Page:Books on Egypt and Chaldaea, Vol. 32--Legends of the Gods.pdf/114

 The next spell is directed to be said to the Cat, i.e., a symbol of the daughter of Rā, or Isis, who had the head of Rā, the eyes of the uraeus, the nose of Thoth, the ears of Neb-er-tcher, the mouth of Tem, the neck of Neḥeb-ka, the breast of Thoth, the heart of Rā, the hands of the gods, the belly of Osiris, the thighs of Menthu, the legs of Khensu, the feet of Ȧmen-Horus, the haunches of Horus, the soles of the feet of Rā, and the bowels of Meḥ-urit. Every member of the Cat contained a god or goddess, and she was able to destroy the poison of any serpent, or scorpion, or reptile, which might be injected into her body. The spell opens with an address to Rā, who is entreated to come to his daughter, who has been stung by a scorpion on a lonely road, and to cause the poison to leave her body. Thus it seems as if Isis, the great magician, was at some time stung by a scorpion.

The next section is very difficult to understand. Rā-Harmakhis is called upon to come to his daughter, and Shu to his wife, and Isis to her sister, who has been poisoned. Then the Aged One, i.e., Rā, is asked to let Thoth turn back Neḥa-ḥer, or Set. "Osiris is in the water, but Horus is with him, and the Great Beetle overshadows him,” and every evil spirit which dwells in the water is adjured to allow Horus to proceed to Osiris. Rā, Sekhet, Thoth, and Ḥeka, this last-named being the spell personified, are the four great gods who protect Osiris, and who will blind and choke his enemies, and cut out their tongues. The cry