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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell · 72 of 96 · tr. E.A. Wallis Budge

Chapter 19

EIGHTH DIVISION OF THE TUAT. I. KINGDOM OF OSIRIS ACCORDING TO THE BOOK AM-TUAT. The name of this DIVISION, or HOUR, or CITY, is TEBAT-NETERU-S, its Gate is called AHA-AN-URT-NEF, and its Hour-goddess is NEBT-USHAU. The Boat of AFU-RA now enters one of the most holy places in the Kingdom of Osiris, for in it abide the Four Forms of TATHENEN. Looking at the Boat (vol. i., p. 164) we see that ISIS and SER are no longer in it, a fact which indicates that the dangers incidental to passing through this DIVISION are not great, and that it is towed by a company of gods. Immediately in front of them are nine SHEMSU, or "Followers," i.e., "servants" (of Osiris), each with an object before him (vol. i., p. 167), which indicates that he is a properly bandaged mummy, and leading these are Four Rams, each wearing a p. 155 different kind of crown, which represent the Four Forms of TATHENEN (vol. i., pp. 168, 169). The heads which are attached to the symbols of the "Followers" only appear when they hear the voice of AFU-RA, and when he has passed them they disappear; the huge knives which they have are used in slaughtering any of the enemies of Ra who may succeed in entering the City. On the right and left of the path Of AFU-RA are a number of "Circles" in which dwell the "gods" who have been mummified, and for whom all the prescribed rites and ceremonies have been performed; the greater number of these gods are not well known, and their exact functions are not well understood. The CIRCLES on the right are: 1. HETEPET-NEB-S, 2. HETEMET-KHEMIU, 3. HAPSEMU-S, 4. SEHERT-BAIU-S, 5. AAT-SETEKAU, 6. The door TES-AMEM-MIT-EM-SHETA-F. AS AFU-RA passes these gods their doors fly open and those within hear what he says, and they respond with cries which are like unto those of male cats, or the "noise of the confused murmur of the living," or the "sound of those who go down to the battle-field of Nu," or the "sound of the cry of the Divine Hawk of Horus," or the "twittering of the birds in a nest of water-fowl." The CIRCLES on the left are: 1. SESHETA, 2. TUAT, 3. AS-NETERU, 4. AAKEBI, 5. NEBT-SEMU-NIFU, 6. The door TES-KHAIBITU-TUATIU. The sounds made by the gods in these resemble the "hum of many honey-bees," the "sound of the swathed ones," the "sound of men p. 156 who lament," the sounds "of bulls and other male animals," and the sound of those "who make supplication through terror" (vol. i., pp. 170 ff.).
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

[auto] The deity Afu-Ra is described with a face, standing under a canopy, and travelling in a boat with a crew.

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Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

Enemies of Osiris are shown punished (decapitated or fettered), indicating a verdict on the wicked.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

[auto] This passage is excerpted from the Book of Am-Tuat, a text specifically designed to guide the deceased through the underworld divisions.

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Living Godtheology

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

Divine beings are depicted as active agents who speak, move, appear, and disappear within the narrative.

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Maat Cosmic Ordercosmology

The Egyptian principle of truth, balance, and right order underlying both the cosmos and human conduct; the parallel to Zoroastrian asha and Greek dike.

The journey implies the maintenance of cosmic order against enemies of Osiris, seeking peace in Amentet.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

Specific numbers structure the scene, such as twelve goddesses and three living souls.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

The text records direct address to the divine, including entreaties to goddesses and words spoken by Ra to Osiris.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

[auto] The text describes the god's travel through the secret path of Amentet with divine companions protecting him from underworld dangers.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

[auto] Specific names for divisions, gates, and deities are listed alongside mentions of words of power that provide protection.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The passage describes ritual actions and words intended to engage divine powers and facilitate safe passage through the underworld.

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Related passages · 12 parallels
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