https://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&feed=atom&action=historyDid the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities - Revision history2024-03-29T14:55:00ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=24295&oldid=prevAdmin: Admin moved page Did the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities? to Did the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities2021-09-28T05:49:55Z<p>Admin moved page <a href="/Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities%3F" class="mw-redirect" title="Did the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities?">Did the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities?</a> to <a href="/Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities" title="Did the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities">Did the Ancient Egyptians’ Gods and Goddesses Have Personalities</a></p>
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</td></tr></table>Adminhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=24294&oldid=prevAdmin at 05:49, 28 September 20212021-09-28T05:49:42Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JycXLG6GeYk</youtube></del></div></td><td colspan="2"> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Ra_Barque.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat]]__NOTOC__</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Ra_Barque.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat]]__NOTOC__</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is a concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had a sense of humor and some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with evident personalities and traits human. Though, the deities of the ancient Egyptians are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions. Still, an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is a concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had a sense of humor and some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with evident personalities and traits human. Though, the deities of the ancient Egyptians are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions. Still, an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Significance of the Myth===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Significance of the Myth===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Bastet.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Bastet Playing Sistra]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Bastet.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Bastet Playing Sistra]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is significant on many theological and historical levels, especially how it reveals much about the personalities and attributes of some of ancient Egypt’s most important deities. First is Hathor, who normally represents beauty and fertility. She is transformed from a sympathetic and human appearing figure into a bloodthirsty lioness. Through a ruse, she is changed once more into a friendly house cat associated with the goddess Bastet. <ref> Hornung, p. 205</ref>  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is significant on many theological and historical levels, especially how it reveals much about the personalities and attributes of some of ancient Egypt’s most important deities. First is Hathor, who normally represents beauty and fertility. She is transformed from a sympathetic and human<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">-</ins>appearing figure into a bloodthirsty lioness. Through a ruse, she is changed once more into a friendly house cat associated with the goddess Bastet. <ref> Hornung, p. 205</ref>  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Even more important, though, are the complex personality traits of the sun-god Re. Re is at first presented as feeble, in declining health, and also somewhat of a stereotypical angry old man: despite his immense power, he is angry at what humans are doing. The sun god then shows his immense power by sending his eye to destroy the humans, which demonstrates his apparent lack of feeling for humanity. But then, as all seems lost, Re shows that he has compassion after all and, along with plenty of resourcefulness and a bit of humor, can save humanity. </ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Even more important, though, are the complex personality traits of the sun-god Re. Re is at first presented as feeble, in declining health, and also somewhat of a stereotypical angry old man</del>: <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">despite his immense power, he is angry at what humans are doing. The sun-god then shows his immense power by sending his eye to destroy the humans, which demonstrates his apparent lack of feeling for humanity</del>. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">But then, as all seems lost, Re shows that he has compassion after all and, along with plenty of resourcefulness and a bit of humor, can save humanity</del>.  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><youtube>https</ins>:<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">//www</ins>.<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">youtube</ins>.<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">com/watch?v=JycXLG6GeYk</youtube></ins></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===References===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===References===</div></td></tr>
</table>Adminhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=21211&oldid=prevAdmin at 01:18, 19 November 20202020-11-19T01:18:45Z<p></p>
