Page Content (OCR)
44 nized forever as a result of Thoth's treatment, Horus grew up as Netch-atef, "Avenger of his Father." Educated and trained in mar- tial arts by goddesses and gods who sided with Osiris, he was groomed as a Divine Prince worthy of celestial association. Then, one day, he appeared before the Council of the Gods to claim the throne of Osiris. Of the many gods who were surprised by his appearance, none was more so than Seth. All seemed to wonder: Did Osiris indeed Papyrus No. 1, Seth suggested that the gods' deliberations be re- cessed so as to give him a chance to discuss the problem peacefully with his newly appeared nephew. He invited Horus to "come, let us pass a happy day in my house," and Horus agreed. But what Seth had in mind was not peacemaking; his mind was set on trickery: the twain lay thereon. And in the night Seth caused his member to become stiff, and he made it go between the loins of Horus. When the gods next met in council, Seth demanded that the Of- fice of Ruler be resolved as his, for Horus was disqualified: whether or not he was of the seed of Osiris, the seed of Seth was now in him. entitling him to succeed, not precede, Seth! Now it was the turn of Horus to surprise the gods. When Seth poured out his semen, "I caught the seed between my hands," Ho- rus said. In the morning he showed it to his mother, telling her what had happened. Isis then made Horus erect his member and pour his semen into a cup. Then she went to the garden of Seth and poured the semen of Horus on the lettuce that Seth then unknow- ingly ate. So, announced Horus, "Not only is Seth's seed not in me, but my seed is in him! It is Seth who has been disqualified!" Baffled, the gods called upon Thoth to resolve the issue. He checked the semen that Horus had given his mother, which Isis kept in a pot; it was found to be indeed the semen of Seth. He then scanned the body of Seth and confirmed that it contained the semen of Horus... . Enraged, Seth did not wait for the discussions to continue. Only a fight to the bitter end could now settle the issue, he shouted as he left. Seth had by then, per Manctho, ruled 350 years. If we add to this the time—thirteen years, we believe—it had taken Isis to find the thirteen parts of the dismembered Osiris, it was indeed "in the year THE WARS OF GODS AND MEN father this son? As described in a text known as the Chester Beatly And when it was eventide, the bed was spread for them, and