The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia

214 The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia

and Set, were separated from him, and henceforth he was made

the head of a triad, in which Isis was the second person, and

Horus, the avenger of his father, was the third. How completely

the father and son were merged together may be seen from a

hymn to Horus which has been translated by Chabas^185 —

“The gods are joyous at the arrival of Osiris,
the son of Horus, the intrepid,
the truth-speaking, the son of Isis, the heir of Osiris. The
divine chiefs join him,
the gods recognise the omnipotent child himself ...
the reign of justice belongs to him.
Horus has found his justification, to him is given the title of
his father;
he appears with theatef-crown by order of Seb. He takes the
royalty of the two worlds,
the crown of Upper Egypt is placed upon his head.
He judges the world as he likes,
[233] heaven and earth are beneath his eye,
he commands mankind—the intellectual beings, the race of
the Egyptians and the northern barbarians.
The circuit of the solar disc is under his control;
the winds, the waters, the wood of the plants, and all
vegetables....
Sanctifying, beneficent is his name ...
evil flies afar off, and the earth brings forth abundantly under
her lord.
Justice is confirmed by its lord, who chases away iniquity.
Mild is thy heart, O (Osiris) Un-nefer, son of Isis;
he has taken the crown of Upper Egypt; for him is
acknowleged the authority of his father in the
great dwelling of Seb;
he is Ra when speaking, Thoth when writing; the divine
chiefs are at rest.”

(^185) Records of the Past, first series, ii.