Post by Auset on May 5, 2004 18:07:46 GMT -5
This legend comes from a side chapel in the tomb of Sety I.
In the beginning mankind was grateful to Re for the benefits tht he had conferred upon them, and they worshipped him and supplied all the things necessary for his service. After a while, however, they became tired of doing this and claimed that Re had grown old and had no need to further offerings, so supplies for the temples diminished.
Re consulted with the Council of the Gods as to what he should do, but he did it secretly so that mankind should not know what he was about to do. The gods came together and grouped themselves around Re, and asked him what he wished to say. First he consulted the god Nun, because he was the god of the Watery Waste and older than the other gods. Nun advised him to send his Eye against mankind. Now his eye was his daughter Sekhmet, sometimes known as Hathor. In her form of Sekhmet she was a midday sun. She went forth and slew man in the valley and in the desert where they had taken refuge. Then Re was sorry for mankind and he called to the goddes to cease her work and come to him in peace, as mankind had been punished enough. But the lioness roared and said "I swore by my life tht when I gained mastery over men it was very satistying to my heart". Then again Re took council with the gods to see how he could stop Sekhmet's slaughter, as she was devouring mankind and wading in their blood.
The gods advised Re to give Sekhmet beer, of which she was very fond. So large quanities of beer were brewed and mixed with some Kharkady (red stain) so that it resembled blood. then when the goddes was resting this was poured upon the fields where she was about to hunt next morning, and it reached the height of four spans. And his Majesty Re said" I will protect men with this beer which I have made"
to be continued....
In the beginning mankind was grateful to Re for the benefits tht he had conferred upon them, and they worshipped him and supplied all the things necessary for his service. After a while, however, they became tired of doing this and claimed that Re had grown old and had no need to further offerings, so supplies for the temples diminished.
Re consulted with the Council of the Gods as to what he should do, but he did it secretly so that mankind should not know what he was about to do. The gods came together and grouped themselves around Re, and asked him what he wished to say. First he consulted the god Nun, because he was the god of the Watery Waste and older than the other gods. Nun advised him to send his Eye against mankind. Now his eye was his daughter Sekhmet, sometimes known as Hathor. In her form of Sekhmet she was a midday sun. She went forth and slew man in the valley and in the desert where they had taken refuge. Then Re was sorry for mankind and he called to the goddes to cease her work and come to him in peace, as mankind had been punished enough. But the lioness roared and said "I swore by my life tht when I gained mastery over men it was very satistying to my heart". Then again Re took council with the gods to see how he could stop Sekhmet's slaughter, as she was devouring mankind and wading in their blood.
The gods advised Re to give Sekhmet beer, of which she was very fond. So large quanities of beer were brewed and mixed with some Kharkady (red stain) so that it resembled blood. then when the goddes was resting this was poured upon the fields where she was about to hunt next morning, and it reached the height of four spans. And his Majesty Re said" I will protect men with this beer which I have made"
to be continued....
