(13) While Hermes still walked the earth with men, he entrusted to his chosen successors the sacred Book of Thoth. This work contained the secret processes by which the regeneration of humanity was to be accomplished and also served as the key to his other writings. Nothing definite is known concerning the contents of the Book of Thoth other than that its pages were covered with strange hieroglyphic figures and symbols, which gave to those acquainted with their use unlimited power over the spirits of the air and the subterranean divinities. When certain areas of the brain are stimulated by the secret processes of the Mysteries, the consciousness of man is extended and he is permitted to behold the Immortals and enter into the presence of the superior gods. The Book of Thoth described the method whereby this stimulation was accomplished. In truth, therefore, it was the "Key to Immortality."

(258) 308 To say: N. is Osiris in a dust-storm. 308 His abomination is the earth; N. has not entered into Geb, 308 that he might be destroyed; nor has he slept in his house on earth, 308 that his bones might be broken. His wounds are effaced: 308 N. has purified himself with the eye of Horus; his wound is effaced by the two mourners of Osiris; 308 N. has let the running (of his wound) flow to the ground at u. 309 It is his sister, the lady of P, who wept for him. 309 N. is on his way to heaven; N. is on his way to heaven; on the wind; on the wind. 309 He is not hindered; there is no one by whom he is hindered. 309 N., he is "on his own," the eldest of the gods. 310 His bread comes on high with (that of) R`; 310 his offering comes out of Nun. 310 N. is one who comes again; 310 he goes, he comes with R`. 310 His houses are visited by him. 311 N. seizes kas; he frees kas; 311 he covers up evil; he abolishes evil. 311 N. spends the day; he spends, the night, while he appeases the two choppers in Wn.w. 311 Nothing opposes his foot; nothing restrains his heart.

(20) It is doubtful that the deity called Thoth by the Egyptians was originally Hermes, but the two personalities were blended together and it is now impossible to separate them. Thoth was called "The Lord of the Divine Books" and "Scribe of the Company of the Gods." He is generally depicted with the body of a man and the head of an ibis. The exact symbolic meaning of this latter bird has never been discovered. A careful analysis of the peculiar shape of the ibis--especially its head and beak--should prove illuminating.

(259) 312 To say: N. is Osiris in a dust-storm. 3112 The abomination of N. is the earth; he has, not entered into Geb, 312 that N. might perish; nor has he slept in his house on earth, 312 that the bones of N. might be broken. His wounds are effaced; 312 N. has purified himself with the eye of Horus; his wound is effaced by the two mourners of Osiris; 312 N. has let the running (of his wound) flow to the ground at u. 313 It is the sister of N., the lady P, who wept for him. 313 The two nurses (or, attendants), who wept for Osiris, wept for him. 313 N. is on his way to heaven; N. is on his way to heaven, with Shu and R`. 313 N. is not hindered; there is no one who hinders him. 313 N. is upon his feet, the eldest of the gods. 313 N. has no session in the divine court. 314 The bread of N. comes on high with (that of) R`; 314 his offering comes out of Nun. 314 N. is one who comes again; 314 N. goes with R`; N. comes with R`. 3, 4 His houses are visited by him. 3, 5 He covers up evil; he abolishes evil. 315 He seizes kas; he frees kas. 315 N. spends the day; he spends the night; N. frees the two choppers in Wn.w. 315 Nothing opposes the feet of N.; nothing restrains the heart of N. 8. THE DECEASED KING TRIUMPHS OVER HIS ENEMIES AND IS RECOGNIZED BY THE GODS,

(23) 16 Osiris, carry off all those who hate N., who speak evilly against his name. 16 Thot, go, carry off him who has injured Osiris. Bring him who speaks evilly against the name of N. 16 Get him into thy hand. To say four times: Do not separate thyself from him. 16 Take care that thou be not separated from him. A libation.

