Tum at evening
• Ra was a shining egg which floated upon the water with the spirits of the deep who were friends of Nu
• Ra was more powerful than Nu who created him and he was ruler of the gods
• Ra first created Shu the wind god and his lady Tefnut who had the head of a lioness aka "the spitter" because she caused rain. they were known in the constellations of heaven and they were called "the twins"
• Next was Seb the god of the earth and Nut goddess of the firmament who became the parents of Osiris and his lady, Isis, and also Set and his lady Nepthys
• at the begginning of creation Ra made the earth and sky rise from the watery waste, then Shu (the uplifter) raised Nut up high. 
• Nut formed the vault that arches over Seb god of the earth who lies beneath Nut. In the east horizon she is on her toes to the west horizon where bending her arms down resting upon her finger tips. 
• in the dark the stars sparkle on her body and over her unwavering limbs
• When Ra uttered his thoughts they came to being and when he looked at space anything he desired appeared. He created everything that moves on water and earth including mankind and became the first king on earth and walked among men taking their form but to him centuries were like years

The Secret Name of Ra

• Ra had many names that gods nor men knew and had a secret name that gave him his divinity
• the goddess Isis was sick of the ways of mankind while dwelling under guise as a mortal woman but she would rather be amongst the gods
• as an enchantress she wanted power equal to Ra both on heaven and earth she wished to know the secret name that was hidden
• each day Ra walked with ta train of the gods behind him and sat on his throne and spoke his decrees, he was really old so sometimes he spit and it fell on the ground
• Isis followed behind and baked the saliva into a spear shape and then it became a venomous snake. she placed it on the path Ra took everyday and it was invisible to all but her
• the day came when Ra came across the path and was bit by the snake  and screamed in pain but no one knew what had caused this and asked Ra who said nothing but trembled as venom flowed from his flesh then gathered himself
• he gathered the gods around him as he fears death from this unseen thing that stuck him saying he had never been in such pain. he even called upon his father Nu who gave him his secret name and concealed it in his heart and ask that all his children be brought to him so that they can speak the words of power which shall be felt upon earth and in the heavens.
• Isis came too and everyone but her were all so sorrowful she spoke the words that could subdue pain and give life to the lifeless
• isis asked ra what had hurt him and said he was bit by a surpent that must have been created by him and that she will thwart the enemy with magic 
• and Ra once again describes his pain to which isis responded that she cannot help him unless she know his secret name
• Ra says I created literally everything including life itself so no one know my name. other than being Khepera at dawn Ra at noon and Tum at dawn
• He was still dying and Isis reminded him he still hadn't said the secret name so she cannot help him
• Ra was in so much pain he asked the Great Father Nu that his secret name be transferred to the heart of Isis
• Ra vanished and when the secret name was passing from Ra to Isis she told her son Horus to compel the tuling god a spell to change his eyes into the sun and moon 
• she then recieved the name and pulled the venom from Ra and he was cool again

Ra and Hathor

• as Ra grew old his subjects started talking trash saying his bones were silver and flesh turned to cold but his hair was still true lapis laxuli
• Ra heard of this and asked for Shu and Tefnut as well as Seb and Nut who were with him in the beginnig of creation but askes them to be secretive.
• Ra asks his dad Nu for help and says he is planning a flood to wipe out all but his son Osiris and his son Horus making Osiris king of the dead and Horus of flame.
• Nu spoke and told him that people still fear him and to send his eye out against the rebels. The eye will be known as Hathor and no human eye can be raised against this
• Hathor the goddess rejoiced in her slaying of rebels and waded in their blood for nights
• Ra then felt bad and tried to save what was left of man kind by sending messengers to Eleohantine so they can obtain plants of virtue and were steeped with barley in vessels with the blood of man which made 7,000 jars of beer with it 
• the next day Hathor left to go slay again and Ra told his servants to go to where she slept and pour the blood beer out so it floods 
• she woke and was so happy and saw her face in the beer flood and began drinking it and was so drunk that she went all through the land but killed no one
• Ra asked her to come back peacefully and she did but the first festival of every new year handmaidens and priestesses are to prepare sweet draughts for Hathor to keep her at bay
• Every year when the Nile rose in a red flood they prepared offerings of beer to Hathor and took part as well also being drunk
• Ra also decided he does not want to destroy man but does not want to live with them either
• he was also weary so he asked nU for help who told Shu(atmosphere god)  and Nut(goddess of heaven) to help Ra
• Nut took the form of the Celestial Cow and Shu lifted Ra on her back and then darkness came. men came from hiding and saw Ra being toted away and felt bad for the things they have said against him and asked that his enemies be slain 
• Ra was borne again and men followed him until he appeared and shed light on earth and picked up their arms and slaughtered the enemies of Ra