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<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JycXLG6GeYk</youtube></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></ins></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">senses </del>of humor<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, along with have </del>some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">very clear </del>personalities and traits <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">that were very </del>human. <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">The </del>deities of the ancient Egyptians<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, though, </del>are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">; but </del>an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a </ins>concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a sense </ins>of humor <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">and </ins>some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">evident </ins>personalities and traits human. <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Though, the </ins>deities of the ancient Egyptians are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">. Still, </ins>an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>An Egyptian myth known today as <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is interesting and important on many different levels. First, it is one of the few extant mythological narratives from ancient Egypt. Unlike the Greeks and other ancient peoples, most notably Indo-Europeans, the ancient Egyptians did not compose many narrative myths or myth cycles. The few known ancient Egyptian narratives were written in the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1075 BC), although they were probably recited orally for several prior centuries. Aside from its theological-historical importance, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is also useful because it gives a glimpse into how the Egyptians viewed their gods and goddesses.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>An Egyptian myth known today as <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is interesting and important on many different levels. First, it is one of the few extant mythological narratives from ancient Egypt. Unlike the Greeks and other ancient peoples, most notably Indo-Europeans, the ancient Egyptians did not compose many narrative myths or myth cycles. The few known ancient Egyptian narratives were written in the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1075 BC), although they were probably recited orally for several prior centuries. Aside from its theological-historical importance, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is also useful because it gives a glimpse into how the Egyptians viewed their gods and goddesses.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Unlike the spells from religious texts such as <i> The Pyramid Texts</i>, <i>The Coffin Texts</i>, and <i>The Book of the Dead</i>, which present the Egyptians’ deities in a somewhat antiseptic and wholly utilitarian manner, <i> The Destruction of Mankind</i> demonstrates that the Egyptians actually viewed their deities not unlike how the Greeks viewed theirs. The Egyptian gods and <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">goddess </del>were full of foibles and sometimes had limitations, but as the myth shows, they also had a genuine sense of compassion.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Unlike the spells from religious texts such as <i> The Pyramid Texts</i>, <i>The Coffin Texts</i>, and <i>The Book of the Dead</i>, which present the Egyptians’ deities in a somewhat antiseptic and wholly utilitarian manner, <i> The Destruction of Mankind</i> demonstrates that the Egyptians actually viewed their deities not unlike how the Greeks viewed theirs. The Egyptian gods and <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">goddesses </ins>were full of foibles and sometimes had limitations, but as the myth shows, they also had a genuine sense of compassion.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Power of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Power of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Dendera.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Temple of the Goddess Hathor at Dendera]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Dendera.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Temple of the Goddess Hathor at Dendera]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Before examining if and how <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> myth relates personality elements of ancient Egyptian deities, it is important to know the attributes for which the gods and goddesses were imbued. To begin with, as mentioned earlier, most of the Egyptian deities had some very humanlike attributes. Most were born<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </del>or created, aged, and very often also died. Some, such as Osiris, were even murdered. The sun-god Re, arguably the most important of all Egyptian deities and the central figure of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>, was depicted as old and somewhat enfeebled in this and other myths. <ref> Hornung, Erik. <i> Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many.</i> Translated by John Baines. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1996), pgs. 143-154</ref> Although these attributes placed the ancient Egyptian deities on a level with humans to certain extent, one would be wrong to think that the Egyptian gods and goddesses were physically, intellectually, or morally weak in any way and not superior to humans.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Before examining if and how <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> myth relates personality elements of ancient Egyptian deities, it is important to know the attributes for which the gods and goddesses were imbued. To begin with, as mentioned earlier, most of the Egyptian deities had some very humanlike attributes. Most were born or created, aged, and very often also died. Some, such as Osiris, were even murdered. The sun-god Re, arguably the most important of all Egyptian deities and the central figure of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>, was depicted as old and somewhat enfeebled in this and other myths. <ref> Hornung, Erik. <i> Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many.</i> Translated by John Baines. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1996), pgs. 143-154</ref> Although these attributes placed the ancient Egyptian deities on a level with humans to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a </ins>certain extent, one would be wrong to think that the Egyptian gods and goddesses were physically, intellectually, or morally weak in any way and not superior to humans.