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25
the ground, because the secret name of the divine father has been given
to me. ... Now let Ra live, for the venom has perished.»
So the god was made whole. 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 sub-
jects who spoke disdainfully about him, saying: «Old, indeed, is King
Ra, for now his bones are silver and his flesh is turned to gold, although
his hair is still true lapis lazuli [dark].»
To Ra came knowledge of the words that were spoken about him,
and there was much anger in his heart, because there were rebellious
sayings on the lips of men and because they sought also to kill him. He
spoke to his divine followers and said:
«Bring before me the god Shu and the goddess Tefnut, the god
Geb and his consort, Nut, and the fathers and mothers who were with
me at the beginning when I was in Nu. Bring Nu before me also. Let
them all come in secret, so that men may not see them and, afraid, take
sudden flight. Let all the gods assemble in my great temple at Heliopo-
lis*.»
The gods assembled as Ra wished, and they bowed before him.
Then they said:
«Speak what you wish to say and we will hear.»
He addressed the gods, saying:
«O Nu, you, the eldest god, from whom I had my being, and you,
ancestral gods, hear and know now that rebellious words are spoken
against me by mankind, whom I created. Lo! They seek even to kill me.
It is my desire that you should instruct me what you 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.
«For Lo! I wish 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 except 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
that is set on the island of fiery flames.»
26
Then spoke Nu, god of primeval waters, and he said: «Hear me
now, O my son. You who are mightier far than I, although I gave you
life. Steadfast is your throne; great is the fear of you among men. Let
your eye go forth against those who are rebels in the kingdom.»
Ra said: «Now do men seek to escape among the hills. They
tremble because of the words they have uttered.»
The gods spoke together, saying: «Let your eye go forth against
those who are rebels in the kingdom and it shall destroy them utterly.
When it comes down from heaven as Hathor**, no human eye can be
raised against it.»
Ra heard and, as was his will, his eye went forth as Hathor
against mankind among the mountains, and they were speedily slain.
The goddess rejoiced in her work and drove over the land, so that for
many nights she waded in blood.
Then Ra repented. His fierce anger passed, and he sought to save
the remnant of mankind. He sent messengers, who ran swifter than the
storm wind, to Elephantine***, so that they might speedily obtain 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 went upstream slaughtering mankind. Ra
surveyed the jars and said: «Now shall I give men protection. It is my
will that Hathor may slay them no longer.»
Then the god commanded that the jars should be carried to the
place where the vengeful goddess rested for the night after that day of
slaughter. The jars were emptied out as was his wish, and the land was
covered with the flood.
When Hathor awoke her heart was made glad. She stooped down
and she saw her beautiful face mirrored in the flood. Then she began to
drink eagerly, and she was made drunk so that she went to and fro over
the land nor took any heed of mankind.
Ra spoke to her, saying: «Beautiful goddess, return to me in
peace.»
_____________________________
* Heliopolis – now a suburb of Cairo, but once a great centre of
Egyptian religion, seat of the cult of the sun-god Ra.
the ground, because the secret name of the divine father has been given Then spoke Nu, god of primeval waters, and he said: «Hear me to me. ... Now let Ra live, for the venom has perished.» now, O my son. You who are mightier far than I, although I gave you So the god was made whole. The venom departed from his body, life. Steadfast is your throne; great is the fear of you among men. Let and there was no longer pain in his heart or any sorrow. your eye go forth against those who are rebels in the kingdom.» As Ra grew old ruling over men, there were those among his sub- Ra said: «Now do men seek to escape among the hills. They jects who spoke disdainfully about him, saying: «Old, indeed, is King tremble because of the words they have uttered.» Ra, for now his bones are silver and his flesh is turned to gold, although The gods spoke together, saying: «Let your eye go forth against his hair is still true lapis lazuli [dark].» those who are rebels in the kingdom and it shall destroy them utterly. To Ra came knowledge of the words that were spoken about him, When it comes down from heaven as Hathor**, no human eye can be and there was much anger in his heart, because there were rebellious raised against it.» sayings on the lips of men and because they sought also to kill him. He Ra heard and, as was his will, his eye went forth as Hathor spoke to his divine followers and said: against mankind among the mountains, and they were speedily slain. «Bring before me the god Shu and the goddess Tefnut, the god The goddess rejoiced in her work and drove over the land, so that for Geb and his consort, Nut, and the fathers and mothers who were with many nights she waded in blood. me at the beginning when I was in Nu. Bring Nu before me also. Let Then Ra repented. His fierce anger passed, and he sought to save them all come in secret, so that men may not see them and, afraid, take the remnant of mankind. He sent messengers, who ran swifter than the sudden flight. Let all the gods assemble in my great temple at Heliopo- storm wind, to Elephantine***, so that they might speedily obtain many lis*.» plants of virtue. These they brought back, and they were well ground The gods assembled as Ra wished, and they bowed before him. and steeped with barley in vessels filled with the blood of mankind. So Then they said: was beer made and seven thousand jars were filled with it. «Speak what you wish to say and we will hear.» Day dawned and Hathor went upstream slaughtering mankind. Ra He addressed the gods, saying: surveyed the jars and said: «Now shall I give men protection. It is my «O Nu, you, the eldest god, from whom I had my being, and you, will that Hathor may slay them no longer.» ancestral gods, hear and know now that rebellious words are spoken Then the god commanded that the jars should be carried to the against me by mankind, whom I created. Lo! They seek even to kill me. place where the vengeful goddess rested for the night after that day of It is my desire that you should instruct me what you would do in this slaughter. The jars were emptied out as was his wish, and the land was matter. Consider well among yourselves and guide me with wisdom. I covered with the flood. have hesitated to punish mankind until I have heard from your lips what When Hathor awoke her heart was made glad. She stooped down should now be done regarding them. and she saw her beautiful face mirrored in the flood. Then she began to «For Lo! I wish in my heart to destroy utterly that which I did drink eagerly, and she was made drunk so that she went to and fro over create. All the world will become a waste of water through a great the land nor took any heed of mankind. flood, as it was at the beginning, and I alone shall be left remaining, Ra spoke to her, saying: «Beautiful goddess, return to me in with no one else beside me except Osiris and his son Horus. I shall be- peace.» 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 * Heliopolis – now a suburb of Cairo, but once a great centre of that is set on the island of fiery flames.» Egyptian religion, seat of the cult of the sun-god Ra. 25 26
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