The Sun's Journey

• picking up where the story left off
• Ra was cool with the slaughtering and figured this made up for the sins of man and decided that earth was not the place for him
• Ra then went through the realms above and divided and ordered them He called into existence the field of Aalu and caused an assembly of many beings to be in heaven even the stars made by Nut and millions came to praise Ra
• Ra gave Shu the task of keeping these being that shine in the night, Shu lifted his arms and the millions of stars to the sky 
• Ra asked the earth god Seb to find out why snakes hated him and to tell Nu about it and let the snakes know that Ra's Rays will shine on them and he will teach mankind how to thwart reptiles and Osiris will reward the magicians who protect them
• He then calls forth thoth and makes a place in the great deep/underworld known as Duat. Thoth will record the sins of man and names of enemies and shall keep them in Duat and gave Thoth the ibis, crane, and dog ape as messengers
• Ra said his beauty will be sptead in darkness and night will join with day and the moon of Thoth (Ah) was created
• When the land is dark the Sun Barque(boat) of Ra passes through the twelve hour ling divisons of night in Duat and at eventide, as Tum, Ra is old and frail, 75 invocations are chanted to give him power to overcome the darkness the he enters the western gate where dead sols pass to be judged before Osiris. In front of him is Anubis who is the Opener of Ways, Ra holds his sceptre and the Ankh ( symbol of life)
• when the boat reaches the river Urnes in the underworld Ra's companions are there (watchman, striker, and steersman) as well as divine beings that chant incantations to overcome evil demons
• The first hour of dark has the brightness of Ra scattered and by the end of the first hour is a strong wall and a gate that opens by the magic incantations, this continues every hour with the intensity of demons increasing. Apep ( the night serpent) constantly trying to eat him
• hour 5 his the domain of Sokar the underworld god with 3 human heads, a snake body, and wings his palace is guarded by sphinxes and also the Drowning Pool looked after by 5 gods , in the pool there are genii being tortured with everlasting fire
• hour 7 is Osiris the judge of the dead and fire snakes obey his will some have many heads and feet and hands with knives to cut souls of the wicked. Those Osiris favors lives in the Nether World, the others he rejects and the snakes get tid of them to be tortured and eaten. Here Apep also tries to eat Ra by encircling his ship but the allies hold him back with Isis uttering incantations allowing an unscathed and on time ship. 
• In hour 8 snakes spit fire to light the dark, 10 has water reptiles and Ravenous fishes, hour 11 Horus burns beacons ruddy flames and flames of gold engulf the enemies of Ra 
• in hour 12 Ra is reborn, entering the tail of the snake "divine life" and its through the mouth in the form of Khepera who is a beetle, those with Ra are also reborn, the last gate is guarded by Isis (sister/ wife of osiris) and Nepthys (wife of Set) who are in snake form where they  get on the boat
• Urnes, the River of Duat now flows into the primeval ocean where Nu lives and as Ra is lifted out at the beginning of time, He is lifted out of the water now, He is then taken by Nut goddess of the heavens and is born of her then grows in majesty ascending to high noon 

