Legends of the Gods Part 5

[FN#99] Or perhaps fighting men who were armed with metal weapons.

[And when he had reached the land of the North with his followers, he found the enemy.] Now as for the blacksmiths who were over the middle regions, they made a great slaughter of the enemy, and there were brought back one hundred and six of them. Now as for the blacksmiths of the West, they brought back one hundred and six of the enemy. Now as for the blacksmiths of the East, among whom was Heru-Behutet, he slew them (i.e., the enemy) in the presence of Ra in the Middle Domains.[FN#100]

[FN#100] In the sculptures (Naville, Mythe, pl. 17) Heru-Behutet is seen standing in a boat spearing a crocodile, and immediately behind d him in the boat is Ra-Harmachis in his shrine. The Mesentiu of the West are represented by an armed warrior in a boat, who is spearing a crocodile, and leads the way for Heru-Behutet. In a boat behind the great G.o.d is a representative of the Mesentiu of the East spearing a crocodile.

And Ra, said unto Thoth, "My heart [is satisfied] with the works of these blacksmiths of Heru-Behutet who are in his bodyguard. They shall dwell in sanctuaries, and libations and purifications and offerings shall be made to their images, and [there shall be appointed for them] priests who shall minister by the month, and priests who shall minister by the hour, in all their G.o.d-houses whatsoever, as their reward because they have slain the enemies of the G.o.d."

And Thoth said, "The [Middle] Domains shall be called after the names of these blacksmiths from this day onwards, and the G.o.d who dwelleth among them, Heru-Behutet, shall be called the 'Lord of Mesent' from this day onwards, and the domain shall be called 'Mesent of the West' from this day onwards."

As concerning Mesent of the West, the face (or, front) thereof shall be towards [the East], towards the place where Ra riseth, and this Mesent shall be called "Mesent of the East" from this day onwards. As concerning the double town of Mesent, the work of these blacksmiths of the East, the face (or, front) thereof shall be towards the South, towards the city of Behutet, the hiding-place of Heru-Behutet. And there shall be performed therein all the rites and ceremonies of Heru- Behutet on the second day of the first month[FN#101] of the season of Akhet, and on the twenty-fourth day of the fourth month[FN#102] of the season of Akhet, and on the seventh day of the first month[FN#103] of the season Pert, and on the twenty-first day of the second month[FN#104] of the season Pert, from this day onwards. Their stream shall be called "Asti," the name of their Great House shall be called "Abet," the [priest (?)] shall be called "Qen-aha," and their domain shall be called "Kau-Mesent" from this day onwards.

[FN#101] The month Thoth.

[FN#102] The month Choiak.

[FN#103] The month Tybi.

[FN#104] The mouth Mechir.

XVIII. And Ra said unto Heru-Behutet, "These enemies have sailed up the river, to the country of Setet, to the end of the pillar-house of Hat, and they have sailed up the river to the east, to the country or Tchalt (or, Tchart),[FN#105] which is their region of swamps." And Heru-Behutet said, "Everything which thou hast commanded hath come to pa.s.s, Ra, Lord of the G.o.ds; thou art the lord of commands." And they untied the Boat of Ra, and they sailed up the river to the east. Then he looked upon those enemies whereof some of them had fallen into the sea (or, river), and the others had fallen headlong on the mountains.

[FN#105] Zoan-Tanis.

And Heru-Behutet transformed himself into a lion which had the face of a man, and which was crowned with the triple crown.[FN#106] His paw was like unto a flint knife, and he went round and round by the side of them, and brought back one hundred and forty-two [of the enemy], and be rent them in pieces with his claws. He tore out their tongues, and their blood flowed on the ridges of the land in this place; and he made them the property of those who were in his following [whilst] he was upon the mountains.

[FN#106] In the sculpture (Naville, Mythe, pl. 18), we see a representation of this lion, which is standing over the bodies of slain enemies upon a rectangular pedestal, or block.

And Ra said unto Thoth, "Behold, Heru-Behutet is like unto a lion in his lair [when] he is on the back of the enemy who have given unto him their tongues."

And Thoth said, "This domain shall be called 'Khent-abt,' and it shall [also] be called 'Tchalt' (or, Tchart) from this day onwards. And the bringing of the tongues from the remote places of Tchalt (or, Tchart) [shall be commemorated] from this day onwards. And this G.o.d shall be called 'Heru-Behutet, Lord of Mesent,' from this day onwards."

And Ra said unto Heru-Behutet, "Let us sail to the south up the river, and let us smite the enemies [who are] in the forms of crocodiles and hippopotami in the face of Egypt."

And Heru-Behutet said, "Thy divine Ka, O Ra, Lord of the G.o.ds! Let us sail up the river against the remainder-one third-of the enemies who are in the water (or, river)." Then Thoth recited the Chapters of protecting the Boat [of Ra] and the boats of the blacksmiths, [which he used] for making tranquil the sea at the moment when a storm was raging on it.

And Ra said unto Thoth, "Have we not journeyed throughout the whole land? Shall we not journey cover the whole sea in like manner?" And Thoth said, "This water shall be called the 'Sea of journeying,' from this day onward."

And they sailed about over the water during the night, and they did not see any of those enemies at all.

Then they made a journey forth and arrived in the country of Ta- sti,[FN#107] at the town of Shas-hertet, and he perceived the most able of their enemies in the country of Uaua,[FN#108] and they were uttering treason against Horus their Lord.

[FN#107] Northern Nubia; the name means "Land of the Bow."

[FN#108] A portion of Northern Nubia.