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the daily rituals <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">of the religion</del>, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </ins>and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">religion's </ins>daily rituals, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As Egyptologist Jan Assman has discussed, the ancient Egyptian <i>concept</i> of a particular deity, which he termed “icon,” was more important to the Egyptians than any narrative in which the god appeared. He noted that Egyptian myths combined the idea of icons and stories <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">in a way </del>where there was <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">really little </del>distinction, unlike the Greeks. The fact that the icon of a god was paramount essentially fixed it in a static position, which prevented the development of a traditional myth cycle. <ref> Assman, Jan. <i> The Search for God in Ancient Egypt.</i> Translated by David Lorton. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2001), p. 112</ref> With that said, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is one of the more effective Egyptian myths in terms of demonstrating the nature of several icons.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As Egyptologist Jan Assman has discussed, the ancient Egyptian <i>concept</i> of a particular deity, which he termed “icon,” was more important to the Egyptians than any narrative in which the god appeared. He noted that Egyptian myths combined the idea of icons and stories where there was <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">a tiny </ins>distinction, unlike the Greeks. The fact that the icon of a god was paramount essentially fixed it in a static position, which prevented the development of a traditional myth cycle. <ref> Assman, Jan. <i> The Search for God in Ancient Egypt.</i> Translated by David Lorton. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2001), p. 112</ref> With that said, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is one of the more effective Egyptian myths in terms of demonstrating the nature of several icons.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Sekhmet_louvre.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Sekhmet in the Louvre, Paris]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Sekhmet_louvre.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Sekhmet in the Louvre, Paris]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is known <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">from inscriptions </del>from New Kingdom nobles’ tombs. It is actually part of a longer myth known as <i> The Myth of the Heavenly Cow</i> and although it is in many ways <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">indictive </del>of the emergence of narrative myths in the New Kingdom, it was probably originally composed during the Middle Kingdom. <ref> Lichtheim, Miriam, ed. <i> Ancient Egyptian Literature.</i> Volume 1: The New Kingdom (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006), p. 197</ref></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is known from New Kingdom nobles’ tombs<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">' inscriptions</ins>. It is actually part of a longer myth known as <i> The Myth of the Heavenly Cow</i> and although it is in many ways <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">indicative </ins>of the emergence of narrative myths in the New Kingdom, it was probably originally composed during the Middle Kingdom. <ref> Lichtheim, Miriam, ed. <i> Ancient Egyptian Literature.</i> Volume 1: The New Kingdom (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006), p. 197</ref></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The personalities of some of the Egyptian pantheon’s most important deities <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">is </del>revealed at the beginning of the myth. The enfeebled Re is somewhat of a cantankerous <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">old </del>man who grows tired of humanity for plotting against the gods.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The personalities of some of the Egyptian pantheon’s most important deities <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">are </ins>revealed at the beginning of the myth. The enfeebled Re is somewhat of a cantankerous <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">older </ins>man who grows tired of humanity for plotting against the gods.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>“It happened [in the time of the majesty of] Re, the self-created<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </del>after he had become king of men and gods together: Mankind plotted against him, while his majesty had grown old, his bones being sliver, his flesh gold, his hair true lapis lazuli. When his majesty perceived the plotting of <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">mankind </del>against him, his majesty said to his followers: “Summon to me my Eye. . .” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 198</ref>  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>“It happened [in the time of the majesty of] Re, the self-created after he had become king of men and gods together: Mankind plotted against him, while his majesty had grown old, his bones being sliver, his flesh gold, his hair true lapis lazuli. When his majesty perceived the plotting of <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">humanity </ins>against him, his majesty said to his followers: “Summon to me my Eye. . .” