(2) And there are those who fashion ears and eyes of costly material, and consecrate them, dedicating them in the temples to the gods - by this plainly indicating that God sees and hears all things. Besides, the lion is with them the symbol of strength and prowess, as the ox clearly is of the earth itself, and husbandry and food, and the horse of fortitude and confidence; while, on the other hand, the sphinx, of strength combined with intelligence - as it had a body entirely that of a lion, and the face of a man. Similarly to these, to indicate intelligence, and memory, and power, and art, a man is sculptured in the temples. And in what is called among them the Komasiae of the gods, they carry about golden images - two dogs, one hawk, and one ibis; and the four figures of the images they call four letters. For the dogs are symbols of the two hemispheres, which, as it were, go round and keep watch; the hawk, of the sun, for it is fiery and destructive (so they attribute pestilential diseases to the sun); the ibis, of the moon, likening the shady parts to that which is dark in plumage, and the luminous to the light. And some will have it that by the dogs are meant the tropics, which guard and watch the sun's passage to the south and north. The hawk signifies the equinoctial line, which is high and parched with heat, as the ibis the ecliptic. For the ibis seems, above other animals, to have furnished to the Egyptians the first rudiments of the invention of number and measure, as the oblique line did of circles.

(1) We shall, therefore, deliver to you the peculiar dogmas of the Assyrians; and also clearly develop to you our own opinions; collecting some things from the infinite writings of the ancients, but others from those particulars which were comprehended by the ancients in one treatise, and pertain to the whole knowledge of divine natures. If also you should propose any philosophic inquiry, we shall discuss it for you, according to the ancient pillars of Hermes, which Plato and Pythagoras knew before, and from thence constituted their philosophy. But such things as exhibit foreign inquiries, or which are contradictory and contentious, we shall assist mildly and aptly, or we shall demonstrate their absurdity. Such, likewise, as proceed conformably to common conceptions, we shall endeavour to discuss in a way perfectly known and clear. And things, indeed, which require the experience of divine operations to an accurate knowledge of them, we shall explain, as far as this is possible to be effected by words alone; but such as are full of intellectual theory, we shall develop with a view to the purification of the soul.

(1) Before handling the point proposed, we must, by way of preface, add to the close of the fifth book what is wanting. For since we have shown that the symbolical style was ancient, and was employed not only by our prophets, but also by the majority of the ancient Greeks, and by not a few of the rest of the Gentile Barbarians, it was requisite to proceed to the mysteries of the initiated. I postpone the elucidation of these till we advance to the confutation of what is said by the Greeks on first principles; for we shall show that the mysteries belong to the same branch of speculation. And having proved that the declaration of Hellenic thought is illuminated all round by the truth, bestowed on us in the Scriptures, taking it according to the sense, we have proved, not to say what is invidious, that the theft of the truth passed to them.

(536) 1291 To say: Thy water belongs to thee, thine abundance belongs to thee, thine efflux comes out of Osiris to thee. 1291 The double doors of heaven are open for thee; the double doors of Nut are open for thee; 1291 the double doors of heaven are open for thee; the double doors of b.w are open for thee. 1292 "Welcome," says Isis; "(come) in peace," says Nephthys, when they see their brother. 1292 Raise thyself up; 1292 untie thy bandages; shake off thy dust. 1293 Sit thou upon this thy firm throne. 1293 Thou art pure with thy four nm.t-jars and thy four 'b.t-jars, 1293 which come for thee out of thy chapel of natron, which were filled for thee in the natron lake, 1293 and which Horus of Nekhen has given thee. 1294 He has given to thee his spirits, the jackals, 1294 like (to) Horus who is in his house, like (to) nti (Osiris) chief of the mighty. 1294 A durable offering is made for thee. 1295 Anubis, chief of the s-ntr, has commanded that thou come in as a star, as god of the morning (or, as god of the morning star), 1295 that thou pass through the region of Horus of the South and that thou pass through the region of Horus of the North. 1296 (And) men will construct with their arms a stairway to thy throne. 1296 He comes to thee his father; he comes to thee Geb. 1297 Do for him that which thou hast done for his brother, Osiris, 1297 on this day of thy feast, the water being full (i. e. at inundation), 1297 when (his) bones are counted, when (his) sandals are repaired, 1297 when his nails, upper and lower, are cleaned for him, 1297 There will come to him (people of) the Upper Egyptian 'itr.tpalace and of the northern 'itr.t-palace, bowing --.

