THE SHRINE OF
OSIRIS


Osiris was the Egyptian god of the underworld, although he was also worshipped as a fertility, resurrection, and vegetation god. He was married to Isis, a sky goddess. He was father to Horus, the god of sky, and protector of the dead. Osiris was killed by his brother Seth, who shut his body in a chest and threw it into the Nile, where it washed up onto the shore and was trapped in a huge tree. The King Byblos turned it into a pillar in his palace. Isis, who had been searching for Osiris, discovered the trunk, and retrieved the body. While Isis was away, Seth found the body, and chopped it up into many pieces, and scattered them throughout Egypt. Isis and her sister, Nephthys, found the pieces and made wax models of them to give to priests to be worshipped. When they found all of his pieces, they were so sad they wailed loudly enough for Re, the father god, to have pity on them. He sent Anubis and Thoth to help. They mummified Osiris, and put his body in a lion headed pier. Isis changed into a kite and fanned breath into Osiris. He was not allowed to stay in the land of the living however, and was sent to the underworld to serve as king, and to judge the souls of the dead. Osiris (Ausar) The god of the dead, and the god of the resurrection into eternal life; ruler, protector, and judge of the deceased, and his prototype (the deceased was in historical times usually referred to as "the Osiris"). His cult originated in Abydos, where his actual tomb was said to be located. Osiris was the first child of Nut and Geb, thus the brother of Set, Nephthys, and Isis, who was also his wife. By Isis he fathered Horus, and according to some stories, Nephthys assumed the form of Isis, seduced him thus, and from their union was born Anubis. Osiris ruled the world of men in the beginning, after Ra had abandoned the world to rule the skies, but he was murdered by his brother Set. Through the magic of Isis, he was made to live again. Being the first living thing to die, he subsequently became lord of the dead. His death was avenged by his son Horus, who defeated Set and cast him out into the desert to the West of Egypt (the Sahara). Prayers and spells were addressed to Osiris throughout Egyptian history, in hopes of securing his blessing and entering the afterlife which he ruled; but his popularity steadily increased through the Middle Kingdom. By Dynasty 18 he was probably the most widely worshiped god in Egypt. His popularity endured until the latest phases of Egyptian history; reliefs still exist of Roman emperors, conquerors of Egypt, dressed in the traditional garb of the Pharaohs, making offerings to him in the temples. The God Osiris was one of the major Gods of the Heliopolitan pantheon, and was of great importance throughout ancient Egyptian history as the Judge of the Dead. In later times, he was seen as the Ra of midnight, or the Sun at its darkest moment before the return of day. Passing before Osiris was considered a prerequisite for the soul's restoration and rebirth into the next world or a new life. Originally, Osiris was a vegetation god, connected with the cycle of death and rebirth of the grain over the course of the year. This aspect of his nature is still present in his later forms, shown by his green skin. He is generally depicted in a mummified form in honor of his death and resurrection by his wife, Isis. Osiris was the firstborn son of Nut, during the Intercalary days. He took over rulership of the people of the Earth from Ra when Ra returned to the heavens, and shared his power with his wife, Isis. Osiris was a great force for order and civilization, as contrasted with his brother Set, who represented the forces of chaos. During the time of his rulership, Osiris often traveled among the peoples of the world teaching the arts of civilization and agriculture, leaving Isis as regent in his absence. It was during one of these times of journeying that Set conceived the desire to take over the rulership from Osiris, which resulted in his death and resurrection. Osiris had ruled over humanity for many years, after his grandfather, Ra, had returned to the heavens to guide the Sun. He was a benevolent and just ruler, much concerned with helping humanity recover from the devastation and disorder that resulted from Sekhmet's chastisement. Osiris was well-versed in the laws of Ma'at that structured the Universe, and thought long and deeply about how to implement them on Earth. In his time, Osiris brought order to the land of Egypt, and taught the people how to grow grain, weave clothing, write, and learn the arts of civilization. With his beloved Isis, he guided the people into greatness once again. Yet he was not satisfied, for there were