And Heru-Behut changed his form into that of the Winged Disk, [and took his place] above the bow of the Boat of Ra. And he made the G.o.ddess Nekhebit[FN#109] and the G.o.ddess Uatchit[FN#110] to be with him in the form of serpents, so that they might make the Sebau fiends to quake in [all] their limbs (or, bodies). Their boldness (i.e., that of the fiends) subsided through the fear of him, they made no resistance whatsoever, and they died straightway.

[FN#109] The G.o.ddess of the South.

[FN#110] The G.o.ddess of the North.

Then the G.o.ds who were in the following of the Boat of Heru-khuti said, "Great, great is that which he hath done among them by means of the two Serpent G.o.ddesses,[FN#111] for he hath overthrown the enemy by means of their fear of him."

[FN#111] i.e., Nekhebit and Uatchit.

And Ra Heru-khuti said, "The great one of the two Serpent G.o.ddesses of Heru-Behutet shall be called 'Ur-Uatchti'[FN#112] from this day onwards."

[FN#112] "Great one of the Two Uraei-G.o.ddesses;" these G.o.ddesses had their places above the brow of the G.o.d, or at the right and left of the solar disk.

XIX. And Heru-khuti travelled on in his boat, and landed at the city of Thes-Heru (Apollinopolis Magna). And Thoth said, "The being of light who hath come forth from the horizon hath smitten the enemy in the form which he hath made, and he shall be called Being of light who hath come forth from the horizon from this day onwards."[FN#113]

[FN#113] In the sculpture (Naville, Mythe, pl. 19) we see the G.o.d, who is hawk-headed, and wears the crowns of the South and North, seated in a shrine set upon a pedestal. In the right hand he holds the sceptre and in the left the ankh.

And Ra Heru-khuti (Ra Harmachis) said to Thoth, "Thou shalt make this Winged Disk to be in every place wherein I seat myself (or, dwell), and in [all] the seats of the G.o.ds in the South, and in [all] the seats of the G.o.ds in the Land of the North ... ... . in the Country of Horus, that it may drive away the evil ones from their domains."

Then Thoth made the image of the Winged Disk to be in every sanctuary and in every temple, where they now are, wherein are all the G.o.ds and all the G.o.ddesses from this day onwards. Now through the Winged Disk which is on the temple-buildings of all the G.o.ds and all the G.o.ddesses of the Land of the Lily,[FN#114] and the Land of the Papyrus,[FN#115] [these buildings] become shrines of Heru-Behutet.

[FN#114] i.e., the North, especially the Delta.

[FN#115] i.e., the South.

As concerning Heru-Behutet, the great G.o.d, the lord of heaven, the president of the Ater of the South,[FN#116] he it is who is made to be on the right hand. This is Heru-Behutet on whom the G.o.ddess Nekhebit is placed in the form of a serpent (or, uraeus). As concerning Heru- Behutet, the great G.o.d, the lord of heaven, the lord of Mesent, the president of the Ater of the North,[FN#117] he it is who is made to be on the left hand. This Heru-Behutet on whom the G.o.ddess Uatchit is placed is in the form of a serpent.

[FN#116] i.e., the southern half of heaven.

[FN#117] i.e., the northern half of heaven.

As concerning Heru-Behutet, the great G.o.d, the lord of heaven, the lord of Mesent, the president of the two Aterti of the South and North, Ra Heru-khuti set it (i.e., the Winged Disk) in his every place, to overthrow the enemies in every place wherein they are. And he shall be called President of the two Aterti of the South and North because of this from this day onwards.[FN#118]

[FN#118] In the sculpture which ill.u.s.trates this portion of the text at Edfu, two Winged Disks are represented. The first has #### on each side of it. The disk has an uraeus on each side. The second winged symbol of the G.o.d consists of a beetle with outstretched wings, which holds between his forelegs the solar disk, and between his hind legs the symbol of the orbit of the sun.

A HYMN TO OSIRIS AND A LEGEND OF THE ORIGIN OF HORUS.

Homage to thee, Osiris, Lord of eternity, King of the G.o.ds, whose names are manifold, whose transformations are sublime, whose form is hidden in the temples whose Ka is holy, the Governor of Tetut,[FN#119] the mighty one of possessions (?)in the shrine,[FN#120] the Lord of praises[FN#121] in the nome of Anetch,[FN#122] President of the tchefa food in Anu,[FN#123] Lord who art commemorated in [the town of] Maati,[FN#124] the mysterious (or, hidden) Soul, the Lord of Qerret,[FN#125] the sublime one in White Wall,[FN#126] the Soul of Ra [and] his very body, who hast thy dwelling in Henensu,[FN#127] the beneficent one, who art praised in Nart,[FN#128] who makest to rise up thy Soul, Lord of the Great House in the city[FN#129] of the Eight G.o.ds,[FN#130] [who inspirest] great terror in Shas-hetep,[FN#131] Lord of eternity, Governor of Abtu (Abydos).

[FN#119] More fully Pa-Asar-neb-Tetut, the Busiris of the Greeks; Busiris = Pa-Asar, "House of Osiris," par excellence. The variant Tataut also occurs.

[FN#120] An allusion, perhaps, to the town Sekhem, the capital of the second nome (Letopolites) of Lower Egypt.

[FN#121] i.e., lord whose praises are sung.

[FN#122] Letopolites.

[FN#123] Heliopolis.

[FN#124] i.e., a famous sanctuary in the Letopolite nome where Ptah was wors.h.i.+pped.

[FN#125] The region of the First Cataract, where the Nile was believed to rise.

[FN#126] Memphis.