ebook History Egypt Egyptian Myth and Legend

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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,
beseeching him to slay those of his enemies who remained. But Ra was borne through the darkness, and men
followed him until he appeared again and shed light upon the earth. Then did his faithful subjects arm
themselves 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: "Now is your sin forgiven. Slaughter atones for slaughter. Such is sacrifice and the purport thereof."
When Ra had thus accepted in atonement for the sin of men the sacrifice of his enemies who desired to slay
him, he spake unto the heavenly goddess Nut, saying:
CHAPTER I. Creation Legend of Sun Worshippers 21
EGYPTIAN MYTH AND LEGEND
"Henceforth my dwelling place must be in the heavens. No longer will I reign upon the earth."
So it happened, according to his divine will. The great god went oil 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 and the millions and millions of stars.
Then Ra spake unto the earth god, who is called Seb, and said:
"Many fearsome reptiles dwell in thee. 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 be made known unto each one that my rays shall fall upon them. By words of magic alone can
they be overcome. I shall reveal the charms by which the children of men call thwart all reptiles, and Osiris,
thy son, shall favour the magicians who protect mankind against them."
He spake again and called forth the god Thoth who came into being by his word.
"For thee, O Thoth he said, "I shall make a resplendent abode in the great deep and the underworld which is
Duat. 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 now give messengers unto
thee."
So came into being by his power the ibis, the crane, and the dog ape, the messengers of Thoth.
Ra spake again, saying: "Thy beauty shall be shed through the darkness; thou shalt join night with day."
So came into being the moon (Ah) of Thoth, and Ra said: "All living creatures shall glorify and praise thee as
a wise god."
When all the land is black, the sun bark of Ra passes through the twelve hour-divisions of night in Duat. At
eventide, when the god is Tum, he is old and very frail. 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: in the other he carries the Ankh, which is the
symbol of life.
When the sun bark enters the river �rnes of the underworld the companions of Ra are with him. Watchman 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.
CHAPTER I. Creation Legend of Sun Worshippers 22
EGYPTIAN MYTH AND LEGEND
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. Nigh to him is the Drowning Pool, watched over by five gods with
bodieslike to men and animals' heads. Strange and mysterious forms 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: whom he finds to be full of sin, he rejects; and these do the serpents fall upon, dragging them away,
while they utter loud and piercing cries of grief and agony, to be tortured and devoured; lo! the wicked perish [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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