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 198</ref>  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The “eye” in this case is actually the goddess Hathor. Hathor was usually depicted in Egyptian iconography as a human female, sometimes with cows’ ears. She was associated with sexuality, fertility, and beauty, but <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">in this case </del>she had a bit of a violent side. Keeping in mind the nature of ancient Egyptian deities, the gods and goddesses could have several attributes and <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">be combined with </del>other deities. As the Eye of Re, Hathor would transform into the ferocious lioness goddess Sekhmet. <ref> Wilkinson, Richard H. <i> The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt.</i> (London: Thames and Hudson, 2003), p. 181 </ref>  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The “eye” in this case is actually the goddess Hathor. Hathor was usually depicted in Egyptian iconography as a human female, sometimes with cows’ ears. She was associated with sexuality, fertility, and beauty, but she had a bit of a violent side <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">in this case</ins>. Keeping in mind the nature of ancient Egyptian deities, the gods and goddesses could have several attributes and other deities. As the Eye of Re, Hathor would transform into the ferocious lioness goddess Sekhmet. <ref> Wilkinson, Richard H. <i> The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt.</i> (London: Thames and Hudson, 2003), p. 181 </ref>  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Although Re apparently took no pleasure in the task of punishing humanity for its transgression against the gods, Hathor-Sekhmet certainly did. In fact, she was quite efficient at her task, killing the greater part of humanity and drinking their blood in the process.  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Although Re apparently took no pleasure in the task of punishing humanity for its transgression against the gods, Hathor-Sekhmet certainly did. In fact, she was quite efficient at her task, killing the greater part of humanity and drinking their blood in the process.  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l28" >Line 28:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 30:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>“The goddess returned after slaying mankind in the desert, and the majesty of the god said: ‘Welcome in peace, Hathor, Eye who did what I came for!’ Said the goddess: ‘As you live for me, I have overpowered mankind, and it was balm to my heart.’ Said the majesty of Re: ‘I shall have power over them as king by diminishing them.’ Thus the Powerful One (Sekhmet) came into being.” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 199</ref>  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>“The goddess returned after slaying mankind in the desert, and the majesty of the god said: ‘Welcome in peace, Hathor, Eye who did what I came for!’ Said the goddess: ‘As you live for me, I have overpowered mankind, and it was balm to my heart.’ Said the majesty of Re: ‘I shall have power over them as king by diminishing them.’ Thus the Powerful One (Sekhmet) came into being.” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 199</ref>  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As Re witnessed the destruction that Hathor-Sekhmet had brought to <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">mankind</del>, he apparently began to feel remorse, which is a trait <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">deities </del>rarely expressed in the myths of most premodern, literate cultures. The sun-god then decided that he would save humanity from Sekhmet, so he used another <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">one of his </del>personality <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">traits </del>– ingenuity. Apparently confronting Sekhmet directly was out of the question, so Re employed his high-priest in Heliopolis to mix red ochre with 7,000 jars of beer, hoping that the goddess would believe the concoction was just more of the blood she was drinking.  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As Re witnessed the destruction that Hathor-Sekhmet had brought to <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">humankind</ins>, he apparently began to feel remorse, which is a trait <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">deity </ins>rarely expressed in the myths of most premodern, literate cultures. The sun-god then decided that he would save humanity from Sekhmet, so he used another personality <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">trait </ins>– ingenuity. Apparently<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </ins>confronting Sekhmet directly was out of the question, so Re employed his high-priest in Heliopolis to mix red ochre with 7,000 jars of beer, hoping that the goddess would believe the concoction was just more of the blood she was drinking.  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>“Re said: ‘It is good; I shall save mankind by it!’. . . The fields were flooded three palms high with the liquid by the might of the majesty of this god. When the goddess came in the morning she found them flooded, and her gaze was pleased by it. She drank and it pleased her heart. She returned drunk without having perceived <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">mankind</del>.” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 199</ref></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>“Re said: ‘It is good; I shall save mankind by it!’. . . The fields were flooded three palms high with the liquid by the might of the majesty of this god. When the goddess came in the morning<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </ins>she found them flooded, and her gaze was pleased by it. She drank<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </ins>and it pleased her heart. She returned drunk without having perceived <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">humankind</ins>.” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 199</ref></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Significance of the Myth===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Significance of the Myth===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Bastet.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Bastet Playing Sistra]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Bastet.