(8) Wherefore the wisest of the Egyptian priests decided that the temple of Athene should be hypaethral, just as the Hebrews constructed the temple without an image. And some, in worshipping God, make a representation of heaven containing the stars; and so worship, although Scripture says, "Let of Eurysus the Pythagorean, which is as follows, who in his book On Fortune, having said that the "Creator, on making man, took Himself as an exemplar," added, "And the body is like the other things, as being made of the same material, and fashioned by the best workman, who wrought it, taking Himself as the archetype." And, in fine, Pythagoras and his followers, with Plato also, and most of the other philosophers, were best acquainted with the Lawgiver, as may be concluded from their doctrine. And by a happy utterance of divination, not without divine help, concurring in certain prophetic declarations, and, seizing the truth in portions and aspects, in terms not obscure, and not going beyond the explanation of the things, they honoured it on as pertaining the appearance of relation with the truth. Whence the Hellenic philosophy is like the torch of wick which men kindle, artificially stealing the light from the sun. But on the proclamation of the Word all that holy light shone forth. Then in houses by night the stolen light is useful; but by day the fire blazes, and all the night is illuminated by such a sun of intellectual light.

(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,

(1) From old Egypt have come the fundamental esoteric and occult teachings which have so strongly influenced the philosophies of all races, nations and peoples, for several thousand years. Egypt, the home of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, was the birthplace of the Hidden Wisdom and Mystic Teachings. From her Secret Doctrine all nations have borrowed. India, Persia, Chaldea, Medea, China, Japan, Assyria, ancient Greece and Rome, and other ancient countries partook liberally at the feast of knowledge which the Hierophants and Masters of the Land of Isis so freely provided for those who came prepared to partake of the great store of Mystic and Occult Lore which the masterminds of that ancient land had gathered together.

(15) The Great Circle of gods on the Two Regions of Rechit is of Isis, Nephthys, Emsta and Hapi

(1) The doubts also that follow in the next place require for their solution the assistance of the same divinely-wise Muse. But I am desirous, previous to this, to unfold to you the peculiarity of the theology of the Egyptians. For they, imitating the nature of the universe, and the fabricative energy of the Gods, exhibit certain images through symbols of mystic, occult, and invisible intellections; just as nature, after a certain manner, expresses invisible reasons [or productive powers] through visible forms. But the fabricative energy of the Gods delineates the truth of forms, through visible images. Hence the Egyptians, perceiving that all superior natures rejoice in the similitude to them of inferior beings, and thus wishing to fill the latter with good, through the greatest possible imitation of the former, very properly exhibit a mode of theologizing adapted to the mystic doctrine concealed in the symbols.

(1) Hear, therefore, the intellectual interpretation of symbols, according to the conceptions of the Egyptians; at the same time removing from your imagination and your ears the image of things symbolical, but elevating yourself to intellectual truth. By “ mire ,” therefore, understand every thing corporeal-formed and material; or that which is nutritive and prolific; or such as the material species of nature is, which is borne along in conjunction with the unstable flux of matter; or a thing of such a kind as that which the river of generation receives, and which subsides together with it; or the primordial cause of the elements, and of all the powers distributed about the elements, and which must be antecedently conceived to exist analogous to a foundation. Being, therefore, a thing of this kind, the God who is the cause of generation, of all nature, and of all the powers in the elements, as transcending these, and as being immaterial, incorporeal, and supernatural, unbegotten and impartible, wholly derived from himself, and concealed in himself,—this God precedes all things, and comprehends all things in himself. And because, indeed, he comprehends all things, and imparts himself to all mundane natures, he is from these unfolded into light. Because, however, he transcends all things, and is by himself expanded above them, on this account he presents himself to the view as separate, exempt, elevated, and expanded by himself above the powers and elements in the world.

(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.

