Nepthys, Osiris and Set

Four siblings were born to Nut and Geb: Isis, Osiris, Nepthys, and Set. I've talked about Isis separately, because she is a protagonist/antagonist, and does a lot in the stories that motivate them. Set is a bit more like Isis too, an instigator. But Nepthys and Osiris?

Nepthys spends most of her time in the background. She marries Set and assists Isis when Isis goes looking for the parts of Osiris, and in some versions of the story, whe helps Isis hide Horus, but for the most part, Nepthys is someone who stays out of things.

Osiris? Well, Osiris is...kind of a dupe. Try this on for size. You have a brother who hates you, right? And he decides to play this party game where he asks you to see if you fit into this box, essentially a coffin, right? And then your brother seals you up in the box, and sets you out to drown, right? Later, the box would somehow magically ginsu Osiris into several pieces.

Isis decides she's got to hunt down the pieces of her husband/brother Osiris to give him a decent burial, and to put him back together long enough to have a son with him that can defeat Set, whom Isis truly dislikes. She does this, and then Osiris becomes mostly associated with death.

What about Set? Why does Set hate Osiris so much? That varies. Early stories say that Set is kicked by Osiris, and that's embarrassing. Apparently that's as good a reason as any to whack up your brother. Heck, in Greek mythology, looking at someone cross-eyed is a great way to get turned into...just about anything, so obviously, the Egyptians can be as capricious. But mostly, Set wanted the power of kingship, and he had it for several years, until Horus came along and challenged his claims to the kingship of the pantheon.

Here are the responsibilities of these gods and goddesses:

Osiris: Life, death, truth, and the giving of life.
Nepthys: Death and rebirth, particularly funerary rites. Notably, she is Anubis' mom.
Set: Protector of Ra and the Ship of the son. Deserts, Storms, and Foreigners. Later, bad stuff.

It is interesting to note that Set was not painted as a "bad guy" in the Osiris/Horus story after Egypt was conquered in later times. All these actions were a power struggle, nothing more. Also, some people think that Set has the head of a donkey or a mule. He is actualy a mythological beast, the typhonic beast. Set's villainy might be accounted for because of his rival cult status in Ombus. The best way to stamp out a belief is to villainize the god.

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.

GI Joe: Retaliation–Yo Joe Again

I know that usually this journal is synonymous with class, but let's take a small vacation from that. Bryon and I went with our friends Dan and Lisa to see GI Joe: Retaliation on Saturday.

You don't have to do this to yourself. Not if you take the time to read this wonderful link Dan found today posted by Flapjacks at Mighty God King. Yo Joe Again.

Mirrored from Writer Tamago.