(524) 1233 To say: N. is pure with the purification which Horus did to his eye. 1233 N. is Thot who avenges thee (the eye); N. is not Set who seizes it. 1233 Rejoice, O gods; rejoice, O Two Enneads. 1234 Let Horus approach N. 1234 N. is crowned with the white crown, the eye of Horus wherewith he is powerful. 1234 The gods rejoice for him who ascends. 1235 The face of N. is as that of a jackal; the two arms of N. are as those of a falcon; 1235 the extremities of the wings of N. are as those of Thot. 1235 May Geb let N. fly to heaven, 1235 that this N. may take the eye of Horus, to himself! 1236 N. has penetrated your frontier, ye dead; 1236 N. has overturned your boundary stones, ye who are before and with Osiris; 1236 N. has conjured the paths of Set; 1236 N. has passed by the messengers of Osiris. 1237 No god can hold N.; 1237 no opponent stands in the way of N. 1237 N. is Thot, the strongest of the gods; 1237 Atum calls N. to heaven for life. 1237 N. has taken the eye of Horus to himself! 1238 N. is the son of Khnum; there is nothing evil which N. has done. 1238 Weighty is this word before thee, O R`. 1238 Hear it, bull of the Ennead. 1239 Open the way of N.; enlarge the place of N. before the gods. 1239 N. has taken the eye of Horus to himself; N. has attached to himself that which went forth from his head. 1240 N. has caused him to see with both his eyes complete, 1240 that he may punish his enemies therewith. 1240 Horus has taken his eye and has given it to N. 1241 His odour is the odour of a god; the odour of the eye of Horus appertains to the flesh of N. 1241 N. is in front with it; N. sits upon your great throne, O gods; 1241 N. is side by side with Atum, between the two sceptres. 1242 N. is the wnnw (messenger?) of the gods in search of the eye of Horus; 1242 N. searched for it at Buto; he found it at Heliopolis; 1242 N. snatched it from the head of Set, at the place where they fought. 1243 Horus, give thine arm to N.; Horus take to thyself thine eye; 1243 it mounts up to thee; it ascends to thee; it comes to thee, N., for life; 1243 the eye of Horus comes to thee with N., before N., for ever.

(204) 118 Rejoice, O hoers; let the heart in the breasts of men be lifted up. 118 They have swallowed the 'bright eye of Horus which is in Heliopolis. 118 The little finger of N. draws out that which is in the navel of Osiris. 119 N. thirsts not, he hungers not; the heart of N. faints (?) not, 119 for it is in the hands of : which hold off his hunger. O fill (him), O fillers of hearts.

(14) According to legend, the Book of Thoth was kept in a golden box in the inner sanctuary of the temple. There was but one key and this was in the possession of the "Master of the Mysteries," the highest initiate of the Hermetic Arcanum. He alone knew what was written in the secret book. The Book of Thoth was lost to the ancient world with the decay of the Mysteries, but its faithful initiates carried it sealed in the sacred casket into another land. The book is still in existence and continues to lead the disciples of this age into the presence of the Immortals. No other information can be given to the world concerning it now, but the apostolic succession from the first hierophant initiated by Hermes himself remains unbroken to this day, and those who are peculiarly fitted to serve the Immortals may discover this priceless document if they will search sincerely and tirelessly for it.

(442) 819 To say: That Great One is certainly fallen on his side; be who is in Ndi.t is thrown down. 819 Thine arm is seized by R`; thy head is lifted up by the Two Enneads. 819 Behold, he is come (again) as ; behold, Osiris is come as . 820 lord of the wine-cellar at the Wg-feast, 820 "good," as his mother said; "heir," as his father said, 820 conceived by heaven, born of the Dw.t. 820 Heaven conceives thee together with S'; 820 N. is born in the Dw.t together with S'. 821 He lives who lives at the command of the gods; so wilt thou live. 821 Thou ascendest with S' on the eastern side of the sky; 821 thou descendest with S' on the western side of the sky. 822 Your third is Sothis of the pure places, 822 she is your leader (or, who will lead you) by the beautiful ways in heaven, 822 in the Marsh of Reeds. 21. SECOND SERIES IN PRAISE OF NUT,

