(8) O ye, these gates, who are the gates to Osiris, ye who guard their gates, ye who herald the things of the world to Osiris every day. Osiris N. knows you—he knows your names; for he is born in Restau, where all the glory of the horizon was given him. N. receives the investiture in Pu, like the purification of Osiris. N. receives the saying in Restau, when he leads the gods on the horizon with the ministrant, the protectors of Osiris. I am one of them in their leading. N. is the glorious one, the lord of the glorious, a glorious one who performs the rites. N. celebrates the festival of the first day of the month; he is the herald in the fifteenth day of the month. O thou who revolvest. N. carries the sacred flame to the hand of Thoth in the night when he sails through the sky as victor. N. passes on in peace, he navigates in the boat of Rā. The attributes of N. are the attributes of the boat of Rā. N. has a name greater than yours, mightier than you who are on the roads of Maāt. N. hates what is corrupt. The attributes of N. are the attributes of Horus, the firstborn of Rā, who accomplishes his will. N. is not fettered, he is not driven away from the gates of Osiris. N. is perfect, the lion god, the pure one who follows Osiris Khent Amenta every day. His domains are in Sechet hotepu among those who know the sacred rites, among those who perform the sacred rites to Osiris. N. is on the side of Thoth, among those who bring offerings. Anubis ordered to the bearers of offerings, that there should be offerings to N. of his own, and that they should not be taken from him by those who are in captivity. N. has come like Horus, when he adorns the horizon of heaven N. directs the march of Rā towards the gates of the horizon; therefore the gods rejoice in the presence of N. The divine scent is upon Osiris, the god with the lock will not reach him; the keepers of the gates will not be hostile to him. N. is the one whose face is hidden inside the palace, in the sanctuary of the god, the lord of Tuat. N. has reached it after Hathor. N. gathers his hosts; he brings Maāt to Rā, he drives away the Mighty One, Apepi. N. pierces the steel firmament, and repels the raging storm; he gives life to the seamen of Rā. N. carries offerings to the place where it (the boat) is. N. causes that the boat gives him a successful voyage. N. marches, and when he reaches it, the face of N. is like the Great One, and his back like the lofty one. N. is the lord of the mighty. N. is well pleased on the horizon. N. is valiant; he strikes you down; you wakers; he makes his way to your lord, Osiris

(7) Seb made a mark on thy mouth; the great cycle of the gods protect thee.... They come with thee towards the entrance of the hall of the Tuat. Thy mother Nut stretches her hand behind thee, she protects thee, she doubles her care for thee ... of the children. The two sisters Isis and Nephthys come to thee; they fill thee with life health and strength, and all the joy which they possess

(23) I have given thee Isis and Nephthys, they are placed on thee

(1) O Tmu, Shu, Tefnut, Seb, Nut, Osiris, Isis, Sut, Nephthys, Horus of the two Horizons, Hathor in the great dwelling, Chepera, Mentu lord of Thebes, Amon lord of Nestaui, ye the great cycle of the gods, ye the small cycle of the gods, ye gods and goddesses issued from Nu, Sebek of Shet, Sebek in all his manifold names, in all the abodes where his ka likes to be; ye gods of the South and of the North, ye gods in heaven and on earth, grant a pure garment to the mighty Chu N. ; give him to be glorious by it and destroy all that was wrong in him

(12) Ye fathers and mothers, gods of the sky, and of the Netherworld, deliver N. from all things pernicious and evil, from all harm and evil, from the cruel huntsman and his swords, and from all evil things; and order what is to be done to him by the men, the glorious ones, and the dead, in this day, in this night, in this month, and in this year

(9) And thou shalt say when thou puttest this goddess on the neck of the deceased: O Amon of Amons, thou who art in the sky, turn thy face towards the body of thy son, make him sound in the Netherworld

(28) In this figure the pagan naturalists represent all the vital powers of the three kingdoms and families of sublunary nature-mineral, plant, and animal (man considered as an animal). At one of her ears was the moon and at the other the sun, to indicate that these two were the agent and patient, or father and mother principles of all natural objects; and that Isis, or Nature, makes use of these two luminaries to communicate her powers to the whole empire of animals, vegetables, and minerals. On the back of her neck were the characters of the planets and the signs of the zodiac which assisted the planets in their functions. This signified that the heavenly influences directed the destinies of the principles and sperms of all things, because they were the governors of all sublunary bodies, which they transformed into little worlds made in the image of the greater universe.

(2) Look thou upon me and exalt me, impart to me Terror, and rouse in me Might, so that the gods of the Tuat may fear me, that their battlements war in my behalf there; and that he may not assail and slay me in the house of darkness, who enwrappeth the dead; the god who hideth his name; or that the like be done by them

(6) O, Rā, be gracious to N. in this happy day when N. joined Shu and Isis, and when he was united to (Nekhebit); they give bread and beer to N. , and they do all the things good and pure in this happy day, the things of Tum, bringing him the things of the eye of Horus ... whenever he arrives to see the god

(41) Thy mother Isis embraceth thee, seeing in thee her son, as the Lord of Terror, the All-Powerful, as he setteth in the Land of Life at night

(19) O chief of the hours, in front of Rā, make way for N. that he may arrive into the circle of Osiris, the living lord of the two earths, who lives eternally

