The Gods of Ancient Egypt

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how the Gods of Ancient Egypt were not only deities to their worshipers, but also served as a creative manifestation that collectively expressed the different facets of life in Egypt and how the scope of this effect varies from the appearance of each god representing what their responsibilities as a god might be to the human-like qualities and quirks of each god that gave them a more human aesthetic than the Greek and Roman Gods. In particular, the paper looks at how the "Egyptian Myths" is no exception to this rule and spans the breadth of Egyptian life as it touches upon the Egyptians love of beer, the emotions of the gods, the origin of the Egyptian people, the political responsibilities and relations among the gods, the relations of Egypt's gods and people to the land, and the relations of the gods to the people of Egypt.

From the Paper:

"In the "Myth of Cataclysm," the gods display overwhelmingly human-like qualities. The most evident of these is emotion and more specifically, emotions related to power. Re's vengeful streak is made apparent as he addresses Nun, the primeval source of life. "In his statement he mentions how mankind emerged from the tears of his eyes... and how they are conspiring against him. He wants to know Nun's opinion before he kills the entire human race." Essentially, Re, the Sun God and the Ruler of Egypt, is considering the punishment of the human race for daring to rebel against him. This kind of retaliatory streak among gods is often perceived as wrath, but what defines this particular instance as vengeance is the emotional context. Re appears to feel betrayed by the humans as he states that they were created from his tears before he asks Nun whether he should kill them or not. The fact that Re consulted Nun about killing the human race also plays to the human qualities of the Egyptian gods. It suggests that Re has doubts about destroying his creation while also hinting that, while he is the King of Egypt and the God of the Sun, he feels indebted to the source of his own genesis, Nun. This same doubt is evident when he rescinds his desire for the destruction of the human race and sends his messenger to warn the humans about another goddess coming to destroy them while offering them a plan so that they might survive. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hart, George. 1990. Egyptian Myths. Austin: University of Texas Press, pp 47-49 (slightly adapted.)

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