The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani) · 70 of 357 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 7 (part 5)

141.

2.

Ibid.

, p.

149.

3 Ibid.

, p.

172.] {p.

lxxxix} God and the gods.

The passages from the pyramid of Pepi show at once the difference between neter as God, and the "gods" neteru ; the other passages, which might be multiplied almost indefinitely, prove that the Being spoken of is God.

The neteru or "gods" whom Unas hunted, and snared, and killed, and roasted, and ate, are beings who could die; to them were attributed bodies, souls, ka's , spiritual bodies, etc .

In a remarkable passage from the CLIVth Chapter of the Book of the Dead (Naville, Todtenbuch , Bd.

I., Bl.

179, l.

3) the deceased king Thothmes III.

prays:-- seset-kua emxet-k Tem huau ma ennu ari-k Preserve me behind thee, O Tmu, from decay such as that which thou workest er meter neb netert nebt er aut neb er t'etfet neb for god every, and goddess every, for animals all, for reptiles all sebuit-f per ba-f emxet mit-f ha-f for each passeth away when hath gone forth his soul after his death, he perisheth emxet sebi-f after he hath passed away.

The gods mortal.

Of these mortal gods some curious legends have come down to us; from which the following may be selected as illustrating their inferior position.

Themes

◇Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

[auto] The passage explicitly states that the 'gods' were attributed bodies, souls, and ka's, reflecting human-like characteristics.

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◇Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

[auto] The passage distinguishes between the singular 'neter' (God) and the plural 'neteru' (gods), explicitly noting the inferior position and mortality of the latter.

All passages →

◇Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] The excerpt is from a commentary on the Book of the Dead and discusses a deceased king praying for preservation from decay after death.

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◇Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

[auto] The text affirms the existence of a supreme 'Being' who is God and is the object of prayer for preservation, implying a personal responsive reality distinct from mortal gods.

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◇Tripartite Soulanthropology

Division of the human being into three principles: spirit (pneuma), soul (psyche), and body/matter (hyle or soma).

[auto] The text describes the mortal gods as having bodies, souls, and ka's, indicating a composite structure of the human or divine being.

All passages →

Related passages · 2 parallels

◆mesopotamian|Enuma Elish: The Epic of Creation|1a

“THE FIRST TABLET When in the height heaven was not named, And the earth beneath did not yet bear a name, And the primeval Apsu, who begat them, And chaos, Tiamut, the mother of them both Their waters were mingled together, And no field was…”

Both passages discuss the nature of gods and their relationship with the divine and mortal realms. They explore the concept of gods having vulnerabilities and being subject to decay or destruction, highlighting a nuanced view of divinity within their respective traditions.

◆platonism|Plato: Timaeus|Section 1o

“To know or tell the origin of the other divinities is beyond us, and we must accept the traditions of the men of old time who affirm themselves to be the offspring of the gods-that is what they say-and they must surely have known their own…”

Both passages discuss the nature of gods and their mortality, with the Egyptian text describing the gods as mortal beings who can die and perish, while the Greek text explains the creation of mortal beings by the gods and the distinction between immortal and mortal souls. Both explore the theme of the divine and the mortal in their respective traditions.