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Aset (Isis) is a nature goddess whose worship, originating in ancient Egypt, gradually extended throughout the lands of the Mediterranean world and became one of the chief religions of the Roman Empire. The worship of Aset-Isis, together with that of her brother and husband Osirus, and their son, Horus, resisted the rise of Christianity and lasted until the 6th cent. A.D. Isis is the goddess of fertility and motherhood. She was the daughter of the god Keb ("Earth") and the goddess Nut ("Sky"), the sister and wife of Osiris, judge of the dead, and mother of Horus, god of day. After the end of the New Kingdom in the 4th century BC, the center of Isis worship, which was then reaching its greatest peak, was on Philae, an island in the Nile, where a great temple was built to her during the 30th Dynasty. Ancient stories described Isis as having great magical skill, and she was represented as human in form though she was frequently described as wearing the horns of a cow. Her personality was believed to resemble that of Hathor, the goddess of love and gaiety. The cult of Isis spread from Alexandria throughout the Hellenistic world after the 4th century BC. It appeared in Greece in combination with the cults of Horus, her son, and Serapis, the Greek name for Osiris. The Greek historian Herodotus identified Isis with Demeter, the Greek goddess of earth, agriculture, and fertility. The tripartite cult of Isis, Horus, and Serapis was later introduced (86BC) into Rome in the consulship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla and became one of the most popular branches of Roman religion. It later received a bad reputation through the licentiousness of some of its priestly rites, and subsequent consuls made efforts to suppress or limit Isis worship. The cult died out in Rome after the institution of Christianity, and the last remaining Egyptian temples to Isis were closed in the middle of the 6th century AD.
Isis, though worshipped all over Egypt, was specially venerated in certain cities, and the following are among the most common of her titles: The Great Lady, the God-Mother, Lady of Re-a-nefer; Isis-Nebuut, Lady of Sekhet, Lady of Besitet; Isis in Per Pakht, the Queen of Mesen; Isis of Ta-at-nehepet; Isis, Dweller in Netru; Isis, Lady of Hebet; Isis in P-she-Hert; Isis, Lady of Khebt; Usert-Isis, Giver of Life, Lady of Abaton, Lady of Philae, Lady of the Countries of the South," and many more. From one list of titles of the Goddess, Aset was called Usert in Thebes, Aat in Heliopolis, Menkhet in Memphis, God-Mother in Coptos, Hert in Letopolis; and "Hent" (Queen) in every nome. Another important list tells us that Aset was called Ament in Thebes, Menhet in Heliopolis, renpet In Memphis, Sept in Abydos, Hetet in Behutet, Hurt in Nekhen, Thenenet in Hermonthis, Ant in Dendera, Sesheta in Hermopolis, Heqet in Hibiu, Uatchit in Hipponus, Mersekhen in Herakleopolis, Renpet in Crocodilopolis, Neb-tept in Arsinoe, That or Tchetut in Aphroditopolis, and Shetat in Bubastis. Among Her general titles may be mentioned those of "The Divine One, The Only One, The Greatest of the Gods and Goddesses, The Queen of all gods, The Female Ra, The Female Horus, The Eye of Ra, The Crown of Ra-Heru, Sept the Opener of the Year, Lady of the New Year, Maker of the Sunrise, Lady of Heaven, The Light-giver of Heaven, Lady of the North Wind, Queen of the Earth, Most Mighty One, Queen of the South and North, Lady of the Solid Earth, Lady of Warmth and Fire, Benefactress of the Tuat, She Who Is Greatly Feared In The Tuat, The God-Mother, The God-Mother of Heru-ka-nekht, The Mother of the Horus of Gold, The lady of Life, Lady of Green Crops, The Green Goddess (Uatchet), Lady of Bread, Lady of Beer, Lady of Abundance, Lady of Joy and Gladness, Lady of Love, The Maker of Kings, Lady of the Great House, Lady of the House of Fire, The Beautiful Goddess, The Lady of Words of Power, Lady of the Shuttle, Daughter of Seb, Daughter of Neb-er-tcher, The Child of Nut, Wife of Ra, Wife of the Lord of the Abyss, Wife of the Lord of the Inundation, The Creatrix of the Nile flood."
From a number of passages in the texts of various periods we learn that Aset possessed great skill in the working of magic, and several examples of the manner in which She employed it are well known. Thus when She wished to make Ra reveal to her his greatest and most secret name, She made a venomous reptile out of dust mixed with the spittle of the god, and by uttering over it certain words of power She made it to bite Ra as He passed. When She had succeeded in obtaining from the god His most hidden Name, which He only revealed because He was on the point of death, She uttered words which had the effect of driving the poison out of His limbs, and Ra recovered. Now Isis not only used the words of power, but She also had knowledge of the way in which to pronounce them so that the beings or things to which they were addressed would be compelled to listen to them and, having listened, would be obliged to fulfill Her bequests. The Egyptians believed that if the best effect was to be produced by words of power they must be uttered in a certain tone of voice, and at a certain rate, and at a certain time of the day or night, with appropriate gestures or ceremonies. In the Hymn to Osiris it is said that Isis was well skilled in the use of words of power, and it was by means of these that She restored her husband to life, and obtained from Him an heir. It is not known what the words were which She uttered on this occasion, but She appears to have obtained them from Thoth, the "Lord of Divine Words," and it was to Him that Aset appealed for help to restore Horus to life after He had been stung to death by a scorpion. In Egyptian texts are found ritual which was composed for the purpose of bestowing upon the deceased some of the magical power of the Goddess. It was intended to be recited over an amulet called thet, made of carnelian, which had to be steeped in water of ankhami flowers, and set in a sycamore plinth, and if this were laid on the neck of a dead person it would place him or her under the protection of the words of power of Isis, and he or she would be able to go wheresoever in the Underworld. The words of the ritual are: "Let the blood of Isis, and the magical powers (or spirits) of Isis, and the words of power of Isis, be mighty to protect and keep safely this great god (i.e., the deceased), and to guard him from him that would do unto him anything which he abominateth."