The Legend of Horus and Set
by V.H. Frater D.M.A.

     After the slaying of Osiris by his brother, the evil god Set, Isis enlisted the help of Nephthys and Anubis to reconstitute the body of Osiris. All of the scattered pieces of Osiris were found save his penis, which Isis then fashioned out of pure Gold. Once the body of Osiris was completely reassembled, Isis layed down with Osiris with the purpose of producing a son to avenge the death of her brother and husband Osiris.

     Isis then went to Ra and intoxicated him with the wine of the Gods to receive from him his secret name, Horus, so that she may give this name to her son. In giving the child the secret name of Ra he would have the power of the Visible sun, and the Blood of the Hidden and Secret sun. This lineage of both night and day would ensure that he would be victorious and any battle against darkness that he would come across.

     Set, hearing of this child, became furious and swore to kill any newborn male he came across. Isis bore Horus in secret promptly hid him away in a lotus flower. She told him to keep silent and think of nothing but her voice, and she would return when the time was right for him to emerge from the lotus. Isis was afraid that Set would find Horus prematurely and kill him, but Horus knew nothing of fear, Horus knew only the voice of his mother, Isis.

     The time came, when the rest of the Gods came forth and demanded that a new king take the throne of the Slain Osiris. Isis proclaimed that Horus was the rightful heir to the thrown, but Set demanded that Horus was too young to hold the throne and that he should reign as the brother of Osiris. Isis went and got Horus out of the lotus flower and brought him before the rest of the Gods. There was much debate among the Gods. Thoth agreed that Horus should reign on the throne, but Ra sided with Set. Neith, the Mother, was consulted and she said that Horus would reign on the throne, but that she would double that everything Set owned as payment for his loss of the throne. Set would have no part of this arrangement. Set demanded that the he and Horus battle for the throne, being confident in himself that he could kill the child Horus. Ra continued to side with Set, while the rest of the Gods agreed with Neith in her judgment.

     Set took off after Horus and demanded a contest for the throne. A series of contests were held including turning themselves into hippopotami and seeing who could hold their breath the longest and other such trivial challenges. During one challenge, Set plucked out the left eye of Horus. Thoth restored Horus’s eye and told him that this was the Light of the Moon. In another challenge Set sent a darkness over the right eye of Horus. Hathor poured some of her milk into Horus’s right eye and said this is the Light of the Sun.

     Again, the other Gods declared that Horus would be the king. Set demanded one more contest, however. Set invited Horus outside to battle. After a short time Horus came back into where the rest of the Gods were with Set dragging behind bound in chains. Horus bound Set to a spike before the Gods and slew him. Set was defeated. Osiris was Avenged.