(355) 572 The double doors of heaven open. 572 O N., 572 thy head is joined for thee to thy bones; thy bones are joined for thee to thy head. 572 The double doors of heaven are open for thee; the great bolts are drawn back for thee; 572 a brick is drawn out of the great tomb for thee. 573 Thy face is that of a jackal; thy tail is that of a lion; 573 thou sittest upon this thy throne; thou commandest the spirits. 573 Thou comest to me, thou comest to me, thou comest indeed to me, 573 like (to) Horus after he had avenged his father, Osiris. 574 I am thine Anubis-priest. 574 Thou puttest thy hand on the land; thy warrior-arm is over the great region, 574 wherein thou goest (or, passest through) among the spirits. 574 Rise, lift up thyself like Osiris.

(482) 1002 To say: O father, Osiris N., 1002 raise thyself from thy left side, put thyself on thy right side, 1002 toward this fresh water, which I have given to thee. 1003 O father, Osiris N., 1003 raise thyself from thy left side, put thyself on thy right side, 1003 toward this warm bread, which I have made for thee. 1004 O father, Osiris N., 1004 the double doors of heaven are open for thee; the double doors of the bows are open for thee. 1004 The gods of Buto are filled with compassion 1004 when they come to Osiris at the voice of lamentation of Isis and Nephthys. 1005 The Souls of Buto dance for thee; 1005 they beat their flesh for thee; they smite their arms for thee; 1005 they dishevel their hair for thee; 1005 they say to Osiris: 1006. "Thou art gone, thou art come; thou art awake, thou wast asleep; thou remainest alive. 1007 Stand up, see this; stand up, hear this, 1007 what thy son has done for thee, what Horus has done for thee. 1007 He beats him who beats thee; he binds him who binds thee; 1008 he puts him under his great daughter who is in dm. 1008 (it is) thy great sister who collected thy flesh, who gathered thy hands, 1008 who sought thee, who found thee upon thy side on the shore of Ndi.t, 1009 so that mourning ceased in the two 'itr.t-palaces." 1009 Ye gods, speak to him, bring him to you. 1009 But thou shalt ascend to heaven; thou shalt become Wp.w.wt. 1010 Thy son Horus leads thee on the ways of heaven. 1010 Heaven is given to thee; earth is given to thee; the Marsh of Reeds is given to thee, 1010 together with those two great gods who come from Heliopolis.

(576) 1500 To say: Osiris was placed upon his side by his brother Set; 1500 he who is in Ndi.t stirs; his head is raised up by R`; 1500 his abomination is to sleep; he hates to be tired; 1501 N. rots not; he stinks not; 1501 N. is not bound (bewitched) by your wrath, O gods. 1502 Awake thou in peace; 1502 Osiris awakes in peace; he who is in Ndi.t awakes in peace. 1503 His head is lifted up by R`; his odour is [as] that of the 'I.twt.t-serpent. 1503 The head of N. also is lifted up by R`; the odour of N. is as that of 'I.t-wt.t-serpent. 1504 He rots not; he stinks not, 1504 N. is not bound (bewitched) by your wrath, O gods. 1505 N. is thy seed, Osiris, the pointed, 1505 in his name of "Horus in the great green"; "Horus chief of spirits." 1506 N. rots not; he stinks not; 1506 he is not bound (bewitched) by your wrath, O gods. 1507 N. goes forth from his house, adorned like Horus, bedecked like Thot; 1507 the mother of N. is thy Heliopolitan, O god; the father of N. is a Heliopolitan; 1507 N. himself is thy Heliopolitan, O god. 1508 N. is conceived by R`; he is born of R`. 1508 N. is thy seed, O R`, the pointed, 1508 in his name of "Horus, chief of spirits, star which ferries over the "great green." 1509 N. rots not; he stinks not; 1509 he is not bound (bewitched) by your wrath, O gods. 1510 N. is one of those four gods, born of Geb, 1510 who travelled over the South, who travelled over the land of [the North], 1510 who leaned upon their dm-sceptres, 1511 anointed with the best ointment, clothed in [purple], 1511 living on figs, drinking wine. 1512 a. N. anoints himself with that with which you anoint yourselves; 1512 N. clothes himself with that with which you clothe yourselves; 1512 N. lives on that on which you live; 1512 N. drinks that of which you [drink]. 1513 N. is safe with you, he lives on that on which you live. 1513 May you give him of those possessions which your father Geb gave you, 1513 (so that) because of which none of you may hunger, because of which none of you may rot. 1514 Lay hold of the arm of N. for life before the sweet-smelling ones, 1514 unite the bones of N., assemble his limbs, 1514 that N. may sit upon his throne. 1515 He rots not; he stinks not; 1515 N. is not bound (bewitched) by your wrath, O gods. 1516 N. is come to thee, mother of N.; he is come to Nut. 150 Make the sky mount for N.; place the stars upside down for him. 1516 Let his odour be like the odour of thy son, who is come forth from thee; 1516 let the odour of N. be like that of Osiris, thy son, who is come forth from thee. 1517 Nun, lift up the arm of N. towards the sky, that he may support himself (on) the earth which he has given to thee, 151 7 that he may ascend, that he may rise to the sky, 1517 that he may do service of a courtier to R`. 1518 Horus chief of the spirits, who is before the sweet-smelling ones, 1518 awake thou in peace, as R` awakes, in peace; 1518 awake in peace, as Mdi awakes in peace. 1519. Let him put the writing of N. in his register before the sweetsmelling ones. 37. THE RESURRECTION OF OSIRIS WITH WHOM THE GODS ARE SATISFIED,