Osiris

• when Ra got old and went to heaven Osiris took over on earth and ruled over Egypt whose inhabitants were savage at the time and sinful
• osiris fixed this with laws and eise judgement alongside his queen isis who was very wise, seeing the need of mankind she gathered wild wheat and barley and gave it to Osiris who taught mankind to farm and grind meal as well as how to cultivate fruit trees
• He taught them to properly worship the gods and even to erect temples and live life holy
• He went forth to spread this lifestyle to the world not through violence but peacefully , While he was gone Isis ruled 
• Isis was stronger than Set who was jealous of his brother and he tried to stir tebellion but Isis was frustrated by this while Set plotted to overthrow Osiris with his 72 subjects of the queen of Ethiopia

Death of Osiris

• Upon his return Osiris saw great celebration and a feast which Set attended bringing a beautiful ornate chest perfect sized for Osiris and said he would give it to anyone who fit it exactly
• No one suspected anything so they tried it out but no one fit until Osiris tried and he fit but before he could get out Set and his cronies closed him in and he suffocated
• the feast ended suddenly and blood flowed instead of beer while Set's followers disposed of the chest in the Nile reaching the ocean in the morning 
• When Isis heard the news she was so sorrowful she cut off part of her hair and dressed in mourning clothes and searched for Osiris not resting until she found him but no one knew where he could be until shoreland children told her of a chest that had floated into the Delta mouth 
• While this was going on Set took over and ruled with greed and sin and tyranny persecuting all who followed Osiris and dictating Isis a fugitive who hid in the swamps and jungles with 7 protector scorpians
• Ra saww all this from heaven and felt bad so he sent Anubis the son of Osiris and Nepthys to be her guide as he was " the opener of ways"
• Isis sought shelter witha poor woman who was so scared by the scorpians she turned Isis away but one scorpion made it in and bit her child who then died, Isis heard the cries of sorrow and magically rose the child. after this the mother gave her shelter out of thanks

Journey of Isis

• while Isis was staying with the woman she gave birth to her and Osiris' son Horus but Set found out where they were hiding and caused them to be imprisoned in that home and sought to kill Horus so he couldn't usurp him and claim the throne
• Thoth came from heaven and warned Isis who fled in the night and hid in Buto where she gave Horus to the Keeping of Uazit the virgin goddess of that city (she was also a snake) so that he would be protected while she continued her search for Osiris
• one day she came to look at her child and found he was dead from a scorpion bite but she could not restore life agian after helping the poor woman's child so she asked Ra for help who sent down Thoth who restored his life and was now destined to grow stronger than Set to kill his father's slayer
• The chest of Osiris was driven all the way to Byblos, Syria where a sacred tree grew around it. The local king marvelled at it because it grew so quickly and wanted the tree to be cut down so it was and kept as a pillar in his house with no one knowing the secret of what it contained
• Isis had a revelation about this and headed to Byblos and sat beside a well crying while dressed as a local. some women who came to get water tried to comfort her but she would not stop crying until the Queen's handmaids arrived
• she spoke kindly to them and braided their hair but breathed a sweet perfume into each lock of hair So that when the girls went back to the palace the queen would demand the strange woman be found and brought to her
• This happened and the queen liked Isis and allowed her to be the foster mother to the royal baby, however Isis refused to suckle the baby and just put her finger in his mouth instead.
• when night fell she caused fire to burn away his flesh and flew away as a swallow uttering sorrowful cries around the pillar that contained Osiris.
• The queen found the burning baby and rescued him but she denied his ability to gain immortality
• Isis assumed her  normal form and revealed herself to the queen then asked for the sacred pillar and thus was granted
• she cut into the trunk and retrieved the chest and hugged it crying that the royal baby had died as such. she consecrated the pillar and wrapped it in linen and myrrh and placed it in a temple that the king later erected to Isis and was long worshipped by the people of byblos
• Osiris' coffin was loaded onto the ship Isis had taken to syria and took with her Maneros the kings first born.
• Isis longed to see her husband again kissing  his dead body, Maneros was being nosy and sneakily peeked at the contents of the box and Isis whipped around in anger and blinded him causing him to fall to his death in the sea
• When she arrived in egypt she hid the coffin and went to Buto to retriever her son at that time Set came boar hunting in the jungle and found the chest and opened it and spread the body of Osiris in 14 pieces in the Nile for crocs to eat but the reptiles were scared of Isis and refused to eat. 
• However A fish (oxyrhynchus) ate Osiris' "bits"
• Isis was filled with grief when she learned of Set's actions and she made a Papyrus boat and sailed up and down the deta searching for the fragments of Osiris finding all but the piece the fish ate. 
• she then buried each piece where they were found and made a tomb for each where they were worshiped for centuries.