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Bastet Playing Sistra]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is significant on many theological and <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">historic </del>levels, especially <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">the manner in which </del>it reveals much about the personalities and attributes of some of ancient Egypt’s most important deities. First is Hathor, who normally represents beauty and fertility. She is transformed from a sympathetic and human appearing figure into a bloodthirsty lioness<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, but through </del>a ruse is changed once more into a friendly house cat <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">that is usually </del>associated with the goddess Bastet. <ref> Hornung, p. 205</ref>  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is significant on many theological and <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">historical </ins>levels, especially <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">how </ins>it reveals much about the personalities and attributes of some of ancient Egypt’s most important deities. First is Hathor, who normally represents beauty and fertility. She is transformed from a sympathetic and human appearing figure into a bloodthirsty lioness<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">. Through </ins>a ruse<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, she </ins>is changed once more into a friendly house cat associated with the goddess Bastet. <ref> Hornung, p. 205</ref>  </div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Even more important, though, are the complex personality traits of the sun-god Re. Re is at first presented as feeble, in declining health, and also somewhat of a stereotypical angry old man: despite his immense power, he is angry at what humans are doing. The sun-god <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">then </del>then shows his immense power by sending his eye to destroy the humans, which <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">also </del>demonstrates his apparent lack of feeling for humanity. But then as all seems lost, Re shows that he <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">does have </del>compassion after all and along with plenty of resourcefulness and a bit of humor, <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">is able to </del>save humanity.  </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Even more important, though, are the complex personality traits of the sun-god Re. Re is at first presented as feeble, in declining health, and also somewhat of a stereotypical angry old man: despite his immense power, he is angry at what humans are doing. The sun-god then shows his immense power by sending his eye to destroy the humans, which demonstrates his apparent lack of feeling for humanity. But then<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </ins>as all seems lost, Re shows that he <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">has </ins>compassion after all and<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">, </ins>along with plenty of resourcefulness and a bit of humor, <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">can </ins>save humanity.  </div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===References===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===References===</div></td></tr>
</table>Adminhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=20207&oldid=prevAdmin at 23:20, 26 March 20202020-03-26T23:20:23Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Ra_Barque.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Ra_Barque.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat]]<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">__NOTOC__</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had senses of humor, along with have some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with very clear personalities and traits that were very human. The deities of the ancient Egyptians, though, are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions; but an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had senses of humor, along with have some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with very clear personalities and traits that were very human. The deities of the ancient Egyptians, though, are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions; but an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
</table>Adminhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=19913&oldid=prevAdmin at 17:05, 2 March 20202020-03-02T17:05:30Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===References===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===References===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><references/></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div> </div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category: <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">Myths and Gods</ins>]] [[Category: Ancient Egyptian Mythology<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">]] [[Category:Wikis</ins>]]</div></td></tr>
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</table>Adminhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=19777&oldid=prevJaredkrebsbach at 19:55, 20 February 20202020-02-20T19:55:08Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Sekhmet_louvre.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Sekhmet in the Louvre, Paris]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Sekhmet_louvre.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Sekhmet in the Louvre, Paris]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is known from inscriptions from New Kingdom nobles’ tombs. It is actually part of a longer myth known as <i> The Myth of the Heavenly Cow</i> and although it is in many ways indictive of the emergence of narrative myths in the New Kingdom, it was probably originally composed during the Middle Kingdom. <ref> Lichtheim, Miriam, ed. <i> Ancient Egyptian Literature.