(474) 939 To say: "How beautiful indeed it is to see," says she, said Isis; 939 "how fortunate indeed it is to see," says she, said Nephthys 939 to the king, to this Osiris N., 940 as he ascends to heaven among the stars, among the imperishable stars, 940 the lion-helmet (renown) of N. on his head, 940 his terror on both sides of him, his magic preceding him! 941 N. goes therewith to his mother Nut; 941 N. climbs upon her, in this her name of "Ladder." 941 The gods who inhabit heaven are brought to thee; they unite for thee with the gods who inhabit the earth, 941 that thou mayest be with them, that thou mayest go on their arms. 942 The Souls of Buto are brought to thee; the Souls of Hierakonpolis are united for thee. 942 "All belongs to N.," 942 so said Geb, who has spoken thereof with Atum. So it was done for him. 943 "The Marshes of Reeds, 943 the Horite regions, the regions of Set 943 all belongs to N.," 943 so said Geb, who has spoken thereof with Atum. So it was done for him. 944 He came against thee; he said he would kill thee. 944 He has not killed thee; it is thou who wilt kill him. 944 Thou holdest thine own against him, as the surviving bull of the wild-bulls. 945 Further, to say four times: N., thou remainest in life and joy; 945 N., thou shalt certainly remain in life and joy.

(435) 786 To say: I am Nut, "the Granary." I have proclaimed the name of Osiris N., 786 namely, "Horus, beloved of the two lands, N."; "King of Upper and Lower Egypt, N."; 786 "nb.ti, beloved of the Corporation, N."; "falcon over gold, N. "; 787 "heir of Geb, his beloved N.", "beloved of all the gods, N."; 787 given all life, stability, prosperity, health, joy like R`, thou livest for ever. 20. MISCELLANEOUS TEXTS--SOME LARGELY OSIRIAN,

(10) After Osiris, here symbolized as the sun, had become King of Egypt and had given to his people the full advantage of his intellectual light, he continued his path through the heavens, visiting the peoples of other nations and converting all with whom he came in contact. Plutarch further asserts that the Greeks recognized in Osiris the same person whom they revered under the names of Dionysos and Bacchus. While he was away from his country, his brother, Typhon, the Evil One, like the Loki of Scandinavia, plotted against the Sun God to destroy him. Gathering seventy-two persons as fellow conspirators, he attained his nefarious end in a most subtle manner. He had a wonderful ornamented box made just the size of the body of Osiris. This he brought into a banquet hall where the gods and goddesses were feasting together. All admired the beautiful chest, and Typhon promised to give it to the one whose body fitted it most perfectly. One after another lay down in the box, but in disappointment

