Egyptian+Heroes

(By: Julian Pierce) (Group Members: Jenny Shaba. Kyle Alsheskie, Julian Pierce, and Neal Weeratunga) Next Page: Egyptian Gods' Relationships With Humans


 * __ Hero’s of Egyptian Mythology (Overview) __**

Many of the Egyptian myths were never written down, but the Egyptians would cover their temples with images of their gods’ struggles. Most of the myths had to be reconstructed from indirect sources such as funerary texts, cult rituals and hymns, and texts of magic. Egyptian mythology involved a very large pantheon of gods, and some of their heroes may have been Isis, Osiris, and even a large number of texts were written to recount the legends and myths of semi-divine folk heroes such as Gilgamesh.


 * __ Isis and Osiris __**

The story begins thousands of years ago when Osiris, the oldest son of Nut was born. Nut had another son Seth, the son of evil. Once Osiris was brought into the world many positive signs were heard throughout the world. Osiris heard from a man named Pamyles in the holy temple of Thebes that he was the mighty king and was brought to bring joy to all earth. Things like this made Seth resent Osiris. He was a very jealous man that wanted the power that Osiris had. When Osiris grew up, he marries his sister Isis because gods can only marry goddesses. During Osiris’ time in power, he notices that people in the world were rather barbaric and savage. They continuously fought amongst themselves and eating each other. Osiris discovered grain, wheat, and many other plants that could help man-kind. Osiris also taught the people many agricultural facts such as how to tend water crops and how to cut corn once it became ripe. Overall, Osiris was a very loved and wise ruler.



Osiris went on to teach Egypt how to advance as a country by having laws, peace, and learning to work together. After this, Osiris felt the desire to bless the rest of the world with his knowledge and left Isis to rule. Seth hated Isis and the fact that she was left in power making his desire to kill Osiris grow. Seth was a very smart man though, during Osiris’ time away from Egypt he put no effort in to trying to take over as ruler. When Osiris returned Seth was there with a smile welcoming his brother. Little did Osiris know that Seth had already developed a plan for killing him.

Seth had created a chest made so that only Osiris’ unique body could fit into. During a welcome home dinner for Osiris, Seth brought out the chest saying “whoever can fit in the chest can have it!” All of the men tried and failed until Osiris was up and he fit perfectly in. As soon as he went in Seth sealed the chest shut with molten lead so it could never be opened. Seth threw the chest into the Nile river never to be found or opened again. Osiris floated until he reached the shore of Phonecia. The chest ran into a tree and there the chest sat as the tree grew around the chest protecting it. Isis lived in fear because of Seth now and vanished to a small island where the goddess Buto lived. She then went out on a search for Osiris wondering around Egypt asking anyone she could. Nobody had any idea until she met some children on the riverside playing. They told her that they saw the chest floating down the river. She soon found the tree with the chest in it and took it back to Egypt.

When Seth heard of this he came hunting for the body and eventually came to find it. When he did he used his brut strength tearing Osiris into fourteen pieces. He scattered the pieces of Osiris all throughout the Nile river in hopes that crocodiles will eat them. Isis once again set out to search for her husband and was able to retrieve thirteen of fourteen pieces. Isis joined the pieces together cause Osiris to waken from a deep sleep. He then had his son Horus avenge his death killing Seth and taking over as ruler of Egypt like his father before him.



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