</i> Volume <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">1I</del>: The New Kingdom (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006), p. 197</ref></div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The myth <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is known from inscriptions from New Kingdom nobles’ tombs. It is actually part of a longer myth known as <i> The Myth of the Heavenly Cow</i> and although it is in many ways indictive of the emergence of narrative myths in the New Kingdom, it was probably originally composed during the Middle Kingdom. <ref> Lichtheim, Miriam, ed. <i> Ancient Egyptian Literature.</i> Volume <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">1</ins>: The New Kingdom (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006), p. 197</ref></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The personalities of some of the Egyptian pantheon’s most important deities is revealed at the beginning of the myth. The enfeebled Re is somewhat of a cantankerous old man who grows tired of humanity for plotting against the gods.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The personalities of some of the Egyptian pantheon’s most important deities is revealed at the beginning of the myth. The enfeebled Re is somewhat of a cantankerous old man who grows tired of humanity for plotting against the gods.</div></td></tr>
</table>Jaredkrebsbachhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=19776&oldid=prevJaredkrebsbach at 19:54, 20 February 20202020-02-20T19:54:41Z<p></p>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the daily rituals of the religion, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the daily rituals of the religion, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As Egyptologist Jan Assman has discussed, the ancient Egyptian <i>concept</i> of a particular deity, which he termed “icon,” was more important to the Egyptians than any narrative in which the god appeared. He noted that Egyptian myths combined the idea of icons and stories in a way where there was really little distinction, unlike the Greeks. The fact that the icon of a god was paramount essentially fixed it in a static position, which prevented the development of a traditional myth cycle. <ref> Assman, Jan. <i> The Search for God in Ancient Egypt.</<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">ref</del>> Translated by David Lorton. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2001), p. 112</ref> With that said, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is one of the more effective Egyptian myths in terms of demonstrating the nature of several icons.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>As Egyptologist Jan Assman has discussed, the ancient Egyptian <i>concept</i> of a particular deity, which he termed “icon,” was more important to the Egyptians than any narrative in which the god appeared. He noted that Egyptian myths combined the idea of icons and stories in a way where there was really little distinction, unlike the Greeks. The fact that the icon of a god was paramount essentially fixed it in a static position, which prevented the development of a traditional myth cycle. <ref> Assman, Jan. <i> The Search for God in Ancient Egypt.</<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">i</ins>> Translated by David Lorton. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2001), p. 112</ref> With that said, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is one of the more effective Egyptian myths in terms of demonstrating the nature of several icons.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===</div></td></tr>
</table>Jaredkrebsbachhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=19775&oldid=prevJaredkrebsbach at 19:53, 20 February 20202020-02-20T19:53:54Z<p></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; color:black; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; color:black; text-align: center;">Revision as of 19:53, 20 February 2020</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Power of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===The Power of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Dendera.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Temple of the Goddess Hathor at Dendera]]</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[File: Dendera.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Temple of the Goddess Hathor at Dendera]]</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Before examining if and how <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> myth relates personality elements of ancient Egyptian deities, it is important to know the attributes for which the gods and goddesses were imbued. To begin with, as mentioned earlier, most of the Egyptian deities had some very humanlike attributes. Most were born, or created, aged, and very often also died. Some, such as Osiris, were even murdered. The sun-god Re, arguably the most important of all Egyptian deities and the central figure of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>, was depicted as old and somewhat enfeebled in this and other myths. <ref> Hornung, Erik. <i> Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many.</<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">ref</del>> Translated by John Baines. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1996), pgs. 143-154</ref> Although these attributes placed the ancient Egyptian deities on a level with humans to certain extent, one would be wrong to think that the Egyptian gods and goddesses were physically, intellectually, or morally weak in any way and not superior to humans.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color:black; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Before examining if and how <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> myth relates personality elements of ancient Egyptian deities, it is important to know the attributes for which the gods and goddesses were imbued. To begin with, as mentioned earlier, most of the Egyptian deities had some very humanlike attributes. Most were born, or created, aged, and very often also died. Some, such as Osiris, were even murdered. The sun-god Re, arguably the most important of all Egyptian deities and the central figure of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>, was depicted as old and somewhat enfeebled in this and other myths. <ref> Hornung, Erik. <i> Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many.