(58) the ... of] the gods, N[u]di[mmud] [A gap of about ten lines occurs here.] (69) (70) (71) (72) [Anshar unto] his son addressed [the word]: (73) " ... my mighty hero, (74) "[Whose] strength [is great] and whose onslaught cannot be withstood, (75) "[Go] and stand before Tiamat, (76) "[That] her spirit [may be appeased], that her heart may be merciful. (77) "[But if] she will not hearken unto thy word, (78) "Our [word] shalt thou speak unto her, that she may be pacified." (79) [He heard the] word of his father Anshar (80) And [he directed] his path to her, towards her he took the way. (81) Anu [drew nigh], he beheld the muttering of Tiamat, (82) [But he could not withstand her], and he turned back. (83) Anshar (84) he spake unto him: (85) " upon me [A gap of about twenty lines occurs here.] (104) (105) an avenger (106) va[liant] (107) in the place of his decision (108) he spake unto him: (109) " thy father (110) "Thou art my son, who maketh merciful his heart. (111) " to the battle shalt thou draw nigh, (112) " he that shall behold thee shall have peace." (113) And the lord rejoiced at the word of his father, (114) And he drew nigh and stood before Anshar. (115) Anshar beheld him and his heart was filled with joy, (116) He kissed him on the lips and his fear departed from him. (117) "[O my father], let not the word of thy lips be overcome, (118) "Let me go, that I may accomplish all that is in thy heart. (119). "[O Anshar], let not the word of thy lips be overcome, (120) ". [Let me] go, that I may accomplish all that is in thy heart." (121) "What man is it, who hath brought thee forth to battle? (122) " Tiamat, who is a woman, is armed and attacketh thee." (123) " ... rejoice and be glad; (124) "The neck of Tiamat shalt thou swiftly trample under foot. (125) " ... rejoice and be glad; (126) "[The neck] of Tiamat shalt thou swiftly trample under foot. (127) "O my [son], who knoweth all wisdom, (128) "Pacify [Tiama]t with thy pure incantation. (129) "Speedily set out upon thy way, (130) "For [thy blood (?)] shall not be poured out, thou shalt return again." (131) The lord rejoiced at the word of his father, (132) His heart exulted, and unto his father he spake: (133) "O Lord of the gods, Destiny of the great gods, (134) "If I, your avenger, (135) "Conquer Tiamat and give you life, (136) "Appoint an assembly, make my fate preeminent and proclaim it. (137) "In Upshukkinaku seat yourselves joyfully together, (138) "With my word in place of you will I decree fate. (139) "May whatsoever I do remain unaltered, (140) "May the word of my lips never be changed nor made of no avail."

(4) The god has said this: thy words are those of the father of the gods, thy name will be triumphant before the gods; they exalt thee and the cycle of the gods give thee their hands

(15) Hail, N. , thy figure is that which thou hadst on earth, thou art living and renewed every day. Thy face is unveiled, and thou seest the lord of the horizon; he gives bread to N. at his hour of the day and at his appointed time in the night. Horus has avenged thee, he has smashed the jawbones of thy enemies, he has smitten the violent one at the door of his fortress

(9) In the ancient world the year had 360 days. The five extra days were gathered together by the God of Cosmic Intelligence to serve as the birthdays of the five gods and goddesses who are called the sons and daughters of Ham. Upon the first of these special days Osiris was born and upon the fourth of them Isis. (The number four shows the relation that this goddess bears to the earth and its elements.) Typhon, the Egyptian Demon or Spirit of the Adversary, was born upon the third day. Typhon is often symbolized by a crocodile; sometimes his body is a combination of crocodile and hog. Isis stands for knowledge and wisdom, and according to Plutarch the word Typhon means insolence and pride. Egotism, self-centeredness, and pride are the deadly enemies of understanding and truth. This part of the allegory is revealed.

(8) The Osiris N is Horus: his mother Isis bringeth him forth, and Nephthys nurseth him, as they did to Horus, who repelleth the dark ones of Sutu: who, when they see the Crown fixed upon his brow, fall upon their faces

(6) This chapter is said over a consecrated crown placed upon the face of the person, and thou shalt put incense upon the flame, for N (the deceased), effecting his triumph over all his adversaries, whether Dead or Living, that he may become one of the followers of Osiris. And there shall be given to him drink and food in presence of this god. Thou shall say it at dawn twice; A great protection is it: with undeviating regularity for times infinite

(1) IT is especially fitting that a study of Hermetic symbolism should begin with a discussion of the symbols and attributes of the Saitic Isis. This is the Isis of Sais, famous for the inscription concerning her which appeared on the front of her temple in that city: "I, Isis, am all that has been, that is or shall be; no mortal Man hath ever me unveiled."

(19) The explanations in these pages of the symbols peculiar to the Virgin Isis are based (unless otherwise noted) on selections from a free translation of the fourth book of Bibliotèque des Philosophes Hermétiques, entitled "The Hermetical Signification of the Symbols and Attributes of Isis," with interpolations by the compiler to amplify and clarify the text.

(23) The ancients gave the name Isis to one of their occult medicines; therefore the description here given relates somewhat to chemistry. Her black drape also signifies that the moon, or the lunar humidity--the sophic universal mercury and the operating substance of Nature in alchemical terminology--has no light of its own, but receives its light, its fire, and its vitalizing force from the sun. Isis was