(581) 1551 To say: This thy cavern there is the broad-hall of Osiris N.. 1551 which brings the wind. The north wind refreshes; 1551 it raises thee as Osiris N. 1552 Ssm.w comes to thee, bearing water and wine; 1552 nti-mnwt.f (comes) bearing the vases which are before the two 'itr.t-palaces. 1552 Thou standest, thou sittest like Anubis, chief of the necropolis. 1553 Aker stands up for thee; Shu dries (lit. something like. "lies down," Wb. V 366) for thee. 1553 They tremble who see the inundation (when) it tosses; 1554 (but) the marshes laugh; the shores are become green; 1554 the divine offerings descend; the face of men brightens; the heart of the gods rejoices. 1555 "Deliver N. from his bandages, which restrain (?) the living, O gods," 1555 (is) in the mouth of those who run to them on the good day of running (while running is good). 1556 "Set is guilty; Osiris is justified," 1556 (is) in the mouth of the gods, on the good day of the going upon the mountain. 1557 (When) inundations are upon the land, 1557 he who hastens with his soul goes to his cave; 1557 (but) thou marchest behind thy spirit towards Knm-'iwnw, 1557 like the successor of Hrti, chief of [Ns].t.

(109) Another book which Enoch wrote for his son Methuselah and for those who will come after him, and keep the law in the last days.

(203) 117 To say: Osiris N., take it; the eye of Horus belongs to thee. 3. A GROUP OF PRAYERS AND CHARMS,

(676) 2007 To say: Thy water belongs to thee, thine abundance belongs to thee, thine efflux belongs to thee, 2007 which issues from Osiris. 2008 Collect thy bones; arrange thy limbs; 2008 shake off thy dust; untie thy bandages. 2009 The tomb is open for thee; the double doors of the coffin are undone for thee; 2009 the double doors of heaven are open for thee. 2009 "Hail," says Isis; "(come) in peace," says Nephthys, 2009 when they see their brother at the feast of Atum. 2010 These thy libations, Osiris, are in Busiris, in Grg.w-b(.f ); 2010 thy soul is in thy body; thy might is behind thee; remain chief of (or, master of) thy powers. 2011 Raise thyself up, N., 2011 travel over the southern regions; travel over the northern regions; 2011 be thou powerful over the powers that are in thee. 2011 Thy spirits, the jackals, are given thee which Horus of Hierakonpolis has given to thee. 2012 Raise thyself up, N., be seated on thy firm (or, copper) throne. 2012 Anubis, who is chief of the divine pavillion (s-ntr), has commanded 2012 thy purification with thy eight nm.t-jars and (thy) eight `b.tjars, which come from the s-ntr. 2013 Thou art a god who supports the sky, who beautifies the earth. 2013 The mnt.t-woman laments for thee; the great min.t mourns for thee; 2014 arms agitate for thee; feet tremble for thee, 2014 when thou ascendest as a star, as the morning star. 2014 He comes to thee, his father; he comes to thee, Geb; 2015 take his hand, let him sit upon the great seat; 2015 let him unite with the two mt-lakes of b.w; 2015 purify his mouth with natron on the lap of Mnti-'irti; 2015 purify his nails, upper and lower. 2016 Let one do for him what thou didst do for his brother, Osiris, . on the day of counting the bones, 2016 of making firm the sandals, of ferrying over the lake Rd-wr. 2017 To thee come the wise and the understanding; 2017 thou art called to the southern 'itr.t-palace; 2017 to thee come (the gods of) the full northern 'itr.t-palace, with a salutation. 54. TEXTS OF MISCELLANEOUS CONTENTS,

(4) Hermes, which is the name of my forebear, whose home is in a place called after him, doth aid and guard all mortal [men] who come to him from every side. As for Osiris’ [spouse]; how many are the blessings that we know Isis bestows when she’s propitious; how many does she injure when she’s wrath! For that the terrene and the cosmic Gods are easily enraged, in that they are created and composed of the two natures.