King of the Dead

• Set continued to rule over Egypt persecuting followers of Isis and Osiris but Horus grew into a strong man and became a great warrior in preparation to avenge his family. He was followed by ythe Mesniu smiths who had pristine weapons of war with the sunhawk engraved on them
• On night Osiris appeared to Horus in a dream who urged him to over throw Set, so Horus gathered an army and went forth to avenge Osiris
• Set went agianst Horus at Edfu and slayed many followers but Horus had gotten the help of many tribes faithful to Osiris and Isis. Set was attacked and driven to the east and cried in grief while resting at Zaru
• at Zaru the last battle was waged and went for many days, Horus even lost an eye, but Set was way worse for wear and was driven out of the kingdom
• Thoth descended from the Heavens and healed both Horus and Set who then had to appeare before the divine council that he should have the thrown but council ruled in favor of Horus as rightful king who became a wise and just king like his father Osiris
• *  in another version of the story Nepthys and Isis wept over the pieces of Osiris and Ra hearing this sent Anubis  who with the help of Thoth and Horus, bandaged up the pieces of Osiris (originating the form of the mummy) then winged Isis hovered over the body and air from her wings entered the nostrils of Osiris and was imbued with life and became judge and king of the dead

The Wax Crocodile

• Pharaoh was a handsome young man and the scribe's wife had a secret love for him and soon she was sending gifts to him and they began to have secret meeting at the summer house 
• head butler told the scribe what was happening so the scribe asked a servent to bring him a specific magic box and made a wax crocodile and then cast a spell on it and instructed the butler to put it in the lake where the young Pharaoh bathes
• on a different day the scribes wife was with Pharaoh in the summer house and the young Pharaoh went to the lake at night, at this time the butler put the wax croc in the water and it came to life and grabbed the Pharao and dragged him away
• a week passes and the scribe spoke to the Big Pharaoh asking what to do and invited the King to his villa. He obliged and they both stood at the lake where the scribe magically summoned the croc who had Young Pharaoh in his mouth. 
• Scribe explained that it does his bidding and Pharaoh Sr. asked him to send it back to the lake, Scribe touched it and it turned to wax. Pharaoh Sr. was amused while Pharaoh Jr. just stood there
• Pharaoh Sr. commanded the croc to "seize the wrong doer" and it sprang to life and grabbed Pharaoh Junior and disappeared never to be seen again
• Pharaoh Sr. also said Scribe's cheating wife should be punished by being burned alive on the north side of her house then her remains tossed in the Nile.

The Green Jewel

• King Sneferu (King Snef for this) was gloomy and wandered the Palace waiting to be cheered up but with no success. He summoned his head Scribe and told him of this bored gloom
• Scribe told him to go boating and have the prettiest girls be the rowers. It will make you happy to see them splashing around wit hthe birds and green shores and flowers and such, he would even join
• the king got 20 pretty virgins and they rowed with ebony oars adorned with gold. The king did enjoy this and the girls sang. 
• as the boat turned one of the oar handles brushed the hair of one girl and out from it fell a green jewel which fell into the water so she stopped singing and rowing and the others followed suit
• the king told them not to pause and to keep going. The girls said that the steering girl had stopped, King asks why. Girl says "I lost my green jewel in the lake" and King Snef says he can just get her another but the girl insists on having her own 
• King snef tells the Scribe this excursion has cheered him up but that this girl lost her jewel and doesnt want another 
• Scribe did some magic and divided a lane in the lake and went down and got the jewel and came back and then fixed the lake
• The went on with the rowing and then King Snef gave gifts to the Scribe and everyone marveled at his accomplishment

Jade Pendant Image Source