| |
|
Egyptian sun god and creator god. He was usually as a human form with a falcon head, crowned with the sun disc encircled by the uraeus (a stylized representation of the sacred cobra). The ankh symbolizes immortality, the crook is power. |
|
The sun was either his body or his eye. He crossed the sky each day in a solar barque and pass through the underworld at night on another solar barque to come back in the east in the morning. Ra created himself, out of a primordial lotus blossom, or on the mound that emerged from the primeval waters. He then created Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture), who in turn engendered the earth god Geb and the sky goddess Nut. Ra created humankind from his own tears and the gods Hu (authority) and Sia (mind) from blood drawn from his own penis. Ra is pictured with the falcon-head of Hours and the sun disk and uraeus. He is wearing mummy wrappings for his night voyage through the twelve provinces of the underworld. He is normally accompanied by 7 cows and a bull for food at night. Ra Father of the gods. Legend states that each day, Ra was born and began a journey across the
sky. Ra was believed to travel in a special boat (Barque of Millions of
Years), often with other gods.
Some days Ra had to fight his enemy, a serpent or snake named Apep.
During an eclipse the snake won and swallowed the sun. Once in the underworld, Ra had to deal with unfriendly spirits and demons along the river in the underworld. The Sun god would bring light to the souls of the dead as he passed through their realm. After he left they went back into a lonely darkness. Father of the first divine couple, Shu and Tefnut. Grandfather of Geb and Nut, whose children were Osiris and Isis, Seth and Nephthys. Many of the minor gods are his decedents. Ra was the sun-god, King of the gods and creator of all things, including mankind. For a long while this kingdom thrived and men gave Ra the respect due him , but some now mocked him. Ra was pissed off at the blasphemy of mankind. He gathered the gods to him to hear their counsel. All the great gods, gathered around. Ra told of mankind's insolence. Ra spoke; , I seek your counsel. The men that I have created, speak evil of me. They anger me greatly, but I will not destroy them until I hear from you. At length Nun answered, saying; "You are a great god, if you turn your eye upon the men who blaspheme you they shall perish from the earth." Doing as Nun had suggested Ra turned his terrible gaze upon the men of the earth and they ran in disarray, hiding in the shadows where the eye of Ra could not harm them. Ra sent his eye down among the man and they could not hide. The eye of Ra, in the form of the goddess Hathor went into the hiding places, striking fear in the hearts of men. Much of mankind was slain. Ra wished to rule mankind, not see it destroyed. Hathor returned to (as Sekhmet), she said, "I have been mighty among mankind. It is pleasing to me." But having tasted blood, Sekhmet would not be appeased. There was only one way to stop Hathor-Sekhmet, he had to trick her. His attendants brewed 7 thousand jars of beer and color it red using mandrakes and the blood of those who had been slain. In the morning they took beer to the place where Hathor would viciously slaughter the remnant of mankind. They poured the beer mixture on the fields. And so, Hathor-Sekhmet came to this place where the beer flooded the fields. Looking down, she seen her own reflection, and it pleased her. She drank deeply of the beer, became drunk and abandoned her blood thirsty quest.
|