(366) 626 To say: O Osiris N., stand up, lift thyself up; 626 thy mother Nut has brought thee forth; Geb has wiped thy mouth for thee. 626 The Great Ennead avenge thee; 626 they put for thee thine enemy under thee. 627 Carry thou (him who is) greater than thou, said they to him, in thy name of "He of the Great Saw Palace." 627 Lift (him up who is) greater than thou, said they, in thy name of "He of the Great Land Nome." 628 Thy two sisters Isis and Nephthys come to thee; they heal thee 628 complete and great, in thy name of "Great Black," 628 fresh and great, in thy name of "Great Green." 629 Behold, thou art great and round like the "Great Round"; 629 behold, thou are bent around, and art round like the "Circle which encircles the nb.wt"; 629 behold, thou art round and great like the "Great Circle which sets." 630 Isis and Nephthys protected thee in Si�t, 630 even their lord in thee, in thy name of "Lord of Si�t"; 630 even their god in thee, in thy name of "God." 631 a. They adore thee, so that thou shalt not (again) withdraw from them, in thy name of "Dw-ntr" (or, "divine Dw"); 631 they take care of thee, so that thou mayest not (again) be angry, in thy name of "Dndr.w-boat." 632 Thy sister comes to thee, rejoicing for love of thee. 632 Thou hast placed her on thy phallus, 632 that thy seed may go into her, (while) it is pointed like Sothis. 632 Horus the pointed has come forth from thee as Horus who was in Sothis. 633 Thou art pleased with him, in his name of "Spirit who was in the Dndr.w-boat"; 633 he avenges thee, in his name of "Horus, the son, who avenges his father."

(50) This chapter is in itself most interesting, and it is one of the most important as illustrative of Egyptian mythology. It is impossible at present to explain every detail, but the general drift of the chapter is not to be mistaken. And the same drift is to be recognised in the whole course of Egyptian religious literature from the beginning

(3) And out of the triad one stands apart; and in the heptad there are two triads, and one standing apart. The dodecad symbolizes war, the triad of amity, the triad of enmity, three which are life-giving, three which are death-dealing, and God, the faithful king, rules over all from the throne of his sanctity. One above three, three above seven, and seven above twelve, and all are linked together, and one with another.

(1) Whence also the Egyptians did not entrust the mysteries they possessed to all and sundry, and did not divulge the knowledge of divine things to the profane; but only to those destined to ascend the throne, and those of the priests that were judged the worthiest, from their nurture, culture, and birth. Similar, then, to the Hebrew enigmas in respect to concealment, are those of the Egyptians also. Of the Egyptians, some show the sun on a ship, others on a crocodile. And they signify hereby, that the sun, making a passage through the delicious and moist air, generates time; which is symbolized by the crocodile in some other sacerdotal account. Further, at Diospolis in Egypt, on the temple called Pylon, there was figured a boy as the symbol of production, and an old man as that of decay. A hawk, on the other hand, was the symbol of God, as a fish of hate; and, according to a different symbolism, the crocodile; of impudence. The whole symbol, then, when put together, appears to teach this: "Oh ye who are born and die, God hates impudence."

(5) And the disciples of Aristotle say that some of their treatises are esoteric, and others common and exoteric. Further, those who instituted the mysteries, being philosophers, buried their doctrines in myths, so as not to be obvious to all. Did they then, by veiling human opinions, prevent the ignorant from handling them; and was it not more beneficial for the holy and blessed contemplation of realities to be concealed? But it was not only the tenets of the Barbarian philosophy, or the Pythagorean myths. But even those myths in Plato (in the Republic, that of Hero the Armenian; and in the Gorgias, that of Aeacus and Rhadamanthus; and in the Phoedo, that of Tartarus; and in the Protagoras, that of Prometheus and Epimetheus; and besides these, that of the war between the Atlantini and the Athenians in the Atlanticum) r are to be expounded allegorically, not absolutely n in all their expressions, but in those which ex press the general sense. And these we shall find indicated by symbols under the veil of allegory. Also the association of Pythagoras, and the twofold intercourse with the associates which designates the majority, hearers (akousmatikoi), and the others that have a genuine attachment to philosophy, disciples (224> aqhmatikoi, yet signified that something was spoken to the multitude, and something concealed from them. Perchance, too, the twofold species of the Peripatetic teaching - that called probable, and that called knowable - came very near the distinction between opinion on the one hand, and glory and truth on the other.