</<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">i</ins>> Translated by John Baines. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1996), pgs. 143-154</ref> Although these attributes placed the ancient Egyptian deities on a level with humans to certain extent, one would be wrong to think that the Egyptian gods and goddesses were physically, intellectually, or morally weak in any way and not superior to humans.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the daily rituals of the religion, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #333333; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #e6e6e6; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the daily rituals of the religion, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.</div></td></tr>
</table>Jaredkrebsbachhttps://www.dailyhistory.org/index.php?title=Did_the_Ancient_Egyptians%E2%80%99_Gods_and_Goddesses_Have_Personalities&diff=19774&oldid=prevJaredkrebsbach: Created page with "The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is concept that many premoder..."2020-02-20T19:52:56Z<p>Created page with "<a href="/File:Ra_Barque.jpg" title="File:Ra Barque.jpg">300px|thumbnail|left|The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat</a> The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is concept that many premoder..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>[[File: Ra_Barque.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Sun-God Re Riding in a Solar Boat]]<br />
The idea of a god, or gods, imbued with a definite personality is concept that many premodern peoples employed in their religions and myths. Of course, the Greeks are among the best known in this regard, as they gave their deities frailties and foibles along with their immense powers. Some of the Greek gods and goddesses also had senses of humor, along with have some very negative emotions and personality traits, including pettiness, greed, and vindictiveness. The deities of numerous other premodern people, from the Norse to the Assyrians, and from the Japanese to the Aryans, all had myths that depicted their gods and goddesses with very clear personalities and traits that were very human. The deities of the ancient Egyptians, though, are generally thought of as lacking any feelings and clearly separated from humans in terms of their mental dispositions; but an examination of one particular Egyptian myth shows that this was not always the case.<br />
<br />
An Egyptian myth known today as <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is interesting and important on many different levels. First, it is one of the few extant mythological narratives from ancient Egypt. Unlike the Greeks and other ancient peoples, most notably Indo-Europeans, the ancient Egyptians did not compose many narrative myths or myth cycles. The few known ancient Egyptian narratives were written in the New Kingdom (c. 1550-1075 BC), although they were probably recited orally for several prior centuries. Aside from its theological-historical importance, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is also useful because it gives a glimpse into how the Egyptians viewed their gods and goddesses.<br />
<br />
Unlike the spells from religious texts such as <i> The Pyramid Texts</i>, <i>The Coffin Texts</i>, and <i>The Book of the Dead</i>, which present the Egyptians’ deities in a somewhat antiseptic and wholly utilitarian manner, <i> The Destruction of Mankind</i> demonstrates that the Egyptians actually viewed their deities not unlike how the Greeks viewed theirs. The Egyptian gods and goddess were full of foibles and sometimes had limitations, but as the myth shows, they also had a genuine sense of compassion.<br />
<br />
===The Power of the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses===<br />
[[File: Dendera.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|The Temple of the Goddess Hathor at Dendera]]<br />
Before examining if and how <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> myth relates personality elements of ancient Egyptian deities, it is important to know the attributes for which the gods and goddesses were imbued. To begin with, as mentioned earlier, most of the Egyptian deities had some very humanlike attributes. Most were born, or created, aged, and very often also died. Some, such as Osiris, were even murdered. The sun-god Re, arguably the most important of all Egyptian deities and the central figure of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>, was depicted as old and somewhat enfeebled in this and other myths. <ref> Hornung, Erik. <i> Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many.</ref> Translated by John Baines. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1996), pgs. 143-154</ref> Although these attributes placed the ancient Egyptian deities on a level with humans to certain extent, one would be wrong to think that the Egyptian gods and goddesses were physically, intellectually, or morally weak in any way and not superior to humans.<br />
<br />
All of the Egyptian gods and goddesses had their own superhuman abilities. Some, such as Thoth, possessed superior knowledge and intellect, while Isis knew the secrets of magic. Other gods were credited for their creative abilities and many of the deities could be syncretically combined to incorporate multiple powerful attributes into one figure. For instance, Re was often combined with Amun, the New Kingdom warrior god, to create Amun-Re. In what is perhaps a peculiar or unique element of ancient Egyptian theology and myth, the powerful aspects of a deity could exist simultaneously with their weaknesses. Re could age, become enfeebled, and even die, but he was reborn daily and would ride a mystical solar barge. <ref> Hornung, p. 155</ref> The multi-faceted, complex attributes of the Egyptian deities were often not as apparent in the daily rituals of the religion, but they were on display in the culture’s few narrative myths.<br />
