Each Egyptian Pharaoh was called the ‘Living Horus’

This edited article about Ancient Egypt originally appeared in Look and Learn issue number 802 published on 28th May 1977.

Osiris (centre), Isis his wife (right) and Horus, their son (left) by Pat Nicolle

What strange stories are engraved upon the walls within the cavernous pyramids of ancient Egypt? What does the picture writing in these tombs of kings tell us of the tribes of the Nile Valley and their gods?

Many learned scholars have studied them and the stories they read in these stone or brick structures unfold a narrative of wandering tribes, bearded hunters and of the gods which led them into battle.

Plutarch, a Greek author who lived in the 1st century A.D., evidently knew what these ancient texts contained. In writing of events long past, he related happenings which the kings had engraved inside their pyramids 25 centuries before him.

Somewhere on the sandy-coloured walls may be the story of Osiris, one of Egypt’s greatest gods, whom Plutarch tells us about in detail.

Osiris was the god of the dead and was born in Thebes in Upper Egypt. His first job was to banish cannibalism. He taught the people how to make farming tools and to grow grain and grapes. Later, he built towns and gave his people fair laws.

After civilising Egypt, Osiris set out on a conquest of Asia, coming back home after he had travelled the whole world and spread civilisation everywhere.

But the homecoming of this tall, dark, handsome god was marred by the jealousy of his younger brother. Set, who was a rough, wild, red-headed villain.

Set plotted to overthrow his brother, hiring 72 men to conspire with him. Great festivals were being held to welcome Osiris home and, using these as an excuse Set invited his brother to a magnificent banquet.

During this, a skilfully carved chest was brought into the hall. Set explained jestingly that it would belong to whomever it fitted perfectly.

Osiris humoured his brother and climbed into the chest without suspicion. At once, the 72 men rushed forward, forced the lid on to the chest and nailed it down firmly.

However powerfully Osiris struggled, he could not escape from the stout chest which was thrown into the Nile and carried out to sea.

With his brother dead, Set became king, not knowing that Osiris had been restored to eternal life by the god Isis.

Afterwards, Isis determined to bring up her son. Horus, to avenge the evil deed which Set had committed.

While she was doing this, Osiris, who was living in the land of the gods, often appeared before Horus, who was his son, and taught him how to use weapons so that he could make war on Set.

On the walls of the temple of Horus at Edfu in Upper Egypt were pictured the campaign of the young god against Set.

He is shown piercing his enemies with a lance while his warriors fight Set’s soldiers, who turn themselves into crocodiles, hippopotami and antelopes. But even so they do not escape the blows of Horus’s army.

Wearied by the lengthy war, three gods tried to end it by calling Set and Horus before them. They listened to the arguments of the two enemies carefully.

Set declared that Horus had no right to the throne because he was an impostor. But Horus proved that as he was the true son of the murdered king, he should reign as his father’s heir.

With this the three gods agreed. Set was condemned and Horus was declared the ruler of the two Egypts, Upper and Lower. By this act, the young king earned the title Horus, Lord of the Two Lands.

Peace came to Egypt with Horus’a successful reign. He always remained the country’s national god. In fact, each of the Pharaohs – or kings – which followed used the title of “the Living Horus”.

Set ended up by becoming a kind of devil who was hated by all the gods. Usually he is shown in the old pictures as having the face of a frightening beast with a thin, curved snout.

Travellers to whom he appeared in the desert must have been startled out of their wits by the apparition which loomed before them.