(17) The Great Circle of gods in Abydos is of Osiris, Isis and Apuat

(1) This deific and anagogic path Hermes, indeed, narrated, but Bitys, the prophet of King Ammon, explained it, having found it in the adyta of Saïs in Egypt, written in hieroglyphics; and the same prophet also delivered the name of God, which pervades through the whole world. But there are, likewise, many other coarrangements of the same things; so that you do not appear to me to act rightly in referring all things with the Egyptians to physical causes. For there are, according to them, many principles and many essences; and also supermundane powers, which they worship through sacerdotal sanctimony. To me, therefore these things appear to afford common auxiliaries to the solution of all the remaining inquiries. But since it is necessary not to leave any one of them uninvestigated, we shall add them to these problems, and examine them on all sides, in order that we may see where there is any thing futile in your opinions.

(535) 1280 To say by Isis and Nephthys: 1280 The .t-bird comes, the kite comes; they are Isis and Nephthys. 1280 They are come in search of their brother Osiris; 1280 (They are come) in search of their brother N. 1281 Thou who art (here), thou who art (there), weep for thy brother; Isis, weep for thy brother; Nephthys, weep for thy brother. 1281 Isis sits, her hands upon her head; 1282 Nephthys has indeed seized the tip of (her) two breasts because of her brother, N.; 1282 Anubis being on his belly; Osiris being wounded; Anubis being before the fist (?). 1283 Thy putrefaction, N., is not; thy sweat, N., is not; 12 83 thy outflowing, N., is not; thy dust, N., is not. 1284 .ti son of .ti (is) at Mnii, coming as Mn.ti, 1284 to divide in three these your four days and your eight nights. 1285 The stars follow thy beloved b.wt, 1285 who is chief of thy nm (attendants); thou art chief of those who are chief of the nm.w (attendants); thou hast made nm the nm.w. 1285 Loose Horus from his bonds, that he may punish the Followers of Set; 1286 that he may seize them; that he may remove their heads; that he may take off their legs. 1286 Cut thou them up, take thou out their hearts; 1286 drink thou of their blood; 1287 count their hearts, in this thy name of "Anubis counter of hearts." 1287 Thy two eyes have been given to thee as thy two uraeusserpents, 1287 for thou art like Wepwawet on his standard, Anubis who presides in s-ntr. 1288 O N., the houses of the great who are in Heliopolis make thee "first"; 1288 the spirits and even the imperishable stars fear thee. 1288 The dead fall on their face before thee; the blessed dead(?) care for thee. 1289 "Eldest (son), 'Im is for N.," say the Souls of Heliopolis, 1289 who furnish thee with life and satisfaction. 1289 He lives with the living as Seker lives with the living; 1289 he lives with the living as N. lives with the living. 1290 O N., come, live thy life there, in thy name, in thy time, 1290 in these years, which are to be peaceful, according to (?) thy wish.

(1) It is necessary then, as I think, first to set forth what we think is the purpose of every Hierarchy, and what benefit each one confers upon its followers; and next to celebrate the Heavenly Hierarchies according to their revelation in the Oracles; then following these Oracles, to say in what sacred forms the holy writings of the Oracles depict the celestial orders, and to what sort of simplicity we must be carried through the representations; in order that we also may not, like the vulgar, irreverently think that the heavenly and Godlike minds are certain many-footed and many-faced creatures, or moulded to the brutishness of oxen, or the savage form of lions, and fashioned like the hooked beaks of eagles, or the feathery down of birds, and should imagine that there are certain wheels of fire above the heaven, or material thrones upon which the Godhead may recline, or certain many-coloured horses, and spear-bearing leaders of the host, and whatever else was transmitted by the Oracles to us under multifarious symbols of sacred imagery. And indeed, the Word of God artlessly makes use of poetic representations of sacred things, respecting the shapeless minds, out of regard to our intelligence, so to speak, consulting a mode of education proper and natural to it, and moulding the inspired writings for it.