<br />
As Egyptologist Jan Assman has discussed, the ancient Egyptian <i>concept</i> of a particular deity, which he termed “icon,” was more important to the Egyptians than any narrative in which the god appeared. He noted that Egyptian myths combined the idea of icons and stories in a way where there was really little distinction, unlike the Greeks. The fact that the icon of a god was paramount essentially fixed it in a static position, which prevented the development of a traditional myth cycle. <ref> Assman, Jan. <i> The Search for God in Ancient Egypt.</ref> Translated by David Lorton. (Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2001), p. 112</ref> With that said, <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is one of the more effective Egyptian myths in terms of demonstrating the nature of several icons.<br />
<br />
===<i>The Destruction of Mankind</i>===<br />
[[File: Sekhmet_louvre.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Sekhmet in the Louvre, Paris]]<br />
The myth <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is known from inscriptions from New Kingdom nobles’ tombs. It is actually part of a longer myth known as <i> The Myth of the Heavenly Cow</i> and although it is in many ways indictive of the emergence of narrative myths in the New Kingdom, it was probably originally composed during the Middle Kingdom. <ref> Lichtheim, Miriam, ed. <i> Ancient Egyptian Literature.</i> Volume 1I: The New Kingdom (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006), p. 197</ref><br />
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The personalities of some of the Egyptian pantheon’s most important deities is revealed at the beginning of the myth. The enfeebled Re is somewhat of a cantankerous old man who grows tired of humanity for plotting against the gods.<br />
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“It happened [in the time of the majesty of] Re, the self-created, after he had become king of men and gods together: Mankind plotted against him, while his majesty had grown old, his bones being sliver, his flesh gold, his hair true lapis lazuli. When his majesty perceived the plotting of mankind against him, his majesty said to his followers: “Summon to me my Eye. . .” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 198</ref> <br />
<br />
The “eye” in this case is actually the goddess Hathor. Hathor was usually depicted in Egyptian iconography as a human female, sometimes with cows’ ears. She was associated with sexuality, fertility, and beauty, but in this case she had a bit of a violent side. Keeping in mind the nature of ancient Egyptian deities, the gods and goddesses could have several attributes and be combined with other deities. As the Eye of Re, Hathor would transform into the ferocious lioness goddess Sekhmet. <ref> Wilkinson, Richard H. <i> The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt.</i> (London: Thames and Hudson, 2003), p. 181 </ref> <br />
<br />
Although Re apparently took no pleasure in the task of punishing humanity for its transgression against the gods, Hathor-Sekhmet certainly did. In fact, she was quite efficient at her task, killing the greater part of humanity and drinking their blood in the process. <br />
<br />
“The goddess returned after slaying mankind in the desert, and the majesty of the god said: ‘Welcome in peace, Hathor, Eye who did what I came for!’ Said the goddess: ‘As you live for me, I have overpowered mankind, and it was balm to my heart.’ Said the majesty of Re: ‘I shall have power over them as king by diminishing them.’ Thus the Powerful One (Sekhmet) came into being.” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 199</ref> <br />
<br />
As Re witnessed the destruction that Hathor-Sekhmet had brought to mankind, he apparently began to feel remorse, which is a trait deities rarely expressed in the myths of most premodern, literate cultures. The sun-god then decided that he would save humanity from Sekhmet, so he used another one of his personality traits – ingenuity. Apparently confronting Sekhmet directly was out of the question, so Re employed his high-priest in Heliopolis to mix red ochre with 7,000 jars of beer, hoping that the goddess would believe the concoction was just more of the blood she was drinking. <br />
<br />
“Re said: ‘It is good; I shall save mankind by it!’. . . The fields were flooded three palms high with the liquid by the might of the majesty of this god. When the goddess came in the morning she found them flooded, and her gaze was pleased by it. She drank and it pleased her heart. She returned drunk without having perceived mankind.” <ref> Lichtheim, p. 199</ref><br />
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===The Significance of the Myth===<br />
[[File: Bastet.jpg|300px|thumbnail|left|Statue of the Goddess Bastet Playing Sistra]]<br />
The myth of <i>The Destruction of Mankind</i> is significant on many theological and historic levels, especially the manner in which it reveals much about the personalities and attributes of some of ancient Egypt’s most important deities. First is Hathor, who normally represents beauty and fertility. She is transformed from a sympathetic and human appearing figure into a bloodthirsty lioness, but through a ruse is changed once more into a friendly house cat that is usually associated with the goddess Bastet. <ref> Hornung, p. 205</ref> <br />
<br />
Even more important, though, are the complex personality traits of the sun-god Re. Re is at first presented as feeble, in declining health, and also somewhat of a stereotypical angry old man: despite his immense power, he is angry at what humans are doing. The sun-god then then shows his immense power by sending his eye to destroy the humans, which also demonstrates his apparent lack of feeling for humanity. But then as all seems lost, Re shows that he does have compassion after all and along with plenty of resourcefulness and a bit of humor, is able to save humanity. <br />
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===References===<br />
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[[Category: Mythology]] [[Category: Ancient Egyptian Mythology]]</div>Jaredkrebsbach