Egyptian Legends

Sekhmet the Goddess of Vengence and Hathor the Goddess of Love

When Ra rose from the mists, he created night and day, and Apophis, the Dragon of Evil formed in the darkness of the night vapours and tried to spoil all that was bright and good. Apophis was the enemy of the good rule of Ra as Pharaoh, and as Ra grew old, Apophis reached into the hearts of the people of Egypt and many followed his false promises of power and rebelled against Ra.

Ra called a counsel of his children, Shu, Tefnut, Geb, Nut and Hapi. He also called on Nun who ruled the spirit of the primeval waters. And he asked them all what he should do about the evil among the people of Egypt.

"They gather in Upper Egypt to go greater evil even as we meet here," he said. "Should I strike them all down with a burning glance of my all-seeing Eye?"

Nun, the eldest, spoke first. "Pharaoh do not turn your eye upon Egypt, for you will destroy every being and every thing. Destroy only the evil men and women and spare the good."

Ra nodded and spoke the word Sekhmet and a mighty lioness sprang into the counsel circle. She circled the floor and finally stopped in front of the throne of Ra. For many moments Sekhmet looked at the face of Ra, then she twitched her tail and turned and leapt out of the circle and sped to Upper Egypt.

The mighty jaws and claws of Sekhmet slaughtered the evil doers in Upper Egypt until the Nile ran red with their blood. Her hunger was endless and every day she stalked the men and women of Upper Egypt, and hid by night licking her paws and dreaming of new prey in the coming morning.

But Ra did not want to destroy mankind, only the evildoers. He decided to trick Sekhmet to stop her slaughter, but said, "I will not humble her for she has done what I asked, but I will give her a far greater power over men so that she will not be dishonoured." But first he had to catch her.

So to trap Sekhmet he sent messengers to Elephantine Island at the First Cataract of the Nile, telling them to bring red ochre.

He sent the ochre to Heliopolis to the priest of the Temple of the Sun, Ra's temple. He commanded the priests and all the royal court to make beer and to mingle it with the red ochre so that it was red as blood.

"Quickly, carry the blood red beer to Upper Egypt and spread it on the land to trap Sekhmet," commanded Ra.

When Sekhmet came out in the morning to feast on the wicked, she saw no men, but instead saw what looked like pools of blood spread over the land.

She found she was thirsty and she drank the blood until she was drunk and helpless. And Ra called to her, "Come my pretty one," and she staggered down the Nile to Heliopolis.

Ra met her and lay his hand on her head, "Sekhmet, you have come in peace, so peace be with you, and a new name.You will no longer be Sekhmet the Slayer; you will be Hathor the Lady of Love. You will no longer rule man by terror, but will rule them by the passion of love. For Love is stronger than Hate and Terror, and all men will grow weak with love and be in your power."

"And I decree that on the first day of every year that the priestesses of love will mix the ochre of Elephantine with the beer of Heliopolis at a great festival to Hathor."

And the evil of Apophis was stopped and the bittersweet gift of love was bestowed on mankind.

The Secret Power of Ra

Ra the Shining One rose out of the mists that covered the waters. Nun the spirit of the waters floated above him.

Ra was all powerful and his power came from his Secret Name. This gave him the power to create a thing just by calling its name.

He said "I am Khepera at the dawn, Ra at noon and Tum in the evening." And the sun rose in the east and traveled across the sky to set in the west.

Thus he created the first day.

He then named Shu the keeper of the wind, and Tefnut the spitter of rain. "Geb" he spoke, and the earth rose up from the sea. Nut was named and she stretched her body across the sky from one horizon to the other to form the arch that held the stars and path for the sun and moon. Hapi he named last and the River Nile flowed through Egypt bringing life to the land.

He named all things on earth and lastly named Man and Woman, and they multipied to live in prosperity on the banks of the Nile.

How Ra Ascended to the Heavens

Osiris and Isis married when they grew up, as did Set and Nephthys. But Ra was still Pharaoh, though he had grown older and older and his hand shook with old age and the spittle dribbled from his lips.

Isis, who was the greatest magician that Egypt had ever known, devised a plan to trick Ra to leave his throne so that Osiris might become Pharaoh. Thoth told her that she could not succeed unless she learned Ra's secret name. Only with his hidden name could she gain power over Ra.

While only Ra could create living things, Isis used her magic to steal some of this power from Ra and create a cobra of clay. Each day Ra passed by Isis on his way to Upper Egypt. As he passed on the road, the spittle from his lips fell into the dust. Isis gathered this spittle and dust and with her magic made the first cobra and lay it beside the path of Ra, for it had form but was lifeless.

When Ra next passed along the road his eye fell on the lifeless cobra and it came into being. It reared out of the grass and bit Ra on the heel as he passed and then the cobra slithered away.

Ra sat down beside the road holding his heel and soon a great pain shot through him and he cried aloud. All the gods came swiftly to help him in his anguish, and Isis was among them.

Isis cradled Ra's heel in her hand and asked him how they could help him in his agony. Ra replied that all those who knew magic and had wisdom must be called to help him. So one by one they came, and none could help.

The last who came was Isis.

Ra's pain had grown greater, he shivered and his eyes grew dim. "Help me Isis for you are the greatest magician in Egypt. I do not know what poison attacks me, or what snake bit me, for I did not make it."

Isis bowed before Ra and whispered that she had great magic, but she must have extra power to cast out this strange poison that came from no snake that Ra had made; a snake that no one in Egypt had known existed. "I must have the power of your secret name, Divine Father."

Ra was cautious and told her many of his names of power, but Isis shook her head and told him he must tell her his secret name. Finally the pain burned more powerfully and Ra relented. But before he told her his secret name he made her promise that she would tell no one but the son that she and Osiris would bear.

She must tell no one the secret name but Horus their son who would rule after Osiris.

Isis swore this oath and Ra whispered his secret name. With that name Isis chanted a spell of extraordinary power that drove the poison out of Ra's body.

Ra's pain ended, but he was tired and felt very old. He knew that Osiris was destined to reign after him, and his grandson Horus would follow as the third God-Pharaoh. So Ra left the earth and took his place in the heavens as the Burning Eye. He crossed the sky daily and passed under the earth in the twelve regions of the Duat nightly.

Osiris became Pharaoh of Egypt and Isis was his Queen. They built their capital at Thebes and ruled wisely.