many lands beyond Egypt that were still suffering. So he departed, leaving Isis as regent, to teach the laws of Ma'at throughout the world. After he had been gone for some time, his brother, Set, began to lust after the kingship. Set was dissatisfied that Isis had been left in charge, since he was Osiris' brother and should by rights be regent. He began to scheme ways to change the balance, and gain what he felt was his due. Osiris returned, after many years, and Isis went on a journey of her own. While she was gone, Osiris invited Set to a banquet celebrating his lengthy rule. Set arrived with 72 hunting companions, who carried an elaborate wooden box with them. The box was shaped and painted like a man, and gilded and adorned with many beautiful gems. Set challenged the company to try the box; it would belong to the one whom it fit. Many of the guests tried to lie down in the box, but they were always either too big or to small to fit it perfectly. At last the company cried out for Osiris to try for the treasure. Though he was dubious, Osiris would not dishonor his guests by refusing to join in the game. He lay down in the box--and it fit him perfectly. At once, Set's companions slammed the lid down and nailed it firmly in place. They fought their way free with the coffin and threw it into the Nile, which carried it far away. On her return, Isis was met by her sister, Nephthys, who told her of Set's trick. She warned Isis that Set had seized the throne, and that it was not safe for Isis to return. Isis wept with her sister over her husband's tragic death, and swore she would recover him. She disguised herself as a human woman, and set off to find Osiris' coffin with her magic. Isis wandered for many years, in many lands, without luck. She grieved for her beloved husband, and wept unceasingly. Yet he could not be found anywhere she wandered, for his coffin had been caught in the branches of a persea tree that had grown up around it, and was now hidden even more deeply than before. The sacred tree had been selected by the king of Byblos, in the papyrus swamps of the delta, to become the central pillar of his palace. The scent of the tree was so sweet that people came to marvel at the perfume it sent forth. Isis heard of this miracle, and came to see for herself. Nearing the tree, she recognized the energy of her beloved husband. She came to the palace in disguise, and took on a place as nursemaid to the prince. She nursed the child on her finger, and at night put him into the fire to burn away his mortality. While the child was in the fire, Isis turned herself into a swallow and flew around the pillar, weeping and wailing for her husband. The queen, on finding her son in the fire, cried out and pulled him free, thus depriving him of immortality. Isis told the queen the truth of the pillar, and begged to be allow to remove Osiris' coffin to take home. The queen, taking pity on her, allowed her to do so, and she returned to Egypt with the coffin. She hid it in the papyrus swamps, and set off to find Thoth and Anubis to help her restore Osiris. While she was away, Set and his companions came upon the coffin while out hunting. Realizing that Osiris could still be set free, they opened the cofin and tore the body into fourteen pieces, which he scattered throughout the land. When Isis returned, she found the empty coffin, and nearly despaired, until Anubis and Nephthys agreed to help her find the pieces of the body. Again, they searched, long and hard. Thirteen of the fourteen pieces were found, but Osiris' manhood had been eaten by a fish in the Nile and could not be recovered. Isis fashioned a replacement from sacred woods, and with the help of Thoth reconstructed Osiris' body. Then through the magic hekau and the wind of her wings, Isis brought her beloved back to life. Osiris rejoiced at his Isis' cleverness, and they lay together in each other's arms for the remainder of the night. As Khepera began to roll the Sun above the horizon, Osiris sighed and told Isis that he had to leave, he could no longer live among mortal beings. She kissed him farewell, and told him they had conceived a son, Horus, who would avenge his father's murder. Osiris went to his palace in the Duat, where he set up his seat in the hall of the double Ma'ati to judge the souls of the dead as they come before him. As a token of his suffering, and the desire to be restored to life after death, people in Egypt took up the art of mummification to preserve the dead. Isis, meanwhile, gave birth to her son, and guided him through his early life until he was a grown warrior. Set ruled over the land, causing strife and chaos, until Horus was able to challenge and defeat him for the rightful rule.